Browse Items (166 total)

  • Spatial Coverage is exactly "England--Blackpool"

BSmithJSmithJv1-2.pdf
Wartime recollections of John (known to his friends as Jack) George Smith from Pinchbeck. He tells of life before the war, how he went on to volunteer for the RAF in August 1940 and describes his training as a wireless operator. The document includes…

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BSmithJSmithJv1.pdf
Second version. Covers life before the war and volunteering for the RAF in August 1940 and continues with an account of training as a wireless operator. The article includes radio school crest and photograph of a Battle aircraft. He describes his…

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BWoolfASWoolfASv1.pdf
The book contains a head and shoulders portrait of Arthur Woolf wearing uniform tunic with half brevet, medal ribbons and peaked cap. It also contains badges for Bomber Command, 5 Group and 630 Squadron. The account covers the period from him joining…

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BGambleATGambleATv1.pdf
Part 1. Covers the period from Alan Gamble's years as a schoolboy in Worthing in the late 1930's, up to joining the RAF in 1943, where he trained, before moving to RAF Fairford in 1944. He flew 29 bombing and mine laying sorties over Germany and…

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ABrooksR151029.mp3
Rita’s late husband was Flight Lieutenant Edward Brooks DFC, DFM. He was in the Home Guard before enlisting with the Royal Air Force in February 1941, and sometime later went to RAF Uxbridge. Following training at Blackpool, the recruits were…

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MHolmanAW1451828-190919-070001.jpg
A list of locations and dates where Alan served in the RAF.

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ALimerFW151210.mp3
Freddie Limer volunteered for the Royal Air Force and completed a course in RAF Blackpool. He was posted to No. 12 Initial Training Wing at RAF St Andrew, although was unsuccessful in his flying test. Freddie was then trained at RCAF Moncton in…

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ABorthwickS180306.mp3
Sidney enlisted on 4th January 1944 at the Air Crew Reception Centre, Lord’s Cricket Ground. He was accepted, despite having a tumour on his left arm. Sidney was a rear gunner on Lancasters. After training at Blackpool, he served at RAF Bottesford,…

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MMayD19100708-240124-07.pdf
Dorothy Arden’s music examination results.

PMcMahonT24010044.jpg
A group of 48 airmen in uniform, 46 wearing side caps and 2 with officer caps. They are arranged in four rows on grass with a terrace of residential buildings with chimneys beyond. Thomas is second right in the third row from the front. On reverse,…

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SSmithRW425992v10003-0002 copy.pdf
Covers his operational tour and bombing operations.

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AMarlowR160422.mp3
Ronald Marlow went to Middleton Council School, then worked at Forgrove Engineering. He joined the Air Training Corps before volunteering for the Royal Air Force training in London at St John's Wood. He became an air gunner and flew Wellingtons,…

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PSaundersJWG18020002.jpg
A studio portrait of five uniformed trainee aircrew with John sitting front left. On the reverse 'Just a picture of me and the boys left to right Ken, ?, Pat, Max, Jim (sitting) Have you ever seen such a crowd. I must say I haven't. With love from…

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ABurdinJR170206.mp3
James Burdin went at Hutton Grammar School and worked in radio sales and repair. He volunteered for the Royal Air Force but had to wait and joined the Local Defence Volunteers instead. He did some rifle practice, general infantry training and…

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AWilliamsVD170403.mp3
Vivian joined the Royal Air Force in July 1938 as a flight mechanic and served for seven and a half years. After square drills at RAF Uxbridge and a course at RAF Manston, he did a basic engineering course at RAF Henlow. After six months at RAF St…

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PCochraneDH16010002.jpg
A group of 38 airmen arranged in four rows and are wearing side caps with a white flash indicating they are under training. The photograph is in a cardboard mount with a handwritten '1941' at the top. On the cover is 'Dalette Studio' and an address…

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BNashDCMNashDCMv1.pdf
Born in 1916, Dan spent his early childhood in Kent with his grandmother before moving back to his parents in Fulham. He left school aged 16 to undertake a job with the Hudson's Bay Fur Company, where he met Joyce, his future wife. At the outbreak of…

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MHughesDJ3000307-180614-040001.jpg
Permission for David to be absent from quarters and notes reading 'Douglas. 350' and 'Sgt. Tracy C. 68 Sandgate Blackpool'.

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ASmithJG160408.mp3
Jack volunteered for the Royal Air Force in September 1940. He went to RAF Padgate and then on to RAF Blackpool, where he trained as a wireless operator. Jack proceeded to a radio school at RAF Compton Bassett and then RAF Bramcote. He was posted to…

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AMartinFJK180309.mp3
Keith Martin was working for an agricultural machinery merchants in Shrewsbury when the war started. This was classed as a reserved occupation but when he was nearly 20, he decided to volunteer for the Royal Air Force in April 1942 and was selected…

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BGrayDAGrayDAv10001.jpg
Don's autobiography begins with him leaving school and starting a correspondence course in aeronautical engineering. Although he wanted to be a pilot, the RAF persuaded him that a flight engineer doubled as a second pilot.

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EBoxDCBoxI-CS420812-0001.jpg
He has received a parcel from his parents. He sent them watches. He writes about family and friends. He is going to see a film.

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BHookingsEWHookingsEWv1.pdf
Born in 1920, this covers his early life in Battersea and Morden, describing family life, school and first jobs, until he becomes an operational pilot in 1944. He describes family experiences at beginning of the war volunteering, initially, for Royal…

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PStaniewskiJ1942.jpg
Three airmen standing with arms linked.
On the reverse 'To Ella and Reg from [indecipherable] 18th January 1941'

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BOlenynEOlenynEv1.pdf
An autobiography of Eugeniusz Olenyn's life.
The first part of the memoir talks of the many trials Genek went through both in attempting to rejoin his Polish Air Force unit and, once the Germans overran the country, escape to England.
Ganek…

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