Happy 104th to Dambuster hero sent to death camp
A SECOND World War hero who took part in the 1943 Dambusters raid and survived a Nazi death camp has celebrated his 104th birthday.
Warrant Officer Frederick Vinecombe was born in 1914 and had a lengthy military career.
He was shot down over France, captured and taken to Buchenwald concentration camp in Germany as a prisoner-of-war.
When he returned to Britain, he was almost unrecognisable and weighed just 6st.
Now great-grandfather Mr Vinecombe, from Plymouth, has shared his secrets of living to such an impressive age.
He said: “I kept out of trouble. I was doing a [tax] collection job, I worked until I was 80.
“We always had green stuff, the food was really good, nothing half-cooked. My wife didn’t seem to fry much, we had a good roast Sundays – and on Mondays we had a nice dinner.”
His daughter Denise Rawlings, 66, said: “I think he thinks he’s going to be immortal, he’s never been ill or in hospital, he’s really enjoyed his life.
“He’s amazing. Dad always maintains if you don’t use it you lose it. He’s not giving in, he’s got so much determination.”
On his birthday last year, Mr Vinecombe met Flight Lieutenant Kerry Bennett as he could not believe the RAF let women become frontline fliers.
He insisted on talking to one of the women pilots – and Kerry happily obliged.
She said: “Fred is incredible. I didn’t know until meeting him that he was involved in the Dambusters raid.”