One of my favourite Normandy 'tales' comes, not from the usual sources, but from the famous book 'Wing Leader' by 'Johnnie' Johnson.

During the daylight bombing of Caen, Johnson's Spitfires provided target-cover for Bomber Command - with no Luftwaffe in sight, he had a 'grandstand view'. As the raid finished : -

'Instead of turning to the North..one of the Lancasters came down in a fairly steep dive towards the..enemy-held territory south of the city. I watched this manoeuvre in some amazement...Perhaps the aircraft had had its controls shot away or damaged.. But wait, the bomber has now levelled out and is still flying due south only a few feet above the Caen-Falaise road...What the hell is the pilot up to ?
The road is packed here and there with stationary tanks and vehicles. As it sweeps down the road, both front and rear turrets of the Lancaster are in action and the gunners are firing bursts into the enemy vehicles. There is a lot of light flak, but the pilot obviously scorns this... For him this affair is a bit of a lark..Now the Lancaster carries out a slow wide turn to retrace its flight northwards to Caen. Majestically, it ploughs along over the straight road with ..guns blazing away.Enemy drivers and crews abandon their vehicles as the Lancaster pounds along and dive for cover... Speechless, I watch the role of fighter-bomber being carried out, and most effectively, by the 'heavy'...
I fly alongside the Lancaster as it settles down for the flight back..and wave to the adventurers inside. Long after the war I discovered that the pilot of the . . bomber was a Scottish ex-bricklayer called 'Jock' Shaw. At the time of my story, he was the proud captain of his own Lancaster, and was to win the DFC and Bar.'

I've always liked this story - one can imagine the bomber crews' urge to 'have a go'.

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"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

Amazing story Martin - sounds like a VC action!!

I wonder if the German unit concerned (HJ?) mention it in their operational papers - hardly a common occurance!

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A VC or a severe chewing out, I would imagine...But it sure is good reading!

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Right - Johnson does go on to say :-

'We had seen a (a) bomber mission this evening which will never be recorded in any official log !'
( Wing Leader page 248 ).

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"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

I could just imagine the bollockin the pilot would have got. As for the German unit, any one who had reported it was probably told to stop telling silly stories. Definatly would have been a sight to see.

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'England confides that every man will do his duty' Nelson
'I'm a Norfolk man, and glory in being so' Nelson

Proud to be a GRUNT

Well, that's quite a story!

It shows pretty well how good plane the Lancaster was and how brave that crew were.

And yeah... perhaps some German soldiers where shot for being drunk on duty when they told the story...

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"War is less costly than servitude, the choice is always between Verdun and Dachau." - Jean Dutourd, French veteran of both world wars

"A mon fils: depuis que tes yeux sont fermes les miens n’ont cessé de pleurir." - Mère française, Verdun

The History Channel has been showing a special on the Lancaster Bomber all this week. It's been on quite a few times if anyone's interested in catching it.

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"May God have mercy upon my enemies because I won't."
~ General Patton

"O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.."

"Born to fight, Trained to kill
Ready to die but never will..."

I've also read Johnson's autobiography, its really fantastic. I've also read Roald's Dahl's and Gpt Cpt Wilfred G. G. Duncan Smith's (father of the Conservative Party leader IDS) - I would particularly recommends Duncan Smith's book, it is very illuminating.

Martin-would you happen to know the name of the pilot, or some crew members, and if they were awarded any decorations for this or any other actions during their time on board-thanks...

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"GARRY OWEN"-Traditional war-cry of the US 7th Cavalry.
"CURRAHEE"-War-cry of the US 506th PIR.
"Everybody thinks that they are going to get the chance to punch some Nazi in the face at Normandy-and those days are over, they are long gone"-Lt Chris Burnett

You've got me there, Panzerknacker.

I've never seen this incident mentioned anywhere else. The only clues in Johnson's book are that Shaw won the DFC+Bar, and went on to become Johnson's adjutant post-war. That's it !

I've tried all the Bomber Command search engines, no go. As the incident was very strictly 'off the record', the crew certainly wouldn't have been commended for it.

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"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

Yes well Martin i can believe that-it wouldn't be the smartest thing to do to award a rogue aircraft now would it-we wouldv'e had guys flying everywhere doing whatever they please.....

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"GARRY OWEN"-Traditional war-cry of the US 7th Cavalry.
"CURRAHEE"-War-cry of the US 506th PIR.
"Everybody thinks that they are going to get the chance to punch some Nazi in the face at Normandy-and those days are over, they are long gone"-Lt Chris Burnett