Sid (an RAF wireless operator) and Jim (a pilot) met while serving together in 46 Squadron during the Berlin Airlift. They recall the devastation of postwar Berlin, waving at Russian pilots from their aircraft, and their daily routines during the airlift. They flew two trips per day, including both night flying and day flying to carry flour, coal, newsprint and medical supplies, as well as airlifting children and the elderly out of Berlin. There were few social opportunities for RAF pilots, as their flying schedules precluded heavy drinking at aircrew pubs or clubs. After a few months, the work became rather tedious, but the humour of American pilots provided entertainment and light relief. Sid and Jim reflect upon flying in treacherous weather conditions, explaining that flights were rarely cancelled yet relatively few accidents occurred. They both saw the airlift as an opportunity to fly, rather than a humanitarian feat. Sid and Jim’s interview highlights the routine and eventual monotony of operations during the Berlin Airlift. Their enduring friendship is testament to the lasting bonds forged between servicemen.

Bob was in Birmingham when it was bombed during WW2. A love of flying from an early age led him to join the RAF toward the end of the war and he was assigned to Coastal Command. He learned to fly the Sunderland, a four-engine flying boat, but before his training finished, he was sent to Berlin to assist with the Airlift. After qualifying as a pilot, he was assigned to Hamburg on the River Elbe where his squadron assisted in supplying Berlin with food and household goods. On their return trips they sometimes brought back malnourished children for care, as well as German export goods. He saw the Russians as confrontational, while relations were thawing with the Germans. During the period of the Airlift there was no leave for his squadron, but they were close to the centre of Hamburg where they could relax in the evenings. He thought that the Airlift was an important event but that the role of the Sunderland squadrons has received insufficient attention. After further overseas duties his squadron was assigned to Korea where war had just broken out. He flew coastal patrols, aiding the US navy in their search for enemy submarines. The Malayan Insurgency was also occurring during this time and the Sunderlands also helped the British army in their battle against communist guerrillas.  On leaving the RAF he spent many years as a flying instructor with various air forces in the Middle East before taking final retirement in 1976.

Determined to become an air gunner, Tommy Thomas began RAF service with General Duties. Assisting in the dangerous task of target towing for Spitfire training, he worked with Fairey Bombers and Lysanders. His hard work paid off; before age 19, he completed air gunner training and joined the 161 Squadron at RAF Tempsford. Initially serving on Halifax aircraft to drop supplies, Tommy was soon transferred to the squadron’s A Flight by Flight Commander Hugh Verity, who recognised his skill with Lysanders. Tommy flew 33 missions in Halifax, Hudson, Lysanders and, once, in a Stirling bomber. Whilst most missions were over France and Europe, some reached as far as North Africa. The most challenging were the night flights, navigating hostile territory by moonlight alone. He recounts fascinating details from his time with 161 Squadron, including mission preparations from RAF Tempsford and Tangmere, and techniques for retrieving mail bags from occupied territory using adapted Lysanders. Although Tommy claims he was “lucky,” his missions included two near-disasters, and he admits flights over the sea were the most unnerving—he always dreaded water. Following D-Day, Tommy took on new responsibilities helping with internees at RAF Tempsford. He concludes his story with a personal memory of his promotion to Flight Officer, which coincided with his father’s Red Cross return. Resolving to notify his mother, interned in a French camp, Tommy recounts a successful—and daring—effort to get a message to her, showing his courage and daring.