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This story is really a dedication to my own Skipper Wing Commander "Ted " Porter. DFC & Bar. I serviced his Lancaster while at Coningsby in 1944. All his Crew were great fellows. They survived the War; he didn’t. He took over as Master Bomber.

To me a lowly LAC Flight Mechanic Engine walla he was a wonderful caring man. Courteous, friendly, helpful, and never used his rank. Before the War, a man dedicated to peace and was against war until his Sister who he was very close to was killed in the very early Raid on London. She was a Nurse. He then enlisted straight away. He led No.9 Squadron throughout 1943 as the Master Bomber on all the Berlin raids.

Pause for Thought:

Dedicated on behalf of our 97 Squadron crew to the memory of our skilful and courageous skipper, Wing Commander Edward "Ted" Porter, DFC and bar, RAF, who by putting devotion to duty before personal safety was killed in action on Aug. 17, 1944 while directing a minelaying operation in the Swinemunde Canal near Stettin, Germany.

Bomber Command historical records state that W/C Porter, when his aircraft was going down after being coned in searchlights and sustaining furious flak, with unshakeable calm said on R/T: "I'm afraid we have had it. I shall have to leave you now. Baling out. Good luck everybody." But they were too low for parachutes."

W/Cmdr. Porter had returned earlier from leave than he should have done. He did so for instruction on flying Mosquito aircraft. He therefore undertook this operation with a scratch Lancaster crew and thus we his usual Crew were not with him that fateful night:

F/O Jim Logan DFC, RCAF - Navigator
F/O Bill Pearson DFC, RCAF - Bombaimer
P/O Bill "Bluey" Howe DFC, RAF - Flight Engineer (deceased)
P/O Bill Doran, DFC, RAF - Wireless Operator
F/Sgt James "Mac" MacLean, RAF - Midupper Gunner (deceased)
P/O Ernest "Sonny" Thomas DFC, RAAF - Rear Gunner (deceased)

The quotation of Porter's final words are taken from the book "Bomber Command" by Max Hastings, published in 1981.

This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Becky Barugh of the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Shropshire CSV Action Desk on behalf of Des Evans and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

See more of Des’s stories:

• Bale out!
• Missions from Woodhall Spa
• Tracers coming through the thatch
• I didn’t quite get the chop
• Little humour in adversity
• Ted Porters Crew
• The ‘Augsburg Raid’
• S/L Sherwood’s recommendation for the Victoria Cross
• The worst night of the War…
• The worst night of the War (Part 2)
• The worst night of the War (Part 3) - Crew
• The worst night of the War (Part 4) - Losses
• The worst night of the War (Part 5) — Extract from ‘the Berlin’ Raids’
• The worst night of the War (Part 6) — Bombers over Berlin
• The worst night of the War (Part 7) — Combat Report
• A Dedication to Skipper Wing Commander Ted Porter — A Navigators View of the Route to Heaven
• Did you know?
• Flight Operations carried out with Sgt. D.C Plaunt
• Flight Operations carried out by Sgt. J.J Johnson
• The experiences of ‘Taffy’ after baling out on 9th — 10th June 1944
• The experiences of ‘Taffy’ after baling out on the 9th - 10th June 1944 - Continued
• The experiences of ‘Taffy’ - 11th June 1944
• The experiences of ‘Taffy’ - 12th — 15th June 1944
• The experiences of ‘Taffy’ - 16th - 18th June 1944
• The experiences of ‘Taffy’ - 19th — 23rd June 1944
• The experiences of ‘Taffy’ — 24th August 1044
• ‘Our Heroes’

For further stories read ‘ACHIEVE YOUR AIM’ by Kevin Bending

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