Clive Conrad Gesling's story

Clive Gesling was born on Remembrance Day 1924. He was 18 years old when he enlisted in January 1943. He trained in Australia and completed his wireless operator air gunner course on 6 January 1944. He was commissioned as a pilot officer on 26 May 1944.

Clive served with the RAF's No 576 Squadron and recalled the nervousness associated with his first sortie. No 576 was a heavy bomber squadron comprised of Lancaster Mk I and Mk III aircraft. The squadron was part of No 1 Group, RAF Bomber Command, and was based at Elsham Wolds, Lincolnshire. It flew 2788 operational sorties and lost 67 planes, of which two were abandoned over France in 1945.

Clive was commissioned as a flying officer in November 1945 and later became a barrister in civilian life.