MORE than half-a-century ago they were among the daring young men who helped turn the tide of the war, taking the blitz back to Fortress Europe.

Night after fear-filled night they took to the skies with their deadly cargo, unsure when - or even if - they would return.

But return they did and yesterday the surviving members of the bomber crew who took part in one of the last operations of the Second World War got together once more.

The scene of their re-union could not have been more fitting, in the shadow of the reconstructed Halifax bomber that has pride of place at the Yorkshire Air Museum, Elvington, near York.

Arthur Adcock, a museum member who lives in Berkshire, was a wireless-operator/gunner with 171 Squadron, flying the giant four-engined aircraft from North Creake in Norfolk.

He last saw the rest of his crew 57 years ago, when they were dispersed after flying an extended tour of 37 operations, finally flying daylight raid damage reconnaissance over Germany.

He succeeded in getting in touch with all the surviving members of the crew - flight engineer John James, air bomber Ken Ratcliffe, air gunner Edwin Moore and navigator Syd Love.

Now all long retired, they agreed to meet together one more time - and for Syd that meant returning to Britain from his home in Toronto for the first time since 1945.

"This is the first time we have been together since those times and standing in front of that Halifax was a very special moment," said Arthur.

The museum itself played a role in organising the poignant reunion and gave the veterans special access to the huge reconstruction of the aircraft the crew once knew so well.

They clambered inside, took up the positions in which they once flew over occupied Europe and reminisced for an hour about the dangerous years of their youth.

"This was special for us too," said museum spokesman Ian Dewar. "The memories just came flooding back to them and it was fascinating to hear their stories."