John Edward Lee joined the Royal Air Force as a pilot navigator after working at the Ministry of Supply. He trained abroad before completing the RAF observer course in navigation, bomb aiming, signals, and gunnery. After training in Lossiemouth Scotland, he joined the No. 76 Squadron as a Lancaster navigator. John flew in thirty-one bombing raids and experienced several close calls flying at 18,000 feet, under attack and blinded by enemy searchlights. He later recalls the stunning sight of thousands of ships below as he flew across the channel on D-Day. After his crew disbanded, they reunited at RAF Moreton-in-the-Marsh. John then extended his service, becoming a navigation instructor and radar specialist, teaching crews’ telemetry for atom bomb drops. He later trained on Vickers Valiants and Wellington Bombers, issuing targets and briefing missions in Russia. John described his RAF career as fascinating and fulfilling, proud of his role and contributions.

Bernard Parke conscripted into the Royal Air Force as a Radar Operator recalls his time in the role and the difficulties that faced young men during their early careers in the force.  From 1 January 1949, healthy males 17 to 21 years old were expected to serve in the Armed Forces for 18 months, and remain on the reserve list for four years. After the Korean War, the service period was extended to four years. Bernard tells stories about the treatment he received from his superiors, his experience with American colleagues and how his handwriting almost got a Viscount airliner shot down! His story highlights the importance of the use of Decca's Type 80 radar. In it's day it was a huge leap in technology, after a short lull due to the aftermath of WWII, with a reliable range of 250 miles and the ability to distinguish two planes apart at a 150 miles. His important story of post WWII boom emphasises the impact of the 1950s low rate of unemployment (around 3% ). Servicemen during WWII had been promised employment after victory, and no government was prepared to break this pledge. Although, competition for the better jobs was tough and Bernard waited three months before he landed a job at Lloyds Bank. Overall, Bernard reflects fondly on his time spent with the RAF as a National Serviceman.

George Duffee shares his extraordinary journey, serving as a young RAF pilot during World War II. Growing up in East London during the Blitz, he joined the RAF at the age of seventeen and a quarter. After his training, he was sent to an RAF station in Yorkshire where he was assigned to an air crew who were participating in the bombing of Germany. It was here, so early in his service, he witnessed his life flashing before his eyes when his plane was shot down by enemy forces above Holland. He describes feeling a strange sense of calm as the plane plummeted towards the ground, believing that it was already over for him. However, he managed to escape and reach the ground safely before it finally crashed. The next thing he knew, he was all alone in an unfamiliar environment, not knowing if his crew had survived. He would learn much later that he was the only survivor who did not become a POW. This marked the beginning of a long journey, crossing from border to border to escape enemy territory back into the safety of the British Military. After evading German patrols in Holland, he passed into Belgium where he met members of the Comet Line (a resistance organisation) who would be responsible for successfully helping over 700 Allied Airmen by escorting them away from Belgium and France into Spain where the British were occupied. After arriving in Paris, he exercised in preparation for his climb across the Pyrenees mountains into Spain, later taking a ship to Gibraltar where he finally felt a sense of freedom from the enemy. Along his journey, he met many interesting people of different professions or ranks who were willing to help him. This included a Dutch schoolmaster who he would later refer to as his Dutch brother, a French artist who offered him false papers to get through to Paris and a Gendarme who he initially thought was a potential foe but when George was forced to reveal his identity, he was no longer seen as a threat. However, his constant evasion from German patrols caused an inner battle with his morale as it became more compelling to surrender himself and become a POW, yet he managed to always fight back and regain control of himself. Some time later, after returning to England, he resumed his career as a pilot. He worked as a skipper, participating in 39 bombing missions, even after already being shot down and facing a near death experience so early in his military career. He also contributed to the Berlin Airlift, flying 236 flights in a Lancaster over Berlin while supplying food to the German people who were plagued by famine. George's journey is a fascinating example of the bravery, resilience and luck that is required to be an RAF pilot in WWII, especially when things don't go according to plan.