BOMBER COMMAND ASSOCIATION IN AUSTRALIA Inc.

BOMBER COMMAND ASSOCIATION IN AUSTRALIA Inc.
President Ron Houghton DFC
2502/37 Glen Street
Milsons Point NSW 2061.
Tel. 9954 7000
Secretary Rodney Higgs
42 Eton Road
Lindfield. NSW. 2070.
Tel. 9416 4484
Page 1 of 8
Treasurer Mr Anthony Trayhurn
4 Fern Street
Pymble NSW 2073
Tel. 9488 7436anthony.trayhurn@rabobank.com
Editor – Geoff Raebel 1/27 National Avenue Loftus 2232 Tel (02) 9521 3070 email geoff@raafinrussia.com
Membership contact - Ken Gilkes, 7 Poole Street, Longueville. 2066. Tel (02) 9427 1192
Lunches and functions – Secretary Rodney Higgs
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
On February 3rd this year
Sydney folk had the
pleasure of sighting two
super liners in Sydney
harbour, both part of the
Cunard stable, namely
Queen Elizabeth II and
Queen Mary II. Their
cabins and lounges are a
far cry from the earlier
MK1 sisters, used as troop
ships during WW II. How
many Air Force bods were
carried as “passengers”
from Australia to UK or
from New York to
An arrowhead of modern 460 Squadron honouring the new C.O.
Greenock? Amenities
were twelve bunks to a
cabin plus two meals per day. The American troops onboard were somewhat worse off with three to a
bunk - a hot bed system where each trooper had possession of the bunk for 8 hours! Total complement on
board the Elizabeth I was around 15 to 18 thousand servicemen. How many could the Eliz II carry today
should the circumstance arise?
As I write this message we are approaching the 90th birthday of the RAAF on 31st March. We are
thankful our founding fathers selected 31st March and did not follow the RAF’s birthday - 1st April!! In
each of our state capitals events have been organised to celebrate the 90th. I trust many members are able
to partake in some of these activities.
Looking a little further down the road we have our Anzac Day March, Monday 25th April. Form up at the
usual place at 10.00am in Elizabeth Street near the corner of King Street behind the Bomber Command
Banner, with medals worn. We are endeavouring to have a new Bomber Command Banner in time for the
march, so keep an eye open for the banner behind the 10 Squadron group. After the march, lunch will

follow for members and guests at the Royal Auto Club. Please complete the lunch booking slip on Page7
and forward it to Rodney Higgs ASAP (address on slip). Also this might be a good time to pay your
membership subscription $15.00 if you are running a little late.
This year VE Day celebrations will be on Monday 9th May. Our usual short march up Pitt Street has been
abandoned and in its place we will form up in Martin Place close to Pitt Street, at 11.00am (gather say at
about 10.45 am). After form up, we will make a short march to the Cenotaph for wreath laying. Lunch
will follow at the NSW Parliament House at 12 noon for 12.30 sit down. Please note the date, the 9th May
not the 8th as it falls on Sunday. Please complete the booking slip on Page 8 and forward it to Rodney
Higgs ASAP.
“There was movement at the station for the word had got around that the Bomber Command Memorial in
London has not gone away” (with respects to Banjo Paterson). After much fund raising, finally the
organising Committee in UK have reached the required monetary goal. Work is under way and the
anticipated dedication is expected to be in the early half of 2012. In our next Newsletter we hope to be
able to give you more details and bring you up to date.
Ron Houghton
NOT ALL TOUGH TARGETS IN THE 1943/44 WINTER WERE BERLIN
TRY FRANKFURT 20/21 DEC.’43 – 650 ON, 41 LOST ­ 6.3%
ONE OF THE 6.3% ­ P/0 JACK HECKENDORF & CREW OF 50 SQDN
On 19 July ’41, a 23 yr old, born in Lockhart, fronted up at Bradfield Park, later graduated as a pilot and
led his 50 Sqdn Bomber Command crew on the Frankfurt operation on the night of 20/21 Dec 1943
when not everything went as they would have preferred.
The Bomber Command War Diaries record that the German control rooms plotted the bomber stream
from the English coast all the way to Frankfurt. Combats were a feature en route to the target and a
Mannheim diversion force did not succeed in drawing off the German night fighters; ironically the 44
planes in that force suffered no losses. The war diaries state - ‘it was quieter on the way home from
Frankfurt’ – too late for Jack Heckendorf & crew. The bombing did not go according to plan for the PFF
had a ground marking plan based on the Met. forecast of clear weather over the target – it was 8/10ths
cloud. To further complicate things, the Germans lit up an effective decoy target with dummy markers 5
miles S.E of the city. Even so, damage in Frankfurt was extensive.
This story continues via an edited version of a very compassionate letter dated 20 August 1945 from the
ex POW RAF wireless operator of the crew to the mother of Jack. The letter came via Jack’s niece, a
friend of our President Ron & wife Nanette
“Dear Mrs Heckendorf,
“May I introduce myself; I was your son’s wireless operator, Arthur Hope……. This letter is of
our last bombing trip over Europe. I thought you might like to know what happened at the last moments
of that fateful trip and thus relieve any doubts or anxieties you may be experiencing.
“As you know, ‘twas on the 20 th Dec.’43; the target Frankfurt-au-Main when we gathered
together at briefing. I could sense that every member of our ‘smashing’ crew, if I may use that term to
describe them, felt as I did; namely that on this trip, something was going to happen. But, Mrs
Heckendorf, may I add that not one backed down from that trip. They were thinking as I did, if anything
was coming, it would come to all of us as a crew which speaks a lot for the unity and feeling which
existed among us……., a crew who had met, worked, played, joked and fought together. I do not mention
the word ‘quarrelled’ as there was never any difference of opinion among us. Therefore, it was as we all
wanted it; if anything happened, we were all together, ready for anything.
“The trip was the same as any other, uneventful, until we were approaching the target and
preparing for the bombing run. As wireless operator, I looked out always whenever my work permitted.
An extra pair of eyes was always helpful, especially near the target. I looked out of my left hand side
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window and there, silhouetted against the flares, was a Junkers 88, climbing to attack us from below. I
informed the skipper and told him to ‘get weaving’. Needless to say, he did. But it was about twenty
seconds too late; cannon shells were already ripping into the bomb bay. Never will I forget that moment.
Three shells hit us and then he was away. Our pilot was, all this time, doing all he had been taught and
doing it really magnificently.
“I then had to attend to my wireless set. The next I can recall was, on looking out once again, the
enemy was attacking us from astern and his tracer was streaming through the wing, setting the port
engines and wing tanks on fire. I saw that there was nothing I could do; that it was all up to the skipper
and gunners who were fighting back with all they had.
“Again I had to attend to the set……. The next thing ‘Heck’ flashed me on the call light, saying
‘Abandon aircraft!’ I then clipped my chute on and went to the rear of the aircraft. As far as I know,
nobody had been injured to that time. I clambered over the main spar and was trying to clamber over the
second spar so that I could get to the rear exit when the aircraft went into an uncontrolled spiral dive. In
such a dive, the gravity pressure is so great that you can hardly move. I found that I could not lift my feet
from the floor. So I just sat on the rest bed and stared at the incendiaries which I could see through the
ripped floor of the aircraft. They were well alight. My thoughts at that moment were ‘Well, when the
cookie goes off, it will be quick anyway….I had no means of knowing what the rest of the crew were doing
or how they were faring as my headset was off, preparatory to baling out.
“My last impression was of the aircraft illuminated inside by the blazing incendiaries, every rivet
was indelibly imprinted on my mind and of placing my hand on the grip of my chute. Then I was blown
out, losing consciousness. I woke to hear a terrific explosion as the aircraft exploded with full bomb load
above me. I found myself swinging on the harness beneath the opened canopy of my chute.
“I remember watching one tail fin hurtling down and of thinking, if that hits my chute, it will make
a mess. I must have been blown out when the petrol tanks exploded. At least, that is what the bomb aimer
and I concluded when we met later. The force of the explosion must have pulled my hand on the grip, thus
causing the chute to open as I don’t remember opening it myself.
“Following that tail fin down into the middle of the target, I can only dimly recall what looked
like to me, a puff of white smoke, but which later turned out to be the bomb aimer’s parachute below me.
No other chutes were visible. So, I concluded the rest of my magnificent crew had paid the supreme
sacrifice. ….. I find consolation inasmuch that their glorious but tragic death was instantaneous,
absolutely, as the aircraft exploded with a full bomb load aboard. Any chance of their suffering was very
remote, it was so quick just like a snap of your fingers. No suffering or agony of bullet torn flesh but the
death we all wanted, if it had to come.
“Your son, Mrs Heckendorf, to quote a phrase, I have told my father ‘If I can be half the
gentleman my pilot was, in my future life I shall be happy’. How happy we all were under his leadership
and how highly we regarded him, not only as a good skipper but as a dammed fine fellow. I am saying
this from my heart Mrs Heckendorf, I feel honoured to have met such a man. I know I shall never ever
meet another such fellow who has the sterling qualities, human understanding, firmness and strength of
character my skipper had. ….… I do miss him.
“….I regret that my first letter to you has to be of such a sad nature……. But I felt I just had to
write. I regret the delay in writing after being repatriated but I have visited most of the relatives of the
rest of the crew…. …. Last minute conversations I cannot remember. At the time, they would have been
about the operation that night for at such a time, all other matters are forgotten…….. The memory of
such a fellow I will carry with me all my life for he has set me a standard and example to live up to. I
hope that, when I do go, we shall meet high above the clouds, the clouds over which we had flown so
often together for so long. I apologise if I have rekindled sad memories and also if I have done the wrong
thing by writing. However, it there are any questions you would like me to answer, I shall do my utmost to
do so.“To quote a line or two from David Masters’ book ‘So Few’ – ‘Once a pilot has taken off, he is the
captain of his ship and of his own soul; in no other sphere is it possible for individualism and initiative to
shine so brilliantly’.
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“….. I send my heartfelt and sincere wishes to all of you. From Arthur.”
Ed - JWF. Many of us had the experience, on return to Australia in 1945/46 of conveying, often face to
face, similar messages to family and friends of colleagues lost on the other side of the planet while flying
with a Bomber Command squadron. Often, having to that time only had the very bland and dreaded
official telegrams, it was the first real enlightening they gleaned of life on Bomber Command operations.
Having had that experience in February 1946 as a confident and very much alive 21 year old, facing, in
the comfort of their lounge room, still grieving parents of an only son lost flying with our squadron on the
raid on Brux in January 1945, in retrospect I am far from satisfied that I handled the meeting well. I
admire the strength and the compassion ‘Arthur Hope’ showed in his letter to Mrs Heckendorf. Recent
contact with the late Jack Heckendorf’s 97 year old very alert sister confirmed that the letter was much
appreciated by the family, even almost two years after the loss of a loved brother.
Whoa Bessie!
Those aficionados of nose art may know JO-F (Whoa Bessie) the
Lancaster nose at the Imperial War Museum London. It has a
strange story. The aircraft was in for maintenance and a fitter
was in the pilot's seat holding the brakes on. Bored he began
working his way around the "Office" seeing a large red toggle
handle he pulled it, dumping fuel. Inevitably there was a fire
which consumed much of the aircraft and only the nose was
salvageable. For some reason it survived to complete the
Waddington Lancaster collection in London. (PO-S JO-F). The
story was related to the Editor by Bruce Buckham in January 2011
The Victory Tests ­ The lull after the storm
A book by Mark Rowe, referred to me by Don Southwell 467-463. Without having read it, I understand it
is mostly aimed at cricket lovers and social historians of the English class system and colonial relations.
Review taken from Mark Rowe's web site.
One minute before 7pm on Tuesday, May 22, 1945 a packed Lord’s roared as Australia beat England in
the last over of the first Victory Test. A fortnight after Victory in Europe, the result did not matter – only
the cricket.
The five matches between a near full-strength England and Australian servicemen, at least one of whom
had just been released from a POW camp, drew huge crowds. Great cricketers played on both sides: Len
Hutton, Wally Hammond, Keith Miller, Lindsay Hassett. Everyone hailed the spirit of sportsmanship.
Even the result – a 2-2 draw – was satisfying.
Yet this story is forgotten today. The only history of the series is a limited-edition Australian book on the
subject. Three "Tests" took place at Lord's, not because of any southern bias but because of transport
problems and also that few other major venues were usable, and even Old Trafford, the scene of the final
match, was being repainted and renovated by prisoners of war on the eve of the game.
For the Australians, desperate to return to their families, it did not end when they left England, either, as
the success of the series led to them being sent on a tour of India and then having to play all the states
when they eventually got back home at the very end of the year.
The story has characters – besides the stars, men such as the Australian Dambusters Squadron pilot Ross
Stanford; the quiet un-Australian, Australian spin bowler Reg Ellis; and the English teenagers Donald
Carr and John Dewes, who were on the wrong end of Keith Miller discovering that he was the fastest
bowler in the world.
Page 4 of 8

By using the available sources to the full – newspapers
of the time, memoirs, deposited records in England and
Australia, recollections of surviving players The
Victory Tests details what made the dressing rooms
tick – in England’s case, the class system of amateurs
and professionals; and the tensions inside the
Australian team too.
Besides the see-sawing games – the largely unknown
Australians playing beyond themselves – it’s a story of
players and sports lovers alike emerging joyously after
years of war.
Cricket mirrored wider society – people hoped for
brighter cricket, just as they hoped for a better post-war
world. Their hopes, inevitably, were disappointed. The
Australians, wearied by a colourful tour of India, did
poorly in matches on their return home and largely
returned to obscurity. Even the bomber men’s war
efforts were later derided.
Yet while the Victory Tests were not officially for the
Ashes, they offer a refreshing change from the
commercial and cynical cricket of the 21st century. The
1945 series brought sporting competition with goodwill – something more than the Ashes.
Filming the Pathfinder Drop
Phone interview with Flight Lieutenant Bruce Buckham DSO DFC 20/1/2011
"We always had problems with the Germans camouflaging the damage done by our bombs before the
PRU aircraft arrived the following day to ascertain the effect of the previous night. They of course did
this to affect our morale and to perhaps waste more effort on an already obliterated target.
So on dropping the target markers the Pathfinder had to maintain straight and level flight as the camera
whirred to pick up the target marking. It was fairly tense, presenting a predictable target for the ack-ack
until Frame 6B came up on the instrument panel, then we could dive and turn away clear.
On landing the film was removed immediately and flown to Northolt for processing and evaluation of the
success of the attack.
CHASED BY THE SUN by Hank Nelson
To move from the ridiculous to the sublime, in our Summer 2006/7 issue, we gave excerpts from this
excellent book and now feature another. Mention is made earlier in the extracts from “The Tocchini
Tales’ of the briefing of the Tocchini crew for the raid on Bochum on 4 November 1944. An
extraordinary event on that raid is featured in ‘Chased by the Sun’:
On 4 November 1944, 749 aircraft attacked the Ruhr industrial centre of Bochum. Although the attack
was rated very successful, your scribe on his first op, from his lookout possie in the astro dome developed
a rather dim view of this operational caper as he saw a goodly proportion of the 28 planes that were lost
go down between the target and the Rhine on the way home. Among them was that of Joe Herman whose
miraculous escape is described in the following excerpt from ‘Chased by the Sun’.
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“As darkness fell over the North Sea, Joe’s Halifax became one of
the 749 bombers in the stream. Coned twice over the target,
Herman was relieved when the bombs were gone and the
photograph taken, but just as they were ‘on course for home’
something thudded into the Halifax. The gunners saw no fighters
and the crew guessed they had been hit by flak. In his windscreen,
Herman could see the reflection of the flames behind him and the
engineer, Harry Knott, went back to try and put them out.
Suddenly the Halifax was hit twice more. With more fires breaking
out in the wings, Herman called ‘Bale out! Bale out! Herman
heard the rear gunner leave before the intercom went dead and
guessed the bomb aimer and navigator had gone through the open
front hatch. He saw the mid upper gunner, another Australian,
John ‘Irish’ Vivash dragging his wounded leg as he crawled along
the fuselage towards the hatch. Herman decided it was time to
leave his seat, grab his parachute and clip it to his harness. Just
then the plane rolled, spun and exploded. Herman found himself
in the air with objects around him and in the dim light of the moon
and searchlights he thought he was stationary in the air. Then he
realised he and bits of aircraft were all falling earthwards
together. He even thought that among the debris, he might be able to find his parachute pack. After a
long time falling – he may have fallen two miles – he crashed into something. In his dazed state, he
heard Irish Vivash say, ‘Is there anyone around?’ Joe then realised he had his arms around one of
Irish’s legs. Irish, with one leg badly gashed from flak and with the distractions of parachuting
through the night sky, had not been quick to realise that he had the skipper clinging to him. It seems
that Irish had not opened his parachute until late, otherwise Herman, falling faster, would have been
below him. In one of Irish’s pendulum swings below his canopy, Herman had collided with his legs
and grabbed one.
“Irish suggested as they got close to earth, Joe might ‘drop off’, but Joe was non- committal. ‘Maybe’ he
said. The ground rushed at them, they brushed a tree, Joe hit the ground, Irish landed on Joe’s chest and
cracked a couple of Joe’s ribs. Battered from flak, explosion and heavy landing, Herman and Vivash
stumbled west towards Holland for five nights until hunger and cold forced them to ask for help at a
farmhouse. The German police picked them up. The next day and the two Australians were on their way
to prison camp”.
Ed JWF. Stranger things have happened but I am not sure when or where! Another quote from ‘Chased
by the Sun’ shows how well the author, Hank Nelson, selected material that gives graphic and accurate
pen pictures. This one fits in with the ‘first trip’ theme of other stories in this issue.
“On his first raid over enemy territory, David Scholes flew as second dickey:“Searchlights came from
nowhere. We are at 9,000 feet. We weave violently towards the markings. Flak is coming up, more now. I
see a PFF aircraft coned below and to port and they are giving him merry hell. However he escapes –
good show! Now we are almost there. Never have I experienced such a feeling of excitement as this. The
whole sky is lit up with weird lights – just like a ten times glorified Henley Night. Bombs burst with vivid
white flashes. Flak is all around and light flak, like snakes, comes up to meet us in long red streams. (Ed
JWF. At 9,000 feet, just above the effective range of the deadly German Bofors guns) We steady up for the
bombing run. It seems ages. One feels like a sitting duck, so exposed, or like a man walking across
Piccadilly with no trousers on would feel. At length the bombs go and the crate shudders as they leave the
carriers. Away we go with much power on.” Ed JWF. And with what a feeling of blessed relief!
If you still have not read this book, ‘Chased by the Sun’, it is well worth chasing up.
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Editorial
Space in this newsletter is too precious to indulge myself a spot in each edition but perhaps I should say
where I dropped from. My father was W/O Bob Raebel, a Fitter IIE on Pegasus and Merlins with 455
and the embryo 463 Squadrons. I used to think my Dad talked a lot about the War, looking back, his tales
were mostly 1941-42 when the war was more gentlemanly. Crews might go to the pictures, then come
back to go on a Hampden raid "It's 10/10ths all the way, Bombing on ETA, It's foolish but it's fun"
When I was 8 years old Dad said one day in answer to one of my questions "I don't know, we tried not to
get too close to aircrew. It hurt too much seeing them get killed." I know now he largely wiped 1943-45
from his memory. In 1991 I took him down to see G – George, he stood there for a long time, then said
"We were checking a Lanc next morning after a raid and found a forearm hooked by the elbow around the
fin." It was unidentifiable but just brings to mind the personal tragedies of war.
Separately and on a lighter note, you will notice a change to our masthead. The Committee concurred
with my suggestion to include a picture of a 4 engined heavies, plus one of the lesser aircraft in the
Command Geoff Raebel Ed.
BCAA Function ­ Reminders – Rodney advises that he has few acceptances. Please send
them in asap so he can make bookings so you don't miss out!
BOOKINGS for LUNCH – ANZAC DAY – ROYAL AUTOMOBILE CLUB
I will be attending the lunch at the RAC on Easter Monday 25 th April 2011, after the march 12.30pm
Name: ........................................................................ $50.00
I will be accompanied by:...........................................
Cost at $50 per head covers meal and first bottle of wine per table _______
Cheque enclosed for Total $_______
Please return slip and cheque to Rodney Higgs, 42 Eaton Road, Lindfield, 2070.
Bookings close 15 th April
BOOKINGS for LUNCH – VE DAY – NSW PARLIAMENT HOUSE
After wreath laying at Cenotaph at 11.00am
I will be attending the lunch at NSW Parliament House on Monday 9 th May, 12.00 for 12.30pm.
Name:................................................................................ $65.00
I will be accompanied by:..................................................
Cost at $65 per head covers pre lunch drinks, lunch and drinks with lunch _______
Cheque enclosed for Total $_______
Please return slip and cheque to Rodney Higgs, 42 Eaton Road, Lindfield, 2070.
Bookings close Friday 29 th April
Cut Here‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
Rodney needs advice on this one straight after by Anzac Day to make your booking
Page 7 of 8
BCAA MEMBERSHIPS DUE
Just a reminder for those who have
not caught up this year. Membership
at $15 is pretty cheap when you
consider the printing and postage of
four of these newsletters per year.
For membership forms or payments
to Bomber Command Association
Australia Inc, contact Anthony
Trayhurn whose detail are at the top
of Page 1.
460 Squadron's G – George
before leaving UK

CANBERRA 2011
BOMBER COMMAND ANNUAL C0MMEMORATION DAY FUNCTIONS
Those who have been to past Memorial Services in Canberra will by now have received your invitation
from the Australian war Memorial. Please attend to it ASAP so the Committee have time to prepare.
If you have not received an invitation, contact Steve Hooper on 02 6206 9818 or
www.ceremonies@awm.gov.au The Program is:
4th June, Meet and Greet under wings of ‘G for George’ at the Australian War Memorial at 6.30pm.
5th June, Formal Commemoration Ceremony at AWM in Sculpture Garden, Bomber Command
Memorial
5th June, Luncheon at Rydges Lakeside Hotel at approximately 12.30/1.00pm.
It is possible that a package bus and accommodation will be arranged from Sydney if numbers warrant. If
interested please contact Ron Houghton on 02 9954 7000 or Keith Campbell on 02 9489 3250. Numbers
are critical so please let us know ASAP-as soon as possible.
Flying Officer Phil Martin DFC & Bar
It is my sad duty to report that Phil Martin DFC Bar RAAF has had
his propellers finally stop turning and is now no longer with us.
Phil was well known to me, assisting in my own research efforts
into my relation Ian Ross who was also operational at the same
time with 617 RAF Squadron as he was (he was later killed on or
around 12 Jan 1945 on his second tour).
Phil was invaluable in helping to flesh out Ian from being just a
face in a faded photo to someone that I could understand and know.
Phil was himself a 2 tour veteran (61 RAF Sqdn and 617 RAF
Sqdn), he was perhaps best known for his actions during the
Kembs Barrage Operation in 1944 for which he was awarded the
DFC with immediate effect - after seeing the aircraft on his wing
destroyed by flak he then turned around in a damaged Lancaster to
make another bomb run and put his Tallboy bomb spot on the
target. Thanks in no small measure to the excellent teamwork
between himself and his Bomb Aimer, Don Day.
Phil got through the war, returned to Australia and worked in
various jobs post-war including being a Newspaper reporter.
He is survived by his former Bomb Aimer (who emigrated to Australia), his son and 2 daughters and lots
and lots of grandchildren, his wife having died a few years earlier.
Phil was a Mate and he will be missed greatly. "Only the dead have seen the end of war." A tribute by a
younger friend and BCAA member Stephen Diver of Perth:
The night Guy Gibson was lost
Wing Commander Guy Gibson VC DSO & Bar DFC & Bar was rated by the Germans No1 enemy of the
Reich and perhaps because of that his body was never returned. "I was in his office on the eve of his last
flight19th September 1944 "Bruce Buckham told the editor in January "Guy was acting CO at Hemswell
when a phone call came in from Air Chief Marshal Harris. Harris asked where the CO was then they
discussed the forthcoming raid that evening. Harris then asked who was to lead the raid and Gibson
announced he was. Harris became very stern." "You will not fly tonight! Do you hear me, you will not
fly tonight!"
There was silence, Harris repeated "Do you hear me?" Another brief pause, the Gibson answered "S'ahr!"
and hung up. Gibson went on to lead the raid as Pathfinder Master Bomber and crashed in Holland.
Earlier he had been sent on a lecture tour of the US partially to protect this national hero. Reported by
Bruce Buckham January 2011
Stop press – In a quick call to John Fletcher,
Page 8 of 8
he reports he is improving and has regained
track. I am sure he has all our best wishes