Letters

Chris Laycock Back on the Road
 
Having lost a month to illness, we are back on the road and pushing the mileage as much as we can. Had a wonderful visit to RAF Wellesborne Mountford and met with Wing Commander Mike Pollitt (Rt’d) and a lovely lady, Avro Vulcan XM655.  
 
We are currently on Leg 19 heading for RAF Abingdon, the furthest South on our trundle. 750 miles completed so far. We have raised £468 so far and we would love it if you could add to the fund for the International Bomber Command Memorial to assist with the remembrance and reconciliation programme. We have a link with Just Giving and I’m sure your contribution would be greatly appreciated:
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/christopher-laycock5

From Jon Tye
An Interesting Part of XM607’s History
 
We injested two pigeons in No 3 at 150knots. That blew and spat blades into No 4. Aerodynamic braking and airbrakes down to 125knots then wheel brakes at 70 knots. They didn’t like it and caught fire, so we trundled off the end in ‘sick o seven’.
 
Jon Tye

Pictured L - R: Jon Tye, Tony Benstead, Vince Hobbs, Wally Mears, John Barnard, Tony Thornthwaite.

From Mike Wainwright
 
Philip,
 
I have been in touch for a while with Cristophe Clement, who runs a WWII research group in Oise, France, and has been campaigning to get a memorial put up at the crash site of Bill Young’s 44 Sqn Lancaster, KM-T, ME599, in the village of Laversines, near Beauvais.
 
Yesterday he advised me that he has received the go-ahead for this in 2024, which is the 80th anniversary of the loss of the aircraft. They are looking at a ceremony on the weekend of 6th/7th July 2024. As yet I have no more detail than that. As soon as I hear more I will let you know.
 
All the best
Mike