Interview with Max Barry

Interview with Max Barry

Max was born in Beaufort Victoria and grew up on his parents’ dairy farm. Gaining a scholarship led him to become a student teacher and attend training college. He was called up when he was eighteen and applied to become a reserve in the air force as an air gunner. He was posted to Bristol in England for training and then went to Brighton and Lichfield where they formed crews. Training on Wellingtons Stirlings and finally Lancasters took place at Church Broughton. Max then joined 463 Squadron based at Waddington, Lincolnshire. The squadron carried out many operations to France, including Orléans where they bombed railway yards. On returning home their aircraft caught fire and the crew baled out. The crew survived apart from the pilot. After walking for three weeks he was offered a barn to stay in. He was finally arrested by the Germans and was sent to an interrogation centre at Frankfurt and then taken by train to Stalag Luft 7. He explained a typical day in the camp. Max was on the long march beginning in January 1945 and described the conditions and their destinations. After the war Max enrolled on a 5-year vet training course and married soon after graduating. He kept in touch with some of his aircrew and later went to Normandy to find the people who were kind to him during the war. The friendship has continued. Max thinks that Bomber Command did the right thing and contributed to victory.

2018-03-28

00:53:59 audio recording

IBCC Digital Archive

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