Sergeant ​Jeff ​Brown ​served ​as ​a ​mid-upper ​gunner ​on ​Lancasters ​in ​World ​War ​II ​under ​the ​leadership ​of ​a ​New ​Zealand ​skipper.

​In ​today's ​recording, ​Jeff ​shares ​his ​still-vivid ​memories ​of ​Operation ​Manna, ​a ​humanitarian ​food ​drop ​made ​in ​ Avro Lancasters ​to ​relieve ​the ​starving ​Dutch ​population ​in ​World War II's closing stages. ​

Jeff ​recalls ​seeing ​the ​civilians, ​especially ​the ​children, ​rushing ​to ​open ​the ​boxes ​that ​his ​aircraft ​had ​dropped. ​Jeff ​flew ​on ​these ​kinds ​of ​operations ​right ​up ​to ​the ​last ​day ​of ​the ​war, ​on ​VE ​Day ​itself. ​

He ​recalls ​the ​gratitude ​of ​the ​Dutch ​people ​on ​the ​day ​with ​thank ​you ​messages ​spelt ​out ​in ​flowers ​on ​the ​ground. ​And ​for ​the ​very ​much ​longer ​term, ​and ​moving ​to ​much ​more ​recent ​times, ​we ​hear ​about ​tea ​with ​King ​Charles. ​

We're ​very ​grateful ​to ​the ​Tameside ​Talking ​newspaper ​ ​for ​the ​blind ​and ​visually ​impaired ​for ​permitting us ​to ​use ​their ​recording.