Stories

Flying Officer Charlie Eddy was awarded the MBE for gallantry in dangerous circumstances. His unselfishness in a crashed, burning bomber is indicative of the loyalty that aircrew had for one another. Sadly, Eddy was killed on another mission, five weeks before his MBE was announced.

The Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) supported the war effort flying new, repaired and damaged military aircraft between factories, repair facilities and active service squadrons. Doing so, they freed up RAF pilots needed for combat duty. Among the ATA pilots many female pilots from around the world, including at least five New Zealanders.

In 1943 workers at a Welsh aircraft factory gave up their weekend off to build a bomber from scratch in just 24 hours. Why? To bolster spirits at home and demonstrate to the enemy the capacity of Britain to continue to arm Bomber Command.

Despite the efforts of many volunteers to have a Bomber Command Memorial built, the lack of political will to support the concept, meant the project struggled to gain traction. Help appeared from an unlikely source, Robin Gibb, the British singer, songwriter and record producer, famous as a member of the Bee Gees.

The Memorial Garden in the centre of Mepal Village has been a focal point for all those with association with 75 (NZ) Squadron. For those visiting the village and those that attend the annual Remembrance Day service, it is a special place to reflect and give thanks for the sacrifices made.

Bomber Command aircrew operated as a team, each member with a vital role to ensure they reached their target, dropped their payload and safely returned to base. But they were part of a much bigger team, a mix of both air and ground crew responsible for maintaining and servicing aircraft.