Brief Sweet Life by Glen Rose

Epitaph - Ralph Wilson Gilbert, Mid-Upper Gunner

My brief sweet life is over, my eyes no longer see,
No summer walks - no Christmas Trees - no pretty girls for me,
I've got the chop, I've had it, my nightly ops are done,
Yet, in another hundred years, I'll still be twenty-one.

“Deep within the dark, cramped belly of the RAF Lancaster, Duncan Freeman stared at the dimly lit dials on his radio receiver. The air around him was acrid with the stench of cordite. He struggled to rid his mind of the terrifying images of exploding aircraft, coned by enemy searchlights, and replace the horror of it with the gentle loveliness of Pauline. Despite the deafening roar of the plane's engines, he thought he could hear her calling to him "be brave, be safe". Memories flooded his head - country walks, dandelion beer and dance hall "hops" - gentler times, happier days".

Accomplished author Glen Rose was inspired to write this story by her father's experiences  during World War Two . . . .

Brief Sweet Life is not only Duncan Freeman's story, it is also a testament to the many thousands of ordinary men and women whose lives were made extra-ordinary through circumstance. At the heart of this true chronicle is an innocent yet powerful love affair, played out against a backdrop of hardship, fear, courage and ultimately, terrible tragedy. Set mainly in the years that enveloped the Second World War, the story unfolds as Duncan finds his childhood ambition to fly is made real in a way he could never have imagined, when he becomes part of a tight-knit crew on board a mighty Avro Lancaster. The astonishing courage of the young crew, their deep loyalty towards each other amidst harrowing adversity, and the constant, horrific dangers they must face, are vividly brought to life in this powerful narrative, through its heart-breaking climax and its subtle promise of a new beginning.

Manchester born, Duncan Freeman joined the RAF in 1942 and trained as a Wireless Operator-Air Gunner (WOp/AG), eventually joining 50 Squadron, 5 Group, Bomber Command, based at RAF Skellingthorpe, Lincolnshire as a member of an operational Lancaster aircrew. The pilot, Chas, was an Australian, from the RAAF, while the other members were from other parts of the UK and Canada.

Duncan always flew with the same crew, and the nerve-wracking experiences they endured together over enemy territory, facing death night after night, depending on each other's skills for their mutual survival, caused them to develop the closest of bonds. Duncan resolved to pass on the story of his wartime experiences to honour the crew (his "family") and as a testimony to the many thousands of ordinary men and women whose lives were made extra-ordinary through the circumstances of war. Now this brilliantly-written book places his story - and that of his long lost aircrew pals - on permanent record after a gap of more than sixty years.

The book has a lighter side and is also full of delightful cameos and memories of happier times before the War, when young folk enjoyed dance hall hops and country walks. The Home Front sees plenty of lively description in the book too, including fascinating accounts of travelling by steam train and London tube, as well as the culinary delights of "ersatz" food. The local action takes place in a wide range of locations including Manchester, Blackpool, Lincoln, London and the Home Counties (including Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire).

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