We Salute You – Lancaster Primary Edition

Description

We Salute You..
A Tribute to Bomber Command

by Philip E. West

Print measurements approx. 20” x 27½ / 51 x 70cms.
100 Prints in the Primary edition   £130.00

As night falls Lancaster bombers head out over Lincoln Cathedral on yet another highly dangerous mission over enemy territory. Lancaster aircraft first entered service in 1941,
normally with a crew of seven whose average age was 22. With a top speed of 287mph and ability to carry a massive bomb load of 22,000lbs, Lancasters proved a formidable as well as reliable aircraft,
one held in the highest regard by its young, though highly motivated crews.

Despite increasingly capable aircraft like the Lancaster, a great deal was asked of Bomber Command crews and their aircraft, resulting in substantial losses.
Of the 7373 Lancasters built 3677 were lost. From the over 125,000 involved in Bomber Command during the war 55,573 were killed, 8,000 wounded and 10,000 became prisoners of war.
To all these brave men we owe a great debt of gratitude for their bravery.
We Salute You..

The main aircraft passing over Lincoln Cathedral is the now famous “Phantom of the Ruhr”, which went on to complete an amazing 120 ops. Ron Clark was the pilot on 25 of the 33 ops. he completed, logging 165 hours in the aircraft, 147 on night operations. Mr. L Easby was his Wireless Operator.

The Primary Edition prints are signed by the pilot Ron Clark and the Artist Philip E. West

Ronald Clark DFC (Pilot)

Ronald Clark DFC (Pilot) volunteered for flying duties in 1941 and after interviews completed initial training in Paignton.
A flying grading course followed at Kingstown near Carlisle surprisingly near my family, before being sent as “Ambassadors” for Britain across the Atlantic to be trained by the USAAF.
After more initial training to learn the American way, not a bad way, we embarked on the flying training and after receiving the silver wings,
the next port of call was Bournemouth in a hotel which shortly afterwards was demolished by the Luftwaffe.

Several courses preceded our arrival at Lindholme heavy conversion unit before joining the “Battle of the Ruhr” with No 100 Squadron based at Waltham near Grimsby.

My crew and I were assigned a brand new Lancaster III EE139 which we almost did for on our twenty-fourth trip with her to Manheim,
Ronald Clark DFC (Pilot) but she went on to complete 120 operations before being unceremoniously scrapped.
Little did we think that over 60 years later she would be “recalled to life” by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

After a period of instructing I was then posted to No 7 Squadron for deployment to the Far East, which was stymied by the dropping of the atomic bomb,
I did a lot more instructing before applying for a secondment to BOAC.
We Salute You..