https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/105/1006/PAmbroseBG1615.1.jpg a45323ed60fc89ad5041953046041ebb Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Ambrose, Basil B G Ambrose Basil G Ambrose Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. Some items have not been published in order to protect the privacy of third parties, to comply with intellectual property regulations, or have been assessed as medium or low priority according to the IBCC Digital Archive collection policy and will therefore be published at a later stage. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collection-policy. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-06-29 Description An account of the resource 18 items. The collection consists of an oral history interview with Basil George Ambrose (1923 – 2016, 1604870 Royal Air Force), his log book, a page from his service book and 15 photographs. Basil Ambrose was a flight engineer flying Lancasters with 467 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force from RAF Waddington between September 1944 and March 1945 and with 617 Squadron from RAF Woodhall Spa. The collection was been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Basil Ambrose and catalogued by Nigel Huckins. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Ambrose, BG Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Requires A related resource that is required by the described resource to support its function, delivery, or coherence. 6 March 1942: Joined RAF as a trainee turner Posted to RAF Sealand, qualified turner Posted to RAF St Athan, Flight Engineer training 5 July – 8 September 1944: RAF Swinderby, 1660 HBCU, flying Stirling aircraft 8 September 1944: Promoted to Sergeant 22 – 26 September 1944: RAF Syerston, Lancaster Finishing School, flying Lancaster aircraft 29 September 1944 – 23 March 1945: RAF Waddington, 467 (RAAF) Squadron, flying Lancaster aircraft Commissioned, promoted to Pilot Officer November 1945 Promoted to Flying Officer 22 April 1945 – 9 January 1946: RAF Woodhall Spa, 617 Squadron, flying Lancaster aircraft 11 January 1946 – 15 April 1946: Detached with 617 Sqn to Digri, India Command 28 May – 1 July 1946: 617 Squadron RAF Binbrook October 1946: 1604870 Flying Officer B.G. Ambrose released from Service Basil George Ambrose was born on 24th June 1923 in Derby Street, Reading, the youngest of five children. He attended Wilson Road School near Reading’s football Ground.  In 1937, when he was just 14 years old, he left school and took up employment as an apprentice turner at the Pulsometer.  He was paid five shillings a week, half of which he had to give back to pay for his indenture training. Although engineering was a reserve occupation, on 6th March 1942, he was able to join the RAF as a trainee turner.  On completion of training, he passed out as a Leading Aircraftsman and was posted to RAF Sealand.  Whilst there, he applied, and was accepted, for Flight Engineer training at St Athan. His first ever flight was memorable in that he took the opportunity to join an old family friend (a test pilot at St Athan) who was taking a Beaufighter up for an air test.  While airbourne over the Bristol Channel he witnessed a long line of merchant ships, all nose to tail as far as the eye could see, the ships were readying for the for the D Day landings. On 7the June 1944, he completed his Flight Engineer training and joined the HBCU at RAF Swinderby, before moving on to the Lancaster Finishing School at RAF Syerston.  In September 1944, Sergeant Ambrose and his crew, now fully trained, joined 467 Squadron (RAAF) at RAF Waddington.  On just his second operational flight, tasked with destroying enemy field guns in Holland, his aircraft had to drop below the cloud base at just 4000 feet.  Almost immediately, the aircraft alongside them was hit by ack-ack and went down in flames.  Basil’s aircraft returned safely, but the mission ended in failure. Just over a fortnight later, his first ever night operation proved even more eventful, one they were all very fortunate to survive.  En-route to Brunswick, a fire in the cabin set alight the blackout curtains surrounding the pilot and navigator.  Basil had to use two extinguishers to put out the fire.  The events caused significant delay and at their estimated time of arrival on target, they were still approximately 40 miles away.  By the time they got there all the other aircraft had gone through and were on their way home.  Basil’s aircraft was now completely alone over the target and although they were able to drop their bombs successfully, the aircraft was illuminated by a whole cone of search lights from the ground, plus an enemy fighter aircraft was fast coming in from the port side.  The skipper took evasive action by immediately putting the aircraft into a 5000 feet dive and Basil found himself pinned to the cabin ceiling by the ‘G’ force; conversely when the aircraft pulled out of the dive, he was forced down to the cabin floor.  The evasive manoeuvre was repeated one more time before they managed to lose the searchlights and the fighter.  The trip home was conducted at low level without further alarm.  In all, Basil and his crew went on to record thirty operations together.  After 467 Squadron, Basil was commissioned as a Pilot Officer and was posted to 617 Squadron in April 1945.  He was never to fly operationally again although with 617 Squadron he served for a brief period in Digri, India.  Basil reached the rank of Flying Officer and was demobbed in 1948. Basil returned to the Pulsometer and finally qualified as a turner.  After a short period working in Birmingham, he settled in Reading with his wife Jean and two children.  He continued to work in engineering, eventually moving into the engineering safety field.  He retired from his final position of Chief Safety Advisor for Greater London Council in 1981.<a href="https://www.getreading.co.uk/news/local-news/war-veteran-still-swing-90-4802178"></a> Chris Cann Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Tiger Force Lancaster Tiger Force March 1945 * Sq/Ldr Saxby [sic] ???? Description An account of the resource Front section of a Lancaster with part of the front turret and the cockpit, a man in shirt sleeves is leaning out of the cockpit window. Underneath the cockpit, a 617 Squadron crest. In the foreground and background the inboard engines are visible. Additional information about this item has been kindly provided by the donor. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource One b/w photograph Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context PAmbroseBG1615 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Royal Air Force Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1945-03 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. Type The nature or genre of the resource Photograph Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1945-03 617 Squadron Lancaster nose art Tiger force