THE bravery and hardships of world war two were vividly brought to life for Okehampton Air Cadets when they were treated to a fascinating insight into the life of an air gunner in the RAF earlier this month.

Local farmer and ex-prisoner of war, Phillip Jenkinson, gave a talk to the cadets, their parents and the staff at 2443 Okehampton Squadron Air Training Corps.

Mr Jenkinson, who held the rank of warrant officer when he left the service, brought a selection of his memorabilia from his days in the RAF, and from his time as a prisoner of war in Germany.

The cadets and their guests listened with avid interest to tales of bombing raids over Germany and of being captured after nine days on the run, having almost made it to the Swiss border.

Mr Jenkinson said having been forced-marched across Germany, keeping just ahead of the advancing Allies, the exhausted RAF men awoke in a field one morning to find that they had been abandoned by their captors and left to fend for themselves — and how they were among the fortunate few to make it home.

After the talk, the cadets were allowed to handle some of the many mementos that Mr Jenkinson had brought with him, from a piece of the actual Halifax aeroplane that Mr Jenkinson had bailed out of, to intricately stitched samplers that he had made in the camps to try pass the time.

A plaque was presented, on behalf of the cadets, to Mr Jenkinson by Wing Commander Mike Symons, commanding officer of Plymouth and Cornwall Wing.

Okehampton Air Cadets meet every Monday and alternate Thursdays, from 7pm to 9.30pm, at Military Sidings, Tors Road, Okehampton.

Anyone between 13 and 17 and interested in joining, can visit the squadron or phone them on 01837 55044, during parade times only.