[News] The 'Dambusters' raid, 75 years ago today (and tomorrow).

Stat Brother said:

It turns out you can watch PF in an hours time:-

[tweet]999001959246917632[/tweet]

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Stat Brother said:

It turns out you can watch PF in an hours time:-

[tweet]999001959246917632[/tweet]

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GT49er said:

Let 'em be offended then - that's their problem! They should pay a bit more attention to history (without stupidly trying to interpret and judge history by today's mores).

........and the dog was called '******', by the way, not 'n*****' and nothing now can change that fact!

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Thunder Bolt said:

It was but I can understand offence when an MP like David Lammy, who has been standing up for the Windrush generation, who have been treated badly by the Home Office, gets this through the post.


https://twitter.com/DavidLammy/status/998576731975028742

[tweet]998576731975028742[/tweet]

This has now been passed to the police, in what is a depressingly familiar routine for my office. Even if the police are unable to find you, if you read this I want you to know that sending abusive hate mail won't scare or silence me or stop me standing up for what I believe in.

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GT49er said:

The letter was obviously sent by a vile racist. Nothing to do with Guy Gibson's dog being called ******, or even the word '******'. That piece of racist shit would be a piece of racist shit whether the word existed or not.
If some people can't recognise the difference made by context, they really need to give their heads a wobble.

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Thunder Bolt said:

Of course it is to do with the word ******. It's because nasty racist people used it in the USA and here, that it became more and more offensive.
I don't wish to perpetuate this conversation, as I find it very disturbing.

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Thunder Bolt said:

Of course it is to do with the word ******. It's because nasty racist people used it in the USA and here, that it became more and more offensive.
I don't wish to perpetuate this conversation, as I find it very disturbing.

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portslade seagull said:

Why do blacks use the term then. I'm sure it's not in the racist sense, its more because they can and get away with it.

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portslade seagull said:

Why do blacks use the term then. I'm sure it's not in the racist sense, its more because they can and get away with it.

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Frutos said:

https://thelincolnite.co.uk/2018/05/watch-johnny-johnson-fly-lancaster-one-final-time/
As part of the commemorations, the BBMF took Johnny Johnson up in their Lanc. [emoji106]

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The Rivet said:

Regardless of the loss of human life and machines the effect on the enemy at the time psychologically was immense. The engineering achievements right down to the angled 60ft spotlights were inspirational. Finally, Guy Gibson, what a man!

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spongy said:

My nan's brother (so great uncle??) Was a dam buster navigator on a Lancaster.

My mum found all his old war letters and medals in a box in the loft of my nan's house.

My dad saw them and wanted to know more so did a LOAD of research wanting to know more.

Since found out loads. He was shot down over the channel just over the Belgian coast on the return of his 23rd sortie.

We even have the location he was shot down. Where the wreck was found, his squadron, crew, plane number and nickname. (Can't remember exact details off hand)

My dad also found a whole load of WWII maps that he used with notes scribbled on them to help him. They're in almost pristine condition. Not worth a lot in monetary terms but at the same time invaluable memorabilia.

During his research he went with my mum up to RAF Coningsby where the Memorial Flight Lancaster is based and took all the letters and maps with him.

The Lancaster was grounded as it was having repair work done but they spent hours in the museum and having a look around.

They went to a cafe to have a coffee and two blokes in airsuits sat near them. My dad being dad started a conversation asking if they were pilots and was told that they were called Roger and Ian the pilot and navigator of the Lancaster.

It was then that my dad said "I have something in my bag that may interest you" and preceded to show them all the letters, medals and maps he had.

The two blokes. Roger Collins the pilot and Ian Shaw the navigator were awestruck and in awe of it all as they're still serving RAF.

My dad said to Ian that he wanted him to keep two of the maps and gave them to him. At first he wouldn't take them saying they should be museum pieces but my dad insisted. He begrudgingly took them.

As a thankyou Roger said "come with me I have something to show you". And then took them to the hanger that the Lancaster is stored in. Due to the repairs happening they couldn't start it but the two of them gave my mum and dad a personal tour of the whole plane. Every part of it. Even in the cockpit. He allowed my dad to sit in the pilot seat. My mum refused, even after lots of cajoling but insisted that it was a "mans seat, a seat for heroes" and wasn't comfortable sitting in it.

Whilst in the cockpit, Ian, the navigator took the two maps and put one on the board and one on the bench area and said " these stay here, and will never be moved, these maps belong on this plane, as part of history, every time this plane flies be safe in the knowledge that they are here as a mark of respect to those few brave souls".

I personally think it's amazing that my family paid so much and somehow by a twist of luck and being in the right place at the right that they my parents met Roger and Ian.

If ever you see the Lancaster memorial flight know that there is genuine maps from WWII missions in that cockpit.

This was 3 years ago this happened and I saw the Lancaster last year flying. I cried at the thought of this and am now writing it.

My two pennies worth anyway.....

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spongy said:

My nan's brother (so great uncle??) Was a dam buster navigator on a Lancaster.

My mum found all his old war letters and medals in a box in the loft of my nan's house.

My dad saw them and wanted to know more so did a LOAD of research wanting to know more.

Since found out loads. He was shot down over the channel just over the Belgian coast on the return of his 23rd sortie.

We even have the location he was shot down. Where the wreck was found, his squadron, crew, plane number and nickname. (Can't remember exact details off hand)

My dad also found a whole load of WWII maps that he used with notes scribbled on them to help him. They're in almost pristine condition. Not worth a lot in monetary terms but at the same time invaluable memorabilia.

During his research he went with my mum up to RAF Coningsby where the Memorial Flight Lancaster is based and took all the letters and maps with him.

The Lancaster was grounded as it was having repair work done but they spent hours in the museum and having a look around.

They went to a cafe to have a coffee and two blokes in airsuits sat near them. My dad being dad started a conversation asking if they were pilots and was told that they were called Roger and Ian the pilot and navigator of the Lancaster.

It was then that my dad said "I have something in my bag that may interest you" and preceded to show them all the letters, medals and maps he had.

The two blokes. Roger Collins the pilot and Ian Shaw the navigator were awestruck and in awe of it all as they're still serving RAF.

My dad said to Ian that he wanted him to keep two of the maps and gave them to him. At first he wouldn't take them saying they should be museum pieces but my dad insisted. He begrudgingly took them.

As a thankyou Roger said "come with me I have something to show you". And then took them to the hanger that the Lancaster is stored in. Due to the repairs happening they couldn't start it but the two of them gave my mum and dad a personal tour of the whole plane. Every part of it. Even in the cockpit. He allowed my dad to sit in the pilot seat. My mum refused, even after lots of cajoling but insisted that it was a "mans seat, a seat for heroes" and wasn't comfortable sitting in it.

Whilst in the cockpit, Ian, the navigator took the two maps and put one on the board and one on the bench area and said " these stay here, and will never be moved, these maps belong on this plane, as part of history, every time this plane flies be safe in the knowledge that they are here as a mark of respect to those few brave souls".

I personally think it's amazing that my family paid so much and somehow by a twist of luck and being in the right place at the right that they my parents met Roger and Ian.

If ever you see the Lancaster memorial flight know that there is genuine maps from WWII missions in that cockpit.

This was 3 years ago this happened and I saw the Lancaster last year flying. I cried at the thought of this and am now writing it.

My two pennies worth anyway.....

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