Page 8 - issue17.05.2019

Royal Air Force News Friday, May 17, 2019 P8

News

Typhoon boosts

Nato firepower

New squadron to guard UK skies against Putin aggression

Great Escape veteran Air

Cdre Charles Clarke dies

BOMBER COMMAND veteran an irrepressible character, an
and survivor of the PoW camp exceptionally active supporter of
made famous by the film The Great the RAF throughout his life, and a
Escape, Air Commodore Charles genuine inspiration to everyone. It
Clarke has died aged 95. was a great privilege to hand to him
The hero, who survived Stalag the RAF100 Baton last year, at the
Luft III and the brutal Long March start of our centenary celebrations,
inflicted by the Nazis on PoWs during and to be with him recently in Zagan
the winter of 1945, once described the for the 75th anniversary of the Great
legendary break out as an ‘audacious Escape.”
event,’ and an important part of RAF Charles started his RAF career as a
history. teenager, training as a bomb
RAF Benevolent aimer on Lancaster
Fund chief executive Bombers during
Air Vice-Marshal World War II. In
David Murray February 1944,
said: “Charles also aged just 20, he
became one of was high above Simon Mander
the leading voices the German skies
in the campaign on a bombing BRITAIN’S TYPHOON Force
for a permanent raid near Stuttgart has been beefed up amid
memorial to the when his Lancaster heightened worries about
men who perished was shot down by a Russian aggression, doubts
during their service German night fighter. about the future of arms control
in Bomber Command He bailed out over and rising tensions among Nato
and was there to watch the Black Forest, but was allies.
The Queen unveil the monument captured and eventually taken to The move means RAF
which now stands in London’s Green Stalag Luft III. Lossiemouth gets a fourth
Park. Arriving a month before the operational Eurofighter unit to
Always an active and passionate famous escape, Charles acted as protect British and Nato airspace
advocate for the Forces Air Cdre a stooge, looking out for German with IX(B) Sqn at the heart of the
Clarke played a central role during Guards or ‘ferrets’, while Squadron UK’s Quick Reaction Alert Force,
the RAF’s centenary celebrations last Leader Roger Bushell and his ready to take off within minutes of
year. team prepared tunnel Harry, and being scrambled.
He joined the Chief of the Air themselves, for the mass breakout. The move comes as the United
Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Charles did not leave Stalag Luft States General Tod Wolters
Hillier and senior figures from the III until January 1945, when he and succeeds Army General Curtis
Polish Armed Forces at the old Stalag his fellow RAF colleagues were force Scaparrotti as the Alliance’s
site last month to mark the 75th marched out of the camp on what Supreme Allied Commander
anniversary of the Great Escape, in famously became known as the Long Europe and head of US European
what was to be his last official public March. Terrible conditions ensued, Command. CEREMONY: CAS ACM Sir Stephen Hillier inspects the parade as the IX Sqn stands up at
engagement. with temperatures dropping as low America is also stepping Lossiemouth. PHOTO: SAC SCOTT TIERNEY
Chief of the Air Staff ACM Sir as -25°C. up military manoeuvres in the are making moves seen by some but was officially stood up to
Stephen Hillier said: “Air Cdre The Prisoners of War, many of region including the unusual as risking escalation of the war in coincide with Lossiemouth’s 80th
Charles Clarke was a remarkable whom had been incarcerated for up simultaneous deployment two eastern Ukraine. anniversary.
man who had an extraordinary life. to five years, were malnourished and aircraft carrier strike groups. IX(B) Squadron has been Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief
“A veteran of Bomber Command some still wore the same clothes they At the same time, the Russians operational since last month Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier, said:
and the Long March, he was were shot down in.