Browse Items (134 total)

  • Spatial Coverage is exactly "Poland--Tychowo"

BSaundersCSGSaundersJWGv10001.jpg
Recollections of John's service career, by his son Clive, including a letter from 44 Squadron Association. It describes John taking fellow RAF volunteers' compulsary swimming tests in their stead and his initial training in Rhodesia. He flew in…

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ACahirFS160608.mp3
Jim Cahir grew up in Australia. He originally joined the army but later was transferred to the Royal Australian Air Force. He flew operations as a mid upper gunner, with 466 Squadron. His aircraft was shot down and he became a prisoner of war. After…

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AThomsonGB171005.mp3
George Thomson had always wanted to fly. When he volunteered for the RAF he hoped to be a pilot but re-mustered as a navigator. He was posted to 15 Squadron based at RAF Mildenhall. On their first operation they were attacked by fighters three times.…

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AThomsonGB171103.mp3
George Thomson was a navigator with 15 Squadron based at RAF Mildenhall. On their 19th operation they came under attack and had to bale out of the aircraft. The pilot and mid-upper gunner both died. When he landed he saw a parachute stuck in a tree…

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AMannionF150910.mp3
Frank Mannion was born in Manchester, and after completing his electrical engineering apprenticeship at Metropolitan Vickers he volunteered for the RAF. Initially, he was ready to train as a pilot but having been told there was a shortage of air…

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AMusgroveJ150812.mp3
Born in York in 1922, Joseph left school at 14 and started work in a chocolate factory, whilst attending two nights of further education per week. In 1936, a fighter aircraft had landed nearby which stimulated his life-long interest in flying. After…

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ECahirFSCahirM441117-0001.jpg
A postcard receipt sent to the Australian Red Cross for a parcel sent to Jim Cahir from his mother. The parcel has been received at Stalag IVB.

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ABatesP151009.mp3
Philip volunteered for the Royal Air Force in May 1940. After a short time in Blackpool, he was posted to RAF Cosford where he volunteered for training as a flight mechanic and then fitter. At 86 Squadron, Coastal Command, flying Beauford torpedo…

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PBurnsDR2206.jpg
Bob Burns trained as a navigator and was posted to 106 Squadron at RAF Metheringham. His aircraft came under attack from a night fighter and the centrifugal force pinned the crew down and making an escape impossible.
Suddenly the aircraft broke in…

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BRoomCARoomCAv1.pdf
A diary of the forced march undertaken by prisoners of war 6 February 1945 to 26 April 1945

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AFirthJB160706.mp3
John was called up aged 18 and went to Padgate. He comleted a flight mechanics course at RAF Locking, followed by a Maintenance Unit at RAF Colerne. He was posted to a flight engineers course at RAF St Athan. John joined up with his crew at RAF…

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AInstoneTS160407.mp3
Thomas (Stan) Instone was working at a factory making Bristol Hercules engines but volunteered to be aircrew as soon as he was of age. Initially his application was unsuccessful but he persevered and trained as ground crew. He later re-mustered as a…

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AMacklinJR180127.mp3
Joan’s maiden name was Fellows. She speaks of her school days, until leaving at 16 and a half, when she took up an apprenticeship with a dressmaking shop in Hastings. When war was declared the dressmaking business suffered, so she went to Islington…

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PWagnerHW1701.jpg
Henry’s aircraft was shot down in Holland when the fuel tank exploded on the starboard wing. Henry was the only member of the crew to bale out. Their target had been the armament works in Duisburg. Henry drifted across the River Maas behind German…

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PHughesAM1507.1.jpg
Angas Hughes was born in Australia and served as a bomb aimer with 467 Squadron based at RAF Waddington. He describes initial training in Australia as a reserve and after call-up in 1942. He was transported by ship to Scotland via the USA and Canada.…

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SThomsonGB1572977v60005-0001.jpg
Report by D C Howardson RAMC - camp medical officer andPilot Officer Peter A Thomson RAAF camp leader for the attention of the Swiss Commission, acting as protected power. Details day by day events that occurred during the forced march from January…

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SThomsonGB1572977v50007-0001.jpg
Gives a detailed account of "death march" by 30,000 allied prisoners of war from Poland during last months of the second world war, in appalling weather conditions, as the Russian advanced. He tells of thousands of German civilians also making their…

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SHookerFJ1805487v10027.jpg
A map of Stalag Luft 7 drawn by D G Gray and dated December 1944. It shows a compound of huts, one of tents and one under construction. The Russians have a separate, smaller compound as do the Germans.

Includes measurements, direction indicator,…

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SThomsonGB1572977v20014.jpg
Diagram of layout of camp with some annotation. Titled 'Stalag Luft 7, Bankau, Upper Silesia, Germany'.

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SThomsonGB1572977v50013.jpg
Drawn map showing layout of camp.

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AIndgeRC180131.mp3
Ronald Indge was a wireless operator on 578 Squadron and became a prisoner of war after his Halifax aircraft was shot down. Upon leaving school, and unable to obtain employment in his chosen career, his father arranged a bound apprenticeship with a…

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BCarterDACarterRv1.pdf
Ronald volunteered to join the Royal Air Force in November 1942, aged 17. After basic training, Ronald was selected for gunnery and wireless operator training, becoming a Wireless Operator/Air Gunner. He was posted to RAF Waddington to form an…

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AMakensL170117.mp3
Louis Makens worked as a farm worker before the war but volunteered for aircrew. He discusses his training on Wellingtons and operations flying Stirlings with 196 Squadron including a crash landing, and glider towing. His Halifax was shot down 18/19…

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AHughesJ171123.mp3
After flying as a spare, Reginald Wilson (Hughes’ father) formed a new crew and completed their first operation to Berlin on the 29th December 1943. During their second operation to Berlin on the 20 January 1944, the aircraft was shot down. Upon…

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SHookerFJ1805487v10020.jpg
Notes kept by Fred Hooker after being shot down. It details the evacuation of the camp from Stalag Luft 7 to Stalag 3A with deaths recorded.

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