Having always wanted to fly with the RAF, Ralph Tyrrell MBE joined the newly-formed Air Training Corps in 1941. Starting as a Cadet, Ralph’s involvement in the war effort would take him all over the world, and introduce him to a wonderful crew with memories to last a lifetime.  Being part a reliable, high-spirited crew was important, especially in a unit as treacherous as Bomber Command. During the Second World War, the RAF’s Bomber Command suffered the highest number of casualties out of any British unit, and for Ralph and his crew, the risk was all too well-known. Although Lancaster Bombers weren’t the most comfortable to fly in, Ralph's crew was well prepared thanks to their intensive training, alongside the addition of a few lucky mascots to keep morale high. Looking back at his time in Bomber Command, in this film Ralph recalls the happy times and great camaraderie he shared with his crew, as well as his thoughts on some of the more controversial decisions made during the war, like the raids undertaken in Dresden, Germany. Returning to the UK as an Officer, Ralph was awarded an MBE from Queen Elizabeth II in 1993, for fifty years of service in the Air Training Corps, and continued to raise funds each year for the Wings Appeal, in aid of the RAF Association. At the end of the war, though it was difficult to say goodbye to his crew, who had all become like brothers, Ralph was deeply proud to have served his country, retaining his gratitude for the RAF, for helping to shape him from a boy into a man. 

Fred Gardiner sat with his companion on the rear floor of a military aircraft, flying low over the English Channel. Below them, he could see Brighton with great visibility. Missing in action for 5 weeks, Fred looked down at his grandmother’s house, recalling she would have no idea whether or not he was alive. Born in Banbury in 1923, Fred Gardiner volunteered for the Royal Air Force after war broke out, not wishing to be drafted into the army. He trained as a wireless operator air gunner. With his fellow squadron, Fred completed 4 successful military operations on the Lancaster. His 5th operation was to Manheim, Germany. On route, Fred’s aircraft, the Lancaster was hit by a Messerschmitt Bf 110, a German fighter-bomber, where Fred recounts horrific moments of shells, bullets and deafening noise. The aircraft caught fire, and Fred knew he had to evacuate imminently. After releasing the bomb from the aircraft, Fred escaped through the rear and made his exit, parachuting through the night sky. He landed with no shoes, socks and no clue what country he was in. After spending the night, Fred came across a man in a horse and cart. Fred surrendered, with the man escorting him to safety, beginning his dangerous adventure back to the UK: hiding in ditches, encounters with resistance members, near-misses with armed German soldiers, escorted by bicycle, car, on foot, and through the day and night. Fred’s story is a fascinating testimony, revealing how incredibly fortunate he was to survive, both in the air, and in his subsequent escape. By circumstance, it makes Legasee feel lucky to have his memories to share.