AN airman who took part in the Berlin bombing raids recalls the trauma of being shot down over enemy lines.

Ron Carr, who joined the air force at the age of 19 in 1941, took part in Operation Torch which resulted in the axis forces being kicked out of North Africa.

He made sure there was safe passage for the convoys ferrying arms to the North African coast.

After a period training up crews in Britain he returned to action in the legendary raids on Berlin orchestrated by Sir Arthur "Bomber" Harris.

Ron, 80, of Kidderminster, was part of the Pathfinder Force which led to more concentrated bombing. The efficient marker bombs gave a clearer aiming point to the follow-up bombers. Ron's job was to bomb the markers before the Germans could put down replacement decoys.

He said: "Most of the raids only took about 30 minutes. There were a very large number of aircraft, 800 at a time.

"It was a most awe-inspiring sight to see acres and acres of fire."

But his luck ran out one night when his Lancaster bomber was hit by anti-aircraft fire.

He said: "The bombardier was unconscious, the navigator had been hit in the face and was bleeding all over his maps.

"They could not get rid of the bombs because we could not open the bomb door.

"We were about 10 minutes from Switzerland. After about five minutes the pilot said 'I'm sorry chaps you'll have to go, I can't hold it any longer.'"

Ron asked the navigator which way to walk once he landed and was told south-east.

He then pulled himself out the turret and inched his way on his back towards the exit.

He said: "I saw the wireless operator coming down the fuselage and I thought 'oh good we'll bale out together' but I was too late. He got the door open, I was just about to touch him on the shoulder and out he went.

"The last conscious thing I remember was pulling the rip-cord. I came too later hanging in space."

He spent a night in the woods not knowing he had reached Switzerland.

Ron was eventually moved to an internment camp in neutral Switzerland before he was swapped as part of an exchange with German air crew.

He was taken to Paris and handed over to the Germans and with a Swiss escort was escorted to Spain before returning to England.

Ron finished the war as an instructor in the RAF.