Belgrave Harriers celebrates the 100th birthday of Bill Lucas DFC. (b. 16.01.1917)

A memorable day in the club’s long history

Club President Bill Laws writes:

Sunday 15^th January witnessed a large turnout of Belgravians to celebrate the remarkable life of Bill Lucas DFC who has notched up 100 incredible years. 14 Past Presidents and members from far flung fields met at Belgrave Hall to add their tributes to Belgrave’s oldest and longest serving member. In a valedictory speech the present President recorded Bill’s remarkable achievements in the RAF and the sport of athletics.Bill was called up in March 1940 and elected to join the RAF. He made an inauspicious start by failing a medical due to an enlarged heart and erratic pulse. The medics took some persuading that these were normal attributes for a healthy long distance athlete and eventually Bill was accepted for pilot training. He gained his wings early in 1941 and his intake of 30 pilots commenced fighter training. But events were moving rapidly and the RAF decided that the time had come for the country to take a more aggressive stance. Bomber Command was beefed up and pilots moved to bomber squadrons. Bill moved to Scotland building up experience in Wellington mid range bombers. It wasn’t long before he was flying sorties bombing strategic targets in Italy , Germany and Poland. He tracked the German battle fleet as it tried to break out into the North Sea covering both Norway and the English Channel. One of his last operations in Wellingtons was a part of the 1000 bomber raid on Berlin. In all he flew 14 missions to Berlin. He then transferred to the Stirling heavy bomber and targets moved further afield.Bomber Command had the highest attrition rate of any of the services. 46% of crews failed to make the end of the war. The average number of operations was 8 and after a tour lasting 30 operations or 300 hours of flying bomber crews were expected to stand down. After 43 operations Bill was transferred back to Scotland to train new bomber pilots and things may have remained like that except for the introduction of the de Havilland Mosquito fighter bomber in 1944. Pilots compared moving from heavy bombers to the Mosquito as swapping a lorry for a Ferrari. With a top speed of 460 mph the RAF needed pilots with fighter training and bomber experience. Bill fitted the requirements. He moved down to Cambridge and was soon promoted to Squadron Leader. He was awarded the DFC as he guided heavy bombers to their targets as part of his path finder duties. By the time the war ended in the autumn of 1945 Bill had amassed 1900 flying hours and had completed 81 combat operations.Bill was demobbed early in 1946 and immediately resumed training, running from Belgrave Hall whenever he could. In December 1946 he won the South of the Thames CC Champs leading a Belgrave team to victory. The club had already won the Junior title and that double victory has not been emulated since. Bill’s running continued to improve and he was selected for the 5000m in the 1948 London Olympics where he was beaten by athletes (including the legendary Emil Zatopek) who had not had their training curtailed by wartime duties. Bill continued to be a key member of winning Belgrave teams running in several London to Brighton relays, an event sponsored by the News of The World and which ranked as one of the Country’s sporting highlights in the 1950’s.At that time it was customary to retire early once an athlete had peaked and after the war there were very few veteran athletes. Many moved in to management as inter club rivalries grew. Bill went on to develop and manage Belgrave’s middle distance squads for the next 18 years. He was Surrey’s teammanager too and was active representing the club on various committees. He became President of the South of England AAA’s and served as President of Belgrave three times including the centenary year of 1987.Bill joined the Belgrave Committee in 1946 and attended regularly until 2014 when ill health put an end to his monthly commute from Cowfold in Sussex. At the age of 97 years he had a valve added to his heart with the faulty one being left in situ. At the same time he had a pace maker fitted and the irregular heartbeat, which had so nearly prevented him being accepted by the RAF in 1940, became a thing of the past. The following year Bill broke a femur in a freak accident and was hospitalised for a month. He made a remarkable recovery.By this time, Bill’s celebrity status as Britain’s oldest Olympian was being recognised. He was invited to start the London mile at the age of 98 and in 2016 he was a guest presenter at the televised Pride of Britain Awards hosted by Carol Vorderman. During this period he was actively supporting Bomber Command’s fund raising work and played an important role in the programme which led to the construction of the Bomber Command Memorial in Green Park. Bill went to many picture signing events for Bomber Command. In November 2016 fate was to deal Bill a bitter blow. A car in which Bill and wife, Sheena, were passengers was taking them to a signing event, crashed and rolled. Bill and Sheena had to be cut out of the wreckage. They remained in Horsham hospital again for a month returning home in time for Christmas. At that time it seemed unlikely that Bill would be able to celebrate his centenary away from home. But with his customary doggedness and determination he made it to Belgrave Hall to receive the many tributes which he so richly deserves. A truly great and remarkable man. Belgrave’s finest.