大象传媒

My father, Ted Picton, worked as a ground crew mechanic on Whitleys in '41/42 (102 Squadron) , and Halifaxes (35 Sqaudron) at RAF Linton on Ouse and Church Fenton (he died in 1998).

Amongst other stories, he told me that he'd been approached to take up the rear gunner position, but given that he'd occasionally seen the rear turrets removed and sprayed clean of blood and guts after a mission, he'd declined.

I feel sadness for the young lives lost in such a vulnerable position, and also wish that I'd managed to revisit the old bases with Dad where he'd been based before he died.

It's a tragedy of life that now, with age, I can understand his perspective more than I could when he was alive, but can no longer talk to him about it.

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