Stories

Bomber Command aircrew operated as a team. Each member mutually dependent on the others and each had a vital part to play in ensuring that the aircraft reached its target, dropped its bombs and safely returned to base.

The crew all shared the same experiences and dangers in the air, but they were part of a much bigger team as the illustration below shows, a mix of both air and ground crew responsible for maintaining and servicing aircraft.

The air and ground crews responsible for the maintenance, servicing and flying of a Short Stirling B Mark I of No. 218 Squadron RAF at Marham, Norfolk. (Credit: Imperial War Museum)

Standing at the front is the aircrew; captain, second pilot, flight engineer, navigator, wireless operator, air gunner/bomb aimer and two air gunners.

Behind them stand the meteorological officer, a WAAF parachute packer and the Flying Control officer.

In the third rank stand twelve flight maintenance crew and eighteen ground servicing crew.

Each aircraft had a ground crew made up of skilled craftsmen who serviced & repaired the bombers. Given the nature of the tasks the bombers were having to perform, this must have been an incredibly difficult job.

Working around the clock at the lonely dispersal points spread around the station, in all weathers, perched high above the ground toiling to get their aircraft ready for the night’s operation and doing everything possible to ensure that no fault could occur which would endanger the safety of their aircrew.

Behind them is the tractor driver with their bomb-train in front of the 11-strong ‘bombing’ up team.

Behind the aircraft to the left is the refuelling team of three airmen with their petrol tanker, and finally, to the right, the oil tanker and its driver.

We salute the ‘Groundies’ who kept the aircraft and aircrew flying. For insight into their work read on for the experience of a ground crew member.