Royal Air Force News Friday, April 12, 2013 R'n'R 1 R'n'R

Win Dambusters books l P5

Bush tribute Wows crowds l P5

The big interview Man of the world – Animaladventurer lover Michaela Strachan Jason on her Lewis new live show l l P4-5 P4

Tickets to stage show of top TV comedy l P3 Regulars Announcements l P6-7 Win! Bomber Command books l P5 Inside Prize Crossword & Su Doku l P8 Royal Air Force News Friday, April 12, 2013 R'n'R 4 Royal Air Force News Friday, April 12, 2013 R'n'R 5 R'n'R R'n'R PodPeople Jason Lewis Top 10 The big interview Competition Win The Official Dambusters Experience Win! by John Sweetman Carlton, £30 www.carltonbooks.co.uk Global challenge Iconic raid's official story THE DARING 'Dambusters' raid Dambusters Experience by John memorabilia surrounding the raid, on May 17, 1943, when a special Sweetman, out now, tells the story from log-books and flight-plans to How to tackle crocs and force of British Avro Mark III behind the attack, and re-lives the eye-witness accounts of the damage Lancasters attacked and destroyed attack itself under the leadership inflicted on the dams, this unique the Möhne and Eder Dams in of Wing Commander Guy Gibson, homage to the famous Dambusters There AREN'T many people expedition as an educational tool Germany, was one of the iconic as he and his men deployed, for – 617 Sqn – is an essential who can legitimately describe so being able to share it with young moments of World War II. the first time, the devastating companion to one of the war’s most themselves as a ‘professional people also kept me going. To commemorate the 70th new secret weapon developed by exciting and memorable moments. adventurer’ – but Jason Lewis is “At the start I was using a sextant, anniversary of WWII"s most brilliant scientist Barnes Wallis, Les Munro said: “As one that one of those few. by the end I was using the full audacious raid, publishers the 'Bouncing Bomb'. took part on the Dams Raid… I The first person to complement of satellite technology Carlton have collaborated This fascinating never thought for one moment that circumnavigate the globe by and had a whole entourage of people with the RAF to produce hardback, pictured right, I would take part in an operation human power, he’s written a book following my progress. I didn’t want an extraordinary book, reveals how the hours- that would be recognised at the Dark Waters, about his amazing to let any of them down.” containing newly long raid, a pinpoint time and subsequent years as a achievement and will be appearing He visited hundreds of schools researched and never- attack on a target chosen major event in the history of the at literature festivals over the next worldwide and used Expedition before-published facsimile for its economic and British war effort in the air.” Bomber Crew: Taking on the Reich. competition, to: competitions@ RED ARROWS Team Manager, few months to talk about how he 360 to help establish numerous documents sourced symbolic value, took John Sweetman is one of Britain’s We have five copies of The rafnews.co.uk or post it to: Sqn Ldr Ruth Shackleton, will managed to keep going for 13 years educational programs. from the RAF many months of most renowned military historians. Official Dambusters Experience RAF News, Room 68, Lancaster sing opera solos at a concert to complete his Herculean task. He said: “The big thing for me archives. development He is Honorary Research Fellow to win. For your chance to win Building, HQ Air Command, RAF at Lincoln Described by the Daily Mail is that an expedition has to have With a and planning. at Keele University and former one, simply answer this question High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, Cathedral as 'arguably, the most remarkable a point to it and that’s where our foreward by Les Fully Head of Defence and International correctly: Which famous RAF HP14 4UE to arrive by April 26. on April adventurer in the world today', educational foundation has come Munro, the last illustrated and Affairs at Sandhurst. Squadron was known as 'the 20 for RAF the author, explorer and ‘voice for in, using the expedition as an surviving pilot accompanied He has written many books on Dambusters'? HERO: Dambuster Sqn Ldr George 'Johnny' charities. global sustainability’, now in his educational tool. of the raid, The by beautifully WWII including The Dambusters Email you answer, marked The Johnson, left, was a bomb-aimer on the For tickets mid-40s, started the challenge in “My particular interest is in Official reproduced Raid, Tirpitz: Hunting the Beast and Official Dambusters Experience Lancaster with 617 Squadron email: rafat- 1994 with friend Stevie Smith and sustainability – and there was an manager@ finished it in 2007. On the way he environmental aspect to my whole mod.uk. overcame malaria, septicaemia, Intrepid: Jason's expedition included biking through Nepal, above. His book about his journey. I learnt to adapt to survive Here's Ruth's iPod Top 10: survived a crocodile attack in amazing adventure, below PHOTO: KENNY BROWN on the ocean on a little boat, then Theatre Australia and arrest in on I applied what I learnt, about living Driving Miss Daisy Competition 1 Salvatore Licitra suspicion of spying. it off with my paddle, which the his father, who was in the Army, within my means, to my life on Vide Cor Meum Jason explained: “By human croc broke in half. Luckily I wasn’t into a military career because, he l an d .” On tour nationwide www.daisyontour.co.uk Win The Red Line by John Nichol Win! power means without assistance injured. I had a satellite phone said: “I’m not very good at being His advice to would-be Collins, £20 www.harpercollins.co.uk Dimitri Shostakovich from any motors, so I was cycling, with me and called a croc expert told what to do." adventurers is to have a point to 2 Piano Concerto No2 in F Opus 2 Andante hiking, roller-blading, rowing, for advice. I ended up spending He studied geography and your expedition and to commit to it: kayaking and swimming. the night up a headland with the biology at university in London, “Think ‘what else can I do with this “The crocodile attack happened croc patrolling in the water below then sold his contract cleaning other than just for my own benefit?’ Don does it his way 3 Richard Strauss Human story of night of war Beim Schalfengehen so fast – the croc mistook my kayak me. By the morning it had gone. I business to help finance the If you have a dream the main thing Daisy, sharing the stage with Gwen for an impostor. When the attack got no sleep – I was kept awake by circumnavigation, called is to commit to it because there Roberts who plays the eponymous DEDICATED TO all the members and the USAF were involved in Sergei Rachmaninoff happened I just dealt with it, I was mosquitoes all night.” Expedition 360, with Smith, a are so many reasons why it doesn’t prickly southern matriach. of Bomber Command, Gulf War every week. It ended with Bomber 4 Rhapsody on a theme from more scared afterwards. I fended His incarceration in Syria friend from uni. happen. Don said: “There would be very hero John Nichol's new book, The Command's heaviest losses of the Paganini was, not surprisingly, another “Stevie and I stepped off a cliff little point in resenting it, it's not Red Line, tells the story of the night war. frightening time. at one point during the planning something I carry with me. That's of March 30, 1944 when 795 RAF The Red Line sheds fresh light Bedrich Smetana Jason said: “I was crossing from for our expedition – we took a leap how it is until I manage to do aircraft set out for Nurmeburg – 10 on the story of this disaster. Former 5 Die Moldau – Vltava Ma We took a leap Vlast Syria to by bike, my Sudanese of faith and, in my experience, that something else that eclipses it." aircraft and 700 men did not return. navigator Flt Lt Nichol, shot down visa ran out while I was waiting for of faith and, in played out." He describes Hoke (famously More men from Bomber and captured during the first Gulf Kristina Train one into Egypt and I was arrested Dark Waters The Expedition played by Morgan Freeman in the Command died on that single night War, has interviewed the few 6 by border security as I was in the my“ experience, True Story of the First Human- film version) as 'honest, shrewd, in World War II than the total RAF surviving veterans of the raid, Dream Of Me country illegally. that played out Powered Circumnavigation of the intelligent and with a sense of losses during the whole of the four- British and German, on the ground “I was interrogated for a couple ” Earth (Billyfish Books, £13.50) is a humour.' month-long Battle of Britain. and in the air, to tell the human 7 The Average White Band of days – they didn’t believe my finalist for the US Foreword Review The play, he said 'deals with The raid that evening began as a story of one night at war. Pick Up The Pieces story that I was just a stupid tourist. Smith dropped out part way Book of the Year and a finalist for the body politic, in that we are 'run-of-the-mill' operation the RAF We have five copies of The Red "I had taken photos at the through and, although Jason had the Eric Hoffer Book Award. all controlled to some extent by Line to win. For your chance to win Des’ree (pictured above) border and they charged me with to return to the UK when his father Jason will be appearing at the DON WARRINGTON says there’s the political situations we live in one, simply answer this question 8 I’m Kissing You espionage – that carried a 40-year was dying from cancer, he carried Chipping Norton Literary Festival no point in resenting the fact that whether we like it or not.' correctly: What was John Nichol's sentence. I thought I would never on with the expedition. on April 21, at the Stratford-Upon- people still identify him with Philip, The distinguished actor, who rank when he was shot down in the Lionel Ritchie see my family again. Jason said: "I found I enjoyed the Avon Literary Festival on April Rigsby’s posh tenant, in the classic has worked with the National first Gulf War? 9 Dancing on the Ceiling "Then a fax machine in the wilderness more than I thought I 27, in Swindon on May 6 and in 1970s TV sitcom Rising Damp. Theatre, and at the Bristol Old Vic Email your answer, marked corner of the room spat out my would but Stevie didn't care for the Arundel on May 18. The Shakespearean actor, who and starred in TV ads for Kenco The Red Line competition, to: l Jackie Wilson permission from the Ministry in long sea journeys." For more information visit: recently starred in the BBC drama coffee, plans to film more Death [email protected] 10 Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Cairo to go there, so I was free to He explained that one of the www. chiplitfest.com and see Death In Paradise, is currently In Paradise as The Commissioner or post it to: RAF News, Room Higher leave.” reasons for not giving up was pride: jasonexplorer.com. treading the boards as chauffeur after the Driving Miss Daisy tour 68, Lancaster Building, HQ Air arrive by April 26. Jason decided against following “But in the long run I was using the Interview by Tracey Allen Hoke Coleburn, pictured above, in ends, then return to the stage with Command, RAF High Wycombe, AUTHOR: John Nichol at the Bomber the stage adaptation of Driving Miss 'a new play in the theatre', he said. Buckinghamshire, HP14 4UE to Command Memorial, left,