Halifax Down

Halifax Down

Memoir of Moore, Hugh

The memoir describes, in detail, Moore's life as a civilian in Leicester, his RAF aircrew training and as an air bomber in Bomber Command. On leaving school in 1938 Moore worked as a junior auditor and a typist before joining the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in 1941. He completed his basic and initial aircrew training that year then travelled, to Texas, USA, for pilot training. However, following a landing accident he was remustered as air observer and completed that training in Canada, attending No. 5 Air Observer School, No. 31 Bombing and Gunnery School and No. 33 Air Navigation School. Recrossing the Atlantic in February 1943 Moore went to Scotland and No. 4 Advanced Flying Unit to crew up and train as an air bomber. He then went to Yorkshire for heavy conversion training, where he narrowly avoided a serious accident. Joining 102 Squadron, Moore and his crew prepared for operations. They returned early from their first operation because of a fuel system fault and on their second operation, were shot down and three of the crew were killed. Moore tells of the hostility of the local population towards the navigator and describes his capture, interrogation and internment in Stalag IVB. He tells of camp conditions in detail and an arranged trip to Munich to see the damage they had done. Moore made one attempt to escape captivity but was caught and punished. He was finally liberated by the Russians, arrived home in May 1945 and was demobilised that November. He married his long-term girlfriend the following year. He became a member of the Caterpillar Club. Moore was taken back by his employer and in 1957 moved to a new job in Stoke-on-Trent. Included in the document are eight annexes covering: The construction and movements of his Halifax aircraft, JB921. Information from various sources on the two operations he flew and the Luftwaffe night fighter operations for the second one. Luftwaffe night fighter claims for 7 September 1943. The pilot's account of that last operation, written in a letter to Moore. The wireless operator's account of that last operation, written in a letter to Moore. The navigator's account of that last operation and of his imprisonment, written in two letters to Moore. Information about Stalag IVB, extracted from a book Details of the three crewmen who died that night. The memoir also contains extracts from squadron documents, letters and photographs. This item is available only at the University of Lincoln.

2015

One 36 pages document containing text and photographs

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