A unique timepiece that made aviation history is safely back where it belongs after nearly four decades in the wilderness.

On May 30, 1949, former Bomber Command pilot John Oliver “Jo” Lancaster DFC was propelled into the history books for being the first pilot to eject from an aircraft in an emergency situation using a Martin-Baker ejection seat.

To mark the momentous occasion Sir James Martin, founder of Martin-Baker Aircraft Co Ltd, presented Jo Lancaster with a gold Rolex watch, engraved with his name and date.

Yesterday, the watch was donated to the Martin-Baker museum, but this is just the latest instalment in a story that spans six decades.

 

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Talking of the day he was propelled into the history books, Mr Lancaster said: “I was certainly not expecting to have to use my ejector seat.

“It all happened very quickly and I actually ejected without carrying out the proper procedure.

“Luckily the seat did what it was meant to and I was very lucky to survive with both legs. I was pretty bruised but I was back at work within about three weeks.”

Sadly, the watch was stolen in 1975, and was only found last year – in New York – and the Rolex was purchased again by the Martin family.

The Martins were clear the watch had to be returned to its rightful owner and the watch was presented to Jo 64 years after it was presented for the first time.

Mr Lancaster said: “I assumed it had been lost forever.

“In June, I was invited up to Denham with some Air Cadets. Whilst having lunch with the Martin family, I was absolutely gobsmacked when Andrew Martin produced the watch.

“We’ve been fundraising for over five years to have a memorial built and we still need to raise £1.5 million for its upkeep.

“Having survived without it since it was sadly stolen in 1975, I thought it could be used to help preserve the memory of those that weren’t as lucky as we were.”

Mr Lancaster’s wish was for the watch to be used to raise money towards the upkeep of the RAF Benevolent Fund’s Bomber Command Memorial in Green Park, Lo don. So, on Jo’s behalf, Martin-Baker has purchased the watch for the third time.

Andrew Martin, grandson of Sir James Martin, said: “This is such a exceptional story, involving a truly remarkable man. When Jo asked us to use the watch to raise funds for the memorial upkeep, we instantly decided to buy it for the third time and donate the sum of £5,000 to the RAF Benevolent Fund on his behalf.”

Today the watch is displayed proudly in the Martin-Baker museum, together with the original letter from Sir James Martin to Jo Lancaster.

The war hero added: “It’s nice to know that the watch is back where the story began and will be remembered for years to come.”