Download ww ii aircrews return home after 70 years

WW II AIRCREWS RETURN HOME
AFTER 70 YEARS
REAR ROW LEFT TO RIGHT: Sqn.Ldr.(ret) Clive Rowley / Jack Millin President Chairman;-Manchester
Branch Air Crew Association. (Ex WW II: 12 Sqn SAAF) / Roger Littlewood (Scots Guards – Army) / Frank
Tolley (WW II : 625 Sqn) /Des. Royle- Imperial War Museum at Salford Keys Manchester ) / John Taylor:
DFC. – (WW II : 50 Sqn) Secretary /Norman & Mabel Jones (Norman was WW II : 625 Sqn Engineer)
/James ‘Jim’ Gardner: DFC (WW II : 51 Sqn) & Mrs M Blower / Edward Bamforth (WW II : 97 Sqn AG)
FRONT ROW SEATED: Albert Bracegirdle DFM (WW II : 44 Sqn)
It was an honour and a privilege to have the opportunity to transport 10 members
of Manchester Branch of the Air Crew Association to the Battle of Britain
Memorial Flight at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire on 08 June 10, alongside some
of their wives and partners & a member of staff from Manchester’s Imperial War
Museum & a number of Air Cadets from 318 Sale squadron Air training Corps.
It was beyond my wildest dreams to be given the chance to attend a ‘living’ WW II
history lesson brought to life by these incredible and extraordinary men’s wartime
exploits, which rubbed off onto the Air cadets who were present.
The veterans were given buffet lunch then a VIP tour of the Hangar which houses
Spitfires, Hurricanes and the Famous ‘City of Lincoln’ Lancaster bomber which
delivered the massive Grand Slam ( 22,000 Lbs) and Tallboy (12,000 Lbs) & Block
buster ’Cookie’ High capacity fragmentation Bombs. The Lancaster was famous
for its ability to carry huge bomb payloads during WW II. 617 Dam Buster
squadron & carrying Sir Barnes Neville Wallis’s Bouncing Bombs used to attack 3
major dams on the Ruhr- Germany in 1943. The Lancaster also took part in sinking
the battleship ‘Tripitz on 12 November 1944 and successful actions against
German U-Boats during WW II.
The veterans were then shown around the hangar by their guide Squadron Leader
(Retd) Clive Rowley who had a wealth of experience flying these vintage aircraft
with the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight as Chief Instructor and a veteran fighter
pilot on the RAF Tornado aircraft. He had a wealth of knowledge and experiences
to share with the group adding some fantastic stories to the overall impact of the
day.
It was fantastic to be able to give these Veterans of WW II something back by
driving them home to their Wartime bases from where they flew Avro-Lancaster
Bombers and Spitfires against Nazi German forces in 1939-1945. Between then
these men now in their 80’s had so much combat experience, my own former
active service in the British Army barely scratched the surface of what these boys
had been through. Coming from many WW II RAF Squadrons, for some veterans
in the group, they were literally coming home to RAF Coningsby. The airbase from
which the veterans flew many highly dangerous missions throughout World War II
spanning Bomber Command to Fighter Command.
Between them they had witnessed the first trials of the Manchester bomber with
it’s Vulture engines which were vastly underpowered and unreliable causing up to
25% casualty’s due to engine failure and 40% losses in combat, to the delivery of a
superior airframe built out of the Manchester Bomber (Manchester III) later redesignated the Avro-Lancaster bomber, which became a world famous heavy
bomber. These aircraft first saw trails with Wartime 44 and 97 Squadron’s in 1941
& early 1942.
97 squadron; Motto: ‘Achieve your Aim’. (First Formed at RAF WaddingtonLincolnshire) took part in very risky daylight raids on German Diesel factories at
Augsberg with elements of 44 squadron. By the end of the War 97 Squadron had
completed over 4000 operational sorties by the end of World War II losing 123
Aircraft on highly dangerous bombing raids over Germany. Both units saw crews
decorated for volour whilst flying under combat conditions. Edward Bamforth and
Albert Bracegirdle DFM were both rear turret gunners on Lancaster’s with these
distinguished Squadrons. Albert Bracegirdle was shot down over Germany in June
1944 serving with 44 Squadron, and became a prisoner of war for the remainder
of the war.
Stood by the tail guns of the City of Lincoln Lancaster Bomber in the Battle of
Britain Flight Hangar we listened in awe as he explained in such a matter of a fact
way how he escaped his stricken aircraft and parachuted to safety out of the side
door instead of the usual escape hatch, which ran a considerable risk of being
struck by the tail section of the aircraft when he exited the stricken plane.
Members of the public were delighted to listen as he explained his actions and
what it was like to be a Lancaster tail gunner during WW II.
Many of the Crews in 44 Squadron were Rhodesian. The Squadron won two
Victoria Crosses being part of Bomber Harris’s N05 Group. Flying the First
operational missions in Lancaster’s in WW II.
Frank Tolley & Flight Lt (Retd) John Taylor DFC was part of the highly distinguished
50 Squadron flying Lancaster’s in WWW II bombing German factories and VRocket sites at Peenemunde. So accurate was their bombing of defenses in the
town of Wesel – Germany the ground forces: Commandoes who took part in the
raid only lost 36 people taking the town. Frank also took part in the highly
controversial raids on the German city of Dresden in response to Germany
breaking a treaty not to bomb civilian targets’, then raiding London. 1.300 allied
bombers took part in the Dresden bombing dropping tones and tones of
Incendiary and High explosive bombs on the city destroying nearly 40 km of the
city center. Frank started his RAF career as a founder member of the RAF
Regiment transferring to Air Crew as a Bomb Aimer on Lancaster’s. Frank
explained what it was like to be ‘Locked up’ by searchlights during bombing raids
over Germany, and the horrors and humour of enemy Flak hitting the aircraft. A
remarkable man who carries the scars & horrors of World War to this day in hope
that the freedom he helped win back in WW II means that our children won’t
have to. Franks son is currently carying on the fine traditions of serving in the
Royal Air Force today.
James ‘Jim’ Gardner DFC won his Distinguished Flying Cross whilst serving with 51
Squadron during WW II. One of the oldest Squadrons in the RAF saw action in
WW I & WW II flying Anson’s and Verginia’s & Whitley’s & Halifax’s. The Squadron
also performed costal Command tasks bombing U-Boats and strategic bombing of
German targets. The Squadron took part in the Berlin Air lift at the end of WW II
in 1948-1949.
No 625 Squadron; Motto: ‘We Avenge’ was formed at Kelstern Lincolnshire in
1943 flying Lancaster’s. This highly distinguished WWII Squadron took part in
many major raids of WW II. Norman Jones was a ground crew Engineer serving
with this Squadron. Over 1,000 ground crew died during the harsh winters in
Britain during WW II of hypothermia and other ailments whilst having the critical
task of keeping the aircraft airworthy. Their skill and dedication in ensuring battle
damaged aircraft were fixed and re-armed ready for the next sortie was second to
none and a credit to the dedication and skill of our RAF wartime Engineers.
Jack Millin is President of Manchester Branch Air Crew Association. During World
war II he served with the highly distinguished and battle proven 12 Squadron of
the South African Air Force. The Squadron served in North Africa, South Africa,
Italy and Egypt and supported the Desert Rats In North Africa and Egypt. Ironically
7 Armoured Brigade: The desert Rats was the unit I myself was to serve in during
Gulf War I in 1990/91.
This theater of war during WW II saw some of the fiercest and bloodiest fighting
of any of the WW II campaigns. The Squadron was equipped with a whole range
of aircraft during its deployments overseas, including Fairy Battles, Ansons,
Marylands & Bostons & Martin Marauders operating highly daring and risky
daylight raids on enemy communications. Jacks dedication to gain ‘Air Superiority’
during these campaigns was critical to the war effort and critical in beating back &
ultimately defeating field Marshal, Rommel’s German and Italian Axis Forces.
Today our much loved and Treasured Wartime Veterans become fewer and
fewer. Stood in the battle of Britain Memorial Hanger and having the privilege to
have 10 War time veterans right in front of me listening to their wartime
experiences was an outstanding experience which I will never forget. I know what
it is like to go out on operations wondering if today is the day you do not return
during operations in Northern Ireland, Iraq and Kosovo. These men did this day
after day, for years and yet as they stand here today, their spirits show no signs of
being Brocken. They are truly remarkable men with remarkable life stories which
‘Rubbed off’ onto the Air Cadets who accompanied them. A true honour for me
to be able to bring these men home to RAF Coningsby; sadly for some of them,
possibly their last ever journey back to their family in the RAF.
Left: Edward Blamforth
Right: Albert Bracegirdle DFM. – (WW II : 97 Sqn Air Gunner) Caterpillar Association.
Flight Sergeant
Mark Cunliffe
318 squadron.
Air Training Corps.