I Was Only Doing My Job: Australia's Military History

Acting Squadron Leader Herbert Frank Slade DSO DFC USBS: From Bourke to Bomber Command

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Episode notes

15-JULY-1944. While serving as a pilot in the Royal Air Force's Path Finder Force. Acting Squadron Leader Herbert Frank Slade, Commander of Lancaster Bomber N Nuts, en route to a raid on Hamburg, was struck by anti-aircraft fire, was able to recover the aircraft sufficiently to continue the attack, drop his bombs and return home with 48 square foot piece of the port wing missing and with limited controls, managed to bring the plane in for a "successful" landing. this was his 59th operational flight over enemy territory.

In this episode, we explore the life and legacy of Squadron Leader Herbert Frank Slade, from his early days as a young migrant in Australia to his post-war life in Boorowa, where he became a respected community figure. With firsthand accounts from those who remember his presence,

This episode uncovers the remarkable yet humble legacy of a man who, both in the air and on the ground, was defined by his unwavering sense of duty.

Huge thanks to Helen McGrath of the Boorowa Historical Society, Shane Casey Senior Curator and Dr Lachlan Grant Senior Historian at the Australian War Memorial for their assistance in this episode.

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