Browse Items (225 total)

  • Spatial Coverage is exactly "England--Manchester"

AHollisRE180111.mp3
Richard’s father, Arthur Hollis, went to Dulwich College as a day boy. He left aged 16 to join the Home Guard, then worked for a firm of accountants for a couple of years before joining the Royal Air Force. He was sent to Manchester University for…

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AShepherdFH150525.mp3
Frederick joined the Royal Air Force in 1941. After going to RAF Cardington, he was given deferred entry and studied for a year at university. He was invited to London for initial training, followed by the Initial Training Wing at RAF Newquay. He did…

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SClydeSmithD39856v10011.pdf
Starts with joining on short service commission and covers, in great detail, his pilot training activities, including a crash landing during a cross country. After receiving his wings award, he moves to trials work, target towing and aircraft…

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BBurnsDRBurnsDRv1.pdf
Draft of memoir with contents page - giving service history. Followed by pages with reference to photographs for name and rank, deferred service, ground training dates and places, training in Canada, back home for service flying, 5 Group, 51 base,…

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ALaphamR160714.mp3
Rosemary Lapham is the daughter of Roy Chadwick CBE, the designer of the Manchester and Lancaster aircraft. She tells her father’s story. Her father was born in 1893 and, when he left school at the age of 14, he became a draughtsman at Westinghouse…

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YGeachDG1394781v3.pdf
Second of David Geach's diaries, describing his training for aircrew at Kingstown, Heaton Park, Hastings and Harrogate until his embarkation to Canada on the Queen Mary. Covers the period from 20 June 1942 to 7 October 1942.

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PCooperJ1602.jpg
John was a founding member and corporal at his local Air Training Corps. He would cycle to local airfields to get a flight in different aircraft. He volunteered for the RAF in 1942 and was, finally, called up to Lord’s Cricket Ground in November…

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AHattG180817.mp3
Gladys Hatt was a teenager and working in Manchester when it was bombed. She recalls her life was a sequence of work, shelter, work and there was no teenage life for her. She worked as a machinist sewing uniforms, which was a big change from her…

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BMooreDMooreDv1.pdf
Dennis Moore's autobiography, compiled and edited by his son, Terry Moore.

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OHowardI19250926-170330-070001.jpg
To Mrs Sarah Green acknowledging receipt for war damage claim 14 January 1941.

ETansleyEHTansleyAE411114.pdf
Writes thanking him for letters and discusses money jointly spent on sons uniform. Talks about his current location and lack of progress and thinks they are wasting their time. Speculates on the near future, Catches up with other family matters.

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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BHumesELHumesELv1.pdf
Eddie recalls joining the RAF as a flight mechanic in 1939 and his subsequent selection for aircrew. He goes on to describe operational training on Wellington and beginning to crew up, followed by conversion to Lancaster at RAF Little Snoring. He…

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BScottEWScottEWv1.pdf
The memoir contains details of Eric’s wartime career between 1939-1946. It covers his initial training, elementary flying training and his journey to the US for further training. During this time, he sustained an injury which curtailed his pilot…

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EBakerRArmstrongWH440430-0001.jpg
Thanks them for letters and reports lack of cigarettes but hopes for improvement. Thanks them for blades and reports on friends study progress.

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SDunnFT1319229v10002-0001.pdf
Autographical account of life at the beginning of the war including service in ARP in Swindon and his reasons for volunteering for the RAF. He registered for military service in February 1941. Awaiting call-up, he had induction at St John's Wood…

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SDunnFT1319229v10002-Transcript.pdf
Transcript of F Dunn's memoir describing life before and after joining the RAF. It includes induction and starting off in the RAF in England and then his sea voyage to South Africa, where he underwent initial training in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

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PHayhurstJM17030001.jpg
Jose and another WAAF working on vertical boards. On the reverse 'Given by the News of the World filing dept in Fleet Street on Sunday morning after hitching to London with Jeannie Lund from Hythe July/Aug 44'. Stamped Fox Photos Ltd.
A note…

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BDennisFDennisFv1.pdf
Frank left school in 1937, aged 14 and worked in a local engineering company, which later became an armament factory. In 1943 Frank volunteered as a Flight Engineer in the Royal Air Force. He recalls his training and describes the operations in which…

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EThomsonGBThomson[Fam]430404.pdf
Writes that he was now back in Manchester. Describes and comments on his new location and situation. Compares his location unfavourably to Glasgow but pleased that there was more to see and do locally. Mentions discipline in the camp not being too…

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EThomsonGBThomson[Fam]430410.pdf
Writes that he had sore feet after a march past for wings for victory week and covered 8 miles. Catches up with news from mail that he received about other American friend. Glad to hear about their news from their letter and comments on their…

EThomsonGBThomson[Fam]430413.pdf
Notes receipt of their letters and enclosed photographs. Comments on the latter. Writes of his activities. Comments on their news from home. Briefly mentions exams and letters he had received.

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EThomsonGBThomson[Fam]430415-0001.jpg
Notes receipt of their letters but not their parcel yet. Writes of his activities and colleagues. Comments on their news from home.

EThomsonGBThomson[Fam]430427.pdf
Catches up with all his news and activities. Mentions volunteering for duty in the cook house. Says sending his parcel that afternoon. Reports arrival of a friend. Catches up with their news from home. Mentions navigators postings and speculates on…

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EWilliamsGThomsonGB430426-0002.jpg
Hopes he has settled in and offers banter about their differing stations. Writes about his activities and progress on course and test to see if he can be a pilot but thinks he could be a good air bomber. Continues with more banter, news and gossip.

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