Interview with R Garbus

Interview with R Garbus

00:09:08 audio interview

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AGarbusR[Date]-010001, AGarbusR[Date]-010002, AGarbusR[Date]-010003

I was serving my time as a baker in Fraserburgh at the beginning of the war. I was seventeen then. When the ATC began I joined and within three weeks I had an exam and passed as a flight sergeant. About two and a half years ago I got fed up with staying at home so I volunteered for the Merchant Navy. The next week I got called up for the RAF. I started my airman’s life as a cook and butcher but this was too much like my peacetime job so I volunteered for aircrew. When I was posted to the Aircrew Receiving Centre I met a fellow Scot Hugh [unclear] from Blairgowrie. We became pals. We’ve been together ever since flying together in the same Lancaster. He’s a mid-upper gunner and I’m the rear gunner. My twenty fourth operation was the most successful I’d been on for it helped to sink the German battleship the Tirpitz. Before the operation we flew to an advanced base in Scotland and believe me it felt good to be home even though it was only to take off. But that night we set off to attack the Tirpitz. When we came over the target area in the morning we were very glad indeed to find the sky clear. So that gave us a lovely run up to drop our bombs. I was at the tail end of the aircraft as usual so I didn’t see the Tirpitz until we had bombed her. As you are aware of ack ack shells from the ship and big guns were coming up at us but we were in luck and nothing hit us. All I could see when leaving the target was columns of smoke coming from the ship. We were feeling pretty good when we heard over the intercom that she was on fire and keeling over but we felt much better when the coast of Scotland came in sight as we had been in the air for twelve and a half hours.

[BBC report from a Bomber Command airfield.]

Another Lancaster has just touched down on the end of the runway going very slowly in ideal landing conditions. There she is passing now X-Xray. In the meantime the sky is still full of aircraft all flying for their respective airfields. Some no doubt a great many miles away. Whichever way you look aircraft, all Lancasters practically flying in every direction. Here comes one passing running along our dispersal. T-Tommy has just passed along the dispersal track beside our recording van. As she passed her starboard wing went over the van. Now another one has landed and you can just hear her now. She did not make quite such a graceful landing. She first of all touched on the end of the runway and bounced up again and that is N for Nan the Lancaster that must take Ian Wilson over France to see what’s been going on there. You can just hear it as it’s past the Watch office. There it is slowing down in the middle of the runway just about to turn off to taxi to its dispersal point. Nan has only just left the runway and another one is touching down on the other end. There she is passing now. The noise that you can hear at the moment is another Lancaster passing overhead.

[BBC report by Ian Wilson following his trip on N-Nan including aircrew interviews.]

Hello BBC. This is a despatch from Ian Wilson made at a Bomber Command airfield on Tuesday the 14th August 1944. Hello BBC, this is a dispatch from Ian Wilson. I’ve just come back from a flight in Bomber Command Lancaster N for Nan. We’ve just taken part in the biggest daylight attack ever made. We have been to [unclear] and there I have seen one of Germany’s forward fighter aircraft literally wiped off the map. Around about me here are the crew of N for Nan and I’d like to introduce them to you. First of all here is Flight Lieutenant Phil Williams, captain of the aircraft. ‘Well, we had a good trip. We’re glad to be back.’ That’s fair enough. Here is the navigator, Roy Harvey. ‘I didn’t do very much work but it was a good trip just the same.’ The bomb aimer, Flight Sergeant Fred [Horry] of Norwich, he was with me up in front and he really didn’t really see much as I did. ‘What do I have to say? Well, it was a good prang and I’m glad to be back.’ And the engineer, Sergeant Victor Prettyjohns of Hackney. ‘What I saw of the target when I got a chance to look through my window suggested that we definitely had hit the target where we were plotted for and I reckon that the aircraft in front of us and those that followed behind us did their job just as well as our formation did.’ The wireless operator, Sergeant Pete [Nelgin] of Devon. ‘Well, we certainly had a good target to prang anyway and we sure did it.’ Now, my accent becomes normal as it ought to be because here is a fellow countryman Sergeant Hugh [unclear] of Blairgowrie. He’s a mid-upper gunner. ‘I don’t know why they take me along because there’s no fighters these days. Still.’ And the rear gunner is another Scotsman, Sandy Walker from Fraserburgh. ‘Well, from my position in the rear turret I could see nothing but Lancs in the sky right behind us. So cheer up.’ Alright. Thanks chums.