German Night Fighter Defection - Junkers 88, Ireland 1945
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- Опубліковано 10 вер 2024
- On 5 May 1945, a German Junkers Ju 88G-6 night fighter fled Denmark before its liberation by Allied forces and headed west towards the British Isles. It wasn't on a mission of destruction, but a mission to defect.
Dr. Mark Felton is a well-known British historian, the author of 22 non-fiction books, including bestsellers 'Zero Night' and 'Castle of the Eagles', both currently being developed into movies in Hollywood. In addition to writing, Mark also appears regularly in television documentaries around the world, including on The History Channel, Netflix, National Geographic, Quest, American Heroes Channel and RMC Decouverte. His books have formed the background to several TV and radio documentaries. More information about Mark can be found at: en.wikipedia.o...
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Credits: US National Archives; Library of Congress; Imperial War Museum; UA-cam Creative Commons; WikiCommons; Google Commons; Dapi89; ww2irishaviation.com
I have some friends and family who are baffled at my interest in history. They're indifferent or bored by it. Their loss. This stuff is so freakin' interesting and compelling. Thanks.
I think having an active interest in details of history shows one's desire for growth and progressing forward!
Ditto…. And I Thank Dr.Felton for keeping my attention!!
A love of history can be both a blessing and a curse. We remember history as an effort to not repeat it. But yet powerless to stop those whom forget from repeating it.
@@chvfd687 That and I have a hard time watching movies with a historic or military backdrop as I cannot avoid critiquing every error I see. LOL!!!
There's alot to learn so as to NOT repeat
I love the opening theme. The best comment I heard about it a guy said “this is my mother in laws ring tone.” lol shout out to that guy that commented this about 4 months back. Love the content btw Mr. Felton.
How the get this ringtone?
@@czjonny8933 I think it was a joke
@@czjonny8933 there’s primitive ways, like recording it on your phone and turning it into a ringtone.
It’s like the Jaws theme.
It means only one thing.
@@madisntit6547 🤣😂pmsl 👌🧙♀️🧹
The 'Fliegerhorst Grove', one of the primary German airbases in Denmark, particularly nightfighters. It is still in use today, today being called Airport/Danish Airforce Base Karup. To whom it may concern. A Dane.
Are you great Dane?
@@badbotchdown9845 No, that would be me ;-)
@@janmortensen9314 No, me :)
Karup will be operating F-35’s next year. Pretty wild compared to ww2 aircraft
The Danish reused the German base?
Mark Felton, WW2 History Teacher on UA-cam for 1.6 million+ viewers with almost 200K watching within 1 hour says it all.
His work is outstanding and far better than the usual infotainment I know
Too bad so many of his stories are proving to be wrong, reeking of smug British superiority
Many German prisoners of War who were held captive in the Republic of Ireland, married Irish Women and made new Lives here. One former Luftwaffe piolet , who crashed landed here, was behind the setting up of the Irish forestry board. "Coillite" after the War
They weren't PoWs, the did be internees *. . .*
Do you have any evidence about the Coillte thing? I've never heard that before, and I can't see anything online about founder names.
@@disasterchef1 I think that would match the story: letting sleeping dogs lie and stuff. Long after the war it could still be tricky to be German outside of Germany
@@letoubib21 what??? Stay off PCP bro 🤣🤘
Absolutely can't watch and research enough of fr probably Atleast 95% of the content especially WW2. You would think after all these years there wouldn't be any new slices of absolutely awesome real history from the Greatest Generation. But never will my Bro Mark not find a accurate true amazing piece of history that I know atleast I would of never heard, Moocho respect Mark 💯🍺💯 Cheer's brotha ever in Indiana U.S.A. brew's are on me My friend
Many Irish men including my grandfather risked their lives in the merchant navy helping the allies during the war. He had tales of being bombed by the Germans off Scotland while running the convoys to russia
They did have a really hard time: The cold, storms, submarines, bombers, commerce raiders *. . .*
Many soldiers had a much better life.
Although Ireland interned both British and Germans, Ireland released all Allied prisoners in 1943, but the Germans remained until the end of the war in very light security conditions. 20 of the Germans apparently attended college in Dublin, and other prisoners were allowed to be out of camp for hours or days at a time.
Other interesting items regarding Ireland during the war, are the joint plans with the British in the case of German invasion. There were also a few hapless spies sent from Germany.
Otto Skorzeny also lived in Ireland for a time after the war in the seventies.
Skorzeny bought a farm in the west of Ireland but left after attention from the press
Ah.....yes ,good times! Ireland was good to me .
Hot blondes and good beer .
I should go back for a visit sometime. 😉
After selling his farm in Co. Kildare, Otto moved to Spain. For a while he worked for the Mossad, an irony of ironies, helping to train them and track down fugitive camp SS personnel.
@@patricklinehan4747 lmfao.
That article was nothing more than lies to keep me unemployed .
No evidence at all of that being factual ,none !
@Reichsfuhrer John Smith sorry bro ,I'm retired now .
Thanks for the offer though .
One of the best stories of Ireland during WW2 or the Emergency, as it was called in Ireland, is the Story of Tojo the monkey. In April 1943 a Boeing B17 flying fortress made an emergency landing in West Co. Cork. The crew all escaped unharmed, with them was their mascot, monkey called Tojo.
The crew became celebrities in Clonakilty, Co. Cork, none more so than Tojo. The crew & monkey were put up in O'Donovans hotel where they were given free food and drink. The story goes that Tojo got a lip on him for the local famous Black pudding and stout. So much so that the poor monkey died after a few days. He was buried with full military honours, under the floor of the bar in the hotel. Where his remains still lie. A few years back a statue to Tojo was unveiled in Clonakilty.
He is an excerpt from the daughter of the Hotels owner about Tojo.
"Before his burial, Tojo was laid on a bed in one of the rooms upstairs and people queued throughout the hotel to see his body," Ms O'Donovan said.
"People were genuinely devastated when he died.
"Some say his little body couldn't handle the cold in Ireland, others say it was the food - monkeys have not been known to eat black pudding. But others have said he was given quite a bit to drink."
So, if you're ever in Clonakilty, Co. Cork go along to O'Donovans and have a pint of Murphys, while you're standing at the bar drinking, raise a toast to a war hero who lies beneath your feet! RIP Tojo.
Thanks for this, never heard about it before…my face is sore from breakin me bollocks laughin 🥰
I don’t like Cork. I went to Murphy‘s brewery and asked about a tour and was rudely told off, “we don’t do tours , if want a beer go to the pub across the street”.
@@djmech3871 The pub across the street used to called The Brewery Tap! Now it's a lap dancing bar. Sorry about your experience in Cork City.
Another lovely story is of an Allied crew who flew with a pet manx cat. They had to land in Denmark or somewhere - sorry - known the story forever, but lost the original story. The boys were taken as PsOW but begged the locals to watch out for the cat, begged them to feed it and they would come back for the cat, postwar and pay the cat costs.
No record of anyone finding cat. If the boys made it back, there was no cat to take home.
But some 15 years later, this particular area had an inexplicable occurance of tailless cats.
Clearly their undesexed cat did survive and breed, and in that rural area, although the original breedings did not show up the recessive gene for no tail, as the multi generations interbred a decade plus, the double recessives started doubling up and their cat's living memorial suddenly appeared.
One of the things I collect are the animal stories. I don't know if you have seen it, and I have lost my copy and the link - I don't think it is a WW2 photo, but there is a photo of a French soldier carrying a small donkey, as almost a backpack.
Very special to me, especially a French man. You would expect a Frenchman to eat it. I hope that is not what happened!
Oh and one of the most famous WW2 Navy cats was supposed to have retired with his best friend, a navy nco? at a retired Sailor's Home in Ireland - but I can't remember if north or south.
You might find this funny but as a consequence of Dublin being bombed accidentally by the Luftwaffe, Germany had to pay reparations during the war to Ireland to compensate the damage done to buildings. One of the buildings destroyed was a Synagogue. So while the Nazis were exterminating Jews on the continent Hitler was paying for a new Synagogue to be built on the South Circular Road in Dublin😀😂🤣
The story is even more ironic. The money paid for a new synagogue in Terenure and the old Synagogue that was bombed on the SCR is now a Mosque!
@@ArcadiaJunctionHobbies I work beside that mosque now , that’s nice to know that interesting back story to it.
Have you a source for that? Reperations were paid after the war by the West German government using Marshall aid money.
@@sevenodonata Ireland never got any Marshall aid. It was neutral. It was settled during the war, not afterwards.
Love the irony of the Nazis having to pay for a new synagogue. 😆😂👍
Im from Meath. Im just gutted we dont have our very own perfectly flyable JU88 to show off... heartbreaking.
Thank that RAT dev
@@CompuWhizz sure Dev was a British Asset since 1916...
German soilders that were interned in the curragh were allowed temporary leave towards the end of the war and Irish families were encouraged to take them out for the weekend, my grandfather as an ex Irish captain used to regularly bring them to stay at his home and formed friendships that lasted long after ww2, I have in my possession a book that was signed by many of the soldiers before they were sent back to Germany after ww2.
Another great video Mark
I was inducted into the U.S. Army in 1968. We were inculcated into the ethos of the "Cold War" and the American War in Vietnam. Surrender was severely discouraged and we were under a very strict regimen if captured. Yet, I must admire combatants who assessed their failing government's prolonged agony, and took action to minimize their personal risks. As an NCO, myself, the survival of "my" men often pressed down upon me. Thank you, Professor Felton, for this well presented vignette.
Assessed their government;s prolonged agony. Yeah, literally days before surrender. You give them too much credit.
@@UnitSe7en I think in the case of Germany you must consider the totality of the circumstances. For as many normal people as there were, they were just as many hardliners and fanatics who Were still devoted to the Nazi cause as much as they were back in 1933
Sir Mark this one had a happy ending for this pilot. Thanks for bringing us all your amazing stories. 🇺🇸🇬🇧🏴
We are all aware that you have a special love for the Dr here so please change your game? Respectfully 🙏
Haven't you got any more thoughts on these uploads other than the staccato gushing gratitude? I'm pretty sure that
@@mhpjii Yes they did. You could say the same regarding the allied powers. Killing on both sides. This pilot was not a war criminal. He was doing his job just like all soldiers.
Amazing there was a happy ending. Theres never a happy ending. Mad.
@@DaveSCameron Tell you what you be you and I will be me.
Captain 'Winkle' Brown is a legend...I had the pleasure of an evening with him recalling his life under the wing of the Concorde at the FAA Museum...an unbelievable life, meeting/interview Goring as he spoke German, flying rocket planes, record for the most carrier deck landings and record for the most types of aircraft flown, to name but a few exploits...he would be an excellent subject for Mr Felton.
Agree with that 100%!
I recall reading a newspaper article about the internment of Irish and German aircrew decades ago. Internees were allowed out of camp after giving their word that they would return when due. One British officer took off for Northern Ireland and the Irish demanded his return and so he was. Internees were allowed to receive pay and were allowed out to the local pubs. Meat, eggs and dairy products were easily available in Ireland but scarce in Britain and Germany. Most internees were apparently delighted to be well fed, having a good time and to be 'out of it'. Whether the bombing of Dublin (on several occasions not just one) were accidents or not is not a matter that has ever been settled. The Germans apparently objected to the Republic sending emergency services into the North when Belfast was bombed and may have been keen to demonstrate the result of any failure to observe neutrality or even to abandon it.)
A bit more to that story about the POW being returned, assuming it is the same pilot. He initially signed out on parole then signed back in to get something and then went out again this time *without* signing out his parole therefore by _escaping_ he wasn't breaking his parole. He wasn't happy being forced to return. I believe he was an American and was forced to land 20 miles short of his Norther Island base when the engine of his Spitfire seriously overheated. There is a documentary on UA-cam about them digging his Spitfire out of the peat. The army removed the 0303 machine guns, cleaned then and then fired 6 or 7 of them. From memory 1 or 2 of them may have been damaged but Mr Memory isn't being kind to me today. Well preserved after 75 or so years eh.
Meat, eggs and dairy sure...but how was the supply of BEER? :-)
The escapee was an American serving as a British flying officer, all privilages were stopped until he was returned, he was promptly returned
@@josephking6515 i see that on the telly?, wasnt dan snow doing the presenting, and it was the royal artillery lads that basically blew the dirt away, stripped it down there and then shoved some new bungs and washers in with a few squibs of WD 40, fed some brass into it and let her rip!, is that what your talking about?, wasnt the chap who's spit it was ,or maybe his daughter was actually there whilst they was digging it up?...
There is a movie called The Brylcreem Boys all about German and other POWs in Ireland. It shows the Germans not wanting to escape The Curragh as they were given all the food and booze they wanted by their Irish captives. They even had a cinema and a gym. They were practically on holiday. Apparently that all really happened too. The Allied prisoners had the same but there was a hush-hush policy of secretly returning them to the British and US. It was only the German POWs who remained interned until 1945.
Thanks for the recommendation here, much appreciated 👍
Another interesting aside was that Otto Skorzeny lived in Ireland - not far from The Curragh - after the war as the area is famous for horses and he was a keen rider. He was often asked to speak to Irish Defence Forces officers on various military and combat tactics. So the German military connection with The Curragh lived on after the war. It is all a very interesting topic and well done Mark Felton for bringing attention to it.
Same with Rhinlander Wisconsin. Still very borderline facist even today.
They were afraid of their re emergence as Hydra so they were nice to them. Their fears were proven right.
@@vicmorrison8128 Ireland was never pro-Fascist. Other than small fringe groups that people laughed at in the 30s.
Sounds like he was an exceptionally good pilot.
Good to hear he lived out his days in relative peace.
Anyone wanting to learn more about Ireland during WW2 should pick up a copy of Robert Fisk’s thoroughly excellent “In Time of War - Ireland, Ulster, and the Price of Neutrality”. It describes this incident without naming the pilot. What Dr. Felton may not be aware of is that it turned out this pilot had actually taken part in a massive raid on Belfast and was able to provide a lot of intelligence to the Irish Military Authorities as a result. Thank you as always for your amazing content.
Is this Colm Doyle who was with EU monitors in Bosnia in 92/93??
@@patricklinehan4747 no it’s not :) I was but a lowly private in the Irish Reserve Defence forces as long time ago. Never got to Colonel! He had quite the career!
A relation? I ask as our paths crossed all those years back in a town called Gornji Vakuf. A gentleman he was.
@@patricklinehan4747 no relation either. Glad to hear my namesake is a gentleman!
Two Irish Colm Doyles...what are the odds?
s/ John Manning (look THAT name up in any phone book you chose!!) [wink]
Thanks!
Never thought my homeland would be on this channel
I'm amased he managed to get out. The Germans in Denmark surrendered on the 5th but unofficially it was the 4th because of the BBC broadcast. I guess the resistance fighters did not move out until the 5th.
I often walk up a laneway in the Blackstairs Mountains in County Carlow where 4 German bombs were dropped during the war. Imagine it: it's February 1941, 6 o'clock in the morning, pitch black below and the lost German bomber has to get rid of its bombs to reduce its weight so as to get back home on what fuel he has left. Of the four it released the first hit a tiny cottage and killed two women (the men sleeping in the neighbouring room were unhurt), and the second demolished half of a fine stone farmhouse slightly further down the hill (the Third Reich paid for the repairs). What were the chances in that empty landscape of hitting anything or anybody?! The third landed in open ground below the farmhouse and the fourth landed in the river at the bottom and made a fine, deep swimming hole.
My neighbour's father used to tell a story about how, as a young man, he had been recruited to collect rocks to spell out EIRE in massive letters on the headland at Carnsore Point (south-east corner of Ireland) so that any errant German planes would know not to drop bombs here. This was hard work and he complained but his foreman was unimpressed: 'Just get on with it and be glad you don't live in Czechoslovakia!'
If the average German pilot understood what "Eire"would mean?
@@letoubib21 you'd be surprised. Pilots & navigators are generally educated men by nature and the German government and military (Karl Dönitz especially) were eager to keep Ireland neutral. So I'm sure the word was passed down to the Luftwaffe to recognise what those letters meant.
The house next-door-but-one to where my mother now lives in Sheffield got a bomb in the garden, demolished most of the house and killed a 2 year old boy. The rest of the 'stick' of bombs hit the nearby city cemetery and disinterred a bunch of folk, one of the few spots in the city where bombs would not actually kill anyone.
Sorry to mention: BBC broadcasted the German surrender to the British in DK on May 4'th @20.35 CET, effective from May 5'th., where Giesecke left at five in the morning on May 5'th. Your video's and storylines are excellent. "Canadian Paratroopers saving Denmark" is food for thought, and allways worth a rewatch.
They should name a school after Felton. A living legend.
The Mark Felton Institute for Military History Studies
Certainly one of the greatest world war 2 historians I have ever seen
I’ll drink to that!
Please can you fan boys stop all of this gushing bullshit?! There's a polite THANK YOU and then we suffer from your absurdly overblown bollox here, if you're practicing English then please go elsewhere you are ruining the vibe here ❤️
@@DaveSCameron Bet you're a lot of fun at party. You reek of snobbery. Lighten up.
Night Fighters have always fascinated me. Those men had serious courage to be flying and fighting at night.
Absolutely amazing.
Thanks as always Dr Felton.
👍🏾🇺🇸
No problem their cockpit were enlightened
@@badbotchdown9845 The cockpit lights were mostly turned off besides UV lights which illuminated parts of the instruments. You didn't want to be seen by other night fighters/night bombers, so having light on was counter productive
@@Kamina1703 what's the correct English term? Illuminated?
He's propably German and the word for enlightened and illuminated are almost identical
Erleuchtet/beleuchtet
I mess it up all the time too
@@Entity282 im just joking no need to explain
@@Kamina1703 maybe there are some holy souls with the pilot ducon
While the Luftwaffe crew in this story had good endings, a lot of pilots fought for the allies did not fare well after the war due to politics - Poles, Czechoslovaks, Romanian, Chinese….
Yep, everyone knows. Not really necessary to bring that up. You're very smart, though - Don't worry.
Don't forget the thousands of White Cossacks that fought with the Allies who were sent back to the Russians. Bet they didn't live long. Katyn forest all over again?
@@josephking6515 Quite a few of them were renowned for their brutality, which was equal to that of their German employers.
There's a documentary about Capt. "Winkle" Brown here on UA-cam, one of the best things I've ever had the privilege of watching. The man was an absolute legend.
Pretty sure he holds the record for the most types flown in. You could have probably given him a plane made from bricks and he'd still beat up the sky with it! Seen him do a walkaround of the Me163, such a charismatic and lively chap.
@@SPiderman-rh2zk the fact that he was able to fly a helicopter just by reading the instruction manual shows how good he was.
I went to a talk of his, words fail me to describe how amazing it was, but I felt as if I had met the real Baron Munchhausen (not the comic one), so extraordinary were his tales, as well as the horror of liberating Belsen. He spoke for 90 minutes (in his 90s) and the only thing he stumbled over was the RAF's terminology for 'the rotation system' for pilots, since he was FAA (apart from a brief time in the RAFVR), not surprising he didn't know the term. His bio 'Wings on my sleeve' is astonishing.
@@EdMcF1 what a privilege it must have been to listen to him in person. Thanks for your excellent comment.
Another fascinating story Mark ! I met Captain Eric Brown a couple of times, once with his wife and he was a lovely old veteran. It's amazing to think he was part of this story.
A famous story is about when an Irish policeman who drove some American airman to the border after they crashlanded in Ireland. His superior officer said "Dont you know we are neutral?" and the officer said "Yes but no one told me who we are neutral against"
Another fine video. Well researched. Accurate. What an audacious and resourceful pilot.That aircraft had current German airborne radar technology so it was a windfall for the British. Well done Doc!
Mark is "On fire" lately with back to back Episodes that are so enjoyable. I wish I had teachers and professors like Mark.
Would you like to explain how he was outstandingly resourceful by simply flying low?
@@UnitSe7en Radar doesn't pick up moving objects close to the ground very well because of ground clutter...
I had the pleasure to meet Eric Brown. What a very nice down to earth man with wonderful stories about his flying experiences/adventures. Hé talked about test flying the ju88 and found it a very good aircraft.
I worked with a man years ago, a WW2 Army Air Force veteran, who was part of a volunteer crew who flew a captured Ju88 back to the US. He was a B-25 crewman and was very impressed with the Junkers, said it was as good as the B-25.
Thanks for this video Mark! Have a great rest of the week!
wanna hear something funny? My nickname is rake....
@@sid2112 I thought it was Margaret?
@@DeltaV3 No, Aston. Did your parents really name you after one half of a car company?
What a great story. Thank you Dr Felton.
That last bit says it all for me. The fact that after facing all the risks he did, that German pilot went back to his wife and family in South Africa and lived the rest of his life there. Proof - if any were needed - that at the root of all this 'war-war' b*llocks, most NORMAL people just want to live a normal, peaceful life...
Excellent point, George. My mind is drawn to Ukraine and Taiwan this morning.
@@donalddodson7365 Taiwan? I understand the Ukraine issue, what's happening in Taiwan?
@@georgebuller1914 Nothing substantial yet, but the Chinese are encroaching on the area around Taiwan.
@@skydiverclassc2031 I see - thanks. :-)
They also want to fly cool airplanes and shoot things up.
Another great history lesson during my lunch break. Love this channel. Thanks!
How old are you young person here? 🙏
The curragh camp is not far from where I live. There are lots of stories of Germans who stayed after the war and started lives here
Went to school with some of the German pilots grand kids. Some of of them never even left 🇮🇪
A fine video by Dr Felton about an incident not too remarked upon here in Irish history circles.
Keep up the good work. Your videos are excellent.
You are slightly inaccurate. The Germans were interned but had huge freedom, as evidenced by the fact that some married Irish women and remained here after the war. They found employment in industries where their skills were welcome. There are still families in Co. Kildare (home county of the Curragh Camp) with German surnames. Most of the UK and US airmen were allowed cross into Northern Ireland. Repairable aircraft were returned to the respective air forces or stripped for usable parts and these were returned or used by the Irish Air Corps which flew some Spitfires and Hurricanes. The items returned to the Allies were often bartered for other supplies. The Irish Army usually kept arms, ammunition and any remaining fuel.
Personnel from both sides died here or were washed up on the Irish coast. These men were buried with full military honours.
An interesting story is that of an RAF Whitley bomber. It was barely able to fly when it arrived over Galway Bay on the west coast. The pilot ordered his crew to bail out but stayed on board himself to prevent the aircraft crashing into Galway City itself, with bombs aboard. He died a hero to save many.
Probably a Halifax bomber returning from an Atlantic convoy escort?
The aircraft was an Armstrong Whitley twin engined bomber. It was carrying live bombs when forced down in Galway Bay. All survived except the pilot whose sacrifice saved many. The wreck is still considered dangerous as it prevented submarine trips in the area some years ago.
The Irish Air corps never had spitfires and only acquired hurricanes after WW2.
Very interesting video, though one small correction, during wartime Ireland was known as the Irish Free State, it didn’t become the public of Ireland until 1949. An excellent video overall as usual.
4:57 it wasn't yet the Republic of Ireland in name in 1945, it was still a Dominion. The crown was formally cast off in 1949.
Why were Brits interned, that being the case, please?
1937, Ireland adopted their existing Constitution, declaring Ireland to be “a sovereign, independent, democratic state,” and severed all links to the commonwealth of Britain by 1949.
@@halbarbour7340 Republic of Ireland declared in 1949.
Probably most accurate to use the name Éire, as was used for the signs along the coast, such as on bray head.
Curiously, they did elect a president already in 1937...
Thanks again for a great historical lesson! You are one of my favorite subscriptions on UA-cam.
On the 31st of May 1941, twenty German Heinkel- 111 aircraft entered the airspace above Dublin - presumably blown off course by heavy winds on their way to Belfast. Ground crews sent up flares indicating that the planes where over a neutral country, The planes did not move on after half on hour after which, the ground crews, stationed at various points around Dublin city where given orders to commence firing. It was the first time in the history of the Republic of Ireland that it engaged another foreign power, At one point, one plane flew so low that ground crews engaged it with vicker machine guns - scoring visible hits. The event lasted for two hours during which the German planes dropped a total of six bombs on the city with one 500lb bomb destroying or causing damage to 2,500 houses and businesses. 28 people where killed and over 900 where wounded. i'm writing my thesis on this incident and thought it'd be nice to share this little bit of history (:
Slightly off topic but there is a kriegesmarine graveyard in Co. Wicklow Ireland where German WW1 and WW2 sailors are buried. Very poignant place!
Yes it's up in glencree
@@flpixie that's it.
@@thegame6929 been there many times
@@thegame6929 ua-cam.com/video/qlRtGUQQKWs/v-deo.html
The German spy, Hermann Goertz, who parachuted into Ireland and subsequently committed suicide is also interred there.
Mr Felton I enjoy your vblogs immensely one glaring anomaly with this one is that Ireland(26 counties) did not declare itself a Republic until 1949 it was still Eire from the 1937 Irish constitution it was still a part of the Commonwealth people born in Ireland before 1949 can still claim British citizenship. A great book called Landfall Ireland is a great source of information for Axis and Allied planes that landed in Ireland during the war. Keep up the good work!
That's a good point about Ireland not becoming a 'republic' until 1949, but the name of the country in English, according to the Irish 1937 Constitution, was 'Ireland' - 'Eire' was the name of the country in Irish.
Wait so Ireland couldve declared itself a republic at any time but chose not to?
Consistently brilliant channel, flawless. I think the main worry for subscribers is that Mark could run out of subject matter, but I think we all know that this particular well won't run dry. Mr F got a place on my 'Top 10 dinner guest list...' a long time ago...👍🏴
I’ll watch these videos for 2-4 hours straight… huge huge fan of the info and of Sir Felton !
I live very close to Porto in Portugal and I never heard this story
Thanks Mark, you’re videos are great
All the best to everyone
Brilliant story Mark! Tusen takk.
Great channel, Mark would you make a video on the all important weather forecast from blacksod lighthouse in County Mayo for the D day landings which was decisive in the landings being a success
What a wonderful nugget of history. Thank you Mark
I imagine the allies welcomed defecting German pilots as it meant they got their hands on the latest German aircraft and could study them.
Yes they were very interested in the radars to produce matching chaff to blind them.
The lichtenstein sn2 for example was almost blinded shortly after its introduction due to a navigation error or defection of one nightfighter crew
It was May 5, '45...the war had in fact ended, so the German weapons would anyway fall into Allied hands in a matter of hours...
Thanks Dr Felton for your great stories. I’ve been following you for years. However, today, I find myself without the appetite for a war story when real war is happening. Gosh, will we never learn?
Good content like always
The introduction music makes we want to dig fox holes out in my garden and set up a defensive perimeter.
I would love to hear more about how Ireland interred those involved in the war, who ended up on her land. Sounds like an interesting set of stories.
I believe there were also many POWs/Internees in camps in the Isle of Man, the small island in the Irish Sea. There must be a few stories there worth re-telling.
Your stories are excellent Mark.
Ive studied WWII since Jr. High School (Now 60) and you always have unique, interesting stories..
ty 🙏
Mr. Felton, I believe you know me by now. I love your site and your articles. My two uncles in the Wehrmacht crawled and clawed their way to the British lines after fighting in Russia. If you know the minds of the Soviets, anyone would do anything to escape them. The Russians are still at it, just look at the Ukraine.
Another FASCINATING story during WWII. Kudos to finding these incredible n interesting stories. Looking forward to ur next one.
Must occationally have been quite amusing for an Irish camp guard at the time, to be able to keep both German and British officers in check.
They also interned the IRA in the same camp for the duration of the war. so you had the unique situation of the British, German and the IRA inturned.
@@veronicadredd22 strange, the Irish leader at the time De Valera funded the IRA throughout the war to carry out bomb attacks on Britain, surprised that any IRA were locked up as De Valera was also pro Nazi and hated the British.
@@georgebarnes8163 the IRA was and STILL IS an illegal organisation in the Republic of Ireland and was never funded by DeValera or any Irish government. Funding for the IRA at the time most likely came from the Nazis, and probably from Irish supporters of the IRA in the USA, nobody knows for sure but not from Ireland.The IRA prisoners in the Curragh were sentenced by the courts and in fact some of them were executed for their crimes against the state.
@@fergal24 Yes it was, also funded by Charles Haughey in 1969 using Irish tax payers money to buy guns and explosives.
@@georgebarnes8163 you're wrong again. Haughey went on a solo run and tried to buy arms with public money, but it didn't get past the Department of Finance. Haughey later was tried for the offence but it ended with his acquittal because it could not be proven.
It always warms my heart to hear a story ending "...he survived the war and lived out the rest of his life in xy"
I'd love to see a Felton production on the German POW's forced to clear landmines in Denmark after the war. I saw a movie about it called Under Sandet, i never knew about this chapter of postwar history...
Another fine job, Mark. Thank you.
What a super amazing adventure to fly in the dark over enemy territory, pursued by enemy planes, to reach neutral territory. Giesecke sure has a nice story to tell his children and grandchildren. His little adventure is the reason why they were born, otherwise his body would have rotted in the fields of Siberia.
Another wonderful video!
I remember seeing another video of yours about another German night-fighter crew who defected, this time to England (somewhere in the North-East IIRC). That too was a fascinating story!
Hi Mark - great article as usual - one small point of order - Ireland did not become a republic until 1949, before that it was known as the Irish Free State
I just learned that my neighbours father was a British night fighter pilot who pioneered the technique of embedding Allied night fighters into bomber streams and catching German night fighters unawares. He shot down over 20 night fighters in Beauforts and Mosquitos and survived the war despite being shot down twice himself. An interesting side story is that he became lifelong friends with the German pilot who shot him down the 2nd time.
It would be interesting to see a video on Irishmen who fought for the British in WW2. I also believe some even fought for Germany...
Weren't that many, they were basically British army POWs who were Irish volunteers, captured post-Dunkirk,the channel islands invasion and in Africa who wanted to get out of the camps. about 10 of them. Wasnt enough to form a hoped-for Irish division in the Wehrmacht. basically these lads were wasters, perpetually on the piss and chasing the German girls. So much so that they were dumped back in the POW camps with the British POWs again.
Probobly more interesting what happened to them after, when they returned from the war, the state treated them like sh*t. They could not get public service jobs ect.
Yep, even in the ss
Once again, and as always, an absolutely fascinating story. I do declare, you have the best historical channel not only on UA-cam, but all media.
It would be interesting to hear about the the role the port of Derry /Londonderry played in WW2, hms ferret asdac trading base, most westerly Atlantic naval base and the surrender and scuttling of many of the Atlantic u boat fleet at Derry
Ballykelly base must have some interesting stories. Furious that we didn't keep a U-boat 😅. Some interesting pics on Google if you look. Loads of the surrendered U-boats & war ships stacked 3 deep moored along the foyle. Messines park & a few other places bombed. Spring town camp,later used as social housing. I think I remember a spitfire being recovered somewhere near a couple of years ago too🤔. An Irish series would be a belter project for Mark 🤷🏻♂️
I look for these uploads every day.
A great video Mr Felton. Interestingly the British Government offered the Irish Air Corps some Spitfires and Mosquitoes if I'm not mistaken in exchange for the radar system on board the JU88, but the Irish Government just handed it over and thus Eric Browne came over and flew it home.
That would have been on June 2nd 1945
The Irish air corp did operate spitfires after the war.The last British aircraft they used was dehavilland Vampires which were retired late 60,s early 70,s replaced by Fouga Magister's .
@@eugeneoreilly9356 they did, they were actually ‘de-navalised’ Seafire LF III’s if I’m not mistaken. They also had some Spitfire TR.9 2 seat trainers. Alongside 15 Hawker Hurricane’s of various Marks throughout the war. Potent enough for the time period.
As a South African I always appreciate the country being brought up in WW2 history. The politics involved are fascinating.
Had the war turned out differently and Britain surrendered, there would certainly have been an exodus of RAF aircraft fleeing for safety, too.
I know this because my Dad told me one of his war stories: He was an air navigator with Coastal Command and flew Air/Sea Rescue patrols over the North Sea. He said his aircraft, an Avro Anson, would be hopeless in a fight, yet he and his crew would almost certainly be sent to bomb the German invasion fleet if an invasion came. It would have been suicide. Nobody liked the idea of going to war in a plane that couldn't fight and couldn't run away, so they hatched a plan. His Anson had poor range but, if they could refuel somewhere, they could just barely reach Iceland.
So he and his crew set about firming-up their escape plan. They identified a farmer's field in Scotland that was big enough and flat enough for them to land on. They calculated there was just enough room on board for a barrel of gasoline and an extra passenger. They recruited a mechanic and let him in on the scheme.
Their plan was simple. In case of invasion, my Dad, his pilot, and their wireless operator would not fly out to bomb the Germans. Instead, they'd pretend there was something wrong with the Anson that needed immediate attention from their mechanic. They'd help the mechanic stuff the fuel barrel aboard the Anson before anyone could stop them, and fly north to Scotland. They would land in the field, the mechanic would refill the tanks with stolen gas, and together they would make their merry way to Iceland where they would be arrested but would survive.
Fortunately for everyone, the German invasion never came and they never had to put their plan into action.
true patriotism right there
Interesting story
The Irish had a secret airfield prepared to which the royal family would be flown if England fell. I think that it was in wexford.
Britain was never going to be conquered. Operation Sealion was a joke.
Loved this one. Thanks, Mark.
Best UA-cam Channel. Period.
Can you perhaps make a video about the American nazi party, and influence in the Us before WW2? I’d love to know more about that
Very cool! Thanks Mark
I know they fought on the wrong side, but I can't help loving the German aircraft. Sure, there were some duds among them but in general they were magnificent.
Design - something the Germans often excel at.
The aircraft of this periode are awesome in general.
Find yourself a copy of Captain Eric Brown's book "Wings Of The Luftwaffe," his record of flying captured German aircraft and his observations about the same, and he flew damn near ALL of them! Captain Brown was very thorough in his evaluations and did them without prejudice. Great read!
Not the wrong side, just the other side. It goes both ways.
Thank you Professor, for bringing us close to all these unknown stories which show us the truth of what war puts men and women through.
German war graveyard in glencree Wicklow Dublin mountains. Very serene place
I would love a documentary on the Heinkel he 219 Uhu
We must all acknowledge the significant role played by Irish fighter pilots in the Battle of England in 1940. With a total disregard for their own safety and a determination to win, often under the influence of alcohol, they caused havoc and fear amongst the marauding Luftwaffe. Sensing an inherent danger to their native Ireland, they undoubtedly saved the English from a certain defeat.
Real history from a real historian..a rarity today. thanx Dr Felton
I was wondering when Mark Felton would do an episode on RFID developed by the British during WW2. Teaser: Used by the royal airforce to distinguish themselves from enemy planes.
"Foyle! Turn on your parrot!"
That sounds like what's called IFF in American military aircraft, IFF meaning "Identification Friend or Foe." The US Navy had a version of it during WW2, I don't know if the US Army Air Force did.
Great content and meticulously researched as always. Thanks for sharing Dr Felton!
Any chance you could do something on Northern Ireland bombings during the war as very little is documented or discussed, thanks Mark Belfast
What a refreshing comment here and yes I agree with you what a fantastic subject for the Dr to attack. 🙏
The IRA bombed Coventry city centre just before the war, so the murderous horrific event became overshadowed by WW2.
@@WrightsW5 50 years ago this year British army mowed down 26 civilians in Derry. But I doubt we will be hearing much about that from the good Doctor.
Is nice to see that the roots of conflict still twitch with energy from time to time. Few places on earth remained violent for so long; the last battleground of the Christian reformation. So nice to see that the hatred and animosity have not totally left the hearts of the motherland.
My family left Ireland long ago for the United States. My mother noted that the only reason the Irish hadn't conquered the earth was that the only people they found to be worth killing were each other.
@@WrightsW5 let's not forget the black and tans now
Very interesting Video! Thanks for the continued effort Mr Felton!
Mark Felton
I’d like to too see something covered on the Italian 🇮🇹 & Spanish 🇪🇸 participation on the Eastern front, it’s something that lacks on UA-cam
Or even the Portuguese 🇵🇹 colonial wars
Many thanks 🙏
"Frozen Silence" (Silencio en la nieve) is a 2011 murder-mystery film set among the Blue Division - Spanish Falangist volunteers - on the Eastern Front during WWII.
No condemnation is made of their beliefs; they're just unlucky soldiers in a bad place. A rarity.
@@new_mysterian any English dubs
@@britishwarlord9497 I'm afraid not. Spanish spoken, with English subtitles.
@@new_mysterian do you have a link to the film
Always look forward to your videos
Defiantly need to do a video on POW in Ireland as we hear very little. As for this video it's very informative and enjoyable as always.
There weren't any PoWs in Ireland. These people were internees *. . .*
What an epic escape story, flying through dangerous skies to safety in Ireland. Amazing.
There is some speculation that the bombing of dublin was actually punishement for sending firefighters into the north to help after bombings
Another fascinating piece of history! Thank you Dr. Felton!
The bombing of Dublin was a convenient 'mistake' - Ireland had sent firefighters to the north to help following the bombings there, and Germany had warned them not to. William Joyce (Lord Haw-Haw) had even warned that Amiens street station (now Connolly Station- which is only a couple of hundred metres from North Strand road which was bombed) would be bombed if refugees continued to arrive there.
In fact, the "mistake" was made after a second raid on Belfast, and the firefighters went to help without being asked that time. I find it very unlikely that the bomber crews "mistook" Dublin for Belfast.
Why compensate Ireland if they inteded to bomb them?
There were dozens of German attacks in may parts of Ireland not just one, none were accidents.
@@georgebarnes8163 except they were accidents.
@@Eireann. LOL, far too many to be accidents plus the fact that the bombers would have to cross or bypass the UK to get to Ireland.
Superior content as always.
Well done again Mr.Felton!
Thank you for recognising The Irish that volunteered to fight alongside The Brits...
Shame they were treated so badly by the Irish when they returned home, denied work and housing, treated as outcasts.
@@georgebarnes8163
Around 60-65,000 Irish men volunteered to serve in the British armed forces during the Second World War.
Approximately 5,000 of these had deserted from the irish Defence Forces. These men had sworn an oath to serve in the Irish Defence Forces. They broke their word.
Those men who DESERTED from the Irish Army, in a time of mortal danger to the Irish people and the Irish state, were indeed "...denied work and housing..."
Last time I checked, neither the British nor the Americans have EVER praised and treated deserters like royalty...
@@gloin10 Anyone from Ireland who fought for the allies during WW2 were treated as outcasts when they returned home, De Valera was pro Nazi after all and Ireland was under no threat from the Nazis plus the joke Irish army could not stop a pitch invasion never mind defend a country.
@@georgebarnes8163
"Anyone from Ireland who fought for the allies during WW2 were treated as outcasts when they returned home"?
That is simply untrue.
There was no great fuss made of them.
De Valera was about as "...pro-Nazi..." as you are.
Ireland was under "...threat from the Nazis...", as post-war analysis has shown. Although any such threat was small, about the same as a successful invasion of Britain.
The Irish armed forces were ramped up to a very large number of troops, and would have been well able to deal with what Hitler's Wehrmacht would have been able land.
Ireland was still operating under the terms of the Anglo-Irish Treaty until 1938 at least, which meant that the external defence of the Irish Free State was specifically assigned to the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force.
Blaming a country for being unable to have massive armed forces when you legally denied that country the right to raise or maintain proper armed forces is a rather British form of victim blaming....
@@gloin10 So why did this all powerful Irish army not invade the UK in 1969?
Once again, and for many videos to come, thanks Mark!
In his autobiography Captain Brown relates their reception in Ireland. I won’t add a spoiler but it shows Irish ‘neutrality’ for what it really was
@Damian Ward
"I won’t add a spoiler but it shows Irish ‘neutrality’ for what it really was
Yeah, right.
Back in reality, you could try reading the 'Cranbourne Report', presented to the British War Cabinet in 1945.
But that would mean challenging your anti-Irish bigotry, so you probably won't....
i reallllllllyyy like ur channel u are the only commentator that pronounces the German names properly keep on with the good work
Mr. Felton Will you do a video on the Irish internment camps I never heard of these sounds really interesting