Elijah Welsh RIP

Kyt · Jan 27, 2009

â€˜Tailend Charlieâ€™ bomber hero dies (From The Northern Echo)

A WAR hero who survived 34 bombing missions as a “Tailend Charlie” has died, aged 93.

Rear gunner Elijah Welsh, who took part in major bombing campaigns on German cities in the latter part of the Second World War, was decorated with the Distinguished Flying Medal for his bravery.

His daughter Ann Attey said: “He was awarded five medals. He was very proud of his Distinguished Flying Medal – he said the other four were given out with the coffee.

“Whenever he was asked what he got the DFM for he would reply, ‘I was one of the lucky ones who came back.

The ones that should have got all of the honour were the ones who never got home’.”

Mr Welsh grew up in Ushaw Moor and lived in Quarrington Hill, near Durham after the war. He and is wife, Vera, moved into the Peterlee Care Home, in east Durham, where she died, aged 90, five months ago.

Mr Welsh joined the RAF in 1939 and flew in a Lancaster as part of 101 Squadron, Bomber Command. He took part in numerous raids, including on Nuremberg and Berlin, and the controversial fire bombing of Dresden in 1945.

In an interview with The Northern Echo four years ago, he said: “Every time we went out, we went out to repay them for what they had done to us.

“It was a very interesting job if you could clear your mind of what might happen.”

Mr Welsh claimed one kill, shooting down a Meschersmitt ME 109 fighter during a mission to the German capital, Berlin, in December 1943.

He is survived by his daughter, two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
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Kyt · Jan 27, 2009

Distinguished Flying Medal 13 October 1944
1101908 Sergeant Elijah Genner WELSH, R.A.F.V.R., 101 Sqn.

Antipodean Andy · Jan 27, 2009

A humble man it would seem. RIP.

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Elijah Welsh RIP

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