Many hundreds,
and hundreds of crippled and damaged bombers with their crews
would struggle desperately to get back to
the safety of their bases, low on fuel and altitude, many damaged
beyond belief with massive holes blown in them by the 88mm’s
and shredded by shrapnel. Many had been shot to pieces by enemy
fighters causing untold damage, with
parts missing. The crew attending to their mates injuries,
as they lay dead or dying on the fuselage floor. Some aircraft
struggling to get home with one, two, or three engines
out of action
and stopped.The crew relying and praying for a miracle, with
just one engine to get them to safely back to base, pilot
and
crew
fighting
with the controls
using all their might, courage and determination to keep the
plane in the air and get their “beloved” craft
back to base until they reached hopefully, the safety of… “Home”.
A flare
would be fired from the plane as they neared the airfield
notifying the ambulance crews that injured or dying men were
on board, giving priority for these aircraft to land first.
Crews would
return to base completely exhausted, worn out both physically
and
mentally by the incessant noise, cold,
hunger, fear, long tiring flights, anti-aircraft fire, and
enemy fighter attacks. Every 6 weeks the bomber crews were
given 6 days leave, but it is little wonder that the crews
wanted to reach their 30 missions…and have the long awaited
6 month rest!!!
