WWll pilot leaves Shropshire pupils spellbound

So 30 children at Randlay Primary School wrote to Flight Lieutenant James Penny, a former Lancaster bomber pilot who now lives in Shrewsbury, and asked him if he would tell them his stories of the conflict.

And yesterday the 91-year-old visited the Year Four youngsters, who are aged between eight and nine, and described how his 19 missions over occupied territory came to an end on November 23, 1943.

His Lancaster bomber was hit by anti-aircraft fire at about 18,000 feet above Berlin. The youngsters were wide-eyed as Mr Penny described keeping the aircraft steady so his crew could get out.

But a bomb exploded and Mr Penny, who was thrown out of the cockpit, was the only survivor.

"When you are young you think you are indestructible," he said. "We were too young to be frightened, it was an adventure. We never thought anything bad would happen to us. I had a wonderful crew and we just concentrated on our job.

"But suddenly we were surrounded by shell fire, it happened so quick.

"One minute I was sitting there trying to steady us and just hoping to get my crew out of there and the next minute I was in mid air. The bomb had blown us up. I pulled my parachute, which I was sitting on, but I don't know how I felt, it all happened too fast."

Mr Penny told the children how the explosion tore his helmet off and he landed in a back garden in the suburbs of the German city and was taken prisoner.

He said: "I was picked up on the roadside and carried to an air raid shelter. After that I spent the night in a police cell and was sent to an interrogation centre and was held in solitary confinement for two months and was a prisoner of war for almost two years."Mr Penny, who was liberated on May 1, 1945, has four children, 12 grandchildren and one great grandchild.

Last month he was awarded a Bomber Command clasp at RAF Shawbury.

He told the children: "I was not fighting the Germans, the German people suffered as much as we did. I was fighting the Nazi regime."

• Watch the school's own video from Mr Penny's visit

Pupils listened to his stories and memories before asking questions and getting copies of his book, The Lucky Penny.

Afterwards, Mr Penny said: "I think the children are wonderful, so attentive. I found their letters fascinating and I would like to thank them for inviting me. They have been a most attentive audience.

"I was quite nervous about coming to the school. I am not accustomed to public speaking, but the staff and children have made me feel so welcome."

The feeling was clearly mutual. Rose King-Carr, nine, from Randlay, said: "My favourite part was when he was talking about his parachute and how he landed in a garden. His stories were really good. He was very brave."

And eight-year-old Joe Cubberley said: "I was really excited about the visit and when he came I really enjoyed listening to him, especially when he told us about his crew and what happened when his plane got shot."

Teacher Chris Sturgess said: "Just hearing Mr Penny's experiences has made the whole subject very real for the pupils."

Fellow teacher Lorraine Birkett added: "It is great for the children to not just read about what happened but to meet someone who lived through it."

The Lucky Penny is available from bookshops, the internet, or for £9.99 from www.fast-print.net/bookshop/1437/the-lucky-penny

For every copy sold, £1 goes to the RAF Benevolent Fund.