Veteran, 90, awarded Lottery funds to pay tribute to friend killed over Japan

A war veteran who celebrated his 90th birthday yesterday has been awarded lottery funding to return to Japan to pay his respects to the cabin mate he saw blasted out of the sky.

Flight Commander Keith Quilter was 23 when he witnessed the aircraft of his friend, 22-year-old Walter Stradwick, explode in a ball of flames as they launched an attack on a Japanese aerodrome in July 1945.

Flt Cdr Quilter, who served on aircraft carrier HMS Formidable, is one of a number of Second World War veterans who will be making commemorative visits as part of the Big Lottery Fund’s Heroes Return 2 programme.

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He will receive £3,700 so he can go to Japan in May this year and his is the 50th successful application for such funding.

Flt Cdr Quilter, from Tenterden, Kent, said: “I want to go and pay my respects to my cabin mate Walter Stradwick.

“I found out where his grave is and I’m going to leave a wreath there. I’m also hoping to somehow trace his family. I’m going to take a photograph of his grave and would like them to be able to see it.

“We were all such young and cocky fighter pilots. But by the time VJ Day came I think half the squadron had been lost. Walter was a lovely guy. That mission was the one that caused me the most personal loss.

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“When your close friend and cabin mate is shot down and you get back to the ship and walk back into an empty cabin room, that is quite something.”

Chief executive of the Big Lottery Fund Peter Wanless said: “The stories we hear from our veterans are incredible and extremely humbling.

“We are delighted to be able to extend our Heroes Return 2 programme. This will ensure Second World War veterans from the UK, Channel Islands and Republic of Ireland who have yet to take advantage of the funding opportunity now have more time to apply for grants to enable them to make trips back to places across the world where they served.”

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