Browse Items (644 total)

  • Spatial Coverage is exactly "England--Buckinghamshire"

ATurnerB150602.mp3
Betty Turner served in the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force with Bomber Command at 92 Group Headquarters, RAF Winslow, and later at RAF Great Massingham, reaching the rank of leading aircraftswoman. She recalls living in chilly stables, being quite bored…

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EBoldyDABoldyAD381127-0001.jpg
Letter from David Boldy to his father about playing hockey for King’s and studying law. He got included in the filming of Good Bye Mr Chips with his brother Steve, as extras in the crowd scenes, filmed at Denham studios.

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ABriggsDW170327.mp3
Donald Briggs was born in Lealholm near Whitby in Yorkshire. After school, he became an apprentice with the Royal Air Force. He trained at RAF Halton in 1939 and became an engine fitter working on Wellingtons and Manchesters. He volunteered for…

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LBellinghamPF1397635v1.pdf
The log book covers the training and operational career of bomb aimer Peter Bellingham from 10 March 1943 to 21 February 1946. After training in South Africa he flew Halifaxes and Stirlings with 138 Squadron, taking part in 30 night operations over…

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ABaggJG160902.mp3
John Bagg worked as a clerk before joining the Royal Air Force, at the age of 20. He was trained as an Instrument Mechanic before re-mustering and completing a specialist camera course. He went on to serve on several training stations. After the war…

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PBrownJ1721.jpg
Jeff left school at 15 and became an electrician. Being keen on aircraft he joined the Air Training Corps and volunteered for the RAF when aged 17 to prevent him being randomly sent into the mining industry. Deferred until he was 18, he was initially…

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AChaplinSR170407.mp3
Susan Chaplin was born in North Marston and was a local teacher. She recounts the story her mother told her as a young girl, about Wellington HE740 which crashed near the village. With her local history group she researched and wrote a book “The…

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AFoisterMS171010.mp3
Mary Stanley Foister grew up in Buckinghamshire, where her father's farm was taken over as Bomber Command Headquarters. After leaving school, she served in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. Following training, she had a variety of administrative posts…

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AMcCredieJ151012.mp3
John successfully negotiated a transfer to the Royal Australian Air Force from the militia. There was an Initial Training School at Somers, followed by elementary flying training at Temora. He flew Oxfords at the Service Flying Training School at…

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AMcPhersonGM160221.mp3
Gerald joined his brothers in the Royal Australian Air Force in 1943, following the Air Training Corps. He went from Melbourne to the Initial Training School in Somers. At the Air Gunnery School in Ballarat, Gerald chose to be an air gunner and was…

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PPennLE1701.jpg
Laurie was a bank clerk in Australia before enlisting in September 1941 at Bradfield Park. He proceeded to Narromine for elementary flying training and eventually to Canada where he was posted to the Service Flying Training School at Dauphin. He…

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APughA160625.mp3
Alan was born in Western Victoria in Australia. After two years in the Air Training Corps, he applied to the Royal Australian Air Force, and was selected to go to Somers No. 2 Initial Training School on No. 46 course. Alan chose to be a navigator/air…

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MHayleyCA146347-160303-010004.jpg
On the left two newspaper cuttings with announcement and details of wedding at Weston Turville. Bottom left a photograph of a single story cottage with dormer windows, a garden in front and trees behind. Captioned 'Our first home in Yewtree Cottage,…

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PBriggsR1610.jpg
The men are arranged in three rows. Roy Briggs is 2nd on the left in the second row. on the reverse 'Taken 29-6-42 at Halton',

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PHicksDK15010094.jpg
86 Halton apprentices wearing tunics and peaked caps in five rows in front of a building with at least two stories. Captioned '38 Entry B Squadron No 2 Wing RAF Halton, takne April 1938. Ken Hicks row 4, 5 from the right'.

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AHicksDK151103.mp3
Ken sat the RAF aircraft apprentice exam because of his father. He passed and went, aged 16, to RAF Halton. The three-year course was condensed into two because of the war. He describes his training and the aircraft on which he worked. After he…

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PDawsonSR16010064.jpg
Left page.

Top left - Stephen and Joy Dawson in centre of wedding photograph of nine people in front of church door. Captioned 'Most important half'.

Top right - Stephen and Joy Dawson stand in front of wedding party photograph of group in…

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PDawsonSR16010075.jpg
Left page.

Top left - Two swans in water at riverside. Captioned 'Swans'

Top right - Joy Dawson sitting on a fence on the riverbank. In the background trees line the bank and a church. Captioned 'The feeder of'.

Bottom left - Joy Dawson…

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LAnsellHT1893553v1.pdf
The log book covers the training and operational duties of Flight Engineer Sergeant Harry Thomas Ansell, from 14 April 1944 to 24 May 1945. He trained at RAF Torquay, RAF St Athan, RAF Stockport and was stationed at RAF Wigsley, RAF Syerston, RAF…

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BNorthGJNorthGJv1.pdf
A day by day account consisting of three parts, covering: 1. being shot down on 21 February 1945, his capture and journey to prisoner of war camp arriving 15 March 1945, including a description of his train being bombed by Marauders; 2. describing…

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BNorthGJNorthGJv2.pdf
A day by day account (written on lined paper) consisting of three parts; Part one covers his being shot down on 21 February 1945, his capture and journey to prisoner of war camp arriving 15 March 1945, includes an account of his train being bombed by…

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MNorthGJ173836-160523-03.pdf
First page records three flights 8/14/19 August 1945 in Lancaster as duty rear gunner. Page two records operation to Duisburg 21 February 1945 'missing' and repatriation flights in C-47 and Lancaster on 8 May 1945. Page three records flight to Berlin…

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ABarkerWG160912.mp3
Winifred Barker grew up in Yorkshire and worked in an office before volunteering for the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. She served as a clerk at RAF Oakley, an operational training unit.
She describes life as a WAAF where you needed to have your own…

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ABlandC150817.mp3
Charles Bland joined the Royal Air Force in February 1942 and went to RAF Halton as an Aircraft Apprentice. He tells of his training at Halton, and describes the different trades and his exams to become an Leading Aircraftsman 1st Class, where he was…

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LClydeSmithD39856v2.pdf
Pilot's flying log book for Denis Clyde-Smith covering the period from 10 May 1937 to 31 May 1942. Detailing his flying training, Operations and instructor duties. He was stationed at RAF Sywell, RAF Sealand, RAF Henlow, RAF Calshot, RAF Watchet, RAF…

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