Stories
Stories
George Thompson VC and his pilot Harry Denton
In the Ellesmere RSA is a painting by Chris Sheehan, the Shepherd. John Lay tells the remarkable story of the Denton crew, their kiwi skipper fighting to get his crippled Lancaster back to safety and his Scottish wireless operator whose “courage has seldom been equaled and never surpassed".
The first heavy bomber to land in liberated France
Shortly after D-Day a 75(NZ) Squadron returning from an operation to Villers-Bocage made an unplanned stopover in Normandy, becoming the first Allied heavy bomber to land (and later take-off) in libertaed western Europe. Chris Newey tells of the remarkable experience of the Williamson crew.
Building Airfields
A massive network of airfields would be needed for Bomber Command to operate. From just 33 permanent stations in 1939, by the end of the war squadrons had operated from 170 airfields across England and Scotland. Construction of airfields, hangers, operations and accommodation these would be a major task.
Doug and his Dog
Bomber crews became quite attached to their regular “kites”, relying on them to get them home safely each night. A wartime photo, posted online by the Air Force Museum of NZ, re-united Doug Williamson with "his" Lancaster - HK601 JN-D for “Dog”, aka “Snifter”, 75 years after jumping from her over Germany.
Masters of the Air – A Kiwi Connection
Apple TV's new series, Masters of the Air, is based on the US Eighth Air Force’s 100th Bomber Group, on their mission to bomb targets inside German-occupied Europe, alongside with RAF Bomber Command. there is an interesting New Zealand connection, through pilot Johnny Checketts.
The Great Escape
On the night of 24 March 1944, the largest prisoner of war (POW) breakout ever attempted occurred at Stalag Luft III, a German camp for captured Allied airmen. The ‘Great Escape’, including six New Zealanders, was unprecedented in its organisation and scale, but also in its tragedy.