Sacrifices of brave Bomber Boys should humble us all (From Bucks Free Press)

Sacrifices of brave Bomber Boys should humble us all

1:20pm Monday 16th July 2012 in Your Letters

MAY I thank you for publishing, in the Bucks Free Press (July 6), the article on RAF war hero Charlie Darby who flew 30 operations with RAF Bomber Command during WWII.

The Bomber Boys, as they were known, were such brave men.

I fully intend to visit the Bomber Command memorial in Green Park when the Olympics are over, but I did, only last week, visit the wonderful RAF Museum at Hendon and would like to recommend it to your readers.

It is only a short distance away and entry is free! There is a minimal car parking charge but what value for money, there are aircraft from the beginning of RAF flight right up to the Typhoon that flew over Wycombe quite recently causing all that noise.

You can see the sort of aircraft that Mr Darby flew in, and get right up close to the rear gunner’s turret and view just what cramped conditions those “Tail End Charlies”, as rear gunners were known, had to endure night after night. I note that Charlie did not tell you that his was the most exposed and dangerous position in the whole crew of a bomber, typical of those self effacing heroes.

May I recommend two books that tell it like it was in graphic detail, they are: Tail-End Charlies and Bomber Boys, read them and you will fully understand just how brave the Bomber Boys were.

We should all be humbled and grateful for their sacrifices.

Richard JC English, Earl Close, High Wycombe