大象传媒

Apart from activities hi the Officers and Sergeants Messes, and trips into Scunthorpe where the "Oswald" was the central drinking point, the main point of activity was the pub in Kirmington village. The "Marrow Bone and Cleaver" or the "Chopper" as it was known, was the meeting place for all ranks.
The pub is now a shrine to the Squadron, there is a memorial in the village, lovingly cared for by the villagers' and memorial plaques in the terminal building at Humberside Airport. There is also a stained glass window in Kirmington Church.

I have mentioned our off base activities but, of course, a lot of time was spent in the Mess and the radio was our main contact with the outside world. I think the most popular program was the AFN (American Forces Network). They had a program which I believe was called the "dufflebag program". Glen Miller and all the big bands of the day. The song "I'll walk alone" was very popular and was recorded by several singers.
The British one was Anne Shelton, an American whose name escapes me and another American called Lily Ann Carroll (Not sure about the spelling of that name). This girl had a peculiar voice but it had something about it.

Since the war I have not been able to find anyone who ever heard of her but I did hear the record placed on one of the archives programs on 大象传媒, two or three years ago. If anyone knows of Lily Ann Carroll I would love to know.

I can't remember where it was but on one occasion when we were out together as a crew, someone asked what the "B" meant on my brevet. Quick as a flash Paddy jumped in "It means Big Bill Bailey the bastard Bomb-aimer".

Before leaving the scene of operations, so to speak, I would like to clear up one or two points. I have often been asked the question, were you frightened? I can only speak for myself and maybe my crew. I don't think 'frightened' was the right word., apprehensive, maybe but except for a very few, I believe all aircrew believed in their own immortality. It was always going to be the other guy who got the chop, never yourself . Had this not been the case then we would never have got into a Lancaster.

Ron Archer used to tell me he thought we were the luckiest crew in Bomber
Command.
There were, of course, a very few aircrew who lost their nerve and refused to fly.
All aircrew were volunteers and could not be compelled to fly but if that became the case then they would be sent LMF (Lack of moral fibre) and would lose their flying badge and be reduced to the ranks.
'This story was submitted to the People's War site by Rod Aldwinckle of the CSV Action Desk on behalf of John Derek Bailey and has been added to the site with his / permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions

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