. ▁ 4 5 0 ▁Squadron ▁RA AF ▁still ▁flying ▁P - 4 0 ▁K itt y h awk ▁f igh ters . ▁ ▁Pr ison er ▁of ▁war ▁K ier ath ▁was ▁flying ▁with ▁a ▁flight ▁of ▁f igh ters ▁on ▁an ▁anti - sh ipping ▁strike ▁on ▁ 2 3 ▁April ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁about ▁ 1 5 ▁miles ▁off ▁Cap ▁Bon ▁when ▁they ▁received ▁heavy ▁anti - air craft ▁fire ▁from ▁a ▁German ▁vessel ▁and ▁the ▁strik es ▁on ▁his ▁f ighter ▁caused ▁the ▁engine ▁to ▁se ize . ▁ ▁K ier ath ▁had ▁to ▁b ail ▁out ▁and ▁land ed ▁in ▁the ▁sea ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁res cu ed ▁two ▁hours ▁later ▁and ▁taken ▁prisoner ▁by ▁the ▁Germ ans . ▁He ▁was ▁checked ▁out ▁by ▁the ▁German ▁medical ▁team ▁to ▁ensure ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁unh urt ▁before ▁being ▁placed ▁in ▁a ▁temporary ▁prisoner ▁comp ound ▁in ▁Tun is ▁and ▁later ▁sh ipped ▁to ▁Sic ily ▁for ▁on ward ▁trans it ▁to ▁Germany . ▁He ▁was ▁eventually ▁put ▁into ▁prisoner ▁of ▁war ▁camp ▁St al ag ▁Luft ▁III ▁in ▁the ▁province ▁of ▁Lower ▁S iles ia ▁near ▁the ▁town ▁of ▁S agan ▁( now ▁Ż aga ń ▁in ▁Poland ). ▁▁ ▁In ▁prison ▁camp ▁he ▁established ▁himself ▁as ▁a ▁“ hide ▁special ist ” ▁construct ing ▁small ▁hide - aw ays ▁in ▁the ▁accommod ation ▁blocks ▁to ▁permit ▁for ged ▁papers ▁and ▁other ▁escape ▁ess entials ▁to ▁be ▁hidden ▁from ▁the ▁German ▁search ▁teams . ▁ ▁' Gre