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Old 5th Aug 2012, 16:52
  #2874 (permalink)  
radar101
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Bomber County
Age: 73
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Gus Walker

ACW418 said
Gus Walker was the Station Commander of RAF Syerston (where I did my BFTS on JP3's and JP4's) and saw a taxying Lancaster on fire bombed up with a 4,000lb bomb and a lot of incendiaries. He went straight to the aircraft and tried to remove the incendiaries to prevent the 4,000 lb bomb exploding. He was unsuccessful and lost his right arm in the explosion.

In Enemy Coast Ahead Guy Gibson (who was OC 106 there at the time) recounts that as he was being stretchered away he asked Gibson to do 2 things:

1. Try and find his arm as it had a brand new glove on ...
2. Ask Bomber Harris if he would accept a one-armed Station Commander in a couple of months.

Somewhere on the net there is a 1950s film clip of the first Vulcan to visit the USA - with Gus at the controls. Imagine the Yanks' expressions when after landing, a one-armed pilot climbs out!! The film is interesting in that his missing arm is skillfully masked by a casually draped windcheater.

Last edited by radar101; 5th Aug 2012 at 16:55.
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