WW II veteran remembers D-Day On the 70th Anniversary of D-Day, WW II veteran Mr Alan Evans shared with us some of his own memories from his involvement in the RAAF 617 Squadron known as the “Dam Busters” who played an important part in the successful landings in Normandy on D-Day, 6th June 1944. Mr Evans, now 92 years of age vividly recounted stories from his three years and ten months active war service. Mr Evans told us of their many missions including stealing a German radar unit, bombing of Berlin, and of course the D-Day operations. “Everyone would gather in the briefing room at 2pm each day. Doors closed and there would be the map of Europe with pink tape showing where we would be heading. There was also laughter and jokes about their next mission. It was their way of coping. On one particular day there was no laughter or jokes, everyone was quiet as everyone looked at the map of Europe on the wall. It showed that we were being sent to Berlin. Everyone was aware that Hitler had said no allied bombers would ever get within 50 miles of Berlin. Well, we did – we bombed Berlin. It was a dangerous game, but somehow we survived. After that we had nine days off in London which I guess was supposed to cheer us up. We went to the Strand Palace Hotel where most of the Aussies and Kiwis hung out. Then on our return we were sent back to Berlin for a second time and had 75 shot down including two of my best mates Kevin and “Inky”. My squadron was responsible for stealing a German radar unit. We dismantled it and took it back to England to the secret service where they 10 GPHnews rebuilt it so it could be returned and then we were able to see what the Germans were seeing which gave us a good advantage with our tactics. As for the master radar units it was almost impossible to get through them. If you were caught by one you didn’t survive. That was until we managed to work out that if you dived immediately down into the beam, turning at 90 degrees port and dropping 500 feet you had a chance. I got caught three times and survived. The 617 squadron was involved in the several attacks to sink the Tirpitz. We had an experienced crew of Lancaster bombers and it was a game of cat and mouse on both sides. One time I was shot up on a trip to Dusseldorf. The engine and compass were shot out, and I had 80 feet of trailing aerial. It was a miracle that I was able to raise Hull on the radio and get directions as Hull was not even on the frequency. No one could explain it except perhaps it had jumped distance, but I think it was God who looked after me. They would say if you managed to complete and survive five attack operations you were considered successful. Well I completed 61 and survived with only one bump to the forehead, which I got from getting out of the bomber! So I did okay. I believe God saved me on several occasions – these were miracles. As part of the D-Day operations we flew into the coast of Northern France 17 times as diversion tactics to confuse the Germans. I remember it clearly. We travelled in a distinct pattern over and over. They had delayed the operation by 24 hours because of the terrible weather conditions in the English Channel. The troops aboard the barges below heading to Normandy wore heavy gear and could not have survived the conditions given they had to wade across the shallows into the beaches. So they just had to wait on the barges until it improved. As it turned out we were successful in our mission and that day started the end to the war and we were very proud of it. A few years ago the French Government awarded Mr Evans the Diploma of Honour for his involvement in the Normandy Landings and the Liberation of France. Mr Evans and his wife Rita have lived locally in Coorparoo for the last 20 years. We were delighted that Alan and Rita were able to attend the Greenslopes Private Hospital ANZAC Day Dawn Service of Remembrance this year.
GPH News Winter 2014
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