AS FELLOW members of a Lancaster heavy bomber crew in wartime, Lachlan McBean and Steven Downes shared a bond.
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For 70 years following the end of World War II, that bond was severed.
On Sunday, former pilot Flight Lieutenant McBean and his wireless operator Warrant Officer Downes renewed acquaintances at Mr McBean’s Lake Wendouree home.
Mr McBean and Mr Downes were the two Australians in a British crew who trained together, flying twin-engine Wellington bombers and later the four-engine Avro Lancaster. They also flew diversion raids from RAF Bomber Command stations Church Broughton and Bottesford. They were both just 20 years old at the time.
"We were all very young. We had a 33-year-old tail gunner who we nicknamed ‘granddad’"
When the war ended, they returned to Australia on separate ships. Mr McBean was told his former wireless operator had been killed in a car crash, so they did not meet again, until Sunday.
Mr McBean was allocated a soldier settlement farm at Lismore where he lived with his wife Alisoun. He moved to Ballarat in February. Mr Downes, who was very much alive, settled in Melbourne with Lola and now lives in Thornbury.
When Alisoun passed away in March, Mr Downes saw the death notice in a newspaper. He decided to make contact and their daughters arranged a meeting.
Mr McBean described finding out Mr Downes was alive and wanting to catch up as “a huge shock for me”.
“Steven was a very fine wireless operator,” he said. “We got on very well as a crew.”
Mr Downes was equally full of praise for his former pilot.
“He got us up safely and down safely. You couldn’t ask for more than that,” he said. “We were all very young. We had a 33-year-old tail gunner who we nicknamed ‘granddad’.”
One thing the two men still have in common is an enduring love of the mighty Lancaster.
“They were beautiful to fly,” Mr McBean said. “They were much nicer to fly than the Wellington.”
gavin.mcgrath@fairfaxmedia.com.au
