Return to Berlin

On 3rd September 1943 the BBC War Correspondent Wynford Vaughan Thomas flew to Berlin with 207Sqn in 'F for Freddie' to report on what it was like to be RAF aircrew on operations.

Many years later (in the 1970s) he returned to the city on a commercial airliner flying an everyday route....down the Berlin Air Corridor!

My father taped this programme from what is now Radio 4 and thanks to modern technology it is available for you to download and enjoy as an MP3 file.

The recording might also serve as a fitting tribute to Kent Stevenson, another BBC correspondent, who did not return from a similar exercise whilst flying with 49Sqn.
He lies buried in Rheinberg Cemetery, Germany.

By an amazing coincidence the pilot of 'F for Freddie' was Sqn Ldr Ken Letford who had already completed a tour on Hampdens with 49Sqn before moving on the 207Sqn.

The 49 Squadron Association is greatly indebted to the British Broadcasting Corporation for their kind permission to add this programme to our website.
We are equally indebted to Rob Clayton for his permission to use the photograph of Reg Pidsley and Wynford Vaughan Thomas.

For more information about BBC War Reporting 'click here'.
Click for an enlarged view
Reg Pidsley (sound engineer)
and Wynford Vaughan Thomas
in front of 'F-Freddie' at RAF Langar.
16 kbps version (3.2mb)
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24 kbps version (5mb)
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