THE funeral of a wartime aviator who flew with the RAF's Dambusters squadron takes place today.
Flight Lieutenant Bill Garget, of Forest Hall, in North Tyneside, died aged 80.
He was just a teenager of 17 and had to lie about his age to enlist in the RAF, in 1941.
A wireless operator, he flew with 617 Squadron in a Lancaster bomber. Its heroism was depicted in the film The Dambusters.
The squadron was famed for its use of Barnes Wallis' bouncing bombs, created to blow up the German dams of the Ruhr Valley and cut off water and hydro-electric supplies and flood factories.
The Lancaster crews had to release the bomb while flying at night at exactly 220mph and at a height of exactly 60ft. The raids were successful in damaging the German war effort.
He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and later won the Distinguished Flying Cross.
His funeral takes place in West Road Crematorium, Newcastle, this morning.
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