Flight Officer Milton Ramsey was a Pilot in the 78th Fighter Group / 82nd Fighter Squadron. He was shot down by Me109s and crashed in P-47D #42-22463 near Quesnoy, Belgium on 29 January 1944 during a fighter support mission. He evaded capture with the help of French citizens and members of the Résistance. He travelled through Belgium, France, crossed into Spain, reached Gibraltar and was back in England on 15 June 1944. Missing Air Crew Report - MACR 2121. Evaded (EVD). Escape & Evasion Report - E&E 747.

Milton Ramsey was on his 10th mission when his flight of four P-51 Mustangs was jumped by eight German Me109 fighters. Out-manoeuvring the Germans, Ramsey's P-47 lost altitude and was last contacted by radio about 20 miles Southeast of Brussels, Belgium.

When his P-47 ran out of gas, he pulled it up to 4000 ft and managed to bail out. He stayed on a farm near Quesnoy-sur-Deûle (family of Jean-Michel Dozier, contributor to this website), France for three days before he was taken by train and trolley guided by a young lady to Tourcoing. There, he stayed with Mr and Mrs Jean Delarue where his picture was taken to prepare false ID documents. Until 28 March 1944, Ramsey divided his time between the home of the Delarue and that of their neighbors, Mr and Mrs Castelain-Hennion. On that date, a man came from Lille to fetch him and bring him to his home in Lille, where he stayed the night.

The next day, he met two members of the local Résistance (probably Fernand Van Aerde) the other being Maurice Antoine (chief of the Lille group, arrested later.) Antoine guided Ramsey back to Tourcoing and handed him over to Van Aerde, who had about 20 airmen on his hands. Ramsey met Lt Col. Robert P. Montgomery there (HQ Squadron, 20th Fighter Group, shot down in P-38 # 42-68036 on 11 February 1944) and after they left from that house on 19 April, they were helped on their way together down to the South of France.

Ramsey stayed one week in May 1944 in Montauban with a couple, who were teachers there. He was guided across the Pyrénées mountains and reached Spain, arriving in Alhama de Aragon on 12 June. Taken in charge by the British diplomatic corps, he arrived at Gibraltar on 12 June and left from there by air on 14 June, landing at Bristol, England on 15 June 1944.