Bill Lucas (runner) facts for kids

William Ernest Lucas (born January 16, 1917 – died March 24, 2018) was a brave British officer in the RAF. He was also a talented long-distance runner. He even competed in the 1948 Summer Olympics! In 2017, he was known as Britain's oldest living Olympian.

Early Life of Bill Lucas

Bill Lucas was born in London, England. He was the only child of a bricklayer. His father had fought in the First World War and earned a special medal.

Bill left school when he was 15 years old in 1932. He worked at different jobs in London. He was a packer, a clerk, and even helped with insurance.

Bill Lucas's Military Career

When war started in 1939, Bill decided to join the Royal Air Force. He joined in 1940. After some training, he flew his first solo flight. He then became a fighter pilot.

Later, Bill trained to fly larger Vickers Wellington bomber planes. In August 1941, he joined No. 9 Squadron RAF. He flew three bombing missions over Germany. Soon, he got his own crew and flew 14 more missions.

Bill then learned to fly even bigger planes called Short Stirling bombers. He moved to No. 15 Squadron RAF. There, he flew 26 more missions over Europe. He was promoted to pilot officer in May 1942. He took part in a huge raid over Cologne, Germany, with 1000 bombers.

In November 1942, Bill was promoted again. After his first set of missions, he became an instructor in Scotland. He taught other pilots how to fly. In October 1944, he joined the Pathfinder Force. This was a special group that marked targets for other bombers.

Bill served with the Pathfinders for the rest of the war. He received a special mention for his bravery in January 1945. In July, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC). This is a very important award for bravery in the air. After the war ended, he left the RAF as a Squadron Leader.

Bill Lucas's Running Career

After the war, Bill worked in insurance and raised his family. He also loved running. He trained for the 1948 Summer Olympics. Even though he trained only a little, he competed in the 5000 metres race. He didn't make it to the final, but it was still a great achievement.

Bill later said he regretted missing the 1940 and 1944 Olympics. Those games were cancelled because of the war.

Bill ran for Britain in many international races. He won many titles in Surrey. He also won lots of medals for his club, Belgrave Harriers, in the London to Brighton Relay.

Even with all his running, Bill never earned money from the sport. He stopped competing in 1954. Years later, he ran again as a veteran. In 2017, he was recognized as Britain's oldest living Olympian.

Later Life and Death

Bill Lucas lived in Cowfold, West Sussex, with his wife, Sheena. He passed away on March 24, 2018. He was 101 years old.

See also

• List of centenarians (sportspeople)