RAF Battle of Britain Squadron- up close

**Paul D** · 10-08-2009, 10:17 PM

Great pics Nick the Lanc flew over us at Colleville in Normandy during the 65th anniversary of D Day the sound was immense , i tried to imagine what it must have been like seeing and hearing 1000 of them in the air at the same time !!!

Jonesy · 10-09-2009, 02:53 AM

Great pics, you're a lucky fella!

**Woolgar** · 10-09-2009, 08:34 AM

by Johnnie

I recall reading once of a Lancaster tail gunner who was trapped inside his cubicle when the whole assembly was shot off the aircraft. He fell a few thousand feet and landed on a large German haystack and survived.
I don't know if it is true or not.

Johnnie

Hi johnnie

I think that was Flight Seargent Nicholas Alkemade!

Yes it is a true story!

Flight Sergeant Nicholas Stephen Alkemade (1923 – 1987) was a tail gunner for a Royal Air Force Avro Lancaster bomber during World War II who survived a fall of 18,000 feet (5500 m) without a parachute after his plane was shot down over Germany.

On March 24, 1944, 21 year old Alkemade was a member of No. 115 Squadron RAF and his Lancaster II "S for Sugar" was flying to the east of Schmallenberg, Germany on its return from a 300 bomber raid on Berlin, when it was attacked by a Luftwaffe Junkers Ju 88 night-fighter, caught fire and began to spiral out of control. Because his parachute was destroyed by the fire, Alkemade opted to jump from the aircraft without one, preferring his death to be quick, rather than being burnt to death. He fell 18,000 feet (5500 m) to the ground below. His fall was broken by pine trees and a soft snow cover on the ground. He was able to move his arms and legs and suffered only a sprained leg.

He was subsequently captured and interviewed by the Gestapo who were initially suspicious of his claim to have fallen without a parachute until the wreckage of the aircraft was examined. He was then a celebrated POW before being repatriated in May 1945. (Reportedly the orderly Germans were so impressed that Alkemade had bailed out without a parachute and lived that they gave him a certificate testifying to the fact.[1]) He worked in the chemical industry after the war and died on June 22, 1987.

The Lancaster crashed in flames and the pilot Jack Newman and three other members of the seven man crew did not survive and are buried in Hanover War Cemetery.