Richard Pratt was a member of the RAAF who was shot down over Poland in World War II.

He enlisted in the RAAF in 1942, when the Japanese entered the war. He had received training in wireless operation before the war, and was categorised as a Wireless Operator and Air Gunner and sent to England to join England's Royal Air Force as part of 61 Squadron.

"He became a wireless operator for the Lancaster bombers," Mrs Pratt said.

"Lancasters carried just one big bomb and their targets were large factories and anything that was directly associated with Germany's war efforts - there is little doubt that the Lancasters changed the whole war.

"Their motto was 'strike once, strike hard', which I think says it all. They were always glad when they got rid of the 'cookie'."

Thousands of Pathfinder and Lancaster crew never returned from their missions.

Mr Pratt was shot down on his 27th mission. Had he flown three more, he would have had the option of not flying any more.

After being shot down he was found by a farmer and cared for before being handed over to authorities and taken to a German prisoner of war camp.

"The last thing he saw when he bailed out was his plane exploding in a ball of flames,"Mrs Pratt said.

"The war was not going well for the Germans. They seemed almost resigned to the fact that the end was near and treated the allied troops with a fair bit of compassion. Most of the guards were former WWI soldiers and I don't think they could be bothered fighting.

"They even allowed Red Cross packages to be delivered to the prisoners, unlike the Japanese, and six months after he was captured he was on his way home."

Mr Pratt returned to Australia in 1945 to his job as a primary school teacher and further study.

The couple married in 1953. Mr Pratt died in February 2006.

Special guest speaker at the Anzac Service will be Bishop Ian Lambert, Anglican Bishop to the Defence Force.

The service starts at 8am at Christ Church and all are welcome.

See next week's editions for Anzac service details.