UK_Widowmaker 571 Posted March 8, 2012 Just returned a computer i fixed for an elderly lady..and noticed several pictures of a Lancaster Bomber on the living room wall. I enquired about them, and it turned out, her Husband was a Flight Engineer on Lancs, with 166 squadron. She got a photo album out, to reveal some amazing photo's (never published) of the inside, outside..and even some shot's taken from inside, of the outside of Lancs..their crews, even the Spaniel who was their mascot. I spent a fascinating 30 mins, over a cup of tea, chatting to her..and looking over the photo's. Her husbands aircraft/crew completed 30 sorties over enemy territory, and she flew in a Lanc herself, in her time as a WAAF...and told me that when she was on board, they were practising bombing a ship towed target, which they missed..and the swearing was so bad, the Radio operator switched her R/T headset off, for fear of offending her!! A wonderful 30 minutes, with a truly charming Lady!...made my day! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted March 8, 2012 I bet you also wonder, how many of such elderly people with more such amazing photo albums may be out there? Soon they will be gone. Makes you want to start an advertising campaign, to search for them - doesn't it? Congrats for such luck, Widowmaker! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NS13Jarhead 6 Posted March 8, 2012 Congratulations, Mate! History always has a special flavor when it is delivered first hand by one who lived it. All those little nuances you get that are never recorded in books. You are very lucky - WWII vets are becoming a rarity. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shiloh 12 Posted March 8, 2012 I'm sure you made her day as well Widow. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikeymead 17 Posted March 8, 2012 I had a similar experience last year, I delivered and a new lawnmower to this guy, I known him for many years but I'd never been to his house. Anyway while I was waiting for him to get his cheque book I noticed a squadron photo of a Avro Lincoln with all the squadron members lined up in in front of it. When he came back with his cheque book I asked him about the photo, it turned out that he'd served as aircrew (mainly as a radio operator and navigator) on both Lancasters and Lincolns after the second world war. If I remember correctly he saw action in Malaya. So for the next 15-20 minutes we had a god chat about his aviation experiences and aviation in general. He still flies and owns an Auster. I find it funny sometimes that you may have know someone for several years yet really know nothing about them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RAF_Louvert 101 Posted March 9, 2012 . Lucky you, Widowmaker! And you as well, Mikeymead. Such sharing of stories from WWII veterans gets rarer with each passing year. I also had the good fortune of 'discovering' an aging veteran and his stories shorlty after I moved to Lester Prairie back in 1987. This little old fellow, Les Baumann, worked part-time at the town hardware store. One day I came in to pick up some supplies and he noticed the 8th Air Force pin on my jacket and asked if I had been in the service. I said I had and a moment later he just opened up and began to tell me about his time in the Army Air Corps in WWII. He was a B-24 navigator and had flown 30 missions in Europe, many of which were night drops of supplies to resistance forces behind enemy lines. He told of how they would come in about 400 feet off the ground in their all-black Liberator, being guided to the drop zone by flashlights on the ground. He also talked about various times when his group flew with British squadrons during joint operations. In particular, he told of one of the '1,000 Plane' bombing missions over Germany where he was in the number 2 plane. As they were nearing their primary target the lead plane was blown out of the sky by flak and it suddenly fell upon him to take over and guide the entire group to their destination. He was 21 years old at that point, and ended up surviving three full years of war service. Utterly amazing to consider the things these kids went through and did over and over until the war was over or until they were disabled, or dead. . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UK_Widowmaker 571 Posted March 9, 2012 (edited) Wow Lou!...My Dad (who was in SOE) fought with the French Resistance in WW2...and often talked to me about the supply drop pilots, flying in at treetop level, to drop arms and ammunition!....what's the betting that your guy and my dad were in cahoots....without even knowing each other! Amazingly (life is full of surprises)...but, my little Dog, was born on a farm, in a place called 'Bellingham' in Northumberland (a 30 minute drive from my house)...I went there last weekend, and the owners are friends of ours. They found some wreckage in one of their fields after plowing, a couple of years ago....turned out to be a Hurricane Fighter!.... It was dug up, and now resides in the Sunderland Aircraft Museum. (though, I should point out..it was at their previous Farm) Sadly, the Pilot was killed Edited March 9, 2012 by UK_Widowmaker Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flyby PC 23 Posted March 9, 2012 I love hearing stuff like this. I really do. It's the little bits of detail which these stories include which makes history so priceless. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
