Gilbert Gray: Bomber Command like 'signing my life away'

At the age of 18, Gilbert left Fife and got on a London-bound train with fellow recruits.

This was the start of a journey which would see him become a flight engineer ending up on board Lancaster bombers fighting the Germans. Gilbert flew 34 missions including a crucial one on D-Day.

Gilbert Gray died in November 2023.

We Were There aims to collect as many first-hand accounts as possible by 2025, the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, to preserve veterans' accounts for future generations.

The BBC is currently working on the project with a number of partners including the Normandy Memorial Trust and Royal British Legion. Some of the stories collected may be shared with our partners and used on BBC News platforms.

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Do you or someone you know have memories of World War Two? Please share these experiences by emailing [email protected].

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4 June 2024