Gordon Thomson Woodroofe

Forenames

Gordon Thomson AWMM

Surname

Woodroofe AWMM

Also known as

Woody AWMM

Service number

WWII NZ402233 AWMM

Gender

Male AWMM

Birth

1 Nov 1920 AWMM

War

World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM

Armed force / branch

Air Force AWMM

Service number

WWII NZ402233 AWMM

Military service

• Royal Air Force, No. 104 Squadron AWMM
• Royal Air Force, No. 12 (RNZAF) Personnel Despatch & Reception Centre AWMM
• Royal Air Force, No. 104 Squadron AWMM

Medals and Awards

• Military Medal (MM) AWMM
  31 Aug 1945 AWMM
  "On 12th September 1941, Warrant Officer Woodroofe and six members of his crew were picked up by Danish fishing vessel about an hour after their Wellington aircraft has been forced down in the North Sea. The next day they were landed at Esbjerg, Denmark, where they were taken to a German airfield and held there before being sent via Hamburg, to a prison camp. When at Esbjerg two unsuccessful attempts to escape were made by him. During the following year Warrant Officer Woodroofe suffered from loss of memory. In may, 1943, he was attached to a working party at Jagerndorf and billeted in a factory. One night, after fixing a false bolt to the door of his room, he made a pretence of entering his room, replaced the real bolts, shut the door and escaped. He stole a civilian coat before leaving the factory and dyed his socks with dubbin. It was a bright moonlight night and he at once made for some woods. The next week as spent in walking in a south-west direction. He then stole a bicycle and rode to Hlinsko. Here he was stopped by two members of the Gestapo, who after questioning him and examining a false identity card, which he had made, let him pass. He was subsequently stopped at Krems and asked to produce his papers and again he was allowed to pass but, when nearing St. Viet in Austria, he had a puncture in one of his tyres and had to pump it up. While doing so a policeman came out and demanded to see his papers. On explaining that he was a French Prisoner of War, the policeman re-entered the Guest House and returned with a Frenchman. Warrant Officer Woodroofe immediately told the Frenchman of his real identity and asked for assistance. The policeman was not accommodating, however, and he was taken to a camp at Landeck where he was placed in solitary confinement. During August 1944, he was transferred to a Germany and while working at Ziegenhals he and other prisoners escaped from their working party. Warrant Officer Woodroofe set out for Wismar, having been informed that this was a safe town from which it would be possible to board a Swedish vessel. After much travelling he reached Wismar, where he made contact with a Frenchman who escorted him to the wharves. Warrant Officer Woodroofe boarded the first ship he saw flying a Swedish flag. He spoke to a rating and enlisted his help, as the captain of the boat was drunk and unable to see him. This rating hid him in a small room beneath the crew's cabin and when the Gestapo boarded the boat to make their routine search they were met by the rating who bartering some soap with them. The ship sailed and when the captain knew of Warrant Officer Woodroofe's presence he was treated very well. He arrived at Stockholm on the 30th August and reported to the British Legation the next day. " By Such Deeds, p. 526 AWMM
• War Medal 1939-1945 AWMM
• New Zealand War Service Medal AWMM

Embarkation details

WW2 Warrant Officer AWMM Royal New Zealand Air Force AWMM

Capture details

• WW2 POW - Stalag IV-B, Muhlberg, modern day Mühlberg ad Elbe, Germany AWMM
• WW2 POW - Europe RNZAF AWMM
  Sep 1941 AWMM

Death

24 Jul 2000 AWMM

Related Serviceperson

External links

• 'Air Ministry, 31st August 1945. The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the following awards in recognition of gallant and distinguished service: Military Medal to Warrant Officer (now Pilot Officer) Gordon Thomson WOODROOFE (N.Z.402233), Royal NZ Air Force, No. 104 Sqn.' (London Gazette, 31 August 1945, p.4385.). Military Medal.
  http://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/37246/supplement/4385
  Further Reference
• 'Failed to return' Auckland Star, 18 September 1941
  https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19410918.2.50
  Further Reference
• 'New to the Collection' Air Force Museum of New Zealand
  https://www.airforcemuseum.co.nz/blog/new-to-the-collection/
  Further Reference
• List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - Air Force Officers and OR's [Other Ranks], Prisoners of War in Europe and Far East, Archives New Zealand, R17845754, ADQA 17263 AIR118/107/76/6
  https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R17845754
  Further Reference

References

• Mason, W.W. (1954) Prisoners of war. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch.
  p.406.
• Woodrooffe, G.T. (1998). GeTaWay. Riverside Publications: Orewa, New Zealand.
• Goldfish Club, New Zealand Branch. The Goldfish Club: Roll of Honour 1954 - 2003. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS-2004/32.
• Hanson, C. (2001). By such deeds: honours and awards in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, 1923-1999. Christchurch, N.Z.: Volplane Press.
  p.525-6
• List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - Embarkation Lists, November 1940 - July 1942. Archives New Zealand, Wellington (R17845762).
• War Office. (1945). Germany and German occupied territories : imperial prisoners of war alphabetical list : section 8 : Air Forces. London, U.K.: Government Printer.
  p.80
• List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - Air Force Officers and OR's [Other Ranks], Prisoners of War in Europe and Far East, Archives New Zealand, R17845754, ADQA 17263 AIR118/107/76/6
• RAF Bomber Command Association (NZ). (1993). Membership listing by squadron [Membership list]. Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira.