Please watch this about My Great Uncle

[ZOO]

My Great Uncle, Noel Shanks, is featured in this short tribute to the Lancaster, and the war in Europe. It is more of a series of personal stories, but well worth the time. Noel completed one tour of duty as a tail gunner, and had signed up to for a second tour in the Pacific against Japan, but the war ended before he was deployed.

My other three Great Unlces from that same family also served - but have synced passed away. Uncle John was a Lancaster pilot, Uncle Howard was a Major in the Canadian army, and Uncle Bob was a navigator in Lancasters. The family was lucky as all of them returned home safely.

And this is a small world - the Rieger family profiled in this clip are close friends. We didn't know they were part of this, and they wouldn't have known Shanks as a connection because that's my maternal grandmother's maiden name.

Noel is quite a character. Thank you to all as who served, and serve, as we remember and reflect on how lucky we are today.

CBC Mobile

[drcoastline]

Zoo, there's an issue with the link.

[billybek]

The link didn't work for me but hopefully this one will.

The Lancaster Bomber- D-Day's Workhorse - The National - CBC Player

I would love to think that I could be as sharp as your uncle at 92 years of age.

Thanks for sharing your story.

[recycled sixtie]

Tours of operation reminded me of a conversation I had with my mother a few years ago. She passed away two years ago ago age 94.

My father was a Lancaster pilot in WW2. A tour of operations I believe was 20 flights. It does not seem a lot but the average non return rate was 5%. So in theory 20X5 you were either dead or pow after one tour.

My father did two tours of ops. I asked my mother why he did two tours. And she said that you were expected to.

Guy.

[imcarthur]

Originally Posted by recycled sixtie

A tour of operations I believe was 20 flights. It does not seem a lot but the average non return rate was 5%. So in theory 20X5 you were either dead or pow after one tour.

My father did two tours of ops. I asked my mother why he did two tours. And she said that you were expected to.

Guy.

Early in the war it was 25 ops. They changed it to 30 around 1942. My father was a Wireless Operator in Wellington bombers just after the Battle of Britain. A few years ago I posted the text of a speech he gave about his experiences. He flew over 40 missions in Europe & the Middle East. He later earned his wings but the war ended before his posting to Asia.

Nice video about your Great Uncle ZOO. We have to preserve these stories for them.

See WWII Flying Stories from my father

Ian

[stuartj]

That was great. Thanks for posting it.

[Seahawk]

I couldn't get either link to work but I'll keep searching. I really enjoy listening to those gents.

Ian, thanks for re-posting your thread. I read it all again!

Best to all.