RAF heroes and the drama of the Battle of Britain are more than just history for a Bolton war veteran.

Events to mark the 60th anniversary of the air battle which saved the country from Hitler's invasion have brought back many memories for 84-year-old John Openshaw, who served on one of the front line air bases during the thick of the fighting. John, who now lives in Doffcocker, and his pals joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve in February 1940 just a few months after the start of the war and after initial training he soon found himself in Reims, building an arms dump and helping supply fighters in French airbases with ammunition.

But as the allies retreated in the face of German advances he and his colleagues were ordered to evacuate back to England via the port of St Nazaire.

The group were due to sail home on the ill fated ship the Lancastria, but fortunately they didn't make it before the ship was sunk, killing hundreds of those on board.

He finally made it home but was in England for just four days before he was posted to RAF Hawkinge, an airbase in Kent.

Just weeks later Hitler launched an all out air offensive and day after day John, who was an airframe mechanic, watched as the brave "few" flying Hurricanes and Spitfires took off to engage the enemy over the coast.

"When I had a day off and I was on my own I went down to Folkstone and there were plenty of dog fights to watch.

"We had some top fellas. Quite a few had been in university auxiliary squadrons," said John. Among the pilots based at Hawkinge who went on to make names for themselves was the air ace Johnnie Johnson, who eventually notched up 38 "kills."

But many of the brave fliers did not come back and the airfield was regularly targeted by the Germans.

"They were after the aircraft," said John.

John recalls one horrific moment when German Stuka bombers hit a hanger on the airfield where nine mechanics were working.

"I remember a few of us ran across to this hanger. I got hold of a fella's arm and pulled but that was all that came out," he said.

But John says most of his time at Hawkinge was spent moving around crippled aeroplanes to try and fool the German spy planes.

"We were pushing out aircraft that were in for repairs so the reconnaissance planes could see them," he said.

But the battle did have its lighter moments, like the time when three Messerschmitt pilots got lost and accidentally landed on the airfield not realising it was a British base until too late and they were captured. "They only looked like youngish lads. We couldn't believe our eyes," said John.

After the end of the Battle of Britain, John spent the war being posted to various air bases around the country, achieving the rank of leading aircraftsman and spent more than two years at airfields in Canada.

In 1943 he married his Bolton sweetheart, Bella and was demobbed at the end of the hostilities, settling back in his home town and returning to civilian life managing Co-op shoe shops.

John, who has been widowed for 23 years, and Bella went on to have three daughters and seven grandchildren.

But his wartime experience left a big impression and he has spent many years working for the Bolton RAF Association and is its current president.