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A veteran interview with

John Collier

In 1948 John Collier found himself driving lorries on an airbase in Germany called Wunstorf.

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About John Collier

John grew up during World War Two and found it an exciting time. His hometown was bombed, and he witnessed the build-up for D-Day. His brother was killed near the end of the war while working in bomb disposal. When it was time for National Service after the war he joined the RAF and was posted to Wunstorf airfield in Germany. He felt sorry for the Germans when he saw the devastation caused by Allied bombing, which he saw to be worse than that caused by German attacks on Britain.

At the airfield he became a lorry driver, helped load the planes and assisted in guarding the airfield.  He enjoyed the work and saw a variety of aircraft, both RAF and civilian, including Yorks, Tudors, Dakotas and Liberators. He found the variety of aircraft interesting but each one presented different loading issues, such as different heights and cargo bay size. As time went on the Airlift became more organised, with less paperwork slowing down the flights. German labourers were used to work on the transports and whilst talking to them many of them said they had served on the Russian front, never on the Western front, against the British or Americans!

As part of his ration he received 100 cigarettes a week, and, as a non-smoker, he could trade these on the black market for goods or German marks. His time spent in Germany helped him feel less hostile towards Germans and now he is proud to have been part of the Airlift.

Credits

Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
Reviewed by:
David Mishan

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Home | Veterans | John Collier

A veteran interview with

John Collier

JohnCollier-e1588418346190

In 1948 John Collier found himself driving lorries on an airbase in Germany called Wunstorf.

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Cite this interview:

MLA Style:
Collier, John. A Veteran Interview with John Collier. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee, 23 Oct. 2012 https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/john-collier/. Accessed 26 Apr. 2025.
APA Style:
Collier, J. (2012, October 23). A Veteran Interview with John Collier [Interview by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee. Retrieved April 26, 2025, from https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/john-collier/
Chicago Style:
Collier, John. 2012. A Veteran Interview with John Collier. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee, October 23. Accessed April 26, 2025. https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/john-collier/
Harvard Style:
Collier, J. (2012). A Veteran Interview with John Collier. [Interviewed by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee, 23 October. Available at https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/john-collier/ (Accessed: 26 April 2025)
Vancouver Style:
Collier, J. A Veteran Interview with John Collier [Internet]. Interview by M. Bisiker. Legasee; 2012 Oct 23 [cited 2025 Apr 26]. Available from: https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/john-collier/
An interview with

Stanley David

He was involved in the war from fifteen and became a gunner in the RAF.

At the age of fifteen Stanley left school and became an Air Raid Precautions messenger. When he reached eighteen he volunteered for the RAF. He became a gunner on a bomber and carried out over 50 missions. Once his aircraft was caught by searchlights and received anti-aircraft fire, which they escaped by corkscrew diving 9000 feet. Many of the flights were with 624 Squadron, assigned to Special Operations Executive, dropping agents and supplies into enemy occupied territory. These drops were often at very low altitude and at the maximum of the aircraft range, with barely enough fuel to return home. He realised at the time that many of the agents, several of whom were women, would not survive very long. Looking back Stanley thought that he, and others, were too young and foolish to be scared. He regards his time with the RAF as the most interesting part of his life.
Service:
Interviewed by:
Martyn Cox
An interview with

Fred Danckwardt

He fought bravely for Britain in WW2 and then served throughout the Airlift and conceded that helping the Germans was better than bombing them.

Fred was a teenager when his home was destroyed in a bombing raid. At the age of eighteen he volunteered for the RAF, trained in gunnery and became the tail gunner in a Lancaster bomber. He took part in the nighttime bombing of Germany and, against the odds, survived 45 missions. There were some close moments and during this period he lost most of his friends in combat. After the war he had a recurring nightmare where, among a landscape of crashed aircraft, there was a space reserved for his bomber. At the start of the Berlin Airlift he was posted to Gatow as an intelligence officer, where his unit at first worked in a tent. Despite misgivings regarding its feasibility the Airlift went ahead anyway, initially using Dakotas and building up to larger aircraft. His billet was at the end of the runway, and at first he had trouble sleeping as the noise was constant, 24 hours a day. The Soviets were close by and made things awkward but never directly interfered although the local population were terrified that the Allies would leave them for the Russians. The devastation caused by bombing in Berlin was awful and the civilians were in poverty, although the airlift ration was about the same as those in Britain. While on duty a plane carrying coal crashed on take-off, killing all the crew. He served in Berlin for the entire duration of the Airlift and felt that it was better than bombing the city.
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Service:
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Guy Eddy

Cornish Veteran Guy Eddy reflects his time in the RAF

Cornish boy to a Berlin Airlift veteran, Guy Eddy provides an outstanding account of his time in the Royal Air Force. Born in the Cornish countryside to a farming family and leaving school at 16 and a half , he was unsure of what his career would entail at the beginning of the Second World War. Humble beginnings as an RAF Admin Apprentice, Guy knew he wanted to join the force and be a part of the fight to freedom. After 18 months of training in London, he began travelling around the world from India, South Africa and Southern Rhodesia to develop his piloting skill in a variety of vehicles. Guy recalls 'getting his wings' in 1944 and after that, his career in the force excelled with magnificent force. He reflects on his time in the war and the countries his squadron helped. Guy provides an insight into the items traded on the Black Market with one amusing story where some South Africans wanted to trade coffee beans for something more lucrative. Guy reflects on his time as a pilot during the Berlin Airlift with the unusual packages he delivered and believes it was worthwhile job for him. His account highlights the beautiful and tragic events he witnessed as a pilot in the RAF, finishing with his time flying Britannia's. He finds himself transporting radioactive fuel rods from Singapore to Tokyo for the building of Japanese nuclear power stations. It was highly secretive work and also highly likely that Fukishima was one of the recipients. Overall, Guy Eddy had a remarkable career befitting a remarkable man.
Service:
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker