THE brother of an RAF navigator who was killed in 1944 has come forward following an appeal in the Redditch Advertiser.

Last week, we told of the search for facts about Redditch man F/Sgt Cyril Bayliss, who flew his last fateful mission in a Lancaster bomber 56 years ago today.

Now Cyril's brother, Clifford Bayliss, who lives in Stock Green, has come forward after hearing about the quest for details by Gordon Smith, of Aylesbury.

Mr Smith was eager for anyone who knew Cyril to contact him to help his research and identify Cyril from an old picture of the crew.

Clifford has now shed more light on that last sortie and the brother he loved.

The crew were on a mission as part of 106 Squadron to bomb a German synthetic oil refinery in Homburg, deep in enemy territory.

The bomber fell out of formation for a risky low-level bombing raid on the refinery but on its return trip, it was attacked by a Focke Wulf 190 fighter.

The stricken plane made it as far as Holland before crashing into a minefield between retreating German forces and approaching Canadian troops.

Clifford, 76, said: ''It was the only one of 20 planes that day not to return. If it had stayed in formation, it would probably have been all right.

''One of the crew actually parachuted out just before it crashed. They had agreed he should go first because he was married. But the plane was just too low and he was killed.''

Clifford received the tragic news of his brother's death in a communiqu from the Air Ministry while he was in Dover.

Cyril, his older brother George and Clifford grew up in Sillins Avenue, St George's, together with their two sisters, one of whom, Ethel, still lives in the town.

All three brothers were in the forces, Clifford in the Royal Navy as part of the 14DD Tank Flotilla and George in the army with the 7th Armoured Division.

After attending County High School in Redditch, Cyril went on to become a wages clerk at BSA in Studley Road before joining the RAF in 1942 and training in Canada.

Clifford said: ''Cyril would have been 78 this year.

''I was very surprised when I heard someone was researching the history of the crew.

''It brings back a lot of memories for me. My brother and I were good friends and it was a big loss to me when he was killed.

''He was a polite man and very fair. He was a good bloke.''

Cyril and the rest of the crew are buried in Bergen Op Zoom in Holland, 50 yards from Guy Gibson, the leader of the famous Dambusters.

George moved to Wales and died last year.