Rosebud Regional Lecture: FLY Australian Airmen of the Second World War

Rosebud Regional Lecture- Michael Veitch Tuesday 24 September 2013 Over the course of three years and two books, author, broadcaster and performer Michael Veitch sought out and interviewed over sixty former airmen of Second World War and recorded, largely for the first time, their stories of flying, combat and survival. As Michael soon discovered, every man who flew in combat in Second World War has at least one extraordinary story to tell. Stories such as that of Lancaster pilot Bruce Clifton, shot down after a navigational error led he and his crew astray over neutral Sweden. His aircraft exploded in a massive fireball and Bruce was blown mid-air but remained totally unharmed and parachuted to safety. Or Barney Barnett, Hurricane pilot pounced on by Japanese Zero fighters while on escort duty over Burma. Barney bailed out but was forced to elude the searching Japanese for days, hiding for his life amid the mangroves until a chance reunion with an outpost of the Indian army saved his life. Michael Veitch will be speaking about some of these remarkable men, their stories, and the privilege he felt at being the receptacle of such priceless information.