Lancaster Bomber,memories.

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grahamH
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Lancaster Bomber,memories.

Post by grahamH »

Forty years ago,I was a photographer at RAF Linton-on-Ouse.
We had a reunion of ex-WW2 Canadian Aircrew,who flew Lancaster Bombers.
I'm watching the Dambuster programme on BBC.
Brave men...

The Lancaster you can see,came to Linton,to help in the celebrations.

I was lucky to get a short flight in the plane,memories...
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Re: Lancaster Bomber,memories.

Post by Jame5m »

Brave, brave men. we owe them so much!
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Re: Lancaster Bomber,memories.

Post by scooter »

One of my wife's father's friends was Geoff Rice who was a Dambuster and Pilot Officer of AJ-Harry ED936.

From what I can find out he was in the Second Wave. He used his belly lights to fix his height over the Zuider Zee, only to find found out that the alignment had slipped when his Lancaster hit the water at over 200 mph, tearing out the mine. Dragging the Lancaster back into the air, he had to go home.

Later that year he was shot down on 20/12/43 and was hidden by the French Resistance for 6 months.

Geoff died in November 1981 in Somerset.

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Re: Lancaster Bomber,memories.

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

Totally brave guys, and often so young. My mother's cousin died a couple of years ago, age 89, and he was a wireless operator in Bomber Command, though that's all I know.
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Re: Lancaster Bomber,memories.

Post by gweilgi »

Any of you country mice ever come to London, do come and pay your respects at the Bomber Command war memorial off Hyde Park Corner. Always lots of poppies, and deservedly so.

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Re: Lancaster Bomber,memories.

Post by scooter »

gweilgi wrote:Any of you country mice ever come to London
I think I was up there in 1977.

Scary place, everyone rushing around.

Never felt the need to go again.

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Re: Lancaster Bomber,memories.

Post by Loddonite »

The Lanc flies over my house every now and then, it rumbled over earlier this week and the dog couldn't understand why I'd stopped playing ball to watch it.
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Re: Lancaster Bomber,memories.

Post by Bonny »

I was at wings and wheels at Audley end house years ago, when the RAF memorial flight came over. Not only impressive, but brought me to tears thinking about their context.
It was interesting listening to Chris Evans this morning at scampton.
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Re: Lancaster Bomber,memories.

Post by piste skier »

I just wonder how well the majority of today's young men would compare with these heroes. I have real respect for everything they were and stood for.
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Post by poppydoodlesdad »

o
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Re: Lancaster Bomber,memories.

Post by dan1983 »

My grandad was a rear gunner. Even now the noise gives me goosebumps. I've read a few books on Lancaster pilots and crew. Everything has been said about bravery, all I know is I would be cra**ing myself.
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Re: Lancaster Bomber,memories.

Post by mikepj »

Awesome onboard footage from the RAF Memorial Lancaster that flew over the Derwent Dam in Derbyshire earlier today marking the 70th Anniversary of the famous WWII Dambusters raid. Video by RAF Coningsby Photographic Section
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151679329883125
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Re: Lancaster Bomber,memories.

Post by poppydoodlesdad »

z
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Re: Lancaster Bomber,memories.

Post by trsullivan »

piste skier wrote:I just wonder how well the majority of today's young men would compare with these heroes. I have real respect for everything they were and stood for.
I think today's young men and women compare favorably with those of yore. If courage is defined as being scared sh***less and still getting on with the mission at hand, then they compare very well indeed. They honor us all by their service, just as those who came before did with theirs. I am proud of them all, and thankful they serve.
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Re: Lancaster Bomber,memories.

Post by Richard B »

trsullivan wrote:I think today's young men and women compare favorably with those of yore. If courage is defined as being scared sh***less and still getting on with the mission at hand, then they compare very well indeed. They honor us all by their service, just as those who came before did with theirs. I am proud of them all, and thankful they serve.
I agree with you 100% It's a completely different situation of course - our forces have to adapt to each conflict that they're thrown into at a politician's whim. Out in Afghanistan they don't even know who the enemy are and things are not necessarily what they seem.

Anyway, back to Lancasters - my father was another wireless op. and he sent me a link to some really good set of photos and video on the Daily Mail site.
Well worth a look: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... -raid.html
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