Nicholas Stephen Alkamand was born in 1922. With World War II underway, Alkamand enlisted in the RAF and trained as a machine gunner. He was assigned to 115 Bombardment Squadron which at the time operated with Avro Lancaster II aircraft. Alkamand flew his aircraft code DS664 which his crew had named "Wolfman". The "Wolfman" with Aklamand in the position of the rear machine gunner successfully carried out 14 bombing missions over Germany.
But everything changed on the night of March 24, 1944. That night the RAF launched another large-scale air raid against Germany with 811 bombers. The target this time was Berlin, Hitler's capital itself. The raid was carried out normally despite heavy German anti-aircraft fire and lurking night fighters.
But the return was less pleasant for the British. Over Schmalenberg the "Wolfman" was attacked by a German Ju-88 night fighter piloted by Squadron Leader Gerhard Friedrich of the 6th Night Pursuit Squadron. The bomber was badly hit by the well-aimed fire of the German pilot, burst into flames and went into a spin. Already four of the seven members of the bomber's crew, including pilot Jack Newman, were dead.
The aircraft was now burning from end to end. The flames also reached Alkamad and worst of all they burned his parachute. The plane was at 18,000 feet but Alcamant decided he didn't want to die horribly in the fire. He preferred a quicker and painless end. So he decided to jump even without a parachute from the burning aircraft.
That's what he did. However, it seems that God loved him very much. Thus in his fall he fell first into snow-covered pines and then into a mass of fresh and consequently soft snow. When he recovered from the initial shock he found that he could move his arms and legs normally, having suffered only a sprain!
Alkamand was shortly taken prisoner by the Germans who could not hide their surprise. At first they didn't believe his story and handed him over to the GESTAPO for questioning, until they examined the wreckage of his plane and were convinced. They even gave him a relevant certificate. Alkamad remained a prisoner of war until May 1945, when he was released. He was, however, a "privileged" prisoner as even the Germans did not want to disturb the lucky one. After the war he worked in the chemical industry. He died peacefully on June 22, 1987.
