Manning, Len (Oral history)

British NCO served as rear gunner with 57 Sqdn RAF in GB, 1944; shot down over France, 7/1944 and returned to GB, 10/1944

REEL 1: Background in London, 1925-1939: family; childhood in Chingford; education; reaction to outbreak of war, 3/Sep/1939. Aspects of period in GB, 1939-1943: evacuated to Wyndham, Norfolk, 1939-1940; joined Air Training Corps, 1938; employment with engineering firms in London; description of air raids during Blitz; use of Anderson shelter in garden; rationing; called up, 1943; volunteered for RAF air crew; reason for choosing to be air gunner; medical examination. Aspects of training with RAF in GB, 1943-6/1944: posted to Regent's Park; drill and basic training; issued with uniform and kit; dingy drill; aircraft recognition tests; swimming; posted to Initial Training Unit, Bridlington; further training as air gunner; clay pigeon shooting with 12-bore shotgun; billeted in local house; dismantling and assembling Browning machine gun; machine gun training on Flambrough Head; further comments on dingy drill and aircraft recognition tests; posted to Elementary Gunnery School in Bridgnorth, Glamorgan; posted to No.1 Air Gunners School, Pembrey, South Wales; billets; flying training in Avro Anson; target practice on smoke floats on sea and drogues towed by aircraft; use of paint on tips of bullets to register hits; description of first flight in Avro Anson; gunnery training in gun turret on ground; radio and Morse code training; passed out as sergeant and awarded wings; description of passing out parade; leave; posted to Operational Training Unit, RAF Towcaster; crewing up process; other members of crew; operational training on Wellingtons. REEL 2 Continues: relations with other crew members; air to air gunnery training; posted to RAF Swinderby; opinion of Sterling bomber; cross-country training; circuits and landings at night; story of damaging undercarriage on landing; posted to Lancaster conversion unit at RAF Syston; story of first flight in Lancaster; posted to 57 Sqdn, RAF East Kirkby, 6/1944. Aspects of operations with 57 Sqdn RAF in GB, 6-7/1944: description of interior of Lancaster; crew positions; rear gunner's turret; storage of parachutes in fuselage; communication by intercom; problem of isolation and direction reversal in rear gun turret; description of clothes and flying suit; opinion of electrical heating and oxygen mask; length of flights; problem of not being able to leave gun turret; preparations for operation; briefing; pre-flight meal; collected kit and parachute; journey by crew bus to aircraft; description of first operation over railway goods yard in Nevers, south of France; opinion of success of raid; description of daylight raids over Caen, France; description of operation to bomb railway goods yard in Revigny, northern France, 18/Jul/1944; aircraft hit in port wing and damage to gun turret; description of jumping out of burning aircraft and hitting head on tail-plane. Aspects of period in France, 7-10/1944: landed in field; badly burned on arm and face; hid parachute in hedge; used compass to head south and made contact with local Resistance members; medical treatment for injuries; moved locations to avoid Germans; interrogation by Resistance; story of getting lost in forest; given Luger pistol; sheltered in café used as HQ of local Resistance group. REEL 3 Continues: accommodation in café; problem of German troops using café and hotel; taken to chateau; returned to underground shelter in café; supplied with money and cigarettes; taken to American military hospital, 10/1944; flown to Paris RAF reception centre in Paris hotel; flown back to GB; interrogation and debriefing; story of arriving home before telegram; further medical treatment for burns. Post-war life and employment: registered disabled; traumatic effect of wartime experiences; employment in plastics industry; story of meeting German pilot who shot down Lancaster and reunion with surviving crew members; story of memorial service in France. REEL 4 Continues: further memories of meeting German pilot; use of upward firing cannon by German fighters to shoot down bombers; story of reunion with German night fighter pilots; story of visit to Colditz Castle; attendance at 57 Sqdn reunions in East Kirkby.