Browse Items (117 total)

  • Contributor is exactly "Nick Cornwell-Smith"

PJohnsonKA1507.jpg
Ken Johnson was born in Doncaster. At the start of the war the family was living in Sheffield but his father decided to move the family back to Doncaster, to avoid bombing. Ken started work as a joiner and later made cables for barrage balloons.…

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Peter Swallow was born in Sheffield in 1929, one of three children. He recalls hearing Mr Chamberlain’s declaration of war broadcast as a schoolchild. His father, a plumber, volunteered as a member of the Local Defence Volunteers, eventually becoming…

AAtkinsonG180802.mp3
Gordon Atkinson lived in Flixborough, Lincolnshire. As a young boy he recalls seeing aircraft gathering over the River Humber in the evenings, ready to fly out on bombing operations. In the morning he watched them come back, some with bits dropping…

ABeasleyDG180326.mp3
At the start of the war, Doug Beasley left school at 16 to start work. Initially a member of the Air Training Corps, he was sent for aircrew selection when he became 18. There was a 12-month wait to enlist as a pilot, so he opted to become a flight…

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Bert Hammond was born and brought up in Norwich and was working as a grocer’s assistant, as well as being an air cadet, at the start of the war. He recalls bombing attacks on Norwich and a lone aircraft machine gunning female workers leaving the…

ADellowJA170617.mp3
James ‘Jim’ Albert Dellow had to register the start of the war he as he was 18 years old. On being asked which service he would prefer, he opted for the Royal Air Force as a pilot. Whilst waiting for his call up, he worked in an insurance office in…

AEdwardsM180621.mp3
Martin Edwards recounts the war-time stories of his father, Frederick Edwards. Frederick was born in Kent in 1923, and lived on the family farm. He joined the RAF in 1943 and was posted to Canada for training as a navigator. On his return to England,…

AHowesJ-J180611.mp3
Jack Howes was born in 1933 in Nottingham. His father was a machine engineer and by the start of the war they were living in Lincoln where he worked for Ruston-Bucyrus. His father was then transferred to Grantham where he lived during the week. His…

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Anthony Kent was born in Wood Green, London, and his family settled in Eltham. Tony started an apprenticeship with Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, at the start of the war and worked as an apprentice draughtsman for 18 months before volunteering for the RAF.…

ALloydC180823.mp3
Colin Lloyd was born in 1933 in Torksey, Lincolnshire. He recalls hearing Mr. Chamberlain’s broadcast on Sunday 3rd September 1939. His father got a job in 1942 at the gravel pits near Whisby and they moved to that area. Colin describes being close…

AMcClementsI180225.mp3
Iris McClements remembers being issued with a gas mask at the age of 11, before the war started. Her family moved to Eldwick when she was about 13 to avoid the bombs. She joined the Women’s Junior Air Corps and recalls being issued with a bucket,…

ASmithAP180103.mp3
Peter Smith was born in Kent and attended school until he was 14. He started working for a woodwork shop and, when the war began, they started building army huts. In 1941 he joined the Air Cadets. He recalls how one Sunday he and a friend saw an…

PStonemanMW1801.jpg
Maurice Stoneman was posted to 57 Squadron at RAF East Kirkby as the flight engineer on Lancasters in 1943. He recalls that, on returning from operations, they used to fly around the Boston Stump and around Lincoln Cathedral before finally landing.…

AWilliamsonKA180115.mp3
Sir Keith Alec Williamson was born in in Leytonstone, Essex. Early education was at Bancroft’s School until bombs fell across the school. He was then sent to a grammar school in Market Harborough where he joined the Air Training Corps. On leaving…

AWilliamsRS180115.mp3
Roland Spencer Williams was born in Christchurch, New Zealand. Wanting to get involved in the war he joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1942. After initial training in New Zealand, as an air gunner, he sailed on the SS Nieuw Amsterdam to San…

AMartinEJ181202.mp3
John Martin was born in June 1922 and lived in London. He always wanted the opportunity to fly and so, aged 19, volunteered to join the Royal Air Force as an armourer. He was not accepted as he was in a reserved occupation. Eventually, he re-applied…

LHarrisAE539154v1.pdf
Navigator’s, air bomber's and air gunner’s flying log book for Sergeant Harris, flight engineer covering the period from 26 July 1943 to 4 March 1945. Detailing his final training, two-tour operations and instructor flights. He was stationed at RAF…

LGearyPC914328v3.pdf
Patrick Geary’s Pilot’s Flying Log Book from 21st April 1943 until 15th May 1958. Initial training as a pilot at No. 6 Elementary Flying Training School, No. 10 Service Flying training School. Posted to 20 Advanced Flying Unit in March 1944. October…

LGearyPC914328v1.pdf
Patrick Geary’s civilian Pilot’s Log Book from 7th November 1938 until 20th June 1948. This log book records his civilian flying from Broxbourne in 1938/39 and Panshanger in 1948.

Aircraft flown were De Haviland Moth, Hawker Tomtit, Avro 504N,…

LBeerSW176975v1.pdf
Stanley Beer’s Royal Air Force Observer’s and Air Gunner’s Flying Log Book from 10th November 1942 until 4th August 1944. Trained as a wireless operator and air gunner at No. 4 Signals School, No. 1 Air Gunnery School, No. 2 (Observers) Advanced…

LJasinskiT780866v1.pdf
Tadeusz Jasinski’s Flying Log Book as a wireless operator from 9 May 1941 to 14 October 1945. Carried out training at No. 2 Signal School, 4 Air Observer School (air gunner training) and 18 OTU, Posted to 304 (Polish) squadron for operations in…
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