Grave No7 - Aubrey Poupard

This grave is particularly poignant and shows that even in times of war

the humanity of mankind can set an example that gives hope to us that

even in the darkest of times we can sometimes receive help from the most

unexpected places.

During air operations over Holland on 12/13 June 1941 Aubrey had to turn

back with engine failure and had to ditch into the North Sea . The crew

launched their dinghy awaiting rescue. Time passed but in the heavy seas the

raft capsized, but the crew managed to haul themselves onto their upturned

dinghy after a long struggle. The struggle and the cold were taking their toll

on the crew and things were looking bad for the men. At 7am however a

German Heinkel He111 flew over them and seeing their dilemma flew

towards the English coast and located a RAF Air Sea Rescue launch. After

conveying the details of the story via radio he flew with the launch back to

Aubrey and his crew and tipped his wing, indicating to the launch the position

of the men who may have otherwise remained unseen in the heavy swell. The

crew may have been concerned about the German plane as it circled initially

as to whether they were ‘done for’.

Sadly Aubrey did not survive the war as he was shot down and killed in action

on a raid to a chemical factory. His plane crashed near Oldebroek in Holland

and he and his crew are buried locally in the general cemetery. He remains one

of the many young men who so sadly were to die so young in the defence of

their country, but the strange rescue as a direct result of the German pilot

remains an act of true humanity in such inhuman times.

From the Poupard Grave carry on along the original path heading towards the

Great War Memorial in the distance but take the right hand fork by a grave at

the junction of Percy and Maud Venner. Continue ahead to the imposing Surf

Boat Memorial already visible as you turned.