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The incredible tale of the panda that helped us win WW2

RealFix by RealFix
September 18, 2015
in Bizarre, Must Read
0
The incredible tale of the panda that helped us win WW2

A TOY PANDA that flew on the Dambuster's Second World War raids of Germany made a triumphant return to its home airbase. See MASONS story MNPANDA. Dorothy Bailey, daughter of Dambuster's pilot William Gordon Radcliffe, wowed an Antiques Roadshow audience by exhibiting the priceless heirloom which 'kept her father safe'. As well as flying on Dambuster raids tucked in Sgt Radcliffe's boot, the bear accompanied him on 60 operational flights over Germany. The toy panda was examined at RAF Coningsby by arms and military expert Mark Smith as well as photographs and items of Sergeant Radcliffe's uniform, including his RAF tunic featuring his Distinguished Flying Cross. On the valuation of the panda, Mr Smith said: "He is priceless. He was priceless to your dad, he is priceless to you, he is priceless to the RAF as a member of the Dams crew." The value of other items belonging to flight engineer Radcliffe will be revealed on the Antiques Roadshow episode on Sunday (20/09).

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A toy panda taken by an RAF hero as his ‘lucky’ mascot during the infamous Dambuster raids during WW2 has made a triumphant return to its home airbase.

Dambusters pilot William Gordon Radcliffe tucked the panda into his flying boots while on more than 60 perilous bombing missions including the Dambuster raids.

A TOY PANDA that flew on the Dambuster's Second World War raids of Germany made a triumphant return to its home airbase.  See MASONS story MNPANDA.  Dorothy Bailey, daughter of Dambuster's pilot William Gordon Radcliffe, wowed an Antiques Roadshow audience by exhibiting the priceless heirloom which 'kept her father safe'.  As well as flying on Dambuster raids tucked in Sgt Radcliffe's boot, the bear accompanied him on 60 operational flights over Germany.  The toy panda was examined at RAF Coningsby by arms and military expert Mark Smith as well as photographs and items of Sergeant Radcliffe's uniform, including his RAF tunic featuring his Distinguished Flying Cross.  On the valuation of the panda, Mr Smith said: "He is priceless. He was priceless to your dad, he is priceless to you, he is priceless to the RAF as a member of the Dams crew."  The value of other items belonging to flight engineer Radcliffe will be revealed on the Antiques Roadshow episode on Sunday (20/09).
Dorothy Bailey, daughter of Dambuster’s pilot William Gordon Radcliffe at Antiques Roadshow

After the end of the war the lucky mascot was passed it on to his daughter Dorothy Bailey.

Dorothy took the priceless heirloom which ‘kept her father safe’ to RAF Coningsby for an Antiques Roadshow event.

The bear’s features were also copied onto the nose art of several of the crew’s planes.

Collect picture of the Dam Buster raid crews.  A TOY PANDA that flew on the Dambuster's Second World War raids of Germany made a triumphant return to its home airbase.  See MASONS story MNPANDA.  Dorothy Bailey, daughter of Dambuster's pilot William Gordon Radcliffe, wowed an Antiques Roadshow audience by exhibiting the priceless heirloom which 'kept her father safe'.  As well as flying on Dambuster raids tucked in Sgt Radcliffe's boot, the bear accompanied him on 60 operational flights over Germany.  The toy panda was examined at RAF Coningsby by arms and military expert Mark Smith as well as photographs and items of Sergeant Radcliffe's uniform, including his RAF tunic featuring his Distinguished Flying Cross.  On the valuation of the panda, Mr Smith said: "He is priceless. He was priceless to your dad, he is priceless to you, he is priceless to the RAF as a member of the Dams crew."  The value of other items belonging to flight engineer Radcliffe will be revealed on the Antiques Roadshow episode on Sunday (20/09).
The Dam Buster raid crews

The toy panda was examined by arms and military expert Mark Smith along with photographs and items of Sergeant Radcliffe’s uniform, including his RAF tunic featuring his Distinguished Flying Cross.

Mr Smith said: “He is priceless. He was priceless to your dad, he is priceless to you, he is priceless to the RAF as a member of the Dams crew.”

A TOY PANDA that flew on the Dambuster's Second World War raids of Germany made a triumphant return to its home airbase.  See MASONS story MNPANDA.  Dorothy Bailey, daughter of Dambuster's pilot William Gordon Radcliffe, wowed an Antiques Roadshow audience by exhibiting the priceless heirloom which 'kept her father safe'.  As well as flying on Dambuster raids tucked in Sgt Radcliffe's boot, the bear accompanied him on 60 operational flights over Germany.  The toy panda was examined at RAF Coningsby by arms and military expert Mark Smith as well as photographs and items of Sergeant Radcliffe's uniform, including his RAF tunic featuring his Distinguished Flying Cross.  On the valuation of the panda, Mr Smith said: "He is priceless. He was priceless to your dad, he is priceless to you, he is priceless to the RAF as a member of the Dams crew."  The value of other items belonging to flight engineer Radcliffe will be revealed on the Antiques Roadshow episode on Sunday (20/09).
Lucky mascot

The Dambusters, known as Operation Chastise, were targeted attacks on German dams using the bouncing bomb in May 1943.

Sgt Radcliffe, born in Canada, survived the war and married an English WAAF Joyce Palfreyman and had three children.

After the war he returned to Canada where he became a customs and excise officer.

After Sgt Radcliffe’s death in 1952 as a result of a car crash, Joyce returned to the UK with her children to be nearer her own family.

The value of other items belonging to flight engineer Radcliffe will be revealed on the programme due to air this Sunday(20/9).

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