Second World War veterans have train named after them

  • Published
George 'Johnny' Johnson and Joy LofthouseImage source, Getty Images/BBC
Image caption,

George 'Johnny' Johnson is the last British Dambuster and Joy Lofthouse was part of the Air Transport Auxiliary

Two Second World War veterans have been honoured by a train being named after them.

The train features the names of Spitfire pilot Joy Lofthouse and the last British survivor of the Dambusters raid, George 'Johnny' Johnson.

Great Western Railway (GWR) unveiled the names to mark 100 years of the RAF and 75 years since the Dambusters.

Mr Johnson said: "To know what we did all those years ago is still recognised in this way is a great tribute."

Image source, GWR
Image caption,

George 'Johnny' Johnson is the last surviving British Dambuster

Image source, GWR
Image caption,

Joy Lofthouse - who died last year - flew with the Air Transport Auxiliary

He added: "We were a group of young men doing our duty."

Ms Lofthouse, from Cirencester in Gloucestershire, was one of 166 female pilots to fly for the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA). She died in 2017 aged 94.

Mr Johnson, 95, was awarded the MBE last November following a long-running campaign.

The pensioner, who now lives in Bristol, is now one of only two survivors to take part in the legendary bombing raids on the Mohne, Eder and Sorpe dams in Germany.

This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Skip twitter post by GWR Help

Allow Twitter content?

This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
End of twitter post by GWR Help
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on Twitter
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Skip twitter post 2 by GWR Help

Allow Twitter content?

This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
End of twitter post 2 by GWR Help

On the new train, Mr Johnson's name sits beside a formation of 19 Lancaster bombers, separated into the three groups that carried out the mission.

Next to Mrs Lofthouse's name is the shape of a Spitfire.

Her daughter, Lyn Hartman, said: "I think my mother would have been proud of the honour of having a train named after her."

Related internet links

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.