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Bomber Boys programme - Sunday 5 Feb

Vivienne14

Vivienne14

Kentish Brummie Moderator
Staff member
For anyone with an interest in the RAF/Bomber Command/Lancaster planes, this proramme is on @ 9.00 tonight on BBC1. Viv.
 
Thought it was very well presented though, both ewan and Colin Mcgregor were great in their approach to the subject and in their involvement with the old crew and German people.Makes you think about what went on but I did think they played down the English bombings in the Blitz a bit.
Sue
 
I saw the program I thought it very balanced, informative and entertaining. Lets get one thing straight, the Germans were never "Victims" only aggressors they not only invented civilian bombing but planned it years in advance starting with Spanish city's in the mid thirty's. Together with the city's bombed in Poland, Russia, Norway, Greece, Holland, and Britain, "Remember poor old Coventry", they were responsible for far more civilian deaths than the RAF. Gobbles held a huge rally in 1940 where asked the German people" do you want war, or total war" the resounding reply was "total war", Hamburg, and Dresden was total war. The young men in those bombers would have wanted to be anywhere, but where they were, and we the British people owe them a thanks that can never be repaid,.
paul
 
paul stacey said:
I saw the program I thought it very balanced, informative and entertaining. Lets get one thing straight, the Germans were never "Victims" only aggressors they not only invented civilian bombing but planned it years in advance starting with Spanish city's in the mid thirty's. Together with the city's bombed in Poland, Russia, Norway, Greece, Holland, and Britain, "Remember poor old Coventry", they were responsible for far more civilian deaths than the RAF. Gobbles held a huge rally in 1940 where asked the German people" do you want war, or total war" the resounding reply was "total war", Hamburg, and Dresden was total war. The young men in those bombers would have wanted to be anywhere, but where they were, and we the British people owe them a thanks that can never be repaid,.
paul
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All I can say to that is "hear hear" had it not been for those brave young men who knows who our masters might have been.
 
My interest in Bomber Command is because my dad was in it and I'm researching his RAF career. It was his life's ambition to join the RAF, following in the footsteps of his uncle who was in the RFC. My dad never talked much about his exploits and I never asked him. I know he went on missions to France dropping agents and supplies for the French underground. He was eventually retired out of the RAF after an accident when their Lancaster ditched into the North sea on a conversion training course. I can imagine this was a pretty awful experience, and they were lucky to survive. He never struck me as a particularly brave person, but I'm sure he was. The rear gunner in the programme summed up for me what it must have felt like for most of these young men and that is that they were terrifed. I can only have admiration for all of them. And thank God for their efforts. Viv.
 
I hope you will make available details of your father's service, Vivienne, as and when you are in a position to do so.

And what of your great-uncle, in the RFC? (I have some stuff online here which gives quite a lot of information about the day-to-day life of one particular RFC/RAF pilot).

Chris
 
82_28PR29quadron_Nairobi_1949~0.jpgBernard, you are correct, really enjoyed it being on the last Lancaster Sqdn in the RAF 82(PR) Squadron, fortunately in peace time 1949 to 1951 in Africa although some of my crew mates were older than me and had served (and survived) during the war, so aerial survey was a doddle to them. Have attached a pic of part of our Sqdn a/c in peace time livery, the one 2nd left is now the Memorial Flight lancaster. Eric
 
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Hi Chris. Many thanks for the link will enjoy reading that. More than happy to share the info I have. I have some photos too. Will post it in an RAF thread. My dad was born in Birmingham and lived all his life in Birmingham except for his RAF service. He was from a slightly unusual background; Brazilian father and Birmingham mother. My gt uncle too was from Brazil. The family always retained their British Subject status, they were merchants out there. Whilst in the RFC 15 Squadon, my gt uncle was a pilot on a photographic flight in March 1917 taking photos of the Hindenburg Line when they were hit by an anti-aircraft shell. The observer was killed and my gt uncle survived, but shot in the leg. He still manged to get the plane across the line with his photographs which were claimed to be 'of much value'. He got a DCM. No wonder he was my dads inspiration for joining the RAF! Viv.
 
I thought the programme was very good. However, its always concened me that some of these men (like many servicemen) have carried almost unbearable scars. I think that some of the 'Boys' that survived probably had buried emotional issues for the rest of their lives which were never dealt with. They set off on missions not knowing which of them would return and whether their closest friends would be around tomorrow. They lost many personal friends. Then after the war coming home to a 'normal' life with no emotional help must have played havoc with relationships. They are certainly heroes, and are all the more so to me because there's an unseen side which rarely seems to be talked about. Viv.
 
paul stacey said:
I saw the program I thought it very balanced, informative and entertaining. Lets get one thing straight, the Germans were never "Victims" only aggressors they not only invented civilian bombing but planned it years in advance starting with Spanish city's in the mid thirty's. Together with the city's bombed in Poland, Russia, Norway, Greece, Holland, and Britain, "Remember poor old Coventry", they were responsible for far more civilian deaths than the RAF. Gobbles held a huge rally in 1940 where asked the German people" do you want war, or total war" the resounding reply was "total war", Hamburg, and Dresden was total war. The young men in those bombers would have wanted to be anywhere, but where they were, and we the British people owe them a thanks that can never be repaid,.
paul
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I fully agree with all you said there .
 
I too agree with the fore.going comments. Too many modern day views are judgements taken out of the context of the times. The mindset of the people who suffered the German onslaught and faced the prospect of defeat were in no mood to go soft when the tables were turned. When the opportunity was presented itself to the British people to express their anger and avenge the memories of those relatives and friends that they had loved and lost, they took full advantage. Lets hope the same determination still lives on in today's population but I have my doubts. willey
 
Paul, that's what I was saying, the grief of the Germans appeared to get more sympathy in the programme when, as you say, they actually started it andour losses were also great, including the aircrew - they must have been very brave or young enough to view it as a lark to beginn with, but conditions must have been dreadful,with even a flask of drink freezing.
Cookie, you have my great admiration for the work you and all your colleagues and predecessors did for their country.
Sue
 
I, too thought the program was very good and also agree with the comments. An Aunt, Uncle and cousin of mine were killed in December 1940 during the Blitz on Birmingham when the public shelter they were in received a direct hit. Also another Aunt, Uncle and Cousins, who lived in South East London were bombed out twice.
I now live in Lincolnshire only a few miles from RAF Coningsby and I am fortunate to see the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight aircraft flying over on a many occasions, quite often very low. The "Blue Bell" pub that featured in the program is only a couple of miles down the road and I must confess to having the odd beverage there. Adjacent to the "Blue Bell" is Thorpe Camp Visitor Centre , which was part of the Domestic Site of RAF Wood Hall Spa,the Airfield which was later the base for 617 Sqdn. after the Dams raid.It was also the base from which Guy Gibson took off from, flying a Mosquito of 627 Sqdn. when he failed to return whilst leading a raid on Rheydt.
The Petwood Hotel, which also featured in the program, has a very interesting small "museum" which is the "Squadron Bar" which has some very interesting memorabilia from the days when it was the Officers Mess for 617 Squadron.
Reg
 
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