COMING UP IN OUR DECEMBER 2 2015 SALE A RARE ROLEX

COMING UP IN OUR DECEMBER 2nd 2015 SALE
A RARE ROLEX WATCH AND MEDAL GROUP OF
WW2 HERO MURDERED BY THE GESTAPO
We are pleased to offer a fine and rare 1940s black dialled ROLEX Oyster
Chronograph wristwatch, Ref 3525, together with its original guarantee card. Its
RAF owner was executed by the Gestapo in 1944 for daring to take part in the
“Great Escape” from Stalag Luft III.
Also in the sale will be other personal effects including:-…………………………………
His WW2 medals, “Mentioned in Despatches” Oak leaf, Irvin Gold Caterpillar
Club pin, RAF brevets, correspondence from Stalag Luft III POW camp,
personal, original, wartime photographs and other related MOD and RAFA
letters and copies of newspaper cuttings from the time.
Pilot Officer (later Flight Lieutenant) John F Williams, his Medal Group and shown with his beloved MG sports car.
Flt/Lt John Francis Williams, known as ‘Jack’, was the 67th Allied officer to
escape through tunnel ‘Harry’ during the Great Escape in March 1944. He was
also one of the 50 selected and executed by the Gestapo on Hitler’s direct orders.
Jack’s Rolex was ordered whilst he was a Prisoner of War in Stalag Luft III and
sent to him in the camp. It was returned to his family by a fellow POW officer
after the war.
Read his full story below……
P/O (later Flt/Lt) John F ‘Jack’ Williams. Inset is the Rolex watch he ordered while at Stalag Luft III.
After many months of meticulous preparation, Flight Lieutenant ‘Jack’ Williams finally tasted freedom as he
fled through the Silesian pine forest on a bitter cold night in March 1944. He and 75 other Prisoners of War
had just taken part in, what was later called, the “Great Escape”. None of them could have known what fate
had in store for them.
John Francis Williams, known as ‘Jack’ by his family and friends, was born at Clapham on the 7 th July 1917.
He was the only son of John and Bertha Williams and was educated at Battersea Grammar School. His father
held a senior position in an Engineering firm whilst his mother was a school-teacher. After leaving school,
Jack was employed by the Milk Marketing Board. Shortly before the war, he left the Milk Marketing Board
and joined Thomas Headland Ltd, an engineering company involved with aircraft tool production and
aerodrome equipment. By then, he and his family had settled in Ewell, Surrey. Keen on theatre, he was a
member of the Lyric Players in Wimbledon and later the Epsom Players. His cousin, Sheila, remembered him
as a dashing, charismatic man with a wonderful speaking voice, who drove a blue MG Midget sports car. As a
young girl, she idolised him.
Jack with his MG circa 1941
A 1936 MG Midget PB, similar to Jack’s.
Although he was in a reserved occupation at the outbreak of war, against the wishes of his parents, Jack
volunteered to join the R.A.F. His application was accepted and, in June 1940, he joined the R.A.F.
Voluntary Reserve. He had hoped to become a fighter pilot but instead was selected for training as an Air
Observer in Bomber Command. Upon completion of his courses, he was posted to 107 Squadron at Great
Massingham, Norfolk, for duty in Douglas Boston light bombers. From there, the Bostons were used for
daring, daylight raids into occupied territories.
On the 27th April 1942, at 14:22 hrs, Boston III, No.Z2194 took off from its base at Great Massingham,
piloted by Sergeant Kenneth N Carpenter. The other members of his crew were Pilot Officer ‘Jack’ Williams
(Observer) and Flt Sgt Gordon S G Black, R.C.A.F. (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner). Z2194 was part of a
formation of 12 Bostons from 107 Squadron, accompanied by a fighter escort, detailed to attack the power
station at Lille Sequedon. The official report states that the formation arrived over their target at 15:40 hrs and
dropped its payload of 44 x 500lb bombs from a height of 14,000 ft. They were immediately attacked by
enemy FW190 fighters and 4 of the Bostons were shot down. Z2194 was one of those hit and was reported as
last seen going down under control. Sgt Ken Carpenter fought at the controls as his plane rapidly lost height.
P/O ‘Jack’ Williams managed to bail out of the stricken aircraft at low altitude but it was, by then, too low for
the others the follow suit. Sgt Carpenter crash-landed his ailing plane approximately 3 miles south of Dunkirk
without serious injury to himself or Flt/Sgt Gordon Black. Jack Williams was saved by his parachute but was
soon after taken prisoner. Sergeants Carpenter and Black were also captured.
Photo Jack sent to Cousin Sheila, 1941
Douglas Boston III Bombers of 107 Squadron at RAF Great Massingham c.1942
They were each taken to POW holding camp Dulag Luft at Frankfurt-am-Maine to be processed. P/O John
Francis Williams (RAF No. 106173), POW No. 216, was interrogated and sent on to Stalag Luft III which had
recently opened. Sgt Kenneth N Carpenter (RAF No. 1283712), POW 225 and Flt/Sgt Gordon S G Black
(RCAF No. R/65165), POW 222, were initially separated but ended up together in Stalag Luft 6.
P/O John F (Jack) Williams, far left in Dulag Luft holding camp Frankfurt am Maine, May 1942.
Newspaper listing Jack as a POW
Upon arrival at Stalag Luft III, Jack was housed in the East compound where he shared a room with five other
officers. His family had been informed that he was ‘missing’ but, in late May, they learned that he was safe
and was now a Prisoner of War. The following month, he was able to write to his girlfriend and advise her of
his situation. Many letters were exchanged between them detailing the boredom of camp life as a Prisoner of
War and how he missed life back home. A compilation of the contents of these can be found on the Bourne
Hall Museum website at http://www.epsomandewellhistoryexplorer.org.uk/GreatEscape.html . He also wrote
to his parents and his cousin Sheila. Accompanying one of these letters was a photo of him with his ‘hutmates’ taken in the East compound. In the background can be seen tree stumps which were still waiting to be
cleared, indicating it was early days in the construction of the camp.
P/O ‘Jack’ Williams, front row, third from left in East Compound, Stalag Luft III. Top left is Sqdn Ldr C N S (Ken) Campbell DFC
of 403 Squadron who was taken prisoner the same day as Jack. His Spitfire was involved in a mid air collision over the French coast
with his wing man, H P Duval, who was killed in the incident. They were on bomber escort duty at the time. Photo c.1942
Stalag Luft III continued to grow in size as more allied airmen were detained there. In March 1943 Jack wrote
to say he was being moved to a new site, the North compound, where most of the British prisoners were being
brought together with the Americans. It was here that he met fellow Air Observer Sgt (later WO) Donald J R
Wilson. They grew to be good friends and together became embroiled in the plans for a mass-breakout
orchestrated by Sdn/Ldr Roger Bushell, known within the camp as ‘Big X’.
About this time, Jack took advantage of the offer made by Hans Wilsdorf, MD and founder of Rolex, to
supply British POW officers with one of their wristwatches, with payment deferred until after the end of the
war. Jack wrote to Rolex ordering a top-of-the-range chronograph, Ref 3525. (Despite being Prisoners of War,
British officers still received their salary which was being paid back home.) Hans Wilsdorf, however, was
still taking a considerable risk with his offer. He was gambling on an Allied victory and the survival of the
POW officers. He was also relying on his products reaching their intended customers. Letters exist (see copies
below) that show that no less than three Oyster Perpetuals were sent to one Army officer in Offlag VIIB, to
satisfy an order for one watch. A letter from Rolex sent on 28 Nov. 1942 shows that a second watch sent from
them failed to reach the officer in question. In this letter, Rolex say they were “…sorry indeed to hear that the
second Perpetual we sent you in May has also not reached you. This is really bad luck”. They go on to say
“We have now put a third watch in hand for you, free of charge, and we sincerely trust that it will reach you”.
In the same letter they confirmed his request for an order for a fellow officer for the same model watch. On
the 30 January 1943 they wrote again to him to say that they had, that day, despatched his third watch along
with another for his colleague. This letter was signed by Hans Wilsdorf himself. The third watch finally
arrived along with its accompanying certificates and paperwork which still survive to this day. The fact that a
total of three watches were despatched clearly demonstrates the commitment by Rolex to honour their promise
to supply British POW Officers with watches, initially free of charge.
Above: Letter from Rolex to an Officer in Offlag VIIB confirming they would send a third watch as the previous two had not arrived.
Above: Letter to same Officer from Hans Wilsdorf confirming despatch of two further “gratis” watches. These did arrive!
Jack Williams’s Rolex chronograph Ref 3525, s/n 186045, arrived at the camp in early August 1943. Its
guarantee card, stamped with the camp’s “Geprüft 33” censor’s mark, is dated 5/7/1943. Its serial number is
only 5 digits away from the same model watch that was delivered to Flt/Lt Gerald Imeson at about the same
time and this was sold through Bourne End Auction Rooms in November 2013 (See write-up elsewhere on
this website). On 13th September 1943, Jack received a promotion to Flight Lieutenant Williams.
Jack’s Rolex Chronograph Ref 3525, s/n 186045 today.
By the third quarter of 1943, plans for the mass-breakout had been progressing well. Three escape tunnels
were simultaneously being dug and were code-named “Tom, Dick and Harry”. Jack Williams’s role in these
preparations was that of a “Penguin”, secretly dispersing tons of soil that was dug from tunnel “Harry”
through specially made pouches under his clothing. He had written home in June to say that he had taken up
gardening and was growing vegetables to supplement their food rations. It is probable that he used his
vegetable plot to hide some of the excavated soil. Meanwhile his friend Don Wilson was employed stealing
documents from the German guards to be copied by the forgery department. By mid September though, things
had taken a turn for the worse. Tunnel Dick had had to be abandoned due to camp expansion and tunnel Tom,
in Block 123, was discovered by the guards during a search. Also, the Americans were being moved to the
new South compound. After this, work on Harry was temporarily suspended. Demoralised but not defeated,
they resumed work just after Christmas and tunnel Harry was finally completed in early March 1944.
Some 600 workers had been involved in the project but only 200 would be selected to break out, their running
order chosen by lottery. The first 30 places would go to those considered to have the best chance of getting
home; the next 70 to the more prominent workers, after which the final 100 places would be drawn. Jack drew
lot 67 indicating he was one of the prominent contributors. The “escape” itself was planned for the moonless
night of the 24/25th of March. That evening, Jack endured a long wait in Hut 104 before taking his place in the
tunnel. He finally emerged to a covering of snow just after 4:00am on the 25th. He was one of the “Hard
Arsers” who would have to rough it, travelling on foot by night and hiding during the day. Their biggest
obstacle would be the weather with deep snow off road and freezing conditions at night.
Seventy six allied officers escaped before the tunnel was discovered but only 3 made it to freedom. Following
a vast manhunt, the rest were slowly apprehended including Jack. No one was prepared for what happened
next. The sheer size and audacity of the escape enraged Hitler so much that he ordered the Gestapo to execute
all the recaptured prisoners. After pressure from his senior officers and for fear of reprisals against German
POWs, this number was reduced to 50. Unfortunately for Jack, he was one of those ‘chosen’ for execution. Of
those 50, 26 were RAF officers, of which 21 were British, with the rest made up of 11 different Nationalities.
As the POWs were captured, they were taken to the formidable Gestapo Interrogation Centre at Görlitz.
Witnesses stated that, after interrogation, they were seen being taken out in small groups and put into trucks
with a heavy Gestapo armed guard. A few of these groups were returned to Stalag Luft III but most were
taken to various remote locations and gunned down in cold blood. Their bodies were then immediately
cremated to hide the evidence. Flt/Lt John F Williams was murdered by unknown Gestapo agents on 6th April
1944 and was cremated at Breslau. His ashes, along with the 49 others, were returned to the camp where they
were interred in a memorial just outside the camp, built in their honour by fellow POW officers. Their
execution contravened the Geneva Convention and was deemed a war crime. Those responsible were tried
after the war at the Curiohaus in Hamburg and 13 of the perpetrators were sentenced to death.
The Memorial dedicated to the 50 Executed Allied Officers which originally contained their ashes. This photo taken shortly after the
war (probably by Jack’s father) shows it in a derelict state after being damaged by advancing Russian troops, or the retreating German
Army, in 1945. The RAF Eagle that adorned the front had been stolen and some urns broken into. It has since been restored and the
urns moved to the official war grave in the Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery.
Postcard from Jack to Cousin Sheila written on 2nd December 1943 with Gepruft stamp. It didn’t arrive until 8th Feb 1944.
Cousin Sheila’s last letter to Jack, sent 27 April 1944. It was ‘returned to sender’ unopened.
In an interview with the Yorkshire Post in April 2008, his friend and fellow Air Observer WO Donald Wilson
told how Jack came to him on the evening before the breakout. He recalls that Jack said “ I know I'll not get
away, I couldn't possibly get away so I'll probably see you in the next fortnight” and continued, “ But if
by any chance I do, would you kindly take my two wrist watches home and he also gave me a pile of
letters from his girlfriend.” He goes on to say that when news of those shot was reported back during the
following weeks, the atmosphere in the camp was terrible and everyone was in shock.
Don remained at the camp until February 1945 when he and his fellow airmen were evacuated by the German
Authorities as the Russian Army approached from the East. He gathered together his and Jack’s possessions
before being force-marched many miles in severe winter conditions, without adequate food or clothing, on
what is now known as the Long March. Finally, Don ended up in Marlag-Milag Nord POW camp outside
Tarmstedt. There he escaped death by ‘friendly fire’ when a couple of RAF Mosquitoes strafed the camp as
the allied POWs were outside watching them. Don reported he had to dive for cover to avoid being hit. He
was finally liberated in April by members of the Fife Yeomanry and repatriated.
True to his word, Don visited Jack’s distraught parents in Ewell after the war. There, he returned Jack’s
watches and a few other personal effects. This meant a great deal to a family that had lost its only child.
Considering the ordeal that Don endured, it was a wonder that Jack’s watches had even survived, let alone
remained intact.
Sgt Donald Wilson, far right, in Stalag Luft III. He returned Jack’s watches after the war. (Photo by kind permission of his family).
The present owner of Jack’s Rolex inherited it and other items, including his medals, from Jack’s mother in
the early 1980s. As his third cousin, she said he reminded her of Jack as a young boy. He remembers that the
watch was not working due to a broken mainspring. In 1984, almost exactly 40 years after the date of the
Great Escape, he returned the watch to Rolex in London for repair. It was sent to their Service Centre in
Bexley. In view of its amazing history, it was serviced and fitted with a new, period Rolex strap and buckle,
free of charge. It was returned on 25/5/84. Since then, it has had very little use other than being worn by its
present owner on his wedding day and a few other special occasions. In October 2014, Jack’s Rolex returned
to Stalag Luft III when its present owner last visited the site of the camp at Zagan, now in Poland. He also
visited the ‘POW Camps Museum’, the 1944 Memorial erected by his fellow officers, as well as paying his
respects to Jack where his ashes now lie at the official war grave in the Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery.
In 1999, he made contact with Don Wilson via the R.A.F. Ex-POW Association. He received a pleasant letter
from Don who remembered Jack as a charming gentleman. Included was Don’s copy of the book ‘The
Longest Tunnel’ by Alan Burgess, which he believed to be the most accurate account of the tragic event.
1999 letter from Don Wilson to present owner.
In several subsequent telephone conversations, Don recalled their time together in the North compound and
his meeting with Jack on the evening before the escape. He told him how he visited Jack’s parents after the
war, returning his watches as Jack had requested; he recalled that one of them was his pride-and-joy that he
had ordered from Rolex whilst at the camp. The watch had incredibly survived the ravages of war even if its
owner hadn’t.
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Since then, Donald Wilson has recorded several of his wartime experiences on the BBC People’s War website
as well as others. Some of these can be found at:http://www.worldwar2stories-sheffield.com/donald-wilson.php and
http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/main-topics/local-stories/the-real-great-escape-life-in-the-campthat-inspired-hollywood-1-2497179 where he mentions Flt/Lt Jack Williams’s watches.
Further information on Don can be found by searching the internet with his name “Donald J.R. Wilson”
together with “BBC WW2 People’s War”.
For more information on Jack, see http://www.epsomandewellhistoryexplorer.org.uk/GreatEscape.html
Jack loved driving his MG. In a letter from the camp to his girlfriend dated Saturday 13 March 1943, he says “Today is a magnificent day again, rather cool though – a day that one nostalgically associates with car, windscreen folded down,
your blue scarf in the breeze and the open road. Oh for the future (D.V.) Darling!”
THE WATCH AND MANY ITEMS PICTURED ABOVE AND BELOW MAKE UP PART OF LOT 67 AND WERE
RECENTLY DISPLAYED IN A SPECIAL EXHIBITION AT THE BOURNE HALL MUSEUM AT EWELL IN SURREY.
1943 Rolex Chronograph Ref 3525 s/n 186045 in detail.
Above: Rolex 3525 s/n 186045 with the box in which it was returned from Rolex Service Centre after its “free” service in 1984.
Below: Original Rolex Guarantee booklet showing serial number, date and Gepruft stamp when received in Stalag Luft III.
Below: Case containing Jack’s medals and other items including his Irvin gold Caterpillar Pin.
Above: Jack’s Irvin gold Caterpillar, with his name inscribed on the back. It was awarded to airmen whose lives had been saved by
parachute when bailing out of a crippled aircraft. It represents a silkworm that provided silk to make the parachute.
Below: Headlines and Details of a May 1944 Newspaper, printed after the report that 47 Allied Officers had been shot
whilst trying to escape. A few days later, the total rose to 50. Flt John F Williams is mentioned among the forty seven.
Above: Memorial Poster with artwork by fellow POW Ley Kenyon now housed in the small RAF Museum at SLEAP in Shropshire.
The museum also has a few more of Jack’s artefacts, including his certificate of “Mentioned in Despatches” and another picture by
Ley Kenyon. (Not included)
Above: Ley Kenyon’s Memorial picture and Jack’s certificate in the SLEAP Museum, Shropshire. (Not included in sale)
Above: A Rare 1944 picture of the Memorial to the 50 executed Allied POWs before it was desecrated in 1945. (Not included in sale).
Above: The final resting place of an unsung hero in Poznan Old Garrison Cemetry, Poland.
Included is this copy of a letter to the sister of Flt/Lt Robert Stewart from a fellow Officer who was repatriated shortly after the event.
Robert was another of the 50 executed. The Officer describes how he was speaking to the POWs as they were escaping and how it was
reported to the Government who promised to take action against those responsible. Robert Stewart’s aircraft was shot down a year to
the day after Jack’s!
AND FINALLY….
The schedule from the Memorial Service attended by Jack’s parents on 20th June 1944 in London, bearing the names of the 50 dead.
___________________________________________________________
Researched and compiled by Martyn Perrin on behalf of Bourne End Auction Rooms, October 2015, with acknowledgements to the
staff at Bourne Hall Museum, Ewell, Surrey for their kind assistance and the Wilson family for photos of Sgt Donald Wilson.
Last updated 23/11/2015