I had the great privilege today to meet 8 very gallant gentlemen when I visited RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire, to photograph a reunion of a re-assembled flight crew of a Lancaster bomber
Although the men never actually flew together, their ranks and operational roles were typical of a crew in the Second War. No actual entire crew remains from those distant days
Men like 86 year old Flight Sergeant Stan Franks, (pictured) who at 18 was one of the youngest entrants to the Bomber Command, and who joined up "to fly" and not "to kill people". At these thoughts, Stan's eyes welled with tears and I could see that he was recalling his youth and so many of his comrades. "They called us thugs, you know", he said, once again struggling to retain his emotions, "but we had to do it. It was the only way" It still rankles with him that Bomber Command crews did not get a medal for their heroism, and terrible losses though the campaign
All of the men had their own individual stories of life in a Lancaster - like Jim McGillivray ,also 86, who was an Air Gunner. Demonstrating how difficult it was to get into the tail gunners "bubble" at the rear of plane, he recalled how the Perspex would become smeared with oil, making it impossible to see the fighters approaching, so it would be taken out and they flew at 20000 feet and more with nothing but their flying suits for warmth. "But your bollocks froze", he said with feeling
These men with a collective age of over 600 years, still showed the spirit and lion hearts which made them unique in our history. Despite the terrible toll on their numbers they continued to fly missions daily across Europe. I was told of a bombing raid on Milan, where the planes came in at 100 feet, "so low you could see people eating in the street", and how terrifying it was to see anti aircraft batteries open up on them from that range
I salute and feel humbled by these gallant gentlemen. We shall never see their like again, I fear
