Air Vice Marshal Larry Lamb served with the RAF for 38 years, he took part in World War II and the Berlin airlift. Larry explains that his interest started when his Aunt bought him a book about the RAF. Larry went on to volunteer to join the RAF in 1941. Larry talks about training, explaining that candidates had to fly a Tiger Moth aircraft in under 12 hours of instruction to proceed. He passed this stage of training, with it only taking 8 hours of instruction. Training continued in Canada and Larry impressed so much that he was eventually put up for commission (made an officer) and was chosen to become a flight instructor. Larry continued as a flight instructor for the rest of the war. After the war, Larry joined Transport Command and went to Germany to fly in the Berlin airlift as a second pilot. During his time as a second pilot, he gained some much needed experience with that type of aircraft. This experience led to him joining No. 47 squadron as a captain, where he continued his work during the airlift. On his first flight in the airlift, he recalls the ‘shambolic’ state of Berlin, describing it as a very sobering experience. He describes that a standard day consisted of two trips, each lasting about two and a half hours there and back. The cargo transported into Berlin was mostly coal, sometimes tobacco. Larry mentions that contact with the Germans was discouraged at the time. Later in life Larry became Vice President of the British Airlift association and in 2008 showed his Royal Highness around the allied museum. Larry also went on to referee top flight international rugby!

Terence Crowley was an aircraft engine fitter during the Berlin Airlift. He was stationed at RAF Uetersen near Hamburg. Upon joining the RAF in 1946, Terence was sent to north Yorkshire and commenced his role working on Vickers Wellington twin engine bombers. After gaining valuable experience, familiarising himself with the aircraft and completing training with high marks, he was posted to several difference locations throughout England. This range of postings took him to RAF bases from the west midlands to Bedfordshire and ultimately to Norfolk where he began work overhauling Lancaster bombers. Speaking with great humour Terence recalls how, having never flown before, he was unexpectedly required to became part of a crew for a test flight of a Lancaster bomber which he himself had been responsible for fitting the engines in. Shortly afterwards, he was dispatched to Germany, working on a variety of planes from communication aircraft to any aircraft needing attention during the Berlin Airlift. He recollects many fond memories of his time in Germany, including mixing with fellow workers from Germany and America, ballroom dancing and delivering newspapers to Berlin. In addition to his role as engine fitter, Terence was given added responsibilities including tanker driver and VIP fitter, looking after both dignitaries and their planes. He talks knowledgably about the daily wider operations of the RAF and reflects on the deep sadness of discovering a colleague had been lost at sea. Terence felt relief when the air lift was over but commends the efforts of all involved in a project he remarks as being “well worth doing”.

John wanted to fly since the age of ten, when, on the top deck of an open trolley bus he saw a Rapide biplane land at Croydon aerodrome. He joined the RAF during WW2 and later served as a signals engineer on the Avro York. Unknown to the crew his aircraft was used as a ‘guinea pig’ test of GCA (Ground Controlled Approach). GCA was a procedure where ground control guides the aircraft in during bad visibility and was widely used during the Berlin Airlift. This enabled aircraft to land every two to three minutes, even during the severe winter weather. During the Airlift John flew 356 trips and only one of these was aborted. One time he flew with a pilot who was so drunk that he was unable to carry out the pre-flight visual inspection but flew correctly once they were airborne. After a crash at Wunstorf which killed the crew, John served as one of the pallbearers at the funeral. He was in his early twenties and never thought about dying, believing that fate played a large part in matters of life and death. On the 60^th anniversary of the Airlift the Berlin Airlift Association went to Templehof airfield in Berlin for a memorial service. Here he was thanked by the elderly and the very young, an experience he found moving. At the time of the Airlift he thought he was only doing his duty but later he became aware of its importance of it to Berliners.