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BBC4 9pm tonight Dambusters Declassified

(6 Posts)
chocolatepudding Tue 02-Jul-24 15:44:34

My father was a Lancaster bomber pilot in 1944 so I follow any news and programmes about this plane with interest.

Tonight's programme is a repeat originally broadcast in 2010 with Martin Shaw, he takes a look at the Dambusters story and takes it to pieces to separate truth and fiction. Should be interesting

MayBee70 Tue 02-Jul-24 16:10:21

Did it affect his hearing? I had an old friend who flew in Lancasters and his hearing had completely gone because of it. What an amazing sight they are. My ex went to a talk given by Barnes Wallace (sp).years ago. The bravery of the men who flew in them.

Chestnut Tue 02-Jul-24 16:52:48

Chocolatepudding My father also flew in Lancaster Bombers as a Wireless Air Gunner, but mostly in Wellington Bombers. You don't hear much about them on TV but there is plenty on You Tube.

He was hard of hearing in old age, virtually stone deaf in one ear. How they dared to sit in those gun turrets, in the dark, being fired on! You needed nerves of steel.

chocolatepudding Tue 02-Jul-24 17:05:33

My father never spoke about his time in the RAF during the war until a year before he died when he said a few interesting stories to my brother. A week before he died Dad gave me a journal describing the 30 sorties in the Lancaster which I treasure, together with his medals and logbook

Chestnut Tue 02-Jul-24 17:56:07

My father was in the RAAF and I have some medals, a beautiful certificate, a flying log book, some badges and lapels, plus an old watch which he said was worn at night in the airplane!

Your journal sounds amazing. I don't have anything as detailed because the flying log book will probably need translating by someone who knows what it all means.

Can you submit the stories in the journal to a website like this? I'm sure they accept things people send in. I remember reading the one about Ernie Reynolds years ago. Scroll down and click on the picture.
war-experience.org/collections/war-in-the-air/

merlotgran Tue 02-Jul-24 19:29:21

Thanks for the tip off, chocolatepudding. I will definitely watch it.