I wonder if anyone knows how many aircrew from the Second World War are still alive, and how old the oldest of these is? I'm asking on behalf of my 95 year old father who was a member of air crew during the 2WW.
Do you mean an individual surviving member of aircrew or a complete crew from one particular aircraft? Also are talking about all nationalities or just British? There will still be numbers of ex aircrew around but its much more unlikely that there are any complete crews (except possibly from two seaters)
Individual surviving members. It would be interesting to know this for both British and other nationalities. Do you have any statistics on this - or know where I can find them? Thanks for your reply.
The oldest RAF ex-POW I have come across was 1179317 Sgt Fred Vinecombe, F/E on Lancaster KB727 from No. 419 Squadron shot down over France in July 1944. After a couple of months in Buchenwald he was sent to Luft III. He's 104. World War Two hero who helped on Dambusters raid celebrates 104th birthday Regards, Dave
For the RCAF it appears to be J/7911 P/O Stanley Gordon King of No. 11 OTU shot down on the 1000 plane raid to Bremen on 25 June 1942. Aircraft was Wellington R1078. King is 99. Gordon King Pond — Arbours of Keswick From the Journal's archives: A prisoner of war counts himself lucky after missing his great escape
F/L Bernard George (Max) Meyer DFC, ex No 144 Squadron, pilot on Hampdens at Hemswell at the start of the war and later an instructor on Hampdens before returning to ops ...had a chat with him at Hemswell two years ago when he was 100 years old. In the days when aircraft were not parked at "dispersals" but at "flight lines"
