Lucky to be alive, part II

The Pathfinder Force was formed in response to the gross inaccuracy of the RAF's early night bombing campaigns (an RAF bomber would be lucky to drop its load within 5 miles of its target). Although initially resisted by the chief of Bomber Command, Sir Arthur Harris, 8 Group was finally formed in 1942 under the command of Australian Donald Bennett. The purpose of the force was to locate and mark targets for the main bomber force. This meant that they were the first to arrive at a target and often, because targets needed to be re-marked, the last to leave.

It was a volunteer force (but there were accusations that the best airmen for other squadrons were poached - the officer that interviewed my father, Hamish Mahaddie was known as "the poacher!"), crews were granted a step up in rank and higher pay (my father was a Warrant Officer by 17, although the RAF thought he was 20!) increase in pay. They had to complete a 45 operation tour as opposed to the 30 ops required of other bomber crews.

The Pathfinders brought improved bombing accuracy from miles to about 200 yards. 3,727 pathfinders lost their lives.

"primi hastati", the 109 sqn badge

My father served in 109 Squadron based at Wyton in Cambridgeshire and then in other (non Pathfinder) squadrons in North Africa, Italy and finally in Burma. About 120,000 men served as aircrew in Bomber Command.55,573 lost their lives.

To illustrate this loss, the 460 RAAF Squadron, which would have had an establishment of 200 aircrew, experienced 1018 combat deaths. The squadron was wiped out five times over.

My father's service medals

1939-45 star, the War Medal and Defence Medal

Aircrew Europe Star, Africa Star

Italy Star, Burma Star