Jack Dark, PFF Lancasters navigator/bomb aimer

[DavidIsby]

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The last WWII RAF Lancaster Pathfinder, Jack Dark, has sadly passed away aged 102.
Born near Horsham in 1923, Jack left school at 15 and became a clerk in Horsham Council.
In 1942, Jack volunteered for the Royal Air Force and went on to become a Lancaster Navigator/Bomb Aimer in the Pathfinder Force.
The elite Pathfinder Force served as the spearhead of RAF Bomber Command, flying ahead to precisely locate and mark night targets with flares and Target Indicators. This drastically improved the accuracy of bombing raids but involved immense risk. The Pathfinders spent the longest time over heavily defended targets—becoming primary targets for German flak and night fighters—resulting in a disproportionately high attrition rate for these highly experienced volunteer crews.
Jack took part in 28 combat missions involving some of the most high-profile and well-defended targets of the Second World War.
Returning to Horsham Council after the Second World War, Jack dedicated 45 years to local government service before retiring at the age of 65.
Like many combat veterans, for decades, Jack was reluctant to discuss his wartime experiences. However, in recent years, he appeared in TV and film projects honouring those who had served in Bomber Command.
These included Guy Martin's Lost WW2 Bomber, and the short film, A Memory Owed.
Jack was a keen cricketer and was a former captain of Nuthurst Cricket Club.
Thank you for your service, Jack, both military and civil.
Our thoughts are with your son Chris and all your extended family.