Personnel Index - Detail
At about 21.30hrs on the evening of 24 October 1942, after Sgt Jimmy Thom had trundled W4761 back into her Scampton dispersal, out jumped Eric Clarke Wireless Operator/Air Gunner, to celebrate the completion of his operational tour.
It began over a year earlier, and included ops on three different types of aircraft.
Starting on Hampdens in 1941 with Sgts Robinson and Bow, then into1942 with P/O Donald, S/Ldr Bennett DFC, Sgts Slingo and Downs, before converting to Manchesters and flying four operations with P/O Jeffreys and crew.
Lancasters soon arrived, and nine trips were flown with F/Lt Cooke DFC, before his final three being flown with Sgt Thom... 26 operations, and none of them easy.
Eric's first raid was September 13th 1941
Milan was Eric's final raid on the 24th October 1942.
You can view a high quality copy of Eric's logbook and read his memoirs in the Documents section.
(Eric Clarke's early memoirs, Eric Clarke's logbook)
Eric photographed in November 2010 for an article in a local Doncaster newspaper.
Eric photographed at the BBMF in 2012.
Eric receiving his Bomber Command Clasp from Air Marshal Sir Dusty Miller at the Mansion House, Doncaster on the occasion of his 100th birthday..........April 22nd 2013.
On the balcony of the Mansion House to watch the flypast
The flypast of the BBMF Lancaster
The following day Eric went flying again!
All images courtesy of Dom Howard and David Clarke