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.

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.

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.