WW2 RADIO BROADCAST

[SPIT]

Hi
I seem to remember a radio broadcast from a reporter in a BRITISH bomber on a Bombing Mission over Germany in or about 1943/4/5. Does anyone remember this and if so (1) who was the reporter and where could I hear this again. ??? :ok::ok:
Thanks for ANY help

[ricardian]

Wynford Vaughan-Thomas, Sep 1943. (http://www.1940.co.uk/acatalog/info_267.html)

[India Four Two]

His most memorable report was on 14 September 1943. He broadcasted from a Lancaster bomber during a bombing raid on Berlin. Wynford Vaughan-Thomas gave an excellent description of the event and the people of Britain were entranced by his description of the plane flying through the searchlights of Berlin and the terrifying moment when the Lancaster was caught in one of the searchlights! He managed to convey to the listeners the dangers faced daily by RAF crews, and Wynford Vaughan-Thomas’s popularity grew.

You can hear him talking about his experience here BBC Wales - History - Archive (http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/history/archive/?theme_group=society_and_culture&theme=ww2&set_offset=0&set=society_ww2&type=video&id=vaughan_thomas_raid)

I haven't been able to find a link to the recording.

[friendlypelican 2]

In 1943 Wynford Vaughan-Thomas (an accredited War Correspondent) flew in a 207 Sqn Lancaster on a raid to Berlin. With him was a BBC sound engineer Reg Pidsley who as a civilian was made an Acting Sgt (unpaid) on 207 Sqn for 2 days in case they were shot down and captured. The problems they had are at the link on post 02 above. Significant excepts from the recording can be downloaded at Documents Section (http://www.bomberhistory.co.uk/49squadron/Documents%20section/BBC.html)

I was on 207 Sqn in 1983 and in September that year we hosted a re-union to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the event. It was organised by Ben Lyon who found that all but one of the Letford crew had - hugely against the odds - survived the war and all were in the UK except Ken himself who was in Vancouver. Ken came to the UK and this was the first time they had been in contact since the war
Wynford was up for it and Ben had also found Reg Pidsley, now very frail and living with his son in North London. Reg's family had never had any contact with the military apart from his one flight in a Lancaster, of which they knew nothing and they were sceptical about involving this old wheelchair bound chap in anything. However, they were persuaded that we meant no harm and Reg and his son were brought to the dinner on the Saturday night. It was an eye-opener for the son as he had no idea what his father had achieved and we played excerpts from the recording during the evening. To a man, they were un-assuming gents and it was a humbling experience being in their company.
Ken Letford deserves a book on his own. With a total of 4 Bomber Ops tours including a further tour on Lancasters, he ended the war as a Flt Lt with DSO (and Bar) DFC. He stayed in the RAF and when flying Sunderlands in the Far East he was again a hero landing under fire on the Yangtse River to rescue the wounded from HMS Amethyst. For this he got another DFC as well as the 'Yangtse Medal'. He finally left the RAF after a tour on Valiants.
The next day, when we had a BBQ on the Squadron, Reg and his son turned up again (they had always said that they would only be at the dinner) andReg presented the Squadron with the original aluminium disc that he had cut lying prone in the belly of the Lancaster. The disc sat in my office for a couple of days but since we couldn't play it on anything, I rang the BBC sound archives. When I finally got hold of one of their senior staff and described what I had in front of me, they couldn't get out to Northolt fast enough and reverently bore it away almost wrapped in cotton wool. I understand they still regard it as one of their most significant recordings.
Somewhere in my attic I have a couple of cassettes with the programme as broadcast and also with the un-edited contents of the disc. I will dig them out soon.

[teeteringhead]

Did not Richard Dimbleby - rotund father of the current Dimblebys - do a film of a raid over Berlin? Or was that another sound broadcast?

[Innominate]

Richard Dimbleby flew on a number of raids, including one on Berlin on 6 January 1943 (almost 70 years to the day!) piloted by Guy Gibson.

[teeteringhead]

Indeed he did! According to Wikipaedia :rolleyes: he flew on 20 missions, including one in a Mosquito!

Wasn't 20 missions worth a DFC/DFM?

[jonwy]

I have just listened to the radio 4 programme about this broadcast, featuring excerpts of the recording and featuring Wynford Vaughan-Thomas and Reg Pidsley, along with some commentary.
One of the most moving things I have ever heard.
I also read the comments on these posts.

[srobarts]

jonwy, thanks for bringing this program to my attention. Found the iplayer link and will listen to it tomorrow.
BBC iPlayer - Archive on 4: 14/09/2013 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b039lmkg/Archive_on_4_14_09_2013/)

[friendlypelican 2]

Further to my post above #4.
I listened to this last night and agree. After 70 years, it is entirely appropriate that we can look back with a perspective formed from a 21st Century view. However, this programme provided a good balance and explained how and why the war in 1943 had developed, along with the views of the time. I still feel humbled and grateful to have met 8 out of the 9 gents on that Lancaster.
Well done the BBC.

[Midland 331]

Yes, a superb piece of radio, pleasantly devoid of the usual BBC slant on Bomber Command and their work..

[Hipper]

I just found this on F/L Ken Letford from his time on Valiants. Apparently he was Court Martialled!

www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/user/08/u1703708.shtml (http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/user/08/u1703708.shtml)

Here's the text which is found about five sixths down:

'I forget quite when but one day I was sent as Officer under instruction to a series of Courts Martial at RAF Wyton. One was an airman charged with stealing fuel from a Generating set, another was an airman who had used someone’s car without permission and the third was Squadron Leader Ken Letford D.S.O, D.F.C who earned his medals flying Lancasters during WWII. His was a particularly unfortunate case as he was charged with damaging one of Her Majesty’s aircraft.

It was stated that he had taxied a Valiant Bomber into a ladder that had broken off the pitot tube that led to the air speed indicator. His colleagues supported him magnificently and satisfied the court that the Valiant had been parked on a concrete apron designed for smaller aircraft. The apron was also on a slight slope and a strong wind had been blowing down the slope at the time. A case of several events conspiring to make the situation worse all at once. This is something that is often found when accidents occur. They are seldom due to a single cause. His colleagues carried out numerous tests in various wind conditions to show that the ladder had been blown into the path of the aircraft. It had been parked on the edge of the small apron because of wet conditions at the time. The court finally agreed and the case was dismissed. If ever there was a case that should not have been brought this was it! The cost of all the tests and the wasted time must have far exceeded the price of a new pitot tube. It was also compounded by the fact that the Valiant has swept back wings and the pitot tube was on the right side of the aircraft but the captain sits on the left. The co-pilot might just have seen what was going on but the pilot had no chance whatsoever, but he was Captain!!. I was very pleased that his case was dismissed and felt that if I was ever in court I would prefer it to be a Court Martial as justice was done that day.'

[FAL]

Not so good was the modern BBC woman linking the programme - and calling the navigator the map reader, the airfield the airport and another howler that I've now forgotten...

[DC10RealMan]

I believe that Richard Dimbleby was one of three reporters that night and the other two were Norman Stockton of the Sydney Sun newspaper and a Canadian reporter whos name I don't know.

The only survivor was Richard Dimbleby as the other two reporters were killed in action.

I have seen Norman Stocktons grave in the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery which is a standard military headstone with his journalistic credentials upon it.

[sidtheesexist]

Fascinating thread - many thanks for the links. Fal - re the other howlers, gas masks as opposed to O2 masks and instead of the English coast she refers to it in some bizarre term which I cannot recall. Great listen nevertheless.