Orphaned at the age of two, John Jeffries and his four year old sister were sent to live in a home run by the Sisters of Charity. His early childhood and formative years were spent under the supervision of the religious order, after which he embarked on a journey to find lost family and build a life for himself. With the outbreak of WWII, John did his part on the home front before being called up to the army in 1941. While serving with the Royal Corps of Signals he was posted to Africa and the Middle East, before he eventually volunteered for parachute training.
On Monday 18th September 1944, John parachuted into the Netherlands as part of the infamous Operation Market Garden. Weighed down by his radio equipment, he was shot during his descent. Lying on the ground, wounded and with fighting going on all around him, he would soon become a prisoner of war. Over the months that followed, he endured some of Germany’s POW camps, made a daring escape attempt and was eventually liberated by US forces.
In this true story, John recalls his childhood, military service and time spent in WWII prisoner of war camps, to give a moving account of his life.
On Monday 18th September 1944, John parachuted into the Netherlands as part of the infamous Operation Market Garden. Weighed down by his radio equipment, he was shot during his descent. Lying on the ground, wounded and with fighting going on all around him, he would soon become a prisoner of war. Over the months that followed, he endured some of Germany’s POW camps, made a daring escape attempt and was eventually liberated by US forces.
In this true story, John recalls his childhood, military service and time spent in WWII prisoner of war camps, to give a moving account of his life.
