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A BONUS OF SIXTY YEARS

At the age of eijghty-one, I am indeed fortunate in having a family of which to be proud, to enjoy reasonably good health , to have friends and to want for nothing. On the night of 3rd November, 1943, fate decreed that this would be possible. It is a sobering realisation that every event affects one’s life, the lives of others and even the course of history.

In the evening of that day, seven of us became airborne in a Lancaster bomber, for the purpose of attacking storage tanks for the developing V rockets at Dusseldorf, in Germany. ‘Happy Valley’, as the Rhine/Ruhr valley was nicknamed by aircrew, was not a favourite destination, as it was heavily guarded by searchlights, anti-aircraft batteries and fighter aircraft.
Thus, the chances of a safe return for the traditional bacon and egg meal were greatly reduced.

Over the target, at 22,000 feet, we were coned by searchlights; accurate anti-aircraft shells tore jagged holes in the starboard wing and we all missed death by a matter of a few feet. Seconds later, tracer bullets sped across my navigator’s table; while I missed death by inches, our wireless operator, sitting to my left, did not. The port wing burst into flames and an order to bale out was issued by the pilot. Three of us were able to do so before the Lancaster exploded. The last to leave, I missed death by seconds, but three more friends, the pilot and two gunners, were killed. Landing safely in a ploughed field, near the eastern bank of the Rhine, I missed a watery grave by a matter of yards, becoming my fourth lucky escape. Late that night, attempting to avoid capture, I approached a railway bridge, with the intention of dropping on the roof of a passing goods train travelling south in the general direction of Switzerland. I had seen it done by cowboys on films. A German guard on the bridge fired his rifle and missed . For the fifth time I had been spared. This was quite enough for one day!

I was not only extremely fortunate to survive, but I also learned a very valuable lesson during the subsequent incarceration in Germany. Living conditions were such that real values were truly appreciated. Provided that one has freedom, friendship, enough food and water to prevent starvation, reasonable health, warmth and shelter, nothing else is of major importance, although, in my opinion, a sense of humour is almost essential. Material possessions are irrelevant in achieving contentment. However, it does help to have a toothbrush, a bar of soap, spare underwear and an extra pair of socks.

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