Herbert Massey

Herbert Martin Massey
Born (1898-01-19)19 January 1898
Hilton, Derbyshire
Died 1976 (aged 78)
Barnstaple, Devon
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service/branch British Army (1915–18)
Royal Air Force (1918–50)
Years of service 1915–1950
Rank Air Commodore
Commands held RAF Oakington (1942)
RAF Abingdon (1940–42)
No. 6 Squadron (1934–37)
Battles/wars First World War
Arab Revolt in Palestine
Second World War
Awards Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Distinguished Service Order
Military Cross
Mentioned in Despatches (3)

Air Commodore Herbert Martin Massey, CBE, DSO, MC (19 January 1898 – c. 1976) was a senior officer in the Royal Air Force. He is best known as the Senior British Officer at Stalag Luft III who authorised the "Great Escape".

Flying career

Massey entered the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst in 1915, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment in April 1916. He soon after underwent flying training, and was posted as a pilot to No. 16 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps from July. He was promoted temporary captain and made a flight commander in December 1916. On 4 February 1917, Massey was wounded and his observer killed after their aircraft was shot down by German ace Werner Voss.[1]

Transferring to the newly created Royal Air Force in 1918, Massey continued his military career through the interwar period. He commanded No. 6 Squadron in operations during the Arab Revolt in Palestine, for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, and was a station commander during the early years of the Second World War. He was shot down during a raid in June 1942, and was captured by the Germans. Massey then became the Senior British Officer at Stalag Luft III, and authorised the "Great Escape".[2]

Death and legacy

Massey's Blue Plaque at Hilton House Hotel, Hilton.

After Massey's death in 1976, a memorial service in his honour was held on 22 May 1976 at St Clement Danes Church.[3]

Massey was the basis for the character Group Captain Ramsey in the film The Great Escape (who also walks with a stick), played by actor James Donald.

In 2016 a Blue Plaque was unveiled at the Hilton House Hotel where Massey was born, the first Blue Plaque in the village of Hilton.

References

  1. ↑ The Aerodrome Forum
  2. ↑ "Wartime Great Escape hero Herbert Martin Massey honoured at Hilton birthplace". Derby Telegraph. 5 December 2016.
  3. ↑ "Memorial Services", The Times, 12 May 1976, p. 32.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.