As a ground crew NCO, I met many of the pilots who flew in WW2. They were the most modest and humorous men I ever met. Only their tunic ribbons told their story. We must never forget them.
I am a proud American from Minnesota who is also a retired band teacher. I am speechless and stunned in respect and admiration for how magnificent this ceremony was. It will take a few days for all of this to sink in....many thanks for making this available to me and to the world. When I fall asleep tonight, I will have a grin on my face and tears in my eyes....feeling forever grateful.
THE LAST ONE. This week we learn of the sad passing of "Johnny Johnson". Grand age of 101 years young. Blue skies ahead, soft tail wind to the mess in the sky, To join your crew mates of 617 Squadron. Thank you for your service Sir. May you rest in peace for eternity.
Served in RCAF NORAD COMMAND RADAR TECHNICIAN.. FOUGHT COLD WAR,, HAD 3 UNCLES WHO SERVED IN WW11. ONE RCN,, TORPEDOED IN NORWEGIAN SEA,, ALWAYS HAD PTSD. TWO OTHER UNCLE'S IN RCAF FLYING HALIFAX BOMBERS.. AS GOOD AS LANC,, CANADIAN AIR FORCE FLEW HALIFAX BOMBERS MOSTLY. GOOD PRESENTATION, WELL DONE..
Damn, I wish our USAF airmen looked this good. This is what a century of tradition gets you. From an old retired USAF Lt Col (Wing Commander in the RAF parlance).
Jolly decent and very magnanimous of you to say; your boys and girls also act as magnificent ambassadors for your Service too. Brothers (and Sisters!) in arms.
@soaringtractor ==> Perhaps had you spent more time reading history and less time devoted to jack-assery, you'd know a little more about the contributions of those "limeys" during WWII. As it is, you just excel at pitiable ignorance and inexcusable disrespect.
When you get to the point that you no longer care to salute those who fought and died to keep you free, then you have arrived at the point where you no longer deserve to be free. I'm a 37 year, 2 month, 18 days veteran of the 29th Infantry Division, US Army, having just retired in 2009 at the rank of MSG/E8. Not only do I salute our Allies, but I salute my Father who was a ball turret gunner during WW II. So, Praise the Lord, don't confuse Pomp with Conceit. This Pomp is born of respect and honor, whereas deceit is not. God Bless you.
My mother served in the RAF Womens Auxiliary throughout WWII and became a proud British War Bride. She's gone now as are so many of those great heroes. Now, a proud Yank from Texas remembers his roots and extends my sincere thanks for remembering them. Well Done RAF!
When this was first shown I nearly burst into tears, when the Lanc came into sight,my,what a moment.Years later Im with my mother in law in wonderful New Zealand and she has many cds.That prompted me to see if it was on RU-vid. I was a drummer the the corps of drums in Her Majesties Royal Marines onboard the Royal Yacht Britannia for many years.But may I say this beat retreat trumped all the beat retreats I ever seen.
Big respect to those ex crew veterans who were standing proudly. Who flew the Lancaster .❤ 617 squadring ..... Coming from R.A.F Scampton North Lincolnshire ..my heroes. Bless them all.
Watching this ceremony now in 2021, it means as much as it did then on the 70th Anniversary of the Dams Raid. The bravery of the Bomber Command aircrews and the diligence of the ground crews was outstanding. Thank you🇬🇧
Whilst ordering a pint in the Mess at RAF Scampton I talked to a Bomber Command Vet. We chatted for at least 30 minutes about the Berlin missions during 43-44 which he said were the scariest of the lot. After I said I had better get the rounds back to their thirsty recipients - he said thanks for talking to him and it was refreshing not having to talk about that Dam raid. I didn't quite understand that comment - but I thanked him and never saw him again. It was the next day I learned we had a Dambuster in the Mess sitting at the bar. A very pleasant man and we should never forget that ALL the raids over enemy territory was tantamount suicide and needed every bit of guts just to climb back into the aircraft for the NEXT mission.
I've always held a deep respect for the gallant crewmen of the Lancasters, as well as those individuals who were responsible for the technology behind the "bouncing" bombs. God keep them all. God keep The RAF. -- a USAF vet.
@@walterfechter8395 Thank You Fellow US Air Force Veteran for your Service . My dad was a WWII (aka the war to end all wars) US Navy Veteran . Dad was in the Pacific Theater during the war.
A huge debt owed by all modern nations to people who had to lay their lives on the line every day during the war. I am just reading about the pilots and Airmen, many of whom suffered severe physical and mental injuries in the course of their duties and many of whom returned to the fight after recuperation from those challenges.
The proudest WW2 memory I have of my dad was not the medals, but the fact that, after he'd died, his grandson met an erk (ground crew) whom my father had looked after (amongst others) on the long, ignominious retreat through Malaya, Singapore, Sumatra and eventually, via the Kota Gede, to Ceylon. The erk (6 years younger than dad) said my father had looked after them like an elder brother "even though he was aircrew". My father was an elder brother and had the utmost respect for his groundcrew - God Bless dad.
My father was an escapee from Singapore, part of an official group comprising 20 men from the East Surreys (my fathers unit) and 20 men from the Leicestershires. He turned up in Ceylon some 6 months later and he never said anything about what had happened in between, but he perhaps was part of this group?
@@derekambler I suspect not. My father never mentioned being involved with Army troops, only RAF personnel ordered by the maligned Percival to "escape" - their expertise being in the air, not in ground fighting! However, being from Bedfordshire my dad was disgusted that the Bedfordshire Regiment was disembarked at Singapore to go straight into imprisonment. The war in Singapore was already lost, but that was Churchill's order. Upon his return to his home town dad was continually asked if he had seen such and such a lad from the Beds. He could not say (official secrets act) neither could he tell their parents that their sons had been sacrificed in vain. He felt bitter. He never liked Churchill.
The Dambuster's March, scored for brass band and four Merlin engines... Wonderful video. Stirs the heart. Respect and admiration for every serviceman and woman, past and present. You *_ARE_* appreciated, you *_ARE_* loved, you *_ARE_* needed. Stay strong guys.
The USA has exhibited equally maginifent parades. Not taking ANYTHING away from THIS parade. It is at the pinnacle of possible execution, certainly!!!!
The RAF Marchpast is the most awe-inspiring of all marches. It saddens me to consider how few young people reflect on the courage and sacrifice that created the freedom they enjoy.
Our history is priceless,our respect for our heroic defenders is priceless and our memories of their sacrifices are profound and forever in our thoughts.The worid owes us an awful lot.
ahahahahahahahah your history is priceless all right every day of your history is full of killings of innocent patriots in every part of the of the world that you step a foot from India to Africa to Asia to America to Europe and every other place that i can think of blood blood blood all in the name of your incest kings and queens If the world ever decide to pay you back you will have to hide in active volcanos its gonna be cooler than their punishment You put Hitler and Stalin to shame for they only did it for a few years but youre doing it for centuries like blood thirsty thieving barbarians that you are That dead empire of yours looks like dying old lion loosing their hair and teeth Your priceless history is full felonies and only war crimes Youre the only country that occupies European land the year 2023 and you have the nerve to accuse Putin of trying to do the same in Ukraine Return the stolen goods back to the colonies before they come and take them by force What a history
Bomber command aircrews were real heroes who were badly treated after the war, no campaign medal. Only 70 years later was a memorial erected which I understand was paid for by the public. A 45% casualty rate,, more than 55,000 killed. We will remember them.
We have to thank our Australian Friends the famous POP Group the BEE GEES whose effort and organisation assisted in producing the Memorial tribute to Bomber Command. When after the war, the British government overlooked the cost to that Command in human lives when the Bomber Crews were not even recognised, nor were they awarded distinguishing Medal awards. God Bless them all, they paid a very heavy price. Along with our close colleagues and real friends, Australia, New Zealand,Canada and America and of course Poland and in fact members of many nationalaities who flew those costly missions against the NAZIS.Proud to have served in the Royal Air Force. Terry Offord.
@@terryofford4977 Fellow Veteran Thank You for your Service to your country in the RAF ! I'm a Vietnam / Cold War Era US Air Force Veteran . Cheers Mate !
@soaringtractor once again you display your total ignorance of this subject and blind anti-brit prejudice; obviously Harris's tactics were so poor they were copied and put into effect by Gen Curtis LeMay as soon as he took over command of the B-29 force in the Pacific. You clearly are not familiar with the quote: "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt.”
Sad that there are only two left. Although, the Canadian one flies over my house almost every Saturday in the summer because I live near the museum. The Lancaster VRA, usually flies from Hamilton, Ontario airport, over Niagara Falls and then it circles downtown Toronto and heads back. Often times it flies with a B-25. I also had the honour of seeing a Mosquito, four Spitfires and Lancaster fly in formation together. You can even fly in it for the low, low price of $2500 Canadian Dollars.
What very brave young men with so many years in front of them, they must have known it could well be one way trip when they took off, they can never be repayed
Per Ardua Ad Astra. Thank You for commemorating the heroes who helped define us. I was lucky enough to stand on that line two years ago for the Vulcan,.. Major, RCAF (Retd), 405, 414, 412 sqns, step son of a WW2 RAF Lanc itech, son of RA Lance Serjeant died 1944, nephew of RN, PO lost at sea 1940 in the Indian Ocean, Grandson of Skipper LCdr RNVR, OBE, of Grimsby. Forgive those who snickletheirchips for all to see, living their unremarkable lives in the shadow of giants who saved us all.. Special memory of my old dam-buster boss, WC Joe McCarthy RCAF, DSO, DFC, two bars, of Virginia Beach, USA. He was still a tiger on his last posting in Greenwood NS
I was very fortunate to be at this event (though about of the way behind the stands) the queens colour squadron's drill was pretty damn stunning. They went from ambling to the hanger doors to rigid in an instant.
To carry on playing when the merlin engines running on the Lancaster must have taken some doing. Is an amazing sound to have them and the dambuster march together
@@johnfrancis2215 Other than Syria, Lebanon and Iran, most of the ME 'countries' are creations of the British and the British air force is still bombing Iraq and propping up dictatorships in the area. Nevertheless, thanks for the suggestion.
I have only just come across this video. What a marvellous and moving tribute to those young men, many of whom paid the ultimate sacrifice in the raid, so that my generation, and the generations who came after mine, could be free. I would have loved to have been there. Can you also imagine what it must have felt like to have been a member of the current 617 Squadron and to have had the opportunity to have met and chatted with the survivors of the raid who attended this ceremony ? What an honour it would have been. No one can conduct ceremonies such as this one like the British. Is there anyone who can tell me why the motto is in French and not in Latin? Wonderful video. Thank you for uploading.
In memory of Captain Raymond Vallack Single, 56th Battalion AIF, killed by machine gun fire at the battle of Polygon Wood, Flanders, Belgium,1917- My great uncle.
Superb drill and music from a superb Air Force, as I suspect most British people will feel. What a pity our government doesn't have the same view of our armed forces and instead is intent on closing down RAF stations like Scampton simply to reduce taxes. Thank you to all who have served at or been associated with RAF Scampton over the years for the excellent work you've done.
One of my grandfathers was GCA in the RAF, with a Lancaster squadron. He had a Canadian relative who was lost fighting in a Spitfire during the Battle Of Britain. I was CAF Air Command, ground crew, with playing in the Wing Band as a secondary duty.
A fine body of men: both then and now. Barnes Wallis came up with the weapons, but it took sheer guts to carry out the planned raids , which were seen by some aircrews as a one way trip. 19 Lancs set out, 8 were shot down, and 53 men lost their lives. In actual fact 8 lancs with 7 crew each amounts to 56. The three saved were probably on "Hoppy" Hopgood's aircraft. Though already shot up with flak, his bomb wiped out the power station; badly injured himself, he then pulled his damaged aircraft up, allowing some crew to bail out, whilst sacrificing his own life to do so. They should always be remembered and honoured.
In memory of F/O(p) Albert Clark Elliott, with 3 Group, 90 (Celer) Sqn RAF, shot down enroute to Gelsenkirchen, 13 JUN 1944, flying out of Tuddenham, Suffolk in Lancaster LM158. We will remember them.
True to their motto STRIKE HARD STRIKE SURE the brave young men of Bomber Command pressed on regardless , thank God for their courage, we will remember them.
Thank you RAF Bomber Command and Fighter Command for preserving these great aircraft which did so much in preserving liberty for the UK and the world. Oh, if Air Defence Command had only preserved a Chain Home radar site……
I’m so very proud the way we remember our fallen heroes and our living heroes, and thanks to all men and women who help fight the aggressors , from all other countries that help fight with us. THANK YOU ALL.
Yes, I agree with other audience said only the UK have such traditional ceremony and their marching, dressing so formally, nice and clean on every step, I was impressed by this occasion ever since from my hometown..... Hong Kong. Thank you!
1956 RAF Wahn 0100 hours a flight of Lancaster's came in and I was one of several told to marshal them in to the visitor park. Only having worked with NF 11's I was out of sight of the pilot until someone shouted out " we cannot see you" how he did that over the noise I don't know but I moved into the pilots line of sight pretty dam quick. They are big and noisy and a little scary at night with red hot exhausts I'll never forget that .
Heritage and pride for what they did for freedom is a good thing but let’s remember to move on and to strive to build a better world, that’s what our 617 Brothers would have wanted. Good parade and good video and Stu Atha man you have aged!
Trek001 It's correct, he should salute. The custom in uniform is to salute all national anthems. You'll notice, for example, when Obama visited the UK, the armed forces of each nation saluted the other's Anthem, as well as their own.
Trek001 it's a sign of respect and as you are in uniform you must salute or it is shown as disrespect I'm in the air cadets and when I'm in uniform I must salute to a officer if I'm in uniform if I'm not I must look at him for 5 seconds then back to show respect to him/her
+iConsoleGamer Just make sure you never join the real thing. Although a good experience, but also a bad one as well. It changes you and you can never change back.
NextGenerationGaming The forces before the 90's was mainly getting drunk, having a laugh and doing as little work as possible, it was a comfy number. However today we are World War 3 even though it is not called that, but in reality it is, and the worse is yet to come. The monarchy nor government have any love or respect towards us, we are just pawns taken in and spat out. Veterans are sleeping rough in our streets and yet immigrants are given housing before them, says a lot really.
Falklands? Is that a laugh? Anyways nowadays our forces are so stretched, i have a sibling in the forces and they are so stretched with the new WIldcat weapons platform they have more pilots than crew and can only commit 1 to any operation at one time
NextGenerationGaming The Falklands was a one off incident in 1982 it was the only time in a long while that we had actually fought a war. After that all was quiet, now we are constant war.
I SO wish to play the Sunset bugle call for a live audience! It would be the most moving moment of my musical life. I have a wonderful Besson Bb Cornet (made in London), but think that I would most enjoy playing the call on an excellent BUGLE!!!
@@paikiabandboy Well, it's a very simple passage. I play it great (but would love for it to be on our next concert). Practicing non-stop, even for one day, would surely result in injured chops. I've been playing cornet/trumpet for about 3.5 years, but I used to play French horn in the Houston Symphony, so I had a huge head start on learning trumpet.
Just thought I’d mention 617’s less well known raid with specially modified long-distance Lancs. which culminated in the sinking of the Tirpitz which was sheltering near Tromso.
Muito importante cada pessoa saber e conservar os valores histórico e saber que dentro do processo histórico ouve muitos que viveram no passado e tambem morreram para que muitos ainda continuassem a viver e dar a vida a gerações.
Served at Scampton in the early seventies as an aircraft mechanic propulsion, worked on 617`s Vulcans in MEAS along with 27 squadrons Vulcans great time never forget it
anthony sharp Good disco’s at Scampton in late 60’s early 70’s, did Coningsny, Waddington, R A F Hospital Nocton Hall and not forgetting R A F Spitalgate😉. All from Cranwell. Played hard after working hard. “Illigitimi non carborundum”
I served 15 years in the in the RAF started as a Boy Entrant, 1961 to 1976 as an Avionics tech. Worked on various kites Meteors & Phantom F4's in Germany. When I left, I have a friend who worked at RAF Coningsby & arranged for me to have the VIP tour of that Lancaster! I must have spent a very enjoyable hour!
The men of Bomber Command, WW2........uncommon valour was common.... a band of brothers daily nightmares no words can describe...you just had to experience it...the nerve-wracking steady, deadly flight from Initial Point to target; the long flights home, the constant threat of fighters and flak......but the sweet screech of tyres on home runways.........a dreadful 55,6000 young lives lost. RIP chaps; you died and saved a nation fom the Nazi yolk.
