Forty bombs were dropped in total.
Enough of these were on target for
the 3rd wave of aircraft – on standby
– to not be called in. Both ends of the
prison and the guard’s quarters were
successfully hit, and Governor Eugene
Schwarzenholzer was apparently
decapitated in the process. Reportedly
712 people were incarcerated in
Amiens Prison, 190 of which were
résistants. Taking recapture, injury and
death into account, Michael Lyman
estimates that “around 84 résistants
would have secured their liberty on
that momentous day”.
Max took a huge risk to save the
lives of many others, but when he
died so few were at the service
commemorating his. There are no
family back home in New Zealand
and his daughter tragically died from
a blood clot when she was in Cyprus.
He is survived only by his wife; ill in a
nursing home, she does not even know
he is dead. So we see it as right to
offer a form of tribute to Max Sparks:
our first Carterton Great.
Operation JERICHO: the daylight raid led by
Group Captain P C Pickard, to free resistance
members awaiting execution in Amiens Jail,
France on 18 February 1944. Shown here is
the 12 foot wide breach in the south side of
the prison’s outer wall, through which 258
prisoners escaped © IWM (C 4740)
Mosquitos of No. 487 Squadron RNZAF clear
the target at low level as the first 500-lb
bombs to be dropped detonate near the
south wall of the prison © IWM (C 4732)
Was Max a friend, neighbour or associate of yours? If so it would be wonderful if
you have a photograph of him that we can share. Please call 01235 856300 or
email
. Thank you.
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