Preparation
  Flight Lieutenant William Muego - 35 Squadron  
 

Flight Lieutenant William "Scott" Muego
 
 Flight Lieutenant William Muego was serving as Bomb Aimer on board Lancaster Mk. III ND-597 coded TL-A during an operation to Berlin March 24/25, 1944. The aircraft took off from Graveley at 1844hrs and was returning to base when it was shot down by a night-fighter, killing five of the seven crewmembers. F/L Muego and F/Sgt Bolton were thrown clear in the explosion and landed safely, they served out the remainder of the war as POWs.

The crew consisted of:

Name Service Trade Hometown Age
F/O Cecil Dineen  RAFVR Flight Engineer Bexleyheath,Kent 20
F/O John Savage  RAAF  Navigator Queensland, Australia 27
F/Lt William “Scott” Muego - POW RAFVR Bomb Aimer Glasgow, Scotland 29
W/O Robert Brewington  RAAF  Wop/AG Queensland, Australia 27
F/Sgt Stanley Boulton - POW RAFVR Mid Upper Gunner - -
F/Sgt Frederick Smith  RAFVR Rear Gunner Cobridge,Stoke-on-Trent 30

 

 William “Scott” Muego RAFVR was born on 23rd April 1914,the son of George and May Muego, and middle  brother of George and Alistair. He worked in a clerical position for an oil company in Glasgow before the war. He was known as “Scott” to his family and “Jock” in the RAF.

 He flew in four different Squadrons from 1940-44.Namely 225 Squadron army co-operation, flying Lysanders from 1/7/1940 to 11/3/1940 as T/Flt.Sergeant. He then joined 10 Squadron as Air Gunner, then Air Bomber from 12-3-1942 to 9-3-43 and Flt.Lt.temp, VR from 8-9-1942 flying Halifax Mark 2 Aircraft before joining 77 Squadron from 10-3-1943 to 26-10-1943  as Air Bombing Leader on Halifax mkII's, he was posted to 35 squadron on 27-10-1943.

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William "Scott" Muego 2nd from right, with crew and ground crew

 

 ”Scott” Muego was a prisoner of war till the end of the war, first in hospital at Magdeburg until 12th April 1944 (he attempted an escape from here) before being moved to Hohenmark where he was hospitalised and interrogated until 23rd of April 1944. He was then taken to a holding camp at Schlein until 6th of June 1944 and then Stalag Luft 3 until 31st January 1945. He and many other prisoners of war took part in the forced march to Luckenwalde before being liberated. Stan Boulton was also injured and received cannon shell splinter wounds to his back as he tried to escape the burning Lancaster as it plunged vertically to earth before also becoming a prisoner of war. The  rest of the crew are buried in the War Cemetery in Berlin.

 William Muego passed away in 1987.
 
  Photo courtesy of Dougie Muego , research by Linda Ibrom.