The real-life Allo Allo! Teenage RAF gunner spent three months hiding in French cafe after his Lancaster bomber was shot down during raid Len Manning, from Sudbury, Suffolk, spent three months hiding in a French cafe after his bomber was shot down in July 1944 The cafe was one of the Gestapo's favourite haunts He has finally received a medal for his bravery - 69 years later It could have been a scene in the BBC's 1980s sitcom 'Allo 'Allo'. Teenage war hero Len Manning spent three months hiding in a French café after his Lancaster bomber was shot down in July 1944 - despite it being one of the Gestapo's favourite haunts. Now, the RAF veteran has finally received a medal for his bravery - 69 years later. 'People often liken it to the TV series "Allo "Allo! but it was a really risky experience,' said the Tail End Charlie rear gunner today. Hero: Len Manning, 88, spent three months hiding in a French cafe after his Lancaster bomber was shot down during a raid. He has finally received a medal for his bravery I spent three months living in a café/hotel in Bassevelle, hiding from the Germans who frequently used the café and stayed at the hotel. Mr Manning, from Sudbury, Suffolk, fought in the RAF's savagely-battered Bomber Command during the Second World War. His 57th Squadron, based in East Kirkby, Lincolnshire, played a vital role bombing key strategic German targets as the Allies turned the tide of war against Hitler's Germany. The airman, who was 19 years old at the time, was lucky to survive when his giant Lancaster was blasted out of the skies over northern France in July 1944 - killing four of his comrades. He plunged from the blazing bomber at 4,000ft with a burning parachute and was badly burned before going on the run from his German hunters. Fighter: Mr Manning, from Sudbury, Suffolk, fought in the RAF's savagely-battered Bomber Command during the Second World War He told the East Anglian Daily Times: 'The plane was hit by a German fighter and immediately caught fire. After I climbed out of the turret into the fuselage which was burning furiously, it was like looking down the flames of a blow lamp. It was the most terrifying experience of my life. Although I managed to get out of the plane, the parachute had also caught fire and as a result, I was badly burned. Four of Mr Manning's fellow crewmen died in the stricken Lancaster. However, he was fortunate to be rescued by French Resistance fighters - although the unlucky navigator, who also survived the catastrophic crash, was captured by the Germans and sent to a Prisoner of War camp. Mr Manning kept his head down in Bassevelle until American troops liberated the town months later. 'They took us to a hotel and then flew us back to the UK where we were interrogated by M15 and bomber intelligence to make sure we weren't Germans,' he recalled. I was given nine months sick leave because of the injuries I received and was then medically discharged. He has always believed he and his comrades should have been given a medal because the air crew and particularly rear gunners - known as Tail End Charlies - stared into the face of death time and again. Lucky: The airman was fortunate to survive when his warplane was blasted out of the skies over northern France by a German fighter in July 1944. Above, the fallen Lancaster bomber 'I was only 19 at the time and you couldn't dwell on the possible dangers although it was at the back of your mind because every raid was risky,' he said. You literally had people shooting at you from the ground and fighters coming at you from all around - there was nowhere to escape so you had no choice but to go through it. I only did three raids before I was shot down and that was enough. Every raid was a trauma. Mr Manning said angry Bomber Command members were not given medals because Prime Minister Winston Churchill believed it could have been seen as 'condoning killing civilians' after German cities were mercilessly bombed. 'We didn't think it was fair because all of the other services - the Battle of Britain, the Land Army - were given campaign medals,' he said. More than 30,000 air crew were killed in the war and we always felt it was a bit of an insult not to be deemed worthy of a medal. There are not many of us left now and we felt really let down. Award: Mr Manning received his Bomber Command clasp at Ipswich Town Hall yesterday. He was presented with the medal by Ipswich Mayor Hamil Clarke (right), watched by Sudbury Mayor Adrian Osborne (centre) So about five years ago, we started a campaign to push for them (the government) to issue a medal - it was really about the principle of it. Mr Manning has finally received a Bomber Command Clasp to mark the service he gave to his country as he risked his life time and time again. He was presented with the medal in a special ceremony at Ipswich Town Hall yesterday. He was accompanied by Sudbury Mayor Adrian Osborne, one of those behind the push to get rightful recognition for Bomber Command. Mr Osborne said: 'I have great respect for anyone who took part in the Second World War, especially in RAF missions, which were particularly dangerous. 'Those awful memories will live with the airmen forever and they will never lose the horror of what they've been through. 'It's important to recognise the sacrifices they made and it's a good reminder to younger generations. 'I'm really over the moon for Len that he has finally received the recognition he deserves.' 'Allo 'Allo! is set in a small town cafe in Nazi-occupied France during the Second World War. The 1980s BBC sitcom tells the story of owner René Artois, who is stuck in the middle of the Gestapo and the French resistance - both of whom frequent his cafe. Flirt: Many episodes include René's (centre) attempts to keep his affairs with waitresses a secret from his wife Edith (left) He ends up trying to appease the Germans - under the command of Colonel Kurt von Strohm - and the French resistance - under the watchful eye of Michelle Dubois - while avoiding getting himself killed. He also ends up being forced into hiding two clueless, English airmen - Fairfax and Carstairs - in his cafe. The dim-witted pair don't understand a word of French. Many episodes focus on the ownership of a painting - named 'The Fallen Madonna with the Big Boobies' - that everyone is trying to get their hands on. They also include René's attempts to keep a string of affairs with his waitresses a secret from his wife Edith, who is considered to be the worst singer in the world. His attempts are made even more humorous by the seemingly gay Lieutenant Gruber's advances - which often see the pair end up in embarrassing situations - and the fact that René is not exactly the best-looking man in France. Other characters include SS officer Otto Flick and his small sidekick Engelbert von Smallhausen; Madame Fanny, Edith's mother who lives in an attic above the cafe', and Yvette Carte-Blanche, a waitress who is in love with René and wants to elope with him. 'Allo 'Allo! was written and performed as a parody by writers David Croft and Jeremy Lloyd. It ran from 1982 to 1992 and comprised 85 episodes.