The view depicted in this painting by Lincolnshire artist John Ward, is the last sight WAAF Driver Dot Smith( Nee Everett) saw of a

former 49 Sqn crew and their Lancaster EA-N for Nan which she had nicknamed "Nancy Pants" before departing from Fiskerton

on a night operation to Berlin in January 1944 and who failed to return.

The story of Sergeant (W/O) E B (Ted) Cachart and his crew is an incredible one. On their seventh op,  they were driven by Dot to

their waiting 'B' flight lancaster before taking-off for Berlin. When some sixty-miles from the target, they made a 90 degree turn 

and suffered a mid-air collision with another Lancaster which is now strongly believed to have been S-Sugar from the same squadron

and whose crew all perished as a result of the collision. Ted and his crew however, successfully baled out to become prisoners of war.

Five of the crew, including Ted are still alive today.

Ted has also written a book about his wartime experiences with Bomber Command. These include his part in the Berlin raid on 13th December 1943 now known as Black Thursday and his last flight from Fiskerton, again to Berlin, on 2nd/3rd January 1944 as depicted in the painting.

The book is called: "Ted The Lad". To put it in his  own words: what else could I have called it? I  would say, if for no other reason other than that was exactly what he was at the time- being the youngest Wop/Ag to serve with Bomber Command, enlisting at just fifteen, he was a "Bomber Boy" at seventeen and in a German prisoner-of-war camp at eighteen.

The front cover shows the collision when on the run in to the target and was drawn by artist John Ward of thr 49 Sqn association.

9.9.13. Sadly, Ted  passed away in the early hours of this morning. He was a gallant and true Gentleman-having featured in many t.v.programms and articles about Bomber Command.He spoke to me at great length about his wartime service and the life he and his comrades lived when not flying. How they were hopeful and optimistic about their chances of survival when so many around them did not. He was Chairman of the 49 Sqn association and will be greatly missed.

R.I.P Sgt. E.B. Cachart.