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This story was submitted to the People's War Website by Elizabeth Perez of Stockport Libraries on behalf of Leslie Landells and has been added to the site with his permission. He fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

Pat鈥檚 account of missions added to and edited by Les

Bomber Crew -

Pilot: Les Landells, Distington, Cumbria
Navigator: Albert 鈥楤ud鈥� Storey, Harrington, Cumbria
Bomb Aimer: Boris Threadgold, East Mosely, Surrey
Flight Engineer: Eric 鈥楳arty鈥� Martindale, Carlisle, Cumbria
Wireless Operator: Pat Dwyer, Perth, Australia
Rear Gunner: Fred Dartnell, Hainault, Essex
Mid Upper Gunner: George Gregory, Laindon, Essex

After months of training, the aim was to get onto a squadron to start a tour of thirty operations into Europe, mainly Germany, which was required to complete a tour. We were well aware of the heavy losses, because of the large number of friends, who had died on ops and also the hair-raising details given by friends of trips they had been on.

3 October 1944 鈥� Westkapelle

Our first trip to Westkapelle was one, which we thought very easy. And I can remember thinking I shall volunteer for two tours, which would mean fifty five trips straight.

7 October 1944 鈥� Emmerich

Our second trip to Emmerich was okay until we got to the target, then the Lancaster just behind us was hit by flak and we could see the crew bailing out. We had no sooner opened our bomb bay doors than we had a direct hit by flak. We dropped our bombs and headed home, with the plane performing well. Back at base we checked the damage and could see the bomb bays holed from the inside to the outside. We were lucky as the bombs protected us from the flak. The damage was from the front turret down the fuselage to the rear turret. The 鈥楥ookie鈥� had a thin casing, but withstood the flak, so we were lucky it did not explode.

Duisberg

Our next trip was to Duisberg in the Ruhr, and there the flak was thick and frightening. We could smell the cordite through our oxygen masks. The burst of flak we were flying through made it seem that we must get hit, but if we did, it did not affect the plane in flight. We saw an explosion not far from us. It was a Lancaster hit by flak, blowing up. There was a big ball of orange flame, with all sorts of debris spreading all around.

That night a return trip to Duisberg was planned, because it was considered that the earlier trip had not been successful. We were on the battle order, but did not go, because our plane was declared 鈥楿S鈥� (unserviceable).

15 October 1944 鈥� Wilhelmshaven

Because we missed the trip, we were selected the next night for a trip to Wilhelmshaven. We got away okay on this trip, and set course for the target. At 14,000ft and well on the way over the North Sea, we flew into a cumulus nimbus cloud, and the plane was thrown into a spin. Our Skipper could not get the plane under control, and it kept spinning down in the dark. Les gave us the order 鈥淏ail out if you want to鈥�. I thought what was the use of trying to bail out, it was dark and even if you got out, you would land in the sea, and we were aware that we could only live for another three minutes in the water. I accepted this was the end and did not feel frightened. There was no chatter on the intercom, so obviously the crew felt the same way as I did. Les had his feet on the instrument panel, trying to pull back the control column into the correct flying mode. Eric Martindale, our engineer got behind Les and gave him a helping pair of hands on the control column, and between them they got the plane out of the spin.

We resumed our course to the target, with the crew feeling a great sense of relief still to be flying. We were greeted at Wilhelmshaven by the searchlights and flak, with fighters flitting around unseen in the dark. The crew were in a happy mood to have go this far. I can remember thinking that if we got hit now, we might be lucky enough to survive a bail out, and land safely on the ground, be captured by the Germans, put into a POW camp and not have to fly again. It had only taken those last three ops to make me realise there was not much future in this kind of job. We flew back to Wickenby and landed without any further drama. I can remember a few days later, standing up in the plane doing a ground check on my equipment, when my knees started knocking together with nerves, and I thought that was the reaction to the 鈥榖ail out鈥� order.

In 1986 I visited Wickenby with Les, Bud and Boris. I said to Les 鈥淩emember that night you told us to bail out over the North Sea?鈥� Les said, 鈥淣o Pat, what I said was bail out if you want to鈥�. At the time of the spin, my mind picked up the bail out, but not the rest of the order.

23 October 1944 鈥� Essen

A trip to Essen was one to remember, because of a problem on take-off, and one, which we were lucky to survive. We taxied out of our dispersal point and down the perimeter track to use the full length of the 2000yd main runway, then onto the grass to gain extra yards. The other aircraft started their run from where the two runways met, which could save 200-300 yards on take-off. Les revved up the engine with the brakes on, so that the plane was more or less jumping up and down on the spot.

We received the Green Aldus Lamp signal from the caravan parked at the side of the runway. There was radio silence before a raid, as the R.A.F. did not want to give the Germans an early warning. We were now charging down the runway to build up our speed to 115 knots for take-off with our gross weight of 68,400 lbs.

As we got past the point of no return, Les called out that he had a speed problem for take-off. At the end of the runway all Les could do was to pull back on the stick, our speed was about 95 knots, and we had no alternative. The plane lifted off the ground, but was flying like a brick. We were now over the farm fields, in the dark of night, when we hit the ground again and then skipped back into the air.

We had six touchdowns before the plane stayed in the air. By the time we had reached Lincoln, which was eight miles away, we had then reached the magnificent height of 500 feet. We then set course for Essen, which we reached and bombed successfully. The return trip was uneventful and we had a safe return.

There was a sequel to this trip, which was not exactly a morale booster for the crew. Next day George (MUG), Fred (RG) and myself the WOP, were at our dispersal point discussing the future of UM-M2, the Lancaster, which had nearly cost us our lives.

Our plan was to get Les (Pilot) to set course on automatic pilot, we would all bail out over England and let the plane fly on its own and crash in Germany. We did not let our pilot know our plan, and our next trip on UM-M2 solved that problem.

I have in more recent days, found the cause of the take-off problem. Before UM-M2 went to Essen, it was bombed and fuelled up for a trip to East Germany. The long trip meant full fuel tanks and less bombs to get maximum weight. When the trip was changed to West Germany it meant more bombs and less fuel (500 gallons). The bomb load was topped up and there were 500 gallons too much left in the tanks. We then had 4,500 lbs above the maximum weight and this caused the lift problem. Our gross weight was 4,500 lbs above the maximum and about 20,000 lbs above the normal maximum landing weight.

Also there could have been a problem with the undercarriage collapsing. If the undercarriage had collapsed on one of our take-off bounces, the plane would probably have blown up. I do not know it there was an official follow-up on the failure to take the 500 gallons out of the tanks. I have spoken to Les about the full use of the 2,000 yards runway. He said, he knew that the plane had a take-off problem with the normal 68,400 lbs load, but was most certainly not aware of the extra 500 gallons of fuel, which had not been removed from the fuel tanks when the additional bombs were loaded.

28 October 1944 鈥� Cologne

The next trip was to Cologne. Our load consisted of a 4000 lb 鈥楥ookie鈥� and incendiaries. We had an uneventful trip to the target and were at 20,000 feet, the top height we had been briefed to fly at. As we were flying over the target, I was on watch duty, looking out of the astrodome. A 鈥楥ookie鈥� from above, just missed our starboard wing, and I called hard port to the Skipper, as I did not know what was following. Les did as instructed and then straightened up. I looked up and saw a Lancaster straight above us, with bombs pouring out. I ducked my head and called on the intercom 鈥渨e are going to get hit鈥�, and then there was thudding against the plane as the bombs hit. As soon as the noise stopped, I jumped up and looked out. My location was level with the leading edge of the wings, and on both sides of me was this massive trail of 100-octane petrol being sucked out of both wings.

Les gave the order to prepare to bail out over the target. We had got rid of our bombs, but we were in great danger of blowing up, with the engine exhaust flames igniting the fuel. We also had the problem of being 鈥榗ooked鈥� in the plane if the plane caught alight, as we would be battling to bail out. George, (MUG) had called out to the Skipper not to touch the throttles, as changing them at that juncture could have added to the risk of fire.

They were incendiary bombs and had gone through the wings. Some of the bombs were stuck in the wings, and all the others, had gone straight through a fuel tank. Amazingly none had exploded, as incendiary bombs usually went off on impact. We were out of the mainstream of planes and on our own and it was very obvious that we were in deep strife.

The Germans saw our problem and started sending up predicted flak to try and finish us off. The shells burst no more than 300 ft behind us, height was spot on, but we managed to avoid them and headed home. Eric (ENG) assessed the fuel loss, and how much we had left. 鈥楤ud鈥� the NAV, plotted a new course to suit our fuel reserves. We had to run the engines on the holed tanks, plus switching fuel to the good tanks. We returned safely to Wickenby and then headed off to London for a seven day break. The plane had to have the wings replaced, and we never flew in that plane again, which was good news for us.

Another problem on the Cologne trip was that some of the fuel spewing out of the wings was being sucked into the rear turret and soaking Fred the rear gunner. This was very uncomfortable and dangerous for Fred.

I asked George (MUG), who could not duck his head like I could, how close the 鈥楥ookie鈥� was and he said it just missed the trailing edge of our wing.

This raid on Cologne, when we were hit by bombs from one of our own bombers, deserves additional explanatory detail.

After the tanks were holed, I put the nose down to gain speed. The spraying made us a clear target for anti-aircraft guns and fighters. After attracting no enemy fire, I decided to feather a propeller to save fuel, then after a further length of time, to feather another one. So then we were only on the two inner engines. But as time went by, I discussed the fuel situation with the flight engineer. The fuel was obviously getting lower and I ordered Bud, our Navigator to set a course for a sector in the British Zone, which was in France under British control.

On nearing the zone, we were still flying at a few thousand feet. So I felt we should try and reach our base at Wickenby, or at least, Manston emergency airfield in Norfolk. To save more fuel, I feathered another propeller. We were now flying on one engine only. This meant lowering flaps to obtain more lift and also to keep above stalling speed, by gaining the necessary speed through staying in the nose down position.

We flew on across the Channel, gradually losing height. Then, after a discussion with the Flight Engineer, it was decided we would try and fly on to our own airfield. Halfway there, at 3000 feet we changed to two engines then to three engines. Nearing the airfield all four engines were brought into operation for the final circuit landing. On the final approach the Control Tower fired a Red Very warning signal.

The Flight Engineer was still very worried that we could run out of fuel at this crucial final stage, so I decided to carry on and land anyhow. A good landing was made.

Taxing to the nearest dispersal point, as instructed by the Control Tower, we turned in and as we came to a halt, one engine coughed and died. By which time quite a number of lorries, cars and the station fire engine and many RAF personnel, came racing up. We didn鈥檛 know until it was pointed out, that there were a number of incendiary bombs hanging from below the wings and fuel tanks. They had not exploded otherwise we would have 鈥榟ad it鈥�.

The landing 鈥� a good one fortunately 鈥� had not shaken them loose, to explode on contact with the runway. Initially, one incendiary bomb came within a foot or so of the Mid-Upper Gunner (George) and had damaged the main spar. It was later said that the aircraft had to be sent for major repairs. We never saw it again.

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