Keith Ganney's After Lunch Speech

Keith Ganney's After Lunch Speech

A speech given by Keith. He recalls his 30 operations and his time training at Scarborough, Brough and Canada. Initially a pilot he was reassigned as a bomb aimer. He was posted to East Kirkby. He details some of his operations.

Five handwritten sheets

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[circled 1]
GENTLEMEN – I HOPE YOU’VE ENJOYED YOUR LUNCH – IT COULD BE ALL DOWNHILL FROM NOW
I HAVE NEVER MADE A SPEECH BEFORE SO I SUPPOSE TONY IS STRUGGLING TO FIND SPEAKERS FOR YOU [sic] MONTHLY MEETINGS – SO BEAR WITH ME
FROM TIME TO TIME I HAVE BORED TONY WITH A FEW ANECDOTES FROM MY TIME IN THE RAF
I WAS EXTREMELY LUCKY TO COMPLETE 30 OPERATIONS ON BOMBER COMMAND WHERE SOME 9000 PLANES WERE LOST AND OVER 58000 CREW. I THINK THE CHANCES OF COMPLETING A TOUR OF 30 OPS WERE VERY SMALL.
I HAVE JUST FINISHED A BOOK ON BOM/COMMAND AND THE BRAVERY OF SOME OF THE CREWS WAS JUST INCREDIBLE – I WAS NOT BRAVE – I JUST HAD TO GO WHERE THE A/CRAFT WENT.
SO FOR THE NEXT FEW MINUTES WHAT I HAVE TO SAY SHOULD ONLY BE LOOKED UPON FOR “AMUSEMENT OR AMAZEMENT” AND THE THEME OF MY SERMON TODAY IS
“IS IT BETTER TO BE BORN LUCKY THAN RICH” – OR AS IN TONY’S CASE BOTH.
READ P 25/26 [symbol]
I JOINED UP IN FEB 1942 AT ST JOHN’S WOOD AND AFTER SOME SQ. BASHING AND KITTING OUT WENT TO SCARBOROUGH FOR INITIAL AIRCREW TRAINING. AT THE GRAND HOTEL.
[underlined] SCARBOROUGH [/underlined] ANYONE HERE STAYED THERE
[page break]
[circled 2]
AFTER SCARBOROUGH – WENT TO BROUGH NEAR HULL – FLEW SOLO ON TIGER MOTHS BEFORE GOING TO CANADA
QUEEN MARY 1 – CROWDED CABINS – 28 KNOTS – TO NEW YORK
POSTED TO DAVIDSON MANITOBA – MIDDLE OF THE PRARIES [sic] 500 PEOPLE.
FLEW SOLO ON SINGLE ENGINED CORNELLS.
GULLEY PEANUTS.
LATER FLEW MANY HOURS ON CESSNA CRANES TWIN ENGINED
ZIP STEEP TURNS – SCARE YOURSELF TO DEATH.
GRAIN ELEVATOR
AFTER ABOUT 100 HRS ON CESSNAS POWERS THAT BE DECIDED I SHOULD NOT PROCEED AS A PILOT
- THIS IS WHERE MY LUCK STARTED
- I REMUSTERED IN CANADA AS BOMB AIMER WHICH INCLUDED NAVIGATION/GUNNERY
THIS DELAYED MY RETURN TO UK. IF I HAD QUALIFIED AS A PILOT I WOULD HAVE BEEN ON OPS VERY MUCH EARLIER – NO DOUBT A ROTTEN PILOT AND DEAD.
AS I HAVE SAID WE HAD TO QUALIFY IN BASIC TRIGGER NAV AND GUNNERY AIR – AIR
I RETURNED TO UK LATE 1943 FOR FURTHER ADVANCED BEFORE CREWING UP A O.T.U (OPERATIONAL TRAINING UNIT) ON WELLINGTONS AND STIRLINGS. AND THEN LANC. FINISHING SCHOOL.
2ND LUCK GETTING TOGETHER AS A CREW (7) WAS AGAIN A MATTER OF LUCK – LIKE PICKING A FOOTBALL TEAM IN THE PLAYGROUND
[page break]
[circled 3]
THE CREW I WAS IN WAS MADE UP OF 4 19 YR OLD, MYSELF AND THE PILOT 21 YRS AND THE NAVIGATOR NEARLY ON A PENSION 28.
IT WAS ALL A MATTER OF LUCK WHO YOU HAD – NONE OF US KNEW EACH OTHER.
AUG. 7 1944 POSTED TO 57 SQDN EAST KIRKBY IN LINCS
- PILOT KEEN TO GET GOING ON OPS ME NOT SO KEEN
DELAYED 1. HAVE’NT [sic] DONE DAYLIGHTS
2. TOO FAR
3 RUHR
1ST TRIP THEN TYPICALLY RAF – KONIGSBERY [sic] (11.00 HRS) CAUGHT IN SEARCHLIGHTS. – TOLD THER [sic] WOULD BE V. LITTLE OPPOSITION)
2ND TRIP AGAIN
KONIGSBERG. LANDED IN SCOTLAND (11.20 HRS) FLEW BACK TO E.K NEXT DAY LUNCHTIME SUN.
JACKS HOUSE
BREMEN – 28 SEC. OVERSHOOT
[underlined] MUNICH [underlined] – MOONLIGHT OVER ALPS.
[underlined] AUSSIE. [/underlined] MAP – LOW LEVEL – “MAN COULD DO ANYTHING
3RD LUCK BAD WEATHER CANCELLED.
[underlined] NUREMBERG [/underlined] – WRONG ‘DROME
[underlined] COMMISSION [/underlined] – F/L LOST PAPERS – AIR COM. 28 SES
[underlined] SWERVED OFF RUNWAY [/underlined] – CONTROL TOWER [underlined] TRY AGAIN [/underlined]
[underlined] HAMBURG [/underlined] 100 MPH TAILWIND – TOO LATE
PILOT SEES SEARCHLIGHTS – RUHR – ROW WITH PILOT – DROPPED BOMBS
[page break]
[circled 4]
HAVING A PEE. JACK GOT ME – THEN I GOT HIM.
[underlined] DORTMUND-EMS CANAL [/underlined] – POSH MASTER BOMBERS VOICE – MARKERS EVENTUALLY ROLLED DOWN EMBANKMENT – “ALL GO HOME” – NO MORE MARKERS OR FLARES.
NOV 2ND 1944 [underlined] DUSSELDORF [/underlined] – A FEW DAYS BEFORE MY 22ND.
13000’ – ABSOLUTE FULL MOON
OK THRO’ TARGET
ME 109. – REAR GUNNER WOUNDED
MID UPPER RUNNING COMMENTARY
GEORGE’S CITATION – READ
CORKSCREWED DOWN TO 4000’ – 18 MINUTES ME 109 ACCORDING TO MID/U. WAGGLED HIS WINGS AND DIVED AWAY – PRESUMABLY OUT OF AMMO.
BACK TO SEE R/G. GEORGE SAID PUT PARA. ON HOLE IN A/C.
VIC LAYING BY BACK DOOR – HOW HE GOT OUT OF REAR TURRET BADLY WOUNDED
SPENT CARTRIDGES – BLOOD/OIL
MORPHINE, CIG. SAT WITH HIM ALL WAY BACK
LOOKING AT TAIL FIN WOBBLING ABOUT
LANDED WOODBRIDGE – TYRE BURST
BLOOD WAGGON
FIRE ENGINES
RUM – NOT FOR ME!!
PAY FOR WHISTLE [underlined] GEORGE WHISTLE [/underlined] NEXT DAY – WENT WHITE
HAD TO PAY
VISITED VIC IN HOSPITAL – NOSE OF SHELL – MADE HIM LAUGH – THROWN OUT
[page break]
[circled 5]
[underlined] TRONDHEIM [/underlined] READ SHEET AND [underlined] PAGE 214 [/underlined]
NOT THE ONLY DOZY B/A.
[underlined] SIEGEN [/underlined] JACK WON’T [sic] TURN BACK (NAV AIDS U/S) ON LAST TRIP. KG MAP READ TIL DARK – THEN FOLLOW THE FLARES
SO I DID 30 TRIPS BETWEEN 26TH AUG – FEB 1ST
V. LUCKY – BLUE FELT RABBIT. HAD TO GO BACK TO HUT TO GET IT – CREW WOULD’NT [sic] FLY WITHOUT IT.
ANNUAL REUNION 57/630
PETWOOD HOTEL 617 SQD BASE
LANC FROM CONINGSBY FLIES OVER
SERVICE IN THE HANGAR.
LANC – GETTING OVER MAIN SPAR!!
SO MANY OLD BOYS NOW WITH DSO’s DFC’s NOW YOU WOULD’NT [sic] TRUST THEM WITH A TESCO TROLLEY.
A MOST MEMORABLE TIME IN MY LIFE – MY DIAMOND WEDDING THIS YEAR – AGAIN EXTREMELY LUCKY NOT ONLY TO HAVE CHOSEN THE RIGHT CREW BUT THE RIGHT WIFE AS WELL
SO THE TEXT OF MY SERMON TODAY PROVES THAT “IT’s BETTER TO BE BORN LUCKY THAN RICH”.
[underlined] SUDAN [/underlined] [symbol]
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.