Dixie Deans (RAF airman)
James Alexander Graham "Dixie" Deans
On 10 September 1940, Deans (of 77 Squadron) took off from Linton-on-Ouse in a Whitley bomber to attack Bremen. His aircraft was hit by flak and crash-landed at Venebrugge (Overijssel), east north-east of Zwolle, Holland.
Deans was imprisoned first at Stalag Luft I, then moved to Stalag Luft III, where as camp leader he held meetings with the Germans on behalf of the NCO POWs.
He was then transferred to
In March 1945, Deans took charge of 2,000 POWs on a month-long march across Poland and Germany in what became known as one of the 'Long Marches' to
When Deans returned home to England, he found work as an executive officer at the London School of Economics, until he retired in 1977. Shortly after the war, Deans was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, which he fought for the rest of his life.
Deans was awarded the
Deans was a founder member and first president of the RAF Ex-POW Association; he is also listed as a contributor to
See also
- The March (1945)
- Prisoner of war
- Prisoner-of-war camp
- List of German World War II POW camps
- Death marches (Holocaust)
References
Further reading
- 'Under the Wire' autobiography by William Ash– includes descriptions of James 'Dixie' Deans' experience and skills whilst a POW.