Rusty , the old Lancaster boy did a superb turn with his understated and self deprecating sense of humour and the way he made light of the awful times that he went through.
I had the privilege of flying to Belgium with Rusty a week or so ago when, amongst other things, we visited the site where the Lancaster with which he collided after a raid on the rail yards at Hasselt crashed, as well as the cemetery where the crew members of that aircraft are buried. For those who don't know him, he flew 30 operations winning, amongst other things, a DFC. He also earned the right to wear his RAF wings the hard way.
As you say: he is a remarkable man who has carried with him for over 70 years memories of things that nobody should ever have to face, as well as self-deprecating courage that is in stark contrast to what he might have referred to as "line shooting" in the vernacular of his times and which has featured so prominently in this thread.
BTW: I'd like to make it clear that, although Rusty was in the right seat, and is a better qualified pilot than I will ever be, I was the "Sole Pilot"
