Greenwood, Bruce Frederick (Pilot Officer, b.1922 - d.1945)

Collection relating to the Second World War service of 424584 Pilot Officer Bruce Frederick Greenwood, 51 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia, c.1943-1945.

Wallet 1 of 1 – Consists of three letters relating to the service and death of Pilot Officer Bruce Frederick Greenwood. The first two letters were written by Pilot Officer Greenwood to his friend, Alan Weightman, dated c.1943 and 19 December 1944. In his letters, Pilot Officer Greenwood writes about completing his navigation training in Canada, accidents after his graduation dinner, a visit to New York, his expectations of future service, drinking large quantities of alcohol while on leave, being grounded while his fellow crewmembers were in hospital, working hard while on duty, and plans for a holiday in Ireland. The final letter, dated 14 September 1945, was written by Pilot Officer Greenwood’s mother, Mrs Gladys Greenwood, to Alan Weightman. In her letter, Mrs Greenwood writes about Pilot Officer Greenwood’s capture and subsequent death at the hands of his German captors, and the impact that it had on the family.

Pilot Officer Bruce Frederick Greenwood enlisted to the Royal Australian Air Force on 15 September 1942. He trained as a navigator in Australia and Canada under the Empire Air Training Scheme, and went on to serve with 51 Squadron, based in the United Kingdom. In March 1945, Pilot Officer Greenwood and his crew were shot down over Germany after completing a bombing operation. The crew bailed out successfully. Five of the crew, including Pilot Officer Greenwood, were captured as prisoners of war and interrogated. Shortly afterwards, on 22 March 1945, they were taken to a nearby aerodrome by German soldiers and machine gunned from behind at a range of five feet. Pilot Officer Greenwood, alongside three of his fellow crew members was killed. One crewmember, Flying Officer Keith William Berick, escaped. His statements led to the identification and trial of the German soldiers, who were judged guilty of war crimes and subsequently executed. Pilot Officer Bruce Frederick Greenwood is buried at Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Kleve, Germany.