"A PICTURE paints a thousands words" is a phrase that cannot be improved upon, says Speen resident Edwin Tattam who, after learning of the courageous war efforts of his late uncle George Tattam, commissioned a local artist to bring his uncle's achievements to life.

Edwin never knew his uncle who was a member of the Royal Air Force 487 squadron during the Second World War and was killed in May 1943 during an attack on a power station in Amsterdam. However, he decided to keep his uncle's memory alive when, earlier this year, he was inspired by a painting left to him by his father.

He explains: "Sometime during the early part of this year I was sitting in my study at home enjoying the emotions portrayed by a painting left to me by my father. It is of a Wellington bomber coming home low over the North Sea after a raid.

"I then began reading a reference books on 487 Squadron of which my uncle George was a member. I commenced researching operation Oyster, a raid in which I knew he had taken part. The RAF website, to my astonishment, provided detailed accounts the raid together with incredibly dramatic photographs. My mind was made up. I would commission a painting of the raid and sell the reproduction prints to raise money for the RAF Benevolent Fund."

Six months before his death, George helped to complete Operation Oyster over the Dutch town of Eindhoven, where the Philips radio and valve factories were targeted.

George, Len Littlewood, pilot Terris Taylor and Monte Shapiro were in one of the 93 aircrafts that took part in the raid in 1942. It was a successful mission which saw severe damage caused to the factory, yet relatively few casualties as the raid was deliberately carried out on a Sunday.

With the help of Dutch World War Two air historian Aad Neeven, whose mother witnessed the Amsterdam air raid that tragically killed George, Edwin commissioned Chesham-based artist John Young to depict a scene from Operation Oyster.

Edwin says: "The end result is this wonderful painting entitled Damage Done."

The unveiling of the painting took place in the Officer's Mess in RAF Walter's Ash on Monday on the anniversary of the day of the battle and the 60th anniversary year of the Royal Air Force Bomber Command .

Len Littlewood, the only plane member who is still alive and who was just 22 when he took part in the Eindhoven raid, attended the ceremony, along with members of his family and family of Terris, who died in the mid-1950s, and Monty, who died several years ago.

Len has signed some of the 350 prints made of the painting all of which Edwin hopes to sell and the proceeds of which are being donated to the RAF Benevolent fund to help those members of the extended Royal Air Force Family who need support.

Edwin adds: "The real purpose of this picture is to create a living memory of the brave and courageous deeds done that day by so many young men and to be able to give something back to them in return for the resulting freedom that we now all enjoy."

Contact Mr Kerry Walsh at Fairford on 01285 711416 or visit www.rafbf.org for more information.