Moving memorial remembers Bexhill’s Lancaster hero

A CEREMONY took place in Bexhill today (11 June) to remember the life of a former World War Two Pilot who passed away last year.

Royal Air Force pilot, Flight Sergeant Roy Oldcorn turned 100-years-old in 2024, but peacefully died in December. However, many legendary stories about Roy’s life were brought to the forefront today during a special ceremony which took place at St. Mark’s Church in Little Common, and was attended by a variety of military VIPs and dignitaries.

Deputy Lieutenant, Rear Admiral John Kingwell, with Trustee of the RAF Association Air Commodore Alan Opie, Wing Commander Guy Mantoura from the Sussex Wing RAF Air Cadets, the Mayor of Bexhill Councillor Paul Wilson, Councillor Paul Peters, Councillor Paul Plimm and the Chair of Pevensey Parish Council, Councillor Peter Lowton all attended the event to pay their respects to Roy.

During the Service, a Dutch Liberation Memorial Pin Brooch was presented to Roy’s widow, Susan Oldcorn by the Deputy Lieutenant.

There were seven Standards on parade including the RAF Association, Royal British Legion and a Polish Standard representing Polish Airmen who fought in the RAF during WWII.

During the winter of 1944/45, Roy then aged just 20, was the pilot of a Lancaster Bomber and involved in “Operation Manna”.

Roy was just 18 years old when he joined the Royal Air Force and he was quickly selected for pilot training. Following his initial flying training in Tiger Moths, AVRO Ansons and the Vickers Wellington, he was sent to Canada for type conversion to Heavy Bombers.

In January 1945, Roy returned to England, promoted to the rank of Flight Sergeant and posted to 153 Squadron at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire as a Pilot, flying the AVRO Lancaster.

By early 1945, the larger part of The Netherlands was by then in Allied hands. However, the situation was growing desperate for the three million or more Dutch people still under German control in the densely populated Western provinces, north of the great rivers.

A German blockade had cut off food and fuel shipments. Some 22,000 Dutch people had died as a result of starvation or malnutrition. Many had resorted to eating Tulip Bulbs in an effort to survive.

The RAF flew around 5,400 Operation Manna sorties to The Netherlands, Roy and his crew among them, delivering approximately 7,000 tons of food. Many of the aircrew made small parachutes from handkerchiefs to which they attached to their flying rations to drop for the children.

These sorties involved remarkable airmanship on the part of the pilots and 153 Squadron’s Operations record Book shows that Roy flew his Lancaster over Rotterdam at 200 feet, with wheels and flaps down, bringing the aircraft very close to stalling speed so that the food bundles could be dropped to the people, largely undamaged.

These sorties continued beyond 5th May, the official liberation day of The Netherlands.

At the cessation of hostilities in May 1945, Roy went on to fly his Lancaster on several sorties to Italy, repatriating PoW’s and troops back to RAF Dunsfold in Surrey.

Later, Roy was selected to be the personal pilot for General Mark Clark a US Army, Officer, Commanding the American zone within allied occupied Austria.

Roy was finally discharged from the RAF in 1947, aged just 23. It didn’t stop him flying. He continued to pilot light aircraft for pleasure until he was 86 years old.

55,573 Bomber Command Aircrew lost their lives during World War Two. It is believed that Roy was the penultimate aircrew survivor of that period.

Squadron Leader Andrew Skinner, said: “I was lucky enough to have met Roy who was a very kind and modest man with a sharp sense of humour. It was my privilege to have been at his 100th Birthday Celebration last year when he was awarded a medal on behalf of the Dutch people for his part in the Liberation of The Netherlands.

Today it has been an honour to be present at this Memorial Service for him and to give thanks for his service to our Country during World War II”.

More photos will appear in the July edition of Bexhill News.