Bill Lucas (runner)

Lucas was born in London, the only child of a bricklayer who had served as a sergeant with the Northamptonshire Regiment during the First World War and had received the Military Medal.[3] After leaving grammar school at 15 in 1932, he worked in London at several jobs, as a packer for a trading house, a clerk for a publisher and as an assessor for a insurance company.[4]

When war was declared in 1939, Lucas chose to serve in the Royal Air Force, joining the RAFVR in 1940.[4] After a period of training at RAF Burnaston, he made his first solo flight in a Miles Magister, and after advanced flight training received his wings as a fighter pilot.[5][6] After victory in the Battle of Britain made the induction of further pilots in the fighter stream unnecessary, Lucas was posted to RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland for further training as a bomber pilot on Vickers Wellingtons.[4] In August 1941 Lucas, now a sergeant pilot, was assigned to No. 9 Squadron RAF, then stationed at RAF Honington.[4] After flying on three bombing missions over Germany, Lucas was assigned his own crew, flying a further 14 missions.[4] He was then requested to take a conversion course in order to fly larger four-engined Short Stirling bombers.[1] After completing the course, Lucas transferred to No. 15 Squadron RAF at RAF Wyton,[4] flying another 26 missions over Europe through mid-1942.[4] By now a flight sergeant, Lucas received an emergency commission as a pilot officer (on probation) on 1 May 1942, with seniority from 11 May.[1] He participated in the Allies' first 1000-bomber raid over Cologne on 30 May.[4]

On 9 November 1942, Lucas was promoted to war-substantive flying officer (on probation).[7] Following his first tour, Lucas was again posted to Scotland through late 1944, receiving a promotion to war-substantive flight lieutenant on 11 May 1944.[8] In Scotland, he served as an instructor with No. 19 Operational Training Unit at RAF Kinloss.[9] While there, he met a fellow instructor, Wing Commander Hamish Mahaddie, as a result of which Lucas soon joined the Pathfinder Force in October 1944.[10]

For the remainder of the war, Lucas served with the Pathfinder Force, earning a mention in despatches in January 1945 and receiving the DFC in July.[4][11] He left the RAF after the end of the war, with the rank of squadron leader.[12]

Lucas returned from the military in 1946 and worked in insurance while raising a family.[12] When the 1948 Olympics came, he had trained only lightly for a limited period and failed to qualify for the final of the 5000 metres race.[12] In reflection of his career, Lucas recalled: "The biggest regret of my career is my lost Olympic years of 1940 and 1944" in 2008.[12]

Lucas ran for Britain in various internationals, won numerous Surrey titles and won a huge number of medals in the London to Brighton Relay for his club, Belgrave Harriers.[12]

Despite all his racing, Lucas never gained any income from the sport and he retired in 1954.[12] Years later, he made a brief comeback as a veteran and found himself racing Sydney Wooderson in a 100 x one mile relay.[12] In 2017, Lucas was recognized as Britain's oldest living Olympian.[13]

Lucas lived in Cowfold, West Sussex, with his wife, Sheena. He died on 24 March 2018 at the age of 101.[14]

• List of centenarians (sportspeople)