Flying in a British bomber during World War Two was one of the most dangerous jobs imaginable. Some 55,000 aircrew died in raids over Europe between 1939 and 1945, the highest loss rate of any major branch of the British armed forces.
Yet there is no official campaign medal commemorating the sacrifices of these men. Their contribution to the war effort has been partly overshadowed by the controversy over the saturation bombing of German cities in 1944 and '45, in which tens of thousands of German civilians were killed.
Operations Manna and Chowhound were launched in April-May 1945, in an effort to alleviate starvation in the Netherlands. Flown by the RAF and US Army Air Force, Manna-Chowhound missions dropped food over occupied areas.
During World War Two Lincolnshire became known as ‘Bomber County’ because of the number of airfields within it’s borders. Over fifty air bases operated nightly raids, one in four of which did not return. The loss of life amongst the crews was enormous and with this in mind as a county we owe it to those who perished to keep their memory alive.
With an average age of just twenty-two, the young airmen of the Royal Air Force’s Bomber Command, all volunteers, began operating within minutes of the start of the Second World War. Continually, through to May 1945, the aircrews, with the odds heavily against them, fought in defiance of Nazi aggression. They defended the British Isles against invasion, they took the war directly back to Germany, they supported the Allied land campaigns, they opposed the enemy Navy and U-boat threats, and they countered the German V-weapon offensives. But the cost was high. From this multi-national force, made up of British airmen, Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders, South Africans, Rhodesians, Indians, Poles, Czechs, French, Americans and Jamaicans, a staggering 55,573 airmen would lose their lives, 9,938 would become prisoners of war and a further 8,403 would suffer wounds.
Every pilot had to do their "second dicky" where they stand as a passenger behind an experienced pilot and watch what happens on a real operation. My 'second dicky' was with Arch Cambell in a raid on the Naval Base at Kiel. Here is that story ....
Minister (Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans) Rt HonAndrew Robathan MP welcomed the news, saying:
‘I am delighted to note that the London-based Memorial to commemorate the brave servicemen of Bomber Command is making such progress. I am very much looking forward to seeing this unveiled as a well-deserved tribute to the aircrew who sacrificed so much.’
Bruce Buckham, who died on 6 August 2011 aged 92, was “the kind of war hero that kids used to love reading about in comics.” That is how Kevin Meade described him when he interviewed him for the ANZAC Day issue of The Australian in 2008. Flight Lieutenant Bruce Buckham was assigned to 463 Squadron, one of four Australian squadrons attached to Bomber Command which flew the legendary four-engine Lancasters into German-occupied Europe.
Into the Wind is Steven Hatton’s first feature length documentary, capturing the life and wartime experiences of former Bomber Command veterans from the Second World War. As well as a document of unique historical value and significance, Into the Wind is a record of deeply personal stories, tales of friendships gained and lost, the perpetual possibility and proximity of death, the importance of love and family, the shared passion for flying and the moral implications of warfare.
The documentary features interviews with former aircrew originating from Poland, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and the United Kingdom, all of whom share the weight and responsibility of having helped change the course of history.
"This is a wonderful film. Beautifully filmed and bound together by an emotional and understated music score, the powerful testimony of these veterans deserves to be heard."David Fairhead, Editor - In the Shadow of the Moon
The AgeIntrepid pilot ensured world knew of Tirpitz's sinkingThe AgeAfter enlisting in the RAAF in 1941 and being judged ''too old'' at 23 to fly fighters, Buckham was sent for bomber training in England.
One aircrew's story of a Lancaster bomber mission that could have gone so wrong, but turned out aright. The story about 'planting vegetables' in the North Sea with 460 Squadron during World War II.
THE LOST BOYS - The families and descendants of the crew all agreed that it was wrong that the survivors of Bomber Command had not been awarded a campaign medal for their vital role in the war.
The Avro Lancaster the most famous of all Avro military aircraft, and without doubt the most successful heavy night bomber to be deployed over Europe, during World War II.
Tribute to the men of Bomber Command and also to the Lancaster crews. Not forgetting the crews who operated other types. Halifax, Stirling, Whitley, Wellingt...
Most historians agree that the very nature of the Battle of Britain changed on 7 September, with a shift away from the direct attack on Fighter Command's airfields and the factories which produced its aircraft. The change in targeting was driven by Goring and supported by Kesselring, who felt that the anti-airfield campaign had run its course, and that Fighter Command was finished. But Sperrle protested strongly, believing that Fighter Command probably still had a thousand aircraft left, and wished to continue to scourge the No.11 Group airfields. He was overruled.
The first Lancaster bomber, which is powered by four Rolls-Royce Merlin seemingly ubiquitous V-12 engines did, in January 1941. Just as a success, it turned out I will have full-time production, with many companies subcontractors for parts. Consisting of 55,000 individual parts, it was estimated that half a million different plants were involved, to build a single plane. Peak production was reached when a combined 293 planes wasproduced in Great Britain and Canada in August 1944.
Bomber pilot captured Tirpitz's demise. After enlisting in the RAAF in 1941 and being judged ''too old'' at 23 to fly fighters, Buckham was sent for bomber training in England.
Into the Wind, their first self-produced feature-length documentary, has been acquired for UK broadcast by the Yesterday channel, part of the UKTV group. The film captures the life and wartime experiences of former Bomber Command veterans from the Second World War. It features interviews with former aircrew originating from Poland, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and the United Kingdom.
The absolutely crucial role of the men of Bomber Command in freeing Europe from Hitler’s tyrannical rule has never been properly recognised in Britain by medal, memorial or public declaration. Indeed, since Winston Churchill’s politically-motivated failure to acknowledge Bomber Command in his VE day speech, the British have been unique amongst the Allied victors in ducking the reality that a fight for survival and freedom against such a vicious enemy necessitated uncompromising offensive action. As Churchill himself declared in 1940: “The fighters are our salvation but the bombers alone provide the means of victory”.
The Spitfire and the Lancaster were the two RAF weapons of victory in the Second World War, but the glamour of the fighter has tended to overshadow the performance of the heavy bomber. Yet without the Lancaster, Britain would never have been able to take the fight to the German homeland. Highlights the scale of the bomber's achievements, including the famous Dambusters attacks. With its vast bomb bay, ease of handling and surprising speed, the mighty Lancaster transformed the effectiveness of the Bomber Command. Whilst addressing the political controversy surrounding the bombing offensive against Germany, Leo McKinstry also weaves individual tales into this compelling narrative. Rich characters are brought to life, such as Roy Chadwick the designer, who taught himself engineering at night school and Sir Arthur Harris, the austere head of the Bomber Command. This is a rich saga, a story of triumph over disaster and the history of an iconic plane.
To get content containing either thought or leadership enter:
To get content containing both thought and leadership enter:
To get content containing the expression thought leadership enter:
You can enter several keywords and you can refine them whenever you want. Our suggestion engine uses more signals but entering a few keywords here will rapidly give you great content to curate.
Your new post is loading...
