"He said it was his most vivid memory. A sight he’d never forgot. Returning from bombing the battery shore guns, the morning of 6 June – D-Day – as the sun rose, Fergus “Johnnie” Graham looked down and saw the magnificent view of all the ships approaching the French coast for the D-Day landings. For him, it was such an incredible thing to behold, for the sea became black with ships of all sizes and classes. The crew instinctively felt that this was the beginning of the end. It was a remarkable moment for Graham, a Rear Gunner who flew with 100 Squadron, the unit of Lancasters flying operations over Germany and one of Bill Smith’s Pirates, and with 101 Squadron, the Wellington force used by Bomber Command for night sorties over Europe. An Edinburgh boy through and through, he was born on 15 March 1922 in Downfield Place and went to Dalry Primary School. The family moved to Glendevon Terrace so he switched to Roseburn Primary and later he went to Boroughmuir Secondary School. He joined the RAF on 14 March, 1941. It was one day before his 19th birthday and he initially served as an Armourer. He volunteered for aircrew duties and qualified as an Air Gunner on completion of the course at RAF Stormey Down. Flt Lt Graham was promoted to Sergeant and completed advanced gunnery training and joined 100 Squadron RAF Waltham (Grimsby) and was a Rear Gunner (Tail end Charlie). He completed 32 operational flights, 142.5 Operational hours and was promoted to Pilot Officer & Gunnery Leader/Instructor & Flying Officer." www.scotsman.com/news/obituaries/obituary-fergus-johnnie-graham-rear-gunner-who-helped-allies-win-the-war-1-4685806
