In a touching exploration of historical ties, Bob Maddams, a filmmaker from Louth, has embarked on a mission to establish a connection with the kin of a German pilot who downed his father’s Wellington bomber during the Second World War. Sgt Geoff Maddams served as a radio operator and was taken prisoner after his aircraft was shot down over the Netherlands in 1942, which resulted in his incarceration in a prisoner of war camp in Nazi-occupied Poland. Earlier this year, prompted by a treasured letter from his grandmother, Bob followed in his father’s wartime path in Poland. This included a stop at the International Bomber Command Centre in Lincoln, reinforcing sentiments of acknowledgement, remembrance, and reconciliation. Bob aims to locate and meet with the offspring of Hans Autenreith, suspecting that this wartime confrontation indirectly ensured his father’s survival. This extraordinary tale from Lincolnshire bridges the gap between the past and the present whilst also reflecting on individual and universal stories of conflict and tranquility.
Please note: this story was adjusted by The Lincoln Post based on original reporting by bbc.com.
