Horsham war veteran stars at major new film premiere

A Horsham war veteran who took part in some of the most famous missions in World War II has been given the red carpet treatment at the West End premiere of a major new film.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Horsham born-and-bred Jack Dark joined RAF Bomber Command in 1943 as navigator/bomb aimer and then Pathfinder Force as radar navigator leader.

More than 100 Lancasters and their crews were lost on raids that Jack flew. “It was a constant reminder of how vulnerable we were.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

And Jack’s memories helped producers in the making of the newly-released film ‘Lancaster’.

Jack Dark with a poster of the new film LancasterJack Dark with a poster of the new film Lancaster
Jack Dark with a poster of the new film Lancaster

Jack, now 98, features by interview in several segments of the film – earning himself a special place of honour at the film’s premiere at the Curzon in Mayfair.

The film itself tells the story of the Lancaster – the iconic WW2 bomber – told through the words of the last surviving crew members, including Jack, along with re-mastered archive material and aerial footage of the RAF’s last airworthy Lancaster.

The aircraft was responsible for some of the most famous missions in WW2 history, from the Dambuster raids to the controversial bombing of Dresden,.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But the Lancaster helped turn the tide of war, although at a high price.

A poster of the new film Lancaster whose production was helped with recollections from Horsham war veteran Jack DarkA poster of the new film Lancaster whose production was helped with recollections from Horsham war veteran Jack Dark
A poster of the new film Lancaster whose production was helped with recollections from Horsham war veteran Jack Dark

A total of 55,000 young men – half of all Bomber Command’s aircrew – died over Nazi occupied Europe.

Their average age was just 22.

With an average of seven hours per mission, Jack flew 28 combat operations to targets including Hamburg, two German battle cruisers in Gydinia/Gdańsk, Munich, Uft Dam, Dortmund, Emms, Oslo Fjord and Dresden.

His first raid was to Drammen Fjord Oslo to drop mines, and his last as ‘primary blind marker’ on the Norwegian coast.

Jack Dark at the West End film premiere of LancasterJack Dark at the West End film premiere of Lancaster
Jack Dark at the West End film premiere of Lancaster
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Pathfinder crews were tasked with flying out first before the main force, locating and marking the targets.

Main force planes would then use these markers to locate their own bomb runs.

Jack’s last raid was to a Norwegian fjord, he marked a German battle cruiser at anchor. Similarly, he marked targets in Dresden, prior to the main raid.

Jack was born in Sedgwick, Horsham, the eldest of six children and went to Oxford Road School before leaving at 14 and joining Horsham Rural District Council in 1939 as a junior clerk.

He went on to spend 45 years in local government service.

Related topics: