AN HEROIC pilot who flew more than 30 successful bombing raids during the Second World War has died, aged 82.

Derek Battin received a Distinguished Flying Cross for his contribution to the war effort with Lancaster assaults on key targets in Germany and northern Europe.

The Upton Snodsbury man developed a fascinating collection of books and papers about his time as a pilot, including accounts of his missions, one of which was the famous and "very successful" raid on Dresden.

An attack on Dortmund in 1944 was "the most scary" operation. "I remember shaking as we landed, however a few beers soon stopped this," he wrote.

"We were hit by the flak coming out of the target and although we had a large hole in the port outer engine, no serious damage was done."

Son-in-law Mick Cooper, from Pershore, said his family hopes to donate the material to a museum. "This is one man's war. It is much better to have a full story on the man than dispersing it," he added.

Mr Battin, who died last week, was born in Fulham, west London, but moved to Worcester as a young boy, when his father took a job at seed merchants Gascoynes.

He attended the Royal Grammar School, Worcester, before joining the RAF in 1941 and becoming a commissioned officer in 1944. After completing 32 missions from bases in Lincolnshire, when the war ended, he worked as a flight instructor until 1946, a year after receiving the DFC.

Mr Battin then took up a job as a sales manager at engineering firm Meco, in Bromyard Road, Worcester, and, in 1952, married his wife, Doreen.

The pair lived together in Ombersley Road and Redfern Avenue before moving out of the city to Upton Snodsbury in 1975.

In retirement, Mr Battin enjoyed playing golf and doing voluntary work, including running a Meals-on-Wheels service and collecting money for the RAF Association.

He was widowed last year and leaves two children, Sandra and James, and three grandchildren.

Relatives and friends are due to gather at 11am tomorrow at St Kenelm Church, in Upton Snodsbury, to pay tribute to Mr Battin. Among the mourners is set to be his former crew mate, wireless operator Frank Mulligan, with whom he was reunited in 1986.