大象传媒

(continued from part 1)

鈥淪o how long would you be in the air?鈥� I asked.

鈥淚 suppose the longest one was about eight hours something by the time I鈥檇 taken off and came back.鈥� replied Tony. 鈥淏ut the times are all in there actually,鈥� he added, indicating his log book. 鈥淏ut then of course, you see, we鈥檇 have to go back to the section to put all our flying kit on. We鈥檇 have our Air Crew meal before we had briefing. That was bacon, eggs, that鈥檚 all we had. That was a special for us Air Crew boys, because you didn鈥檛 get a lot of bacon and eggs. Then we鈥檇 have briefing, and then when the briefing was done, we鈥檇 go back to the section and put all our flying kit on, electrical suit, electrical gloves and flying boots and that. You used to have flying boots with straps around the ankles, and you used to pull them tight because of bailing out and everything - they would blow off, so you had to have these special straps on the flying boots. Then the crew bus would come along, pick you all up, take you round to the dispersal and you鈥檇 all stand outside the aircraft, just waiting for a red signal from the control. We got in the aircraft and they鈥檇 come along and they鈥檇 start the aircraft with a special thing they鈥檇 got. They鈥檇 have to put a pipe in and start the engines up. And many鈥檚 the time when it was a target I wasn鈥檛 very happy about I thought, 鈥極h God, don鈥檛 let one of them engines start up tonight - I don鈥檛 feel very much like going.鈥� But of course they鈥檇 all start up, and then you鈥檇 just taxi out, take off, circle round, and then get in position in the direction of Reading. And en route, it was probably still daylight, and you鈥檇 see all the others taking off from other airfields, they would all join with us. Well, it was a thousand bombers, it鈥檚 a lot of planes in the air at the same time. And it was all timed right to the split second. Perhaps the first wave in would be at 18,000 feet - so many aircraft do that, and then so many aircraft do 20,000 and some do 22,000 - it goes up to about 24,000 feet. And then the thing is, you鈥檇 let all the bombs go together, once you were running on your target. The bomb aimer says 鈥楲eft, left, right, right, steady,鈥� to the pilot. He was giving all the instructions, you see. And in practically all of them, certainly in Le Havre, we had to try a thousand pound 鈥楥ookie鈥� bomb, which is right in the middle. It鈥檚 just like a big tank - a huge tank. There weren鈥檛 any fins on it. It used to just go down like a beer barrel and no matter how it hit the ground, it would blow up. You鈥檇 also have (it would depend how they were loaded up) so many incendiaries with it, or perhaps so many five hundred pounders or thousand pounders. And they all went together. And if somebody in the wave was not running on time over the target, you鈥檇 look up, and you could see stuff coming down. Cor! I looked up many a time to see these bloomin鈥� cookies, just missed us! But you see PFF, that鈥檚 the Path Finding Force, light all the target up - and when you鈥檙e briefed, you鈥檙e briefed to either bomb the centre of the red T.I.s, which is 鈥楾arget Indicators鈥� on the ground, or the yellow, or the green, the blue, whatever, and you鈥檝e got to do it at exactly that time, and then there鈥檚 a Master Bomber above you - he鈥檚 searching around all the time, and quite a way up above you, and he鈥檚 giving instructions as well, to you to say, 鈥楴ow look, the wind has changed, don鈥檛 bomb to the middle of the red T.I.s that you were briefed upon, bomb to the left.鈥� So it was quite a job!鈥�

鈥淒id your missions all go according to plan,鈥� I asked. 鈥淥r did you have any incidents?鈥�

Tony chuckled. 鈥淲ell, we ditched in the North Sea on the first night trip I went on. But on the way back, when you鈥檙e having your briefing, you were always briefed to look out for distressed aircraft in the North Sea, and if you spot them, you鈥檙e supposed to circle round them in the dinghy, and flap your wings, to let them know that they鈥檝e seen you and have reported your position. So we knew we鈥檇 been spotted, but you鈥檝e got to get out the aircraft very quickly. Once that hits the sea, and then it goes up, and then it hits again, the second time it hits, you鈥檝e really got to get out quick. You鈥檙e all trained for ditching stations. Of course, the dinghy inflates inside the aircraft and breaks through the panel and is attached to the aircraft while it鈥檚 still there, and you all have to get out fairly quickly. And I think that was about - middle of January time. And it took us about eight hours before we got picked up. So that was goodbye to that aircraft, because that went down soon after we got into the dinghy. It didn鈥檛 stay afloat for long.鈥�

鈥淭hat wasn鈥檛 the only one, though鈥�. Tony continued, getting into his stride. 鈥淲hat it was you see, when you joined the Squadron, your pilot has to go with another experienced crew on a bombing mission so he can get used to what鈥檚 going to be over the target and he鈥檚 in control. So they call that a 鈥楽pare Dickie鈥�. Well, when he goes on the Spare Dickie that night, the rest of the crew are off - you can鈥檛 go without a pilot. So we鈥檙e sitting in the Sergeants鈥� Mess one lunchtime, - the briefing was about half past two or something like that - we were sitting in the Sergeants鈥� Mess, and we decided we were going to down to Lincoln because Les was going on a Spare Dickie, and we were going to have a night out down in Lincoln, round the pubs and all the rest of it. And then the tannoy went, and it said, 鈥楽ergeant Winser, report to Gunners鈥� section immediately.鈥� So I said, 鈥業 shall have to go鈥�. So I got on my bike and biked off to Gunners鈥� section. And the Gunnery Officer said, 鈥極h, hello Sergeant Winser. I鈥檓 afraid you鈥檙e on ops tonight.鈥� I said, 鈥業 can鈥檛 be on ops - I鈥檝e got no pilot.鈥� And he said, 鈥榃ell, you鈥檝e got to go with another crew.鈥� I said, 鈥極h dear, I don鈥檛 fancy that. I鈥檝e been training with my pilot all this time.鈥� He said, 鈥榃ell, you鈥檝e got no option. You鈥檝e got to go, because Flying Officer Campbell says the Rear Gunner, has gone LMF鈥� which means his nerve had completely gone. 鈥楢nd there鈥檚 got to be a hundred per cent take-off from us as well as everybody else. So you鈥檝e got to go.鈥� I said, 鈥業 don鈥檛 fancy that.鈥� But anyway, I had to go. As I said, I knew the chaps, but I鈥檇 never flown with them. Because when you鈥檙e training, you get to know what you鈥檙e doing in the air. Anyway, that was Frankfurt. Everything was all right until we got over the target. And the flak was coming up, the searchlights were up, but there were no fighters that night. But what happened was, I heard them say 鈥楤ombs gone.鈥� And I thought 鈥楾hat鈥檚 good,鈥� because once the bombs go your aircraft lifts up a bit you see, because of the weight, and then you put your nose down and get out of the target area as quick as you can. And I looked out of the side of the turret and I said, 鈥楳y goodness, I can see some smoke!鈥� So I said to Flying Officer Campbell, 鈥淪kipper, there鈥檚 some smoke coming up on the starboard side.鈥� And the Flight Engineer says, 鈥極h yes, we鈥檝e got an engine alight.鈥� So the pilot feathers that engine - stops it - and there鈥檚 an extinguisher inside the engine that puts it out. Well, that鈥檚 fine, because that stopped. Then I looked the other side, and I could see some more smoke coming that side. And I said, 鈥榃ell I鈥檓 sorry skipper. There鈥檚 some more coming the other side now.鈥� So that鈥檚 two engines that had gone and of course we鈥檇 only got two engines left, and our actual height that we were briefed on was 18,000, and I felt myself going back, and I said, 鈥榃hat鈥檚 happening?鈥� And we had gone into a dive. We couldn鈥檛 pull it up. And I was just laying there on my back in the turret, and we were going down, and I thought 鈥楾his is it, I鈥檝e had it now.鈥� And the Navigator, the Flight Engineer and the Pilot, between them, managed to pull the joystick so that we actually came out of the dive at 2000 feet - nearly there - nearly at the bottom - and of course we had to come back with two engines. We had to crash land at Woodbury which was a crash drome in Suffolk. And we had to crash land there because the skipper didn鈥檛 think we were going to get enough height or something to get back to base. He was losing quite gradually I think, and so of course I thought then, when we were diverted and crashed there, the rest of my crew would think I鈥檇 gone! I鈥檇 had it! And I was worried because my Mum and Dad didn鈥檛 know that I was flying, and I said to my skipper, 鈥榃ell, we shall have to get in touch with base pretty quick so that they don鈥檛 report me missing, because my Mother and Father don鈥檛 know anything about this.鈥� And he said, 鈥楧on鈥檛 worry, we鈥檒l get into the control tower and we鈥檒l report it.鈥� So they did. And we had to go back the next day in a Dakota. I had to take all my guns out of the turret. You had to take all your guns everywhere, if the aircraft crashes or anything, you have to take it all back with you. You mustn鈥檛 leave it.鈥�

鈥� So your Mum and Dad knew you were in the RAF, but they didn鈥檛 know you were flying?鈥� I asked.

鈥淲ell if Mum had known, it would have killed her, what with losing Trevor.鈥� Tony continued.
鈥淪o when did they find out鈥� I asked.

鈥淚t was when I got home on leave after my tour,鈥� Tony explained. 鈥淒ad was late getting home, and I was home, so I hid all my RAF jacket up and everything out of the way, and I hid under the table. It used to be a big round table. And of course Dad came in and had his meal, sat down, put his feet under the table. And then all of a sudden I got hold of his trousers and started pulling - 鈥榃hat鈥檚 that under there? Is there a cat under there?鈥� - And then of course I got out, and he was so pleased to see me. So anyhow, Mum went off to bed, and Dad鈥檚 sat there in the armchair and I said 鈥極h I think I鈥檒l come up Mum. I鈥檓 a bit tired tonight, I think I鈥檒l have an early night.鈥� So I followed her up and kissed her goodnight by the stairs. And I always like to have some water when I go to bed so I came downstairs and went out in the kitchen, Dad was there, he says: 鈥榃hat did you come down for?鈥� I said, 鈥榃ater, I get a bit dry.鈥� So when I came back through, he said to me, 鈥楬ave you finished your ops yet?鈥� I looked at him - I said, 鈥楬ow did you know about that, Dad?鈥� He said 鈥業鈥檝e known for just a little while - not long - that you鈥檙e on ops. Never mind who told me, I know that you鈥檝e been flying on ops.鈥� I said, 鈥榃ell, I鈥檓 pleased to tell you Dad that I have finished.鈥� He said, 鈥楾hank goodness for that. Better tell your mother about that in the morning.鈥� So I said 鈥榃ell, I shall see about that.鈥� So anyhow, I was a bit late getting up, and I went downstairs. Dad was in his armchair, smoking his pipe. Mum said, 鈥榊ou鈥檇 better have your breakfast. Have a cup of tea first.鈥� And she was going round the living room, just dusting with her duster, you see, and she got round behind me as she was dusting, and she said, 鈥榃ell, I don鈥檛 know, Tony,鈥� she says, 鈥榊ou never, ever tell us what you were doing.鈥� She said, 鈥榃hat on earth are you doing?鈥� I said, 鈥極h, just the usual, Mum, just the usual.鈥� So Dad said, 鈥榃ell, now鈥檚 the chance to tell your mother.鈥� So I said, 鈥楴o!鈥� She said, 鈥榃hat have you got to tell me?鈥� I can see her still with her old duster in her hand! 鈥榃hat have you got to tell me, Tony?鈥� I said, 鈥極h, Dad鈥檒l tell you. I鈥檓 not going to tell you.鈥� So he said, 鈥榃ell, I鈥檒l tell you. He鈥檚 completed a tour of ops, and bombed Germany thirty-odd times.鈥� And she looked at me, she went white as a ghost. She said, 鈥業s that true?鈥� I said, 鈥榃ell yes鈥�. 鈥極h my God!鈥� She said, 鈥楬owever did you do it? However did you keep that away from me like that.鈥� I said, 鈥榃ell, it was for your own good, Mum.鈥� I said, 鈥榊ou lost Trevor, and I wanted to get my own back for losing him, and it was the only way I could get him back.鈥� And she said, 鈥極h God, thank goodness you鈥檙e all right.鈥� And I thought, 鈥榃ell, I would never say to you, but after my six months鈥� rest period, I鈥檝e got to do another tour!鈥� But as luck would have it, the war finished, you see. So I didn鈥檛 have to go. And Mum... she was so... she went and told everybody! And they said, 鈥榃e know all about that, Mrs Winser. We know all about what Tony鈥檚 been doing!鈥� So I used to go up the Royal Oak, and I used to have drinks with people. And they used to say 鈥楪o on, have a drink, because we鈥檝e got to celebrate, you know!鈥� Practically everybody knew! But I don鈥檛 know who told Dad. I鈥檝e no idea from that day to this who told him, but somebody spilled it out to Dad. And he was so pleased, poor old Dad. He had a bit of a job getting around, because he had this asthma, and he said, 鈥榃ell, I鈥檒l tell you what. I know Mum won鈥檛 come, but I鈥檓 going to take you up to the Royal Oak, and we鈥檙e all going to have a celebration drink up there. Get all your friends - all your mates!鈥� There was loads of us there, and Dad was so proud in the pub. He said, 鈥楾his is Tony, my son, who has done so well. He kept it all such a secret.鈥� It was really quite a nice evening, you know.鈥�

I asked, 鈥淒o you think you were lucky to have got away with 31 ops over Germany?鈥�

鈥淲ell, the Rear Gunner is the most dangerous position in the aircraft,鈥� Tony answered. 鈥淎nd I鈥檝e come back off ops with the Rear Gunner being hosepiped out of the turret. As soon as you get back from an op, the crew bus is there to take you back to remove all your flying kit, and your first job is to go to the interrogation room. And once you walk in there, there鈥檚 a big black board, and you had to put the pilot鈥檚 name up there, and my pilot鈥檚 name was Les Titmuss. So they used to call us 鈥楾it鈥檚 Boys鈥�! So we鈥檇 always sign in as Tit鈥檚 Boys. And then you鈥檇 go to certain tables. You鈥檇 have plenty of fags on the table. Loads of fags you used to get. Pile your pockets with them! Coffee, biscuits, and that. And then you鈥檇 go to this table, just the crew, and they鈥檇 interrogate you on this trip, and all that. They鈥檇 want to know if you鈥檇 seen any aircraft shot down, if you鈥檇 seen any in distress, or in the North Sea, or anything like that. And so that鈥檚 how it was with us.鈥�...

(Please read part 3 for the continuation of this story)

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