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By GIOVANNA IOZZI
THEY are The Invincibles - and as the last complete Second World War bomber crew they certainly live up to the name.
The last time these six men were together was 57 years ago as they flew on bombing raids in the last days of the war.
Len Wilson, 78, Maurice Webster, 78, Rex Waller, 77, Jimmy Spence, 79, Tom Grossett, 79, and Bill Madeley, 77, not only survived all their “ops" without incident but the old boys are still fighting fit.
The six airmen from the RAF's 39 Squadron lost touch in 1945 after completing 13 raids over enemy territory in a US-made B26 Martin Marauder bomber from their base in Italy.
Their bombing sorties took them over Yugoslavia in March and April 1945 where they attacked railway lines and German gun positions to help partisans.
But when the war ended they quickly went their separate ways.
Decades on, pilot Tom Grossett from Pentwyn, Cardiff, began the mission of a lifetime when he started the search for his lost comrades.
He had a good start, having kept in touch with navigator Rex Waller from Bruton, Somerset, and bomb aimer Maurice Webster, who lives in Southport, Merseyside.
In 1979 he tracked down mid-upper gunner Len Wilson to Ballasalla on the isle of Man and wireless operator Bill Madeley to his home in Barnsley, South Yorkshire.
But he was unable to find any trace of tail gunner Jimmy Spence, despite contacting 85 Spences in the Edinburgh and Kirkcaldy areas where he used to live.
Finally he advertised for him on a "lost pals" page on Teletext and a Scottish caller rang to tell him Jimmy had emigrated to Australia in 1950.
In September 2000, the pilot finally traced a number for Jimmy in Tuncurry, 200 miles north of Sydney.
Then he woke him up with a call at 5:15am saying: 'It's your old skip.' A stunned Jimmy could only reply: "Bloody hell."
The six pals first met at Number 70 Operational Training Unit at Shandur in Egypt where they learned about flying the Marauder.
When they began operational flying they were assigned to 39 Squadron, which was stationed on the Adriatic coast of liberated Italy.
They had a good war - the only thing that hit their plane was a bundle of propaganda leaflets dropped from another bomber.
The crew were reunited at the weekend at a hotel in Wilmslow, Manchester, and were thrilled to see each other once more. Jimmy said: "1 am ecstatic. It is amazing to see all the lads again.
"I wasn't in hiding but when the war finished the squadron broke up so quickly that we did not have time to swop addresses.
"I just got on with my life, working in the aircraft industry for 20 years. A reunion was never in my head until the skip rang."
Skipper Tom Grossett said: "We were a good crew and we're still a good crew. We were friends as well as comrades and knew we could all rely on each other.
"We all remember our time together with great affection and everyone is still pulling each other's leg."
He added: "Others in 39 Squadron are dying off but our crew go on and on - we seem to be invincible."
CL 1026 from Harry Sacaloff
From The Sun, June 26, 2002, page 19
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