Three: Flight Lieutenant R. A. Malcolm, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, who was captured and taken Prisoner of War after his Liberator was shot down over Benghasi, Libya, on 23 July 1942, and was subsequently held at Stalag Luft III at the time of the ‘Great Escape’

1939-45 Star; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45, with Air Council enclosure, in named card box of issue, addressed to ‘F/L R. A. Malcolm, c/o Oil Storage Co. of Apapa Ltd., 39, Marina, Lagos, Nigeria, W. Africa.’, extremely fine (3) £80-£100

Ronald Alexander Malcolm, a native of Pollokshields, Glasgow, was born on 26 February 1921 and enlisted into the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve on 1 May 1939, an Aeronautical Engineer by trade. He served during the Second World War as a Bomber Pilot in 159 Squadron, and on 23 July 1942 his Liberator aircraft was engaged and shot down by a Macchi 200 of the Regia Aeronautica over Benghasi, Libya. Two of the crew were killed, with Malcolm and three others surviving and being taken Prisoner of War.

Malcolm was transferred to mainland Italy for detention and was held at Campo P.G.78 at Sulmona and P.G.19 at Bologna until Armistice with Italy in September 1943, before being seized by the occupying German Forces and transferred into Germany for further detention. On arrival, he was initially held at Oflag V at Weinberg, before moving to Stalag Luft Ill at Sagan, in November 1942. He remained at this camp until January 1945, when evacuated on the westward forced-marches of Allied Prisoners of War to Stalag/Marlag Tamstadt-Bremen to 5 April 1945. He was at Stalag Luft Ill during the period of 'The Great Escape' in March 1944, but his M.I.9. Questionnaire states: ‘Escapes attempted: No.’

Malcolm was awarded the Air Efficiency Award on 28 February 1946.

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