Browse Items (723 total)

  • Temporal Coverage is exactly "1941"

MNealeETH1395951-150731-096.jpg
A commemorative poster with a map of Southern Europe and North Africa which includes a list of relevant operational locations along with details.

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MClaytonA19021012-190403-01.pdf
Albert Edward Clayton autobiographical notes, containing his family history, training and subsequent employment in telecommunications pre war, during the war, and post war.

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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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PCanniffJ1804.jpg
Three bomber aircraft dropping bombs over a city on fire at night. Explosions on the ground and searchlights in the sky. On the reverse: “Thanks for the letter Jack I’ll write later, for now here wishing you a very happy time Jim.”

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ABellJR160130.mp3
Jack Bell joined the Royal Australian Air Force as a wireless operator/air gunner and joined 216 Squadron, at Heliopolis, near Cairo. He flew in Valentia and Bombay aircraft in a transport role. On an operation over Libya, his aircraft was shot down…

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ALarmerLO151112.mp3
Lawrence Larmer was born in Australia in 1920. On leaving school he went to work on the Beaufort aircraft in the Department of Aircraft Production. He was called up in 1942 and volunteered for the Royal Australian Air Force to avoid the army. His…

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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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AShuttleworthHJ151021.mp3
Joe Shuttleworth was born and raised in Brisbane but spent a lot of time with family in the Melbourne area. He volunteered for aircrew and began training as a gunner. After initial training he sailed to the United States and on to the UK. While at…

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ASouthwellDE160424.mp3
Don Southwell grew up in Australia and worked for RKO Radio Pictures and as an Air Raid Precautions Warden, before volunteering for the Royal Air Force. After training in Australia and Canada, he flew nine operations as a navigator with 463 Squadron…

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PSpenceMA1502.jpg
Max Spence grew up in Australia and worked in a hardware store before volunteering for the Air Force. He recalls his training in Canada and England, and life on an operational station. He flew 18 operations as a navigator with 460 Squadron.

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ADavisR150929.mp3
Ron volunteered for the Royal Air Force aged 18. Due to poor eyesight, he was unsuitable for aircrew and became an airframe fitter. After assessment at RAF Cardington, he went to Bournemouth for drilling and firearms training. He was posted to RAF…

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AHughesWH151021.mp3
Harry Hughes volunteered for the Royal Air Force in 1940 and trained in America, where he was washed out as a pilot and then retrained as a navigator in Canada, flying Ansons and Wellingtons. In 1942, he converted to Halifaxes and flew operations…

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AKnottS151001.mp3
Sidney Knott was from Leigh-on-Sea and recalls the day, with invasion apparently imminent, that signs were put up on the local shops advising people that they had to be ready to move within an hour and to take only one suitcase with them. Sidney’s…

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ALastRR151125.mp3
Ronald Last grew up in Dorset and worked as an apprentice for the local gas and water company before volunteering for the Air Force. He attended the reception centre at Lord's Cricket Ground and describes the medical tests and inoculations recruits…

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ARossiterHC150913.mp3
Harry Rossiter grew up in East London but his family moved to Essex, which gave Harry a “ringside view” of the Battle of Britain. He volunteered as a bicycle messenger and tried to join the Royal Navy as a telegraphist. He was encouraged to join the…

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BMannAMannAv3.pdf
He reminisces about pre-war and early war days as a schoolboy in Lewisham, recalling events at the beginning of the war. Includes photographs of aircraft and naval ships. He continues with history of events through the war's early years including:…

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AMearsCE170921.mp3
Charles left school with no formal qualifications and was undertaking further education when the Second World War commenced. Being too young to enlist, he joined the Air Defence Cadet Corps, eventually joining when he was aged 18. He was detached to…

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MElsonA751538-160401-01.jpg
A list of the postings Elson was given when training, on operations and when instructing. Also a list of six aircraft types he flew in - Tiger Moth, Hawker Hart, Dakota, Folker, Stirling, Wellington. A small newspaper cutting is included, reporting…

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BElsonAElsonAv10001.jpg
Warrant Officer Albert Elson (751538) joined the Volunteer Reserves in Derby in 1938 and was called up on 3 September 1939. His operational service began on 26 September 1940. He completed his first tour with 115 Squadron at RAF Marham in 1941, then…

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An00509's autobiography., consisting of 17 chapters and an epilogue. Chapters 1-4 deal with early life and schooling; chapters 5-14 - the war years; and chapters15-17, post war.

This item is available only at the International Bomber Command…

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PLancasterJ1501.jpg
After leaving school, Jo Lancaster was an aircraft apprentice with Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft Company in Coventry. Having volunteered for the Air Force, he trained as a pilot and completed a tour on Wellingtons with 40 Squadron from RAF Alconbury.…

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PTempleL1501.jpg
Leslie Temple spent four years in the Air Training Corps before joining the Royal Air Force as a radio operator. He completed a tour of 30 operations with 101 Squadron at RAF Ludford Magna, as a German speaking special operator. He describes how…

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PWinterH1508.jpg
Harry Winter grew up in Cardiff and worked in a paper mill from the age of 14. He served in the Home Guard before volunteering for the Air Force. After training as a wireless operator at RAF Yatesbury he flew operations over Germany, France, and…

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AHubermanA160329.mp3
Alfred Huberman volunteered for the RAF when he was 18 and trained as an air gunner. He describes the training and emphasises how physically hard it was. He flew 31 operations in Lancasters, from RAF Elsham Wolds. These included operations over the…

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BBarffAColingEFv1.pdf
Time in the RAF including selection as an observer, enrolment at Lord's Cricket Ground, navigational dead reckoning and meteorology training in Eastbourne and Paignton. Time spent on navigational sorties in Grahamstown, South Africa in Ansons and…

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