Conversations

ABC Australia

Encore: The pilot shot down by enemy fire and how he survived

OCT 1, 202652 MIN

Description

RAF pilot Frank Dell parachuted into Nazi occupied Holland after his plane was hit by cannon fire and with the aid of courageous Dutch families and resistance fighters he got out alive.As a teenager, Frank saw the Battle of Britain played out in the skies above his village in the south of England. He joined the RAF and piloted a De Havilland Mosquito on bombing raids into Germany. In October 1944 Frank's plane was shot out of the sky and he parachuted into Nazi territory. Frank witnessed extraordinary scenes as he walked his way through the countryside into occupied Holland. It was there he joined the Dutch Resistance, and his war shifted to the fields, hay sheds and village lanes of the Netherlands. This episode was first broadcast in 2014. Further information Frank Dell passed away peacefully in 2022 at the age of 98. His family say that Frank had fond memories of meeting Richard and the chance to tell his story on Conversations.  A photo of Richard and Frank was included in a memorial sideshow at his funeral. Mosquito Down (by Frank Dell with Brett Piper) is published by Fighting High This episode of Conversations was produced By Michelle Ransom-Hughes and the Executive Producer was Pam O'Brien. It explores WWII, RAF, Nazi occupied Holland, Dutch resistance, the Battle of Britain, cannon fire, parachute emergency, support, survival, undercover, Nazi Germany, rescue, history, memoir, bombing raids, De Havilland Mosquito, 1944 To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.