Operation Exodus was an Allied operation to repatriate Allied

prisoners of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held Captivity, captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold priso ...

(POW)s from Europe to Britain in the closing stages of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

The operation

After much of Europe had been liberated by allied forces, an urgent need arose to bring ex-POWs home to Britain as quickly as possible. RAF command decided to employ bomber planes for this purpose. The operation started when orders were received at

RAF Oakley RAF Oakley is a former Royal Air Force station between Oakley and Worminghall, Buckinghamshire, England. It was located in a flat, damp wooded area. History Second World War usage Intended as RAF Westcott's satellite, the land at Field Far ...

, Buckinghamshire, on 2 April 1945 that 300 repatriated prisoners of war were arriving by air at 11:00. All arrangements were made for their reception and the provision of refreshments laid on in the Social Club. The arrival was postponed to the following day. Seven Dakotas landed with repatriated POWs on 3 April and more throughout the month, until by the end of April, 72 Dakotas had brought 1,787 POWs. Operation Exodus was in full swing and May 1945 was even busier with 443

Avro Lancaster The Avro Lancaster is a British Second World War heavy bomber. It was designed and manufactured by Avro as a contemporary of the Handley Page Halifax, both bombers having been developed to the same specification, as well as the Short Stirlin ...

s, 103 Dakotas, 51

Handley Page Halifax The Handley Page Halifax is a British Royal Air Force (RAF) four-engined heavy bomber of the Second World War. It was developed by Handley Page to the same specification as the contemporary twin-engine Avro Manchester. The Halifax has its or ...

es, 31 Consolidated Liberators, 3

Short Stirling The Short Stirling was a British four-engined heavy bomber of the Second World War. It has the distinction of being the first four-engined bomber to be introduced into service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). The Stirling was designed during t ...

s, 3

Lockheed Hudson The Lockheed Hudson is a light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built by the American Lockheed Aircraft Corporation. It was initially put into service by the Royal Air Force shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and prim ...

s and 2 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses bringing 15,088 personnel.

References

External links

Royal Air Force Museum. The Long Trip Home
{{DEFAULTSORT:Exodus, Operation Airlifts Battles and operations of World War II Aerial operations and battles of World War II involving the United Kingdom