WWII veteran reunites with military uniform for 80th Remembrance Day

By Adam Dutton

A 105-year-old World War II veteran has been reunited with an RAF uniform in time for Remembrance Sunday — after his family flew it out to him.

Former tailgunner Ronnie Holdsworth completed a remarkable 32 sorties while serving with No. 158 Squadron of Bomber Command.

Ronnie, from Bradford, who is believed to be one of the last remaining Bomber Command crew members still alive, had hoped to fly back to the UK to attend his 80th Remembrance Sunday.

But when doctors in the US deemed him unfit to fly, his family decided to hand-deliver an RAF uniform to his care home in Bakersfield, California.

The retirement home in Bakersfield put on a special ceremony for the RAF veteran, where his was presented with his Sgts stripes.

His great-niece Angie Burns, from Bradford, helped deliver the tailgunner uniform, amongst other gifts.

The 53-year-old said: “We’re taking Remembrance Sunday to Ronnie.

“He’s returned to the UK over the years for reunions with 158 Squadron but he can no longer travel.

"Ronnie’s retirement home in Bakersfield is organizing a special event for him and other veterans.

"International Bomber Command managed to obtain an RAF uniform for him to wear and they’re producing a replica of his logbook, detailing all his 32 ops.

"We have also contacted Buckingham Palace requesting a message from the King.

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“Ronnie’s war service is incredible. He is one of the world’s last surviving WW2 airmen.”

Ronnie, born in Bradford, initially served as a mechanic in the RAF after volunteering in 1940.

He qualified for air crew in 1943 and began operating Handley Page Halifax, a four-engined heavy bomber.

Bomber crews were only expected to survive three missions, but Ronnie managed to clock an impressive 32 before the end of the war.

He had two sons before he emigrated to America in 1958, where he worked as a milkman initially and then built a successful career in sales.

Angie added: “Growing up, I didn’t know much about his war service because he didn’t talk about it.

“Bomber Command strategies were so secret; he wasn’t allowed to talk about anything.

"When servicemen came home they just got on with their lives.

“He’s very humble and still has a sense of humor.

"His crew nicknamed him Chico because he was from a musical family and liked to dance. He still does a dance class every day.

“People say ‘there aren’t any war veterans left now’ - well we want the world to know that Ronnie is still here.

"A Bradford man who flew backwards, in a cramped, isolating, freezing turret, for hours, on dangerous raids, day and night.”

Reflecting on his war, Ronnie said: “I often think how the hell did I sit there all that time? It made you grow up pretty fast.”