More Operation MANNA News
Operation Manna and Operation Chowhound were humanitarian food drops to relieve the famine in Holland behind Nazi lines late in World War II. 20,000 people had died from starvation and 980,000 were malnourished. Many had survived by eating pets and spoiled food. Some even eating tulip bulbs leading to poisoning.
Allied forces air crews from the U.K., Canada, the U.S., Australia and Poland participated. From these countries there will be ten Amateur Radio stations participating in a special event commemoration.
Now for the very special part!
We will be joined in our commemoration by a very special team. Trevor Brook G3WBQ, and his Dad Dr. Maurice Brook, will operate a station from Dorking, UK.
Dr. Maurice Brook was a Navigator on Lancaster’s with 625 squadron and flew the operation Manna missions. Dr. Brook is 100 years old, it is a massive honour to have him take part in this event for us at the International Bomber Command Centre and for all of the teams around the world. We can't thank him and Trevor G3WBQ, his son, enough.
Dr Brooks story in the IBCC digital archive
the International Bomber Command Centre in 2015.
Dr Brook still remembers Operation MANNA well:
- “Children in the streets and our aircrew chocolate with handkerchief parachutes to be thrown from the rear turret.”
- “The German Command had refused a request, through the Red Cross, to allow army lorries to cross the border with food supplies. When asked to allow safe passage to an air drop they had also refused. Nevertheless, we were told that we were not to fire unless fired upon.”
- “We were below church spires and just above chimney pots.”
- “As we swept over the houses and streets we could see adults and children waving excitedly, Some were weeping, soon so was I, as I still do when reminded. You could have recognised anyone, we were so low.”
- “We saw German machine gunners swing their weapons towards us and we did likewise to them, but no one fired.”
If you need more information about this special event, please visit: About Operation Manna / Chowhound
73
~ John VE7TI
