[citation needed] On 23 July 1942, while flying Spitfire AB864, Thalbitzer was shot down during a 'Rhubarb' mission to Lannion and crashed into high tension wires near Plouescat.

He used the assumed name of 'John Thompson' to hide his real identity from the Germans, to help protect his family who were still living in occupied Denmark.

Thalbitzer escaped with Buckley, together they first travelled to Stettin hoping to find a Danish or Swedish ship which might be able to take them to neutral Sweden.

[6] From Rostock they decided to head for Copenhagen and reached the city after passing through numerous identity checks using forged papers created in the POW camp.

[2] He is also commemorated on the Maidenhead Register, a memorial for non-Commonwealth nationals killed on British military service during the Second World War.