My father was a tail gunner, managed to make it to very nearly the end of his tour with his crew . He took a round in the shoulder on a return trip and was hospitalized. The next night, his crew was shot down and all killed. When my dad was better, although he didn't have to, he completed his tour with a new crew and survived. All very brave men ! Great video.
Very similar situation with my late father-in-law. Rear gunner in a 149 Squadron Stirling. He fired at a German train when low-level over France and the train returned AA fire. He was injured and in hospital; his crew flew next a few days later and were shot down in the Baltic; the aircraft was never found. We know the name of the German Me110 pilot who was himself killed a year later.
Very brave men. My Uncle was an RAF navigator. Initially he started his war flying in Wellington bombers. Then his squadron refitted with Lancasters in 1943.He was lucky. He and his crew survived intact. He knew many that didn't.
I can't conceive the vision of a tail gunner torn to pieces by hail of 20 and 30 mm cannon shells. Those guys must've had big balls to man those guns. Finest generation indeed.
I've read several books on the subject. Gruesome as it sounds, sometimes when the planes landed back in England the rear gunners were so obliterated there was nothing to do but gather up the larger pieces and then hose the turret out. What an awful business that must have been for all concerned. War is terrible, there's no two ways about it. Some rear gunners preferred to run without the centre panel of plexiglass installed, completely open to the sky. The plexiglass afforded them no protection from either the cold or the enemy fighters, and they could see much better without it, especially at night. Being able to pick up that tiny muzzle flash in the distance that much sooner was literally the difference between life and death. Imagine that. What courage and determination those men had. There were some success stories though. A good few gunners were quite adept at shooting down enemy fighters - those who survived a few missions would begin to learn the German's attack techniques and adjust their defense strategies accordingly. A good pilot knew how vital it was to heed the directions given over the radio by his rear gunner - ignoring him could mean certain death, as many discovered. If they were really lucky a good crew could lay claim to having in their possession that rarest of additions - an experienced rear gunner.
Here's a photo of what was left of the tail turret of a 75 New Zealand Squadron Stirling, after it was attacked by a night fighter. The gunner did not survive... tinyurl.com/y8yvv3xm
really? That looks far to slow to me planes are flying by at hundreds of miles per hour i would think you would need to get whiplash at how fast you would have to turn the gun to keep pace with them to me this looks to slow to hit a plane flying by
@@matt92099As I understand it, it was nearly impossible to hit anything in darkness at 250mph but the rear gunner was invaluable as an observer to alert the pilot who could 'corkscrew', which was a very effective evasive manoeouvre. It could be argued that a nearly unarmed Lancaster would have been a better aircraft, and that fewer aircrew would have perished.
My great uncle Sargent james Morris mckay was a rear gunner during ww2 died in operation sterkrade his landcaster went down over Belgium and the locals still remember the fallen every year. We must always remember the guys who didn't come back.
''For none are closer to- The author of pain & sacrifice Himself... Than those who choose to- Perform ^it for the sake & safety of others.'' -Former U.S. Paratrooper Sgt. William ''Rock'' Gilpin 82nd Abn. 1/504 Inf. '71---'74 ...tTt... ///^it\\\
Max credit to the Canadians for keeping the memory of their Bomber Command aircrew. This is a wonderful exhibit to show their descendants just what they had to do to defeat the Nazis
The reality of world war 2 was much more economical, geographical and resourceful than one would think. Colonial powers basically used it as an excuse to conquer the 3rd world (and their resources).
@@PatTheRiot What an ignorant comment. If anything, WWII started the demise of the British and French Empires. Crack open a book and study history. Unless of course you are talking about the Japanese co-prosperity sphere and the USSR.
I’m English, my grandfather was a “tail end Charlie” rear gunner in a Lancaster, he was lucky enough to of survived the entire war even though he was shot down twice. Wish I could of had the honour of hearing his stories but sadly he passed before I had the chance.
In my youth, I worked in aged care. One man, Billy Baker, was a tail gunner, in Lancasters, and he told me many stories, many times (-I think it's a function of old people, to help younger people remember their stories -). He literally copped some flack, and the side of his head was patched up with skin grafts, like a quilt. My time working in aged care was long before the internet, so I only had a vague understanding of what he was talking about. I remember him telling me that he had done fifty sorties. He was a nervous wreck. Seeing videos like this are helpful in explaining why. Thanks for posting this. Lest we forget.
@@Rainhill1829 Well not exactly for "us", unless we happen to be members of the "Elite", pedophile society, or an international Banker, or one of their politicians.
My grandfather was a tail gunner in Lancster NE150 flying from Metheringham. They were hit by flak over northern France in the early hours of 7th June 1944. The bomb aimer was the only one to survive. I grew up on stories about these guys and have the greatest respect for them. This little film is brilliant and really brings it home how brave they were.
Requiem for a rear gunner by R.W. Gilbert 'My brief sweet life is over My eyes no longer see No summer walk's No Christmas trees No pretty girls for me I've got the chop, I've had it, My nightly ops are done, Yet in another hundred years, I'll still be twenty one. R.W.Gilbert was a rear gunner in Lancaster's.
this reminds me of a similar poem from a 17 belly gunner. "The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner" is a five-line poem by Randall Jarrell published in 1945. It is about the death of a gunner in a Sperry ball turret on a World War II American bomber aircraft. From my mother's sleep I fell into the State, And I hunched in its belly till my wet fur froze. Six miles from earth, loosed from its dream of life, I woke to black flak and the nightmare fighters. When I died they washed me out of the turret with a hose.
Great video. Interestingly enough, my father survived by bailing out of his burning B-17 over northern Italy. He had a crewmate who also survived a fall without a parachute by landing on a steep mountain incline in deep snow. Look for the story of Arthur Frechette in the Travis Ayres book Bomber Boys.
Super informative video - what courage those young men had!. My wife's uncle was a Lancaster pilot. He was shot down over Germany in 1944. He ordered the crew bale out and they were taken prisoner - but he and two others didn't make it out of the plane and were killed. He lies in Rheinberg Cemetery in Northern Germany. He was 22 years old and wanted to be an architect. We have the letter he wrote to his parents, to be sent in the event of his death... Lest We Forget.
I met Flt Sgt Nicholas Alkemade in the 1970s. He was a newly appointed representative of a tool and protective clothing supplier at the time and it was my local authority job to purchase such equipment. He came, showed me his business card and I asked him if he was the tail gunner in WW2 who leapt from his burning plane with no parachute and he confirmed that he was. The back story is that I had read of him in a boys comic in 1963. He was a lovely, humble man and a hero.
My neighbour was a Lancaster Pilot Commonwealth Forces, assigned to bomber command. I was a young lad, I knew the man's son and played often over their house. I always remember him sitting in his corner of the lounge room watching TV upon returning home from work. He drank heavily. My father said later when I was older, that John functioned on alcohol. So much pain and anguish for these returned men. I met more of these men years later in nursing homes. Polish Spitfire pilots and Aussie bomber command crew. Indeed most of the men in my street crescent, including my father had stories to tell. Neighbours were neighbours back then. Uncle this and Mrs that. Gone now..
My uncle Mac lost his life in a Lancaster during the war he was the navigator. We still have a photo of him in his uniform it was on my wall for many years. Although I never knew him i was often told the story’s of him and his flight officer Pickles. God rest their souls.
MyUncle, Bob Jackson, was a rear gunner in 460sq. He had some amazing stories but passed away recently at 103 years young. Look up “Australia’s Uncle Bob”. He got out of Jeep in our yearly ANZAC march to salute the dignitaries, as you “never show disrespect by saluting sitting down”. A great man and a great life. RIP mate.
My father was tail gunner in 467 sq , path finders , flying out of Grimsby in Lincolnshire , he was a volunteer drawn from the Australian forces serving in Egypt . He complete 35 missions including a crash land . I still have his flight journal . He died in 2011 , he was 94 . He seldom spoke of his war time experience .... it must have been terrifying .
I also knew a WAG who served on 460, started on Wellingtons then Lanc's before returning to Australia on completion of his tour of operations to finish the war on B-24's. A lovely bloke who loved the Lancaster, called it the Cadillac of the skies. Told me returning to base in the bright morning sunshine high up on the fuselage in his turret was a joy to behold after the inky darkness, that I would believe. FSGT Arthur Daley DFM, 460 Squadron RAAF & 23 Squadron SWPA.
My Father was a rear gunner too, he was in the RAAF 460 Squadron flying out of Binbrook in Lincolnshire the crew were a mix of Brits, Canadians and Aussies, Flight Sergeant Dougall was the Canadian he came from Calgary and I had the pleasure of meeting him twice, such a genuine man, the laughter from our living room when they got together is still with me today, my dad was 32 when he joined up in 1942 the rest of the crew were in their early twenties, so his nickname was Pop, these men were so brave as were all the other men who fought in the war to save us from Hitler and the fascists, we should never forget!
Both my father’s boss, an Armenian American farmer, and my sister in law’s father were tail gunners in WW2. Both great family men who kept their memories inside. Thanks.
I used to volunteer at YAM Elvington; at the time the Halifax was still being restored (fuselage lower was being worked on). I met a lot of crew. It was an incredible privilege, they will share stories you'll never forget. Although the area was cordoned off, if they were crew I would take them around and let them look into the entryway. One gentleman, a former RCAF rear gunner, told me he had not had that view since leaving his ditched Halifax, when he nearly drowned. He showed me a scar that ran from his elbow to his forearm, which was shrapnel from a cannon shell from the fighter that attacked them. it hit his wristwatch, travelled up his forearm and out his elbow, making it hard for him to get out of the flooding fuselage. He got stuck on the tailwheel oleo, within sight of the open door, and dragged his injured self out into the dinghy. I have endless admiration for these people.
That was an incredible story of what those gunners had to endure. I had an uncle who was a tail gunner who managed to survive his 2 yr tour without a scratch. He was on a different type of bomber that he apparently had more room. His aircraft commander allowed him to line his compartment with flak vests to help protect him. And he practice tactics to get up and quickly fire and duck when needed to avoid being hit. Ironically, when I joined the AF in the mid 80’s I was trained as a B-52G AN/ASG-15 Defensive Fire Control System maintainer. Shortly after getting to Fairchild (92nd Bomb Wing) I learned the base was converting to the B-52H bomber and I had to laterally retrain into the AN/ASG-21 tail gun system. I work that system to the official end of tail guns on Bombers in October 1991. I was extremely proud to have been a part of the history of aerial gunnery.
My father was a rear gunner he was able to survive the end of ww2 and immigrated to Australia and went to rest 1n 2010. By hell these young men were brave with iron balls !
Amazing video and presentation ! This man did an excellent job recounting these incredible stories. I truly wish todays generation had an appreciation and respect for what these men stood for and endured. But unless it’s on a video game, I’m not sure they care. 🇺🇸🇺🇸
I completely agree, it hits especially close to home for me because I am the average age of one of these folks who would have bravely gone off in these machines to fight night after night.
Rainhill1829 Yes sir, then you relate to my comment. I’ve really lost patience with the lack of respect for our American values. Everything to the anthem, removing statues (because they “offend”), etc. It’s really sad.
Quite right, everyone seems to want to be free of anything even mildly offensive or discomforting, truthful or otherwise, while true liberty is the freedom to tell people what they do not wish to hear, and that freedom is slowly eroding, especially in my country. It is troubling indeed.
My father was a tail gunner and made it through 69 operations. He bailed out twice. I have his 'Caterpillar Club' pin as my most precious memory of him. He lived to his late 80s after a very successful life in business. An extraordinary generation.
Ball turret gunner, tail gunner, nose gunner, side gunner on whatever aircraft or bomber they fly in. Big respect to the survivors and condolences to those who didnt made it. To all crews in whatever squadron they are attached/posted in ww2 air theatre. Thank you for your service!
My Father had an Uncle who would drive up to Scotland in his little MG to go grouse hunting. He became a tail gunner in a Lancaster during the war, probably because of his hunting hobby. Like so many of them, he never came home. Nothing. No body to bury. No remains to collect. He just ceased to be.
My father was a tail gunner in Lancasters, Stirlings and Wellingtons, 2 tours of ops in total. Won a DFC. Lost a crew - only survivor and continued virtually to the end of the war. Died age 77 with cancer. As a boy he always said to me "The Germans couldn't kill me, I must be being saved for something worse!" Of course he was right
Doing 2 tours he more than deserved the DFC. Especially doing ops in the Stirling. Crews in Lancasters and Halifaxes actually cheered during briefing when they heard there'd be Stirlings on the ops as they service ceiling was so much lower and they'd get attacked first. My dad did his HCU at RAF Winthorpe in Stirlings and although he never mentioned Iit know there were crews killed in flying accidents at the time.
11.55 My fathers worst nightmare trapped in his rear turret with the aircraft on fire, it stayed with him all all his life and he was one of lucky ones.
I always remember, as a young boy, building an Airfix kit of a Lancaster, and my Dad telling me how he built rear turrets on the Lancaster’s at Blackburn’s aircraft factory at Yeadon near Leeds UK (now Leeds Bradford Airport). I still have his custom built wooden tool chest with his initials on it.
My uncle was ground crew on an RAF bomber station, had the unenviable job of cleaning out the bombers after sorties, the only family member he spoke to about it was my grandfather. The toll of cleaning the remains/body parts of dead and injured aircrew saw him invalided out on psychiatric grounds and was eventually diagnosed as schizophrenic as a result. Nowadays it would probably be PTSD. A good book to read is "Strike Hard, Strike Sure" by Ralph Barker, a collection of stories of Bomber Command during WW2.
I remember reading about Sl Sgt Alkemade's story and seeing the man himself recounting his story on TV. The Germans knew how SOE operatives hid their parachutes, so yes they would have shot him as a spy. Alkemade told the Commandant of the prison camp to find the crashed Lancaster and the parachute remnants were brought into his office. The Commandant told the entire camp about the extraordinary good fortune of the Flt Sgt. You fall from 60ft, you are a splat on the ground. From 18,000 fit into snow & you manage not to hit a substantial bit of pine wood. No wonder the German officer was respectful.
I worked with a veteran who was a tail gunner in the RAF. He started as a tail gunner in 1940on Wellingtons and finished in Lancasters on V.E. in 1945. He always said "I went to war backwards". So how he survived as did his complete crew.
My father was a rear gunner with 300 Sqadron Polish Free airforce. He survived the war, but sadly never saw his family again because of the soviet occupation of Poland.
Very interesting. My father's cousin was an air gunner serving on 106 Squadron. I've seen the squadron ORB and was able to find out his crew's operations. He usually flew in the rear turret, but occasionally he and the mid-upper gunner changed places. He was manning the mid-upper turret on their 18th operation from which they did not return. Brave men, all of them.
See John Cusack's Book about his Tailgunner Experiences in Lancasters. He named his book: "They Hosed Them Out" - for good reason. He survived 2 tours and went home to Sydney Australia where, legend has it, he slept on the beach for 6 months getting over it. Somewhat. Reading his book - what struck me was how he rated the pilots he flew with. John said that the 303 machineguns were next to useless and could play little role in the defence of the bomber. What he could do is inform the pilot to do one of two things: Corkscrew Right or Corkscrew Left. When a German Fighter was on him, he had to stare at the cannon and machine guns aimed at him and wait for the best moment to get the pilot to screw right or left. Evidently this tactic worked a lot.
I read exactly that tactic by another crewman called “A Thousand Shall Fall” apparently those big four engine bombers could do some impressive spirals to get out of harms way.
Many years ago I knew a fellow who had been a rear gunner in WW2; he was a relatively short, lean and unassuming guy. Shows you that great bravery comes in many different sizes! /
One 617 squadron rear-gunner, W/O. McLean (sp.?) arranged it that his pilot would throttle back and drop the flaps when a night-fighter was closing in from behind. The distance between the planes would suddenly reduce, giving McLean the chance to open fire before the surprised German pilot could fire his cannon which normally outranged the guns carried by the Lancs. McLean and his mid-upper gunner managed to shoot down or damage three fighters in one night in this way. McLean used his own ammunition-mix in the belts that fed his turret (and kept quiet about it).
Seth Kimmel I’m not sure, he was born in Kent but moved to the east of England and settled in Peterborough. I assume he was stationed around Lincolnshire or thereabouts. Unfortunately I only got to know him in his later years and saw his log book, but I can’t remember the full details other than what he told me. His missions included runs deep into Germany and many a time his aircraft would come back with an engine or two out. He never mentioned the USSAF, so I assume they were all RAF planes that he flew in.
My father and his dear friend Tom Berry (who's picture I discovered years later as a child) volunteered as rear gunners in the RAF and needless to say my grandparents went mad when he told them. His mate passed the selection test, dad didn't. Sadly he was killed, whereas my old man survived the war and went on to have me. Apparently he couldn't hold his breath long enough, possibly due to being a smoker I guess. So the story must be one of the rare instances of cigarettes actually being good for you!
@@Rainhill1829 thanks, I don't know what happened to that picture after my dad passed. I'd love to still have it, perhaps he has family I could trace... maybe one day.
My grandmothers uncle is on the memorial there. He was a navigator in a bomber that got shot down in Belgium... I don’t know what kind of plane he was in though. What an amazing museum! Anyone in the area should go, a bunch of stuff, a Lancaster, not much else you could ask for! Another great museum with a lot of planes is the Reynolds museum near wataskawin
I had the honour of sitting in the rear turret of the Battle of Britain Lanc " S for Sugar " when I was in the RAF, I was a Sgt. in charge of a crew of airmen carrying repairs at the time replacing the corroded rivets. Never felt so lonely in my life and embarrassed when talking to an old guy who was visiting , told him they must have been mad to fly in that position , he casually said he did over 40 sorties as a tail gunner over Germany -- made me feel so small --- bless them all
My Grandfather flew in the Lancaster Bomber he was in the Path Finder Force (PFF), they were a highly specialised force, dedicated to target-marking for the rest of Bomber Command which was known as Main Force. Its crews acted not only as target-markers, but as guides and leaders on the long routes to the targets. They were also on rare occasions reallocated to Main Force role, he was the rear gunner, after so many sorties he survived the war, brave men indeed the PFF motto was "We Guide To Strike" he survived the war now gone R.I.P Grandpa.
Nothing quite like the sound of a Lancaster doing a low banked pass at Downsview in the summer .....nothing but respect for that bird and those who served on her.
Excellent presentation by the Canadian guy . The story about the tail gunner i had heard before , when i was a kid in the 60s he was on a BBC programme in the UK called THIS IS YOUR LIFE i couldnt believe his luck.
A friends dad was a tail gunner he didnt talk about it, years later one of my neighbors mentioned the woodford airshow with 4 Merlins racing overhead, he also was a tail end charlie AND said coming back from Berlin he could see the fires for such a long time, brave men, heroes as they all were, and what of now ?
I knew a rear turret gunner. He said that due to the limited space in the rear they often didn’t wear chutes cause of limited space. They would have to hope there was enough pressure to move the turret back to the start position to get the chute. If they did wear it then they had to hope it had enough pressure to turn to full left or right. This guy also tied his boots to his feet via rope or chute lines. Said if he ever had to bail his shoes were going with him one way or another
Very good presentation from the guide, pity about the background noise he had to shout over. There was a rear gunner in 617 squadron The Dambusters who was literally cut in half by 20mm cannon shells, two of the medics had breakdowns while trying to remove his remains! Terrible, TERRIBLE DAYS!
That was Nick Knilans rear-gunner. It happened before they joined 617 but yeah. It fell to Knilans to get the poor lad out of the turret at the end. Fascinating chap Nick Knilans - an American, drafted into US Army, left (or AWOL) as the idea of infantry didn’t appeal, crossed the border and joined the RCAF. Did a tour with 619 then his crew volunteered for 617. Flew with them from Jan 44 to after the Tirpitz raids. IIRC the USAAF claimed him back during his 619 tour, but he didn’t want to leave his crew so carried on with them as a US 1st Lt. Had a pile of US and Commonwealth medals at the end. Quite a man.
These individuals had more courage than any of the young men of today . They were fighting for our freedom and paid the ultimate price . We should not and can not forget . You live here in freedom because of what they did some 70 years ago .
A wonderful museum ... and we were lucky enough to literally be passing (en route from Calgary to Yellowstone) on the only day of the year they fire up the engines on the Lanc, and allow a walk through the aircraft interior.
B17 ball turret was a hell hole to be in. When the hydraulics system went out, the ball turret gunner had no means of escaping and was trapped in that small capsule till the aircraft crashed. Imagine the pilot doing a belly landing with the ball turret gunner trapped in?. Scary. Brave men! Most in their 20s.
my great grandpa's friend was a tail gunner. He gave a small golden model of the Lancaster to my great grandma who past away a few years ago a 98. Now the small golden Lancaster is my hands and I cherish it ever so much.
I remember reading about the tailgunner who fell 18000ft. without his parachute when I was a young child in the 60's, I've lost count of the amount of times I was called a liar while recounting the story to others who refused to believe it. A bit of validation feels good.
I knew guy who was a tail gunner in a Lancaster , he said there were different makes of turrets and some used the .50 M2 Browning . He preferred the .50 to the .303 , he took almost all the glass out of his turret . He said he pissed himself every trip ,not from fear but because he couldn't leave his seat ,He preferred one particular turret because it rotated a lot faster than the others . He was 18 when he started , did two full tours on ops and was still flying on the day the war ended . I found a researcher who recorded his war memories over several days . Luckily his memories are preserved somewhere ,
Thank your for our freedom for us and the world 🗺 so very proud of them all in the military praying for them now and forever in our history life forever ♥️🇺🇸❤️🗽
Hi from the Uk 🇬🇧. A few months ago I landed my small plane at Blackpool airport here in Uk . ATC told me to taxi and park next to the Lancaster bomber. I thought he was joking as there’s only one currently flying in the Uk. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I was told to park next to it. The video is on my channel. Cool video. Thanks for posting.
The German airman, Oswald Boelke stated in his manual on air combat before WWI..."when attacking a two seater kill the gunner first" this also held in WWII.
Excellent exhibition, live and interactive in a sense, a superb history lesson delivered in a v interesting ( entertaining way) Could do with more like this with this approach in the UK, and invite lots of students to see it. It is thier lives these brave men fought for.
I believe they always wanted the smaller lads, as room was tight in the rear gun. A Great Uncle of mine was killed as a rear-gunner. RIP Sgt Danny Rice.
My family member was a rear gunner on a Lancaster. He was on his 1st sortie to leipzig, Germany,. Over the Dutch Freisen Islands a German night fighter attacked the plane, killed all on board. Some of the bodies eventually washed up and were buried by the locals. I have some images somewhere of the funeral. My family member unfortunately was not amongst the recovered... Leading to the theory that some crew jumped landed in the sea, eventually perished but the rear gunner was never found... Probably shot and still in the turret. He was just 19 and had just ahem.... Got my grandmother pregnant... Enter my mum... I have a few pictures my gran kept of him in her keepsake box with a letter from him about the baby...
The tail turrets were made in my home town Gainsborough. Years ago there was an old woman in a nearby village that had a tail turret in her garden that she used as a mini greenhouse.
My dad managed to squeeze his wiry 5ft 10 1/4ins frame into the rear turret. According to his mid upper turret mate a few years ago, they were getting in the crew bus before an op and dad asked him if he minded swapping ?? So they did. My dad never mentioned it but I always new he would have been inquisitive about the mid-upper turret.
What great bravery, such a sad loss of life, and such a sacrifice ! I have a large picture in my kitchen of Guy Gibson, his dog, stood in front of a Lancaster bomber.
When I was a child we were visited by a friend of my father. He always walked with a limp. Being young and curious I asked why. He told me he was a tail gunner in a Lanc He had a duel with a nightfighter. He got the nightfighter but lost his leg to a cannon shell. That was his last flight. A very unassuming not too tall man but a hero
I was once lucky enough to be in a B 17 and a HE 111 on display and I was suprised to see how much smaller both planes were than they appeared in movies etc .
My uncle was British but served in RCAF Bison squadron flying Wellingtons as a sergeant pilot he along with his mixed crew of Australians and Canadians died in the North sea 1942 he was 21
Lee - you may be reassured to know that he will be remembered and honoured on the International Bomber Command Centre's Walls of Names. Go to their website, navigate to the Total Losses Database and enter his name and all the data we have on him will be displayed. If you have anymore details you can send the info to the IBCC and you can upload a picture of him if you have one.
Years ago I had a friend who was a tail gunner on a B-17. Flew out of Northern Italy into Germany. I cannot imagine it. My Dad was a Navigator on a B-24.
@@Rainhill1829 I sat in that turret once, quite a few years back. I'm 6 foot 1 220 lb. My knees were up to my elbows. I thought they were going to have to bring out a crowbar to pry me back out of it. Those turrets were made for small people.
My cousin was a mid upper gunner in a Halifax. He was shot down and killed by a night fighter when returning from a mission to Dortmund. Apparently many crews were lost over the Netherlands and crashed in the Zuidersee or the North Sea. Also, my Uncle was a Flight Sergeant Pilot in Lancasters. He survived the war, and took part in the Berlin Airlift, flying Manchesters. He trained with the rear gunner mentioned in the presentation. Never once spoke of his experiences.
Coffins Corner , Tail End Charlie . Like a ball turret gunner on B-17s and B-24s and the tail position on these aircraft . B-26s and the B-25s . It took more of what anyone of has today what these brave souls did . And they did their missions . Thank you to all who severed .
Argentina Air Force bought some Avro Lancaster after the IIWW, and now there is one of them in the Air Force Museum in Buenos Aires. They were wonderful!!!
My family have a long history of military service going back to the Boer War. However they all have one thing in common, which is why I am here writing this comment. They all had the sense to avoid all of the dangerous stuff by a variety of well thought out means. My family liked the uniform but where either born cowards, or too smart to run the risk of getting themselves killed. Indeed got through 4 highly murderous wars from start to finish, without so much as a scratch.
Wow, I was brought up in the UK reading about this stuff, watching films, tv, documentaries etc but this was great, fascinating stuff. I’ve always known about the horrendous losses but it’s the first time I’ve heard the story’s told here & told so well. Brilliant. It helps us all to remember the sacrifices of these very brave, very young men... too young to be anything other than pure of heart & who went to war with the very noblest of intentions against a pitiless enemy & thank god they won, or these youngsters & people from other lands who burn our flags, trash statues of Queen Victoria & Winston & make The British isles their home might not even be alive to of got here in the first place. What would the Nazis have done I wonder under similar circumstances, would the SS or Gestapo have had the statues of their nations Leaders & hero’s from a proud past boarded up or placed out of view until things calmed down, while at the same time their Jackbooted storm troopers looked nonchalantly in the other direction? Nope
The .303 rounds would not even penetrate the armoured glass on the German fighters windshields. The MK 7 rounds ran around 2500 fps and produced about 2300 foot lbs of energy. By contrast a .50 caliber round went out around 2800 fps and produced a whopping 13000 lbs of energy. Gunter Rall, a German ace, came up on the tail gunner of a B17 thinking that the Americans were using regular .30 cal guns. He got too close and the B17 gunner opened up with his twin .50s. Rall's FW 190 literally disintegrated around him and rounds tore off his canopy. Rall survived but gained a healthy respect for the guns on a B17.
Smith Wesson Yes the .50 would have been a much better option but I think the use of the .303 was purely a supply logistics decision on the Air Ministry’s part. I think they experimented with heavier guns later on.
![Inside a Halifax Heavy Bomber: Crew, Turrets and Guns [HP Halifax 2/2]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/2zypfAVMRJc/mqdefault.jpg)
My father was a tail gunner, managed to make it to very nearly the end of his tour with his crew . He took a round in the shoulder on a return trip and was hospitalized. The next night, his crew was shot down and all killed. When my dad was better, although he didn't have to, he completed his tour with a new crew and survived. All very brave men ! Great video.
Dartmoor 100 Brave men indeed, incredible courage, thanks for telling his story.
Very similar situation with my late father-in-law. Rear gunner in a 149 Squadron Stirling. He fired at a German train when low-level over France and the train returned AA fire. He was injured and in hospital; his crew flew next a few days later and were shot down in the Baltic; the aircraft was never found. We know the name of the German Me110 pilot who was himself killed a year later.
John Faulkner Good lord, thats tragic.
Very brave men. My Uncle was an RAF navigator. Initially he started his war flying in Wellington bombers. Then his squadron refitted with Lancasters in 1943.He was lucky. He and his crew survived intact. He knew many that didn't.
Heart breaking
I can't conceive the vision of a tail gunner torn to pieces by hail of 20 and 30 mm cannon shells. Those guys must've had big balls to man those guns. Finest generation indeed.
It was a job of unbelievable danger, the position of the gun so far aft only added solitude to an already ultra hazardous job.
I've read several books on the subject. Gruesome as it sounds, sometimes when the planes landed back in England the rear gunners were so obliterated there was nothing to do but gather up the larger pieces and then hose the turret out. What an awful business that must have been for all concerned. War is terrible, there's no two ways about it.
Some rear gunners preferred to run without the centre panel of plexiglass installed, completely open to the sky. The plexiglass afforded them no protection from either the cold or the enemy fighters, and they could see much better without it, especially at night. Being able to pick up that tiny muzzle flash in the distance that much sooner was literally the difference between life and death. Imagine that. What courage and determination those men had.
There were some success stories though. A good few gunners were quite adept at shooting down enemy fighters - those who survived a few missions would begin to learn the German's attack techniques and adjust their defense strategies accordingly. A good pilot knew how vital it was to heed the directions given over the radio by his rear gunner - ignoring him could mean certain death, as many discovered. If they were really lucky a good crew could lay claim to having in their possession that rarest of additions - an experienced rear gunner.
Here's a photo of what was left of the tail turret of a 75 New Zealand Squadron Stirling, after it was attacked by a night fighter. The gunner did not survive...
tinyurl.com/y8yvv3xm
Gigantic balls
Agreed
I was really surprised at how fast it moves, i always imagined them being much slower, thanks.
Same here, makes sense though they wanted it as fast as possible.
really? That looks far to slow to me planes are flying by at hundreds of miles per hour i would think you would need to get whiplash at how fast you would have to turn the gun to keep pace with them to me this looks to slow to hit a plane flying by
crazzzzay
@uncletigger thanks for the informative reply
@@matt92099As I understand it, it was nearly impossible to hit anything in darkness at 250mph but the rear gunner was invaluable as an observer to alert the pilot who could 'corkscrew', which was a very effective evasive manoeouvre. It could be argued that a nearly unarmed Lancaster would have been a better aircraft, and that fewer aircrew would have perished.
My great uncle Sargent james Morris mckay was a rear gunner during ww2 died in operation sterkrade his landcaster went down over Belgium and the locals still remember the fallen every year. We must always remember the guys who didn't come back.
Antifa will be ripping down those statues next.
''For none are closer to-
The author of pain & sacrifice Himself...
Than those who choose to-
Perform ^it for the sake & safety of others.''
-Former U.S. Paratrooper Sgt. William ''Rock'' Gilpin 82nd Abn. 1/504 Inf. '71---'74
...tTt...
///^it\\\
@@bb5242 ...and we can't let that happen!
Unlikely because the bomber crews were fighting fascists and Nazis. Any idea what the fa stands for?
@@ralfybaby ...tell me what it stands for 🙄
Max credit to the Canadians for keeping the memory of their Bomber Command aircrew. This is a wonderful exhibit to show their descendants just what they had to do to defeat the Nazis
Graeme Hill Thanks so much, we will never let their memories fade.
The reality of world war 2 was much more economical, geographical and resourceful than one would think. Colonial powers basically used it as an excuse to conquer the 3rd world (and their resources).
@@PatTheRiot What an ignorant comment. If anything, WWII started the demise of the British and French Empires. Crack open a book and study history. Unless of course you are talking about the Japanese co-prosperity sphere and the USSR.
@@alecfoster4413 Why would that ignorant moron open a book when a simple two minute video on youtube can fill the empty void in their brain.
Wonderful of the Canadian Government to do this. Our Governments and todays wet wimpy generation are so ignorant they would apologise to the Germans.
I’m English, my grandfather was a “tail end Charlie” rear gunner in a Lancaster, he was lucky enough to of survived the entire war even though he was shot down twice. Wish I could of had the honour of hearing his stories but sadly he passed before I had the chance.
What an incredible story his must have been.
In my youth, I worked in aged care.
One man, Billy Baker, was a tail gunner, in Lancasters, and he told me many stories, many times (-I think it's a function of old people, to help younger people remember their stories -).
He literally copped some flack, and the side of his head was patched up with skin grafts, like a quilt.
My time working in aged care was long before the internet, so I only had a vague understanding of what he was talking about.
I remember him telling me that he had done fifty sorties.
He was a nervous wreck.
Seeing videos like this are helpful in explaining why.
Thanks for posting this.
Lest we forget.
Jason Ayres Indeed, we shall not forget what they sacrificed for us, thanks so much for the story.
@@Rainhill1829
Well not exactly for "us", unless we happen to be members of the "Elite", pedophile society, or an international Banker, or one of their politicians.
There are many in care homes with stories to tell and nobody with the time to listen.
My grandfather was a tail gunner in Lancster NE150 flying from Metheringham. They were hit by flak over northern France in the early hours of 7th June 1944. The bomb aimer was the only one to survive. I grew up on stories about these guys and have the greatest respect for them. This little film is brilliant and really brings it home how brave they were.
Thanks so much for your story, I’m very glad you enjoyed the demonstration.
Requiem for a rear gunner by R.W. Gilbert
'My brief sweet life is over
My eyes no longer see
No summer walk's
No Christmas trees
No pretty girls for me
I've got the chop, I've had it,
My nightly ops are done,
Yet in another hundred years,
I'll still be twenty one.
R.W.Gilbert was a rear gunner in Lancaster's.
jackson hudd It paints a bleak yet accurate picture of what those brave men faced every night. Thank you for that.
this reminds me of a similar poem from a 17 belly gunner. "The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner" is a five-line poem by Randall Jarrell published in 1945. It is about the death of a gunner in a Sperry ball turret on a World War II American bomber aircraft.
From my mother's sleep I fell into the State,
And I hunched in its belly till my wet fur froze.
Six miles from earth, loosed from its dream of life,
I woke to black flak and the nightmare fighters.
When I died they washed me out of the turret with a hose.
I love that poem.My dad was also a rear gunner.
Beautiful, really beautiful. 😇
Great video. Interestingly enough, my father survived by bailing out of his burning B-17 over northern Italy. He had a crewmate who also survived a fall without a parachute by landing on a steep mountain incline in deep snow. Look for the story of Arthur Frechette in the Travis Ayres book Bomber Boys.
Super informative video - what courage those young men had!. My wife's uncle was a Lancaster pilot. He was shot down over Germany in 1944. He ordered the crew bale out and they were taken prisoner - but he and two others didn't make it out of the plane and were killed. He lies in Rheinberg Cemetery in Northern Germany. He was 22 years old and wanted to be an architect. We have the letter he wrote to his parents, to be sent in the event of his death... Lest We Forget.
Indeed, lest we forget.
I met Flt Sgt Nicholas Alkemade in the 1970s. He was a newly appointed representative of a tool and protective clothing supplier at the time and it was my local authority job to purchase such equipment. He came, showed me his business card and I asked him if he was the tail gunner in WW2 who leapt from his burning plane with no parachute and he confirmed that he was. The back story is that I had read of him in a boys comic in 1963. He was a lovely, humble man and a hero.
That is incredible!!!
Excellent video. I can't imagine being a 18 year old kid, fresh out of high school and being given that assignment. The greatest generation.
Truly brave men, all of them.
My neighbour was a Lancaster Pilot Commonwealth Forces, assigned to bomber command. I was a young lad, I knew the man's son and played often over their house. I always remember him sitting in his corner of the lounge room watching TV upon returning home from work. He drank heavily. My father said later when I was older, that John functioned on alcohol. So much pain and anguish for these returned men. I met more of these men years later in nursing homes. Polish Spitfire pilots and Aussie bomber command crew. Indeed most of the men in my street crescent, including my father had stories to tell. Neighbours were neighbours back then. Uncle this and Mrs that. Gone now..
My uncle Mac lost his life in a Lancaster during the war he was the navigator. We still have a photo of him in his uniform it was on my wall for many years. Although I never knew him i was often told the story’s of him and his flight officer Pickles. God rest their souls.
Who asked
WrymSlayer Gaming bro wtf!?
@@d99rr31 bruh
@@d99rr31 don't worry about him he's very young
@@isan3615
I did
MyUncle, Bob Jackson, was a rear gunner in 460sq. He had some amazing stories but passed away recently at 103 years young. Look up “Australia’s Uncle Bob”. He got out of Jeep in our yearly ANZAC march to salute the dignitaries, as you “never show disrespect by saluting sitting down”. A great man and a great life. RIP mate.
My father was tail gunner in 467 sq , path finders , flying out of Grimsby in Lincolnshire , he was a volunteer drawn from the Australian forces serving in Egypt .
He complete 35 missions including a crash land .
I still have his flight journal .
He died in 2011 , he was 94 .
He seldom spoke of his war time experience .... it must have been terrifying .
Ross Jackson Thanks so much, fantastic story.
I also knew a WAG who served on 460, started on Wellingtons then Lanc's before returning to Australia on completion of his tour of operations to finish the war on B-24's. A lovely bloke who loved the Lancaster, called it the Cadillac of the skies. Told me returning to base in the bright morning sunshine high up on the fuselage in his turret was a joy to behold after the inky darkness, that I would believe.
FSGT Arthur Daley DFM, 460 Squadron RAAF & 23 Squadron SWPA.
Geoffrey Young Dawn would have been a welcome sight for them, it meant they were home.
Australian Squadron ???? .
I love the way they have put the lights in the end of the gun barrells. Love it!
I can honestly say, i'd rather bee a boot in that war than bomber crew. I have immeasurable respect for all those young lads, from all nations.
My Father was a rear gunner too, he was in the RAAF 460 Squadron flying out of Binbrook in Lincolnshire the crew were a mix of Brits, Canadians and Aussies, Flight Sergeant Dougall was the Canadian he came from Calgary and I had the pleasure of meeting him twice, such a genuine man, the laughter from our living room when they got together is still with me today, my dad was 32 when he joined up in 1942 the rest of the crew were in their early twenties, so his nickname was Pop, these men were so brave as were all the other men who fought in the war to save us from Hitler and the fascists, we should never forget!
Absolutely, thanks for the story.
Both my father’s boss, an Armenian American farmer, and my sister in law’s father were tail gunners in WW2. Both great family men who kept their memories inside. Thanks.
I thank them for the job they did. Glad you enjoyed.
People forget that was very advanced technology for the time.
Yes it was a huge leap forward from ten years previous.
They also developed automatic radar guided aiming. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_Gun-Laying_Turret
im always amazed by how they built and designed everything without a single modern computer as we know today.
@@Glee73 why...? 😲
@Rad Derry Don't be pedantic, you know what they meant.
I used to volunteer at YAM Elvington; at the time the Halifax was still being restored (fuselage lower was being worked on). I met a lot of crew. It was an incredible privilege, they will share stories you'll never forget.
Although the area was cordoned off, if they were crew I would take them around and let them look into the entryway. One gentleman, a former RCAF rear gunner, told me he had not had that view since leaving his ditched Halifax, when he nearly drowned. He showed me a scar that ran from his elbow to his forearm, which was shrapnel from a cannon shell from the fighter that attacked them. it hit his wristwatch, travelled up his forearm and out his elbow, making it hard for him to get out of the flooding fuselage. He got stuck on the tailwheel oleo, within sight of the open door, and dragged his injured self out into the dinghy. I have endless admiration for these people.
That was an incredible story of what those gunners had to endure. I had an uncle who was a tail gunner who managed to survive his 2 yr tour without a scratch. He was on a different type of bomber that he apparently had more room. His aircraft commander allowed him to line his compartment with flak vests to help protect him. And he practice tactics to get up and quickly fire and duck when needed to avoid being hit. Ironically, when I joined the AF in the mid 80’s I was trained as a B-52G AN/ASG-15 Defensive Fire Control System maintainer. Shortly after getting to Fairchild (92nd Bomb Wing) I learned the base was converting to the B-52H bomber and I had to laterally retrain into the AN/ASG-21 tail gun system. I work that system to the official end of tail guns on Bombers in October 1991. I was extremely proud to have been a part of the history of aerial gunnery.
Thats amazing, to see a technology to the very end of its development cycle, incredible.
My father was a rear gunner he was able to survive the end of ww2 and immigrated to Australia and went to rest 1n 2010. By hell these young men were brave with iron balls !
Amazing video and presentation ! This man did an excellent job recounting these incredible stories. I truly wish todays generation had an appreciation and respect for what these men stood for and endured. But unless it’s on a video game, I’m not sure they care. 🇺🇸🇺🇸
I completely agree, it hits especially close to home for me because I am the average age of one of these folks who would have bravely gone off in these machines to fight night after night.
Rainhill1829 Yes sir, then you relate to my comment. I’ve really lost patience with the lack of respect for our American values. Everything to the anthem, removing statues (because they “offend”), etc. It’s really sad.
Quite right, everyone seems to want to be free of anything even mildly offensive or discomforting, truthful or otherwise, while true liberty is the freedom to tell people what they do not wish to hear, and that freedom is slowly eroding, especially in my country. It is troubling indeed.
That's because parents don't instill The importance of history too much entitlement.....IMHO
rory vonbrutt Agree completely !
My father was a tail gunner and made it through 69 operations. He bailed out twice. I have his 'Caterpillar Club' pin as my most precious memory of him. He lived to his late 80s after a very successful life in business. An extraordinary generation.
Good to hear he made it, his stories must have been incredible!
Super Cool Guy held your attention. To the airman at the time. Thank you fir your service.
Ball turret gunner, tail gunner, nose gunner, side gunner on whatever aircraft or bomber they fly in. Big respect to the survivors and condolences to those who didnt made it. To all crews in whatever squadron they are attached/posted in ww2 air theatre. Thank you for your service!
I second that.
My Father had an Uncle who would drive up to Scotland in his little MG to go grouse hunting. He became a tail gunner in a Lancaster during the war, probably because of his hunting hobby. Like so many of them, he never came home. Nothing. No body to bury. No remains to collect. He just ceased to be.
Graeme Glen I hope he was at least given a proper service, so sad many of them simply flew off into history.
May he RIP...
My father was a tail gunner in Lancasters, Stirlings and Wellingtons, 2 tours of ops in total. Won a DFC. Lost a crew - only survivor and continued virtually to the end of the war. Died age 77 with cancer. As a boy he always said to me "The Germans couldn't kill me, I must be being saved for something worse!" Of course he was right
Oh geez. Thats an incredible story, and that many aircraft as well!
Doing 2 tours he more than deserved the DFC.
Especially doing ops in the Stirling.
Crews in Lancasters and Halifaxes actually cheered during briefing when they heard there'd be Stirlings on the ops as they service ceiling was so much lower and they'd get attacked first.
My dad did his HCU at RAF Winthorpe in Stirlings and although he never mentioned Iit know there were crews killed in flying accidents at the time.
Pretty incredible technology for the time. The thought of 25 years from flying biplanes to this is amazing.
Things progressed rapidly in that era.
11.55 My fathers worst nightmare trapped in his rear turret with the aircraft on fire, it stayed with him all all his life and he was one of lucky ones.
Oh wow, that had to be horrifying.
I always remember, as a young boy, building an Airfix kit of a Lancaster, and my Dad telling me how he built rear turrets on the Lancaster’s at Blackburn’s aircraft factory at Yeadon near Leeds UK (now Leeds Bradford Airport). I still have his custom built wooden tool chest with his initials on it.
Thats incredible! So there is a good chance he built this one.
My wife uncle , was a rear gunner he didn’t survive ,and is buried in northern France , god bless thank you for the lecture
My grandad was a rear tail gunner in a Lancaster. Shame there isn’t many of these left.
my grandfather was a Yugoslav partisan
Bless him
Ye, my mom was under the bombs at Hamburg.
Lewis Allan Indeed, very thankful for his service, it must have been tough.
Was your grandad known as Darby, if so he was a colleague of mine.
My uncle was ground crew on an RAF bomber station, had the unenviable job of cleaning out the bombers after sorties, the only family member he spoke to about it was my grandfather. The toll of cleaning the remains/body parts of dead and injured aircrew saw him invalided out on psychiatric grounds and was eventually diagnosed as schizophrenic as a result. Nowadays it would probably be PTSD. A good book to read is "Strike Hard, Strike Sure" by Ralph Barker, a collection of stories of Bomber Command during WW2.
nobolowski Thanks so much, I’m so sorry for your uncle, it must have been brutal in that time.
Damn that story about the tail gunner who jump without a parachute. Got to be the luckiest bastard on that day. O_o
There were others. Alkemade wasn't alone. Read "Into The Silk"
I remember reading about Sl Sgt Alkemade's story and seeing the man himself recounting his story on TV. The Germans knew how SOE operatives hid their parachutes, so yes they would have shot him as a spy. Alkemade told the Commandant of the prison camp to find the crashed Lancaster and the parachute remnants were brought into his office. The Commandant told the entire camp about the extraordinary good fortune of the Flt Sgt.
You fall from 60ft, you are a splat on the ground. From 18,000 fit into snow & you manage not to hit a substantial bit of pine wood. No wonder the German officer was respectful.
My great uncle Eddy Venn was a tail gunner in the Lancaster Second World War. I have his log book and kill count. Truly crazy!
Thats incredible, I did not know gunners kept any sort of record.
@@Rainhill1829 no should not have but he did!
I worked with a veteran who was a tail gunner in the RAF. He started as a tail gunner in 1940on Wellingtons and finished in Lancasters on V.E. in 1945. He always said "I went to war backwards". So how he survived as did his complete crew.
Robert Good for him, not many did, glad he was able to tell his story.
My Uncle was a RAF navigator. He also started his war on Wellingtons and finished in Lancasters. Very brave men. Respect to all who flew.
My father was a rear gunner with 300 Sqadron Polish Free airforce. He survived the war, but sadly never saw his family again because of the soviet occupation of Poland.
Thats so sad, and the Free Polish squadrons fought so hard.
Very interesting. My father's cousin was an air gunner serving on 106 Squadron. I've seen the squadron ORB and was able to find out his crew's operations. He usually flew in the rear turret, but occasionally he and the mid-upper gunner changed places. He was manning the mid-upper turret on their 18th operation from which they did not return. Brave men, all of them.
18 operations, I’m so sorry they never came back.
I read a book about Bomber Command only last month.The amount of VC's awarded to bomber crew is remarkable.
RAF Bomber Command and the USAAF 8th. Air Force both suffered horrifying losses....
This was a really good demo, boy the men who worked these guns were amazing, it took a lot of courage if ya ask me, just to get in one
Chuck Pestacchi Very true.
See John Cusack's Book about his Tailgunner Experiences in Lancasters. He named his book: "They Hosed Them Out" - for good reason. He survived 2 tours and went home to Sydney Australia where, legend has it, he slept on the beach for 6 months getting over it. Somewhat.
Reading his book - what struck me was how he rated the pilots he flew with. John said that the 303 machineguns were next to useless and could play little role in the defence of the bomber. What he could do is inform the pilot to do one of two things: Corkscrew Right or Corkscrew Left. When a German Fighter was on him, he had to stare at the cannon and machine guns aimed at him and wait for the best moment to get the pilot to screw right or left. Evidently this tactic worked a lot.
I read exactly that tactic by another crewman called “A Thousand Shall Fall” apparently those big four engine bombers could do some impressive spirals to get out of harms way.
Many years ago I knew a fellow who had been a rear gunner in WW2; he was a relatively short, lean and unassuming guy. Shows you that great bravery comes in many different sizes!
/
Oh yeah, shorter folks where the best gunners, it's super cramped in there.
A friend who was a tail gunner on a B-17 was short and lean, A big scruff of formerly red hair.
One 617 squadron rear-gunner, W/O. McLean (sp.?) arranged it that his pilot would throttle back and drop the flaps when a night-fighter was closing in from behind. The distance between the planes would suddenly reduce, giving McLean the chance to open fire before the surprised German pilot could fire his cannon which normally outranged the guns carried by the Lancs. McLean and his mid-upper gunner managed to shoot down or damage three fighters in one night in this way. McLean used his own ammunition-mix in the belts that fed his turret (and kept quiet about it).
Bless all those young guys that lost their lives in air combat - they were the bravest of the brave.
Indeed.
My uncle Fred was a rear gunner in a Lancaster and rear and waist gunner in a Flying Fortress. He did 27 ops over Germany during the war.
what he has seen.
Steve Miller Indeed, but lucky enough to survive and have a family.
Did he somehow join the USAAF, or did he fly on one of the rare early model B-17s evaluated by the RAF?
Seth Kimmel I’m not sure, he was born in Kent but moved to the east of England and settled in Peterborough. I assume he was stationed around Lincolnshire or thereabouts. Unfortunately I only got to know him in his later years and saw his log book, but I can’t remember the full details other than what he told me. His missions included runs deep into Germany and many a time his aircraft would come back with an engine or two out. He never mentioned the USSAF, so I assume they were all RAF planes that he flew in.
My father and his dear friend Tom Berry (who's picture I discovered years later as a child) volunteered as rear gunners in the RAF and needless to say my grandparents went mad when he told them. His mate passed the selection test, dad didn't. Sadly he was killed, whereas my old man survived the war and went on to have me. Apparently he couldn't hold his breath long enough, possibly due to being a smoker I guess. So the story must be one of the rare instances of cigarettes actually being good for you!
No kidding, now thats a story!
@@Rainhill1829 thanks, I don't know what happened to that picture after my dad passed. I'd love to still have it, perhaps he has family I could trace... maybe one day.
The brits had a knickname for the rear gunner tail end
Tail end charlie
The expression came from having to be a "right Charlie" to want to be a rear gunner.
Didn't put them off though.
My grandmothers uncle is on the memorial there. He was a navigator in a bomber that got shot down in Belgium... I don’t know what kind of plane he was in though.
What an amazing museum! Anyone in the area should go, a bunch of stuff, a Lancaster, not much else you could ask for!
Another great museum with a lot of planes is the Reynolds museum near wataskawin
Two superb places to visit.
I had the honour of sitting in the rear turret of the Battle of Britain Lanc " S for Sugar " when I was in the RAF, I was a Sgt. in charge of a crew of airmen carrying repairs at the time replacing the corroded rivets. Never felt so lonely in my life and embarrassed when talking to an old guy who was visiting , told him they must have been mad to fly in that position , he casually said he did over 40 sorties as a tail gunner over Germany -- made me feel so small --- bless them all
Louis Petherbridge Wow, it really drives home how hard the job must have been.
Thanks for sharing. One of my favorite WW2 plane.
My Grandfather flew in the Lancaster Bomber he was in the Path Finder Force (PFF), they were a highly specialised force, dedicated to target-marking for the rest of Bomber Command which was known as Main Force. Its crews acted not only as target-markers, but as guides and leaders on the long routes to the targets. They were also on rare occasions reallocated to Main Force role, he was the rear gunner, after so many sorties he survived the war, brave men indeed the PFF motto was "We Guide To Strike" he survived the war now gone R.I.P Grandpa.
Ive read much of the Pathfinders, special kind of men they where.
Nothing quite like the sound of a Lancaster doing a low banked pass at Downsview in the summer .....nothing but respect for that bird and those who served on her.
Duncan D McGrath Yes its a sight to behold.
Excellent presentation by the Canadian guy . The story about the tail gunner i had heard before , when i was a kid in the 60s he was on a BBC programme in the UK called THIS IS YOUR LIFE i couldnt believe his luck.
Incredible!
A friends dad was a tail gunner he didnt talk about it, years later one of my neighbors mentioned the woodford airshow with 4 Merlins racing overhead, he also was a tail end charlie AND said coming back from Berlin he could see the fires for such a long time, brave men, heroes as they all were, and what of now ?
My great grandfather was a rear gunner on a lancaster, he never came home. Absoute heroes!
Nerves of steel to be in those tight quarters and so high up.
I knew a rear turret gunner. He said that due to the limited space in the rear they often didn’t wear chutes cause of limited space. They would have to hope there was enough pressure to move the turret back to the start position to get the chute. If they did wear it then they had to hope it had enough pressure to turn to full left or right. This guy also tied his boots to his feet via rope or chute lines. Said if he ever had to bail his shoes were going with him one way or another
Thats a good idea with the boots.
Very good presentation from the guide, pity about the background noise he had to shout over. There was a rear gunner in 617 squadron The Dambusters who was literally cut in half by 20mm cannon shells, two of the medics had breakdowns while trying to remove his remains! Terrible, TERRIBLE DAYS!
It was a terrible job, huge respect for those who did it.
That was Nick Knilans rear-gunner. It happened before they joined 617 but yeah. It fell to Knilans to get the poor lad out of the turret at the end.
Fascinating chap Nick Knilans - an American, drafted into US Army, left (or AWOL) as the idea of infantry didn’t appeal, crossed the border and joined the RCAF. Did a tour with 619 then his crew volunteered for 617. Flew with them from Jan 44 to after the Tirpitz raids.
IIRC the USAAF claimed him back during his 619 tour, but he didn’t want to leave his crew so carried on with them as a US 1st Lt. Had a pile of US and Commonwealth medals at the end. Quite a man.
These individuals had more courage than any of the young men of today . They were fighting for our freedom and paid the ultimate price . We should not and can not forget . You live here in freedom because of what they did some 70 years ago .
hope the guy got some hits in himself before he died a hero
FN-121. The FN is for Fraser-Nash, the turret manufacturer. It was standard on Lanc's.
Andrew Clayton Thats right.
Great video.The pastor at my church when I was young was a tail-gunner in a Lancaster,I constantly asked him questions about his time served.
Thanks so much.
A wonderful museum ... and we were lucky enough to literally be passing (en route from Calgary to Yellowstone) on the only day of the year they fire up the engines on the Lanc, and allow a walk through the aircraft interior.
Very cool.
B17 ball turret was a hell hole to be in. When the hydraulics system went out, the ball turret gunner had no means of escaping and was trapped in that small capsule till the aircraft crashed. Imagine the pilot doing a belly landing with the ball turret gunner trapped in?. Scary. Brave men! Most in their 20s.
Oh yeah, it would have been a very lonely and anxious job to do, huge respect to those who stepped forward to serve in those positions.
The ball turret on the B-17 and B-24 could/can still be retracted up in event of a belly landing.
They did have manual override to access the turret. If the plane was going down then it's a different story.
@@riproar11 the B24 was retractable but not the B17 turret...dont know if that feature was removed or never equipped?
my great grandpa's friend was a tail gunner. He gave a small golden model of the Lancaster to my great grandma who past away a few years ago a 98. Now the small golden Lancaster is my hands and I cherish it ever so much.
james doak Aw thats awesome.
I remember reading about the tailgunner who fell 18000ft. without his parachute when I was a young child in the 60's, I've lost count of the amount of times I was called a liar while recounting the story to others who refused to believe it.
A bit of validation feels good.
I knew guy who was a tail gunner in a Lancaster , he said there were different makes of turrets and some used the .50 M2 Browning . He preferred the .50 to the .303 , he took almost all the glass out of his turret . He said he pissed himself every trip ,not from fear but because he couldn't leave his seat ,He preferred one particular turret because it rotated a lot faster than the others . He was 18 when he started , did two full tours on ops and was still flying on the day the war ended . I found a researcher who recorded his war memories over several days . Luckily his memories are preserved somewhere ,
Thank your for our freedom for us and the world 🗺 so very proud of them all in the military praying for them now and forever in our history life forever ♥️🇺🇸❤️🗽
GOD BLESS Them all ✝️❤️🇺🇸
Hi from the Uk 🇬🇧.
A few months ago I landed my small plane at Blackpool airport here in Uk . ATC told me to taxi and park next to the Lancaster bomber. I thought he was joking as there’s only one currently flying in the Uk.
I couldn’t believe my eyes when I was told to park next to it. The video is on my channel. Cool video. Thanks for posting.
Thats fantastic!
The German airman, Oswald Boelke stated in his manual on air combat before WWI..."when attacking a two seater kill the gunner first" this also held in WWII.
Scary stuff.
Excellent exhibition, live and interactive in a sense, a superb history lesson delivered in a v interesting ( entertaining way)
Could do with more like this with this approach in the UK, and invite lots of students to see it. It is thier lives these brave men fought for.
That would be pretty neat if this could engage a wider audience.
I believe they always wanted the smaller lads, as room was tight in the rear gun. A Great Uncle of mine was killed as a rear-gunner. RIP Sgt Danny Rice.
I suspect the big lads generally have slower reactions than the wee guys too.
My family member was a rear gunner on a Lancaster. He was on his 1st sortie to leipzig, Germany,. Over the Dutch Freisen Islands a German night fighter attacked the plane, killed all on board. Some of the bodies eventually washed up and were buried by the locals. I have some images somewhere of the funeral. My family member unfortunately was not amongst the recovered... Leading to the theory that some crew jumped landed in the sea, eventually perished but the rear gunner was never found... Probably shot and still in the turret. He was just 19 and had just ahem.... Got my grandmother pregnant... Enter my mum... I have a few pictures my gran kept of him in her keepsake box with a letter from him about the baby...
Thats an incredible story, very sad he did not make it home.
My great grandad was a rear gunner in a Lancaster bomber crazy
The tail turrets were made in my home town Gainsborough. Years ago there was an old woman in a nearby village that had a tail turret in her garden that she used as a mini greenhouse.
Thats hilarious! If I’m not mistaken Gainsborough was also home to Marshall & Sons.
I read this story in readers digest back in the 60's. Amazing.
Robert Cruz Pretty crazy.
Deepest love and respect for all who fell in wars, such a sad waste, man has dominated man to his injury.
Indeed.
Tail gunner in history: I shoot at plane to protect plane.
Tail gunner Warthunder: I shoot at tank.
lol couldnt be truer
Yep sooooooo true
My dad managed to squeeze his wiry 5ft 10 1/4ins frame into the rear turret.
According to his mid upper turret mate a few years ago, they were getting in the crew bus before an op and dad asked him if he minded swapping ?? So they did.
My dad never mentioned it but I always new he would have been inquisitive about the mid-upper turret.
That is cool! They need to lower the light like its night and do the guns.
That would be cool.
What great bravery, such a sad loss of life, and such a sacrifice ! I have a large picture in my kitchen of Guy Gibson, his dog, stood in front of a Lancaster bomber.
A sad and tragic sacrifice of half a generation.
When it ain't your time, you ain't going.
Sanuk Jang Lery tell me a story
When I was a child we were visited by a friend of my father. He always walked with a limp. Being young and curious I asked why. He told me he was a tail gunner in a Lanc He had a duel with a nightfighter. He got the nightfighter but lost his leg to a cannon shell. That was his last flight. A very unassuming not too tall man but a hero
No way! That’s incredible.
I was once lucky enough to be in a B 17 and a HE 111 on display and I was suprised to see how much smaller both planes were than they appeared in movies etc .
dave walker Yes, even the Lancaster here is very small inside, it would be very hard to escape even when flying strait and level.
I like to call it the reverse Tardis effect.
My uncle was British but served in RCAF Bison squadron flying Wellingtons as a sergeant pilot he along with his mixed crew of Australians and Canadians died in the North sea 1942 he was 21
Lee B Im so sorry.
Lee - you may be reassured to know that he will be remembered and honoured on the International Bomber Command Centre's Walls of Names. Go to their website, navigate to the Total Losses Database and enter his name and all the data we have on him will be displayed. If you have anymore details you can send the info to the IBCC and you can upload a picture of him if you have one.
Awesome stories and video
I live in England been to so many air shows and museums and not ones seen this . It takes you guys to be able to do this . Thanks
Angelo Bi Thanks so much.
Years ago I had a friend who was a tail gunner on a B-17. Flew out of Northern Italy into Germany. I cannot imagine it. My Dad was a Navigator on a B-24.
Steve Miller Northern Italy must have been an interesting theatre to operate from.
I’ve used this it’s in Canada unless I’m thinking of a different muesem
You are correct, Nanton, Alberta.
Your right sir. This museum is is Nanton, Alberta.
@@Rainhill1829 I sat in that turret once, quite a few years back. I'm 6 foot 1 220 lb. My knees were up to my elbows. I thought they were going to have to bring out a crowbar to pry me back out of it. Those turrets were made for small people.
iblockpuncheswithmyface Oh yes, Im roughly the same height and I was content to just pop my head in and look around, no getting in that thing for me.
My cousin was a mid upper gunner in a Halifax. He was shot down and killed by a night fighter when returning from a mission to Dortmund. Apparently many crews were lost over the Netherlands and crashed in the Zuidersee or the North Sea. Also, my Uncle was a Flight Sergeant Pilot in Lancasters. He survived the war, and took part in the Berlin Airlift, flying Manchesters. He trained with the rear gunner mentioned in the presentation. Never once spoke of his experiences.
Incredible, thanks for sharing.
I saw two of them flying by at low altitude ..nice view to see
Very rare to see two together as there’s only two left flying one in the uk one in Canada
@@thedude3866 it was in Lincolnshire like 4 years ago
Coffins Corner , Tail End Charlie . Like a ball turret gunner on B-17s and B-24s and the tail position on these aircraft . B-26s and the B-25s . It took more of what anyone of has today what these brave souls did . And they did their missions . Thank you to all who severed .
For a second I thought grandpa was gona fall backwards in to the abyss lol good video definitely will check that museum out
Definitely worth a visit.
Argentina Air Force bought some Avro Lancaster after the IIWW, and now there is one of them in the Air Force Museum in Buenos Aires. They were wonderful!!!
My family have a long history of military service going back to the Boer War. However they all have one thing in common, which is why I am here writing this comment. They all had the sense to avoid all of the dangerous stuff by a variety of well thought out means. My family liked the uniform but where either born cowards, or too smart to run the risk of getting themselves killed. Indeed got through 4 highly murderous wars from start to finish, without so much as a scratch.
Oh damn this is the Nanton bomber museum. Kinda cool to have something so close get some recognition on RUclips.
Adam Polson She’s a beauty.
Rainhill1829 indeed. I haven’t been down there in a while but I remember going as a kid with my dad and the local air cadet unit. (187)
Adam Polson Nice, they have done a lot of work to her in last few years, definitely worth a visit. Also greetings from 185 squadron.👍
I'm 22 miles north of lancaster england
Great! Imagine having one of those in your living room watching Memphis belle! Those brave men were heroes. 🇬🇧👍👍
Wow, I was brought up in the UK reading about this stuff, watching films, tv, documentaries etc but this was great, fascinating stuff. I’ve always known about the horrendous losses but it’s the first time I’ve heard the story’s told here & told so well. Brilliant. It helps us all to remember the sacrifices of these very brave, very young men... too young to be anything other than pure of heart & who went to war with the very noblest of intentions against a pitiless enemy & thank god they won, or these youngsters & people from other lands who burn our flags, trash statues of Queen Victoria & Winston & make The British isles their home might not even be alive to of got here in the first place.
What would the Nazis have done I wonder under similar circumstances, would the SS or Gestapo have had the statues of their nations Leaders & hero’s from a proud past boarded up or placed out of view until things calmed down, while at the same time their Jackbooted storm troopers looked nonchalantly in the other direction? Nope
The .303 rounds would not even penetrate the armoured glass on the German fighters windshields. The MK 7 rounds ran around 2500 fps and produced about 2300 foot lbs of energy. By contrast a .50 caliber round went out around 2800 fps and produced a whopping 13000 lbs of energy. Gunter Rall, a German ace, came up on the tail gunner of a B17 thinking that the Americans were using regular .30 cal guns. He got too close and the B17 gunner opened up with his twin .50s. Rall's FW 190 literally disintegrated around him and rounds tore off his canopy. Rall survived but gained a healthy respect for the guns on a B17.
Smith Wesson Yes the .50 would have been a much better option but I think the use of the .303 was purely a supply logistics decision on the Air Ministry’s part. I think they experimented with heavier guns later on.