| Places | |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | PR05907 |
| Collection type | Private Record |
| Record type | Collection |
| Measurement | Extent: .5 cm; Wallet/s: 1 |
| Object type | Letter |
| Maker |
Hutchinson, Robert Muir |
| Place made | Germany |
| Date made | 1942 |
| Access | Open |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
Hutchinson, Robert Muir (Sergeant, b.1919 - d.2002)
Description
Collection relating to the Second World War service of 406655 Sergeant Robert Muir Hutchinson, 108 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, Germany, 1942.
Wallet 1 of 1 – Consists of one letter from Sergeant Robert Muir Hutchinson to his friends, Martin and Ethel Stone, and his parents. This letter, dated 6 December 1942, was written while Sergeant Muir was being interned as a prisoner of war in Germany. In his letter, Sergeant Hutchinson writes about his capture by the Germans after his aircraft crashed in the Libyan Desert, disliking being a prisoner of war, meeting mutual friends, and looking forward to returning home.
History / Summary
Robert Muir Hutchinson enlisted to the Royal Australian Air Force on 3 March 1941. He served with 108 Squadron in Northern Africa. In August 1942, Hutchinson and his crew were undertaking a bombing raid on Tobruk, Libya, when their aircraft was shot down over the desert. All crewmembers survived the crash. However, they walked through the desert for nine days before being found by Germans and captured as prisoners of war. Hutchinson was interned at Stalag VIII-B, Germany. After the war, he returned to Australia, and was discharged on 16 August 1946.