Robert Upcott

Robert Upcott
Captain
1923 - 2001

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In the early morning of April 29, 1945, two Lancaster bombers took off from England, braving poor weather to reach occupied Holland. 

Their mission was to deliver food to the starving people of Western Holland, who had endured a brutal Nazi occupation and a harsh winter. Thousands had perished from starvation, while many survived on meager rations of sugar beets and tulip bulbs.

The first Lancaster to reach the shoreline was ‘Bad Penny’, flown by 21-year-old Captain Robert Upcott, successfully completing the test run that marked the start of Operation Manna. 

As the planes flew overhead, people cheered, waved, and danced with joy. For those who witnessed it, the Manna flights felt like a miraculous gift from the skies.

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Windsor, Ontario