Charles P. Davenport

Captain **Charles P. Davenport** was a Fleet Air Arm officer.

On 27 April 1940, a Luftwaffe Heinkel He 111 bomber (1H+CT) was pursued near Grotli by a Fleet Air Arm Blackburn Skua (L2940) fighter. Three of the four German crew survived the crash: pilot Leutnant Horst Schopis, Feldwebel Wolfgang Strunk and Obergefreiter Josef Schwartz. Unteroffizier Hauk did not survive the crash. Josef's arm was injured, but it did not appear serious. They then set off for the coast to rejoin the fighting. When a snowstorm developed, they lost their supplies and encountered a hunter's cabin. Two British airmen from the other downed aircraft, Capt. Charles P. Davenport and his air gunner Robert Smith, were heard approaching the cabin. The Germans allowed them in the cabin, but as prisoners of war. Horst divided the room roughly in half and explained the British must not cross the line without permission. The only food found was a small amount of oatmeal, which the Germans shared equally. The Germans treated them fairly, but clearly both groups made no secrets of their contempt for the other.

With little firewood, they began chopping up things in the cabin to use. Horst took Davenport's lighter, which Davenport objected to greatly as it was a gift from his father. Horst promised it would be returned when this was over. The following morning, an attempt to set out for help was abandoned when they started to get separated by the snowstorm, as the weather was clearly too rough.

After returning to the cabin, Smith saw an opportunity and grabbed Josef's gun, putting it to Josef's head and forcing the other two to hand over their weapons. The next day, Smith and Strunk went out, hoping to spot some reindeer Smith had seen earlier. They only find (and Smith shot) a rabbit instead.

Back at the cabin, Davenport ordered Horst to chop down what was the main support beam in the middle of the cabin for firewood, despite Horst's objections. Immediately the roof began to cave in, stopped just in the nick of time by Horst and Davenport standing on two small tables and holding up the roof. Horst took advantage and took Davenport's gun. When Smith and Strunk got back, there was a standoff and both sides agreed to a "cease fire" until they could get to safety. They put all of the guns in a box outside the cabin. At this point, tensions eased as the men got to know each other and realised they must work together to survive. This was aided greatly by Strunk accidentally uncovering a box under the floorboards with supplies, including dried meat and several bottles of alcohol.

Josef's arm became infected with gangrene and the men realised they must cut it off for him to survive. They get him drunk and cut off the arm with an axe, saving his life. At this point, the men had become friends, spending the night drinking and talking about each other's lives.

The next day, Smith and Strunk went out on skis found in the cabin to get to a hill and look for the best route to travel.

Meanwhile, in a nearby military camp, a Norwegian scout reported that the downed German aircraft has been located and a small party of men was dispatched to look for the German airmen. When they encountered Smith and Strunk skiing back downhill towards the cabin, a Norwegian sniper fatally shot Strunk and they captured Smith. The rest of the men are also captured.

Back at the military camp, the Norwegian officer interrogated the British airmen, perceiving them as collaborators with the Germans. Horst then walked in and explained he wanted to return Davenport's lighter. Davenport could not bring himself to look at Horst as Horst placed it on the table. The Norwegian officer then threatened to report Davenport and Smith to his superiors, saying that eventually the report would reach their British superiors. Davenport finally snapped, insulting the officer and telling him they were simply trying to survive.

Horst and Josef were seen being taken away in a canoe, to be shipped to a prison camp. Davenport and Smith walk to the edge of the dock, where Davenport and Horst exchange a glance.

Horst and Schwartz became prisoners of war in Canada. Where Horst spent 7 years as a P.O.W.

A few day after returning to England, Davenport and Smith took off on a raid over Trondheim. Once again they were shot down. Davenport was captured and spent the rest of the war in a P.O.W. camp. Smith was killed during the attack.

In 1977, Horst received a phone call in his Munich home. It was Davenport, who invited Horst to London, where the former enemies met as friends.

Charles died in 1990.