Well, assuming they were an experienced crew, they wouldn't tend to get excited, and they knew they were being recorded for broadcast later, so there is that..... I am just speculating now, but I would guess those conversations would normally be shorter and more direct when not being recorded. Recordings of US bomber crews are similar. Flat and unexcited. Experienced crews told to watch the language this trip.
Proud to say that my great-great grandfather Reginald E Pidsley recorded this. He was a Sound Engineer for the BBC aboard this Lancaster, 'F for Freddie' and I am happy that they made it home after this trip. Nothing but respect for them all!
Reg owned the house I rented in Hatfield Road, Potters Bar in 1974. He lived nearby and I used to deliver the rent. I was a fellow BBC technician and we used to discuss audio recording. I knew nothing of his flight until a few years ago.
Denver - my name is Toby Castle and I work for BBC News. We''re planning to do something on this recording around RAF Centenary (July 2018). Could you contact me if you get this message - it would be great to talk to you about our plans and you great-great grandfather's role in it. Thanks Toby (toby.castle@bbc.co.uk)
Always have admired the British-their courage, wit, intelligence and class even while in a life and death struggle on a bombing raid. From a grateful American to a loyal ally I salute this crew. And “good show!”
yea like inventing concentration camps and killing children and women :D and being one of the most imperialistic nation ever along with murica..no offense
giantzfan247 But unlike all the other nations throughout history who did such things we did so with more class and manners. It doesn't feel so bad when your conquerors are polite about it :) And when it comes to imperialism we were in a completely different league to America. America's attempts at imperialism were and still are pathetic, just like every international adventure they decide to go on. The heads of McDonalds and Starbucks are much better at imperialism than the American government.
EvidensInsania yet america has the whole U.N in its pocket including Britain..they stole almost all of britain's over seas colonies and assets in ww2 for alousy 50 destoryers and naval vessels. America's imperilism doesnt involve inavding a country..just a show of power..both countries are terrible. but dont get me wrong the people are good people the governement never were and never will be good nor do they serve the people
giantzfan247 Yep I certainly agree with most of that. It's just that America's approach to buying it's way to power isn't so impressive to me. Especially since the only reason they are currently number one is because they got off easy during both the World Wars whereas the European powers who had previously run things were devastated. I do wish the governments of Americas allies today, including my own, had more of a spine and weren't afraid to call out America when it's acting like a dickhead, I think the world would get on better if that was the case. I lived in America for a short time and an awful lot of the population are simply awful and possess no humility, pretending they're better than everyone else. But their government is even worse. So desperate to be in charge and rule the world that they never consider more peaceful and diplomatic approaches to dealing with foreign powers who don't do everything they want.
EvidensInsania I actually really like how this discussion has been, despite how it started. I'm American and I actually do very much appreciate the differentiation emphasis on America and the people who live in America, as this is how things should be viewed in all regards. It is a stretch of the imagination to claim that every single individual in a given nation is in agreement and supportive of everything their government does. I'll admit, sometimes it's very embarrassing to say the least of our lack of humility. Something which I'll credit Britain more with than any other nation, and it's one of the things I really respect about how the society of Britain is seen in the public image. Now I will try and convey what I mean by this by saying that it's not the apologetic type of humility nor a sense of self-loathing (how Germany comes across sometimes). It's this sense of recognizing wrong-doings and shaming those kinds of acts, but not the nation. Britain admits to having it's own villains and it won't apologize for them because doing that has no meaning to it. Why would you apologize for the actions of individuals long ago as if to say you were in collusion with those individuals? Britain accepts it's faults, it acknowledges it's short-comings, and does not deny accusations it knows to be true, accepting the ridicule and blame and not shirking out on that burden by making excuses. This doesn't make Britain at all better than everyone else, because it shows that Britain realizes it isn't better than everyone else. Sadly in the United States we tend to generally not show humility, often making a spectacle when we apologize for something if not flat out disassociating responsibility with excuse after excuse. "Greatest nation in the world"...You have no idea how many times I would like to be able to show those who say this (anyone in the world who thinks/says that) the Earth at the dawn of human civilization and fast forward things while making sure to point out every other nation that's ever said that usually didn't remain so for very long. Then at the end of this showing I'd ask those who say such things and think such things, "Where are those Great Nations now?" (I do wanna also take the time to point out to everyone that 'America' doesn't really exist on a map. You've got North America and South America and those're just the continents on which people live. Calling the USA 'America"..and yes I know we call it that too, is kinda like saying 'Kenya' and implying all of Africa. Hence why 'MURRICA / 'MERRICA has become the latest derogatory term for the US. I miss the days of Yank or Yankees. XD) Again this isn't something I know all people of Britain or elsewhere in the world might agree with, but as a guy who spends virtually every waking second of his days looking into world history (it's a hobby), it is something I have noticed.
To everyone involved in the argument as to whether this is an Australian crew or a British crew, I want to resolve this once and for all. The bomber is from 207 Squadron RAF. The pilot (K. Letford), flight engineer (C. Stewart), bomb aimer (W. Bray), wireless operator (W. Sparkes), and gunners (J. Fieldhouse & H. Devenish) were all British. However the navigator, Conneley, was a member of the Royal Australian Air Force. Though commonwealth countries often had their own fighter squadrons, all commonwealth bombing operations were under the authority of RAF Bomber Command and it was not unusual to mix and match flight crews. My own grandfather, who flew a Lancaster in 115 squadron, served alongside Australians, New Zealanders, Canadians, at least one South African, and even some Polish crew members in RAF Bomber Command.
+sada asdafa Where is your source about your statement that these pilots were British and indeed pilot (K. Letford), flight engineer (C. Stewart), bomb aimer (W. Bray), wireless operator (W. Sparkes), and gunners (J. Fieldhouse & H. Devenish)?
+NivekRezjiek This recording is from an old CD which was a collection of Bomber Command related recordings that my mother used to own. When you pulled the cover slip out of the box, it turned out to be a booklet with the history behind each recording and the men involved in recording it.
This recording is from Lancaster, EM-F FOR FREDDIE ED586 OF 207 squadron, flying out of RAF Langar, Nottinghamshire, England on the 3/4 September 1943 on a a raid over Berlin 11 Lancaster's went out,10 returned, the Lancaster that FTR was EM-x ED832. Reguards CI.
I did not detect any panic? Excitement perhaps, great to hear the voices of the crew, hope they made it home ok? I am from Dublin, ex RAF as was my father on Spitfires. I worked on the Vulcans, so a more modern bomber. The captain had to show calmness and bravery to his crew, tough times, Liam
The RAF deemed an aircrew loss of 3% as acceptable !! On a thousand bomber raid, this represents 30 aircraft, each with a crew of 7, which totals 210 airmen. The attrition rate for RAF bomber aircrews was huge. Many never came back. The voices in the aircraft thinly disguise the cold fear they felt , by being jovial and and seemingly lighthearted. these operations were very risky, and regularly undertaken.
i now live in Hemswell, slightly under the Lincolnshire cliff and where RAF Hemswell was located. They flew night raids over Germany and had very heavy losses. The runways, hangars and base buildings are still there, now part of an industrial unit and extensive antiques centre. Its supposed to be the most haunted airfield in Britain, so look that up, very interesting. On a lonely day I sometimes wander out onto the desolate, lonely runway and imagine how the aircrew would have felt as they lifted off and then banked right and out over the coast. My hobby is metal detecting and I have two fields full of fragmented aircraft that either over shot on takeoff or landing. My thoughts are always with them. I am ex RAF on Vulcans, so a much different bomber. We owe these crews so much and we must never forget them or any other service men or women, Liam
This is a recording of a raid flown by 207Sq pilot Fl Lt Ken Letford DSO and Bar, DFC and his crew. Letford (as Sqn Ldr) later won a Bar to his DFC for his actions in the Yangtze River Incident in 1949. 👍
Fantastic clip! As mentioned by others, they sound amazingly calm and professional, even when attacked by a German fighter plane thousands of feet above ground in a plane loaded with explosives. Such brave men, heroes in every sense of the word - worthy of everlasting remembrance. "Hello bombardier, OK when you are!"
It's a myth. They sounded posh to most people because actors that portrayed these men were always posh actors. There was always a varied assortment of accents in the RAF, most pilots came from families that weren't incredibly well off.
+Ronnie Hopkins WTF are you talking about....The accent has changed, due to immigration, culture, media music... i hate this ghetto shit that British ids seem to be hooked on these days ...its wack!!
I was wondering how the gunner couldn't ID the plane he'd shot down...then I remembered that the UK bombings were typically at night and the US in daylight.
+homfencing You must also remember that unless the plane is right up on your tail, even during broad daylight in a cloudless sky, you would still probably see only the outline of an aircraft moving at high speeds; perhaps even only a silhouette. That aside, it was probably one of 3 things : a BF109 model, a FW-190 model, or one of Germany's night fighters.
Often all they could see of a night fighter were the muzzle flashes of its guns opening up. A common tactic was for night fighters to work in pairs... One fighter would fly with his lights on as bait. Inexperienced gunners would instinctively open fire on the illuminated fighter, giving away the bomber's position to the other night fighter, who would be following in complete darkness. He could then make his attack while the gunners were distracted...
Classic English. Always admired the English and their politeness and stiff upper lip. Kind of amazing listening to this, I wonder how it would sound today.
Epic stiff upper lip.. no panic.. threat dealt with , back to Blighty for tea by 6am... Thank god we had men with a good pair hanging between thier legs back then. My Grandad was on Lancs as a Navigator.. sadly (for me) he never hardly spoke about it. Was only after he died & he passed onto my Dad a box of his war memoirs we found out what he went thro. Including being shot down in France & ending up in Spain after going on the run with the help of the French Resistance.
Skipper - or should I say what's left of skipper, is on the other side of the channel. These men never made it through the war , their bomber was finally shot down over Stettin . They didn't live to see the victory and the peace that they earned . Neither did they get to see their homeland betrayed .
My Father was a 'Tail End Charlie' finally they got the recognition they deserved. He now has his Bomber Command clasp, so much for Winston Churchill, who hung them out to dry at the end of the war, Bomber Command was the most dangerous branch of all the services. 52% of all the incumbents died, more dangerous than the Marines, Parachute Regiment etc.Remember, these guys flew every night in the dark. Not limited engagements and then time off. The USAAF had to fly 28 missions, then they went home
Appreciate your response. My WWII keen interest has gone from the land war (my Father, Guards Armoured) to the air war. I am hoping to be able to watch a Lancaster Bomber in flight on my next visit to the U.K., 2014. Incidentally, have you ever watched Haunted Earth's videos of Rivenhall Airfield in Essex? Some of the videos are a real eye opener. The old airfield has almost been razed to make way for an incinerator. Kudos to your Father's WWII service in Bomber Command.
I like to picture the German flak crews on the ground imagining the terror they thought they were putting these crews through, little did they know the they were merely exchanging pleasantries.
They haven’t changed….. I remember Desert Storm…. I was taking cover in a trench with some Royal Marines…. Our B-52’s were just unleashing Hell on the enemy…. These Brit’s were tickled pink! “The good old Yanks just nuked em!”…. 🤣🤣…. Love those guys
I've just done a taxi ride in 'just jane', and I'll tell you, you'll never fully appreciate what these boys done until you sit in a live Lancaster with the engines running hard, the sights, the smells.....it's an assault on the senses in every way. Horrifying conditions, dark, cramped, smelly, noisy and cold. And that was on a nice day, in the sunshine, on the ground. Honestly, if you are the least bit interested in this book yourself a taxi ride, you won't believe how it makes you feel, you'll come away with a new found respect for these guys
My father was W/O on Lancs and his brother in law (my uncle) was a R/G and his name was Charlie, as in tail end!! Yes of course the Lancs did daylight raids, many times. They flew out of RAF Hemswell '44-'45 and also did Operation Manna, dropping food supplies to the starving Dutch people towards the end of the war. Both made it through and back home by wars end. Listening to these lads over the radio reminded me of some of their stories.Thanks for putting this clip up.
Due to the interference, obscuring the sounds coming through, RAF spoke loud and clear about everything. There is no room for error or miscommunication, even when things get tight. Notice how when the gunners get excited, it's difficult to hear what's being said, so command goes "don't shout all at once!"
Awesome, my grandfather served as a gunner on wellingtons and halifaxes. Gives me a glimpse into his world. Doesn't like like panic more youthful excitement mixed with fear. Love the pukka accents!!
💙🇬🇧❤️ Never let our history and country be attacked or dishonoured .. These traitor politicians since Blair are looked at with utter contempt and disrespect… nothing on our relatives who put the great in GB , and no not everyone and anyone is British , these men are British .
Margaret, thanxs for the reply.My Father was in Bomber Command,the tail gunner,the most dangerous work of the war, across all 4 services.It's true, the USAAF came across on the Queen Mary liner and got a medal for it..Crazy eh?Once the USAAF personnel survived 25 missions they went home.Our lads did 30 as a tour,got 3 weeks off and started again.Oh, after the first tour, they got egg & bacon before a mission!! I still stopand visit USAAF airfields in the east of England, small memorials there..
I like how casual they all seem to be. It's all, "hello, skipper" like it's all a lovely day out. This would all have been quite serious, but it's kinda funny.
I think there is a big chance that this is from a training film rather than an actual contact. Recording gear from the time was rather cumbersome and wasn't allowed on flights. The RAF was very strict on that.
it's a blenheim for sure.the round device (a camera perhaps?) above the pilots head in the upper right of the photo is visible (from behind) in a "looking out the cockpit photo" on the wiki page about blenheims. i've been in the cockpit of a mosquito and a blenheim at an air show and the mosquito's quite small, not cramped but not spacious like the blenheim. mad i remeber enough to be bothered to go looking for confirmation but some family were RAF in WW2 so it sort of stuck.
Looks like a Blenheim to me. Same yoke, same arrangement of pilot and navigator, and the picture is probably taken by the radio operator, seated to the right in front of the cockpit.
They were just as scared as you or I would be,there were brave ones and there were cowards, the majority managed to keep their fear to themselves because mentioning it except in a jocular fashion was just not on. This crew would have been aware that they were being recorded and would have been worried about what their messmates thought of their manner and comportment just as any young men would be concerned about his peers opinion of him. Roughly 2 in 3 bomber crews failed to complete their 30 mission tours and they knew that full well,empty beds and hardstandings in the mornings after raids could not be hushed up. Their fortitude was amazing and they almost all fully believed that what they were doing was right. They have my full respect and I find the fact that they were only recently recognised by the British government a sad indictment of the post war UK.
They were recorded by a BBC sound recordist flying in the aircraft and the device was I believe a portable phonograph type device that recorded on vinyl records.
Love the English. Even during battle they keep that "higher class" attitude and accent. Not a bash by any means. Its what I love about them. Professional at all times. Thanks for sharing!
They're reading this. They're probably the original crew but 30-40 years after the event. The voices sound like old men, probably vets of the Bomber Command.
I thought that but according to the BBC this is an RAF raid on Berlin September 1943. Maybe because it was they were being recorded that the crew were less natural in their dialogue?
Have this on CD, so surreal. Absolute demigods, all aircrew. I pity those who never visited the Lincoln Memorial to Bomber Command and never felt the burden of gratitude we owe. We live in their shadows.
What we made out was.. along with a Saffa & 2 Canadian Spit piolts they were to be picked up at a coastal town called La Rochelle. But things went wrong & the group was scattered & left to thier own devices. Pops & the Saffa somehow ended up in Spain.. they were heading toward Portugal thinkin it would be a safer route. Funnily enough they just caught the train into Spain. Pops was a pacifist after the war & even refused to sign my dad into the Army at 16. Told him to wait til 18.
The conduct of those crewmen is astonishing. Compared to similar recordings I've heard, the quality of this clip is suspiciously good :/ I really, really, really hope this is real. Because if it is, it's a perfect showcase of just what quality in men made the RAF of WWII the legendary institute we admire today. And I have to say, I wish I could get away with adopting an accent like that. Way better than my own rather dull midlands slant :P
These boys talk so calm and so prim and proper, it's very easy to forget where they are and what they are doing....... until you hear the .50 cals going off, then the grim reality of war sets in.
A few years ago when I was living in the East side of Brisbane I went through Toombal shopping centre, went to the newsagents to buy a car magazine and met a bloke signing books. He wrote one called "Flying Through The Gates Of Hell" and a couple others and had the DFC. Bloody awesome to get a signed copy and a very, very heavy read. Out of 170 Aussies sent to training in his group in Victoria, then Canada then Rhode Island only 20 or so survived. Apparently the intercom chatter was common but touching you're radio was criminal. On a raid to U Boat pens in France he mentioned a voice coming on saying they were on fire and losing altitude and the "Old Man" in charge (an Aussie 25 year old Wing Commander) said "If you're going to die - die like men, quietly" then ordered them around for another run. I was I bought his other books, on was about Bomber Command and the other his Squadron. Funny stories in among the horror though. Brave men.
Horrendous. The book is called "Flying Into The Mouth Of Hell" not whatever I said it was above. Worth a read. He says in the book people were very unlikely to be close friends because of the attrition rate crews were shuffled around so much. His Aussie squadron had guys from all over the UK, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa etc and most would drink themselves stupid after flying. He was a quaker though so just mentions he found solace by having sex with any women that was willing instead of getting drunk!
this audio recording has actually been turned into a breathtaking virtual reality experience by bbc. If you have Oculus or VIve then go for it. It´s even free. look for bbc 1943 Berlin Blitz
Well... actually even the Americans were calm as well. The Captains often had a rule to not yell or shout over the radio. If you ever get a chance to listen to American bomber crew radio chatter from WWII, you'll see what I mean.
I wonder who today would have bravery these men had to do this sort of horrific thing daily ...my hat goes off to them . brave or petrified these gentlemen saved our freedom.and i thank them
![Audio From the Past [E01] - WW2 - Avro Lancaster Crew Radio](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/MF5_hvE4WEA/mqdefault.jpg)
There is absolutely no cussing or vulgarisms. Proof of complete control. True gentlemen in combat just doing their job.
Well, assuming they were an experienced crew, they wouldn't tend to get excited, and they knew they were being recorded for broadcast later, so there is that..... I am just speculating now, but I would guess those conversations would normally be shorter and more direct when not being recorded. Recordings of US bomber crews are similar. Flat and unexcited. Experienced crews told to watch the language this trip.
Proud to say that my great-great grandfather Reginald E Pidsley recorded this. He was a Sound Engineer for the BBC aboard this Lancaster, 'F for Freddie' and I am happy that they made it home after this trip. Nothing but respect for them all!
Very cool!!
Reg owned the house I rented in Hatfield Road, Potters Bar in 1974. He lived nearby and I used to deliver the rent. I was a fellow BBC technician and we used to discuss audio recording. I knew nothing of his flight until a few years ago.
Ah I was curious as to how this was captured. I suppose recording crew audio would have required a special effort and wasn't routine practice?
Denver - my name is Toby Castle and I work for BBC News. We''re planning to do something on this recording around RAF Centenary (July 2018). Could you contact me if you get this message - it would be great to talk to you about our plans and you great-great grandfather's role in it. Thanks Toby (toby.castle@bbc.co.uk)
That is probably the most british name I've ever heard, respect from an American across the pond!
"Oh don't all shout at once"
This put me in fucking tears
‘Look here, I can’t bloody well fly this thing if you don’t shut up’
They may be in the middle of a battle, but they still should queue up in order to use the radio! 😂
this is the most british thing I have ever heard.
If you listen carefully you can hear the clink of bone china teacups as they sup their tea and adjust their monocles and moustaches.
Hello Viking Teddy, ok when you are.
my polish grandfather was there do not forget it pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marian_Adamaszek
Facts
"Hello Bombadier" "Hello Skipper! Bombs going in a minute" That is what makes me proud to be British. It's just the sheer civilised manner!
Yeah like he was saying the water is about to boil, tea in a minute ;)
- TheFinn - Always keep a flask handy, you'll find its always useful!
these guys make me smile especially the bit about the rear gunner putting a fighter down and the guy says good show.
I got him right in the middle skipper!
I agree, Britons killed people in a civilised way.
Always have admired the British-their courage, wit, intelligence and class even while in a life and death struggle on a bombing raid. From a grateful American to a loyal ally I salute this crew. And “good show!”
Britain. Bringing an unmatched sense of class to war since 1066.
yea like inventing concentration camps and killing children and women :D and being one of the most imperialistic nation ever along with murica..no offense
giantzfan247 But unlike all the other nations throughout history who did such things we did so with more class and manners. It doesn't feel so bad when your conquerors are polite about it :)
And when it comes to imperialism we were in a completely different league to America. America's attempts at imperialism were and still are pathetic, just like every international adventure they decide to go on. The heads of McDonalds and Starbucks are much better at imperialism than the American government.
EvidensInsania yet america has the whole U.N in its pocket including Britain..they stole almost all of britain's over seas colonies and assets in ww2 for alousy 50 destoryers and naval vessels. America's imperilism doesnt involve inavding a country..just a show of power..both countries are terrible. but dont get me wrong the people are good people the governement never were and never will be good nor do they serve the people
giantzfan247 Yep I certainly agree with most of that. It's just that America's approach to buying it's way to power isn't so impressive to me. Especially since the only reason they are currently number one is because they got off easy during both the World Wars whereas the European powers who had previously run things were devastated.
I do wish the governments of Americas allies today, including my own, had more of a spine and weren't afraid to call out America when it's acting like a dickhead, I think the world would get on better if that was the case. I lived in America for a short time and an awful lot of the population are simply awful and possess no humility, pretending they're better than everyone else. But their government is even worse. So desperate to be in charge and rule the world that they never consider more peaceful and diplomatic approaches to dealing with foreign powers who don't do everything they want.
EvidensInsania I actually really like how this discussion has been, despite how it started. I'm American and I actually do very much appreciate the differentiation emphasis on America and the people who live in America, as this is how things should be viewed in all regards. It is a stretch of the imagination to claim that every single individual in a given nation is in agreement and supportive of everything their government does.
I'll admit, sometimes it's very embarrassing to say the least of our lack of humility. Something which I'll credit Britain more with than any other nation, and it's one of the things I really respect about how the society of Britain is seen in the public image. Now I will try and convey what I mean by this by saying that it's not the apologetic type of humility nor a sense of self-loathing (how Germany comes across sometimes). It's this sense of recognizing wrong-doings and shaming those kinds of acts, but not the nation. Britain admits to having it's own villains and it won't apologize for them because doing that has no meaning to it. Why would you apologize for the actions of individuals long ago as if to say you were in collusion with those individuals? Britain accepts it's faults, it acknowledges it's short-comings, and does not deny accusations it knows to be true, accepting the ridicule and blame and not shirking out on that burden by making excuses. This doesn't make Britain at all better than everyone else, because it shows that Britain realizes it isn't better than everyone else.
Sadly in the United States we tend to generally not show humility, often making a spectacle when we apologize for something if not flat out disassociating responsibility with excuse after excuse. "Greatest nation in the world"...You have no idea how many times I would like to be able to show those who say this (anyone in the world who thinks/says that) the Earth at the dawn of human civilization and fast forward things while making sure to point out every other nation that's ever said that usually didn't remain so for very long. Then at the end of this showing I'd ask those who say such things and think such things, "Where are those Great Nations now?"
(I do wanna also take the time to point out to everyone that 'America' doesn't really exist on a map. You've got North America and South America and those're just the continents on which people live. Calling the USA 'America"..and yes I know we call it that too, is kinda like saying 'Kenya' and implying all of Africa. Hence why 'MURRICA / 'MERRICA has become the latest derogatory term for the US. I miss the days of Yank or Yankees. XD)
Again this isn't something I know all people of Britain or elsewhere in the world might agree with, but as a guy who spends virtually every waking second of his days looking into world history (it's a hobby), it is something I have noticed.
WOW !!.. We simply cant imagine the bravery of those lads. Makes you feel so proud.. and humble.
Yes! I can't believe how calm and professional these young men were.
The crew does not panic, they cheer after having shot down the fighter, hence the loud voices.
holy shit.... that was the most british thing I've ever heard....
lol
Now we have some insight why they were the "Greatest Generation"! We owe them so much.
To everyone involved in the argument as to whether this is an Australian crew or a British crew, I want to resolve this once and for all.
The bomber is from 207 Squadron RAF. The pilot (K. Letford), flight engineer (C. Stewart), bomb aimer (W. Bray), wireless operator (W. Sparkes), and gunners (J. Fieldhouse & H. Devenish) were all British.
However the navigator, Conneley, was a member of the Royal Australian Air Force. Though commonwealth countries often had their own fighter squadrons, all commonwealth bombing operations were under the authority of RAF Bomber Command and it was not unusual to mix and match flight crews.
My own grandfather, who flew a Lancaster in 115 squadron, served alongside Australians, New Zealanders, Canadians, at least one South African, and even some Polish crew members in RAF Bomber Command.
+sada asdafa Where is your source about your statement that these pilots were British and indeed pilot (K. Letford), flight engineer (C. Stewart), bomb aimer (W. Bray), wireless operator (W. Sparkes), and gunners (J. Fieldhouse & H. Devenish)?
+NivekRezjiek This recording is from an old CD which was a collection of Bomber Command related recordings that my mother used to own. When you pulled the cover slip out of the box, it turned out to be a booklet with the history behind each recording and the men involved in recording it.
+sada asdafa They're british you can tell from their accents that its a posh cocky accent. Most likely southern
+connormcwood2 just a typical RAF accent of that era... stiff upper lip and all that
Profanic Bird Six of them are British. One of them is Australian. It's in the information I provided in my original post.
This recording is from Lancaster, EM-F FOR FREDDIE ED586 OF 207 squadron, flying out of RAF Langar, Nottinghamshire, England on the 3/4 September 1943 on a a raid over Berlin 11 Lancaster's went out,10 returned, the Lancaster that FTR was EM-x ED832. Reguards CI.
"Don't shout all at once!"
I did not detect any panic? Excitement perhaps, great to hear the voices of the crew, hope they made it home ok? I am from Dublin, ex RAF as was my father on Spitfires. I worked on the Vulcans, so a more modern bomber. The captain had to show calmness and bravery to his crew, tough times, Liam
They all made it thru the war except one.
The RAF deemed an aircrew loss of 3% as acceptable !! On a thousand bomber raid, this represents 30 aircraft, each with a crew of 7, which totals 210 airmen. The attrition rate for RAF bomber aircrews was huge. Many never came back. The voices in the aircraft thinly disguise the cold fear they felt , by being jovial and and seemingly lighthearted. these operations were very risky, and regularly undertaken.
i now live in Hemswell, slightly under the Lincolnshire cliff and where RAF Hemswell was located. They flew night raids over Germany and had very heavy losses. The runways, hangars and base buildings are still there, now part of an industrial unit and extensive antiques centre. Its supposed to be the most haunted airfield in Britain, so look that up, very interesting. On a lonely day I sometimes wander out onto the desolate, lonely runway and imagine how the aircrew would have felt as they lifted off and then banked right and out over the coast. My hobby is metal detecting and I have two fields full of fragmented aircraft that either over shot on takeoff or landing. My thoughts are always with them. I am ex RAF on Vulcans, so a much different bomber. We owe these crews so much and we must never forget them or any other service men or women, Liam
What a fantastic piece of audio !
Total respect to all who flew with bomber command.
Lest we forget !
This is a recording of a raid flown by 207Sq pilot Fl Lt Ken Letford DSO and Bar, DFC and his crew. Letford (as Sqn Ldr) later won a Bar to his DFC for his actions in the Yangtze River Incident in 1949. 👍
Fantastic clip! As mentioned by others, they sound amazingly calm and professional, even when attacked by a German fighter plane thousands of feet above ground in a plane loaded with explosives. Such brave men, heroes in every sense of the word - worthy of everlasting remembrance. "Hello bombardier, OK when you are!"
British accents have changed so much in a matter of 70 odd years
+James Mcmurrough No they haven't.
they sounded posher then or its just because im from the NE
It's a myth. They sounded posh to most people because actors that portrayed these men were always posh actors. There was always a varied assortment of accents in the RAF, most pilots came from families that weren't incredibly well off.
+Ronnie Hopkins WTF are you talking about....The accent has changed, due to immigration, culture, media music... i hate this ghetto shit that British ids seem to be hooked on these days ...its wack!!
Claire Dancing Accents don't change over 70 years.
I was wondering how the gunner couldn't ID the plane he'd shot down...then I remembered that the UK bombings were typically at night and the US in daylight.
+homfencing You must also remember that unless the plane is right up on your tail, even during broad daylight in a cloudless sky, you would still probably see only the outline of an aircraft moving at high speeds; perhaps even only a silhouette.
That aside, it was probably one of 3 things : a BF109 model, a FW-190 model, or one of Germany's night fighters.
+capefear56 Agreed.
IIRC they were not escorted so anything that wasn't a bomber was probably German.
Also I'd imagine that it shot their airplane.
Often all they could see of a night fighter were the muzzle flashes of its guns opening up. A common tactic was for night fighters to work in pairs... One fighter would fly with his lights on as bait. Inexperienced gunners would instinctively open fire on the illuminated fighter, giving away the bomber's position to the other night fighter, who would be following in complete darkness. He could then make his attack while the gunners were distracted...
Very good!
-Crew experience a near death experience which the rear gunner was very lucky to see them threw- 'All right don't all shout at once!'
Pure class.
John these audio recordings are fantastic.
And yes... just to have an hour with pops again, so many questions unanswered.
Reminds me of my grandad 🙌🇬🇧❤️
Same lol
"Hello Skipper!"
"Hello Navigator!"
"Hello Englander Schweinhund!"
"Hello... wait what? Oh get off my radio frequency you Jerry blighter"
Brilliant
Amazing ,so proud of these boys .feel we have let them down ,when you look GB today
Classic English. Always admired the English and their politeness and stiff upper lip. Kind of amazing listening to this, I wonder how it would sound today.
Are you including Jeremy Kyle in that?
+knut761 In today's English: "Yo rear gunner, where he at?" "I shot that motherf***er down!" "F*** yeah! Merica!"
unknownexia Not in today's English, maybe in today's American lingo.
The English speak English...the clue is in the name..._English_
+knut761 About the same but with slightly less posh accents?
+mrpwase Some English accents are still polite, but slightly less so. Even the Queen is not as posh as she used to be.
ahhh yes absolutely spiffing run old boy i say
So much class under pressure! Wish us brits were still this way
You passed Brexit, and your Army is one the best on earth. There is still hope.
We are
It's quite hard to judge how people would act in a situation like that if you have not seen them in it.
Epic stiff upper lip.. no panic.. threat dealt with , back to Blighty for tea by 6am... Thank god we had men with a good pair hanging between thier legs back then. My Grandad was on Lancs as a Navigator.. sadly (for me) he never hardly spoke about it. Was only after he died & he passed onto my Dad a box of his war memoirs we found out what he went thro. Including being shot down in France & ending up in Spain after going on the run with the help of the French Resistance.
"now don't shout all at once"
Hats off to you, brothers
Skipper is the most solid bastard this side of the Channel.
As they simultaneously completed their bomb run and shot down a fighter, hopefully he wasn't this side of the Channel at the time.
Skipper - or should I say what's left of skipper, is on the other side of the channel.
These men never made it through the war , their bomber was finally shot down over Stettin .
They didn't live to see the victory and the peace that they earned .
Neither did they get to see their homeland betrayed .
@@graememorris7820 You had me interested right up until the last sentence. Get whatever angry politics shit you're looking to spout out of here.
My Father was a 'Tail End Charlie' finally they got the recognition they deserved. He now has his Bomber Command clasp, so much for Winston Churchill, who hung them out to dry at the end of the war, Bomber Command was the most dangerous branch of all the services. 52% of all the incumbents died, more dangerous than the Marines, Parachute Regiment etc.Remember, these guys flew every night in the dark. Not limited engagements and then time off. The USAAF had to fly 28 missions, then they went home
my grandad ... loved my grandad .
This is just great :P ''Don't shout all at once boys!'' All my respect to those bomber squadrons!
Appreciate your response. My WWII keen interest has gone from the land war (my Father, Guards Armoured) to the air war. I am hoping to be able to watch a Lancaster Bomber in flight on my next visit to the U.K., 2014. Incidentally, have you ever watched Haunted Earth's videos of Rivenhall Airfield in Essex? Some of the videos are a real eye opener. The old airfield has almost been razed to make way for an incinerator. Kudos to your Father's WWII service in Bomber Command.
I like to picture the German flak crews on the ground imagining the terror they thought they were putting these crews through, little did they know the they were merely exchanging pleasantries.
They haven’t changed….. I remember Desert Storm…. I was taking cover in a trench with some Royal Marines…. Our B-52’s were just unleashing Hell on the enemy…. These Brit’s were tickled pink! “The good old Yanks just nuked em!”…. 🤣🤣…. Love those guys
I've just done a taxi ride in 'just jane', and I'll tell you, you'll never fully appreciate what these boys done until you sit in a live Lancaster with the engines running hard, the sights, the smells.....it's an assault on the senses in every way. Horrifying conditions, dark, cramped, smelly, noisy and cold. And that was on a nice day, in the sunshine, on the ground. Honestly, if you are the least bit interested in this book yourself a taxi ride, you won't believe how it makes you feel, you'll come away with a new found respect for these guys
This is an amazing video!! such an insight into how cool headed they were. Classic British style
My father was W/O on Lancs and his brother in law (my uncle) was a R/G and his name was Charlie, as in tail end!! Yes of course the Lancs did daylight raids, many times. They flew out of RAF Hemswell '44-'45 and also did Operation Manna, dropping food supplies to the starving Dutch people towards the end of the war. Both made it through and back home by wars end. Listening to these lads over the radio reminded me of some of their stories.Thanks for putting this clip up.
Due to the interference, obscuring the sounds coming through, RAF spoke loud and clear about everything. There is no room for error or miscommunication, even when things get tight. Notice how when the gunners get excited, it's difficult to hear what's being said, so command goes "don't shout all at once!"
Awesome, my grandfather served as a gunner on wellingtons and halifaxes. Gives me a glimpse into his world. Doesn't like like panic more youthful excitement mixed with fear. Love the pukka accents!!
A FANTASTIC piece of History.
💙🇬🇧❤️ Never let our history and country be attacked or dishonoured .. These traitor politicians since Blair are looked at with utter contempt and disrespect… nothing on our relatives who put the great in GB , and no not everyone and anyone is British , these men are British .
I was expecting the queen to chip in with the banter at the end of that conversation
"dont shout all at once" ....cracks me up, reminds me of school
Margaret, thanxs for the reply.My Father was in Bomber Command,the tail gunner,the most dangerous work of the war, across all 4 services.It's true, the USAAF came across on the Queen Mary liner and got a medal for it..Crazy eh?Once the USAAF personnel survived 25 missions they went home.Our lads did 30 as a tour,got 3 weeks off and started again.Oh, after the first tour, they got egg & bacon before a mission!! I still stopand visit USAAF airfields in the east of England, small memorials there..
Nails ... proper men staring evil down .. big salute to them. Not many WW2 vets left now . And everyone I meet humbles me.
"Ehoo, hang on a bit, I seem to need to shoot this chap." **gunfire** - grabs sip of tea. "Got him."
Just brewing the tea and baking the biscuits in the bomb bay.
‘Ok, don’t shout all at once...’ classic, sensible British demeanor.
People need to be aware of the life expectancy of these crews- not long.
Good show lads. May you rest in peace for Tea and Crumpets. =)
I like how casual they all seem to be. It's all, "hello, skipper" like it's all a lovely day out. This would all have been quite serious, but it's kinda funny.
We're all thinking, "Damn that sounds like my Grand Father"
:)
watched the vid for 1.27, stayed to read the comments for 1 hour.
You can't help but admire these guys due to their steady nerves, especially since they're flying and getting shot at, at night!
Oh, jolly good I've dropped my cookies.
lol
so British it makes you proud well done lads
I think there is a big chance that this is from a training film rather than an actual contact. Recording gear from the time was rather cumbersome and wasn't allowed on flights. The RAF was very strict on that.
The pilot is so calm.
Pure class. Real men. Legends.
My grandpa use to be a rear gunner on a lancaster.
now, that is what i call, man! you dont get that kind of man in this generation, anymore. sad :-(
that gunners a crackshot!
wanmohd danial Agreed. The odds were strongly against him.
Considering their age!!! Amazing.
great find ty for posting
Good Show Jimmy!
it's a blenheim for sure.the round device (a camera perhaps?) above the pilots head in the upper right of the photo is visible (from behind) in a "looking out the cockpit photo" on the wiki page about blenheims. i've been in the cockpit of a mosquito and a blenheim at an air show and the mosquito's quite small, not cramped but not spacious like the blenheim. mad i remeber enough to be bothered to go looking for confirmation but some family were RAF in WW2 so it sort of stuck.
Right in the mill!
Looks like a Blenheim to me. Same yoke, same arrangement of pilot and navigator, and the picture is probably taken by the radio operator, seated to the right in front of the cockpit.
idk it sounds really good and clear (better than all the vietnam chatter I've seen on youtube.
They were just as scared as you or I would be,there were brave ones and there were cowards, the majority managed to keep their fear to themselves because mentioning it except in a jocular fashion was just not on.
This crew would have been aware that they were being recorded and would have been worried about what their messmates thought of their manner and comportment just as any young men would be concerned about his peers opinion of him.
Roughly 2 in 3 bomber crews failed to complete their 30 mission tours and they knew that full well,empty beds and hardstandings in the mornings after raids could not be hushed up.
Their fortitude was amazing and they almost all fully believed that what they were doing was right.
They have my full respect and I find the fact that they were only recently recognised by the British government a sad indictment of the post war UK.
good show ! good show ! I can hear the sound of actual shooting at the enemy fighter.
You are wrong, Lancasters did perform daylight raids, in the beginning without fighter escort, but later they were escorted by fighters.
They were recorded by a BBC sound recordist flying in the aircraft and the device was I believe a portable phonograph type device that recorded on vinyl records.
Love the English. Even during battle they keep that "higher class" attitude and accent. Not a bash by any means. Its what I love about them. Professional at all times. Thanks for sharing!
They're reading this. They're probably the original crew but 30-40 years after the event. The voices sound like old men, probably vets of the Bomber Command.
Obviously not radio chatter...but a recording from the intercom
I thought that but according to the BBC this is an RAF raid on Berlin September 1943. Maybe because it was they were being recorded that the crew were less natural in their dialogue?
Have this on CD, so surreal. Absolute demigods, all aircrew.
I pity those who never visited the Lincoln Memorial to Bomber Command and never felt the burden of gratitude we owe.
We live in their shadows.
"Don't shout all at once." Manners lads. Even in combat, mind your manners.
What we made out was.. along with a Saffa & 2 Canadian Spit piolts they were to be picked up at a coastal town called La Rochelle. But things went wrong & the group was scattered & left to thier own devices. Pops & the Saffa somehow ended up in Spain.. they were heading toward Portugal thinkin it would be a safer route. Funnily enough they just caught the train into Spain. Pops was a pacifist after the war & even refused to sign my dad into the Army at 16. Told him to wait til 18.
Of course they were cool, they were flying a Lancaster, one the best bombers of WW2, and very stable to have a cuppa in between.
I say,jolly good show lads.
LOLS... is a old TV show from 1972 called Pathfinders.
The conduct of those crewmen is astonishing. Compared to similar recordings I've heard, the quality of this clip is suspiciously good :/ I really, really, really hope this is real. Because if it is, it's a perfect showcase of just what quality in men made the RAF of WWII the legendary institute we admire today. And I have to say, I wish I could get away with adopting an accent like that. Way better than my own rather dull midlands slant :P
Technically a number of daylight raids were made by the RAF towards the end of the war. It was just primarily night bombing.
These boys talk so calm and so prim and proper, it's very easy to forget where they are and what they are doing....... until you hear the .50 cals going off, then the grim reality of war sets in.
"You got it ?"
"yea yea right in the middle"
*Moment of Victory* XD
They sound so polite and professional.
A few years ago when I was living in the East side of Brisbane I went through Toombal shopping centre, went to the newsagents to buy a car magazine and met a bloke signing books. He wrote one called "Flying Through The Gates Of Hell" and a couple others and had the DFC.
Bloody awesome to get a signed copy and a very, very heavy read. Out of 170 Aussies sent to training in his group in Victoria, then Canada then Rhode Island only 20 or so survived. Apparently the intercom chatter was common but touching you're radio was criminal. On a raid to U Boat pens in France he mentioned a voice coming on saying they were on fire and losing altitude and the "Old Man" in charge (an Aussie 25 year old Wing Commander) said "If you're going to die - die like men, quietly" then ordered them around for another run. I was I bought his other books, on was about Bomber Command and the other his Squadron.
Funny stories in among the horror though. Brave men.
Attrition rates of bomber crews were brutal. Even with the better bombers, losses were somewhere around 40-60% on the US/British/Commonwealth side.
Horrendous. The book is called "Flying Into The Mouth Of Hell" not whatever I said it was above. Worth a read. He says in the book people were very unlikely to be close friends because of the attrition rate crews were shuffled around so much. His Aussie squadron had guys from all over the UK, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa etc and most would drink themselves stupid after flying. He was a quaker though so just mentions he found solace by having sex with any women that was willing instead of getting drunk!
Some other books that are worth a read is bombs,boys and brussel sprouts that was written by a Cdn WW2 pilot
this audio recording has actually been turned into a breathtaking virtual reality experience by bbc. If you have Oculus or VIve then go for it. It´s even free. look for bbc 1943 Berlin Blitz
Well... actually even the Americans were calm as well. The Captains often had a rule to not yell or shout over the radio. If you ever get a chance to listen to American bomber crew radio chatter from WWII, you'll see what I mean.
Thanks for sharing Old boy... ;)
Good show!
I wonder who today would have bravery these men had to do this sort of horrific thing daily ...my hat goes off to them . brave or petrified these gentlemen saved our freedom.and i thank them
That's a genuine recording!