: NEWS photo k Mike Wakofield
CLIFFORD DICKINSON (foreground) and Bill Lowther were
recently at Capilano Mall to promote Critical Moments, a book
profiling members of the Greater Vancouver Branch of the Air-
crew Association.

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Wednesday, January 2, 1991 ~ North Shore News ~ 39

‘Critical Moments’ recalied

Vancouver aircrew members
reminisce in new book

THE COLLECTED memories of more than 100 members
of the Greater Vancouver Branch of the Aircrew Associa-
tion spill from the pages of Critical Moments, a book of
profiles written by wartime vets who flew the unfriendly
skies of Europe during the Second World War.

According to North Shore resi-
dent Clifford Dickinson, who flew
as an RAF air bomber during the
war, the book was the idea of a
former squadron leader.

“Shorily after we formed the
Greater Vancouver Branch of the
Aircrew Association five years ago
we decided it might be a good
idea to record some of our war-
time experiences.

“‘What better way than in book
form. So, after much cajoling and
pushing we got 117 members of
the group to write their own indi-
vidual story out. And then a
committee was formed to edit
them and the photography inside
was done by one of our
members,’’ said the Sheffield-born
Dickinson, whose bid to become a
pilot was foiled because of his
height.

The powers that be weren't
comfortable with the notion of
Dickinson using cushions to reach
the rudder control bars. Dickinson
remusiered as a bomb aimer and
subsequently participated in a
number of raids over Germany,
including a raid on the SS _bar-

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By Michael Becker
News Reporter

racks at Berchtesgaden, and the
Dutch coast.

His worst flying experience
came during his first trip over
Dortmund when heavy flak ripped
through the fuselage of his plane.

Said Dickinson, ‘‘One tends to
remember the happier days but
nevertheless they are preity factual
accounts of each individual
member’s experience, including
some of the more harrowing mo-
ments.””

Dickinson and Bill Lowther, a
former RCAF navigator, were on
hand last month to man a book
sale display booth at Capilano
Mall. The display included a
fascinating collection of wartime
airerew memorabilia and model
airplanes.

The display also featured a
number of rare aircrew
photographs.

Said Lowther, who maintains
most of the photographs were

snapped on the sly, “You weren’t
suoposed to be carrying cameras
around in those days. And most
guys didn’t have cameras. We
didn’t carry too much stuff along
with us. And then getting film was
almost impossible.*’

Lowther was a member of the
425 RCAF bomber squadron
known as the Alouette Squadron.
During his time as a navigator,
Lowther was attacked by
Messerschmitt 109s while on a run
over a rocket supply base. A later
raid on Kiel brought a close call
with a new German jet fighter.

The first 1,000 copies of Critical
Moments, published in November
1989, sold out by February. An
additional 2,000 copies of the
book have been published.

Added Dickinson, ‘‘This book
is somewhat unique in as much as
the stories are as the person would
tell it to you. This is what really
makes the book most interesting.’”

The Greater Vancouver Branch
of the Aircrew Association began
with nine members five years ago.
Today it includes 189 members.
The aircrew association is a Brit-
ish organization started some 17
years ago. There are about 200 to
300 members across Canada.

For information on how to ob-
tain a copy of Critical Moments
call the Greater Vancouver Air-
crew Association at 435-6095.

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