John Braham (RAF officer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John Braham
Braham (right) with his long-serving radio and radar operator Wing Commander Bill "Sticks" Gregory, 1943. Gregory survived the war and died in 2001.
Nickname(s)	Bob
Born	(1920-04-06)6 April 1920 Holcombe, Somerset, England
Died	7 February 1974(1974-02-07) (aged 53) Nova Scotia, Canada
Allegiance	United Kingdom (1937–52) Canada (1952–68)
Service/branch	Royal Air Force Royal Canadian Air Force
Years of service	1937–68
Rank	Group Captain
Commands held	No. 141 Squadron RAF
Battles/wars	Second World War
Awards	Distinguished Service Order & Two Bars Distinguished Flying Cross & Two Bars Air Force Cross Order of the Crown (Belgium) Croix de guerre (Belgium)

John Randall Daniel "Bob" Braham (6 April 1920 – 7 February 1974) was a brave Royal Air Force (RAF) night fighter pilot. He was known as a fighter ace during the Second World War.

Braham was born in April 1920. As a teenager, he worked as a clerk for his local police. Finding civilian life boring, Braham joined the RAF in December 1937. He began his flight training in March 1938. After finishing his training, he joined No. 29 Squadron RAF at RAF Debden. There, he learned to fly the Hawker Hurricane and Bristol Blenheim. In 1939, his squadron started to focus on night fighting.

By August 1940, the Battle of Britain was happening. Braham got his first victory on August 24. This was his only success during that battle. In September 1940, No. 29 Squadron received new Bristol Beaufighter planes. Braham kept flying missions during "The Blitz", claiming two more enemy aircraft. By the end of 1940, he earned the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC).

Braham continued to fly missions after the Blitz ended in May 1941. He became an ace in September 1941 with five victories. He received a bar to his DFC in November 1941. In June 1942, he became a squadron leader. By October 1942, Braham had destroyed 12 enemy aircraft. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO). Braham also flew missions with RAF Coastal Command. He claimed a U-boat damaged and an E-boat destroyed. He was then promoted to wing commander. He took command of No. 141 Squadron RAF. Braham flew more missions into German-occupied Europe. He received a second bar to his DFC in June 1943. By September 1943, he had seven more victories. These included three, possibly four, German night fighter aces. Because of this, he earned a bar to his DSO.

His squadron soon switched to the De Havilland Mosquito. In February 1944, Braham moved to the operations staff at No. 2 Group RAF. He was allowed to fly one mission per week. He achieved nine victories in the Mosquito. In June 1944, he received a second bar to his DSO. Braham's war ended on June 24, 1944. He was shot down by two German Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighters. Braham was captured and became a prisoner. He was freed in May 1945.

Braham was one of the most decorated airmen in RAF Fighter Command. He claimed 29 enemy aircraft destroyed. He also claimed six more damaged and four probable victories. One probable victory was later confirmed by German records. This made his unofficial total 30 enemy aircraft destroyed. Nineteen of these were at night. He was the most successful British pilot flying twin-engine aircraft. His 19 night victories were close to John "Cats Eyes" Cunningham's record. Only night fighter pilot Branse Burbridge had more.

After the war, he was offered a permanent position in the RAF. He accepted it at first. He left the RAF in March 1946 but rejoined briefly. He struggled to find a job that could support his family. Braham moved to Canada with his family and joined the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) in 1952. He worked at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe. Braham then retired from the military. He started working as a civilian for the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. He worked there until he died from a brain tumor in 1974, at age 53.

Early Life and Training

John Braham was born on April 6, 1920, in Holcombe, Somerset. His father, Ernest Goodall Braham, was a Methodist minister. Ernest had also been a pilot in the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) during the First World War.

Braham went to preparatory school from 1930. Then he moved to a public school in Taunton, Somerset. He attended schools in southern England as his family moved often. Braham was strong and tall. By age 15, he was 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) tall. He was a successful boxer. At 15, he passed his School Certificate. His later education at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School did not go well. He was often absent because his father's job made the family move a lot. This caused his grades to drop. He left grammar school at 16.

Braham found it hard to get work during the Great Depression. He thought about joining the Colonial Police overseas. He also considered training as a sailor. To gain experience, he worked as a clerk in Wigan for the police. By 1937, Braham was tired of office work. He looked for a more exciting career in the British armed forces.

Joining the RAF and Flight Training

At 17, Braham applied to join the RAF for a five-year period. This program looked for young people who loved aviation and had the right skills. Braham was surprised when his application was accepted. His service began on March 7, 1937. He joined as a pilot officer. His training started with civilian flight schools. Successful students then moved to military training.

In December 1937, he began flight training at RAF Desford. Pilots usually flew solo after 8 to 11 hours of training with an instructor. For Braham, it took longer. He made his first solo flight after 14 hours in a Tiger Moth on March 9, 1938. In May 1938, Braham started officer training at RAF Uxbridge. After this, he moved to RAF Shawbury for military aircraft training. He chose to become a fighter pilot. He began training on the Hawker Hart. He finished his advanced flight training on August 20, 1938. He then trained on the Hawker Fury. He completed training in formation flying, aerobatics, and gunnery. He graduated in December 1938.

His first squadron was No. 29 Squadron RAF at RAF West Malling. They flew the two-seater Hawker Demon. In February 1939, No. 29 Squadron got new Bristol Blenheim planes. Braham was disappointed not to train on the Hawker Hurricane. He asked for a transfer, but it was refused. The squadron spent three months learning to fly the Blenheim. In August 1939, No. 29 did get Hurricanes. But when the war started, the squadron went back to Blenheims. This was because they were becoming a night fighter unit, not a daylight fighter unit. Braham soon got the nickname 'Bob'. He chose this name as his radio call sign. It helped him stand out from other "Johns" in the unit.

World War II Service

Some RAF squadrons started using airborne radar devices. This new technology was called airborne interception (AI). It's not clear how many of No. 29 Squadron's Blenheim aircraft had these in 1940. The squadron struggled to adapt to night-fighter tactics. Many pilots used basic tactics. They worked with search lights and used their eyesight to find enemy planes. By August 1940, when Braham's squadron defended Britain, British night fighter defenses were weak.

Night fighting was difficult. One Fairey Battle was accidentally shot down by a Blenheim. Some Blenheims crashed after being caught in searchlight glare. German bombers also caused losses. No. 29 Squadron only shot down one German aircraft. identification friend or foe (IFF) devices were on some British planes, but not always turned on. Braham also had technical problems with the Blenheims. Once, a hydraulic pipe broke, causing his landing gear to fail. Braham had to make an emergency landing. Around this time, his gunner and observer, Bill Gregory, joined him. They would fly together often.

Defending Britain

By August 1940, the Battle of Britain was getting more intense. Most battles were in daylight, which frustrated night-fighter crews. Braham's unit was at RAF Digby in Lincolnshire. They operated from Wellingore airfield. They were part of No. 12 Group RAF, defending British airspace north of London. On the night of August 24, 1940, Braham flew over the Humberside area. His Blenheim had gunner Sergeant Wilsdon and radar operator N. Jacobson. Braham was guided to a plane caught in searchlights. He flew too fast and overshot it. His gunner damaged the plane enough that a searchlight crew saw it crash into the sea. It was a Heinkel He 111. Braham's only other enemy encounter was at Ternhill. A Junkers Ju 88 bombed the airfield, destroying 13 Avro Ansons. Braham was not hurt.

In September 1940, 29 Squadron started using the Bristol Beaufighter. This was a strong, heavily armed twin-engine plane with AI Mk. IV radar sets. This happened as the Luftwaffe began bombing British cities, known as "The Blitz". By November 29, the squadron had only Beaufighters. Braham was among the first to fly the Beaufighter in September. However, he spent almost the entire month in the hospital after a serious car accident. He flew his first wartime mission in a Beaufighter on November 17, 1940. Squadron Leader Guy Gibson, later famous for Operation Chastise, led the mission. Braham flew nine missions that month. He improved his skills by taking a blind-flying course. This taught pilots to fly in bad visibility. For his service, he received the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) on January 17, 1941.

Beaufighter night fighter VIF of No. 255 Squadron RAF running up its engines in 1943. The radar antennas are visible.

These improvements led to success. On March 13, 1941, Braham surprised a Dornier Do 17. He knocked out one engine before his cannons jammed. His radar operator, Sergeant Ross, unjammed three guns. Braham's second burst blew up the bomber. His Beaufighter barely avoided the debris. The fight lasted 13 minutes. The two airmen had another success on May 9. Braham followed his radar operator's instructions. He saw an aircraft through the stars. He attacked two He 111s, shooting one down with two short bursts of cannon fire. The victory was confirmed. The He 111 crashed in Richmond, London.

The Blitz ended as the Luftwaffe moved its forces to invade the Soviet Union in June 1941. Air raids became less frequent. In the second half of 1941, small numbers of German planes made attacks across Britain. German night fighters tried to stop RAF Bomber Command from bombing Germany. On June 23, Braham claimed a probable victory against a He 111. Royal Observer Corps personnel saw it crash. But Braham lost contact with ground control. He feared getting lost or flying too low into Barrage balloons. So, Braham ended the chase and claimed a probable. Records show only one other RAF fighter claimed a victory that night. German records list two bombers that did not return.

Bill Gregory became Braham's regular radar operator on July 6, 1941. Braham got another victory the next day, July 7, 1941. He destroyed a Ju 88. He became an ace on September 12, shooting down a He 111 for his fifth victory. He claimed a Do 17 on October 19, then another He 111 on October 24. By November 25, 1941, he had claimed 7 enemy aircraft. He was awarded a bar to his DFC. He was then promoted to flight lieutenant. Braham had little time off in 1941. He was rested to prevent him from getting too tired. He was sent to No. 51 OTU (Operational Training Unit) at RAF Cranfield on January 28, 1942.

Before going to Cranfield, Braham was in another car accident. He was hurt when the car he was in went off the road. He had been out celebrating his success. Braham survived two close calls at Cranfield. On March 13, a Beaufighter's engines stopped. He had to make an emergency landing. On the same day, his second flight ended with the plane's engines catching fire. Braham landed safely.

During this time, Braham and Gregory often visited 29 Squadron at West Malling. By now, the Germans were sending small groups to bomb targets in Britain. This was called the Baedeker Blitz. On the night of June 6/7, 1942, they destroyed a Dornier 217 raiding Canterbury. Soon after, Braham returned to No. 29 Squadron on July 24, 1942. He was acting squadron leader and flight commander. After damaging a Ju 88 on August 24, he destroyed another on the 28th using Mark VII AI radar. United States Army Air Force personnel saw this victory. On August 29, he destroyed a Ju 88 flying very low over the English Channel. The Ju 88 pilot tried hard to escape. The Beaufighter was hit by defensive fire. The left engine caught fire, forcing a crash landing near Beachy Head. Braham and his operator, Harry Jacobs, were not hurt. A bullet had passed through Braham's seat, missing him. He received his DSO on October 9, 1942. His score was 10 enemy aircraft destroyed.

His success continued. He claimed a Ju 88 and Do 217 off the English coast on the nights of October 26 and 31, 1942.

Night Intruder Missions

Braham had destroyed 12 enemy aircraft. He was one of the most successful RAF night fighter pilots. Because of his experience, he was given command of No. 141 Squadron RAF at RAF Ford on December 23, 1942. He was 22 years old and a wing commander. His AI operator Gregory, now a flying officer, went with him. Three weeks later, on January 20, 1943, Braham claimed a Do 217.

No. 141 Squadron's Beaufighter Mk.IFs moved to Cornwall in February 1943. They flew night patrols over Brittany and France. They also flew daylight patrols over the Bay of Biscay and Atlantic Approaches. These patrols protected RAF Coastal Command aircraft. On March 20, 1943, he claimed a locomotive destroyed. Soon after, he was promoted to acting wing commander. In April, Braham attacked a German E-Boat. He fired 500 rounds of 20mm cannon, causing a large fire. On other missions, Braham damaged three E-Boats. He also attacked and damaged a U-boat.

In May 1943, No. 141 Squadron moved to RAF Wittering. It was chosen to be the first night fighter squadron to operate over Germany and occupied Europe. They supported bombers. The Beaufighters had the new Serrate radar detector. This device picked up radar signals from German night fighters' Lichtenstein radar. Some Beaufighters also had Mk IV radar. Serrate operations began in June 1943. They became more important as the Battle of the Ruhr intensified. Bomber Command's losses to German night fighters increased. Braham had immediate success. He destroyed a Messerschmitt Bf 110 over the Netherlands on June 14. He shot down another nine days later. He also claimed a damaged Ju 88 after his guns jammed. Between these two successes, Braham received a second bar to his DFC on June 15, 1943. In June, 141 Squadron claimed five enemy fighters destroyed. Braham noticed Gregory was getting tired from continuous operations. He arranged for Gregory to rest as squadron operational planning officer. Flight Lieutenant Harry "Jacko" Jacobs replaced him.

A Messerschmitt Bf 110: a German fighter. Braham shot down 6 of them in 1943.

His most successful intruder mission was on the night of August 17/18, 1943. He supported RAF Bomber Command's Operation Hydra. Braham decided to use British night fighters freely. Instead of flying over known German airfields, he placed his Beaufighters between the bomber stream and German airfields. He hoped the Beaufighters' radar signals would attract enemy planes away from the bombers.

Braham flew in the first group. His group reached Leeuwarden in the Netherlands. Four of the five RAF fighters found no enemy planes. But Braham attracted two enemy night fighters. These Messerschmitt Bf 110s were from IV./Nachtjagdgeschwader 1 (NJG 1—1st Night Fighter Wing). Five had taken off under Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer. Schnaufer was the most successful night fighter of all time. Braham used his Serrate radar detector. He picked up signals from the German fighters' Lichtenstein radar. He caught and shot down Feldwebel Georg Kraft, an ace with 15 victories. Kraft was killed. Another Bf 110 tried to attack Braham. But Braham outmaneuvered it and shot it down too. Its pilot, Feldwebel Heinz Vinke, was the only crew member to survive. Braham's Beaufighter was almost hit by debris from the last plane. Braham often fired from very close range. This caused the Messerschmitt to break apart, throwing debris at his plane. Braham was very tired. He could barely keep his eyes open.

Braham was not happy with his score rate in September 1943. He flew missions against ground targets. Successful night fighter pilots were told not to take such risks. On one mission, he hunted enemy trains. He found a locomotive on the Dieppe to Paris line. It exploded after he hit it. He attacked another, but hit some trees. This damaged the underside of his plane. Braham kept control and flew home. It was not unusual for him to return with strange damage from hitting objects. After one mission against ships, the armorers were soaked in salt water and seaweed when they opened the cannon panel.

Braham received the first bar to his DSO on September 24, 1943. Four nights later, on September 28/29, he flew an intruder mission. Between Celle and Hanover, Braham found what he thought was a Do 217. He shot it down. It hit the ground and exploded. He then found another enemy plane but could not catch it. He saw a crash or explosion nearby. Some sources suggest the victim was German ace Hans-Dieter Frank (55 victories). Frank was flying a Heinkel He 219. He may have collided with another German fighter while trying to avoid Braham. The very next night, Braham claimed a Bf 110. His victim was German ace August Geiger of IV./NJG 1 (53 victories). Geiger parachuted out but drowned. Frank, Vinke, and Geiger were among the top German night fighter aces.

Against his wishes, Braham was rested from operations. He was sent from No. 141 Squadron on October 1, 1943. He had to attend a staff officer course at Camberley. Braham tried hard to avoid this move. He complained to Air Marshal Roderick Hill, who commanded Fighter Command. Hill refused Braham's request. Within days, Braham was sent to No. 9 Group RAF.

Daylight Intruder Missions

For three months, Braham was not flying missions. In February 1944, he was sent to No. 2 Group RAF. He was 'wing commander night operations' for the 2nd Light Bomber Group. Even though he was a staff officer, Braham convinced his commanding officer, Air Vice Marshal Basil Embry, to let him fly 'free-lance' intruder missions. He used a De Havilland Mosquito from one of the squadrons. He also had his former radar operators transferred to headquarters so he could fly with them. He often borrowed planes from No. 613 Squadron RAF.

On February 28, 1944, he took off. He claimed a German lorry destroyed south of Paris in a daylight mission. The Mosquitoes did not have radar. But they had Gee navigational aids. This helped with accurate navigation. Night missions would be hard without radar. For Braham, hunting in daylight was new. On March 5, 1944, he flew with Bill Gregory on a 900-mile trip around northern France. Bad weather stopped him from attacking airfields at Orléans and Bourges. So, he went to the airfield at Châteaudun. He saw a Heinkel He 177 flying at 800 feet. He quickly closed in and shot it down for his 20th air victory. Braham could not fly as a night fighter pilot at this time. There was a lot of night fighting activity. In January 1944, the Luftwaffe started Operation Steinbock. This was a series of attacks against British cities. The German air force suffered heavy losses during this operation.

The Mosquito fighter: Braham would have used these types for long-range missions.

On March 12, Braham and Gregory were returning from a 1000-mile trip. They were hit by ground fire over Bayeux. They flew the Mosquito back to England on one engine. Just two days later, he went to Buckingham Palace. George VI awarded him a second bar to his DFC. Braham's wife Joan and his father attended.

Ten days later, he got permission for another daylight mission. Squadron Leader Robertson joined him as his flight engineer. He flew to Lasham to get a Mosquito. His target was Denmark. The Luftwaffe had units in that area. So, he flew to Coltishall in Norfolk to be closer and save fuel. Near Aalborg, he saw two aircraft. The Germans did not expect an attack so far from the battle zones. Neither plane tried to defend itself. The first, a Junkers W 34 transport, was shot down. The second, a Junkers Ju 52, tried to crash-land. It nosed over and crumpled its wings. Braham attacked it to ensure it was destroyed. His gun cameras filmed the action. He fired 320 rounds. On April 4, he returned to France. Without radar, Braham looked for large airfields to find enemy planes. He flew to Bordeaux. He was looking for He 177s that intelligence suggested were attacking Atlantic convoys. Braham only found a Bücker Bü 131. He shot it down quickly.

Nine days later, Braham returned to Denmark. He borrowed a Mosquito from No. 305 Polish Bomber Squadron. On this mission, he found a He 111 near Esjberg. It was circling a lighthouse at 300 feet. Braham fired a three-second burst. The He 111 caught fire and crashed into the sea, exploding. A Focke-Wulf Fw 58 trainer was his second victory on this mission. Meanwhile, the Germans tracked the Mosquito by radar. Two Messerschmitt Bf 109s appeared. The cloud base was low, at 1,000 feet. He escaped by hiding in the clouds. One Bf 109 fired at Braham without effect. He also faced some light ground fire. He flew directly to Group HQ at Benson. He returned the Mosquito the next day. A few days later, Braham returned to 305 to get a Mosquito. He joined No. 107 Squadron RAF in a raid against Paris. He did this even though he had no formal bomber pilot training. Nine days later, near Poitiers, Braham was on a ground attack mission. He saw a Focke-Wulf Fw 190 with a drop tank and rockets. He fired at 600 yards as the enemy tried to escape. His fire slowed the Fw 190. He caught up and hit it again. The Fw 190 crashed. Its wreckage was spread over three fields. This Focke-Wulf was his 27th victory.

There were signs that Braham's judgment was becoming affected. He had not taken much time off since the war began in 1939. He admitted to becoming short-tempered with his family. He had spent two years flying long and dangerous missions over enemy territory. On May 7, 1944, he picked up navigator Flight Lieutenant Donald Walsh. He borrowed a Mosquito from 21 Squadron at Gravesend. He flew to Norfolk to refuel. He spent time with his old unit, 141 Squadron, and stayed the night at West Raynham. Over Roskilde, Denmark, he caught a Ju 88 after a 10-minute chase. He shot it down—his 28th victory. On May 12, Braham repeated the mission. This time, he took Bill Gregory with him. Over the Aalborg–Copenhagen line, he saw a Fw 190 near Hurning. As he chased it, a Bf 109 attacked him. His presence was detected by German radar. His Mosquito was hit in the left wing. The fuel line was broken. The Bf 109 then disappeared. Ignoring the damage, he closed in on the Fw 190. At very low altitude, his Mosquito bounced off a mound. But he hit the enemy plane. It burst into flames, stalled, and crashed near Aalborg. The range was so close—about 100 yards—that the Focke-Wulf almost collided with Braham. He lost fuel from the chase. His propellers were damaged from hitting the ground. The chances of reaching England were small. He climbed to high altitude 70 miles from the coast. He sent an emergency message, which was received. He ditched the Mosquito, which broke in half. He and Gregory got into the dinghy. They watched the tail and wings float. Air-sea rescue picked them up. Royal Navy trawlers sank the parts of the aircraft that were still floating. Despite the risky mission, on June 13, 1944, he received his final award—a second bar to his DSO.

Braham was called to see Basil Embry. Embry made Braham wait until he was properly dressed. Embry sternly told Braham off for risking himself. He had not agreed to the mission. Braham had taken off before Embry could give a clear answer. However, his 29th victory eased the tension. Embry invited him for a beer. Bill Gregory did not fly with Bob Braham again. His DFC and bar with DFM showed his help in Braham's success. He may have seen the events of May 12, 1944, as a warning. For Braham, the excitement of ranger operations was addictive. On May 25, 1944, he tried another mission but turned back due to bad weather. His last missions were flown with Embry and Walsh on June 6, 1944, during the Normandy landings. The Western Front was active again. Braham flew over Normandy several times with Mosquito bomber groups in June 1944. These were his last successful missions.

Prisoner of War Experience

Unlike Gregory, Braham was not bothered by the events of May 12, 1944. Braham believed that a trained combat pilot must fight the enemy at all costs. His experience gave him a better chance to survive than a new pilot. But he knew his luck could not last forever. Braham continued to fly missions deep into enemy airspace over Denmark, alone, and in daylight.

On June 25, 1944, he picked up a Mosquito from 21 Squadron. He took the Australian navigator Don Walsh with him. They flew to Norfolk to refuel at West Raynham. They took off and headed to the Danish coast. Out at sea, German coastal ships likely saw them. As they neared land, Braham and Walsh noticed a whine in the radio speakers. This meant the Mosquito was being tracked by radar. To make it hard for the enemy to track him, he changed course often. Ranger operations relied on surprise, but it was lost. The clouds were thinning, and visibility was improving. Braham decided it was foolish to continue. He decided to head home. While flying over Funen island, he saw a building with a large Swastika flag. A car was parked outside. Believing someone important might be inside, he dived to attack. He attacked the building and destroyed the car.

After leaving the area, he reached the west coast. But Braham had stayed too long. He saw two Fw 190s approaching fast from the east. Braham had shot down two of these planes in a Mosquito before. But he was unsure how experienced these pilots were. There was no cloud cover. The Mosquito could not outrun the faster single-engine fighters for long. He decided to turn and fight. In a head-on attack, the first Fw 190 pilot missed. But the second hit the left wing and engine with cannon fire. This caused a large fire. The instrument panel and cockpit window were shot through. They missed Walsh and Braham by inches. Braham dived to the sea, leveling out below 100 feet. He tried to use the fire extinguisher to stop the fire. The German pilot also believed in making sure a kill was complete. The Mosquito was hit again. Braham crash-landed his aircraft onto a beach at 150 miles per hour.

A model of Stalag Luft III, a prisoner of war camp, in 1945.

Braham and Walsh quickly got out of the Mosquito. They hid behind a sand dune. As they did, the aircraft's fuel tanks exploded. The Fw 190 pilot flew over at 20 feet. For a moment, they thought he would fire at them. To their relief, he waved and flew by. They thought about escaping. But German soldiers quickly ran towards them. They had crashed near a radar station. The German soldiers fired a few shots, but none hit them. They were captured and searched. The Germans found a Mauser pistol Braham had taken from a crashed German bomber. His captors did not like this. Braham thought they might attack him. He considered fighting the guards and escaping to Sweden. The tension eased when he was taken to a barracks. He was offered some German coffee. Soon, two Luftwaffe officers arrived. They took him to a cell at an airfield near Esjberg.

Braham and Walsh were taken by train to Germany. They were sent to the Luftwaffe interrogation center at Oberursel, near Frankfurt. The train stopped often because of air raids. The German guards showed their dislike for the British airmen. When civilians saw them, they shouted insults and death threats. Joseph Goebbels, the German Propaganda Minister, had called all British and Allied airmen "terror flyers." His message was believed by many civilians. At one point, German soldiers threatened them with bayonets. They tried to force their way into the crowded train carriage. Braham feared for his life. But a young SS officer shouted an order and stopped them.

At the interrogation center, he was not fed well and became weak. This was part of the German plan to weaken resistance to questioning. The Germans had files on famous RAF personnel from British newspapers. They knew most of his career and private life. While there, he was questioned by an aide to Reichsmarshall Hermann Göring. The German asked him about British defenses and Supermarine Spitfires. Braham jokingly told him to avoid Spitfires. While at Oberursel, the pilot who shot him down, Leutnant Robert Spreckels of Jagdgeschwader 1 (JG 1—1st Fighter Wing), arrived to meet him. Braham was one of Spreckels' 12 air victories. An interpreter was there. Braham promised to buy him a whisky when the Allies won the war. This shocked Spreckels, who believed Germany would win. Braham came to respect Spreckels. He learned that Spreckels had lost his parents in a British air attack. Braham was surprised when Spreckels said, "it is the war." Both pilots did not like the bomber war. They shook hands and parted ways.

The airmen were sent to Stalag Luft III. This was a Luftwaffe prisoner of war camp near Sagan in Germany. They stayed there until January 27, 1945. The advance of the Red Army forced them to march across Germany. They were fed by Red Cross parcels and civilians fleeing the Soviets. Near Jamlitz, a Panzer Division shared their food. They reached Spremberg on February 2, 1945. They received food and hot water from the 8th Panzer Division depot. They reached Bremen on February 5, 1945. The British Army's success in north-western Europe meant they had to be moved to Lübeck on April 10. The British Army freed them on May 2, 1945.

After the War

Braham's return to Britain was not easy. His family found him difficult. Braham did not like publicity. When journalists came to his home, he forced them out. This is likely why he was not well-known in Britain outside the RAF. Braham was also unhappy with the political situation. He disliked that Winston Churchill was no longer Prime Minister.

Braham stayed in the RAF. He joined the Night Fighter Development Wing. There, he tested new night fighting equipment. The RAF was greatly reduced after the war. This disappointed Braham. Flying was cut to save money. This removed the main reason he joined the RAF. He still flew regularly to Belgium, where the RAF had large bases. There, he received the Order of the Crown and Croix de guerre with Palm for his wartime work. This arrangement did not last long. The Central Fighter Establishment was cut in half. Braham resigned from the RAF in March 1946. He applied to join the Rhodesian Colonial Police. Bill Gregory heard of Braham's decision. He contacted Basil Embry, Braham's former commanding officer. Embry convinced him to return to the RAF. He rejoined as a flight lieutenant with the pay of an acting wing commander. For two years, he had non-flying jobs in the Air Ministry in London.

In May 1952, he resigned from the RAF a second time. Braham felt he could not afford private education for his three sons on a wing commander's salary in Britain. He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) with the rank of wing commander. He received much better pay. On June 6, 1952, the Brahams sailed to Canada. Braham was immediately appointed staff officer for operations and training at Air Defence near Montreal. He taught aircrew how to fly, perform interceptions, and fight in all weather. He flew the fast Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck 39 times. He also flew the North American F-86 Sabre and the Lockheed T-33. In total, he flew 193 times with the RCAF. His next job was at CFB North Bay, 200 miles north of Toronto. He worked at the No. 3 All-Weather (Fighter) Operational Training Unit.

Between October 1957 and July 1960, Braham commanded No. 432 Squadron. They flew the Avro Canada CF-100. While there, he was in a mid-air collision. He lost a wing and could not open the canopy. He ejected through the canopy. He parachuted to safety but hurt his back and head. In summer 1960, his family moved to Paris. He was appointed senior officer at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers in Europe (SHAPE). Braham flew when he could. He patrolled the skies over Belgium, West Germany, and Luxembourg. He flew variants of the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter and English Electric Lightning. His time at SHAPE ended in 1964.

In 1961, Robert Spreckels invited him to Germany. Spreckels was the pilot who shot him down on June 25, 1944. Spreckels had tried to find Braham for years. While in England for business, he learned Braham was alive. He convinced the German consul in Bath to send a letter to Braham. They wrote to each other from 1956. But they only met in 1961. Spreckels had learned English well enough to talk. Braham wrote in his book Scramble, "Robert Spreckels became, in spite of world tension and hatreds, one who is counted among my company of friends."

For the rest of his career, Braham flew around the World. But in 1968, Canadian policy changed. All Canadian armed forces were to combine. Also, the Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow project was cancelled. This ended Canada's plan to build its own fighters. This stopped Braham's dreams of being a test pilot. He resigned from the RCAF in January 1968. He settled in Nova Scotia with his wife and three sons. He had flown 5,370 hours in 66 types of aircraft with the RCAF.

At 48, Braham did not want to retire. He had always liked history. So, he joined the Historic Sites Department of the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. He became an area superintendent and worked for five years. In December 1973, he suddenly had headaches and felt sick. He went to the hospital, but his health quickly got worse. Bob Braham died from a brain tumor on February 7, 1974, at age 53.

Personal Life

Braham's father, Reverend Dr E.P Braham, was an RAF chaplain. His mother died from pneumonia on December 13, 1941. In 1941, Braham met Joan Hyde. They married a few months later on April 15, 1941, in Duxford. This was just nine days after his 21st birthday. Beaufighters from 29 Squadron flew low over the wedding to celebrate. They planned a honeymoon in Somerset, but the war interrupted it. Reverend Braham died in 1951. John and Joan had three sons. The oldest, Michael, joined the Royal Military College of Canada. He became a captain in the Royal Canadian Navy. He retired in 1987 and worked for the Department of National Defence. Robert became a police officer in Southern Rhodesia and later in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. His youngest son, David, also became a police officer in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Joan Braham died in January 2012.

List of Victories