Airmen mark the 60th anniversary of VE Day

Second World War heroes gathered at RAF Linton-on-Ouse as part of celebrations to mark 60 years since the war ended in Europe.

During their visit to the former Halifax and Lancaster bomber base, the VIPs took in the Memorial Room, dedicated to the 2002 airmen who died on missions from Linton, and met trainee pilots and Linton personnel with recent wartime experiences.

Among the group was Norman Berryman, 81, a Lancaster Bomber flight engineer from York, who was involved in 33 operations over Europe.

"When an operation came, we were plunged into battle, flying very long hours," he said.

The Battle of Berlin was one of his longest trips, lasting seven hours.

"We had one fighter attack on the way. The gunner saw it and fired. There were moments like that when I was dead scared. You had to carry on and do the job and put your trust in others."

'Mac' Mathieson, a pilot from Riccall, now 83, recalled being deployed on anti-submarine patrols in the Battle of the Atlantic.

"One time we spotted three subs on the surface. We turned to drop our depth charges but they had gone under water. There was a sigh of relief from the crew - the fire power would have blasted us into the sky."

Mac's bomber was later shot down over Germany. He suffered severe facial injuries, and became a "Guinea Pig" one of the patients of the celebrated Sir Archibald McIndoe who rebuilt the faces of badly burned airmen, paving the way for much of today's plastic surgery.

"On VE Day we had a booze-up in the Mess and the atmosphere was great. Everyone said 'Thank God we will be going home soon'."

Alan Bott, 85, president of York Royal Air Force Association, was in New Delhi on VE Day.

"We were getting ready to invade Japan. Then we heard they had dropped an atomic bomb, and then a second bomb. Within days Japan had surrendered. Those on their way to Japan knew the casualties would have been high. Their relief was great."

Updated: 10:36 Wednesday, May 04, 2005