Just with my Dad (and Mother) tonight. He is 96 in a few weeks, Mum is 93.
Dad reminded us that D-Day, he took his first training flight as a pilot in a Lancaster Bomber. He was stationed where they were flying Wellington bombers used in Coastal Command but he was selected to be transferred to Lancasters.
As it transpired, after D-Day, the war took a fairly dramatic turn, the Bombing raids over Germany began to suffer many fewer casualties and he never flew over Germany. He remained with Coastal Command for a while then as the war in Europe was "slowing down" as he puts it, he was sent back to Lancasters for more training as the next phase was to return Australian pilots and crew to step up the war against Japan. As it happened he remained in England till the Pacific war was over. Came home and just got on with life!
Ian
