War and Liberty: One man's story

My war story that follows relates how I was fortunate enough to weave my way through six years of active service in the air in the RAF in World War II, without compromising my abhorrence of killing civilians, and following my teenage intuition of engaging only enemy military forces. On operations I flew as a Wireless Operator / Air Gunner (WOP/AG) in Swordfish, Catalina and Liberator aircraft against three enemy nations. After growing up in the county of Somerset, England, my travels took me to Gibraltar, the Near East, the Far East, the USA, Canada, and to the North Atlantic and the Kattegat, patrolling for U-boats. For this each of our crew was awarded the D.F.C. (Distinguished Flying Cross.) To confirm dates I have used my Flying Log Book, wherein is recorded, in single-line entries, each flight, date, aircraft, duration and purpose. Inevitably there were some escapades in six years of wartime. At times we were a tiny band of travellers, far from home, flying in remote and exotic locations on the other side of the world. I lost many friends and comrades but survived almost unscathed. For me, a great deal of luck, that incalculable element of existence, was involved. That is why this story can be told. Looking back over a life of over nine decades, my concern is now for the future that the world is making for itself.