Bydd tros-ehediad y Sioe Frenhinol yn anrhydeddu Dick Moseley
A flypast by the only remaining Lancaster bomber in airworthy condition in Britain will take place at this year’s Royal Welsh Show in memory of Richard (Dick) Moseley who was honorary treasurer of the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society for nearly 40 years.
As an 18 year old, Dick Moseley was a rear gunner, better know in airforce speak as ‘tail end charlie’ in a Lancaster of Bomber Command’s 218 Gold Coast Squadron who flew together with the same seven-man crew on 32 missions over enemy targets. In 177 hours of combat flying they struck military targets including coal plants, railway yards and army camps in Germany. Most of the flights were daylight raids unprotected from attack by anti-aircraft guns and enemy planes.
The 1944 crew of the Lancaster became known as ‘The Magnificent Seven’ and it is hoped that the pilot, Les Harlow DFC, and three other surviving members of the crew, will be present at the show for the flypast. They will take the salute with Mr Moseley’s wife, Ellen.
Until 2002 the crew were believed to be the only surviving aircrew in the country who served in the war under Bomber Command. In 2005 Mr Moseley presented the RWAS with a limited edition print illustrating an incident recorded in the archives of Bomber Command depicting a Lancaster of 218 Gold Coast Squadron with bomb doors open, surrounded by anti-aircraft fire, while shooting down an ME 109 as another enemy fighter waits to attack. The events portrayed in the picture took place over a marshalling complex in the Ruhr in December 1944 during the crew’s fifth operational trip.
The flypast will take place on the second day of the show at 2.30pm when the aircraft will fly over the main ring at an altitude of 250 feet and make three circuits of the showground.