Yorkshire & Lincolnshire

Syd: 'We were like brothers'

He flew 36 missions with a pilot who became his best friend.

They flew at night over Germany, hundreds of miles inside occupied Europe, with the risk of attacks from enemy fighters.

But Syd hasn’t seen Canadian Luke Morgan since the end of World War Two:

"He was my skipper, and he became my friend.

"We became very close – closer than family.

"We were like brothers really."

Reunion

Inside Out has arranged for the wartime friends to meet again.

Luke’s flown 4,000 miles from Calgary to get to Lincolnshire and he's had plenty of time to think about the past:

Luke: 'When you're young you don't worry.'

"We were in it together, and all your thoughts were on doing your job.

"I’ve thought about it more in the past week than I have in years."

Back together for the first time since their flying days, they visit their old base at Elsham Wolds.

It’s now a water treatment works, but in 1944 it was a busy airfield.

More than 1,200 airmen died on missions from Elsham.

Syd remembers, "Getting there was difficult – it could be harzardous.

"The good bit was getting home again when you’d got the job done."

And Luke adds, "When you’re young you don’t worry. You’re very brave at that age."

Flying together again

At an air display at Coningsby, Syd and Luke relive some of their wartime memories as they go on board a Lancaster bomber, where, more than 60 years ago, they used to sit side-by-side.

Bringing back memories

"I can’t describe flying a Lancaster – it’s just a beautiful aircraft," says Luke.

"You didn’t think about bombing civilians, which we obviously were doing at times, but they were doing the same to us."

Although they can’t actually go up in the Lancaster they do get a close-up view of it in the air as they’re flown alongside in a World War Two Dakota.

And the Lancaster joins them on a flight across Lincolnshire reminding Syd of the days from more than 60 years ago:

 "The experience we shared – I think if I live to be 100 I’ll never forget about it."