Never Mind The Dambusters
Never Mind The Dambusters…It’s The Bomber Command Podcast!Join historians and authors Jane Gulliford Lowes and James Jefferies as they delve into the world of RAF Bomber Command during the Second World War. In this weekly podcast (episodes released every Wednesday), Jane and James explore strategy, policy, and the events which shaped one of the most controversial campaigns of the war. Despite their iconic status, Bomber Command's history extends far beyond the famed Dambusters raid of 1943 and the Avro Lancaster. Through insightful discussions, expert analysis of the strategic bombing campaign and first hand accounts by veterans and civilians on the...
Episode 79 - What Bomber Command Did Next : 1945-1968, with Erik Parker
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What happened to RAF Bomber Command after the Second World War? In this episode, Jane Gulliford Lowes and guest co-presenter Jamie Heffer from the RAF Bircham Newton Heritage Centre are joined by Erik Parker to explore the command's evolution from 1945 until its merger into Strike Command in 1968.
The immediate post-war years brought new responsibilities, including Operation Exodus, the return of foreign squadrons and plans for Tiger Force. Meanwhile, Britain faced the challenge of rebuilding its armed forces while meeting its international commitments.
Bomber Command gradually moved from...
Episode 78 - Churchill's Pirates, Pathfinders and Kamikaze Hunters, with Will Iredale
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In this episode of Never Mind the Dambusters, Jane Gulliford Lowes is joined by bestselling author and journalist Will Iredale to talk about his new book, Churchill’s Pirates.
The book tells the story of the Royal Naval Patrol Service – the men who served in what was effectively a navy within the Royal Navy. Many were fishermen, trawlermen and civilian sailors who found themselves recruited into dangerous wartime work, operating small vessels around the British coastline.
They cleared mines, hunted submarines, protected shipping and...
Episode 77 - LANCASTER: 24 Hours on a Squadron, with Mike Napier
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The Lancaster is probably the most recognisable aircraft associated with RAF Bomber Command. But what did an ordinary 24 hours actually look like on a Lancaster squadron?
In this episode of Never Mind the Dambusters, Jane Gulliford Lowes is joined by military aviation historian and author Michael Napier to explore the Lancaster not simply as an aircraft, but as the centre of a vast organisation of people, preparation and expertise.
Mike's new book, Lancaster: Twenty-Four Hours on a Squadron, takes us through a complete operational cycle...
Episode 76 Secret Projects of the Luftwaffe, with Dan Sharp
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Jane Gulliford Lowes welcomes author, editor, and aviation historian Dan Sharp to dig into the Luftwaffe’s bomber plans, from prewar requirements to late war jet concepts. The conversation focuses on how German bomber strategy was shaped by speed, range, and technological ambition, and why so many of the most advanced ideas never arrived in time.
They also unpack the long standing myth around the Heinkel 177 dive bomber requirement, showing how the real story is more complicated than the usual explanation.
Key topics
We discuss Da...Episode 75 - Stanley Booker: Airman, Prisoner, Saviour, Spy, with Sean Feast
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Ep. 75 – Stanley Booker: Airman, Prisoner, Saviour, Spy, with Sean Feast
How does a young RAF observer go from flying operations with 10 Squadron to becoming one of the few Allied airmen imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp?
In this episode of Never Mind the Dambusters, Jane Gulliford Lowes and James Jefferies welcome back acclaimed aviation historian and author Sean Feast to discuss his compelling new book, Airman, Prisoner, Saviour, Spy: The Remarkable Story of Stanley Booker DFM.
Stanley volunteered for air...
Episode 74 – Easy Elsie: The Battle to Save a Lost Lancaster, with Dave King
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Ep. 74 – Easy Elsie: The Battle to Save a Lost Lancaster
What happens when a wartime Lancaster disappears into a Swedish bog—and eight decades later, a dedicated team sets out to bring her home?
In this episode of Never Mind the Dambusters, Jane Gulliford Lowes is joined by Dave King, a British adventurer and expedition leader based in Sweden, to discuss one of the most remarkable aviation recovery projects currently underway.
Dave's latest mission centres on Lancaster ND587, "Easy...
Episode 73 - "A Memory Owed": Bringing Bomber Command to the Big Screen
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Ep. 73 – A Memory Owed: Bringing Bomber Command to the Big Screen
How do you tell the story of RAF Bomber Command in a way that resonates with modern audiences while remaining faithful to the experiences of those who served?
In this special episode of Never Mind the Dambusters, Jane Gulliford Lowes and James Jefferies are joined by Martin Hemingway-Moseley, writer and director of the new Bomber Command film A Memory Owed, and Zoe Lewin, the film's producer.
Together, they discuss the in...
Episode 72 Karlsruhe: Life Under the Bombs, with Kathy Quinlan-Flatter
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Ep. 72 – Karlsruhe: Life Under the Bombs
With Kathy Quinlan-Flatter
What was it like to live beneath the bomber stream?
In this episode of Never Mind the Dambusters, Jane Gulliford Lowes and James Jefferies explore the air war from a perspective we don't often hear: that of the German civilians who endured RAF bombing raids firsthand.
Joining us is journalist and historian Kathy Quinlan-Flatter, who has lived in and around the Karlsruhe region and spent years researching the city's wartime experience through po...
Series 5 Trailer
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Welcome Back to Never Mind the Dambusters!
We're delighted to tell all our listeners that series 5 will be launching on 15/16 July - paid subscribers can gain early access from 11 July.
So much to look forward to !
Support the show
Please subscribe to Never Mind The Dambusters wherever you get your podcasts. You can support the show, and help us produce great content, by becoming a paid subscriber from just $3 a month here https://www.buzzsprout.com/2327200/support . Supporters get early acces...
Episode 71 - Internment of Allied Airmen in Neutral Countries, with Andrew White
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Episode available on general release on Wednesday 1st April.
Episode Summary
In the final episode of Series 4, Jane and James are joined by historian and former RAF intelligence officer Andrew White to explore a lesser-known aspect of the Second World War air war: the internment of Allied airmen in neutral countries.
When aircraft came down in neutral territory, aircrew entered a complex legal and diplomatic grey area — neither prisoners of war nor free to return home. Drawing on Andrew’s research and e...
Ep.70 - Q and A Chat Part 2: More Questions Answered!
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Join us for a deep dive into the nuanced and often overlooked areas of RAF Bomber Command during WWII. In this episode, we answer listener questions, discuss key incidents, and explore technological debates shaping strategic bombing.
Main Topics Covered:
Episode 69 - Q & A Chat Part 1: Your Questions Answered!
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This week Jane and James have a good old chinwag and answer YOUR questions, on some very diverse topics:
Why wasn't Harris replaced after Nuremberg or the Battle of Berlin?Which aircraft would've benefited from Merlin engines?What were Special Recognition Flights?Why weren't bomber streams supported by more night-fighter escorts or intruder ops?Why wasn't the transportation plan implemented earlier?How did Bomber Command get the enormous amounts of fuel, bombs, ammunition etc out to airfields?The discussion will be continued next week too, so continue to send in...
Episode 68 - Cold War Bombers, with Joe Wilding (extended episode)
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Hosts: Jane Gulliford & James Jefferies (although Jane disappears after the intro due to tech issues!)
Guest: Joe Wilding
Episode Summary
In this episode of Never Mind the Dambusters, Jane and James are joined by aviation enthusiast and aircraft designer Joe Wilding to explore the evolution of the bomber during the Cold War — a period that lasted nearly half a century and transformed aerial warfare more dramatically than any era before it.
Rather than treating the Cold Wa...
Episode 67 - After the Firestorm: Bomb Disposal in Wartime Hamburg, with Thomas Rost
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After the Firestorm – Bomb Disposal in Wartime Hamburg
With Thomas Rost
Never Mind the Dambusters – Series 4
Content Note
This episode includes discussion of forced labour, concentration camp inmates, and civilian casualties. Listener discretion is advised.
In this episode, Jane Gulliford Lowes turns to a largely hidden chapter of the bombing war: bomb disposal in Hamburg during and after the Second World War.
While the Battle of Hamburg in m...
Episode 66 - 2 Group and the Rotterdam Raid, with Erik Parker
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2 Group Bomber Command and the Rotterdam Raid
With Erik Parker
Never Mind the Dambusters – Series 4
In this episode, Jane Gulliford Lowes and James Jefferies turn their attention to a little-known Bomber Command raid on Rotterdam, carried out during the early years of the Second World War by the light bomber squadrons of 2 Group.
While Rotterdam is most often associated with the devastating Luftwaffe attack of May 1940, this episode explores a lesser-known British operation — one that sheds light...
Episode 65 : Hitting the Target: Bomb Aiming with Matt Doncaster
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Hitting the Target – Bombing Accuracy, Altitude, and the Physics of Air Power
With Matt Doncaster
Never Mind the Dambusters – Series 4
In this episode, Jane Gulliford Lowes and James Jefferies are joined by Matt Doncaster, a former RAF Harrier pilot, for a deep dive into one of the most fundamental — and often misunderstood — challenges of the air war: how to hit a target from a bomber.
Stepping away from individual aircraft and raids, this discussion focuses o...
Episode 64 - USAAF and the Schweinfurt Raids, with Mike Peters
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The Schweinfurt Raids
With Mike Peters
Never Mind the Dambusters – Series 4
Presented by Jane Gulliford Lowes and James Jefferies
In this episode, Jane Gulliford Lowes and James Jefferies turn their attention to the USAAF bombing raids on Schweinfurt, among the most dramatic, costly, and consequential operations of the Allied strategic air campaign in 1943.
Schweinfurt was a vital centre of Germany’s ball-bearing industry, making it a high-priority target for the US Eighth Air Force. The dayl...
Episode 63: "Advance Britannia" - Bomber Command & Britain's War 1942-1945, with Professor Alan Allport
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(Buy tickets for Jane's talk at the International Bomber Command Centre, Lincoln, on 5 March 2026 here )
In this episode, Jane Gulliford Lowes is joined by historian Professor Alan Allport for a wide-ranging discussion of his new book, Advance Britannia, which re-examines Britain’s war effort from 1942 onwards — a period when the nation moved from survival to sustained, large-scale offensive operations.
From the rapid expansion of RAF Bomber Command to the mounting moral, political, and human questions surro...
Episode 62 Peenemunde: The Attack on Hitler's V-Weapons, with Sean Feast
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In this episode, Jane Gulliford Lowes is joined by author and military historian Sean Feast to examine one of the most strategically important — and morally complex — operations of the bombing war: RAF Bomber Command’s attack on the German V-weapons research centre at Peenemünde in August 1943.
Peenemünde was no ordinary target. As the heart of Germany’s V-1 and V-2 programme, it represented a direct threat to Britain and forced Allied planners to attempt an unprecedented level of precision under combat conditions. The raid, know...
Episode 61: The Wooden Wonder - The De Havilland Mosquito, with John Lilley
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Episode Description / Show Notes:
In this episode of Never Mind the Dambusters, host Jane Gulliford Lowes is joined by John Lilley from the People’s Mosquito Project to explore the extraordinary story of one of the Second World War’s most innovative and versatile aircraft: the de Havilland Mosquito.
Often described as “the wooden wonder,” the Mosquito defied conventional thinking with its largely wooden construction, exceptional speed, and remarkable adaptability. From precision bombing and Pathfinder duties to reconnai...
Episode 60: The Short Stirling, with Jonathan Falconer
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In this episode of Never Mind the Dambusters, host Jane Gulliford Lowes is joined by Jonathan Falconer, a leading authority on the RAF and the Second World War, to discuss the Short Stirling, Bomber Command's first four-engine heavy bomber. They explore its development, operational history, and the unique challenges it faced. Jonathan shares insights into the aircraft's design, its role in key operations, and its eventual transition to transport and special duties roles. The conversation also touches on the legacy of the Stirling and the men who flew it, highlighting its...
Episode 59: Oh Canada! RCAF, 6 Group & 429 Bison Sqn, with Greg Kopchuk
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Welcome back and a happy new year !
🇨🇦 In this episode of "Never Mind the Dambusters," host Jane Gulliford Lowes is joined by Dr. Dan Ellin and Canadian historian Greg Kopchuk . The team explore the Canadian contribution to RAF Bomber Command, and the formation of 6 Group, from the perspective of 429 Bison Squadron. Greg explains how the Squadron got off to a fairly rocky start, with a CO who wouldn't fly and a very high casualty rate.
Greg's book on 429 Sqn is available here
Support the show
Ple...
Series 4 Trailer
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SERIES 4 OF NEVER MIND THE DAMBUSTERS IS ON THE WAY!
Brand new episodes drop Wednesday January 7th 2026 (available from Saturday 3rd for our paid subscribers).
We're returning with our most ambitious series yet — filled with new interviews, untold stories, and in-depth explorations of RAF Bomber Command.
Here’s a glimpse of what’s coming up:
✈️ The Short Stirling with historian Jonathan Falconer
🪵 The de Havilland Mosquito with John Lilley from the People’s Mosquito project
🇨🇦 429 Bison Squadron and the R...
Episode 57: The U-boat War - Wolfpack, with Roger Moorhouse
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Have we got a treat for you...Something different - U-boats instead of aircraft!
In our final episode of this series, “The U-boat War - Wolfpack,” we explore the U-Boat War from the German perspective with historian and author Roger Moorhouse, whose new book Wolfpack: Inside Hitler’s U-Boat War will be published on 9 October 2025. Hosts James Jefferies and Jane Gulliford-Lowes dive into what life was really like aboard German U-boats, the shifting strategies of the Battle of the Atlantic, the human stories behind the steel hulls, the role...
Episode 56: Rough Justice - The Murder of Allied Airmen, with Thomas Rost
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In Episode 56 ( the penultimate episode of series 3), we delve into a chilling chapter of World War II history: the murders of Allied airmen in Germany. As the war raged on, downed airmen often found themselves at the mercy of their captors - military, civilian authorities and sometimes ordinary citizens.
This episode uncovers the fate of one Allied airman, missing in action in January 1945. We are joined by German historian Thomas Rost, and together we explore the complex web of wartime and post-war justice, and the search for the truth. A...
Episode 55 - Operation Pimento: Escape, Evasion and Resolution, with Adam Hart
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This week, we're joined by Adam Hart, to discuss his new book about a downed Halifax pilot, who also happens to be his great-grandfather.
Operation Pimento is a riveting story of courage, defiance, and survival. Centered on his great-grandfather, Frank Griffiths, this extraordinary true account shines a light on the men and women of the French Resistance who risked everything to stand against tyranny and to assist Allied airmen to evade capture. From the perilous crossings of the Swiss Alps to the treacherous trails of the Pyrenees and beyond, Har...
Episode 54 - (Part 2) Above Us The Stars : 10 Squadron Bomber Command - The Wireless Operator's Story.
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(Available on general release on 10 September)
In this episode James and Jane continue their chat about Jane's book, Above Us The Stars: 10 Squadron Bomber Command - The Wireless Operator's Story. Jane continues the story of the Pennicott crew, through the summer and autumn of 1943, and into 1944 and discusses the emotional toll of writing about such a difficult subject. Jane reveals how a chance phonecall transformed the book, and how the story might have differed if she'd written it in 2025.
Signed copies are available direct from Jane's website at...
Episode 53 - Above Us the Stars: 10 Squadron Bomber Command - The Wireless Operator's Story (part 1)
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This week James interviews Jane about her first Bomber Command book, "Above Us the Stars: 10 Squadron Bomber Command - The Wireless Operator's Story." We can't believe it's taken us 53 episodes to finally get around to discussing it! Jane shares with listeners the background to the book, her motivation for writing it, and describes her research processes (including what it feels like to sit in the wireless op's position in a Halifax). Jane traces her great uncle Jack Clyde's journey from apprentice joiner in a small mining town on the Durham coast to...
Episode 52 - Listeners' Questions
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This week on Never Mind the Dambusters, we answer YOUR questions, on a whole host of issues, including:
Could a heavy bomber fly without a full crew?
What was Operation Dodge?
Mosquito v Lancaster, Lancaster v Halifax
Gibson v Cheshire
B17s in the RAF
Do keep sending in your questions!
Support the show
Please subscribe to Never Mind The Dambusters wherever you get your podcasts. You can support the show, and help us produce gr...
Episode 51 - Aircrew Flying Kit, with Daniel Richards
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In this episode of Never Mind the Dambusters, I take a deep dive into the fascinating and often overlooked world of RAF Bomber Command during the Second World War—through the lens of the airmen's personal flying kit. I'm joined by Daniel Richards an RAF Living History enthusiast, and together we explore the evolution of aircrew equipment, from flying jackets to survival kits, and even the surprising use of pigeons for communication.
Using the original clothing card issued to 10 Sqn wireless operator Jack Clyde (Jane's great Uncle) (linked below) , we...
Episode 50 50th Episode Special: The Dambusters' Legacy, with Dr Dan Ellin
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This week, we celebrate our 50th episode by welcoming Dr Dan Ellin of the University of Lincoln and the International Bomber Command Centre, back to the show. Dan joins us to explore the legacy of the Dambusters , and in particular how the 1955 film has shaped the collective memory of Bomber Command. From Star Wars to adverts for Carling Black Label lager, it's all here!
We've linked below the books we discuss during this episode.
Books:
The Dambusters, Paul Brickhill
Guy Gibson, Ric...
(EARLY ACCESS) Episode 50 50th Episode Special: The Dambusters' Legacy, with Dr Dan Ellin.
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***Episode on general release Wednesday 13 August
This week, we celebrate our 50th episode by welcoming Dr Dan Ellin of the University of Lincoln and the International Bomber Command Centre, back to the show. Dan joins us to explore the legacy of the Dambusters , and in particular how the 1955 film has shaped the collective memory of Bomber Command. From Star Wars to adverts for Carling Black Label lager, it's all here!
We've linked below the books we discuss during this episode.
Books:
The...
Episode 49 - Len Deighton's "Bomber" : Telling Stories, with Adrian Bean
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(Apologies - no James this week due to technical issues!)
This week, Jane is joined by Adrian Bean, a writer and director with a passion for military history. They explore the complexities of RAF Bomber Command, the challenges of adapting Len Deighton's 'Bomber' for BBC radio, and the human stories behind the bombing campaigns of WWII.
Adrian shares insights from his recent works, including the incredible short story collection 'L for Lanc' and the non-fiction work 'What Happened', about a mid-air collision in 1941, and discusses his upcoming novel...
Episode 48 - "Desert Island Books" : Our Top 10 Bomber Command Reads
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This week we each share our top 5 Bomber Command books in the categories of popular history, memoir, academic, fiction and we also throw in a wild card! What are your favourites? Do you love or hate our picks?
Spoiler alert:
If you don't want to know what we chose, avoid the shopping list below!
Jane's choices
Popular history: Haynes Manual - Bomber Command
Memoir: Bomber Offensive, by Sir Arthur Harris
Academic: The Flyer, by Marti...
Episode 47 - Remembering the Bombing War in Normandy, with Paul Woodadge
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This week, we tackle some thorny issues with our with guest Paul Woodadge, the host of YouTube show WW2TV about the multifaceted history of RAF Bomber Command during World War II.
Growing up near former USAAF airbases in Suffolk, just across the border from Essex and Colchester, Paul, who most of you will know simply as "Woody",
developed a fascination for history and the Second World War. Paul now lives in Normandy in France, and is a Battlefield guide, historical advisor, and consultant on numerous projects.
He...
(EARLY ACCESS) Episode 47 - Remembering the Bombing War in Normandy, with Paul Woodage
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This week, we tackle some thorny issues with our with guest Paul Woodadge, the host of YouTube show WW2TV about the multifaceted history of RAF Bomber Command during World War II.
Growing up near former USAAF airbases in Suffolk, just across the border from Essex and Colchester, Paul, who most of you will know simply as "Woody",
developed a fascination for history and the Second World War. Paul now lives in Normandy in France, and is a Battlefield guide, historical advisor, and consultant on numerous projects.
He...
Episode 46 From the Channel Dash to the Long March: The Navigator's Story, with Stuart Green.
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This week, hosts Jane Gulliford Lowes and James Jefferies chat to Stuart Green, who shares the remarkable story of his father Alan, a Bomber Command navigator on Wellingtons and Stirlings.
Alan Green took part in some of the most famous operations of the war, including the Channel Dash, the 1000 Bomber Raid, and the secret operation to bomb the Skoda Factory in Czechoslovakia.
Friendly fire, German nightfighters, tragedy and betrayal, imprisonment, escape and evasion, the Long March - this story has it all!
Chapters
00:00 Int...
Episode 45 - Flying into the Storm: Early War Bombers, with Chris Sams
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This episode has EVERYTHING! (even the Titanic).
This week, Jane and James engage in a rich and absorbing discussion with historian Chris Sams about his book, Flying into the Storm, about the early war bombers of the RAF. The conversation covers personal anecdotes, the significance of various bombing operations, and the challenges faced by bomber crews. They delve into specific events such as the Nickel Raids, the Battle of Heligoland Bight, the Battle of France, the tragic sinking of the Lancastria, bombers in North Africa and even in Bu...
Episode 44 - The Greatest Enemy - Meteorological Flights, with Jamie Heffer
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Welcome to Series 3!
In the first episode of the new series of Never Mind the Dambusters, hosts James Jefferies and Jane Gulliford Lowes discuss the often-overlooked role of meteorology in RAF Bomber Command during World War II. Joined once more by Jamie Heffer from RAF Bircham Newton Heritage Centre, , they explore the challenges posed by weather conditions, personal stories from the MET flights, and the operational significance of these flights in ensuring mission success. The conversation highlights the bravery of those involved in meteorological operations and their impact on a...
Episode 43 - Norwegian Heroes of Bomber Command, with Haakon Vinje
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In the final episode of this series, hosts James Jefferies and Jane Gulliford Lowes are joined by the head of the Norwegian War Graves Service, Haakon Vinje, to explore the often-overlooked contributions of Norwegian airmen in RAF Bomber Command during World War II. They discuss the Norwegian War Graves Service, the invasion of Norway, and share poignant personal stories of bravery and sacrifice, including the legacy of Nordal Grieg.
The team also talk about some of the RAF Bomber crews who now lie at rest in Norway, and Jane sh...
