WWII veteran Fred Hooker recalls when his Halifax bomber was shot down

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Fred Hooker (May 1924 - April 2019) joined Bomber Command during the Second World War. He served as a mid-upper gunner aboard Halifax bombers in 102 Squadron. However on 12th September 1944, during a daylight raid to Münster, his aircraft was critically damaged by flak.
Here Fred describes what happened during this raid (which was only his third one of the war). His pilot and rear-gunner did not survive attack, but Fred and the rest of the crew spent the rest of the conflict as Prisoners of War.

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3 окт 2024

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Комментарии : 38

@wattage2007 2 года назад

What an image as he describes seeing his guns blasted onto the tail turret and the ammo being dragged out of the aircraft and later, the pilot, ghostly white trying to keep the aircraft level as the few men escaped. What an incredibly vivid recollection.

@talonted4g64 4 года назад

Very sorry to read he has passed away. My grandfather Robert Joshua Reynolds also served with 102 squadron. He survived the war but sadly passed away before I was born. A great video. Blue skies Fred.

@TimNelson 4 года назад

We Yanks admire and respect you, sir, more than you'd ever know. Bless this old warrior.

@MrDaiseymay 3 года назад

It's mutual ,Friend. It was a massive but combined effort, from all those of the free world, against a ghastly evil.

@deadendfriends1975 4 года назад

That pilot.....what a man.

@thomasozel4889 4 года назад

In April 2018, Fred's fellow Bomber Command veterans Bill Moore and Jan Black-Stangryciuk travelled to the Reichwald Forest War Cemetery in Germany. Fred was not able to accompany them, but requested that they lay wreaths on the graves of his pilot and rear gunner. They did so and held a minute's silence.

@Barouche 4 года назад

A hero.

@MrDaiseymay 4 года назад

My half brother Keneth Croft W/Op Gunner, in a Mk 3 Halifax, 100 group, 199 sqd, Died on the very last punitive raid, on Kiel, Germany--3/05/1945. 5 days from wars end. Fired on by a JU88 nightfighter, it damaged flying gear, causing a collision tween two Halifax. Of 16 crew, only 3 survived. I have the details of the Luftwaffe Pilot involved. It was his last mission of the War---such is fate.

@davidforsythe3037 2 года назад

Thank you very much Sir! Much respect from Canada

@tombartram6842 2 года назад

My late uncle John Bartram flew Hallibags with 502 squadron based in Stornoway in the last year of the war. They used to attack German shipping as far away as the Baltic. He told me about the maintenance and repair teams teams who had to live and work in dreadful conditions preparing planes out in the open using ladders and lamps on huge tripods to give each plane the best chance humanly possible to carry out the mission and get back safely. Its no exaggeration at all to say that NOT ONE crew would complete a 30 mission tour in a badly maintained plane. The aircrew are commemorated and rightly so but there were many MORE dedicated people that history has forgotten.

@mann2nyc 6 лет назад

Amazing story and man. Great to have this here, Thanks!

@CharlotteWeb100 5 лет назад

Brilliant! Could listen to Fred all day. Used to look after a chap who flew the Halifax and remember him playing hell about how hard work it was trying to get one off the ground with just 50ft of tarmac.

@richardmarshall4322 Год назад

Must have meant runway width. Length was up to 2000 yds.

@RawPower7 3 года назад

Incredible stories and men he talks about, thanks for putting this out for people to listen.

@ianredpath8359 4 года назад

Respect and gratitude. Per Ardua Ad Astra.

@maxwellfan55 8 месяцев назад

Extraordinary and humbling story. My condolences to the pilot and gunner who died and their families. It's an unimaginable scenario none of us will ever realise. Also shows the tight camaraderie within these close knit crews, each relying on one another, the captain making the ultimate sacrifice to give his airmen whatever chance possible to survive. All kids in schools must hear these stories, remember and respect the freedom they now enjoy.

@blzbob7936 6 лет назад

Amazing to hear Freds story! Not many of the 102 Squadron veterans are still with us. My Uncle was also 102, (Killed in action 25/7/44), Sgt Bob Leyland W/op. The only survivor of their crashed Halifax was the rear gunner Robert Brewer, who also ended up at the same camp as Fred - Stalagluft 7, Bankau, Poland. Apparently Sgt Brewer was known as 'Mush' and his PoW number was 556. It is possible Fred and Bob Brewer knew of each other! He did the forced march and ended the war in Luckenwalde camp.

@thomasozel4889 6 лет назад

Thanks for sharing his story. I'll contact Fred and see whether he recognises Robert Brewer's name. I've just uploaded some more of Fred's interview where he talks about being interrogated and eventually sent to Stalag Luft 7: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-6Xjc-3wkOhA.html

@thomasozel4889 6 лет назад

I've just spoken with Fred and he says that he never met anyone named Robert Brewer during the war.

@tysoncott7402 6 лет назад

Thank you for sharing this 👍

@LittlealxYT 2 года назад

This is the good part of RU-vid. Where the videos on here are truly beneficial. I'm so grateful you posted this. What a life.

@stewsretroreviews 3 года назад

Amazing story, massive respect to Fred and all who fought in the war..

@mybluebelly 4 года назад

The Halifax was withdrawn from daylight raids in late -41 and reintroduced again in september -44. The early variants had underpowered RR engines that made them unable to climb high enough.

@kenc9236 3 года назад

Brave men. Thank you.

@margporter6294 3 года назад

My FIL was flying a Halifax in 1942 when he and his crew were shot down on their way to bomb Essen. They were from 158 Squadron based in Yorkshire. Some people need to research their facts a bit more. I have proof from a Squadron diary and Pops own life story. He ended up in Salag Luft lll the great escape camp until the forced march led them to the Allied lines.

@graham2631 3 года назад

My grandad with RCAF 405 pathfinders was shot down in '43 in a Halifax. He was the bomb aimer he was found in the rear gunners position l guess he was relieving the gunner.

@richardmarshall4322 Год назад

This must have been after D Day. Daylight raid with a Spit buzzing about.

@thomasozel4889 Год назад

That's correct. Fred's POW card shows that he was captured on 12th September 1944: ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/544/19190/SHookerFJ1805487v10023.1.jpg

@edwardjones2202 4 года назад

Respect to this man. Can someone tell me: Did the pilot voluntarily go down? What happened with his parachute? Did the other guy put the fire out on it and put it on him? Couldn't make it out

@thomasozel4889 4 года назад

Like most pilots of damaged bombers, Philip Groves (Fred's pilot) remained at the controls of the aircraft after issuing the order to bail out. This was to try and keep the damaged Halifax at steady enough level, so that the rest of the crew could jump out. However, by the time surviving crew had left it was usually too late for the pilot to bail out. You are correct that the Flight Engineer put out the fire on Fred's parachute and then strapped it onto him. Fred gives some other details about being shot down in this interview: ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/document/8785

@georgielancaster1356 2 года назад

@@thomasozel4889 I would like to direct those, moved by this story, to read of the self sacrifice bravery of David Kingsley, an American airman. It kills me to know that he may have survived, if someone had insisted he share their parachute. It was rarely done, injuries might have been heavier, but often, both would survive. I do know of cases that went wrong, but I am forever haunted by a desire to try to go back in time and fix this horrifying self sacrifice, that may not have been needed. Then I tell myself off, for wasting my life, stressing over such a long ago tragedy. It is hard to read the cold facts, and not feel your heart desperate to try to stop what you know is about to happen.

@kittkatpattywack2355 2 года назад

my great uncle ken was also in the 102 raf sqnd. FS ken Howard buck and his plane was shot down and he was badly injuerd anf he pulled out the only survivor of the crash

@colinmartin2921 2 года назад

This video should be compulsory for all school children, to teach them what their forebears did in order for them to have the life that they have today.