Browse Items (59 total)
- Creator is exactly "David Kavanagh"
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Interview with Ray Parke. Two
Ray Parke trained as a flight engineer. During one training flight, the pilot wanted to get back to base as soon as possible because he had a date but they were flying a Stirling. The pilot made an error on landing and the wheel stayed in the ditch…
Interview with Frank Edwards
Frank was born in London. He recalls a V-1 coming over and taking shelter in the London Underground. Frank talks of his evacuation to the countryside near Croxton Kerrial, when he was nearly five. He was accompanied by his two brothers and,…
Interview with Douglas Arthur Smith
Douglas Smith grew up in Bressingham, Norfolk. He joined the Royal Air Force in October 1940, at the age of 19, and trained as a wireless operator. He joined a crew on Wellingtons at No 10 Operational Training Unit, RAF Abingdon, before converting to…
Interview with Bert Hammond. Two
Upon volunteering for aircrew, Bert Hammond completed basic training and formed a crew at 26 Operational Training Unit, RAF Wing. He joined 514 Squadron based at RAF Waterbeach and completed 30 operations, before instructing at RAF Manby. Despite…
Interview with Eileen Widdowson
Born in Peterborough, Eileen's father died when she was quite young, which resulted in the family moving to Grantham. With the East Coast main railway line and also a munitions factory, Grantham was a regular target for the Luftwaffe. Eileen recalls…
Interview with Ernest James White
James White worked as a wages clerk for the Co-op before volunteering for the Air Force. He had intended to join the navy but, when he saw some recruits being shouted at, he turned around and crossed the corridor to join the RAF. He had always had an…
Interview with Jack Webster
Jack Webster applied to join the RAF in December 1942, attended a selection board at RAF Cardington, and was eventually called up in June 1943. After initial training, he went to 4 Radio School at RAF Madley passing out from there with 18 words per…
Interview with Lacey Peter Webb
Lacey Peter Webb remembers his role as a flight engineer in the Royal Air Force during the war, and flying 30 operations on Halifaxes and two on Lancasters. He describes his training in various stations, among them St John’s Wood, where he was…
Interview with Maurice Stoneman
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.…
Interview with Maureen and Sidney Stevens
Sidney was inspired to join the Air Force when he was working as an Air Raid Precautions warden and his own home was bombed on one occasion. The house next door was also destroyed and the lady who had offered him a cup of tea only hours earlier died.…
Interview with Frank Stanney
Frank Stanney was working on the land before he volunteered for the RAF. After training, he flew operations as a wireless operator with 61 Squadron. One day his pilot took off as a 20 year old and returned as a 21 year old, as it was his birthday…
Interview with John William Squires
John was living and working on a farm when he left school aged 14. The family of five lived in a two-bedroom cottage and John remembered hearing a plane crashing near Westborough one evening, all but one of the crew being killed. The children were…
Interview with Tony Snook
Tony Snook was an air gunner and served on 115 Squadron in the later stages of the Second World War. A member of the school air training corps, he had his first experience of flight when his squadron partook in a summer camp. He describes how an…
Interview with Sydney Smith
Sydney’s father died when she was a baby. Her mother remarried and had another daughter and son. The son became groundcrew in the Royal Air Force. Sydney lived a few miles from London and attended Byron Court School in Wembley. She was five when war…
Interview with Joan Smith
Before the war Joan worked as a hairdresser. At 17 and a half she applied for the Land Army and was interviewed in her home town of Sheffield. Her first posting was to a farm in Fulbeck. She and about 14 other girls stayed in a hostel with six in a…
Interview with Ken Sleaford
Ken Sleaford was born and raised near Coningsby on the family farm. He describes life on the farm before and during the war, when it was handed over to the Air Force, to be converted into an airfield and incorporated into RAF Coningsby. Ken recalls…
Interview with Frank Saunston
Frank Saunston joined the ATC in 1941 and the RAF in 1942. He worked as a transport driver at RAF Peplow and then as a forklift driver at RAF Methwold on the bomb dump. He describes his role and his duties and gives details regarding the bombs used.…
Interview with Betty Repton
Betty (nee Jackson) worked in a library in Macclesfield before the war. When the war began, she went to Manchester to volunteer for the Air Force and trained as a telephonist. She did a course at Sheffield General Post Office before being posted to…
Interview with Neil Ramsey
Neil Ramsey flew operations as a pilot with 75 and 105 Squadron Pathfinders. Neil flew twin engine aircraft, including the Wellington and, later, the Mosquito. Neil talks about New Zealander Jimmy Ward, who was awarded a Victoria Cross. Neil Ramsey…
Interview with Ron Priest
Ron Priest worked in accountancy before the war and then served as a rear gunner, flying 25 operations with 149 Squadron from RAF Lakenheath, all on Stirlings. He describes his training in England, Canada and the United States, under the American…
Interview with Jack Pragnell
Jack Pragnell and his twin brother, Thomas, volunteered together for the RAF and trained together. Jack flew operations as a bomb aimer with 51 Squadron. His brother joined a Canadian crew. Jack was plagued with health problems and was suddenly told…
Interview with George Plant
George Plant was a farm worker. Whilst waiting for a bus one day in February 1945 he witnessed a Lancaster PB 812 crash behind Caythorpe Railway Station, with the loss of all lives of the crew. Years later the relative of one of the casualties put an…
Interview with Ray Parke. One
Ray Parke worked on the railway before joining the RAF in 1943. He recalls flying 40 operations as a flight engineer with 218 Squadron by the time he was 20. He speaks about operations on Essen and the Ruhr, and discusses the Dresden operation,…
Interview with Taff Owen
Aneurin ‘Taff’ Owen was born neat Dolgellau, near Penmaenpool in Wales, and joined the Royal Air Force in 1942, aged 18. Taff was a farmer’s son and, as such, was put into a reserved occupation, so some of the areas of the Royal Air Force were not…
Interview with Ken Oatley
Initially too young to enlist at the beginning of the war, Ken Oatley served in the Home Guard until he was able to enlist in October 1940 and, after initial training, he undertook pilot training. After basic flying training he went onto Canada…