Stories

The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest Commonwealth military decoration awarded for ‘valour in the face of the enemy.’ Three VCs were awarded to New Zealand airmen, including Leonard Trent of 487 (NZ) Sq. who was shot down over Amsterdam on Ramrod 16, in May 1943. This is his story.

Some 10,000 airmen survived parachuting from their stricken aircraft, or even a crash only to become prisoners of war (POWs). While many tried to escape, just 33 were able to escape and avoid recapture. Sergeant-Pilot Woodroofe was the only New Zealand airman to successfully make a ‘home run’.

As war loomed, RAF planners estimated that for each year of the war they would need around 20,000 pilots and 30,000 other crew. These numbers could not be resourced from Britain alone. So began the Empire Air Training Scheme, training aircrew from Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

A visitor to the UK will quickly become aware of the large number of war memorials on prominent display, from both famous and less well-known campaigns. So why did it take until 2012 for the 55,573 bomber crew members killed to be remembered by permanent memorial?

A Bomber Command aircrew was a well-drilled team, each with specific responsibilities but dependent on one another if their aircraft was to have any chance of reaching target, dropping its bombs and returning safely. Squadron Leader Jonathan Pote (Rtd.) outlines the different roles of a bomber’s aircrew.

The story of the Battle of Britain is well known - the defence of Britain by Fighter Command. Less well known is the critical role that Bomber Command played at the same time, attacking airfields, invasion ports and vessels to reduce the chance of a German invasion.