interesting topic, I also understood it to be 7lbs…I also understand that the RAF frequently referred to the those who had this awful task as ‘Sid Walkers Gang’ (rag and bone men of the time)
I also spoke to an RCAF veteran, his colleague had dived in (Spitfire) from a great height and exploded on impact (AM cites failure of Oxygen supply meaning that at least the poor bu**er had passed out) he drove to the scene after landing as they had been on a routine training flight, it was only some ten minutes from the base. He said that the recovery crew were already there, and some women from the farm where the plane had crashed.
He said that one of the recovery crew had approached the youngest girl* and held his hand out and said ‘that’s what death smells like’ he’d said to her and she was then sick. The RCAF chap had then threatened to pummel him into the ground, but the Cpl had said ‘this is how we do things, we have to have a laugh or we’d go mad’
I talk frequently to a chap who did this from 1943 onwards, he’s incredibly interesting. Said that for years he was ashamed to admit what he did in the RAF and told people that he was ground crew.
*Sad tale, but true-the young lass who had been sick was unfortunate enough to then witness the crash of a liberator some years later, she ran out of the house and through the wreckage, which had spread a long way..she stepped onto something and then realised that it was a torso. She became very ill almost overnight and although only very young, she died about a year later. Her sister told me that it was the effects of shock. Her hair went grey in the space of a few weeks.
I’ve been investigating those marked LMF and if anyone is in Matlock you will see a group of very expensive houses up on the highest point of town, one of these was a home for those men. I interviewed a nurse from there some years ago but she would tell me very little. I feel so sorry for those men who had already done ops but just couldn’t face any more.
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