H B Bennett]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Pending text-based transcription]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Suffolk]]> 1942-04-28]]> 1942-04-25]]> 1942-04-26]]> Chapter 1 - early life, enlistment and training.
Chapter 2 - operational training. Describes activities during training OTU including naming his crew and flying out to Tunisia,
Chapter 3 relates his experiences of operations on 150 squadron including flight out to Tunisia and a history of 150 Squadron. Describes in detail eighteen operations against targets in Italy and France giving details of targets and losses. Includes photographs and documents. Moved to Cerignola 3 (Torretta) in Italy. Describes living conditions and activities there. Continues description of operations against targets in Italy, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia.
Chapter 4 - another sort of flying. Admitted to hospital after his eighteenth operation. Tells of his move to 216 Squadron at Heliopolis, Egypt and subsequent flying in various aircraft with 2 Ferry Unit at Gebel Hamzi, Egypt then 10 Staging Post at Cairo West. Mentions other flying after December 1944. Then describes briefly post war career and family life.
Appendix A - Flying Summary from log book. Includes fates of aircraft he flew.
Appendix B - miscellaneous documents.
Appendix C - glossary of Royal Air Force terms and slang.]]> S Bond]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Pending text-based transcription]]> eng]]> Text]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lancashire]]> England--Wiltshire]]> England--London]]> Wales--Bridgend]]> England--Cumbria]]> England--Gloucestershire]]> England--Cornwall]]> England--Redruth]]> Atlantic Ocean--Bay of Biscay]]> Morocco]]> Tunisia]]> Tunisia--Qayrawān]]> Italy]]> Italy--Florence]]> France]]> France--Nice]]> Italy--Turin]]> Italy--Rome]]> Italy--Cerignola]]> Croatia]]> Croatia--Rijeka]]> Italy--Velletri]]> Italy--Grottaferrata]]> Bosnia and Herzegovina]]> Bosnia and Herzegovina--Bihać]]> Italy--Sorrento]]> Italy--Porto Santo Stefano]]> Bulgaria]]> Bulgaria--Sofia]]> Italy--Monfalcone]]> Italy--Padua]]> Egypt]]> Egypt--Heliopolis (Extinct city)]]> North Africa]]> 1941-04-19]]> 1942-01-31]]> 1942-04-26]]> 1942-09-16]]> 1943-07-16]]> 1943-11-11]]> 1943-11-23]]> 1943-11-28]]> 1944-01-21]]> 1944-01-25]]> 1944-02-15]]> 1944-02-16]]> 1944-02-17]]> 1944-03-03]]> 1944-03-07]]> 1944-03-15]]> 1944-03-19]]> 1944-03-23]]> 1944-03-27]]> 1944-07-27]]> 1944-12-17]]> 1946-03-01]]> Served at RAF Jurby, RAF Bassingbourn, RAF Newmarket, RAF Waterbeach, RAF Castle Kennedy, RAF Tempsford and RAF Marham.
Aircraft flown in were Battle, Blenheim, Wellington, Hampden, Stirling and Tiger Moth.
His pilots on training and air test flights were Pilot Officer Edwards, Sergeant Hatton, Pilot Officer Stirk, Flight Lieutenant Mew, Flying Officer Glass, Sergeant Astbury, Flying Officer Brain, Sergeant Handley, Flying Officer Holford, Squadron Leader Du Boulay, Squadron Leader Rainsford, Pilot Officer Hankins, Flight Lieutenant Brough, Flying Officer Heathcote, Sergeant Williams, Sergeant Holloway, Sergeant Russell, Flight Lieutenant Jackson, Pilot Officer Dixon, Sergeant Holden, Pilot Officer Bevan, Sergeant Tuffley, Sergeant Chilvers, Pilot Officer Boxall, Flying Officer Blagden, Flying Officer Stanbury, Pilot Officer Swift, Sergeant Wyllie, Pilot Officer Coney, Squadron Leader Kain, Flying Officer Hankins, Flying Officer Matheson, Flight Lieutenant Kirk, Wing Commander Simmonds, Squadron Leader Harris, Pilot Officer Donne, Flight Lieutenant Livingstone and Squadron Leader Raymond. He carried out 50 operations (all night-time) with 99 and 218 squadrons as an air gunner on the following targets in France, Germany, Czechoslovakia: Boulogne, Brest, Paris (Gennevilliers works), Berlin, Bremen, Cologne, Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Emden, Essen, Frankfurt, Gelsenkirchen, Hamburg, Karlsruhe, Kassel, Kiel, Mannheim, Mainz, Munich, Münster, Saarbrucken and Plzen (Škoda Works). His pilots on operations were Sergeant Holloway, Sergeant Russell, Squadron Leader McFadden DFC, Sergeant Tuffley, Squadron Leader Oldroyd and Squadron Leader Raymond. Includes remarks on attacks by German fighters and operations abandoned due to engine problems, icing and poor weather conditions.]]> Great Britain. Royal Air Force]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Terry Hancock]]> Review Oct 2024]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Log book and record book]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> Great Britain Miscellaneous Island Dependencies--Isle of Man]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> England--Norfolk]]> Scotland--Dumfries and Galloway]]> Belgium]]> Belgium--Ostend]]> Czech Republic]]> Czech Republic--Plzeň]]> France]]> France--Boulogne-sur-Mer]]> France--Brest]]> France--Dunkerque]]> France--Paris]]> Germany]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> Germany--Berlin]]> Germany--Bremen]]> Germany--Cologne]]> Germany--Dortmund]]> Germany--Düsseldorf]]> Germany--Emden (Lower Saxony)]]> Germany--Essen]]> Germany--Frankfurt am Main]]> Germany--Gelsenkirchen]]> Germany--Hamburg]]> Germany--Karlsruhe]]> Germany--Kassel]]> Germany--Kiel]]> Germany--Mainz (Rhineland-Palatinate)]]> Germany--Mannheim]]> Germany--Munich]]> Germany--Münster in Westfalen]]> Germany--Saarbrücken]]> Atlantic Ocean--Baltic Sea]]> 1940]]> 1941]]> 1941-02-26]]> 1941-03-01]]> 1941-03-02]]> 1941-03-14]]> 1941-03-15]]> 1941-04-04]]> 1941-04-05]]> 1941-04-06]]> 1941-04-07]]> 1941-04-08]]> 1941-04-09]]> 1941-04-10]]> 1941-04-15]]> 1941-04-17]]> 1941-04-20]]> 1941-04-21]]> 1941-04-24]]> 1941-04-25]]> 1941-04-29]]> 1941-04-30]]> 1941-05-02]]> 1941-05-03]]> 1941-06-11]]> 1941-06-12]]> 1941-06-22]]> 1941-06-23]]> 1941-07-08]]> 1941-07-09]]> 1941-07-17]]> 1941-07-18]]> 1941-07-24]]> 1941-07-25]]> 1942-04-10]]> 1942-04-11]]> 1942-04-12]]> 1942-04-13]]> 1942-04-14]]> 1942-04-15]]> 1942-04-17]]> 1942-04-22]]> 1942-04-25]]> 1942-04-26]]> 1942-04-29]]> 1942-04-30]]> 1942-05-04]]> 1942-05-05]]> 1942-05-17]]> 1942-05-18]]> 1942-05-29]]> 1942-05-30]]> 1942-05-31]]> 1942-06-11]]> 1942-06-12]]> 1942-06-20]]> 1942-06-21]]> 1942-06-25]]> 1952-06-26]]> 1942-06-29]]> 1942-06-30]]> 1942-08-11]]> 1942-08-12]]> 1942-08-24]]> 1942-08-25]]> 1942-08-27]]> 1942-08-28]]> 1942-09-01]]> 1942-09-02]]> 1942-09-03]]> 1942-09-08]]> 1942-09-09]]> 1942-09-19]]> 1942-09-20]]> 1942-09-23]]> 1942-09-24]]> The top right photograph on the left page shows fields with trees in the background, and captioned "PLAYING FIELDS".
The bottom left photograph on the left page shows trees with buildings in the background. It is captioned "THE CHAPEL".
The bottom right photograph on the left page shows military personnel on parade with accommodation blocks in the background. The photograph is captioned "RETREAT PARADE 'B' SQUADRON TO THE FORE."
The top left photograph on the right page shows a patch of land with huts, buildings and poles in the background, it is captioned "THE FLIGHT LINE".
The top right photograph on the right page shows a man in military uniform standing in an accommodation hut, with the caption "READY FOR INSPECTION".
The bottom left photograph on the right page shows a man sitting in bed holding a pen and paper in an accommodation hut. The photograph is captioned "SHONK WTITES HOME."
The bottom right photograph on the right page shows a dog curling up with puppies on a bed, captioned "PEGGY AND PUPS."
Both left and right pages are captioned "TURNER FIELD".
On the reverse of the photograph on the top left on the left page shows a stamp dated "APR 7 1942" and "McCOLLUM'S PHOTO SHOP ALBANY. GA". and the number 38.
On the reverse of the photograph on the bottom right on the left page shows a stamp dated "APR 17 1942" and "McCOLLUM'S PHOTO SHOP ALBANY. GA". and an indecipherable number.
On the reverse of the photograph on the top left on the right page shows a stamp dated "APR 17 1942" and "McCOLLUM'S PHOTO SHOP ALBANY. GA". and an indecipherable number.
On the reverse of the photograph on the top right on the right page shows a stamp dated "APR 17 1942" and "McCOLLUM'S PHOTO SHOP ALBANY. GA". and the number "41".
On the reverse of the photograph on the bottom left on the right page shows a stamp dated "APR 26 1942" and "McCOLLUM'S PHOTO SHOP ALBANY. GA". and the number "41".
On the reverse of the photograph on the bottom right on the right page shows a stamp dated "APR 26 1942" and "McCOLLUM'S PHOTO SHOP ALBANY. GA". and the number "41". Also handwritten are the words "Peggy and Pups". ]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> eng]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Canadian Air Force]]> 1942-04-07]]> 1942-04-17]]> 1942-04-26]]> H Ellis]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Peter Balata]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Civilian]]> Royal Air Force]]> Canada]]> Manitoba--Brandon]]> Great Britain]]> England--Yorkshire]]> England--Sheffield]]> Manitoba]]> 1942-04-26]]>
Served at RAF Yatesbury, RAF West Freugh, RAF Bramcote, RAF Bitteswell, RAF Lindholme, RAF Tiree, RAF Dale, RAF Cairo West (LG224), RAF Holmsley South, RAF Blackbushe, RAF North Weald. Aircraft flown were Dominie, Proctor, Battle, Wellington, Tiger Moth, C47, B24, Warwick,

Flew on 14 bombing operations (1 day and 13 night) and 39 day anti-submarine sweeps with 304 Squadron. The bombing targets were Boulogne, Emden, Dunkerque, Cologne, Hamburg, Essen, Dortmund, Hamburg, Rostock, Bordeaux, Bremen. The anti-submarine sweeps were over the Atlantic Ocean and the Bay of Biscay.
His pilots on operations were Flying Officer Kucharski (35 operations), Sergeant Janski (1 operation), Flying Officer Zurek (16 operations), Sergeant Gotebiowski (1 operation).
]]> Great Britain. Royal Air Force]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Nick Cornwell-Smith]]> Review Oct 2024]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Log book and record book]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Air Force. Coastal Command]]> Royal Air Force. Transport Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Essex]]> England--Hampshire]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Warwickshire]]> England--Wiltshire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Scotland--Argyll and Bute]]> Scotland--Dumfries and Galloway]]> Wales--Pembrokeshire]]> North Africa]]> Egypt]]> Egypt--Cairo]]> Germany]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> Germany--Bremen]]> Germany--Cologne]]> Germany--Dortmund]]> Germany--Emden (Lower Saxony)]]> Germany--Essen]]> Germany--Hamburg]]> Germany--Rostock]]> France]]> France--Bordeaux (Nouvelle-Aquitaine)]]> France--Boulogne-sur-Mer]]> France--Dunkerque]]> Atlantic Ocean]]> Atlantic Ocean--Bay of Biscay]]> 1942-01-28]]> 1942-01-29]]> 1942-03-12]]> 1942-03-13]]> 1942-04-05]]> 1942-04-06]]> 1942-04-08]]> 1942-04-09]]> 1942-04-10]]> 1942-04-11]]> 1942-04-12]]> 1942-04-13]]> 1942-04-14]]> 1942-04-15]]> 1942-04-17]]> 1942-04-18]]> 1942-04-23]]> 1942-04-24]]> 1942-04-25]]> 1942-04-26]]> 1942-04-27]]> 1942-05-18]]> 1942-05-20]]> 1942-05-23]]> 1942-05-26]]> 1942-05-27]]> 1942-05-31]]> 1942-06-05]]> 1942-06-07]]> 1942-06-25]]> 1942-06-26]]> 1942-07-18]]> 1942-07-22]]> 1942-07-29]]> 1942-07-30]]> 1942-08-01]]> 1942-08-09]]> 1942-08-11]]> 1942-08-13]]> 1942-08-17]]> 1942-08-19]]> 1942-09-02]]> 1942-09-06]]> 1942-09-10]]> 1942-09-14]]> 1942-09-17]]> 1942-09-18]]> 1942-09-24]]> 1942-09-26]]> 1942-09-30]]> 1942-10-16]]> 1942-10-21]]> 1942-10-25]]> 1942-10-29]]> 1942-11-12]]> 1942-11-14]]> 1942-11-18]]> 1942-11-20]]> 1942-11-22]]> 1942-11-26]]> 1942-11-28]]> 1942-12-02]]> 1942-12-22]]> 1942-12-30]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> The image is captioned 'I.V.Y. 304 NT 26/27.4.42 f8" --> T.X.X.'
On the reverse is handwritten 'Rostock'.]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Geolocated]]> eng]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Germany]]> Germany--Rostock]]> 1942-04-26]]> 1942-04-27]]> On the reverse 'Wismar Route to Rostock (in capitals) 26 Apr 1942'.
There is a second, identical, copy.]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> eng]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Polskie Siły Powietrzne]]> Germany]]> Germany--Rostock]]> Germany--Wismar]]> 1942-04-26]]> Great Britain. Royal Air Force]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Review Oct 2024]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Log book and record book]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Germany]]> Germany--Berlin]]> Atlantic Ocean--Baltic Sea]]> Germany--Kiel]]> Germany--Cologne]]> Germany--Mannheim]]> France]]> France--Saint-Nazaire]]> Atlantic Ocean--Bay of Biscay]]> Germany--Bremen]]> Germany--Hamburg]]> Atlantic Ocean--English Channel]]> France--Boulogne-sur-Mer]]> Germany--Osnabrück]]> Germany--Duisburg]]> Germany--Düsseldorf]]> Germany--Bielefeld]]> Italy]]> Italy--Turin]]> Germany--Stuttgart]]> Germany--Munich]]> France--Lorient]]> Germany--Wilhelmshaven]]> Germany--Nuremberg]]> Germany--Essen]]> Czech Republic]]> Czech Republic--Plzeň]]> Italy--La Spezia]]> Germany--Dortmund]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> 1941]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1941-04-15]]> 1941-04-16]]> 1941-04-17]]> 1941-04-18]]> 1941-04-30]]> 1941-05-01]]> 1941-05-03]]> 1941-05-04]]> 1941-05-05]]> 1941-05-06]]> 1941-05-07]]> 1941-05-08]]> 1941-05-09]]> 1941-05-10]]> 1941-05-11]]> 1941-05-12]]> 1941-05-13]]> 1941-06-11]]> 1941-06-12]]> 1941-06-13]]> 1941-06-16]]> 1941-06-17]]> 1941-06-26]]> 1941-06-27]]> 1941-07-03]]> 1941-07-04]]> 1941-07-05]]> 1941-07-06]]> 1941-07-07]]> 1941-07-08]]> 1941-07-09]]> 1941-07-10]]> 1941-07-11]]> 1941-09-13]]> 1941-09-14]]> 1941-10-15]]> 1941-10-16]]> 1941-11-09]]> 1941-11-10]]> 1941-11-20]]> 1941-11-21]]> 1941-11-22]]> 1941-11-23]]> 1941-11-29]]> 1941-11-30]]> 1941-12-08]]> 1941-12-09]]> 1941-12-10]]> 1941-12-11]]> 1941-12-12]]> 1941-12-20]]> 1941-12-21]]> 1941-12-22]]> 1942-01-26]]> 1942-01-27]]> 1942-01-28]]> 1942-01-30]]> 1942-01-31]]> 1942-02-02]]> 1942-02-03]]> 1942-02-04]]> 1942-02-09]]> 1942-02-10]]> 1942-02-24]]> 1942-02-25]]> 1942-02-26]]> 1942-02-28]]> 1942-03-01]]> 1942-03-02]]> 1942-03-08]]> 1942-03-09]]> 1942-03-10]]> 1942-03-12]]> 1942-03-13]]> 1942-03-22]]> 1942-03-23]]> 1942-04-16]]> 1942-04-17]]> 1942-04-18]]> 1942-04-19]]> 1942-04-26]]> 1942-04-27]]> 1942-05-04]]> 1942-05-05]]> Great Britain. Royal Air Force]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> David Leitch]]> Cara Walmsley]]> Review Oct 2024]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Log book and record book]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Belgium]]> Canada]]> Czech Republic]]> Denmark]]> France]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> Atlantic Ocean--Bay of Biscay]]> Atlantic Ocean--English Channel]]> Atlantic Ocean--Great Belt (Baltic Sea)]]> England--Norfolk]]> England--Oxfordshire]]> England--Staffordshire]]> Ontario]]> Scotland--Moray]]> Belgium--Ostend]]> Czech Republic--Plzeň]]> France--Brest]]> France--Lyon]]> France--Paris]]> Germany--Bremen]]> Germany--Cologne]]> Germany--Dortmund]]> Germany--Emden (Lower Saxony)]]> Germany--Essen]]> Germany--Hamburg]]> Germany--Mannheim]]> Germany--Wilhelmshaven]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> Denmark--Langeland]]> Atlantic Ocean--Baltic Sea]]> 1941]]> 1942]]> 1941-12-16]]> 1941-12-28]]> 1942-01-07]]> 1942-01-09]]> 1942-01-11]]> 1942-01-20]]> 1942-02-12]]> 1942-04-10]]> 1942-04-11]]> 1942-04-12]]> 1942-04-13]]> 1942-04-14]]> 1942-04-15]]> 1942-04-17]]> 1942-04-25]]> 1942-04-26]]> 1942-05-02]]> 1942-05-03]]> 1942-05-04]]> 1942-05-05]]> 1942-05-17]]> 1942-05-19]]> 1942-05-20]]> 1942-05-29]]> 1942-05-30]]> 1942-05-31]]> 1942-06-01]]> 1942-06-03]]> 1942-06-04]]> 1942-06-06]]> 1942-06-07]]> Ursula Valentine]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Robin Christian]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Civilian]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--London]]> 1942-04-26]]> Great Britain. Political Warfare Executive]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Steve Baldwin]]> deu]]> Text]]> MBowkerDG[Ser#-DoB]-151216-120002]]> Wehrmacht]]> Germany]]> 1942-04-26]]> Great Britain. Royal Air Force]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Geolocated]]> O’Hara, Paddy. Folder POHaraHF1601]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Atlantic Ocean--Baltic Sea]]> Germany]]> Germany--Rostock]]> 1942-04-26]]> 1942-04-27]]> ]]> Great Britain. Royal Air Force]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> O’Hara, Paddy. Folder POHaraHF1601]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> 1942-04-26]]> 1942-04-27]]>
Identification kindly provided by Frank Schilder.]]> Great Britain. Royal Air Force]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Frank Schilder]]> Geolocated]]> O’Hara, Paddy. Folder POHaraHF1601]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Germany]]> Germany--Rostock]]> 1942-04-26]]> 1942-04-27]]>