F/Lt Geoffrey Willatt RIP

Kyt · Jul 9, 2009

Obituary: Geoffrey Willatt | From the Guardian | The Guardian

My father, Geoffrey Willatt, who has died aged 98, was a veteran of the second world war and of the prisoner of war camp Stalag Luft III. He was also an artist and a keen sportsman.

He was born in Nottingham, the second of three brothers. His older brother, Sir Hugh Willatt, was a former secretary general to the Arts Council and his younger brother, Guy, had been captain of Derbyshire cricket team. As a boy, Geoffrey showed an aptitude for sport and went on to captain the football team at his school, Repton. He played briefly for both Nottingham Forest and Ipswich just before the war and later played hockey and tennis at county level for Bedfordshire and Sussex respectively.

He volunteered for the RAF in 1939, becoming a bomb aimer in Bomber Command 106 squadron. When his Lancaster was shot down in 1943, he was the sole survivor. Captured while attempting to walk out of Germany, he was sent to Stalag Luft III. The "Great Escape" happened while he was there but he had been unsuccessful in the draw that determined who would escape through the famous tunnel. Later, with the other PoWs from the camp, he was on the forced march that ended in their liberation by Allied forces.

Geoffrey's diary from that time forms the basis of a book, Bombs and Barbed Wire, that he published about his experiences as a PoW. It is illustrated with sketches that he drew at the time. He loved to talk about his wartime experiences and was keen that there should be no legacy of bitterness towards Germany.

After the war he qualified as a chartered surveyor and worked for the civil service. Throughout his life he pursued many interests, notably art, theatre, reading, entertaining friends, holidays abroad and sport. He was a painter both in oils and watercolour. He was also an etcher and became a Royal academician. He continued to paint until weeks before his death and had exhibited widely.

His wife, Audrey, to whom he was happily married for 63 years, died three years ago. They were very fond of all their family, particularly as it grew and began to include members from around the world. He is survived by his two children, Nicholas and me, and his many grand and great-grandchildren.
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Lancaster DV182 106Squadron

Mission to Mannheim 5/6th September 1943

Took off at 19.50 from Syerston. Shot down by a night-fighter whose opening burst of fire killed the pilot and mortally wounded the Flight Engineer. A fire broke out, after which there was no further communication. Those killed are buried in Rheinberg War Cemetery. G/C Hodder was the Station Commander at Syerston; Sgt Taylor was an American from Boise, Idaho serving in the RCAF.

P/O A A Robertson +
G/C F S Hodder (P2) +
Sgt J Cunliffe +
Sgt F S Green RCAF +
F/O G Willatt PoW Camp L3 No 2393
Sgt A E Taylor RCAF +
Sgt F W Tysall +
F/O R R Shadbolt DFC +

and

Research of WWII B-24 POW Stalag Lufts of WW2
Click on the link for one of his paintings

F/O Geoffrey Willatt (106 Sqdn, shot down 5-Sep-43, Lancaster IIII DV182) said "I did many hours as 'Duty Pilot' identifying guards and ferrets as they came in the main gate (the only entrance) and putting up a signal, to warn other watchers round the camp - the signal comprised an empty tin in a certain position on a nearby rubbish heap. I was in fact accosted by von Lindeiner who saluted me as he always did, to know why I was out in the freezing cold. I said it was for fresh air and exercise and gave a false name and number. I never heard any more."
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Antipodean Andy · Jul 9, 2009

A talented man. Those watercolours are superb. RIP.

spidge · Jul 10, 2009

Rip................

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F/Lt Geoffrey Willatt RIP

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