The crew of Lancaster ME701, 'Whoa Bessy', of No. 463 Squadron RAAF, leave their bomber after returning from a night operation over enemy occupied territory. The original caption suggested this image was taken circa 18 April 1944, in which case they have returned from bombing French railway targets preparatory to the impending Allied 'D-Day' invasion of 6 June 1944. Five of the crew were RAAF and the captain Flight Lieutenant Bruce Buckham is on the ground, second from left. Crews often had little rituals of safe return similar to the essential rituals performed before take-off. Norman Corbett, who did a tour with No. 467 Squadron RAAF in 1943–1944 as a wireless operator, remembers: When we landed and turned into dispersal and the engines were turned off, I never left my seat until the pilot, Clive, came past and climbed over the main spar and down the fuselage. He said many a time, 'Cobber, why do you stay there?' My answer was the same, to thank him, for bringing me back. To show the respect that I had for him, the confidence I had in him. [Corbett, quoted in Mark Rowe, The luckiest men alive, p. 47; AWM UK1213]
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