ESCAPE FROM FRANCE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 43, 19 August 1941, Page 5

ESCAPE FROM FRANCE

INJURED AIRMAN

CABLEGRAMS FROM GIBRALTAR

(P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, August 18 . A prisoner of war in occupied Franc* since last December, Sergeant Pilot C. F. Scott, Geraldine, has escaped from enemy hands and is now in Gibraltar. Only two weeks ago his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Scott, received a letter from their son in which he said that he was in hospital in Rouen with both legs and one arm broken.

In a cable message which they received, today, Sergeant Scott advised his parents that he was safe and well, and he sent also the following message from Gibraltar to his cousin, Mr. S. J. Moore, Fendalton: "Escaped, feeling fine, certain we shall win war, keep smiling, had lots fun, best love yourselves, folks, and friends."

On Christmas Day last year Sergeant Scott was reported missing on air operations, and three weeks later his parents were advised that he was a prisoner of war in occupied France and, was wounded. Then news came from London in a letter Sergeant Scott had written to a friend in London that he was still in hospital and feeling very lonely, as all the New Zealand crew of his aircraft had been moved from occupied France, presumably to a prison camp in Germany. He indicated that he hoped to reach England soon. \

Sergeant Scott, who .is 23 years old, was born in- Geraldine and educated at the Geraldine District High School and Timaru Boys' High SchooL He attended Canterbury University College and the Christchurch Teachers' Training College and was teaching in'Dunedin before. he joined, the Royal New Zealand Air Force last year. *'