In Merston, Bill flew a few more two-aircraft patrols in the evenings, before the Squadron began eleven and twelve-aircraft offensive sweeps. The first of those in which he was involved was on 9 August. Twelve Spitfires departed Merston at 1045 hours on that day and returned from France without loss at 1205.

That same afternoon Bill took part in a further, albeit short patrol over Shoreham. On 12 August, Bill went on seven days war leave, the same day his best mate was shot down. The Squadron's logs record, "Sgt. Bull missing, seen spinning down west of Hazebrook [sic]. Now confirmed Prisoner of War."

On 18 August Bill took part in an eleven aircraft offensive sweep over France. It was a successful sortie, recorded in the Squadron log book as follows,

But it was at the cost of two pilots, "Sgt. Jury and P/O Williams missing."

Between 19 and 26 August, Bill took part in a further six offensive sweeps over France. On 21 August, for example, 41 Squadron's log book records, "0845, 11 aircraft offensive sweep. S/Ldr Gaunce and Sgt. Brew shared one Me109F as damaged over Hesdin."

On 27 August, Bill once again took part in an eleven aircraft offensive sweep over France. He departed Merston at 0620 flying a Spitfire Mk. V, number R7304, code EB-Q, with Squadron Leader Gaunce, Flight Lieutenant Bush, Pilot Officers Babbage and Ranger, and Sergeants Glenn, Valiquet, Palmer, Mitchell, Morgan, and Swanwick. The wind was from the south at 15-20 mph, the cloud 9-10/10, and visibility at 4-6 miles. Around 0700 Bill went into combat.

He explains,

The fourth Messerschmidt had attacked him from behind and hit is engine, which then burst into flames.

The Squadron log book details the events,

Bills picks up the story,

Bill had been slightly injured in the incident, having a small piece of shrapnel lodged above his right ankle, resulting in a brief hospitalization. 

He adds that although he was taken prisoner by the German Army, he was later picked up by an officer of the Luftwaffe who brought him back to his base, that of the Squadron which had shot him down. Here he had breakfast with them - an almost gentle-manly touch - before being loaded onto a train bound for Germany, escorting a badly wounded Canadian pilot.

Barely four days later, on 1 September, his parents Albert and Maggie, at home in Sydney, took delivery of the ever-feared telegram. Albert's older brother had been killed in France in 1918, and one can only imagine his feeling of dread as he opened the envelope and read it's contents. He had both his sons at war, one in the RAAF and one in the RANVR. Which son would it be, and what was his fate? He read,

It was vague and offered little information. It was neither clear what had occurred nor whether he had survived. A few days later a letter arrived from the Australian Air Board Casualty Section, adding only further speculation,

However, on Saturday, 6 September, Bill's parents were given new hope when a further telegram informed them of a German broadcast which had notified Allied forces that Bill was now a Prisoner of War. The family breathed a great yet cautious sigh of relief. Bill's father wrote a letter to the "Department of Air" on 13 October 1941, which gives us an idea of his emotions at this time, "The information conveyed, is much more heartening....We are deeply grateful for the prompt manner in which you have kept us informed...."

But on 26 September yet another telegram filled the family with trepidation. It read, "Information just received from Air Ministry London states your son Sergeant W. A. Brew is prisoner of war and wounded." Soon, the Sydney Morning Herald reported, "Previously reported missing, now reported Prisoner of War but wounded ... BREW, Sergeant W.A."

But thankfully, the wound was only slight and Bill healed well. It wasn't until January 1942, however, that news finally arrived informing Bill's family in which POW camp he was interned. Now it was at last possible to write to him. At the beginning of the new year Bill had been transferred to Stalag IIIE in Germany with his mate Allen Bull. He was given the POW No. 30.

Over the following years, Bill was transferred to several different POW camps. On 7 May 1942 Bill and Allen Bull were transferred to Stalag Luft III. Fourteen months later, on 19 July 1943, they were both transferred to Stalag Luft VI with 15 others. Bill's parents were informed of each camp movement by the Defence Department, so they could keep in touch with him. In early 1944, Stalag Luft VI changed it's name and Bill's father Albert received due notification. It read, 

In July 1944, Bill's father received a letter from the RAAF Casualty Section informing him that Bill had been promoted to the rank of Flight Sergeant with effect from 1 May 1943. In October 1944, he received notice that Bill had transferred camp yet again. This time he had been moved to Stalag 357 in Germany on 18 July. A list of transfers to the new camp was filed by the International Red Cross in Geneva, but Bill's mate Allen Bull does not appear on it. Then, a further letter arrived from the RAAF, dated 30 October 1944, in which Bill's father was informed that his son had been promoted to the rank of Warrant Officer, effective 1 May 1944.

Bill escaped 5 times in all. One escape with Allen Bull caused two weeks solitary confinement for both in an old dungeon. His fifth and final escape came on a death march from the Elbe River in April 1945, almost four years after his capture. The POWs were being marched east away from advancing British and American troops. Germany was almost at at end and the signs showed clearly. They were guarded by German Shepherd dogs and, according to Bill, even they were emaciated.

These mass evacuations of POWs were well known by the Allied Forces at the time and have been well-documented. As the Russians began moving into Poland and Prussia during the early months of 1945, the Germans began evacuating P.O.W. camps in the vicinity and moved prisoners further west into Germany. Likewise, those west of Germany were moved to the east, into Germany, away from the advancing British and Americans. During these months the Germans moved an estimated 100,000 POWs. They suffered under extreme weather conditions, including blizzards and sub-zero temperatures, which was aggravated by shortages of food and shelter. While many suffered serious health problems as a result, many thousands more died in the process through sheer exhaustion, brought on by continuous movement by foot.

Bill continues,

Unfortunately many were killed, but five Australian prisoners, amongst them Bill and Allen Bull, hid in a ditch and were surprised to find that when things quieted down their column had continued on without them. They eventually ran off and hid in the forest. Parts of forests were often cleared for crop growing and, crossing one of these clearings several days later, on 17 April 1945, they heard gun-fire nearby and suddenly found themselves in the midst of a large group of German Infantry fleeing for their lives. But by this time they were starving and could run no more; they completely expected recapture.

Instead, the Germans soldiers went on past as a British tank appeared from the forest, turret swinging from left to right, looking for a target. The tank approached the five young men and stopped. There were two soldiers lying on top of the tank on either side, each with machine gun. With  hands raised, Bill, Alan and their three colleagues shouted their identification and begged for food. They were given some biscuits, a bottle of Advakar and an Iron Cross and told to wait for the supply column 6-7 hours away, which they did.

Coincidentally, they found their old unit, 41 Squadron, which was now based nearby, but Bill and Allen Bull were not allowed entry. They lacked identification and it seemed there was no-one else left from 1941 who might vouch for them. Bill finally asked for the Intelligence Officer, who was able to place them after checking personnel records. Bill had severe Beri-Beri by this time, requiring intensive medical treatment and was soon flown back to England, with Allen Bull, for extended rehabilitation.

At 11:00am on 27 April, news of Bill's liberation and survival reached his parents in Sydney when the following telegram arrived, greeted with tears of joy.

It would still be several months before Bill and his family would be reunited.

Before Bill and Alan returned to England , the two young men were taken to the Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp, which was nearby, and were able to witness the results of the atrocities there. He was horrified at the scale of the mass-murder of so many innocents, and saw countless bodies lying within the camp compound. Despite their liberation, hundreds of internees continued to die each day as a result of illness and malnutrition. Bill says that the camp Commandant lay spread-eagled and alive, staked out on the road before the gates to Belsen, and it was customary for all to spit on him when passing as a sign of their absolute disgust.

When the war in the Pacific came to an end in August 1945, Bill was onboard the troopship HMAT Orion in the Caribbean on his way to the Pacific to fly again, against the Japanese. Orion duly changed course and headed directly for Australia. Bill arrived in Sydney on 29 November to find his parents and other relatives awaiting him on the dock, along with cheering crowds for all the other returned servicemen on board. His nephew John, my father, was there and distinctly remembers being called home from school that day to enable him to be there, too, to meet Uncle Bill when he disembarked. It was another month before his own father would arrive home from sea onboard HMAS Lachlan.

Bill was discharged in Sydney that same day with the rank of Warrant Officer. His father Albert was present at his passing-out and brought him home in the family car. Home for the first time in over four years, he changed out of his Royal Australian Air Force uniform and thanked God he had survived the war.

Bibliography

• William Aubrey Brew, personal accounts

• Operational Record Book, 57 OTU, Hawarden, PRO Kew, London

• Operational Record Book, 41 Sqdn. RAF, Catterick and Merston, Air 27/425 and 27/429, PRO Kew, London

• Casualty Record of William Aubrey Brew, National Archives of Australia, Canberra

• The Records of the Royal Air Force, How To Find The Few, Eunice Wilson, 1991

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