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This story was submitted to the People’s War website by Justine Warwick on behalf of ….. and has been added to the site with his / her permission. The author fully understands the terms and conditions of the site.

I was a Wireless Operator AG with 199 squadron based at Ingham, Lincolnshire. On the night of May 23rd 1943 we were out on a raid over Dortmund, and during an attack a shell burst under my position and the flack caught me all down my right hand side resulting in the loss of part of my right hand. I was the only member of the crew wounded and sent to Rauceby hospital in Slayford where I stayed for twelve months. Two nights latter my crew went out without me. The WOP AG who had taken my place had actually finished his tour of operations, and was waiting to go home on leave. That night my crew never came back. But about six years ago a new book was published telling about all the crews that had been brought down during the war and what had happened to them, and it turned out that my navigator had actually been blown clear of the aircraft and taken prisoner. After six months of ringing round the country I actually located my navigator living in Brighton and after 55 years I spoke to him. We both thought the other was dead and we’re now in contact via the telephone.

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