On 15 February 1944 LAN R5702 crashed about here at Avne Vig. Only Flying Officer Harry Proskurniak survived.

He became a Prisoner of War in Germany. 41 years later Harry himself wrote this story to Leif Gr. Thomsen in Fjelstrup:

"Our aircraft was attacked by a night fighter (ME) and the starboard wing caught fire. I presume the aircraft exploded in the air. That is the only explanation I can give for my survival. The pilot gave the order to bail out. My escape route was on the floor in the nose of the aircraft; but I was unable to open the escape hatch door. I went unconscious in the aircraft trying to open the escape hatch door. I regained consciousness when my parachute opened up. Seconds later I was on the ground. So how I got out of the aircraft I will never know for sure.

I think I left my parachute right where I landed. When my parachute opened I got quite a jerk, my flying boots came off my feet, so here I was in my stocking feet. The burning aircraft was just a short distance from me, the whole field was lit up and I could hear the ammunition exploding from the gun turrets. I spent the next 2 to 3 hours in a ditch at the edge of the field. From there I could see people coming to view the disaster. After all the people had left, I got out of the ditch and started walking. I spent the rest of the night in a hay stack; next morning I started walking and so came upon the little village where Mrs. Frederiksen took me in."

Early in the morning Harry was seen by auxiliary constable Freddy Kroul. As Harry spoke English Freddy thought he had better take him to the Frederiksens on Sillerupgaard, (here) where Mrs. Frederiksen was said to speak that language. Harry himself confirmed that the Frederiksens gave him a splendid reception, even if he had been in the mud all night without his boots. His wet clothes were taken off him, and he had a nice warm bath. The maid prepared a nice breakfast with bacon and eggs. Harry really enjoyed that. At that time aircrews only had such a meal after an operation or before, if they preferred that. Harry continues:

"I discussed with Mrs. Frederiksen the possibility of getting to Sweden, but she informed me that the Germans were looking for me and so for the safety of herself and her family she had no alternative but to phone the German Militia who later came and picked me up. Just before the Germans came to take me away, I gave Mrs. Frederiksen my escape kit. I know the Germans would have confiscated it had I kept it."

Harry was fetched by 12 armed soldiers and an officer who had to watch that Harry had a cigarette as a farewell. In Laue Frederiksen´s shoes he then became a Prisoner of War in Germany. For the remainder of the war he was in the famous POW-camp Stalag Luft III at Sagan near Breslau. The escape kits he handed over to the Frederiksens contained current banknotes for the areas he had flown over and two packages of survival food, chocolate, chewing gum, a fishing line, a compass and so on. One of these packages is still intact. Furthermore he handed over his silk maps for escape. They decorated a wall at Mrs. Frederiksen´s for many years.

Harry Proskurniak was liberated at the end of the war, but he also had to join the long marches to the west in front of the advancing Soviet troops. (See POW-Camps)
He was repatriated pretty soon. On 1 July 1945 he wrote a letter to the Frederiksens from Timberton (about here), Manitoba. Then he had been at home for a fortnight.

In 1985 the contact with Harry was reestablished, and Mrs. Frederiksen enjoyed sending him a couple of his own banknotes from the money he had left.
At present (January 1994) his mind is clear, but he is 79 and he does not walk very well.
(Quote from Leif Gr. Thomsen´s sheets about LAN R5702.)