Very sad to know that many of them never returned home. I've adopted the grave of an 20 year old sergeant, who lost his live just a week after his birthday. His plane, a Handley Page, was shot down here in the south west of Holland. From the seven crewmembers, all of them died, two are still missing in action. His family never knew what happened, they knew he died, but that was it, untill i got in contact with a cousin of the sergeant. On the 24th of december, there will be a candle burning on his grave, together with 139 other candles, on the other graves on the cemetery were this sergeant is buried. There will be a light on their graves during Christmas time. Here in Holland we will always remember these brave heroes. Lest we forget!
As an ex para, I am always in true admiration when I see the school children place flowers on the grave of the dead in arnhem. Thank you for being a nation that still remembers the sacrifices made. Unfortunately in the UK, we now allow our grave and monuments to be desecrated.
You'd be surprised how quickly you can get used to something and just brush it off. I've seen videos of British soldiers just sat down eating their food, in the video you can see bullet rounds flying above their heads and they barely paid any attention to it, they just carried on eating and chatting and every now and again got up to return fire before getting back down to continue eating. Once you're in that kind of situation frequently it becomes normal to you
"Theyre shooting at us now" "Are they?" "Yeah" "Okay" "Weve been hit unfortunately" "Okay" "Hello Skipper, oils leaking out of the front turret its nothing to worry about" "Okay" "Okay?" "Okay over the lake now" "146 Okay" They are all Legends Okay.
Indeed. I have such tremendous admiration and respect for their courage and fortitude. To merely buy _lunch_ for one of these gentlemen (meeting them is increasingly rare these days) would be a great honor for me. We owe them, well, everything.
I love how the speed and politeness of the communication sounds like theyre a group of lads trying to find a good parking spot more than flying over enemies taking fire and being a second from death. Makes you proud to be British
01:09 always makes me smile when he mentions how many search lights and the person who responds does a little scoff and says “Too many I reckon.” They were the best of us.
I wouldn't really compare USAAF bomber crews against RAF bomber crews. Both operated in incredibly difficult conditions: the Brits had to operate at night, in pitch dark against night fighters who were some of the most experienced and deadly pilots of the Luftwaffe. The Americans operated during the day, which made them incredibly vulnerable during long periods of time. The casualties on both the american and the british side were enormous: I would never consider saying either side was more brave than the other. Both operated in extremely dangerous operations. Check this graph: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_bombing_during_World_War_II#/media/File:Ussb-1.svg The USAAF and the RAF lost roughly 79,000 bomber crewmen each, the RAF lost 12,000 bombers while the USAAF lost about 10,000 bombers. The USAAF performed 750,000 bombing sorties and dropped 1,400,000 tons of bombs, while the RAF performed 687,000 bombing sorties and dropped 1,300,000 tons of bombs.
Please leave that mentality at the door, every man and woman that fought in any of the major global conflicts is probably braver than we could hope to be, they gave up so much so that we today can enjoy a taste of freedom, freedom they may never have gotten to experience in life. The grief they had to put their families, friends, lovers and children through to fight to secure the freedom of the meek and those who would otherwise be crushed by the Nazis and the Germans is testament to just how brave all men and women of the two World Wars really were. So next time you say one side was braver than the other, just think for a moment, what they gave to fight so that we wouldn't have to.
Jesus christ, +Bit Refresh didn't say it as a fact. He/she said that "More than American I'd say", see that? "I'D SAY". He/she did not say it as a fact but as an opinion.
"Watch Your height"...."I'm watching everything." Their calmness and radio discipline under fire is amazing. Almost casually reporting they'd been hit and leaking oil. Balls of Steel.
As a youngster I worked with many guys who were pilots or aircrew flying in Lancasters and Spitfires. Not one ever talked about what went on. But I do remember being at an RSA (Returned Services) Club one time when a few beers had been had and some guy was verbally accosted I believe because he was mouthing off a bit. Usually those guys who did that never saw the real action.
Steve Djurovich They had to stay straight and level until the bombs hit and a picture was taken automatically or the mission wouldn't count. Those seconds waiting for that pic must have been agonizing!
Of course they were calm, you have to realize that they had a job to do and were highly trained soldiers, from every veteran will tell you “your not scared while your in the danger it alway before and after”.
The German night fighter pilots I interviewed (also interviewed RAF Bomber Command pilots and crews) had nothing but admiration for the bomber crews. Wolfgang Falck said "There were no braver men in my opinion, knowing what they had to face, and still they flew their missions."
Die Verluste ! Bei uns am Deister kam einer über der Lauenauer Allee runter. Fand durch Zufall ein Stück Plexiglas vor vielen Jahren im Wald. Die Besatzungsmitglieder waren alle verbrannt, wie Puppen. Wurden am Straßenrand vorübergehend vergraben.
The most unfortunate thing is that the bomber crews and German pilots might have been the best of friends if diplomacy had been better handled after WW1.
@@TheEarl777this and this counts for all wars worldwide we could live in peace a man motzi who unified china in huge civil war between 40 regions proved it !
Squadron Leader George Leonard Johnson, MBE, DFM (25 November 1921 − 7 December 2022), better known as Johnny Johnson, was a British Royal Air Force officer who was the last surviving original member of No. 617 Squadron RAF and of Operation Chastise, the "Dambusters" raid of 1943. .... The list of all the brave men that cooperated in Operation Chastise: AJ-G Wg Cdr G P Gibson DSO & Bar DFC & Bar Pilot AJ-G Survived Dams Raid Awarded VC Born Simla, India, 12 August 1918 KIA 20 September 1944 Sgt J Pulford Flight engineer AJ-G Survived Dams Raid Awarded DFM Born Hull, 24 December 1919 KIA 13 February 1944 Plt Off H T Taerum Navigator AJ-G Survived Dams Raid Awarded DFC Born Milo, Alberta, Canada, 22 May 1920 KIA 16 September 1943 Flt Lt R E G Hutchison DFC Wireless operator AJ-G Survived Dams Raid Awarded Bar to DFC Born Liverpool, 26 April 1918 KIA 16 September 1943 Plt Off F M Spafford DFM Bomb aimer AJ-G Survived Dams Raid Awarded DFC Born Adelaide, South Australia, 16 June 1918 KIA 16 September 1943 Flt Sgt G A Deering Front gunner AJ-G Survived Dams Raid Awarded DFC Born Kirkintilloch, Scotland, 23 July 1919 KIA 16 September 1943 Flt Lt R D Trevor-Roper DFM Rear gunner AJ-G Survived Dams Raid Awarded DFC Born, Shanklin, Isle of Wight, 19 May 1915 KIA 31 March 1944 AJ-M Flt Lt J V Hopgood DFC & Bar Pilot Killed on Dams Raid Born Hurst, Berkshire, 29 August 1921 [ 1] Sgt C C Brennan Flight engineer Killed on Dams Raid Born 22 February 1916, Calgary, Alberta, Canada [ 1] Flg Off K Earnshaw Navigator Killed on Dams Raid Born Bridlington, Yorkshire, 23 June 1918 [ 1] Sgt J W Minchin Wireless operator Killed on Dams Raid Born 29 November 1915, Bourton on the Water, Gloucestershire [ 1] Flt Sgt J W Fraser Bomb aimer Survived Dams Raid1 PoW1 Born 22 September 1922, Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada Died Saltery Bay, British Columbia, Canada, 2 June 1962 [ 1] Plt Off G H F G Gregory DFM Front gunner Killed on Dams Raid Born Govan, Glasgow, 24 June 1917 [ 1] Plt Off A F Burcher DFM Rear gunner Survived Dams Raid1 PoW1 Born Vaucluse, Sydney, Australia, 15 March 1922 Died Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, 9 August 1995 [ 1] AJ-P Flt Lt H B Martin DFC Pilot Survived Dams Raid Awarded DSO Born Edgecliffe, Sydney, Australia, 27 February 1918 Died London, 3 November 1988 [ 1] Plt Off I Whittaker Flight engineer Survived Dams Raid Born Newcastle on Tyne, 9 September 1921 Died Wendover, Buckinghamshire, 22 August 1979 [ 1] Flt Lt J F Leggo DFC Navigator Survived Dams Raid Awarded Bar to DFC Born Sydney, Australia, 21 April 1916 Died Brisbane, Australia, 11 November 1983 [ 1] Flg Off L Chambers Wireless operator Survived Dams Raid Awarded DFC Born Karamea, New Zealand, 18 February 1919 Died Karamea, New Zealand, 1 March 1985 [ 1] Flt Lt R C Hay DFC Bomb aimer Survived Dams Raid Awarded Bar to DFC Born Renmark, South Australia, 4 November 1913 KIA 13 February 1944 [ 1] Plt Off B T Foxlee DFM Front gunner Survived Dams Raid Born Queensland, Australia, 7 March 1920 Died Nottingham, 6 March 1985 [ 1] Flt Sgt T D Simpson Rear gunner Survived Dams Raid Awarded DFM Born Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, 23 November 1917 Died Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, 2 April 1998 [ 1] AJ-A Sqn Ldr H M Young DFC & Bar Pilot Killed on Dams Raid Born London, 20 May 1915 [ 1] Sgt D T Horsfall Flight engineer Killed on Dams Raid Born Bramley, Yorkshire, 16 April 1920 [ 1] Flt Sgt C W Roberts Navigator Killed on Dams Raid Born 19 January 1921, Cromer, Norfolk [ 1] Sgt L W Nichols Wireless operator Killed on Dams Raid Born 17 May 1910, Northwood, Middlesex [ 1] Flg Off V S MacCausland Bomb aimer Killed on Dams Raid Born 1 February 1913, Tyne Valley, Prince Edward Island, Canada [ 1] Sgt G A Yeo Front gunner Killed on Dams Raid Born 9 July 1922, Barry Dock, Glamorgan [ 1] Sgt W Ibbotson Rear gunner Killed on Dams Raid Born 18 September 1913, Netherton, Wakefield, Yorkshire [ 1] AJ-J Flt Lt D J H Maltby DFC Pilot Survived Dams Raid Awarded DSO Born 10 May 1920, Baldslow, Sussex KIA 15 September 1943 [ 1] Sgt W Hatton Flight engineer Survived Dams Raid Born 24 March 1920, Wakefield, Yorkshire KIA 15 September 1943 [ 1] Sgt V Nicholson Navigator Survived Dams Raid Awarded DFM Born 15 February 1923, Newcastle on Tyne KIA 15 September 1943 [ 1] Sgt A J B Stone Wireless operator Survived Dams Raid Born 5 December 1920 Winchester, Hampshire KIA 15 September 1943 [ 1] Plt Off J Fort Bomb aimer Survived Dams Raid Awarded DFC Born 14 January 1912, Colne, Lancashire KIA 15 September 1943 [ 1] Sgt V Hill Front gunner Survived Dams Raid Born 6 December 1921, Berkeley, Gloucestershire KIA 15 September 1943 [ 1] Sgt H T Simmonds Rear gunner Survived Dams Raid Born 25 December 1921, Burgess Hill, Sussex KIA 15 September 1943 [ 1] AJ-L Flt Lt D J Shannon DFC Pilot Survived Dams Raid Awarded DSO Born 27 May 1922, Unley Park, South Australia Died 8 April 1993, London [ 1] Sgt R J Henderson Flight engineer Survived Dams Raid Born 17 June 1920, Tarbrax, Lanarkshire Died 18 February 1961, Limassol, Cyprus [ 1] Flg Off D R Walker DFC Navigator Survived Dams Raid Awarded Bar to DFC Born 20 November 1917, Blairmore, Alberta, Canada Died 17 November 2001, Blairmore, Alberta, Canada [ 1] Flg Off B Goodale DFC Wireless operator Survived Dams Raid Born 12 June 1919, Addington, Kent Died 16 December 1977, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk [ 1] Flt Sgt L J Sumpter Bomb aimer Survived Dams Raid Awarded DFM Born 20 September 1911, Kettering, Northamptonshire Died 30 November 1993, Luton, Bedfordshire [ 1] Sgt B Jagger Front gunner Survived Dams Raid Born 9 November 1921, London KIA 30 April 1944 [ 1] Flg Off J Buckley Rear gunner Survived Dams Raid Born 1 May 1919, Bradford, Yorkshire Died 6 May 1990, Bradford, Yorkshire [ 1]
This gives me goosebumps. My father was a Lancaster pilot on 101 squadron towards the end of the war and flew 15 of these sorties. He never talked about it unless you asked him. RIP Reg Mattin, always my hero
Oh Alex, did you know that 101 sqn was Special? 101 sqn usually carried an extra crew member. Who operated weird machinery not really explained to rest of crew. His job was to listen in to German wireless and block the transmissions. Some say the equipment actually made 101 Lancs an easier target. There are stories of these 8th men getting on the radio and giving overriding instructions. Telling German fightets to return to base, etc, in German. The 8th man could often speak German, was often Jewish, though many hid their religion and claimed to be C of E, because they knew they were in huge trouble if the plane was shot down. And, sadly there were anti Jewish people right through the Commonwealth, on the Allies side, too. Not wanting Jews dead, but still not nice to Jews. The normal crew were discouraged from partying and hanging out with the new 8th man, because the less they knew, the less they could tell, if caught. So it was a pretty sad existence for man 8 - but the 8th men in the Sqn, hung out. One really fascinating source for you to check, is in THE JEWISH VIRTUAL LIBRARY, and type in 101 Squadron. Lots of amazing stories and explanations of what 101 sqn did. I am a WW2 researcher, total relaxed atheist. No hidden agenda. Really interesting and rarer to come across info to be found there. Good luck with your new research!
These tapes and the vids should be played in schools and univercities in England to show this entitled generation where there good lives came from,🇬🇧🏴🏴
@@lynnrogers2980 what does this have to do with african and asian chidren? the men in the video are english and english children are already a minority in england, hardly a good life going into extinction in your own homeland
What really gets me about this is I’m a 21 year old college student taking his first flying lessons. A lot of these boys in the Lancasters weren’t much older than I am. Hell, a lot of pilots in this damn war were younger than I am, and they were flying Spitfires, Mustangs, Lancasters, Fortresses, etc:. I’m so lucky to be able to attend class and fly a Cessna in the States because of these brave men. Thank you, gentlemen.
I was blown away when I was 18 and went solo for the first time in a 172N after a dozen hours when afterwards I was told the airfield I was flying out of was an old RAAF ETS base, they would do 8 hours in a 60ish HP Tiger Moth, go solo then get thrown into a 1000ish HP Kittyhawk or a Spitfire! Others got thrown into Bomber Command doing single pilot operations in a 4000ish HP Lancaster or Halifax. Mind blowing.
@@caleb2507 Funnily enough despite the worst of allied efforts; German culture is fine. And the whole it was done for the express purpose of stopping Germany doing far worse to far more cultures.
Crag_r Is it? The Germany of today is castrated. The military pride and prowess; gone, the genius and artists; gone. Replaced with a communist that pushes refugees and a liberal culture which will see Germany an Arabic country in the next few decades. The wrong side won the war, simple as that. Germany had no plans beyond saving Europe from communism and the path that Europe is now on. To their dying breath they warned of the threat of communism. Take a look at the world today, Europe is full of “liberal socialism” which is destroying them. Look up Count Richard Kalergi and his plan for Europe, he founded the EU with the aim of destroying Europe.
@@caleb2507 Eh, most of the West will have plenty of drinks during Octoberfest, its doing fine. What the fuck is wrong with you? Look at Generalplan Ost, everyone East of Germany dead isn't what i'd call saving Europe. Fuck off Nazi.
Crag_r I love how German culture is just Oktoberfest to you. Spot on mate. You obviously live under a rock if you think the mass rape of Christmas 2016 is totally okay. Wrong with me? I think for myself sheep. I thought like you once then I turned off the media, read for myself and opened my eyes. It was a work in progress that was eventually abandoned. It wasnt even the most horrific thing conceived or enacted by any government past or present. The modern Democracy’s have done far worse but pretend to be the good guys so people like you will only parrot and not think for yourself. I said from communism which has done far more damage than nazism ever did. You never hear about that strangely. Last soldiers defending Hitler were French. Ghandi supported Hitler. Call me a nazi but at least Im not an idiot that thinks 5-year old trans, individualism, pornography, drug addiction and shady governments is “victory”. Go back to sleep child.
Speaking as a Zimbabwean of British heritage/stock. These men are heroes. Men among men. God bless their souls. With best wishes, blessings and kind thoughts to my British kith and kin from Zimbabwe. 🇿🇼🍻🇬🇧 🇿🇼🤝🏻🇬🇧
Reminds me a bit of the British Airways pilot flying his 747 over Jakarta and had all 4 engines flame out due to volcanic ash,he announced to the passengers that,we will be descending a bit but no need for concern,about 10 minutes later after they had dropped from 34,000 to 5,000 feet he contacted the cabin once again to say,OK,engines have restarted let's get back upstairs again,plus the passengers,the majority of whom were British never uttered a word of concern during the descent,and gave the pilot a polite round of applause,nobody does calm like we Brits!.
My dad was a navigator on an RAF Catalina flying at night over the Mediterranean when they lost an engine. My dad asked his pilot "What happens if we lose the other one?" The pilot calmly said "We shall probably all be killed".
I treated a terminally ill gentleman once. We got talking and he had been the tail gunner in a Lancaster. This guy was in terrible pain and knew he was dying. He remained brave gentlemanly, and pleasant at all times. In the very next cubicle was a drug overdose patient carrying on something horrible... swearing at staff and destroying hospital property. Couldn't help but notice the generational distance. Cudos to the elderly gentleman... he was a total star and a hero!
One already crawled out of hell and the other was right past the 9th gate, then and there. Something I've had to learn is... You can't ask or expect someone not to be pathetic. Petty. To have you bear witness to their fullest resolve and faculty. To go forth and dread not, carry on in some inspiring way, it's not exactly something that can be taught. It's like a current of energy. It has to be transferred via the process of it's witnessing, it's observation. Your gentleman just can't be compared to his neighbor. Good and proud as he demonstrated himself, the man past the curtain didn't share his former experience, and it would have been no guarantee he'd be any more certain if he had. Suffering is, after all, relative, and the first thing to fail it so often is language itself. I could never communicate my own experiences to you, after all. Not to their fullest. Your gentlemen, that addict couldn't either. God's love be with them both. And thank you for tending to them.
I hear this and it makes me feel humbled. I get up every day and mostly moan about going to work and the price of everything going up etc. But what the bloody hell have I got to moan about. This clip has put me to shame. I am not fit to shine these men’s shoes. I salute and thank them with every fibre of my being
I agree 100%. Their discipline and coolness under circumstances of unimaginable stress and fear is both humbling and inspiring. My absolute and utmost respect and gratitude to these giants of men with backbones of pure steel. Greetings from Ireland.
@Austin McCanless I believe you are quite right re the quality of Service both then and now. It is always worth remembering that they were often relatively young Men and to lose that can diminish how extraordinary their efforts were. War IS Hell,and it must be! It is the ultimate error,especially of any Society that considers itself rational or Civilised. Then as Now it is necessary to strip away so much of the Positive,Cooperative,Constructive aspects aquired by Family and Social Conditioning and the People who find themselves having to undertake the experience seldom do so without significant cost both Physical and emotional. While this can often result in long term damaging effects the alternative where Combat Operations are conducted in the relative safety of 'Remote' control of Drones,etc. Can be just as costly in emotional and Mental Health. It must never be 'easy' to impose Military Combat Operations,especially on 'Civilian' populations,but as long as Politicians,Diplomats etc. Fail to 'Keep the Peace' and set the World ablaze,Young People who are fit and strong enough to 'Meet the Call' will find themselves obliged, if not Compelled to do so and 'Put the fire out'! Sadly somewhere in the World this Seems allways to be the case,however when called to 'Stand their Ground' I am sure the Youth of Today will shoulder their responsibilities with all the fortitude and purpose that the previous Generations have, Of course if we truly appreciate all who have gone before the greatest way of showing our respect in a 'Free' Country is to ensure we do everything we can to avoid sending them in the first place!
Here is the truly amazing aspect: those men were just like you and me, but then their world was turned upside down and forced them into situations that neither they nor we could ever have imagined. They rose to the occasion and now we look back and believe they were something special. The truth is they were not. That is what makes what they did all the more incredible. They were not supermen but what they did makes us think they were. Unless we find ourselves thrust into the same awful circumstances, we can have no idea whether we too would rise to the occasion... but I suspect that now, just like then, many would and many would not.
Well the price of everything going up, especially beyond inflation, is actually to do with the slow march of communism, so yeah, stiff upper lip, brave up old chap but be ever vigilant, the damn commies and the nazis never really went away, we just shrunk them.
My cousin P.O. A.E. West, was an RCAF rear gunner attached to 57 Squadron RAF flying out of East Kirkby in July 1944. He was fatally injured in 3 night fighter attacks over Stuttgart , July 29th. He lived through the 4.5 hr return trip to England badly shot up, but died enroute from the base hospital to a civilian hospital. The rest of his crew survived , with only a minor injury to the mid upper gunner . A.E West “young Bert” was a couple of weeks past his 20th birthday. He was a Vancouver BC Canadian boy, and is buried in Brookwoods cemetery near Woking England. I visited his grave in 2006, and shall always remember the neatly kept rows upon rows of the graves of very young men who gave their all. Rest In Peace my friends, we shall never forget you!
Hi my dad was a radio operator on 57 squadron out of East Kirkby at first he was with 9 squadron at another air field but his pilot was killed so they transferred him to 57 squadron and I think he was there about the time your cousin was I have his flight log so I will have to check. He did 31 ops over Germany and France 8times to Berlin badly shot up by night fighters lost the bomb bay and one engine just made it back.
My uncle’s Halifax was shot up on his last raid. He remembers jamming in the hatch trying to parachute out. The Hally apparently blow up and threw him clear. Half the crew died. Spent a year and a half in as a POW. Spent the rest of his life waking up screaming at night.
My great uncle was the sole survivor in his B26. He was wounded in the face and arms, and was captured by the Jerries as he parachuted down. He spent a year in Stalag Luft III.
@@rusty1415 What year? 1944? Would you share his name? Or just date shot down? Sorry. Yt never told me you replied. Havr you contacted the sqn Association and asked if there are any stories in their records that mention him, or if they have any records to show you, that concern him?
My old history teacher here in NZ during the 80s was a Lancaster and later Mosquito pilot, if we had a double history lesson that was boring we would get him talking about his flying in WW2. He would tell it like it was, the losses the injuries to crew, what the targets looked like, everything.
Whenever I'm feeling down , I listen to this in awe. Real men in control of the situation . They were no doubt scared as anyone would be , but they make it sound like just another day at the office. Truly inspiring and a kick up the arse .
I wonder how 'controlled' the men in the shot down bombers sounded, when their plane fell apart in mid-air or any other serious trouble. I mean this tape was from a successful crew and plane. But there were many others happen to go down, crash and die. Be aware of them also. No matter what religion you belong to, one once said, they all start praying when faceing their own end.
Yes they were brave. I'd like to know what happened to the youthful Brits where they let a foreign invasion of people take over their country and telling them where they can and can't go.
M. D. They had faith in the cause for their mission, and back then many of them probably also had faith in God to give them strength. If I lit a fire under your backside you probably wouldn’t be ready to accept it. The physical shock & pain they would’ve felt was also real, but the difference is that they were ready for it.
Courageous, dignified, calm and composed. Heroic young men all. I did get a real chill when that skipper said, "My God, I've never seen anything like this before..." I can only imagine how terrifying it must have been for these lads. But they remained professional throughout. Just incredible fortitude.
I remember meeting one of these Men when we were both Volunteers at Cosford Museum in the 80's. A great Chap and always cheerful and helpful,especially for new to the role Old Erks like me! Sat in the Canteen,we were having a 'pull up a Sandbag,and tell us your tale' session and I said I could never understand how it must have been to have to go to the full fury of Total War,never knowing if you would be killed or wounded.Often have to watch Friends and Colleagues die or go down in the most traumatic of Circumstances,as well as carry out Missions that you knew took that same Total War to others. Then if you got back,grab what food,Kip R and R etc. You could knowing that as soon as possible you would have to leave the relative Safety of your base and Go back and do it all over again,Night after Night often for Weeks, even Months at a time! I told him that I thought they showed incredible fortitude and stamina and that I had never felt any kind of certainty I could have completed such a tour. He told me that the thing was you became very close to your Crewmates and kept yourselves to yourselves as a Crew, They became much more to you than other 'Significant other's' and as the Tour progressed you became increasingly invested in both your Crewmates and your Aircraft to see you through to the end of your Tour. All kinds of rituals and 'lucky' Charms were seriously observed,but your greatest assett and the thing you put your faith in to see you through it alive was your Crewmates! It was on his run up to his last mission of his ( I believe 2nd Tour) that he developed an Ear infection that caused him obvious pain and he was sent to the M.O. as nobody wanted a distracted Rear Gunner on a Lanc over Germany! When he saw the M.O. he was devastated to be told that A) He was 'Grounded' as Medically unfit for Ops, and B) It was not a problem,as due to the obvious near defeat of the Reich,there was a pool of qualified Officers who were wanting to get some 'Combat Hours' logged to ensure their prospects 'post War'! His devastation at this was still palpable best part of 50 years later,and he told of how he had done everything short of boarding the Aircraft at Pistol point to be with his "Crew" and Aircraft on this of all Missions and the thought of being left behind and having to fly his last Mission alone with strangers,maybe in a strange plane was just bloody awful, The worst was still to come 'His' Lancaster was shot down and all his Crew were lost. 50 years later he still lived with the loss and Torment of Surviving,when he should have been with his Crew at his Station,Making sure they were safe. The pain this Man had carried all through the rest of his adult life and the cost his Service had imposed upon him was profoundly humbling to try to contemplate and my appreciation of what these relatively very young Men went through was increased Tenfold. Ordinary People who found themselves faced with extraordinary responsibilities and met Fear and Ehaustion with sheer Guts and determination. Even Hero doesn't even begin to describe them.
Beautifully told in his memory. I wish I had met him. There were many similar stories. Many stories of new young crews turning up, excited, wanting tips, often hadn't even unpacked, off they go, never return. The first 5 I think the most dangerous, and then the last 2... Haunting.
Gotta love the Brits! Even when flying through heavy flak and being shot at from all sides, they all still sound as if they’re talking over the table at a ritzy dinner.
I grew up in Hamilton, Ontario where we have one of the only two airworthy Avro Lancasters on display at the Canadian Warplane Heritage museum and I don't think there's a boy in that city who hasn't heard these incredible recordings at least once in their lives. I remember being mesmerised by how calm these RAF crews sounded. I still am.
Ive only saw a Lancaster flying twice in my life in Britain, 2005 and 2015 flying with a spitfire and a hurricane on either side for the victory europe day anniversary, ill never forget the sound, sight and the feeling i got when seeing them slowly roar over my home town .
Lived just down the way from the Hamilton Lanc by the water in Oakville and the Lanc flew over all the time… I literally ran to the window every time as it roared by at low altitude - magnificent! You ran because this plane is genuinely fast. Can’t imagine how the ground must have shaken when they all headed out, loaded up. You hear how vulnerable they areas they run into the flak and nighfighters… Also had a visiting B17 go by - silver and totally unmistakable. Same altitude as the Lanc and It was so slow and so loud by comparison. The guts those American boys also had going over in the middle of the day, bright silver, going literally half the speed and so loud you literally heard them coming a minute before they showed up! At least they had escorts. Thank you allied young men who sacrificed so much for what we have today. May we be as brave if we are called on.
I only wish I could give this a thumbs up every time I watch it. My uncle was on the a Arizona and he is still there, entombed forever. God bless these brave men.
Their relative calmness must have helped keep each other's nerve's from totally shattering and causing a panic. They were so matter-of-fact about it, which I think helped them keep their focus. They were tough to say the least. Thanks boys.
@ blackcountryme.... Rubbish! Each did the task for which he was trained and hoped to Christ that they came out of it okay. Not wanting to let your mates down, when everyone was confined to the interior of a fuselage, had stuff-all to do with it.
Brave flyboys... I doubt they expected youtubers (like us) listening to their chatter 70+ years later! :) It is great audio like this has been kept for later generations like us.
No way these brave flyboys in the 1940s possibly could have even IMAGINED what UA-cam is. Biut it is recordingss such så these, that keep memory of the Valiant nightflyers of we3, Alive. This is epecially important Know that the fighying men soon Will passe on
It's too bad flight recording wasn't standard back then. What true insight these recordings provide us and the context it gives. Most people only know what the Hollywood Scripts have formulated inside of our perceptions about what these great men and women actually did. I would love to hear broadcast over the Pacific and Italian fronts as well. True blue American here
This audio used to be on a loop in the London IWM, In a Lancaster cockpit. People used to be able to actually walk through it….so little room. Huge respect to these brave young men! I was 20 at the time (1990) and was totally amazed by it!
I had mixed emotions listening to this. It was amazing, but heartbreaking at the same time hearing all the noise in the background and imagining what it must have been like for my great uncle. On 17th June 1944 my great uncle flight sergeant Charles Philp departed Elsham Wolds on a Avro Lancaster flight 576 squadron. He was a rear gunner and the crews mission that night was to bomb Sterkrade. The plane was hit by a flak and crashed in Rhade 9km outside of Dorsten, and my great uncle was killed on his 21st birthday. He is buried in Reichwalds Cemetery in Kleve, Germany. He was originally from Dunfermline in Scotland. I found a pic of him just 1 month ago on the internet and it’s the first time I have seen him in 39 years. I hope to visit his grave next year.
Susan - I agree wholeheartedly with you first paragraph. My father was on ops to Sterkrade on October 6, 1944 as rear gunner in a 578 squadron Halifax from RAF Burn near Selby. That was is 39th operation. He returned safely and made his final trip the following day to Kleve. The whole crew were then awarded DFMs for bringing back an on-target photograph each time. I am very sorry that your great uncle did not live to have a similar experience.
I imagine this is late war given the scale of units being used so I ask; how useful would the searchlights be in an already fairly bombed out city i.e Dresden, Berlin what with the smog, smoke and fire already clouding the skies?
@@MikeDonner Funny, keep seeing these "look at the country now" comments. Do you want to go back to this time? Were things simpler for you back then? Sometimes I think others just watched a totally different video to myself. I'm willing to bet all these veterans would laugh at such comments, our lives are *immeasurably* better and easier than their's was.
My first cousin once removed, Flight Lieutenant James Bannon, of Liverpool - 'our Jimmy' as he was known - is thought to have perished on the same flight as Flight Sergeant John Stanton out of RAF Oakington to Berlin on November 24, 1943. Jimmy was only 24 and had just qualified as a maths teacher.
My dad who is 90 now had an adopted sister, Francis, who died last year. Her father was a navigator on a Lancaster bomber that was shot down during a bombing mission near Berlin. Listening to this helps me to understand just what it was like on a bombing mission. We can only thank God that most of us have never had to put our lives on the line as they had to.
Would you like to share his name? If you told the chap that gave us all the info about the men in the recordings, I am sure he would love to tell you so much about her dad in the war, from searching records.
Was her name Frances with an E not Francis? I is the male version of Frances. Is there ANY extra info, like what year she was adopted? He may have died a year or two earlier, but if adopted in 1943, we know he died before thst month/year.
I have found 3 Stamps on the Runnymede Memorial. F/O Charles Edward STAMP 207 sqn. DOD: 8/7/44 Age 34. 152464 LM129. Wife Doris Harriett Stamp Parents and wife living in York. Can't find ref to children F/O Leslie George STAMP 425 Sqn W/Op Age 30. 171503 Halifax LL594 KW-U Took off from Tholthorpe. Canadian/UK crew. Pilot evaded capture, 1 gunner POW all others dead F/S Thomas Edward STAMP No age given. Think born 1922 Killed 18/19 October 1943. I have 2 dates for death. Other is 10/10/ 43 might be a handwritten 0 /9 misread Becklingen war cemetery 97 sqn. A PATHFINDER SQN 1031832. W/Op air gunner Born County Durham JB220 You could check their NOK and might find a wife and one or more children. Anything might have happened. Mother may have had only one child or may have surrendered youngest or eldest child or kept son. Or may have su icided. :- ( It may be very sad.
A story I recently read from a Lancaster Squadrons history👇 In the mid sixties my family and I were sitting in a small cafe in Spalding, Lincolnshire. Seated at another table sitting with his family was a very distinguished looking gentleman with a big handle bar moustache. My mother remarked that he kept looking at her. As he got up to leave he came over and said to mum, your Mary Wright aren't you? Mum said she was. He then said, the last time I saw you, you were in my office on a charge. Apparently she had been in charge of the ribbons denoting the Wing Commanders aircraft which were fixed to the wings and as she was crossing the airfield, two young airmen met her and said, bet you daren't put your stockings on the wings instead of those ribbons. She did and the gentleman now stood at our table said, "I didn't notice those stockings until I was over Berlin."
+placid renegade Damn, I turned 19 years old yesterday. Most people my age need safe spaces. No safe space at 40,000ft with every gun in occupied France/Germany pointed at you!!!
@@edcarson3113 it seems like that the allies have the view that killikg innocent people is war... like vietnam etc. But in my eyes, this isnt war... but okay
My Great uncle flew in bomber command, 78 squadron on Halifax. His crew flew 37 missions and he lived to 100 years old to tell us the tale’s. He stayed in the RAF long after the war. Him and his brother (my Grandad) both had amazing military careers. Also two of the nicest gentlemen you would ever meet. It was a pleasure to have them around me growing up. Ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
How how how did they stay so calm under that much pressure ? My father was RAF regiment during te war and my brother RAF fixing Tornadoes. Both did long service. Total respect and thanks to the men and woman who served and served today. Many Many thanks for your courage and bravery.
l hear it, and they say "That was a bit close," so l'm wondering if that was the flak shell going off. The recording doesn't have any bass. Either way, thanks for noticing!
It wasn't the sound of the flak shell exploding, it was a piece of shrapnel from it hitting the aircraft. Probably the piece that caused the damage to the front turret which the bomb-aimer, whose secondary role was front gunner, reported when he returned to that position.
+CJ Gangi You had to be back then to stay sane. No idea how people back then could do this stuff, guess they had no choice seeing as their very existence was at risk.
+CJ Gangi Pilots are known to be among the calmest people on (or above) Earth under stress. And British people are known for that as well, pilot or not. Put them together and you get this, lol.
I am from Coventry. For me, finding this audio and listening to it, was unforgettable. Thank you for helping me to conceptualise and humanise what those before me truly went through together. The greatest generation.
5:53 has me dying😭 “There go the cookies!” “Lookie lookie lookie!” “There go the incendiaries” “And there goes my bottle!” And then shortly later: “Oh I think they’re firing at us”
Brought tears to my eyes. I find their unflappable bravery and 'get on with it' attitude to be both inspiring and humbling. Thank you chaps, one and all.
A very good friend of mine was a Lancaster wireless operator who was shot down over France in 1942 and survived, via the French resistance, to tell the tale. He died a few years ago at a ripe old age and was one of the nicest, most modest, most charming ol' chaps you would ever meet. A real credit to the generation and to the RAF.
Had no idea there were any in-flight recordings like this in existence. They're so calm even though they're getting lit up like the 4th of July up there from the sounds of things.
My father was the pilot of 61 Squadron Lancaster 4898 over Essen on the 3rd of April 1943. In his log book, he mentions that he was coned in searchlights for 3 minutes. My father said that the Lanc was a lovely aircraft to fly. Luckily she always brought him and all his crew home safely, albeit often with a bit of extra ventilation, courtesy of flak and nightfighters. So many were less fortunate and fell to earth. We should never forget them.
@@alexmattin4177 Hi Alex! I'm pleased to hear that your father was a Lancaster pilot and survived all his sorties. So many crews were lost. My father had a lucky escape in 1941, when he was flying a Hampden on his first tour of ops with 61 Sqn. A JU88 nightfighter attacked him over Aachen on the way to the target and made several hits with cannon fire.. One blew a hole in a starboard petrol tank a foot in diameter and damaged the starboard engine. Another cannon shell exploded on the main spar. He continued to the target with oil and petrol running down the starboard mainplane and took four runs over the target at low level before dropping the bombs accurately. He couldn't get much height, but limped home and landed on one wheel, as the other had been shot away. Miraculously, on the 52 sorties he flew, including the first two thousand bomber raids, he always came home with all his crew safe and uninjured, despite extra ventilation courtesy of the enemy. Your father and mine were very lucky chaps and had a great sense of duty and decency that the youth of today would do well to emulate! All the best, Pete
They are GOD 💝 *ALL MIGHTY'S 👍 > "ANGELS" ✔ (R.I.P. ~ *awaiting their 💝 ETERNAL Heavenly REWARD✔) always prepared to FIGHT & SACRIFICE their LIVES ■against ✔ > > >♨️Satan's 😈 Evil 👹 Dark Forces ..... (((& those "ANGELS" are WHO *we 🤔 CAN NEVER ✔ THANK 👍ENOUGH✔✔✔ 😭 🤗 😍 🤔Amen. 😍
My great uncle was in 61 squadron skellingthorpe and flight Engineer in Lancaster Dv-304. Sadly failed to return and all the crew 19th July 1944. Night fighter on return from Revingny. 21 no age at all 😢
@@TheMiltonroad So sorry to hear your great uncle was lost, like so many fine chaps. My father had finished his second tour of Ops with 61 Sqn by then, his last posting being to 1661 Conversion Unit as a Sqn Ldr Instructor at RAF Winthorpe from the 29th June 1943 onwards.
"There goes the cookie", Wow, how calm and professional there heroes were back then... We owe them an unplayable debt of gratitude, God keep them in your eternal grace 🙏
The skipper sounds so calm and in control throughout. No doubt he was as frightened and concerned as anybody would be, but you can hear what it takes to lead in those circumstances.
Brave beyond all comprehension. Freezing cold and miles away from home night after night for up to 12 hours at a time I'm told knowing in all likelihood they'll never come back. They never even told each other that they were nervous or scared they just kept it to themselves. This generation won't ever know the hardness of these men. My grandad was in agony with cancer but never heard him utter a single word of complaint.
Johannes Liechtenauer The quality of Western soldiers nowadays isn't as good. Very few in the West have the "die for my country mindset". Meanwhile China's soldiers are ready to die for their country, same with North Korea and Russia.
Trying having a "die for my country" attitude as a soldier after taking a look at modern colleges. Then take a look at riots that form from wanting historical statues taken down. Then look at what people think of you if you have the wrong political opinion. ect. I did my time in service. It's a experience I'll never forget. I joined up 2003 obviously motivated from the actions of 9/11. The country was different then, the country was angry but united. Now it's just soft children. Western civilization has reached a point where the quality of life is so good that people create things to be outraged about.. to give them a purpose. I'd never fight for this country again the way it is now.
Listening it’s as if I am on the airplane with them. Incredible confidence and professionalism. I have flown in wartime with aircrews in Vietnam. There is no room for fearful outburst but only to remain focused on the job at hand. These men were in the thick of it and at any moment they could be dead but you would never know it listening to them. Amazing.
My Grandad was a tail gunner for a Lancaster bomber and also Wellington during the war, flew flights numerous flights over Germany, I remember bringing ww2 plane books to read with him and he still knew how to identify all the aircraft from both sides. Such a legend and someone I deeply miss always
They are experienced professionals; why is this some surprise to people? Listen to B-52 crews over Hanoi, same thing. This isn't some unique quality the British possess.
Brits just have a most unique and, in my opinion, awesome way to deal with situations of extreme distress - back then and still today. I once saw a video made by a British soldier on patrol in Iraq, around 2010 IIRC. They came under light but close mortar fire. As was their SOP (standart operational procedure) they took shelter under their Warrior IFVs. At this point the cameraman said "He, lads. I wanna switch off the camera, say goodbye!" And everbody squeezed under the tank with him in in full combat gear, mortars going off withing 50 meters of them, waved and smiled in a relaxed way and said "Goodbye!". 😂🥰
@@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684 I mean Britiain still has the most accents of any nation on earth, so I wouldn't say homogenisation has occured. Definitely cut the edges which is a shame, but most accents are still going strong
@@Dushmann_ what are you on about, stop cryi ng. The only reason they do adverts with a diverse group is because it's advertising they need recruits. If you want them to do less of this advertising because it upsets you, then we'll have to have an even smaller airforce.
I had tears in my eyes listening to this, these were not supermen they were young men who knew they were dancing with death, just like everyone who has put their lives on the line for others. It takes an exceptional kind of spirit to do do that time and time again to the end, day or night.
"Yeah they're searching for us, bastards" "Oh hell..." "Certainly illuminates things doesn't it?" "Sure does...I could do with a pint" Flying over enemy territory at night, hundreds of miles from home, German searchlights lighting up the sky and his only thought it having a beer. Top class.
@@XxBloggs The rest sounded English. Since when have the Scots not been British? The British are Welsh, Scottish, English, and Northern Irish. I'm an Englishwoman, also British, same as Scots, also British. The island of Great Britain contains three countries, and the UK four. xx
02:41 - "Hello skipper" - Yes - "We've been holed in the front here....Oil leaking out...nothing to worry about"..... - Absolute balls of steel these chaps!
I do some work for a chap who's Father was a Lancaster navigator, he flew 30 missions. His Son, the chap I worked for, was with a group who got to taxi round an airfield in a Lancaster. He broke his leg while trying to twist out of the way of another passenger. His Dad, never, ever, let him forget he flew 30 missions without a scratch, and the Son broke his leg on a peace time runway roll.
The most... by far the most moving recording I have ever heard. Especially knowing the average age of those crews... just 21. Remarkable, brave young men.
Pilot: "Where is he[enemy nightfighter], rear gunner. an you see him?" (sound of machine guns firing) Rear gunner: "Down, down..he's come down! Pilot: "Did you shoot him down?" Rear gunner: "Yeah...! " The entire crew cheers in triumph. Pilot: "Okay, don't shout all at once!"
@washington gibz . Here are the facts: Air Vice Marshal (AVM) E. H. Stephenson AO OBE Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), ex 207 Squadron RAF, identifies the pilot as Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) Ken Letford, and the Navigator "Conn" as Warrant Officer H. Connelly RAAF. The 207 Squadron RAF Association in England identify the remainder of the crew as Sergeant (Sgt). C. Stewart, Flight Engineer; Flt Lt W. Bray, Bomb Aimer; Sgt W. Sparks, Wireless Operator; Flying Officer J. Fieldhouse, Mid-Upper Air-Gunner; Sgt. H. Devenish, Rear Air-Gunner, all RAF.
Today's " chatter" probably couldn't be played on the airways...too many expletives. Boy, does the world owe these gentlemen a whole lot of regards!! What can you say? Thank you from across the Pond. God Bless your Island, the Commonwealth & Canada. Friends & Kin forever.
Are you saying this because you’ve actually heard contemporary military air crew communication, or are you just basing this on what you’ve seen in the movies?
Wow, what an incredibly intimate insight into history. So privileged to even hear their voices and conversations. These men were utterly selfless. The odds stacked against them and day after day they did their duty. So brave. God bless them all and the ones that did not make it home. I pray for the day when there are no more wars.
This was a recording of the aircraft intercom system. These guys were heroes. Notice how professional they were? I had a cousin who flew Halifaxes in the RCAF.
'F' for Freddie, flown by flt Ken Letford out of RAF Langar, 1943 207 SQD ,..... Essen 3/4 April,10 detailed 10 returned Strettin 20/21,8 detailed 8 returned, April,Berlin 3/4 April, 11 detailed 10 back 1 failed to return. LEST WE FORGET.
@CA Babyboomer the British started there bombing campaign with daytime air raids, but RAF bombers incurred massive losses, so the british switched to night time bombing... when the US entered the war the US Airmen figured they could do what the RAF could not: bomb during the day without incurring prohibitive losses.
Plus: The Lancaster was heavily designed and could take a phenomenal amount of punishment. Minus: The escape hatch was tiny and only 15% of crew managed to bail out, compared to 50% in the American B-17. And they were trying to escape a dying plane at night.
Ah, that unflappable calm. "Hello, engineer, this is Skipper here, be a good lad and put the kettle on, would you? There' a good lad." And who could forget 'Lookie, lookie, lookie, there go the cookies''. Man, they don't make 'em like that anymore.
I also liked the part about 'there goes my bottle.' If I understand it correctly, they would drop their used bottles with the bombs because some believed it made a whistling sound and would scare the Germans.
TheCanadiangirl4 .....bottles were available for the crew to relieve themselves in as in cabin latrines we're not available 😃 So when he sends his bottles, it's a "present or gift" to Jerry!!!
lol. I actually did know they used the bottles that way, I just didn't want to say it. I read a book written by a RCAF Bomber Command pilot who mentioned doing that over Germany. :)
Steve Gyetko I'll have to have another listen. I thought he said "put the throttles up" indicating he needed a little more speed to stay level on the bomb run.
My next door neighbor flew 96 missions over Italy and Germany, two tours with the Army Air Corp. Ditched three times in the English Channel. When he passed, his obituary was a full column in the paper, He never told us, but he had three Distinguished Flying Crosses from three different countries, scads of other awards too. These were guys in their teens and 20's doing this shit, amazing.
I'm german, but I can share the relieved emotions of the crew, when their tail gunner shot down the destroyer 9:00. Yet I hope the german pilot did survive
All nations have done bad historically. The Germans with Nazism, The British and French with Colonialism, we Americans with Slavery/Racism and the Military Industrial Complex. Individuals must learn from these mistakes our parents made as to not repeat them. Honor to all our ancestors.
@esobed1 Well, look at it this way: if it weren't for colonialism, neither you nor any of your countrymen would even be here today, and without the US things in Europe would have taken a very ugly turn. Things have a way of working out.
@@Cal-Corgan I wouldn't be here... but I (or some DNA variant) would be "there", wherever "there" was. I say this to dispute that this may be the best outcomes that we know. Other outcomes could have been better. What if China became a Democracy after WW2? What if the Russian Federation was integrated into the EU and NATO in the 1990? What if there was a true effort to a two-state solution in Palestine/Israel back in the 1990s... Or the 1940s? It could have been better but we have to work with what we got.
@@esobed1 Yup. That's why I don't believe in fate. What happens now is dictated by a decision you made in the past. It's done. No alternative is possible.
Thanks mate! Respect to you guys in the States from the UK! My relatuve was a rear gunner on a Lancaster but was killed in action in 1943. These men were so brave that i dont think it can be replicated today. We all owe them and everyone else who fought our lives. Lest we forget
@@stefanwalker3810 And we salute you back! I'm a serving member of the British military and I'm proud of what all our nations did together to repel the threat!
Respect also to Canadians, S Africans, Rhodesians, Indians, Aussies and Kiwis who fought for freedom! God Bless them all…from a humble and grateful Texan
I worked with elderly veterans, in care homes, in my youth. Listening to the stories as I helped them with meals, or cleaned up their rooms. I remember the stories from one particular gent who was a tail gunner. I heard them from an older man, reminiscing. For the first time today, I hear them first hand, as they happened. It makes me shiver. Thank you for your efforts.
I’ve heard this several times before but I’m still choked up and with tears in my eyes. Their bravery can’t be described by a simple word from a dictionary. Victoria Cross winners, every man jack of them.
@@americanman4746 being aware of knowledge and its path should allow one not to repeat it if that knowledge brings wrongness ,hence what is the problem unless fake knowledge is imparted upon us😒
@Jude M I would argue that we are at step 3 with attempts being made to destroy links to the past, free speech being hindered, free thought being repressed, mob rules pushing out the law. Revolution will be the pushback from the conservative element on the progressives.
Jude M Is that so? Is it that no one asks why one side will end up destroying the other? How pathetic indeed, millions have died and the world still clings onto it’s tribalistic nature. They know that tribalistic nature will lead to division and eventually conflict. But they excuse it under the notion that it will be a loss of culture. Under the notion that a culture of a society must always stay the same as it has been in the past. But it will change. Whether it is for the greater or worse. The modern left you speak of are but mere opportunists using the banner of the movement that founded the very NHS, do not be mistaken with who the real left are like the Germans were mistaken. The left and the right seek to fix problems but the extreme people within them just end up shit stirring and creating conflict.
Amazing video. A lot of people stereotype the RAF to be really posh whereas they were mostly everyday working class people, this was due to the actors that were used in the films after the war being generally from affluent families. Great to hear the voices of genuine everyday people that were fighting.
I always understood to be a fighter pilot, you were an officer, which usually meant you would of sounded a bit posh, so I don't think it is a myth at all. Not sure about Bomber crew though.
Chris Puddy Just watch any modern war movie. US soldiers are rarely gentlemen. Instead they are low income people looking for a stable career. Gang members, Hicks, inbeciles...poor bastards.
J Burke excuse me did my finger slip from M to N back there? Oh I'm dearly sorry for that. My ignorance is now on the whole internet for everyone to see. Please forgive me dear sir!
Amazing audio and paintings, thank you. My Dad, Gordon H Craig, flew as Flight Engineer in Lancaster C-Charlie, 44 Squadron based at Waddington. They were shot down by an ME109 over Osnabrück on October 6th, 1942; two crew members were lost & the others (including my Dad) were caught and taken prisoner after bailing out. He was sent to Stalag Luft III, then after several escape attempts he was transferred to the harsher Stalag VIIIB, in Upper Silesia. Towards the end of the war, as the Russian Army was advancing, the guards abandoned the camp; using the prisoners as human shields and forcing them onto what became the Lamsdorf Long March, or the ‘Death March’ (which was what my Dad always called it).I still have his diary from that, and am struck by how often ‘ordinary Germans’ from farms and villages tried to help the prisoners with food, despite facing risk from the prison camp guards. In an odd twist of fate, C-Charlie was shot down at 21.30 hours on Sunday, October 6th, 1942. I was born at exactly that time, day and date in 1946!
Did a job for a bloke Jerry Bateman a Lancaster pilot. My mate and myself were into planes and when we saw a model Lancaster in his lounge room we got talking. Really nice guy, seems he took a bit of shine to us and went and photocopied all his missions out of a book and all the details and handed them to me as I left. Still got it all. All of them over Germany except two in Italy. 460 Squadron RAAF south of Grimsby UK. God bless them all.🇦🇺 Great audio video.👍
![Audio From the Past [E09] - WW2 - Air Battle at Dover with Charles Gardner (1940)](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/jLtZ3xnSK40/mqdefault.jpg)
![Audio From the Past [E09] - WW2 - Air Battle at Dover with Charles Gardner (1940)](/img/tr.png)
Very sad to know that many of them never returned home.
I've adopted the grave of an 20 year old sergeant, who lost his live just a week after his birthday.
His plane, a Handley Page, was shot down here in the south west of Holland.
From the seven crewmembers, all of them died, two are still missing in action.
His family never knew what happened, they knew he died, but that was it, untill i got in contact with a cousin of the sergeant.
On the 24th of december, there will be a candle burning on his grave, together with 139 other candles, on the other graves on the cemetery were this sergeant is buried. There will be a light on their graves during Christmas time.
Here in Holland we will always remember these brave heroes.
Lest we forget!
Thank you.
Thank you and God Bless you. 🇱🇺 🇬🇧
Yes thank you for your highly respectable acknowledgment, to these aircrews that gave us hard earned peace. God Bless you
thank you. Makes me quite emotional to read that
As an ex para, I am always in true admiration when I see the school children place flowers on the grave of the dead in arnhem. Thank you for being a nation that still remembers the sacrifices made. Unfortunately in the UK, we now allow our grave and monuments to be desecrated.
Their level of calmness is astounding.
thats the scary part,the lull before the storm
You'd be surprised how quickly you can get used to something and just brush it off. I've seen videos of British soldiers just sat down eating their food, in the video you can see bullet rounds flying above their heads and they barely paid any attention to it, they just carried on eating and chatting and every now and again got up to return fire before getting back down to continue eating. Once you're in that kind of situation frequently it becomes normal to you
Approaching enemy spotlights and flak fire. "I could go for an Earl Grey Tea, would you mind fetching me a cup, 2 creams one sugar" "OK!"
Compare it to the modern audio of American pilots
@@keighlancoe5933 just the British stiff upper lip
"Theyre shooting at us now"
"Are they?"
"Yeah"
"Okay"
"Weve been hit unfortunately"
"Okay"
"Hello Skipper, oils leaking out of the front turret its nothing to worry about"
"Okay"
"Okay?"
"Okay over the lake now"
"146 Okay"
They are all Legends Okay.
Indeed. I have such tremendous admiration and respect for their courage and fortitude. To merely buy _lunch_ for one of these gentlemen (meeting them is increasingly rare these days) would be a great honor for me. We owe them, well, everything.
'Okay '
avro lancaster crew 1943
2:55
Almost sound like a gamer chat in warzone or some shit , that calm damn , they have Seen some shit
@@capitainsheep1137 naaaa.
Just British Mate
I’m a 58 year old Scotsman. And my heart is bursting with pride that these were the chaps who went before us. May God bless them.
All of us who listen to this mate.
Phosphor- and High Explosives-bombing of cities packed with civilians and also with refugees. "Heart bursting with pride."
I dunno, they were bombing civilians
@@thecornfieldiii2069 idiot
and look at the state of our world now. Is it really better?
"I think we've been hit, personally" He sounded so chill I have the vision of him sipping a cuppa tea after he said that! xD
Hahahahahahahaha
Stoic bastards
Listening to this is so inspiring.
Yeeees
Love to know if these guys made it through the war...
My late next door neighbour did 37 missions as a rear gunner in a lancaster he was 88 years old when he died. What a wonderful gentleman he was..
My hat's off to him, legend 🤜🤛
Wasn't in Kent, was it?
My dad did 89 ops in Wellingtons, Sterlings and Lancs as a WopAG and survived the war and continued to serve until 1975. He died in 2017 aged 97.
@@nicktaylor2820 Wow I thought 37 missions was good. What a hero
Nick Taylor Agreed with Nick, your Dad was a true hero, respect and best wishes to you and yours 🍻
I love how the speed and politeness of the communication sounds like theyre a group of lads trying to find a good parking spot more than flying over enemies taking fire and being a second from death.
Makes you proud to be British
Makes you proud, period.
Agreed but idk what being british has to do with it lol
@@perspii2808 it has since the audio recording is of british soldiers.
So disciplined and stoic
This comment post Brexit? How times changed eh?
01:09 always makes me smile when he mentions how many search lights and the person who responds does a little scoff and says “Too many I reckon.” They were the best of us.
Imagine in all the Flak fire knowing any moment they could be hit they still had their humour made me laugh when I heard it
"They're firing at us now". "Are they"? "Yup."
Thank you sir :)
I wouldn't really compare USAAF bomber crews against RAF bomber crews. Both operated in incredibly difficult conditions: the Brits had to operate at night, in pitch dark against night fighters who were some of the most experienced and deadly pilots of the Luftwaffe. The Americans operated during the day, which made them incredibly vulnerable during long periods of time. The casualties on both the american and the british side were enormous: I would never consider saying either side was more brave than the other. Both operated in extremely dangerous operations. Check this graph: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_bombing_during_World_War_II#/media/File:Ussb-1.svg
The USAAF and the RAF lost roughly 79,000 bomber crewmen each, the RAF lost 12,000 bombers while the USAAF lost about 10,000 bombers. The USAAF performed 750,000 bombing sorties and dropped 1,400,000 tons of bombs, while the RAF performed 687,000 bombing sorties and dropped 1,300,000 tons of bombs.
Yeah i noticed your a big fucking idiot. Why don't you keep your dumb opinion to yourself
Please leave that mentality at the door, every man and woman that fought in any of the major global conflicts is probably braver than we could hope to be, they gave up so much so that we today can enjoy a taste of freedom, freedom they may never have gotten to experience in life. The grief they had to put their families, friends, lovers and children through to fight to secure the freedom of the meek and those who would otherwise be crushed by the Nazis and the Germans is testament to just how brave all men and women of the two World Wars really were.
So next time you say one side was braver than the other, just think for a moment, what they gave to fight so that we wouldn't have to.
Jesus christ, +Bit Refresh didn't say it as a fact. He/she said that "More than American I'd say", see that? "I'D SAY". He/she did not say it as a fact but as an opinion.
"Watch Your height"...."I'm watching everything." Their calmness and radio discipline under fire is amazing. Almost casually reporting they'd been hit and leaking oil. Balls of Steel.
Steve Djurovich It's how the guy says nothing to worry about that makes me laugh. Such bravery.
As a youngster I worked with many guys who were pilots or aircrew flying in Lancasters and Spitfires. Not one ever talked about what went on. But I do remember being at an RSA (Returned Services) Club one time when a few beers had been had and some guy was verbally accosted I believe because he was mouthing off a bit. Usually those guys who did that never saw the real action.
Steve Djurovich They had to stay straight and level until the bombs hit and a picture was taken automatically or the mission wouldn't count. Those seconds waiting for that pic must have been agonizing!
Of course they were calm, you have to realize that they had a job to do and were highly trained soldiers, from every veteran will tell you “your not scared while your in the danger it alway before and after”.
Fortunately it was oil from the gun turret so nothing too serious to worry about, the engines would have been a different story.
The German night fighter pilots I interviewed (also interviewed RAF Bomber Command pilots and crews) had nothing but admiration for the bomber crews. Wolfgang Falck said "There were no braver men in my opinion, knowing what they had to face, and still they flew their missions."
Die Verluste ! Bei uns am Deister kam einer über der Lauenauer Allee runter. Fand durch Zufall ein Stück Plexiglas vor vielen Jahren im Wald. Die Besatzungsmitglieder waren alle verbrannt, wie Puppen. Wurden am Straßenrand vorübergehend vergraben.
The most unfortunate thing is that the bomber crews and German pilots might have been the best of friends if diplomacy had been better handled after WW1.
@@TheEarl777this and this counts for all wars worldwide we could live in peace a man motzi who unified china in huge civil war between 40 regions proved it !
??? If you would explain a little further what you are referring to, please...
Squadron Leader George Leonard Johnson, MBE, DFM (25 November 1921 − 7 December 2022), better known as Johnny Johnson, was a British Royal Air Force officer who was the last surviving original member of No. 617 Squadron RAF and of Operation Chastise, the "Dambusters" raid of 1943. ....
The list of all the brave men that cooperated in Operation Chastise:
AJ-G
Wg Cdr G P Gibson DSO & Bar DFC & Bar
Pilot AJ-G
Survived Dams Raid
Awarded VC
Born Simla, India, 12 August 1918
KIA 20 September 1944
Sgt J Pulford
Flight engineer AJ-G
Survived Dams Raid
Awarded DFM
Born Hull, 24 December 1919
KIA 13 February 1944
Plt Off H T Taerum
Navigator AJ-G
Survived Dams Raid
Awarded DFC
Born Milo, Alberta, Canada, 22 May 1920
KIA 16 September 1943
Flt Lt R E G Hutchison DFC
Wireless operator AJ-G
Survived Dams Raid
Awarded Bar to DFC
Born Liverpool, 26 April 1918
KIA 16 September 1943
Plt Off F M Spafford DFM
Bomb aimer AJ-G
Survived Dams Raid
Awarded DFC
Born Adelaide, South Australia, 16 June 1918
KIA 16 September 1943
Flt Sgt G A Deering
Front gunner AJ-G
Survived Dams Raid
Awarded DFC
Born Kirkintilloch, Scotland, 23 July 1919
KIA 16 September 1943
Flt Lt R D Trevor-Roper DFM
Rear gunner AJ-G
Survived Dams Raid
Awarded DFC
Born, Shanklin, Isle of Wight, 19 May 1915
KIA 31 March 1944
AJ-M
Flt Lt J V Hopgood DFC & Bar
Pilot
Killed on Dams Raid
Born Hurst, Berkshire, 29 August 1921 [ 1]
Sgt C C Brennan
Flight engineer
Killed on Dams Raid
Born 22 February 1916, Calgary, Alberta, Canada [ 1]
Flg Off K Earnshaw
Navigator
Killed on Dams Raid
Born Bridlington, Yorkshire, 23 June 1918 [ 1]
Sgt J W Minchin
Wireless operator
Killed on Dams Raid
Born 29 November 1915, Bourton on the Water, Gloucestershire [ 1]
Flt Sgt J W Fraser
Bomb aimer
Survived Dams Raid1 PoW1
Born 22 September 1922, Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
Died Saltery Bay, British Columbia, Canada, 2 June 1962 [ 1]
Plt Off G H F G Gregory DFM
Front gunner
Killed on Dams Raid
Born Govan, Glasgow, 24 June 1917 [ 1]
Plt Off A F Burcher DFM
Rear gunner
Survived Dams Raid1 PoW1
Born Vaucluse, Sydney, Australia, 15 March 1922
Died Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, 9 August 1995 [ 1]
AJ-P
Flt Lt H B Martin DFC
Pilot
Survived Dams Raid
Awarded DSO
Born Edgecliffe, Sydney, Australia, 27 February 1918
Died London, 3 November 1988 [ 1]
Plt Off I Whittaker
Flight engineer
Survived Dams Raid
Born Newcastle on Tyne, 9 September 1921
Died Wendover, Buckinghamshire, 22 August 1979 [ 1]
Flt Lt J F Leggo DFC
Navigator
Survived Dams Raid
Awarded Bar to DFC
Born Sydney, Australia, 21 April 1916
Died Brisbane, Australia, 11 November 1983 [ 1]
Flg Off L Chambers
Wireless operator
Survived Dams Raid
Awarded DFC
Born Karamea, New Zealand, 18 February 1919
Died Karamea, New Zealand, 1 March 1985 [ 1]
Flt Lt R C Hay DFC
Bomb aimer
Survived Dams Raid
Awarded Bar to DFC
Born Renmark, South Australia, 4 November 1913
KIA 13 February 1944 [ 1]
Plt Off B T Foxlee DFM
Front gunner
Survived Dams Raid
Born Queensland, Australia, 7 March 1920
Died Nottingham, 6 March 1985 [ 1]
Flt Sgt T D Simpson
Rear gunner
Survived Dams Raid
Awarded DFM
Born Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, 23 November 1917
Died Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, 2 April 1998 [ 1]
AJ-A
Sqn Ldr H M Young DFC & Bar
Pilot
Killed on Dams Raid
Born London, 20 May 1915 [ 1]
Sgt D T Horsfall
Flight engineer
Killed on Dams Raid
Born Bramley, Yorkshire, 16 April 1920 [ 1]
Flt Sgt C W Roberts
Navigator
Killed on Dams Raid
Born 19 January 1921, Cromer, Norfolk [ 1]
Sgt L W Nichols
Wireless operator
Killed on Dams Raid
Born 17 May 1910, Northwood, Middlesex [ 1]
Flg Off V S MacCausland
Bomb aimer
Killed on Dams Raid
Born 1 February 1913, Tyne Valley, Prince Edward Island, Canada [ 1]
Sgt G A Yeo
Front gunner
Killed on Dams Raid
Born 9 July 1922, Barry Dock, Glamorgan [ 1]
Sgt W Ibbotson
Rear gunner
Killed on Dams Raid
Born 18 September 1913, Netherton, Wakefield, Yorkshire [ 1]
AJ-J
Flt Lt D J H Maltby DFC
Pilot
Survived Dams Raid
Awarded DSO
Born 10 May 1920, Baldslow, Sussex
KIA 15 September 1943 [ 1]
Sgt W Hatton
Flight engineer
Survived Dams Raid
Born 24 March 1920, Wakefield, Yorkshire
KIA 15 September 1943 [ 1]
Sgt V Nicholson
Navigator
Survived Dams Raid
Awarded DFM
Born 15 February 1923, Newcastle on Tyne
KIA 15 September 1943 [ 1]
Sgt A J B Stone
Wireless operator
Survived Dams Raid
Born 5 December 1920 Winchester, Hampshire
KIA 15 September 1943 [ 1]
Plt Off J Fort
Bomb aimer
Survived Dams Raid
Awarded DFC
Born 14 January 1912, Colne, Lancashire
KIA 15 September 1943 [ 1]
Sgt V Hill
Front gunner
Survived Dams Raid
Born 6 December 1921, Berkeley, Gloucestershire
KIA 15 September 1943 [ 1]
Sgt H T Simmonds
Rear gunner
Survived Dams Raid
Born 25 December 1921, Burgess Hill, Sussex
KIA 15 September 1943 [ 1]
AJ-L
Flt Lt D J Shannon DFC
Pilot
Survived Dams Raid
Awarded DSO
Born 27 May 1922, Unley Park, South Australia
Died 8 April 1993, London [ 1]
Sgt R J Henderson
Flight engineer
Survived Dams Raid
Born 17 June 1920, Tarbrax, Lanarkshire
Died 18 February 1961, Limassol, Cyprus [ 1]
Flg Off D R Walker DFC
Navigator
Survived Dams Raid
Awarded Bar to DFC
Born 20 November 1917, Blairmore, Alberta, Canada
Died 17 November 2001, Blairmore, Alberta, Canada [ 1]
Flg Off B Goodale DFC
Wireless operator
Survived Dams Raid
Born 12 June 1919, Addington, Kent
Died 16 December 1977, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk [ 1]
Flt Sgt L J Sumpter
Bomb aimer
Survived Dams Raid
Awarded DFM
Born 20 September 1911, Kettering, Northamptonshire
Died 30 November 1993, Luton, Bedfordshire [ 1]
Sgt B Jagger
Front gunner
Survived Dams Raid
Born 9 November 1921, London
KIA 30 April 1944 [ 1]
Flg Off J Buckley
Rear gunner
Survived Dams Raid
Born 1 May 1919, Bradford, Yorkshire
Died 6 May 1990, Bradford, Yorkshire [ 1]
This gives me goosebumps. My father was a Lancaster pilot on 101 squadron towards the end of the war and flew 15 of these sorties. He never talked about it unless you asked him. RIP Reg Mattin, always my hero
Oh Alex, did you know that 101 sqn was Special?
101 sqn usually carried an extra crew member. Who operated weird machinery not really explained to rest of crew.
His job was to listen in to German wireless and block the transmissions. Some say the equipment actually made 101 Lancs an easier target.
There are stories of these 8th men getting on the radio and giving overriding instructions. Telling German fightets to return to base, etc, in German.
The 8th man could often speak German, was often Jewish, though many hid their religion and claimed to be C of E, because they knew they were in huge trouble if the plane was shot down. And, sadly there were anti Jewish people right through the Commonwealth, on the Allies side, too. Not wanting Jews dead, but still not nice to Jews.
The normal crew were discouraged from partying and hanging out with the new 8th man, because the less they knew, the less they could tell, if caught. So it was a pretty sad existence for man 8 - but the 8th men in the Sqn, hung out.
One really fascinating source for you to check, is in THE JEWISH VIRTUAL LIBRARY, and type in 101 Squadron.
Lots of amazing stories and explanations of what 101 sqn did.
I am a WW2 researcher, total relaxed atheist. No hidden agenda. Really interesting and rarer to come across info to be found there.
Good luck with your new research!
Then your dad was a legend. Huge respect.
These tapes and the vids should be played in schools and univercities in England to show this entitled generation where there good lives came from,🇬🇧🏴🏴
hard to workout an exact number but can you take a guess at how many women and children he killed?
@@lynnrogers2980 what does this have to do with african and asian chidren? the men in the video are english and english children are already a minority in england, hardly a good life going into extinction in your own homeland
What really gets me about this is I’m a 21 year old college student taking his first flying lessons. A lot of these boys in the Lancasters weren’t much older than I am. Hell, a lot of pilots in this damn war were younger than I am, and they were flying Spitfires, Mustangs, Lancasters, Fortresses, etc:. I’m so lucky to be able to attend class and fly a Cessna in the States because of these brave men. Thank you, gentlemen.
I was blown away when I was 18 and went solo for the first time in a 172N after a dozen hours when afterwards I was told the airfield I was flying out of was an old RAAF ETS base, they would do 8 hours in a 60ish HP Tiger Moth, go solo then get thrown into a 1000ish HP Kittyhawk or a Spitfire! Others got thrown into Bomber Command doing single pilot operations in a 4000ish HP Lancaster or Halifax. Mind blowing.
@@goodshipkaraboudjan and spare a thght for the ATS. Read the pilots notes then shift that Lanc to such and such....almost impossible to believe.
Then think about RAF pilots during WWI - average life span of two weeks if they survived training.
Well said
Was thinking the same, very young but all sound like they're in their 50s
"There's a few searchlights ahead of us - yes about a hundred, never seen anything like this before". Jesus, brave brave men.
Terribly brave men, bombing women and children and destroying an entire culture in the name of “freedom” and “progress”
@@caleb2507 Funnily enough despite the worst of allied efforts; German culture is fine. And the whole it was done for the express purpose of stopping Germany doing far worse to far more cultures.
Crag_r Is it? The Germany of today is castrated. The military pride and prowess; gone, the genius and artists; gone. Replaced with a communist that pushes refugees and a liberal culture which will see Germany an Arabic country in the next few decades. The wrong side won the war, simple as that. Germany had no plans beyond saving Europe from communism and the path that Europe is now on. To their dying breath they warned of the threat of communism. Take a look at the world today, Europe is full of “liberal socialism” which is destroying them. Look up Count Richard Kalergi and his plan for Europe, he founded the EU with the aim of destroying Europe.
@@caleb2507 Eh, most of the West will have plenty of drinks during Octoberfest, its doing fine.
What the fuck is wrong with you? Look at Generalplan Ost, everyone East of Germany dead isn't what i'd call saving Europe. Fuck off Nazi.
Crag_r I love how German culture is just Oktoberfest to you. Spot on mate. You obviously live under a rock if you think the mass rape of Christmas 2016 is totally okay. Wrong with me? I think for myself sheep. I thought like you once then I turned off the media, read for myself and opened my eyes. It was a work in progress that was eventually abandoned. It wasnt even the most horrific thing conceived or enacted by any government past or present. The modern Democracy’s have done far worse but pretend to be the good guys so people like you will only parrot and not think for yourself. I said from communism which has done far more damage than nazism ever did. You never hear about that strangely. Last soldiers defending Hitler were French. Ghandi supported Hitler. Call me a nazi but at least Im not an idiot that thinks 5-year old trans, individualism, pornography, drug addiction and shady governments is “victory”. Go back to sleep child.
Speaking as a Zimbabwean of British heritage/stock. These men are heroes. Men among men. God bless their souls. With best wishes, blessings and kind thoughts to my British kith and kin from Zimbabwe. 🇿🇼🍻🇬🇧 🇿🇼🤝🏻🇬🇧
They sound so calm, and just joke around whilst flak is sprinkling their lower hulls, and in icy black conditions. What incredible people
Any other country: oh shit we've been hit!!!! Oh no
Britain: I think we've been hit personally. Yes we have oil leaking out nothing to worry about.
Reminds me a bit of the British Airways pilot flying his 747 over Jakarta and had all 4 engines flame out due to volcanic ash,he announced to the passengers that,we will be descending a bit but no need for concern,about 10 minutes later after they had dropped from 34,000 to 5,000 feet he contacted the cabin once again to say,OK,engines have restarted let's get back upstairs again,plus the passengers,the majority of whom were British never uttered a word of concern during the descent,and gave the pilot a polite round of applause,nobody does calm like we Brits!.
@@darkknight1340 must have been a while ago cos we ain't got many brits like that left
@Jude M the only enemy within is the powers that be that divide and rule and continue to rip us all off something stupid
My dad was a navigator on an RAF Catalina flying at night over the Mediterranean when they lost an engine. My dad asked his pilot "What happens if we lose the other one?" The pilot calmly said "We shall probably all be killed".
David Ramsay hardcore.
"Jerry behind us! Shoot him down." *machine gun blasts "Did you get im? Yep i got im. Weeee! Yaaay! Bloody good shooting!"
"ok don't shout all at once"
and there were some cannons on the rear turret
"Don't he look lovely?"
@@choppership465 false they weren't cannons they were browning machine guns
Timestamp
I treated a terminally ill gentleman once. We got talking and he had been the tail gunner in a Lancaster. This guy was in terrible pain and knew he was dying. He remained brave gentlemanly, and pleasant at all times.
In the very next cubicle was a drug overdose patient carrying on something horrible... swearing at staff and destroying hospital property. Couldn't help but notice the generational distance.
Cudos to the elderly gentleman... he was a total star and a hero!
difference between a hero and a junkie. If I had been a tail gunner in the war and seen what the UK had become Id welcome a terminal illness too
One already crawled out of hell and the other was right past the 9th gate, then and there.
Something I've had to learn is... You can't ask or expect someone not to be pathetic. Petty. To have you bear witness to their fullest resolve and faculty. To go forth and dread not, carry on in some inspiring way, it's not exactly something that can be taught. It's like a current of energy. It has to be transferred via the process of it's witnessing, it's observation.
Your gentleman just can't be compared to his neighbor. Good and proud as he demonstrated himself, the man past the curtain didn't share his former experience, and it would have been no guarantee he'd be any more certain if he had. Suffering is, after all, relative, and the first thing to fail it so often is language itself.
I could never communicate my own experiences to you, after all. Not to their fullest. Your gentlemen, that addict couldn't either.
God's love be with them both.
And thank you for tending to them.
His old mates would have been waiting for him. I’m sure of that.
@@jivemike Leftie spotted
@@urmum3773What do you think the opium wars were about mate? Fucking cookies? Daft wee old man, back to yer hole
"These colours don`t run"... This is both amazing and humbling to listen to...... Thank you RAF, for your massive contribution to winning WW2...
All shitting themselves on the inside who wouldn't be? And so calm on the intercom. What discipline. What bravery! "I think they are firing at us."
Gribbo9999 those days you have something to fight and die for.
I hear this and it makes me feel humbled. I get up every day and mostly moan about going to work and the price of everything going up etc. But what the bloody hell have I got to moan about. This clip has put me to shame. I am not fit to shine these men’s shoes. I salute and thank them with every fibre of my being
I agree 100%. Their discipline and coolness under circumstances of unimaginable stress and fear is both humbling and inspiring. My absolute and utmost respect and gratitude to these giants of men with backbones of pure steel. Greetings from Ireland.
@Austin McCanless I believe you are quite right re the quality of Service both then and now. It is always worth remembering that they were often relatively young Men and to lose that can diminish how extraordinary their efforts were.
War IS Hell,and it must be! It is the ultimate error,especially of any Society that considers itself rational or Civilised.
Then as Now it is necessary to strip away so much of the Positive,Cooperative,Constructive aspects aquired by Family and Social Conditioning and the People who find themselves having to undertake the experience seldom do so without significant cost both Physical and emotional.
While this can often result in long term damaging effects the alternative where Combat Operations are conducted in the relative safety of 'Remote' control of Drones,etc. Can be just as costly in emotional and Mental Health.
It must never be 'easy' to impose Military Combat Operations,especially on 'Civilian' populations,but as long as Politicians,Diplomats etc. Fail to 'Keep the Peace' and set the World ablaze,Young People who are fit and strong enough to 'Meet the Call' will find themselves obliged, if not Compelled to do so and 'Put the fire out'! Sadly somewhere in the World this Seems allways to be the case,however when called to 'Stand their Ground' I am sure the Youth of Today will shoulder their responsibilities with all the fortitude and purpose that the previous Generations have,
Of course if we truly appreciate all who have gone before the greatest way of showing our respect in a 'Free' Country is to ensure we do everything we can to avoid sending them in the first place!
dont underestimate the effects of different drugs that were common sense in every nation
Here is the truly amazing aspect: those men were just like you and me, but then their world was turned upside down and forced them into situations that neither they nor we could ever have imagined. They rose to the occasion and now we look back and believe they were something special. The truth is they were not. That is what makes what they did all the more incredible. They were not supermen but what they did makes us think they were.
Unless we find ourselves thrust into the same awful circumstances, we can have no idea whether we too would rise to the occasion... but I suspect that now, just like then, many would and many would not.
Well the price of everything going up, especially beyond inflation, is actually to do with the slow march of communism, so yeah, stiff upper lip, brave up old chap but be ever vigilant, the damn commies and the nazis never really went away, we just shrunk them.
My cousin P.O. A.E. West, was an RCAF rear gunner attached to 57 Squadron RAF flying out of East Kirkby in July 1944. He was fatally injured in 3 night fighter attacks over Stuttgart , July 29th. He lived through the 4.5 hr return trip to England badly shot up, but died enroute from the base hospital to a civilian hospital. The rest of his crew survived , with only a minor injury to the mid upper gunner . A.E West “young Bert” was a couple of weeks past his 20th birthday. He was a Vancouver BC Canadian boy, and is buried in Brookwoods cemetery near Woking England. I visited his grave in 2006, and shall always remember the neatly kept rows upon rows of the graves of very young men who gave their all. Rest In Peace my friends, we shall never forget you!
We live 4 miles from East Kirkby - there's normally a South East wind here and we regularly hear the Lancaster revving it's engines.
Hi my dad was a radio operator on 57 squadron out of East Kirkby at first he was with 9 squadron at another air field but his pilot was killed so they transferred him to 57 squadron and I think he was there about the time your cousin was I have his flight log so I will have to check. He did 31 ops over Germany and France 8times to Berlin badly shot up by night fighters lost the bomb bay and one engine just made it back.
@@Lars89221 With all the bridges out there, there was bound to be a Troll under one of them... And there you are 🤨
@@Lars89221 Did the Dutch defeat the Na zis? Oh no, that was the British and Americans. You're very welcome.
RIP
My uncle’s Halifax was shot up on his last raid. He remembers jamming in the hatch trying to parachute out. The Hally apparently blow up and threw him clear. Half the crew died. Spent a year and a half in as a POW. Spent the rest of his life waking up screaming at night.
What Base did he fly from? and what Squadron. My half brother, based at North Creake, died on his last flight, 3/5/1945. Sqdn .199, 100 Group.
My great uncle was the sole survivor in his B26. He was wounded in the face and arms, and was captured by the Jerries as he parachuted down. He spent a year in Stalag Luft III.
@@rusty1415 What year? 1944?
Would you share his name? Or just date shot down? Sorry. Yt never told me you replied.
Havr you contacted the sqn Association and asked if there are any stories in their records that mention him, or if they have any records to show you, that concern him?
@@georgielancaster1356 Jay Troup, was shot down Dec. 23rd 1944. I researched the family story some more, and found that there was one other survivor.
My old history teacher here in NZ during the 80s was a Lancaster and later Mosquito pilot, if we had a double history lesson that was boring we would get him talking about his flying in WW2. He would tell it like it was, the losses the injuries to crew, what the targets looked like, everything.
Whenever I'm feeling down , I listen to this in awe. Real men in control of the situation . They were no doubt scared as anyone would be , but they make it sound like just another day at the office. Truly inspiring and a kick up the arse .
I wonder how 'controlled' the men in the shot down bombers sounded, when their plane fell apart in mid-air or any other serious trouble. I mean this tape was from a successful crew and plane. But there were many others happen to go down, crash and die. Be aware of them also.
No matter what religion you belong to, one once said, they all start praying when faceing their own end.
@@m.d.5463 we will all face our demise in what ever way when it comes,just you remember your words as it happens 😒
Yes they were brave. I'd like to know what happened to the youthful Brits where they let a foreign invasion of people take over their country and telling them where they can and can't go.
@Jude M You sound like a beta bitch.
M. D. They had faith in the cause for their mission, and back then many of them probably also had faith in God to give them strength. If I lit a fire under your backside you probably wouldn’t be ready to accept it. The physical shock & pain they would’ve felt was also real, but the difference is that they were ready for it.
8:50 the cheering of the crew when they realized the downed the german fighter.
Bloody good boys!!!!!!! Made me shed a tear.
78 years later and millions of ppl are flying with them again..I could almost feel the plane being hit..The Best of the best..
"Don't scream all at once!"
Thunder Photography
Quite sad to think about it. Killing our German brother for clique interests
Michael sad in the bigger picture but at that moment it was them lads or him
Courageous, dignified, calm and composed. Heroic young men all. I did get a real chill when that skipper said, "My God, I've never seen anything like this before..." I can only imagine how terrifying it must have been for these lads. But they remained professional throughout. Just incredible fortitude.
Such brave men 56.000 never returned so unbelievable,they will never be forgotten not in my book thankyou 🇬🇧🇬🇧
I remember meeting one of these Men when we were both Volunteers at Cosford Museum in the 80's.
A great Chap and always cheerful and helpful,especially for new to the role Old Erks like me!
Sat in the Canteen,we were having a 'pull up a Sandbag,and tell us your tale' session and I said I could never understand how it must have been to have to go to the full fury of Total War,never knowing if you would be killed or wounded.Often have to watch Friends and Colleagues die or go down in the most traumatic of Circumstances,as well as carry out Missions that you knew took that same Total War to others. Then if you got back,grab what food,Kip R and R etc. You could knowing that as soon as possible you would have to leave the relative Safety of your base and Go back and do it all over again,Night after Night often for Weeks, even Months at a time!
I told him that I thought they showed incredible fortitude and stamina and that I had never felt any kind of certainty I could have completed such a tour.
He told me that the thing was you became very close to your Crewmates and kept yourselves to yourselves as a Crew, They became much more to you than other 'Significant other's' and as the Tour progressed you became increasingly invested in both your Crewmates and your Aircraft to see you through to the end of your Tour. All kinds of rituals and 'lucky' Charms were seriously observed,but your greatest assett and the thing you put your faith in to see you through it alive was your Crewmates!
It was on his run up to his last mission of his ( I believe 2nd Tour) that he developed an Ear infection that caused him obvious pain and he was sent to the M.O. as nobody wanted a distracted Rear Gunner on a Lanc over Germany!
When he saw the M.O. he was devastated to be told that
A) He was 'Grounded' as Medically unfit for Ops, and B) It was not a problem,as due to the obvious near defeat of the Reich,there was a pool of qualified Officers who were wanting to get some 'Combat Hours' logged to ensure their prospects 'post War'!
His devastation at this was still palpable best part of 50 years later,and he told of how he had done everything short of boarding the Aircraft at Pistol point to be with his "Crew" and Aircraft on this of all Missions and the thought of being left behind and having to fly his last Mission alone with strangers,maybe in a strange plane was just bloody awful,
The worst was still to come 'His' Lancaster was shot down and all his Crew were lost.
50 years later he still lived with the loss and Torment of Surviving,when he should have been with his Crew at his Station,Making sure they were safe.
The pain this Man had carried all through the rest of his adult life and the cost his Service had imposed upon him was profoundly humbling to try to contemplate and my appreciation of what these relatively very young Men went through was increased Tenfold. Ordinary People who found themselves faced with extraordinary responsibilities and met Fear and Ehaustion with sheer Guts and determination.
Even Hero doesn't even begin to describe them.
The now well hackneyed phrase 'band of brothers' doesn't cover a fraction of the camaraderie and devotion a crew developed during a Tour with BC.....
Beautifully told in his memory.
I wish I had met him.
There were many similar stories. Many stories of new young crews turning up, excited, wanting tips, often hadn't even unpacked, off they go, never return.
The first 5 I think the most dangerous, and then the last 2...
Haunting.
Gotta love the Brits! Even when flying through heavy flak and being shot at from all sides, they all still sound as if they’re talking over the table at a ritzy dinner.
I was trying to pick accents. One wss a Scot.
@@georgielancaster1356 Yorkshire mate
@@georgielancaster1356 There were two Aussies in the crew as well.
40% of Bomber command crews were from the commonwealth nearly all of those either Canadian, Australian or New Zealanders.
I grew up in Hamilton, Ontario where we have one of the only two airworthy Avro Lancasters on display at the Canadian Warplane Heritage museum and I don't think there's a boy in that city who hasn't heard these incredible recordings at least once in their lives. I remember being mesmerised by how calm these RAF crews sounded. I still am.
Ive only saw a Lancaster flying twice in my life in Britain, 2005 and 2015 flying with a spitfire and a hurricane on either side for the victory europe day anniversary, ill never forget the sound, sight and the feeling i got when seeing them slowly roar over my home town .
Lived just down the way from the Hamilton Lanc by the water in Oakville and the Lanc flew over all the time… I literally ran to the window every time as it roared by at low altitude - magnificent! You ran because this plane is genuinely fast. Can’t imagine how the ground must have shaken when they all headed out, loaded up. You hear how vulnerable they areas they run into the flak and nighfighters…
Also had a visiting B17 go by - silver and totally unmistakable. Same altitude as the Lanc and It was so slow and so loud by comparison. The guts those American boys also had going over in the middle of the day, bright silver, going literally half the speed and so loud you literally heard them coming a minute before they showed up! At least they had escorts.
Thank you allied young men who sacrificed so much for what we have today. May we be as brave if we are called on.
There goes the cookie !
I only wish I could give this a thumbs up every time I watch it. My uncle was on the a
Arizona and he is still there, entombed forever. God bless these brave men.
immortalized, the brave of the brave.
"Yeah they're searching for us... bastards" Had me in stiches :p 1:15
"oh hell....certainly illuminates things doesn't it?" Brave as fuck in the face of death.
Yes they were. No doubt scared as hell, but would never let it show, just carried on and did their job. Amazing men.
Their relative calmness must have helped keep each other's nerve's from totally shattering and causing a panic. They were so matter-of-fact about it, which I think helped them keep their focus. They were tough to say the least. Thanks boys.
Sunray OC You didn't want to let your mates down, that was probably the most important thing.
@ blackcountryme....
Rubbish!
Each did the task for which he was trained and hoped to Christ that they came out of it okay.
Not wanting to let your mates down, when everyone was confined to the interior of a fuselage, had stuff-all to do with it.
Brave flyboys... I doubt they expected youtubers (like us) listening to their chatter 70+ years later! :) It is great audio like this has been kept for later generations like us.
The New Englanders don't care about these things.
No way these brave flyboys in the 1940s possibly could have even IMAGINED what UA-cam is. Biut it is recordingss such så these, that keep memory of the Valiant nightflyers of we3, Alive. This is epecially important Know that the fighying men soon Will passe on
It's too bad flight recording wasn't standard back then. What true insight these recordings provide us and the context it gives. Most people only know what the Hollywood Scripts have formulated inside of our perceptions about what these great men and women actually did. I would love to hear broadcast over the Pacific and Italian fronts as well. True blue American here
This audio used to be on a loop in the London IWM, In a Lancaster cockpit. People used to be able to actually walk through it….so little room. Huge respect to these brave young men! I was 20 at the time (1990) and was totally amazed by it!
I had mixed emotions listening to this. It was amazing, but heartbreaking at the same time hearing all the noise in the background and imagining what it must have been like for my great uncle.
On 17th June 1944 my great uncle flight sergeant Charles Philp departed Elsham Wolds on a Avro Lancaster flight 576 squadron. He was a rear gunner and the crews mission that night was to bomb Sterkrade. The plane was hit by a flak and crashed in Rhade 9km outside of Dorsten, and my great uncle was killed on his 21st birthday. He is buried in Reichwalds Cemetery in Kleve, Germany. He was originally from Dunfermline in Scotland.
I found a pic of him just 1 month ago on the internet and it’s the first time I have seen him in 39 years. I hope to visit his grave next year.
Were you able to go, or did covid wreck your plans?
Susan - I agree wholeheartedly with you first paragraph. My father was on ops to Sterkrade on October 6, 1944 as rear gunner in a 578 squadron Halifax from RAF Burn near Selby. That was is 39th operation. He returned safely and made his final trip the following day to Kleve. The whole crew were then awarded DFMs for bringing back an on-target photograph each time. I am very sorry that your great uncle did not live to have a similar experience.
"How many searchlights you see?"
"Couple of thousands"
Something you can't imagine if you haven't seen it
I imagine this is late war given the scale of units being used so I ask; how useful would the searchlights be in an already fairly bombed out city i.e Dresden, Berlin what with the smog, smoke and fire already clouding the skies?
3:25
@@Red_Beard2798 one would find you then another and another then comes the guns then they look for another
John Stanton, out of Oakington, lost over Berlin 24 Nov 1943. Lest we forget
Respect
Everyone obviously forgot, look at the country now.
@@MikeDonner Funny, keep seeing these "look at the country now" comments.
Do you want to go back to this time? Were things simpler for you back then?
Sometimes I think others just watched a totally different video to myself.
I'm willing to bet all these veterans would laugh at such comments, our lives are *immeasurably* better and easier than their's was.
@@MikeDonner Nope, I think I get it.
_"Tough"_ guy crying about how the country left him behind.
🥺😫😭
My first cousin once removed, Flight Lieutenant James Bannon, of Liverpool - 'our Jimmy' as he was known - is thought to have perished on the same flight as Flight Sergeant John Stanton out of RAF Oakington to Berlin on November 24, 1943. Jimmy was only 24 and had just qualified as a maths teacher.
My dad who is 90 now had an adopted sister, Francis, who died last year. Her father was a navigator on a Lancaster bomber that was shot down during a bombing mission near Berlin. Listening to this helps me to understand just what it was like on a bombing mission. We can only thank God that most of us have never had to put our lives on the line as they had to.
Would you like to share his name?
If you told the chap that gave us all the info about the men in the recordings, I am sure he would love to tell you so much about her dad in the war, from searching records.
@@georgielancaster1356 Apparently, having just asked my Father, his surname was Stamp but he does not remember the first name.
@@nickrobinson8339I am so sorry. Y t did not tell me you had replied.
Was her name Frances with an E not Francis? I is the male version of Frances.
Is there ANY extra info, like what year she was adopted? He may have died a year or two earlier, but if adopted in 1943, we know he died before thst month/year.
I have found 3 Stamps on the Runnymede Memorial.
F/O Charles Edward STAMP
207 sqn. DOD: 8/7/44
Age 34. 152464
LM129.
Wife Doris Harriett Stamp
Parents and wife living in York.
Can't find ref to children
F/O Leslie George STAMP
425 Sqn W/Op
Age 30. 171503
Halifax LL594 KW-U
Took off from Tholthorpe.
Canadian/UK crew. Pilot evaded capture, 1 gunner POW all others dead
F/S Thomas Edward STAMP
No age given. Think born 1922
Killed 18/19 October 1943.
I have 2 dates for death. Other is 10/10/ 43 might be a handwritten 0 /9 misread
Becklingen war cemetery
97 sqn. A PATHFINDER SQN
1031832.
W/Op air gunner
Born County Durham
JB220
You could check their NOK and might find a wife and one or more children. Anything might have happened. Mother may have had only one child or may have surrendered youngest or eldest child or kept son.
Or may have su icided. :- ( It may be very sad.
A story I recently read from a Lancaster Squadrons history👇
In the mid sixties my family and I were sitting in a small cafe in Spalding, Lincolnshire. Seated at another table sitting with his family was a very distinguished looking gentleman with a big handle bar moustache. My mother remarked that he kept looking at her. As he got up to leave he came over and said to mum, your Mary Wright aren't you? Mum said she was. He then said, the last time I saw you, you were in my office on a charge.
Apparently she had been in charge of the ribbons denoting the Wing Commanders aircraft which were fixed to the wings and as she was crossing the airfield, two young airmen met her and said, bet you daren't put your stockings on the wings instead of those ribbons. She did and the gentleman now stood at our table said,
"I didn't notice those stockings until I was over Berlin."
The average age of a Lancaster bomber crew was 22 years old. We will remember them.
8.325 aircraft lost during ww2
Thats not an average, its a range.
placid renegade really puts it into perspective....compared to today.
+placid renegade
Damn, I turned 19 years old yesterday. Most people my age need safe spaces. No safe space at 40,000ft with every gun in occupied France/Germany pointed at you!!!
Without the help from our friends across the pond and others, the job would have been tougher.Thank you all.
This is one of the most awesome things I have ever heard and seen on UA-cam, seriously
Awesome.
Yup, amazing that these men killed more than 280.000 innocent civil persons... AMAZING!
@@westphalenglocke9491 it's called war kiddo
@@westphalenglocke9491 Grow up
@@edcarson3113 it seems like that the allies have the view that killikg innocent people is war... like vietnam etc.
But in my eyes, this isnt war... but okay
@@Sarconthewolf why? is it ok to kill innocent persons? but what else should i expect from you...
My Great uncle flew in bomber command, 78 squadron on Halifax. His crew flew 37 missions and he lived to 100 years old to tell us the tale’s. He stayed in the RAF long after the war. Him and his brother (my Grandad) both had amazing military careers. Also two of the nicest gentlemen you would ever meet. It was a pleasure to have them around me growing up. Ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
How how how did they stay so calm under that much pressure ? My father was RAF regiment during te war and my brother RAF fixing Tornadoes. Both did long service.
Total respect and thanks to the men and woman who served and served today.
Many Many thanks for your courage and bravery.
2:19 you can hear what is probably flak pinging off the windshield
l hear it, and they say "That was a bit close," so l'm wondering if that was the flak shell going off. The recording doesn't have any bass. Either way, thanks for noticing!
I just love the comment after "That was a bit close"
It wasn't the sound of the flak shell exploding, it was a piece of shrapnel from it hitting the aircraft. Probably the piece that caused the damage to the front turret which the bomb-aimer, whose secondary role was front gunner, reported when he returned to that position.
hazbutler flak*
I think we've been hit, personally.
They sound so so calm.
+CJ Gangi You had to be back then to stay sane. No idea how people back then could do this stuff, guess they had no choice seeing as their very existence was at risk.
+CJ Gangi Pilots are known to be among the calmest people on (or above) Earth under stress. And British people are known for that as well, pilot or not. Put them together and you get this, lol.
RADIOACTIVE BUNNY
RADIOACTIVE BUNNY
douglas jackson r/oldpeoplefacebook
I am from Coventry. For me, finding this audio and listening to it, was unforgettable. Thank you for helping me to conceptualise and humanise what those before me truly went through together. The greatest generation.
5:53 has me dying😭
“There go the cookies!”
“Lookie lookie lookie!”
“There go the incendiaries”
“And there goes my bottle!”
And then shortly later:
“Oh I think they’re firing at us”
Cookie was the name of the bomb
There goes my bottle had me cracked up tbf 😂
Brought tears to my eyes. I find their unflappable bravery and 'get on with it' attitude to be both inspiring and humbling. Thank you chaps, one and all.
"think we've been hit...personnely ".. ."How many search lights down there?"...."Too many!"...... brave men .
A very good friend of mine was a Lancaster wireless operator who was shot down over France in 1942 and survived, via the French resistance, to tell the tale. He died a few years ago at a ripe old age and was one of the nicest, most modest, most charming ol' chaps you would ever meet. A real credit to the generation and to the RAF.
Had no idea there were any in-flight recordings like this in existence. They're so calm even though they're getting lit up like the 4th of July up there from the sounds of things.
The 5th of November, you mean?
Yes, they used iron wire to record on.
It took 3 minutes and 39 seconds for the first "Good show." to happen.
I just got to this comment and heard the Good Show. Mavelous.
My father was the pilot of 61 Squadron Lancaster 4898 over Essen on the 3rd of April 1943. In his log book, he mentions that he was coned in searchlights for 3 minutes. My father said that the Lanc was a lovely aircraft to fly. Luckily she always brought him and all his crew home safely, albeit often with a bit of extra ventilation, courtesy of flak and nightfighters. So many were less fortunate and fell to earth. We should never forget them.
That's amazing Pete! My father was a Lancaster pilot on 101 squadron, aged 20. Survived all 15 of his 15 sorties by the end of the war!
@@alexmattin4177 Hi Alex! I'm pleased to hear that your father was a Lancaster pilot and survived all his sorties. So many crews were lost. My father had a lucky escape in 1941, when he was flying a Hampden on his first tour of ops with 61 Sqn. A JU88 nightfighter attacked him over Aachen on the way to the target and made several hits with cannon fire.. One blew a hole in a starboard petrol tank a foot in diameter and damaged the starboard engine. Another cannon shell exploded on the main spar. He continued to the target with oil and petrol running down the starboard mainplane and took four runs over the target at low level before dropping the bombs accurately. He couldn't get much height, but limped home and landed on one wheel, as the other had been shot away. Miraculously, on the 52 sorties he flew, including the first two thousand bomber raids, he always came home with all his crew safe and uninjured, despite extra ventilation courtesy of the enemy. Your father and mine were very lucky chaps and had a great sense of duty and decency that the youth of today would do well to emulate! All the best, Pete
They are GOD 💝 *ALL MIGHTY'S 👍 > "ANGELS" ✔ (R.I.P. ~ *awaiting their 💝 ETERNAL Heavenly REWARD✔) always prepared to FIGHT & SACRIFICE their LIVES ■against ✔ > > >♨️Satan's 😈 Evil 👹 Dark Forces ..... (((& those "ANGELS" are WHO *we 🤔 CAN NEVER ✔ THANK 👍ENOUGH✔✔✔ 😭 🤗 😍 🤔Amen. 😍
My great uncle was in 61 squadron skellingthorpe and flight Engineer in Lancaster Dv-304.
Sadly failed to return and all the crew 19th July 1944. Night fighter on return from Revingny.
21 no age at all 😢
@@TheMiltonroad So sorry to hear your great uncle was lost, like so many fine chaps. My father had finished his second tour of Ops with 61 Sqn by then, his last posting being to 1661 Conversion Unit as a Sqn Ldr Instructor at RAF Winthorpe from the 29th June 1943 onwards.
This is why I love to just wander around on youtube, sometimes you come across strange stuff you weren't looking for. This is just fascinating.
"There goes the cookie", Wow, how calm and professional there heroes were back then... We owe them an unplayable debt of gratitude, God keep them in your eternal grace 🙏
The skipper sounds so calm and in control throughout. No doubt he was as frightened and concerned as anybody would be, but you can hear what it takes to lead in those circumstances.
You can imagine the other 7 boys in that aircraft trusted that man more than their own mother - and listening to that audio you can understand why.
Brave beyond all comprehension. Freezing cold and miles away from home night after night for up to 12 hours at a time I'm told knowing in all likelihood they'll never come back. They never even told each other that they were nervous or scared they just kept it to themselves. This generation won't ever know the hardness of these men. My grandad was in agony with cancer but never heard him utter a single word of complaint.
Well said.
Johannes Liechtenauer The quality of Western soldiers nowadays isn't as good. Very few in the West have the "die for my country mindset". Meanwhile China's soldiers are ready to die for their country, same with North Korea and Russia.
AIC SKS They do it for the money.
Trying having a "die for my country" attitude as a soldier after taking a look at modern colleges. Then take a look at riots that form from wanting historical statues taken down. Then look at what people think of you if you have the wrong political opinion. ect.
I did my time in service. It's a experience I'll never forget. I joined up 2003 obviously motivated from the actions of 9/11. The country was different then, the country was angry but united. Now it's just soft children.
Western civilization has reached a point where the quality of life is so good that people create things to be outraged about.. to give them a purpose. I'd never fight for this country again the way it is now.
Skyslimit86 Nazis in America are the enemy and those Brits in the bombers if they were alive today would beat the living daylights out any Nazis!!!
"4000 pounder's just gorn orf" "oh, good show!" "that's not bad at all!"
Listening it’s as if I am on the airplane with them. Incredible confidence and professionalism. I have flown in wartime with aircrews in Vietnam. There is no room for fearful outburst but only to remain focused on the job at hand. These men were in the thick of it and at any moment they could be dead but you would never know it listening to them. Amazing.
@dhouse HUH?
My Grandad was a tail gunner for a Lancaster bomber and also Wellington during the war, flew flights numerous flights over Germany, I remember bringing ww2 plane books to read with him and he still knew how to identify all the aircraft from both sides. Such a legend and someone I deeply miss always
One hears about the British "stiff upper lip" etc...But here you "see" it in action...They deserved to win the war...
They are experienced professionals; why is this some surprise to people? Listen to B-52 crews over Hanoi, same thing. This isn't some unique quality the British possess.
Brits just have a most unique and, in my opinion, awesome way to deal with situations of extreme distress - back then and still today.
I once saw a video made by a British soldier on patrol in Iraq, around 2010 IIRC. They came under light but close mortar fire. As was their SOP (standart operational procedure) they took shelter under their Warrior IFVs. At this point the cameraman said "He, lads. I wanna switch off the camera, say goodbye!" And everbody squeezed under the tank with him in in full combat gear, mortars going off withing 50 meters of them, waved and smiled in a relaxed way and said "Goodbye!".
😂🥰
Beautiful mix of regional accents amongst the crew.
Pre-homogenisation. And as you say beautiful to hear.
I was struck by the lovely accents too. Magic.
The British military used to focus on diversity of regions, but now they only focus on "diversity" of race, gender and sexuality.
@@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684 I mean Britiain still has the most accents of any nation on earth, so I wouldn't say homogenisation has occured. Definitely cut the edges which is a shame, but most accents are still going strong
@@Dushmann_ what are you on about, stop cryi ng. The only reason they do adverts with a diverse group is because it's advertising they need recruits. If you want them to do less of this advertising because it upsets you, then we'll have to have an even smaller airforce.
1:33 "UUUhhhh I could do with a pint"
Biggles Wish I could get him one.
And a bloody stiff chaser. A very large one.
Truly British
Hope he got his pint, sure ass hell deserved one.
Jens Nobel dude, what good did it do anyone? England is weecked, Germany is wrecked, western civilization is wrecked...why did we fight Germany?
I had tears in my eyes listening to this, these were not supermen they were young men who knew they were dancing with death, just like everyone who has put their lives on the line for others.
It takes an exceptional kind of spirit to do do that time and time again to the end, day or night.
They were proud to be British. And fought and died as proud British men..may your god always be your wingman.
Such young men who sound mature way beyond their years! Loved the excitement when the mid gunner hit one....
I too became teary eyed and started to reflect on what these men and women did for freedoms.
Life was different then ... Very different... Young men were expected to behave like their fathers.. being an adult meant just that..
The most exceptional is Jesus because of what he did, giving his life, not just for those who love him but even for those who hated him
Unbelievable...so calm...so polite...so professional... So young....so committed...god bless you all...❤️
that's called Air Force... yep
Your 21 year old today doesn’t talk like this anymore
"Yeah they're searching for us, bastards"
"Oh hell..."
"Certainly illuminates things doesn't it?"
"Sure does...I could do with a pint"
Flying over enemy territory at night, hundreds of miles from home, German searchlights lighting up the sky and his only thought it having a beer. Top class.
bit sad innet
Heroes those Lancaster crews. To know you may never come home each time. Scary.
1:18 in case y’all wanna hear
@@minchmoorramblers6856 And no four letter words in the jaws of death.....remarkable
...
Wacko ,Norks alert!
It has always amazed me at how in every recording of RAF crews I’ve ever heard, they are always so calm, even while being shot up. Amazing.
This is a trait with all aircrew it seems right up to today
The British stiff upper lip, eh?
Being calm was an expected state to be in ... It was taken for granted ..
2 Australians, one Scotsman and the rest British in the crew.
@@XxBloggs The rest sounded English. Since when have the Scots not been British? The British are Welsh, Scottish, English, and Northern Irish. I'm an Englishwoman, also British, same as Scots, also British. The island of Great Britain contains three countries, and the UK four. xx
02:41 - "Hello skipper" - Yes - "We've been holed in the front here....Oil leaking out...nothing to worry about"..... - Absolute balls of steel these chaps!
I do some work for a chap who's Father was a Lancaster navigator, he flew 30 missions.
His Son, the chap I worked for, was with a group who got to taxi round an airfield in a Lancaster. He broke his leg while trying to twist out of the way of another passenger.
His Dad, never, ever, let him forget he flew 30 missions without a scratch, and the Son broke his leg on a peace time runway roll.
The most... by far the most moving recording I have ever heard. Especially knowing the average age of those crews... just 21. Remarkable, brave young men.
Pilot: "Where is he[enemy nightfighter], rear gunner. an you see him?" (sound of machine guns firing) Rear gunner: "Down, down..he's come down! Pilot: "Did you shoot him down?" Rear gunner: "Yeah...! " The entire crew cheers in triumph. Pilot: "Okay, don't shout all at once!"
The gunner said 'He's GONE down.. he's going down!'
well im sure you wouldn't be very sain if you were under that pressure and fear.
Australian crew
robynn He's got him boy!....Right in the middle!
@washington gibz . Here are the facts: Air Vice Marshal (AVM) E. H. Stephenson AO OBE Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), ex 207 Squadron RAF, identifies the pilot as Flight Lieutenant (Flt Lt) Ken Letford, and the Navigator "Conn" as Warrant Officer H. Connelly RAAF. The 207 Squadron RAF Association in England identify the remainder of the crew as Sergeant (Sgt). C. Stewart, Flight Engineer; Flt Lt W. Bray, Bomb Aimer; Sgt W. Sparks, Wireless Operator; Flying Officer J. Fieldhouse, Mid-Upper Air-Gunner; Sgt. H. Devenish, Rear Air-Gunner, all RAF.
"Could do with a pint" brilliant. Good lads. We will never forget ♥
Today's " chatter" probably couldn't be played on the airways...too many expletives. Boy, does the world owe these gentlemen a whole lot of regards!! What can you say? Thank you from across the Pond. God Bless your Island, the Commonwealth & Canada. Friends & Kin forever.
Haha They are being shot at and theyre life is in danger and not one curse
I've heard/read from WW1 veterans that when soldiers stop swearing, then you know it's a very serious situation.
For many people back then, saying words like "hell" and "bastard" was actually the equivalent of saying "fuck and "shit" today.
You are right Shirley, these brave guys did not stand on ceremony. Thank you ma-am. From the UK.
Are you saying this because you’ve actually heard contemporary military air crew communication, or are you just basing this on what you’ve seen in the movies?
Wow, what an incredibly intimate insight into history. So privileged to even hear their voices and conversations. These men were utterly selfless. The odds stacked against them and day after day they did their duty. So brave. God bless them all and the ones that did not make it home. I pray for the day when there are no more wars.
absolute bloody legends...they shall not grow old...
@@rickywood2369 And a much poorer place without them!
@@mesaverde2042 Cock end!
The inscription on the RAF Bomber Command Memorial in London says: "Freedom is the sure possession of those alone who have the courage to defend it."
This was a recording of the aircraft intercom system. These guys were heroes. Notice how professional they were? I had a cousin who flew Halifaxes in the RCAF.
'F' for Freddie, flown by flt Ken Letford out of RAF Langar, 1943 207 SQD ,..... Essen 3/4 April,10 detailed 10 returned Strettin 20/21,8 detailed 8 returned, April,Berlin 3/4 April, 11 detailed 10 back 1 failed to return.
LEST WE FORGET.
F
ua-cam.com/video/qtKTvCikdLc/v-deo.htmlsi=GNCD_Pi0bo2O6Lee
F for Freddie mentioned at minute 17
the plane needed big wings and multi propellers just to carry these guys testicals. True story
Maybe for the Yanks
im not a yank
@CA Babyboomer both are scary, but imagine trying to bail out of a aircraft blind at night .. terrifying brave sods
@CA Babyboomer the British started there bombing campaign with daytime air raids, but RAF bombers incurred massive losses, so the british switched to night time bombing... when the US entered the war the US Airmen figured they could do what the RAF could not: bomb during the day without incurring prohibitive losses.
@CA Babyboomer My grandad was an RAF bomber pilot, also survived the war and I got to hear his stories from his mouth, truly amazing
"Hello Skipper."
"Hello."
"We've been holed in the front here. Oil's leaking out of the front turret so it's nothing to worry about."
Plus: The Lancaster was heavily designed and could take a phenomenal amount of punishment. Minus: The escape hatch was tiny and only 15% of crew managed to bail out, compared to 50% in the American B-17. And they were trying to escape a dying plane at night.
I'm blown away with how cool they all sound. They may as well be saying "Yeah, I'll have two lumps with my tea old boy." Incredible.
Ah, that unflappable calm. "Hello, engineer, this is Skipper here, be a good lad and put the kettle on, would you? There' a good lad." And who could forget 'Lookie, lookie, lookie, there go the cookies''. Man, they don't make 'em like that anymore.
I also liked the part about 'there goes my bottle.' If I understand it correctly, they would drop their used bottles with the bombs because some believed it made a whistling sound and would scare the Germans.
TheCanadiangirl4 .....bottles were available for the crew to relieve themselves in as in cabin latrines we're not available 😃 So when he sends his bottles, it's a "present or gift" to Jerry!!!
lol. I actually did know they used the bottles that way, I just didn't want to say it. I read a book written by a RCAF Bomber Command pilot who mentioned doing that over Germany. :)
Steve Gyetko cookie meaning a huge bomb
Steve Gyetko I'll have to have another listen. I thought he said "put the throttles up" indicating he needed a little more speed to stay level on the bomb run.
My next door neighbor flew 96 missions over Italy and Germany, two tours with the Army Air Corp. Ditched three times in the English Channel. When he passed, his obituary was a full column in the paper, He never told us, but he had three Distinguished Flying Crosses from three different countries, scads of other awards too. These were guys in their teens and 20's doing this shit, amazing.
If he's still around, please tell him Yorkshire thanks him.
Any chance of his name, so we can read his adventures?
Now we have online "influencers" 🤬
this is perhaps one of the most incredible recordings i've ever heard. thanks fpr postiong.
I'm german, but I can share the relieved emotions of the crew, when their tail gunner shot down the destroyer 9:00. Yet I hope the german pilot did survive
I'm English/German I have admiration for both sides my grandparents were fighting each other then they get married soon after lol.
All nations have done bad historically. The Germans with Nazism, The British and French with Colonialism, we Americans with Slavery/Racism and the Military Industrial Complex.
Individuals must learn from these mistakes our parents made as to not repeat them. Honor to all our ancestors.
@esobed1 Well, look at it this way: if it weren't for colonialism, neither you nor any of your countrymen would even be here today, and without the US things in Europe would have taken a very ugly turn.
Things have a way of working out.
@@Cal-Corgan I wouldn't be here... but I (or some DNA variant) would be "there", wherever "there" was. I say this to dispute that this may be the best outcomes that we know. Other outcomes could have been better.
What if China became a Democracy after WW2?
What if the Russian Federation was integrated into the EU and NATO in the 1990?
What if there was a true effort to a two-state solution in Palestine/Israel back in the 1990s... Or the 1940s?
It could have been better but we have to work with what we got.
@@esobed1 Yup. That's why I don't believe in fate. What happens now is dictated by a decision you made in the past. It's done. No alternative is possible.
Much respect from Alabama!
We love the uk!!
Thanks mate! Respect to you guys in the States from the UK! My relatuve was a rear gunner on a Lancaster but was killed in action in 1943. These men were so brave that i dont think it can be replicated today. We all owe them and everyone else who fought our lives. Lest we forget
@@Temerald51 Totally agree... all brave young men👍....British, commonwealth and American! 🇺🇸 🇬🇧. We salute you all!
@@stefanwalker3810 And we salute you back! I'm a serving member of the British military and I'm proud of what all our nations did together to repel the threat!
You too.
Respect also to Canadians, S Africans, Rhodesians, Indians, Aussies and Kiwis who fought for freedom! God Bless them all…from a humble and grateful Texan
I worked with elderly veterans, in care homes, in my youth.
Listening to the stories as I helped them with meals, or cleaned up their rooms.
I remember the stories from one particular gent who was a tail gunner.
I heard them from an older man, reminiscing.
For the first time today, I hear them first hand, as they happened.
It makes me shiver.
Thank you for your efforts.
Your transported there. Amazing. I was on the edge of my seat.
I’ve heard this several times before but I’m still choked up and with tears in my eyes. Their bravery can’t be described by a simple word from a dictionary. Victoria Cross winners, every man jack of them.
Aye it is true what they say.
Hard times, make strong men.
Strong men, make good times.
Good times, make weak men.
Weak men, make hard times.
Freedom
Apathy
Tyranny
Revolution
Freedom
So true!
@@americanman4746 being aware of knowledge and its path should allow one not to repeat it if that knowledge brings wrongness ,hence what is the problem unless fake knowledge is imparted upon us😒
@Jude M I would argue that we are at step 3 with attempts being made to destroy links to the past, free speech being hindered, free thought being repressed, mob rules pushing out the law. Revolution will be the pushback from the conservative element on the progressives.
Jude M Is that so? Is it that no one asks why one side will end up destroying the other? How pathetic indeed, millions have died and the world still clings onto it’s tribalistic nature. They know that tribalistic nature will lead to division and eventually conflict. But they excuse it under the notion that it will be a loss of culture. Under the notion that a culture of a society must always stay the same as it has been in the past. But it will change.
Whether it is for the greater or worse.
The modern left you speak of are but mere opportunists using the banner of the movement that founded the very NHS, do not be mistaken with who the real left are like the Germans were mistaken.
The left and the right seek to fix problems but the extreme people within them just end up shit stirring and creating conflict.
Amazing video. A lot of people stereotype the RAF to be really posh whereas they were mostly everyday working class people, this was due to the actors that were used in the films after the war being generally from affluent families. Great to hear the voices of genuine everyday people that were fighting.
Chris Cummings
Because the pilots in the movies all has upper class accents.
But research shows that about 30% at most had RP.
I always understood to be a fighter pilot, you were an officer, which usually meant you would of sounded a bit posh, so I don't think it is a myth at all. Not sure about Bomber crew though.
@@barrynichols2846 Where have you got that percent from?
@@Dom-fx4kt Not so; if you were good enough you were posh enough.
Thanks for posting this. My grandfather flew 33 missions as a tail gunner in a Halifax.
Thank you for posting this!
Very sobering. What a different world and people there was then. Imagine the language nowadays.
Chris Puddy Just watch any modern war movie. US soldiers are rarely gentlemen. Instead they are low income people looking for a stable career. Gang members, Hicks, inbeciles...poor bastards.
Dr. Rico lies
Chris Puddy yes britistanish
It would just be arguing about what pronouns to use for each other.
J Burke excuse me did my finger slip from M to N back there? Oh I'm dearly sorry for that. My ignorance is now on the whole internet for everyone to see. Please forgive me dear sir!
Amazing audio and paintings, thank you. My Dad, Gordon H Craig, flew as Flight Engineer in Lancaster C-Charlie, 44 Squadron based at Waddington. They were shot down by an ME109 over Osnabrück on October 6th, 1942; two crew members were lost & the others (including my Dad) were caught and taken prisoner after bailing out. He was sent to Stalag Luft III, then after several escape attempts he was transferred to the harsher Stalag VIIIB, in Upper Silesia. Towards the end of the war, as the Russian Army was advancing, the guards abandoned the camp; using the prisoners as human shields and forcing them onto what became the Lamsdorf Long March, or the ‘Death March’ (which was what my Dad always called it).I still have his diary from that, and am struck by how often ‘ordinary Germans’ from farms and villages tried to help the prisoners with food, despite facing risk from the prison camp guards.
In an odd twist of fate, C-Charlie was shot down at 21.30 hours on Sunday, October 6th, 1942. I was born at exactly that time, day and date in 1946!
Lovely story. Remarkable times and remarkable people.
This is the most unreal conversation I've ever heard... th level of calmness of these men is just unbelievable.
Did a job for a bloke Jerry Bateman a Lancaster pilot. My mate and myself were into planes and when we saw a model Lancaster in his lounge room we got talking.
Really nice guy, seems he took a bit of shine to us and went and photocopied all his missions out of a book and all the details and handed them to me as I left.
Still got it all. All of them over Germany except two in Italy.
460 Squadron RAAF south of Grimsby UK. God bless them all.🇦🇺
Great audio video.👍