1 00:00:21,668 --> 00:00:23,709 Crocodile Lima, Monkey Delta. 2 00:00:23,834 --> 00:00:25,001 Can you read me? 3 00:00:29,751 --> 00:00:31,543 Crocodile Lima, Monkey Delta. 4 00:00:31,543 --> 00:00:34,751 Can you read me? Do you require assistance? 5 00:00:38,709 --> 00:00:43,043 ♪ In the bleak midwinter ♪ 6 00:00:43,293 --> 00:00:47,918 ♪ Frosty wind made moan ♪ 7 00:00:48,293 --> 00:00:52,709 ♪ Earth stood hard as iron ♪ 8 00:00:53,001 --> 00:00:56,626 ♪ Water like a stone ♪ 9 00:00:57,834 --> 00:01:02,501 ♪ Schnee ging nieder, bergeschwer ♪ 10 00:01:02,668 --> 00:01:06,834 ♪ Schnee auf Schnee lag schwer ♪ 11 00:01:10,459 --> 00:01:12,876 Jacob! 12 00:01:13,834 --> 00:01:15,043 We're gonna get you! 13 00:01:21,751 --> 00:01:24,418 I'll get a round! Nice! Who's this guy? 14 00:01:24,418 --> 00:01:25,959 - Whoo! 15 00:01:25,959 --> 00:01:27,584 Hello? Mum? 16 00:01:27,584 --> 00:01:29,084 Freddie! - Hi, Mum. 17 00:01:29,459 --> 00:01:31,626 I'm... I'm just calling to say Happy Christmas. 18 00:01:32,043 --> 00:01:34,168 Oh, so your leave didn't come through? 19 00:01:34,168 --> 00:01:37,668 Uh, I'm afraid not. But I... I'll be home in a couple of weeks. 20 00:01:38,293 --> 00:01:41,001 Oh, have you told Lizzie? I'm gonna call her now. 21 00:01:41,418 --> 00:01:43,668 Well, Happy Christmas, darling. We'll miss you. 22 00:01:43,668 --> 00:01:45,418 Me, too. Tell that sister of mine... 23 00:01:45,418 --> 00:01:47,709 - Happy Christmas, Stinky. 24 00:01:47,834 --> 00:01:49,001 Happy Christmas, Sal. 25 00:01:49,001 --> 00:01:51,501 Give my love to Lizzie! - Okay. Bye, sis. 26 00:01:52,543 --> 00:01:54,126 - Mum? 27 00:02:21,626 --> 00:02:22,834 What happened to you? 28 00:02:23,876 --> 00:02:26,251 Snowball fight of all things. 29 00:02:26,668 --> 00:02:28,751 Some other lucky bugger gets home for Christmas. 30 00:02:29,376 --> 00:02:30,626 So you're not flying tonight? 31 00:02:35,084 --> 00:02:36,084 Really? 32 00:02:39,876 --> 00:02:40,876 Sorry. 33 00:02:41,334 --> 00:02:42,876 You're sure about this? 34 00:02:43,251 --> 00:02:45,876 You've only just got your night rating. 35 00:02:46,543 --> 00:02:49,918 - It's over an hour to Lakenheath. - It's a straight run across the North Sea. 36 00:02:50,501 --> 00:02:52,709 Well, the weather has changed unexpectedly. 37 00:02:52,709 --> 00:02:58,251 Forecast is clear skies till morning, so perfect night for flying. 38 00:02:59,751 --> 00:03:02,626 Everything seems to have stacked up in your favor. 39 00:03:05,376 --> 00:03:07,209 Looks like you're going home for Christmas. 40 00:03:08,959 --> 00:03:09,959 Thank you, sir. 41 00:03:16,751 --> 00:03:21,584 Hey. No time to call your girlfriend. I've gotta get you out of here tonight. 42 00:03:22,418 --> 00:03:25,168 - All right. Come on then. - Talk to you from the tower. 43 00:03:52,126 --> 00:03:54,959 {\an8}- Evening, Jack. - They're nearly ready for you, sir. 44 00:04:02,001 --> 00:04:04,209 You'll turn onto course 265, 45 00:04:04,918 --> 00:04:09,459 climb to 27,000 feet over the Dutch coast to the North Sea. 46 00:04:10,668 --> 00:04:11,668 Got it. 47 00:04:17,543 --> 00:04:19,126 Sixty-six-minute flight. 48 00:04:19,126 --> 00:04:21,626 You've got fuel for more than 80 minutes in the air. 49 00:04:22,459 --> 00:04:25,501 Touch down to Lakenheath, 23, 25. 50 00:04:27,918 --> 00:04:32,126 On reaching height, maintain course and keep speed to 350 knots. 51 00:04:39,209 --> 00:04:41,168 Soon as you leave our airspace, we'll be shutting down. 52 00:04:46,626 --> 00:04:47,918 You'll have the sky to yourself. 53 00:04:53,793 --> 00:04:54,793 Good luck. 54 00:04:59,418 --> 00:05:03,543 - All ready, Jack? - Yeah. Nice clear night, sir. 55 00:05:04,168 --> 00:05:05,168 Mm. 56 00:05:10,501 --> 00:05:12,251 Well, uh, Merry Christmas, sir. 57 00:05:12,834 --> 00:05:14,001 Frohe Weinachten, Jack. 58 00:05:15,126 --> 00:05:16,418 If you say so, sir. 59 00:05:55,293 --> 00:05:57,876 Charlie Delta, taxi for runway 24. 60 00:05:57,876 --> 00:06:03,376 Quebec, Foxtrot, Echo, 1014. Surface wind, 230 degrees, 61 00:06:03,376 --> 00:06:04,543 10 knots. 62 00:06:05,293 --> 00:06:07,376 Charlie Delta, taxi for runway 24, 63 00:06:07,376 --> 00:06:10,126 Quebec, Foxtrot, Echo, 1014. 64 00:06:10,793 --> 00:06:13,126 Charlie Delta, clear line up and takeoff. 65 00:06:14,001 --> 00:06:15,209 Charlie Delta rolling. 66 00:06:16,084 --> 00:06:17,751 Celle Approach, Charlie Delta, 67 00:06:17,751 --> 00:06:22,834 signing on to 265, climbing the level 280. And away you go. 68 00:06:39,751 --> 00:06:42,959 Charlie Delta. Charlie Delta, Celle. 69 00:06:43,459 --> 00:06:45,209 Charlie Delta, clear for takeoff. 70 00:06:45,626 --> 00:06:46,793 Roger that, tower. 71 00:07:24,043 --> 00:07:26,793 Charlie Delta. Clear airfield. Wheels up and locked. 72 00:07:26,959 --> 00:07:28,168 Happy Christmas, Jim. 73 00:07:28,293 --> 00:07:29,709 Happy Christmas, Freddie. 74 00:07:29,709 --> 00:07:34,501 ♪ Hark how the bells, sweet silver bells all seem to say, throw cares away ♪ 75 00:07:34,501 --> 00:07:36,918 ♪ Christmas is here, bringing good cheer ♪ 76 00:07:36,918 --> 00:07:39,334 ♪ To young and old, meek and the bold ♪ 77 00:07:39,334 --> 00:07:44,084 ♪ One seems to hear words of good cheer from everywhere, filling the air ♪ 78 00:07:44,084 --> 00:07:48,793 ♪ Oh, how they pound, raising their sound o'er hill and dale, telling their tale ♪ 79 00:07:48,793 --> 00:07:53,418 ♪ Gaily they ring while people sing songs of good cheer, Christmas is here ♪ 80 00:07:53,543 --> 00:07:58,126 ♪ On, on they send, on without end their joyful tone, to every home ♪ 81 00:07:58,126 --> 00:08:02,709 ♪ Hark how the bells, sweet silver bells all seem to say, throw cares away ♪ 82 00:08:02,834 --> 00:08:05,001 ♪ Christmas is here, bringing good cheer ♪ 83 00:08:05,001 --> 00:08:06,959 ♪ To young and old, meek and the bold ♪ 84 00:08:08,043 --> 00:08:12,001 ♪ One seems to hear words of good cheer from everywhere, filling the air ♪ 85 00:08:12,001 --> 00:08:16,501 ♪ Oh, how they pound, raising their sound o'er hill and dale, telling their tale ♪ 86 00:08:16,501 --> 00:08:21,084 ♪ Gaily they ring while people sing songs of good cheer, Christmas is here ♪ 87 00:08:21,251 --> 00:08:23,459 ♪ Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas ♪ 88 00:08:23,459 --> 00:08:28,001 ♪ On, on they send, on without end their joyful tone, to every home ♪ 89 00:08:48,084 --> 00:08:49,918 Bloody compass. 90 00:08:59,834 --> 00:09:02,334 Compass failure. Compass failure. 91 00:09:12,001 --> 00:09:13,001 Come on. 92 00:09:15,043 --> 00:09:17,084 Celle, Charlie Delta. Celle, Charlie Delta. 93 00:09:17,084 --> 00:09:20,501 Calling North Beveland Control. Compass failure. 94 00:09:20,626 --> 00:09:24,459 Request a radio-assisted approach. Alert RAF Lakenheath. 95 00:09:27,918 --> 00:09:30,709 Celle, Charlie Delta. Celle, Charlie Delta. 96 00:09:31,709 --> 00:09:35,459 Do you read me? Request a ground-controlled approach. 97 00:09:36,126 --> 00:09:40,584 Uh, RAF Lakenheath, ETA 2340. 98 00:09:52,876 --> 00:09:55,501 Celle, Charlie Delta. Celle, Charlie Delta. 99 00:09:55,501 --> 00:09:57,501 Require radio assistance. 100 00:09:59,334 --> 00:10:01,001 Come on. Someone talk to me. 101 00:10:01,543 --> 00:10:03,751 Celle, Charlie Delta. Celle, Charlie Delta. 102 00:10:03,751 --> 00:10:07,626 Calling Lakenheath Control. Electrical failure. Come in. 103 00:10:18,293 --> 00:10:21,043 Celle, Charlie Delta. Calling Lakenheath Control. 104 00:10:21,043 --> 00:10:24,793 Multiple instrument failure. Do you read me? Come on! 105 00:10:25,501 --> 00:10:29,668 {\an8}Come on, come on! Just work! 106 00:10:30,126 --> 00:10:32,584 How can I land if I've got no one to talk me down? 107 00:10:35,209 --> 00:10:38,251 Switching to emergency channel. 108 00:10:38,584 --> 00:10:40,959 Celle, Charlie Delta. Celle, Charlie Delta. 109 00:10:41,793 --> 00:10:44,376 Calling Lakenheath Control. Come in. 110 00:11:18,918 --> 00:11:22,084 If anyone can hear me, this is Celle, Charlie Delta. 111 00:11:22,876 --> 00:11:24,084 Instrument failure. 112 00:11:24,251 --> 00:11:27,501 Only speed and altitude functioning, will attempt visual navigation. 113 00:11:28,584 --> 00:11:30,168 Attempting to fly to Norwich. 114 00:11:33,751 --> 00:11:35,668 Land at the nearest airfield... 115 00:11:38,876 --> 00:11:40,209 Miriam St. George. 116 00:11:42,251 --> 00:11:45,001 Fuel status, only 1,200 pounds remaining. 117 00:11:45,626 --> 00:11:48,334 God. 118 00:11:58,709 --> 00:12:02,418 Fog as well now. Oh no. 119 00:12:24,001 --> 00:12:27,459 Celle, Charlie Delta. Emergency. Calling all channels. 120 00:12:27,709 --> 00:12:31,376 Throttling back and descending to 10,000 feet to save my fuel. 121 00:12:32,251 --> 00:12:37,209 Commencing emergency distress procedure. Flying triangular flight pattern. 122 00:12:41,293 --> 00:12:43,751 Hopefully someone will pick me up on radar. 123 00:12:46,043 --> 00:12:47,293 It's my only hope. 124 00:13:14,376 --> 00:13:15,959 Fuel status critical. 125 00:13:17,418 --> 00:13:19,126 Seven hundred pounds remaining. 126 00:13:29,751 --> 00:13:32,418 Lord, please get me out of this bloody mess. 127 00:13:35,626 --> 00:13:38,001 Please send someone to lead me down. 128 00:13:59,418 --> 00:14:02,543 Fuel level critical. Three hundred pounds remaining. 129 00:14:05,668 --> 00:14:09,876 Current estimation, ten minutes remaining before ditching. 130 00:14:15,793 --> 00:14:19,001 Continuing to fly triangular flight pattern. 131 00:14:27,459 --> 00:14:29,168 Why can't anybody see my up here? 132 00:14:30,918 --> 00:14:32,834 Why won't somebody listen to me? 133 00:14:41,209 --> 00:14:43,126 Emergency fuel level reached. 134 00:14:43,959 --> 00:14:46,334 Estimate five minutes to ditching. 135 00:14:55,168 --> 00:14:56,168 Lizzie... 136 00:14:57,126 --> 00:14:59,959 ...if this is it, then... 137 00:15:02,293 --> 00:15:03,876 I want you to know that... 138 00:15:07,126 --> 00:15:09,209 I don't seem to be afraid anymore. 139 00:15:16,209 --> 00:15:17,543 Just really sad. 140 00:15:21,501 --> 00:15:23,709 Sad for all the things that we'll never do... 141 00:15:27,001 --> 00:15:29,126 all the places we'll never see together. 142 00:15:36,959 --> 00:15:39,918 All I wanted was to come home to spend Christmas with you. 143 00:15:50,418 --> 00:15:53,459 Why don't you come inside? It's freezing out here. 144 00:15:54,209 --> 00:15:56,168 Come in. Out of the cold. 145 00:16:29,793 --> 00:16:32,459 This is Charlie Delta calling all channels. 146 00:16:33,918 --> 00:16:35,918 Sea ditching now inevitable. 147 00:16:38,459 --> 00:16:40,584 This may be my last communication. 148 00:17:45,168 --> 00:17:48,126 Croc... Lima... Can you... read... 149 00:17:48,834 --> 00:17:52,043 - Identify your position. Charlie Delta. Do you read me? 150 00:17:52,543 --> 00:17:54,501 Charlie Delta, request your ID. 151 00:17:56,376 --> 00:17:58,209 Crocodile Lima, Monkey Delta. 152 00:17:58,209 --> 00:17:59,376 Can you read me? 153 00:17:59,543 --> 00:18:01,793 This is Charlie Delta, not Monkey Delta. 154 00:18:01,793 --> 00:18:05,834 En route Miriam. Instrument failure. Request assisted approach. 155 00:18:07,418 --> 00:18:08,876 Come on. Come on. 156 00:18:16,334 --> 00:18:18,876 Charlie Delta, Crocodile Lima. Do you read me? 157 00:18:21,209 --> 00:18:22,376 He can't hear me. 158 00:18:25,501 --> 00:18:28,126 Charlie Delta, Crocodile Lima. Do you read me? 159 00:18:31,751 --> 00:18:32,918 He can't hear me. 160 00:18:33,918 --> 00:18:35,209 What the hell's going on? 161 00:18:35,918 --> 00:18:37,959 Why can I hear him, but he can't hear me? 162 00:18:39,168 --> 00:18:41,418 Have you sustained structural damage? 163 00:18:41,876 --> 00:18:43,251 Do you require assistance? 164 00:18:43,626 --> 00:18:47,293 Charlie Delta to Crocodile Lima. Yes! Require assistance. 165 00:19:07,459 --> 00:19:11,459 Charlie Delta to Crocodile Lima. Please confirm you have a visual on me. 166 00:19:14,793 --> 00:19:16,001 A Mosquito... 167 00:19:38,918 --> 00:19:39,918 Thank you. 168 00:19:54,084 --> 00:19:55,209 Do you read me? 169 00:19:57,709 --> 00:20:01,209 Charlie Delta. Yes, I... Yeah, I can hear you. 170 00:20:05,084 --> 00:20:06,126 Roger that. 171 00:20:06,626 --> 00:20:09,251 Negative on your transmissions, I can't hear you. 172 00:20:09,626 --> 00:20:11,084 Use your hand signals. 173 00:20:15,001 --> 00:20:16,543 Do you have structural damage? 174 00:20:17,793 --> 00:20:19,043 Electrical failure. 175 00:20:21,418 --> 00:20:22,834 What's your fuel status? 176 00:20:27,959 --> 00:20:29,293 Okay. Three minutes. 177 00:20:29,543 --> 00:20:33,459 Line up on me, and let's start our descent. 178 00:20:48,584 --> 00:20:51,001 - You're doing fine. - Thank you. 179 00:21:02,834 --> 00:21:05,209 Okay. You've got four miles to touchdown. 180 00:21:05,376 --> 00:21:07,834 Make sure your landing gear is down and locked. 181 00:21:11,959 --> 00:21:13,043 That's it. 182 00:21:19,251 --> 00:21:23,293 Okay, we're three miles out. Follow me down, I'm taking you home. 183 00:21:26,459 --> 00:21:29,709 Here we go. Now, don't lose sight of my wing. 184 00:21:32,251 --> 00:21:35,251 Two miles out. Start down, five hundred feet per minute. 185 00:21:45,209 --> 00:21:46,334 How's your fuel? 186 00:21:52,709 --> 00:21:53,709 Stay with me. 187 00:21:56,751 --> 00:22:01,043 We've got a mile to go. We're slowing down to 110 knots. 188 00:22:01,334 --> 00:22:03,709 Continue descent, 300 feet per minute. 189 00:22:09,584 --> 00:22:13,584 Okay, there's your runway straight ahead. You're clear to land. 190 00:22:15,626 --> 00:22:16,668 Merry Christmas. 191 00:24:43,043 --> 00:24:44,293 Hello, there! 192 00:24:45,001 --> 00:24:47,043 - Hello. That yours? 193 00:24:49,584 --> 00:24:54,084 Sergeant Joe Marks, jump in. I'll run you back to the mess. 194 00:25:03,626 --> 00:25:06,168 - Thank you. It's good to be in the warm. - I expect it is. 195 00:25:20,751 --> 00:25:22,043 Flying Officer, Freddie Hook. 196 00:25:23,084 --> 00:25:25,501 - That was close. - You were lucky in this fog. 197 00:25:26,084 --> 00:25:30,543 Yeah. My radio and electrics failed out of the North Sea. 198 00:25:32,251 --> 00:25:34,084 I was guided in by another aircraft. 199 00:25:34,418 --> 00:25:36,959 - Surprised you managed to find the place. - What do you mean? 200 00:25:37,251 --> 00:25:39,709 We're not an operational station, haven't been for years. 201 00:25:40,918 --> 00:25:42,543 We're just a storage depot now. 202 00:25:44,834 --> 00:25:48,584 - So this isn't RAF Miriam St. George? - That's another ten miles away, sir. 203 00:25:49,043 --> 00:25:51,501 - This is RAF Minton. - Minton? 204 00:25:52,293 --> 00:25:53,501 I've never heard of it. 205 00:25:59,209 --> 00:26:01,751 I saw your runway lights... 206 00:26:03,584 --> 00:26:09,001 and... Well, looks like I've plonked my Vampire down onto the wrong airfield. 207 00:26:11,584 --> 00:26:13,709 - Sorry. - Don't mention it, sir. 208 00:26:46,126 --> 00:26:47,168 You got the short straw, 209 00:26:47,293 --> 00:26:49,126 having to spend your Christmas on duty here? 210 00:26:49,459 --> 00:26:51,459 Yes. 211 00:26:52,751 --> 00:26:53,834 Let's get you settled. 212 00:27:09,293 --> 00:27:11,876 - This will warm you up, sir. - Thank you. 213 00:27:18,376 --> 00:27:19,751 Come on, Lizzie. 214 00:27:28,668 --> 00:27:31,959 Come on, Lizzie. Pick up. 215 00:28:25,626 --> 00:28:28,376 - Did you get through? - Strange. 216 00:28:29,834 --> 00:28:31,959 Well, it is Christmas. 217 00:28:41,626 --> 00:28:43,001 You've been here long, Joe? 218 00:28:43,668 --> 00:28:46,543 Since the beginning of the war when the station opened. 219 00:28:47,626 --> 00:28:49,501 - It's different then. - Hmm. 220 00:28:49,793 --> 00:28:53,501 Back then, it was full of young pilots flying mission after mission, 221 00:28:54,126 --> 00:28:56,334 even after their nerves were in shreds. 222 00:28:58,043 --> 00:29:01,751 - Did you have family in the Force, sir? - Yeah. Yeah, my father. 223 00:29:04,334 --> 00:29:07,209 - I'm sorry. - Missing in action over Germany. 224 00:29:08,543 --> 00:29:13,209 - So you followed him into the Force? - Yeah, yeah, I did. 225 00:29:14,543 --> 00:29:16,793 Not right away, though. National Service. 226 00:29:17,584 --> 00:29:20,168 Well, thank God there's no war on. 227 00:29:21,793 --> 00:29:24,668 Let's hope we don't have to go through anything like that again. 228 00:29:27,043 --> 00:29:28,959 - May I, sir? - Thank you. 229 00:29:49,876 --> 00:29:51,251 Who's the pilot, Joe? 230 00:29:53,959 --> 00:29:55,543 Oh, that's Mr. John Kavanagh. 231 00:29:56,209 --> 00:29:58,834 - He was here during the war, sir. - Kavanagh? 232 00:29:59,501 --> 00:30:00,501 Yes. 233 00:30:01,709 --> 00:30:03,959 Often used to sit at that table where you were sitting. 234 00:30:04,709 --> 00:30:05,876 A Canadian pilot. 235 00:30:07,251 --> 00:30:11,334 - What squadron was that, Joe? - Pathfinders. Mosquitoes they flew. 236 00:30:11,334 --> 00:30:14,084 I believe Mr. Kavanagh was the best of them all. 237 00:30:14,334 --> 00:30:17,959 But then, I'm biased. I was his batman. 238 00:30:27,418 --> 00:30:30,376 - Johnny Kavanagh. - When the squadron returned 239 00:30:30,501 --> 00:30:33,668 after dropping marker flares over targets in Germany, 240 00:30:33,876 --> 00:30:38,459 he'd have his Mosquito refueled. Take off again. Alone. 241 00:30:38,793 --> 00:30:41,001 - He used to guide them back here. - Yes. 242 00:30:41,543 --> 00:30:43,793 He used to go out over the North Sea... 243 00:30:45,043 --> 00:30:48,918 looking for a crippled plane, sometimes in fog so dense 244 00:30:49,834 --> 00:30:51,334 you couldn't see your hand. 245 00:30:52,584 --> 00:30:53,834 Just like tonight. 246 00:31:03,376 --> 00:31:04,918 Well, he brought me home tonight. 247 00:31:05,876 --> 00:31:07,293 Oh, I don't think so, sir. 248 00:31:10,001 --> 00:31:14,334 Mr. Johnny went out on his last patrol Christmas Eve, 1943. 249 00:31:16,084 --> 00:31:17,834 Just 14 years ago tonight. 250 00:31:19,918 --> 00:31:21,126 He never came back. 251 00:31:23,001 --> 00:31:24,376 He went down with his plane... 252 00:31:26,668 --> 00:31:28,876 somewhere out there over the North Sea. 253 00:31:37,543 --> 00:31:38,668 Well, good night, sir. 254 00:31:43,418 --> 00:31:47,168 Oh, and uh... ...Happy Christmas. 255 00:32:44,126 --> 00:32:47,418 We saw you on the radar looked like you were heading for Miriam. 256 00:32:48,043 --> 00:32:51,001 - Then you just vanished. - We lost you around about here. 257 00:32:52,834 --> 00:32:54,584 - Why did you... - I was led down. 258 00:32:55,793 --> 00:32:58,751 Old guy here turned on the runway lights and saved my life. 259 00:33:01,334 --> 00:33:03,959 This place shut down years ago at the end of the war. 260 00:33:04,668 --> 00:33:06,418 Uh, it's been abandoned ever since. 261 00:33:25,001 --> 00:33:26,001 Come on. 262 00:33:27,543 --> 00:33:29,376 Let's get you back to civilization, sir. 263 00:33:30,293 --> 00:33:31,501 Home for Christmas. 264 00:33:58,001 --> 00:33:59,793 Crocodile Lima, Monkey Delta. 265 00:33:59,793 --> 00:34:02,543 Can you read me? Do you require assistance? 266 00:34:03,043 --> 00:34:05,959 Monkey, Delta, Crocodile Lima, Skipper here. 267 00:34:06,126 --> 00:34:08,793 Flank damage and hit from pursuing enemy fighter. 268 00:34:08,959 --> 00:34:12,543 Instrument failure. Require ground assisted approach. 269 00:34:13,126 --> 00:34:15,251 Crocodile Lima, Monkey Delta, 270 00:34:15,459 --> 00:34:18,459 it's time to follow me down. I'm taking you home.