WONZ Show Episode 70 - Les Munro Part One

[Dave Homewood]

I am extremely excited to present the next Wings Over New Zealand Show - Episode 70: Les Munro Part One

www.cambridgeairforce.org.nz/WONZ_Show_61_70.html#LesMunro1

In this episode, part one of two, we hear an extremely interesting interview with Squadron Leader Les Munro DSO, DFC, RNZAF. He was one of the original members of the Royal Air Force's most famous unit, No. 617 Squadron - The Dambusters.

In this first instalment we hear about his younger life, and his entry into the Royal New Zealand Air Force. He covers his training in New Zealand and in Canada, and then his posting to England where he completed further training with an Operational Training Unit on Wellingtons followed by a short stint on the Avro Manchester. Then Les was posted to No. 97 Squadron RAF flying Avro Lancasters on operations over Europe.

Following 21 ops he and most of his crew volunteered to join a newly forming 'special squadron' at RAF Scampton, which would later be renamed No. 617 Squadron. Les details the training on this squadron leading right up to his take off for the famous Dams raid (which will be covered in the next episode).

The interviewers are Dave Homewood and Richard Carstens, and this interview was recorded in April 2010.

[Andy Wright]

Not every day you get to listen to someone who flew the Manchester (not to mention being on the Dams raid).

[Dave Homewood]

That's true. I have met one other pilot who flew the Manchester too, George Barclay. He hated them, and dreaded every morning when he went to look at the roster to see if he was flying ops. However he never got sent on an op in the type, and was very pleased when his unit converted back to Wellingtons.