On 8 November 1940, it was announced that he had been appointed Deputy AOC in C, Middle East. Twelve days later he was flying aboard Wellington T2873 of No 214 Squadron when, due to bad weather, the aircraft ran short of fuel being forced to land in Sicily instead of Malta where he was taken prisoner. In September 1943 he was one of six senior officers who tunnelled out of their prison, the Castle of Vincigliata near Florence, only two of the six successfully reaching Switzerland, Boyd himself being recaptured at Como. However, together with General Sir Richard Connor and Lt General Sir Philip Neame, he later made another attempt, which was successful, eventually arriving in Britain in February 1944. Appointed to command No 93 Group of Bomber Command, he was divorced by his wife in July 1944 but within days had died of a heart attack. |
MC Citation, London Gazette, 19 August 1916: "Lt. Owen Tudor Boyd, Ind. Army, and B.F.C. For conspicuous gallantry when on a bombing raid in unfavourable weather. He descended to less than 1,000 feet and bombed a train, which he afterwards attacked with his machine gun, though heavily attacked by rifle and machine gun fire".
Made a Companion of the Order of Bath (CB) on 8 June 1939. |