206294 Francis William Cridge CGM.Royal Air Force 166 Squadron RAF from:Bramcote, Nottingham My Dad, Frankie Cridge was a Navigator with 166 Squadron Bomber Command. He served alongside Cliff Edwards and Roy Taylor, Roy was the wireless operator.
My dad's Lancaster was shot up on a raid on Germany, they flew back and when they landed the officer in charge said "only God could have guided this plane back" as it was shot to pieces and should never have got back. My Dad was operated on but they did not have to use the operation room lights as he was covered in phosphorous and this lit his body up. He was awarded an immediate C.G.M from Rippingale and the telegram from Buckingham Palace to receive his medal by King George the Sixth.
My father told me that before the raid that day on September 23rd, he was chopping firewood at the RAF base and suddenly he put the axe down as he instantly knew he would not need the wood, he knew at that moment he would not be returning to that base. How he knew we don't know.
There are still flight plans and all the war memorabilia to read. A lawyer from London wrote to dad for information as the book The Lancaster at War was about to be written and contains, I believe my dad's name and information given by him about the raids they made on Germany
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