Mid Upper Gunner Alec Bance

Would be grateful  if anyone knows who the Author of Blue Skies is relating to Lancaster Bombers.

Some of you may remember me mentioning my neighbour, Alec Bance, in the past. Alec was a Lancaster mid upper gunner with 467 Squadron at Waddington during the Second World War. Alec was (I believe) the only English member of an otherwise all Australian crew, and flew no less than 21 missions deep into enemy territory, 16 of these in DV372, better known to her crew as ‘Old Fred’. Some of you will be familiar with ‘Old Fred’ as the Lancaster cockpit section on display in IWM Lambeth Road.

Alec was like so many of his generation, whose kindly, genial manner gave no indication of the experiences he had had during the war, the sights he had seen, and the losses he had known. A few years ago Alec was persuaded by surviving members of his crew to donate his flying log book to the IWM as some of the others had done. Last year I finally came face to face with the logbook, and it was certainly thought provoking reading following Alec’s progress from rookie to fully fledged mid upper gunner, with details of training flights so neatly detailed in black ink…and details of missions equally neatly detailed in red…it was very sobering to read Alec’s almost matter of fact recording of the numbers of aircraft that went on the raid…and the numbers who did not return…

Alec had not been up close and personal to a Lanc for sometime, and I planned to take him to visit PA474 and meet Fluffy and co at Coningsby earlier this year. But fate decided otherwise. In April, Alec suffered a serious stroke which sadly he was unable to recover from, and after 17 weeks, Alec left us last Friday.

Some of you know me quite well, and consequently know of my passion for aircraft (especially grubby Spitfires in need of a good polishing ;)) But it is the men like Alec who are the real stars of the show for me…the aircraft to me are a tribute and memorial to men like Alec…that’s what makes them so special. I know that everytime I see PA474 flying now, I will forever be reminded of Alec.

Fluffy and co, if any of you happen to go flying in the Lanc in the not too distant future, please could you do something for me (well for Alec really) remember for a minute think of that young man who climbed into that Lancaster mission after mission…not knowing if he would return…a man who was much admired and much loved, and will be much missed.

Thank you Alec and good night.

Becka

Very moving thoughts there, so sad to see someone so brave and commendable pass away.

RIP

I’m off to East Kirkby for a ride in Just Jane tomorrow.

I’ll spare a thought for him, and indeed for all of them, as I climb aboard.

Moggy

This is a very moving thread. You are lucky to have known him Becka. RIP Mr Bance.

A second cousin, Albert Baldwin (bomb aimer), flew all his ops with 467 but his aircraft was shot down on their 13th mission (to Russelsheim) on 12th/13th August, 1944 Albert and four others of the crew were KIA.

I hadn’t realised the cockpit section of DV372 at South Lambeth was ex-467 Sqdn – Albert and compatriots flew DV373 on three missions. Like Doug, I would be interested to hear more of the book.

Roger Smith.

Blue skies, Mr Bance.

Thank you for your service.

Alec Bance

To Ashley

Alec Bance was the brother of my Uncle Ron, now deceased. A short while ago I heard that there was a book dealing with Alec and his Australian crew’s sorties during the Second World War. Do you know of this book, would you have a copy or know the title and/or author?

Any information you have would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks.

Doug

Lest we forget. Alec

Per Ardua Ad Astra, Alec.

Very well said Becka. These brave men are always so matter of fact about their experiences, and with all the excitement generated by seeing warbirds, we sometimes tend to forget about the men that flew them in anger.

Just over a year ago I had the privilege of sharing the turret of NX611 for half an hour with a gentleman who’d occupied a similar spot 60 years before. I won’t forget the experiences he shared.

We all owe a great deal to Alec and his comrades. Rest in peace Alec.

Rob

One of the strongest memories I will retain about my trip in Just Jane was very similiar: standing behind an ex-Halifax Flight Engineer in the cockpit, and then listening to his stories over lunch. What impressed me the most was how he recalled his missions in a very straightforward way, as if they were little more than an afternoon’s pleasure flight!

I have subsequently met others – one chap in particular who flew dozens of missions, during and after WWII – was was very puzzled by all the attention and interest in what he saw as ‘just a job’. Maybe the years soften the memories, but these guys were extremely brave, regardless of how modestly they will recall their exploits.

I have just finished reading the Bomber Boys book, the accompanied the C4 series. There was almost nothing about what happened in the television series, but it was a rivetting read. I was almost shell shocked from reading about the loss of life when I finished it, but heartily recommend it to anyone.

DS

You’ve got both wings at last Mr Bance 😉

Well deserved peace to you.

Moggy

Some of you may remember me mentioning my neighbour, Alec Bance, in the past. Alec was a Lancaster mid upper gunner with 467 Squadron at Waddington during the Second World War. Alec was (I believe) the only English member of an otherwise all Australian crew, and flew no less than 21 missions deep into enemy territory, 16 of these in DV372, better known to her crew as ‘Old Fred’. Some of you will be familiar with ‘Old Fred’ as the Lancaster cockpit section on display in IWM Lambeth Road.

Alec was like so many of his generation, whose kindly, genial manner gave no indication of the experiences he had had during the war, the sights he had seen, and the losses he had known. A few years ago Alec was persuaded by surviving members of his crew to donate his flying log book to the IWM as some of the others had done. Last year I finally came face to face with the logbook, and it was certainly thought provoking reading following Alec’s progress from rookie to fully fledged mid upper gunner, with details of training flights so neatly detailed in black ink…and details of missions equally neatly detailed in red…it was very sobering to read Alec’s almost matter of fact recording of the numbers of aircraft that went on the raid…and the numbers who did not return…

Alec had not been up close and personal to a Lanc for sometime, and I planned to take him to visit PA474 and meet Fluffy and co at Coningsby earlier this year. But fate decided otherwise. In April, Alec suffered a serious stroke which sadly he was unable to recover from, and after 17 weeks, Alec left us last Friday.

Some of you know me quite well, and consequently know of my passion for aircraft (especially grubby Spitfires in need of a good polishing ;)) But it is the men like Alec who are the real stars of the show for me…the aircraft to me are a tribute and memorial to men like Alec…that’s what makes them so special. I know that everytime I see PA474 flying now, I will forever be reminded of Alec.

Fluffy and co, if any of you happen to go flying in the Lanc in the not too distant future, please could you do something for me (well for Alec really) remember for a minute think of that young man who climbed into that Lancaster mission after mission…not knowing if he would return…a man who was much admired and much loved, and will be much missed.

Thank you Alec and good night.

Becka

Nice thoughts Becka. I had a teacher at school, who unbeknown to me at the time was a Lanc mid-upper gunner, he was also a close friend of my dad.
He was shot down on one of the peenemunde raids and spent the rest of the war as a POW. Dad asked me one day when I was on BBMF if I could show one of his old friends around the bomber as he was once a Lanc crew member on 101 Sqn at Ludford Magna. When dad turned up at Conningsby with Geoff Gasgoine my old maths teacher I almost died. This was the first time since 1944 he had been close to the “best of the bombers” as he called it, never mind got back into his old seat.
it was good to see, these old farts deserve every respect.

God Bless the Bomber Boys.

AF

Don’t be down B your neighbours “up close and personal”with a lanc and his mates who didnt come back now.
dave