Veterans Christmas ‘hampers’ from BBMF

Header Image: BBMF’s Diane Law-Crookes (centre) met up with Second World War Lancaster veterans Bert Hammond and Eddie Humes at the IBCC to give them their Christmas ‘hampers’. (Photos: BBMF)

Continuing the tradition that has developed in recent years, in December the BBMF once again gave Christmas gifts to a number of Second World War veterans. This year, remarkably, 25 veterans were able to receive the BBMF gift bags with the majority being hand-delivered by BBMF personnel.

BBMF Admin Officer, Diane Law-Crookes, began this year’s presentations by meeting up at the International Bomber Command Centre (IBCC) in Lincoln with Bert Hammond, a mid-upper gunner on Lancasters with 514 Squadron, now aged 101, and Eddie Humes who flew as a Lancaster navigator with 514 Squadron at a different time. Eddie was the sole survivor when his Lancaster was shot down on Christmas Eve 1944 and he became a POW, subsequently enduring the ‘Long March’. He is now 104 years old.

The gifts for the veterans would not be possible at all without the funding provided by the RAF Memorial Flight Official Club, as well as the generosity of certain companies and individuals. Amongst the goodies in this year’s gift bags were an insulated lidded BBMF cup, a BBMF scarf, Lincoln Tea and Coffee Crew Brew tea bags and honey from beehives at RAF Coningsby looked after by BBMF’s Sergeant Tom Garner and even decantated into the jars in the BBMF crew room!

Club members can feel proud that at this time of year their support of the BBMF has also been of great benefit in supporting some of the few remaining Second World War veterans to whom we owe so much.