I flew almost 40 bombing missions and witnessed a lot of action in the skies

I flew almost 40 bombing missions and witnessed a lot of action in the skies

6 August 2014

THE distinctive roar of a giant four-engined Lancaster bomber over Newcastle this weekend will bring the memories flooding back for one Killyleagh man.

Martin Charters — who celebrates his 93rd birthday next month — is more than familiar with the iconic Lancaster which played a pivotal role in the Allied victory over the German forces in World War Two.

This Saturday, Martin will be the special guest of Down Council chairman Billy Walker at the Festival of Flight in Newcastle, an event which has enjoyed soaraway success since its launch several years ago.

And while many of the 100,000 visitors who will flock to the resort this weekend will be keen to get a glimpse of the Red Arrows — the festival’s headline act — Martin will be keeping an ear out for what is one of only two remaining flying Lancasters in the world, as it sweeps in over the Mournes and out across Dundrum Bay.

Delighted to be asked to be the chairman’s special guest, Martin is looking forward to the opportunity to give a last salute to the iconic plane that humbled the Germans into submission.

A highly skilled rear gunner in the Halifax bomber, Martin subsequently became a rear gunner instructor for the crew of what he affectionately describes as the “Lancs.”

He signed up for the RAF on June 5, 1941 and was sent to train as a mechanic in Blackpool, before he was deployed to St. Athens in South Wales.

“They initially trained me on a Hawker Fury biplane,” explained Martin, with his service medals glistening in the mid-afternoon summer sun as we chatted at Killyleagh harbour.

“My training lasted around 11 months and I was then sent to Fighter Command 11 Group to work on Spitfires as a mechanic in early 1942. The funny thing was I didn’t know anything about these planes. I then spent time with 485 squadron and the 502 squadron, with the latter an Australian outfit based in Surrey.”

Martin was later moved to an army unit before being transferred to Bomber Command in 1943. He was based in West Yorkshire with his operational training for bombing missions to Germany carried out in the Isle of Man.

“I spent six weeks on the island training as a rear gunner before being assigned to a Halifax which was a key part of Bomber Command. I flew almost 40 bombing missions over Germany and hitting targets in Cologne, Essen and Hamburg. I witnessed a lot action in the skies,” the war veteran continued.

“We were flying to a target in one particular hot spot when a German Junkers JU88 attacked from the front which was unusual. I could hear gun fire but there was nothing behind me.

“Then I saw the tracer bullets whizzing over the top of our aircraft before seeing a large flames at the side of my turret and realised we were on fire. We managed to put the flames out and while we lost one engine, we continued on and hit our target before heading home.”

Martin described the Luftwaffe as “cute,” explaining German pilots would not attack British planes as they approached targets because as there was so much flak flying about, they didn’t want to pick up a bullet. “The Jerries waited until the Allied planes ped their bombs and headed for home before they attacked. Sometimes they even followed us home before attacking.

Martin said one of the most scary things for bombing crews was lone missions to eastern Germany.

“We were on our own and had no air cover, leaving us very vulnerable to attack. It was four hours to get there to drop mines and four hours home again.”

After a number of operations Martin and his Halifax crew members were given time off from the ravages of war and it was during this period he became an instructor for Lancaster rear gunners.

He also spent time flying in the plane and remembers one particularly long journey ferrying army personnel from England to Ceylon at the height of the war.

As the countdown to this weekend’s Festival of Flight in Newcastle continues, Martin admits will be nice to see the Lancaster again when the memories of yesteryear will come flooding back.

“The Lancasters used to fly alongside the Hailfaxes during missions and we were a bit quicker than them because we had better engines. However, the Lancs could carry a 22,000lb bomb which exploded above the ground.

Martin, who has spent time living and working in Australia and Canada before returning to Killyleagh in June 1991, added: “I’m looking forward to this weekend. It will be great to see the Lancaster again, given its place in our history and the key role it played in World War Two.”