page_title: Brian Evans (RAF officer)
section_title: Wartime Service
hierarchical_section_title: Brian Evans (RAF officer) / Wartime Service
caption_attribution_description: English: Handley Page Hampden Mk I of No.455 Squadron RAAF, based at Leuchars in Scotland, May 1942. A Handley Page Hampden Mark I, AT137 'UB-T', of No 455 Squadron RAAF based at Leuchars, Fife, Scotland, in flight above clouds, May 1942.
context_page_description: Brian Herbert Evans, was a Royal Air Force bomber pilot who was taken prisoner during the Second World War. Notable for his part in the 'Great Escape' from Stalag Luft III in March 1944 he was one of the men recaptured and subsequently murdered by the Gestapo.
context_section_description: Evans joined the Royal Air Force with effect from 8 August 1939 and was posted to the Civil Flying School at Gatwick. He was granted a short service commission (4 years) as acting pilot officer on 9 October 1939 By April 1940 he was flying with No. 14 Operational Training Unit at RAF Cottesmore making anti-submarine patrols in Avro Anson aircraft and on 4 May 1940 he was confirmed as pilot officer            On 30 September 1940 he was posted to No. 49 Squadron RAF at Scampton flying Handley Page Hampdens  but was severely wounded on 16 October 1940 by anti-aircraft fire over Bordeaux harbour flying Hampden L4129 on a mine laying mission. Evans managed to get the damaged bomber home and crash landed at Lenham, Kent at 0450 hours; three of the crew survived alive but one  died.  Returning to operational flying in November, he suffered a second crash.
caption: A Hampden in 1942
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