BOMBER COMMAND ASSOCIATION IN AUSTRALIA Inc.

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