18,000 feet without a parachute

The unique story of Nicholas Alkemede

During the Second World War RAF Bomber command sustained 55,573 killed out of a total of 125,000 aircrew. This figure equates to a 44.4 per cent death rate, a casualty figure second only to the U-Boat arm of the Kriegsmarine. In addition to this number, Bomber Command sustained a further 8,403 wounded in action and while 9,838 became prisoners of war. 

Warfare has many risks attached to it, first and foremost amongst which are the risk of being killed or injured. Many other risks associated with warfare arise from the fact that the human beings involved are far removed from their natural element, the land. Whether a few hundred or perhaps thousand miles out to sea or a few thousand feet up in the air, when you are fighting so far out of your natural element you risk death not only from the weapons deployed by your enemy but also from the inherent danger of falling from the skies or into the unforgiving water. Nicholas Alkemade was one individual of RAF Bomber Command who stared certain death in the face but extraordinarily, managed to survive.