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A veteran interview with

Fred Gardiner

Fred Gardiner’s Lancaster bomber was shot down over occupied Belgium and surviving the drop he evades capture with the help of a local resistance network. In his film he details his incredible journey across Nazi occupied Belgium and France. He is eventually repatriated from France in an SOE Lysander flown by Hugh Verity, who also features in our archive.

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About Fred Gardiner

Fred Gardiner sat with his companion on the rear floor of a military aircraft, flying low over the English Channel. Below them, he could see Brighton with great visibility. Missing in action for 5 weeks, Fred looked down at his grandmother’s house, recalling she would have no idea whether or not he was alive.

Born in Banbury in 1923, Fred Gardiner volunteered for the Royal Air Force after war broke out, not wishing to be drafted into the army. He trained as a wireless operator air gunner. With his fellow squadron, Fred completed 4 successful military operations on the Lancaster. His 5th operation was to Manheim, Germany. On route, Fred’s aircraft, the Lancaster was hit by a Messerschmitt Bf 110, a German fighter-bomber, where Fred recounts horrific moments of shells, bullets and deafening noise. The aircraft caught fire, and Fred knew he had to evacuate imminently. After releasing the bomb from the aircraft, Fred escaped through the rear and made his exit, parachuting through the night sky. He landed with no shoes, socks and no clue what country he was in.

After spending the night, Fred came across a man in a horse and cart. Fred surrendered, with the man escorting him to safety, beginning his dangerous adventure back to the UK: hiding in ditches, encounters with resistance members, near-misses with armed German soldiers, escorted by bicycle, car, on foot, and through the day and night.

Fred’s story is a fascinating testimony, revealing how incredibly fortunate he was to survive, both in the air, and in his subsequent escape. By circumstance, it makes Legasee feel lucky to have his memories to share.

Credits

Interviewed by:
Martyn Cox
Reviewed by:
Laura

Copyright:
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Home | Veterans | Fred Gardiner

A veteran interview with

Fred Gardiner

Fred-Gardiner-Still

Fred Gardiner’s Lancaster bomber was shot down over occupied Belgium and surviving the drop he evades capture with the help of a local resistance network. In his film he details his incredible journey across Nazi occupied Belgium and France. He is eventually repatriated from France in an SOE Lysander flown by Hugh Verity, who also features in our archive.

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https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/fred-gardiner/

Cite this interview:

MLA Style:
Gardiner, Fred. A Veteran Interview with Fred Gardiner. Interview by Martyn Cox. Legasee, n.d. https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/fred-gardiner/. Accessed 17 May. 2025.
APA Style:
Gardiner, F. (n.d.). A Veteran Interview with Fred Gardiner [Interview by Martyn Cox]. Legasee. Retrieved May 17, 2025, from https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/fred-gardiner/
Chicago Style:
Gardiner, Fred. n.d.. A Veteran Interview with Fred Gardiner. Interview by Martyn Cox. Legasee. Accessed May 17, 2025. https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/fred-gardiner/
Harvard Style:
Gardiner, F. (n.d.). A Veteran Interview with Fred Gardiner. [Interviewed by Martyn Cox]. Legasee. Available at https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/fred-gardiner/ (Accessed: 17 May 2025)
Vancouver Style:
Gardiner, F. A Veteran Interview with Fred Gardiner [Internet]. Interview by M. Cox. Legasee; n.d. [cited 2025 May 17]. Available from: https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/fred-gardiner/
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