HOME AT DAWN
By Nicholad Trudgian
500 Signed and Numbered

When No. 49 Squadron Lancasters bombed the S.S. barracks at Berchtesgaden on 25th April 1945, its aircrews completed a campaign that had begun 5 1/2 years earlier in September, 1939.  From the very beginning, 49 Squadron were in the thick of the action with one of the pilots, Roderick Learoyd, winning Bomber Command's first Victoria Cross.  In 1942, it was lancasters of 49 Sqdn that led the epic raid on the Schneider armament and locomotive works at Le Creusot. In 1943 they flew the 'shuttle-bombing' raids to Friedrichshafen and Spezia, attacked the heavily defended rocket sites at Peenemunde, and in preparation for D-Day, bombarded the coastal batteries in Normandy and the V-1 sites in the caves by the river Loire, north of Paris.   Later in 1944, the squadron notably took part in the raid on the German Baltic Fleet, continuing to fly important bombing missions against the Nazi war machine until the final collapse of the Third Reich.  So it is fitting that an RAF squadron whose history went right back to 1916, should make the coupe de grace at Berchtesgaden.    As the sun comes up over the river Orwell at Pin Mill, Lancasters of No. 49 Squadron descend low over Suffolk, heading towards their base at Fiskerton.  The night raid on Hamburg is almost completed.  Spitfires from No. 129 Squadron, based at Hornchurch, having made an early morning attack on German installations in Holland, have picked up the bombers and escorted them home.  

A truly emotive picture from one of the world's most popular aviation artist, each print in the edition is signed by FOUR Lancaster pilots who flew with No. 49 Squadron in World War Two.

Size:  30 3/4"  x  23 1/2"
$175.00