World War II veteran Dr Ronald Houghton described the mateship between Bomber Command crew as "an extraordinary bond that remains with you for life".
Ron, born in Sydney and turns 100 in May 2024, joined the Royal Australian Air Force in 1942, wanting to participate and support his English-born parents and family. He trained in Australia and was posted to an Advanced Flying Unit in September 1943 to Bibury, Gloucestershire, England.
Based in Pocklington, Yorkshire, he flew Halifax bombers with No.102 Squadron RAF, which was responsible for bombing raids over enemy territory in France, Holland, Germany, and Belgium.
Ron described the mateship formed through the crew's constant contact as "an extraordinary bond that remains with you through life".
He said the rate of fatalities and casualties in Bomber Command was about 50 per cent.
"We knew the odds and developed a tight bond as we depended on each other to make it home."
He is the last surviving member of his crew, which was known as Joe's Flying Circus. Ron was Joe as he was considered "a bit of an Aussie larrikin".
Ron received a Distinguished Flying Cross in May 1945 for "utmost courage, fortitude, and devotion to duty in operations against the enemy" during one of his most hazardous runs.
The crew had to bomb a critical meeting place of enemy tanks and army in daylight. Ron called for 'bombs away', but the bombs didn't drop because of an electrical fault in the release mechanism. Ron then flew over the target six more times, with the bombs manually dropped two at a time.
Now low on fuel and alone in the sky as fellow bombers had flown home, Ron climbed to 10,000 feet, then ran down slowly across the English Channel back to base. Heavy fog prevented them from landing and with low fuel, were diverted to an east coast airfield, lined with fire to light the way.
"We landed and as we were taxiing, the engines spluttered and stopped. We had to stay in the aircraft overnight until a fuel truck came the next morning," Ron recalled.
His main contribution to D-Day was reconnaissance missions leading up to the Battle of Normandy's D-Day on June 6, 1944. While he didn't fly that day, he recalled going into a briefing room and his superior officer saying "Gentleman, today is D-Day".
During his time in the military, he also trained younger bomber pilots, spent time at General Eisenhower's Operation Centre at R.N. Portsmouth, and flew Spitfires and Hurricanes.
He later worked for Qantas and several Asian airlines, lectured in aviation at Newcastle and Sydney universities, finished a PhD in aeronautical engineering, and got three master's degrees, one in aviation safety in 2016.
After World War II, Ron returned to the UK almost every year for a squadron reunion, and stayed in contact with his crew plus their widows, who have all since passed on.
Ron lost touch with his two gunners. One moved to South Africa, whom Ron searched for for years. He reached out to the South African embassy in Canberra, who helped to find everyone with his name.
"I wrote to them all, but never received a response," he said.
Ron also went to South Africa acting on a tip-off and searched for weeks, but to no avail.
His other gunner was killed while on operation with another crew he had joined after their tour had finished.
Today, Ron lives in Coonabarabran, NSW. He is president of the Bomber Command Association of Australia. After a series of health challenges late last year, Ron is unable to perform official duties.
