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| Undated handout file photo issued by the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund of Jack Lyon as a young RAF officer |
A Second World War pilot who was involved in the Great Escape mission has died aged 101, according to an RAF charity.
In 1941 Jack Lyon's bomber plane was struck by flak near Dusseldorf in Germany, the RAF Benevolent Fund said.
Although all of the members on board survived the crash-landing, they were soon captured by the Nazis and taken to prisoner of war camps.
Mr Lyon, who was a flight lieutenant, was brought to the Stalag Luft III camp, where he was recruited by fellow prisoners to carry out surveillance of the compound ahead of the notorious 1944 Great Escape breakout.
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| The Enola Gay bomber lands back on Tinian island after dropping the atom bomb on Hiroshima in 1945. |
However, the plot was uncovered by guards before he was able to complete his escape.
The veteran, who lived in Bexhill-on-Sea in East Sussex, died shortly before the 75th anniversary of the mission, which is scheduled for March 24.
In what is understood to be his last interview, which he did with the RAF Benevolent Fund in October ahead of the anniversary, he labelled the mission “a success, but at great cost”.
Mr Lyon, who joined the air force aged 23, said there was a “terrible aftermath” to the breakout as 50 prisoners were subsequently shot.
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| Mr Lyon, who lived in Bexhill-on-Sea in East Sussex, died shortly before the 75th anniversary of the breakout, which is on March 24 |
He said: “We were allocated a position and told not to move until called. It was going to be a long night. After an hour or so of this, air raid sirens sounded and all the camp lights went out.”
“We were left in total darkness until I heard a single shot. We guessed that probably meant the tunnel had been discovered so we did everything we could to destroy anything incriminating - there were maps, documents.
“In a mass breakout, with nationwide hue and cry and bad weather, I would say they were virtually nil,” Mr Lyon added.
Air Vice-Marshal David Murray, chief executive of the RAF Benevolent Fund, said: “Jack belonged to a generation of servicemen we are sadly losing as time goes on.
“His legacy and those of his brave comrades who planned and took part in the audacious Great Escape breakout are the freedoms we enjoy today. Their tenacity and determination spoke volumes about the values and bravery of the entire RAF, in helping to win the fight against the Nazis.”
