大象传媒

7 Squadron had been at Oakington since October 1940 and were the first squadron to be equipped with Stirling bombers that had just come into service. In August 1942, 7 Squadron started their Pathfinder duties, and later re-equipped with Lancasters by August 1943.
When I arrived at Oakington, after booking in, I was escorted to a barrack room in a barrack block. The barrack room, unlike a ground staff room, was very untidy and full of NCO aircrew. The following day I was shown to the Flight Engineers Section Office by other engineers. It was a small office and the Engineer Leader, Flt/Lt Whybray DFC, a very gentlemanly officer, asked my name and experience, and if I had a ground trade. I then informed him that I was getting married, and when, and he said that I would be given leave. I went on leave on the 31st October.
Sylvia and I were married at St James鈥� Church, Grimsby on the 2nd November 1944. I am not sure now whether I had seven days leave or ten. We went to Blackpool for our honeymoon. As it was November and we had seen enough of the country, and at Blackpool there was no military activity and plenty of entertainment, we could forget the war for a little while.
The honeymoon over, I returned to Oakinton. During my time at Lossiemouth there had been changes and developments. On 57 and 97 Squadrons there was no Flight Engineer Leader or an Engineers Office, and flight engineers were ex fitters. Now many were direct entry and more were now being commissioned. Another thing was that engines were no longer run up in dispersal before taxying out for take off and nearly every bombing operation was now controlled by a Master Bomber.
On my return to Oakington, I reported to the Flight Engineers Office which was small and crowded with engineers, and so much tobacco smoke that I could hardly see the Engineer Leader Flt/Lt Whybray behind his desk. A few minutes after he saw me he said that he was putting me in Wing Commander Alexander鈥檚 crew. There was then a great cry from the engineers 鈥� 鈥淲ell f*** your luck鈥�. I was then told that the Wing Commander had just thrown his engineer out of his crew. On the 12th November I met the Wing Commander for the first time at a dispersal where a bomber was parked. I could see that he was much older than the majority of operational pilots. Looking straight at me he said 鈥渟o you are Lazenby鈥�. I said 鈥淵es Sir鈥�. He then said 鈥淒o you know your gen?鈥� to which I replied 鈥淲ell Sir, I have done 36 operations in Lancasters and I was a fitter II E鈥�. He never said anymore and entered the aircraft. Our flying that day was a cross country exercise which only lasted 1hr 25mins. During the flight I was wary and on my toes. My next flight with Wing Commander Alexander was a formation exercise. What the idea was I had no idea. The whole squadron took off in quick succession and we had to form up and follow a Mosquito which the Wing Commander criticised because it was flying left wing low. It was the only formation flying I ever took part in, and in all probability most of the others. It lasted nearly three hours and I was glad when it was over for, to me, the other aircraft looked far too close for comfort. Sometime towards the end of November I went sick with some kind of fever and went into hospital for two or three weeks. On being discharged I was given sick leave which was over Christmas and I went to my wife鈥檚 home at Grimsby. Sylvia was granted leave from the ATS. When I returned to Oakington my pilot Wg/Cdr Alexander DFC had been grounded with impetigo on his face. The Flight Engineer Leader then made me Spare Engineer which meant that I woulf fly with any crew that was minus an engineer.

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