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John Blair DFC
Black and white full-length portrait photograph of John Blair wearing civilian clothes with medals on his left breast, in front of a large, white building with portico. There are various people behind him: one is dressed in the uniform of a British…
Blair family members visit the seaside, St Elizabeth
Eight members of the Blair family in a stationary rowing boat, three seated. Submitted with caption 'Blair family members visit the seaside, St Elizabeth, Jamaica, 1930s'.
Arthur Young
Head and shoulders portrait of Arthur in uniform with sergeant's stripes and Air Gunner's brevet. Submitted with caption: 'Arthur Young. Born in Cardiff he was killed in the crash of the "Salford Lancaster" on 30 July 1944, returning from an…
Family group
A family group with twelve members and a rabbit. One man is in uniform. One boy has his arm in a sling.
The Awful End of Astro
An explanation of the end of astro-navigation on board bomber aircraft in addition to GEE navigation. Navigators were required to carry sextants and take three astro readings every hour. One night the wrong astro-projector settings were supplied and…
Interview with Eileen Widdowson
Born in Peterborough, Eileen's father died when she was quite young, which resulted in the family moving to Grantham. With the East Coast main railway line and also a munitions factory, Grantham was a regular target for the Luftwaffe. Eileen recalls…
Interview with Eddy Smythe. Two
Eddy Smyth’s father was John Smythe. John left Sierra Leone to join the RAF during the Second World War. He was shot down over Germany and spent two years as a prisoner of war. After the war he trained as a barrister and returned to Sierra Leone…
Interview with Eddy Smythe. One
Eddy Smythe’s father, Johnny Smythe, was a navigator on a Lancaster. He was originally from Sierra Leonne. On one operation he was injured when anti-aircraft fire damaged their aircraft but they continued to target. One engine had been damaged and so…
Interview with Ray Parke. One
Ray Parke worked on the railway before joining the RAF in 1943. He recalls flying 40 operations as a flight engineer with 218 Squadron by the time he was 20. He tells about operations on Essen and the Ruhr, and discusses the Dresden operation, giving…
Interview with Charles Mears
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…
Interview with Mark Johnson
Mark Johnson reminisces about John Blair, his great-uncle. He discusses family life in rural Jamaica as a mixed-ethnicity person, highly respected by everyone. He was a qualified teacher, a lawyer, and a farmer. He reminisces about other Caribbeans…
Interview with Oluwole Hyde. Two
Olu Hyde continues his interview by describing his experience as the son of a Bomber Command veteran.
Interview with Oluwole Hyde
Oluwole Hyde’s father was Adesanya Hyde, who served as a navigator with 640 Squadron. He was badly injured but continued to navigate the aeroplane on operation. It was only when they were over the UK that he accepted the morphine for the pain. After…
Interview with John Holtham
At the age of 15, John ran away from home, lied about his age and joined the British Army. In 1917 he joined the Royal Flying Corps, qualified as a pilot and volunteered to join the Royal Naval Air Service. When the Second World War broke out, he…
Part of M.T Section Cardington
Four members of Women’s Auxiliary Air Force sitting on the running board of a car. In front sitting on the ground are four airmen. In the background are houses. On the reverse 'M.T Section Cardington - Part Of, back row, Lynn Clark, - "Spooky"…
Interview with Bob Lasham
Bob Lasham began an electrical engineering apprenticeship with British Thomson-Houston before volunteering for the RAF in 1941, aged 20. He trained at RAF Babbacombe and RAF Wilmslow before completing his pilot training in Clewiston, Florid. On…
Interview with Danny Walker
Wilberforce (Danny) Emmanuel Walker was born in Jamaica and joined the Royal Air Force in June 1944. After becoming a Junior Clerk at the Post Office in Jamaica, Danny arrived in England in 1944 was based in RAF Filey in Yorkshire, where he became…
Flight Lieutenant Strachan's crew
Four airmen standing, two squatting and one kneeling. One with the spotted toy mascot. Behind is an aircraft. They are wearing Mae Wests and parachutes. Leonard Dorricott is standing on the left and Flight Lieutenant Strachan is standing on the…
Flight Lieutenant Strachan's crew
Seven airmen in two rows. The front row is kneeling and four men at the back are standing. They are dressed in lifejackets and parachutes. Leonard Dorricott is first on the left. One man is kneeling and holding a spotted toy leopard. The pilot, Billy…
Flight Lieutenant Strachan's crew
Seven airmen standing in front of a Lancaster. They are wearing lifejackets and parachutes. One man is holding a toy leopard. Leonard Dorricott is second left. On the reverse of one photograph 'April 1945 Taffy Morgan Bomb Aimer LWD Nav Bill Lund…
We meet again
Billy Strachan, Lancaster pilot, is standing by the nose of a Lancaster 'F'. Caption mentions his interest in ethnic minorities who flew in Bomber Command.
Airmen inspected by Sir Archibald Sinclair, Secretary of State for Air
Photograph 1 is of a group of French airmen being inspected, captioned 'Rt Hon Sir Archibald, Secretary of State for Air.'
Photograph 2 is of a group of French airmen standing at attention.
Photograph 3 is of a group of French airmen being…
Photograph 2 is of a group of French airmen standing at attention.
Photograph 3 is of a group of French airmen being…
Interview with Neville Shenbanjo
Neville was born in Leeds in 1945, one of seven children of Akin Shenbanjo DFC, who served as a wireless operator with 76 Squadron.
The first part of the interview relates to Neville's early life and relationship with his father. Neville was brought…
The first part of the interview relates to Neville's early life and relationship with his father. Neville was brought…
Interview with Emmanuel Alexis Elden
Emmanuel Alexis Elden grew up in Jamaica. He joined the Royal Air Force and trained at RAF Hunmanby Moor. He served as an air traffic controller and, when he was not on duty, he used to enjoy travelling to dances in London. He stayed in the RAF until…
Interview with John Cox
John Cox grew up in Lincolnshire and worked in banking before he joined the Royal Air Force. After training as a pilot in the United States, he served as an instructor for almost three years. He flew 20 operations as a pilot with 626 Squadron, from…