RAF hero who went into jaws of death 41 times..

Medals up for sale

NAVIGATOR Alan Forsdike

THE exploits of a hero Second World War airman have been revealed as his medals and logbooks are sold.

Flight Lieutenant Alan Forsdike took part in 41 bombing operations against Germany.

As a navigator, he directed his Halifax crew on missions over Berlin, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Essen, Dusseldorf, Monchengladbach, Leverkusen and Nuremberg,

He was almost killed on his first outing as a fire broke out on board. And he logged several other narrow escapes that followed, noting the number of bullet holes he counted in his Halifax after landing.

After one raid on Hamburg in August 1943, he wrote: “38 flak holes.”

He survived the bombing campaign against Nazi Germany which cost the lives of over 55,000 Allied airmen – a casualty rate of almost 50%. Flt Lt Forsdike’s medals,

DANGER Alan Forsdike’s Halifax bomber crew

including a Distinguished Flying Cross, are going under the hammer with Bosleys, of Marlow, Bucks, on Wednesday.

They are expected to fetch £2,200 and are being sold to raise funds for the Leonard

Cheshire Disability charity, named after the Victoria Cross recipient and fellow Bomber Command member.

Flt Lt Forsdike joined the RAF in 1940 and after completing his training joined 78 Squadron, flying his first operation to Aachen on July 13, 1943. He was transferred to 158 Squadron in January 1944, taking part in numerous raids over Berlin.

The RAF hero’s Distinguished Flying Cross citation said: “He is a navigator of high merit whose example of courage, and determination has been inspiring.”

After the war ended, he left the RAF and became a teacher in Brighton, East Sussex.