Latest News

2024

29th July - What a fabulous day at the International Bomber Command Centre on Saturday for the book launch and signing session of "The Bomber and the Weathervane". What an iconic location! Thank you so much to Nicky van der Drift, Chris Roberts, Emily Knapp, Tracy Hulme and all of the staff who helped to make the day so successful. Thanks also to all of the help and support given by the weathervane owner, Helen Theron, and Mike Osborne, who talks in the book about flying in a Lancaster bomber in 2014. Thanks also, as always, to my lovely wife, Kay, for her perpetual support, to my son, Stuart and his wife Holly, for all of their help over the whole weekend.

Helen & Tony Tony with Steve & Julie Wigley Researcher Di Ablewhite Tony

More Photos to follow when I get them!

13th July - I've been off-grid for a little while with various commitments followed by another Covid infection, I am happy, and excited, to say that there are only two weeks to go before the official launch of "The Bomber and the Weathervane" at the International Bomber Command Centre, Lincoln on Saturday 27th July between 10.30am and 2.30pm. I am delighted to say that the owner of the weathervane, Helen Theron, will also be at the event, as will Mike Osborne, who flew in a Lancaster in 2014 and describes in the book what that was like. I am currently awaiting delivery of the first 50 copies. Soooo excited about everything!!

1st June - Thank you so much to everyone at Wellington Parish History Society for such a warm welcome at my "Bomber and the Weathervane" talk on 30th May to another full house. Such lovely people. It was wonderful to see Helen Theron, the owner of the weathervane, there. The audience were also treated to a poignant live performance of "No Moon Tonight", from Julie and Steve Wigley, which complemented my talk perfectly. Huge thanks to Gill Bullock and her team for arranging the evening and for the array of fabulous local produce she presented to me afterwards. Thank you also to everyone who pre-ordered a copy of the book. Not long to go until launch day - 27th July at the International Bomber Command Centre in Lincoln 10.30 - 2.30.

15th May - Very privileged today to meet up with Mike McKendry, nephew of JB453 navigator, Pilot Officer Denis McKendry, known as "Jackie". He was in the UK from South Africa and was determined to meet with me and Helen at Helen's Hereford home. We had a wonderful afternoon talking about his uncle. Mike is hoping to come to Germany in September for the commemoration ceremony in Berlin and the unveiling of a memorial plaque at the crash site in Timmenrode.

14th May - So pleased with the write-up by Lewis Clarke on Devon Live yesterday about me and "The Bomber and the Weathervane".

"DEVON WRITER CHARTS INCREDIBLE STORY OF BIZARRE LINK TO WAR HEROES"

Have a read at the following link: https://www.devonlive.com/.../devon-writer-charts...

OFFICIAL BOOK LAUNCH at the International Bomber Command Centre, Lincoln on Saturday 27th July. Can't wait..................

Link to launch: https://internationalbcc.co.uk/.../book-launch-and.../

Agreed book cover:

5th May - A really important aspect of the "Bomber and the Weathervane" project was to create a mechanism for a permanent memorial to the crew of Pathfinder Lancaster JB453 to be erected at the site of the crash which took place in the early hours of January 3rd 1944. I am delighted to be able to say that the authorities in the town of Blankenburg and village of Timmenrode, have agreed to commission such a memorial to be unveiled on Saturday 14th September, during a special service which Kay and I will be attending, together with Helen Theron, without whom the book could never have been written, and family descendants of the JB453 crews.

The previous day will see a commemoration service held at the gravesides of the crew located within the 1939-1945 British War Cemetery in Berlin which will also be attended by family descendants, Royal Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force, German Air Force, Royal British Legion and representatives from the British Embassy in Berlin.

22nd April - HOT OFF THE PRESS! - BOOK LAUNCH

Following on from the presentation I gave to a packed hall at the International Bomber Command Centre in March, my new book, "The Bomber and the Weathervane", will be published in late June/early July - exact date to be determined - with an official launch and book signing taking place at the IBCC, Lincoln between 10.30am and 2.30pm on Saturday 27th July. I am so excited about this! Come and visit this world-class centre, dedicated to the memory and achievements of Bomber Command. I look forward to meeting, and chatting to, many of you there. Please click HERE to link to the IBCC website.

21st April - On Thursday 30th May I am delighted to have been invited to give my "Bomber and the Weathervane" illustrated talk to the Wellington Parish History Society near Hereford. This is only a very short distance from the home of Helen Theron, the owner of the weathervane and from whom this whole story began. Please click HERE to link to the Society's website. Entry is free for members and £3 for non-members

15th March - What a fabulous evening at the International Bomber Command Centre last night with a packed house for my "Bomber and the Weathervane" lecture. It was so lovely to have such a passionate audience which included family descendants of JB453 Air Gunner, Sgt John Macintyre Dunlop, killed with all of his crew on 3rd January 1944 over Berlin. Thanks especially to Julie and Steve Wigley for their moving performance of No Moon Tonight, to Mike Osborne for looking after Kay and I during the day, to IBCC Ops Manager Chris Roberts, to Kay Aston for her continual support but mostly to all those who attended, some of whom had travelled great distances. It was a wonderful and emotional evening.

13th March - Arrived in Lincoln at half four this afternoon in readiness for my lecture at the International Bomber Command Centre tomorrow evening. First thing we saw were the Red Arrows practising above our heads. Tried to persuade Kay that I had arranged for them to be there but she was having none of it!! Not my photo below but a great one nonetheless!

10th March - Like many children of my era, this is where my love of books and reading began some 65 years ago. I always wanted to be like Julian or Dick, Peter or Colin, Jack or Philip. Enid Blyton took children of a certain age into a world of adventure, danger, and overwhelming loyalty. She introduced us to Timmy, Scamper and, of course, Kiki the parrot, sometimes using language and opinions which, today, might be seen in some quarters as "politically incorrect" but which was of its time. And we loved every single page! Outside of writing she was an eccentric, unique and somewhat insular person who has attracted, perhaps unfairly, degrees of bad press in recent years but, as a 5 or 6 year old boy, I couldn't get enough of her books.

7th March - It's World Book Day today, 7th March, so let's celebrate all of the fiction and non-fiction authors, publishers, those who simply like to write without getting published, illustrators, agents and bookshops, but most of all you, the readers. A huge thank you on behalf of everyone who has ever put pen to paper and started "Chapter One!" Have a great day!

5th March - Delighted that Steve and Julie Wigley, folksingers and song writers, have agreed to join me during my IBCC talk next Thursday to sing a very special song, "No Moon Tonight"

5th March - Next Thursday, 14th March, I shall be delivering my "Bomber and the Weathervane" lecture at the International Bomber Command Centre, Lincoln as part of its Supper and Lecture series. This is a real honour for me and I am so looking forward to it. As part of the presentation, Steve and Julie Wigley will be performing their song, "No Moon Tonight". Written by Julie, it tells of Royal Australian Air Force Lancaster crews that are part of Bomber Command and their bombing missions over occupied Europe. Tickets can be obtained by clicking HERE

1st March - A commemoration ceremony for the JB453 crew has been confirmed for Friday 14th September at the British 1939-1945 War Cemetery in Berlin, to be attended by members of the crews' family descendants, RAF, RCAF, members of the British Embassy in Berlin, Helen Theron and me. This will be followed the following day by a visit to the JB453 confirmed crash site in Timmenrode, 100 miles south-west of Berlin.

20th-29th February - Web site created using WIX. Having to rest up because of a pulled hamstring helped enormously as it allowed me the time to work out all of the programming!

23rd February - WhatsApp conversation with Craig Stennett, German correspondent and photographer for the Daily Telegraph. He is planning to attend the JB453 crew commemoration event at the 1939-1945 British War Cemetery, Berlin in September 2024.

19th January - Delighted that Winkleigh Community Centre was full to bursting point with villagers wanting to listen to the "Bomber and the Weathervane" talk. Lots of help from Rachel and Greg Holsworthy with delicious pies provided by Aly Leah on behalf of Winkleigh Warm Space.

3rd January - 80th anniversary of the shooting down by enemy fire of JB453 OL-F over Timmenrode near Berlin, Germany.