1 25 248 https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/2798/49978/PWillettS19010010.2.jpg c9fd2daf60ca4a28df91fa2b00a1a5d7 https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/2798/49978/PWillettS19010011.2.jpg e72ad99a3624f8efe34469e13f706bd3 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Willett, S Description An account of the resource 155 items. The collection concerns contains documents, correspondence about the Fighter Command Communication Squadron, and photographs including a series of reconnaissance photographs. The collection was loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Shane and Lesley Willett and catalogued by Jan Johnstone. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2019-07-03 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Willett, S Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context PWillettS19010010, PWillettS19010011 Title A name given to the resource Wing Commander Guy Gibson with Vice-President Henry Wallace Description An account of the resource Guy Gibson shaking hands with Vice-President Wallace at the 12th Forum on Current Problems, sponsored by the NY Herald-Tribune. The photograph is captioned 'Acme Newspictures inc photograph of Wing Commander Guy Gibson VC DSO* DFC* On an American tour after the Dams raid 16th / 17th May 1943 Picture dated 26th November 1943'. A message from President Roosevelt, to be read at the forum, is taped to the reverse of the photograph. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Acme Newspictures Inc Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1943-11-26 Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1943-05-16 1943-05-17 1943-11-26 Spatial Coverage Spatial characteristics of the resource. United States New York (State) New York (State)--New York Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Royal Air Force Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Photograph Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource One b/w photograph Conforms To An established standard to which the described resource conforms. Pending text-based transcription Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. 617 Squadron Eder Möhne and Sorpe operation (16–17 May 1943) Gibson, Guy Penrose (1918-1944) propaganda Roosevelt, Franklin Delano (1882-1945) https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/2798/49966/PWillettS19010004.1.jpg 80be876e526f828838c2b6344979dd71 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Willett, S Description An account of the resource 155 items. The collection concerns contains documents, correspondence about the Fighter Command Communication Squadron, and photographs including a series of reconnaissance photographs. The collection was loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Shane and Lesley Willett and catalogued by Jan Johnstone. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2019-07-03 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Willett, S Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Heligoland Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context PWillettS19010004 Description An account of the resource A vertical aerial photograph of Heligoland with the caption '9 sqdn bombing photograph of Heligoland on the 19th April 1945 from S/L Allrose aircraft Tallboys & Grandslam bombs being used by 9 & 617 sqdn'. The image is captioned 'BURD. 19.4.45 // [indecipherable] 1732 [indecipherable] 13000 HELIGO TALLBOY. DT. C. 25 secs [indecipherable]'. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Great Britain. Royal Air Force Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1945-04-19 Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1945-04-19 Spatial Coverage Spatial characteristics of the resource. Germany Germany--Helgoland Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Royal Air Force Royal Air Force. Bomber Command Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Photograph Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource One b/w photograph Conforms To An established standard to which the described resource conforms. Geolocated Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. 617 Squadron 9 Squadron aerial photograph bombing of Helgoland (18 April 1945) Grand Slam Tallboy target photograph https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/2798/49975/PWillettS19010007.1.jpg eb3bcf15418cadae54ca3d72f1f530f0 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Willett, S Description An account of the resource 155 items. The collection concerns contains documents, correspondence about the Fighter Command Communication Squadron, and photographs including a series of reconnaissance photographs. The collection was loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Shane and Lesley Willett and catalogued by Jan Johnstone. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2019-07-03 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Willett, S Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context PWillettS19010007 Title A name given to the resource Fröndenberg Description An account of the resource Vertical reconnaissance photograph of flooding following Operation Chastise. Captioned 'Frodenberg [Fröndenberg] 13 miles down stream from the Mohne Dam showing the flood water after the Dambuster raid on on 16th 17th May 1943 photo taken by F/O F G Fray in Spitfire PRX1 serial EN343 of 542 sqdn'. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Great Britain. Royal Air Force Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1943-05-16 1943-05-17 Spatial Coverage Spatial characteristics of the resource. Germany Germany--Fröndenberg Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Royal Air Force Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Photograph Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource One b/w photograph Conforms To An established standard to which the described resource conforms. Geolocated Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1943-05 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. 542 Squadron 617 Squadron aerial photograph Eder Möhne and Sorpe operation (16–17 May 1943) reconnaissance photograph Spitfire https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/2798/49976/PWillettS19010008.jpg 9704f3a41471551a40b6ca84ac4c5c92 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Willett, S Description An account of the resource 155 items. The collection concerns contains documents, correspondence about the Fighter Command Communication Squadron, and photographs including a series of reconnaissance photographs. The collection was loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Shane and Lesley Willett and catalogued by Jan Johnstone. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2019-07-03 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Willett, S Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context PWillettS19010008 Title A name given to the resource Affoldern Description An account of the resource Vertical reconnaissance photograph of floodwater at Affoldern captioned 'Reconnaissance photo showing the flood water from the breached Eder Dam at Affoldern two and a half miles downstream'. The image is annotated 'AFFOLDERN (2½ miles downstream from EDER DAM) K. 1559 Neg. No. 24690)'. Four areas in the water are marked with the letter 'A', 'B', 'C' and 'ViII'. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Great Britain. Royal Air Force Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1943-05 Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1943-05-16 1943-05-17 Spatial Coverage Spatial characteristics of the resource. Germany Germany--Edertal--Affoldern Germany--Eder River Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Royal Air Force Royal Air Force. Bomber Command Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Photograph Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource One b/w photograph Conforms To An established standard to which the described resource conforms. Geolocated Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. 617 Squadron aerial photograph Eder Möhne and Sorpe operation (16–17 May 1943) reconnaissance photograph https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/2798/49977/PWillettS19010009.2.jpg 55e3941ce62d65f1c5eb9f8340438a5a Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Willett, S Description An account of the resource 155 items. The collection concerns contains documents, correspondence about the Fighter Command Communication Squadron, and photographs including a series of reconnaissance photographs. The collection was loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Shane and Lesley Willett and catalogued by Jan Johnstone. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2019-07-03 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Willett, S Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context PWillettS19010009 Title A name given to the resource Eder Dam Description An account of the resource Vertical aerial photograph with two images of the Eder Dam captioned 'Photographs of the Eder Dam taken on 18th May 1943, thirty hours after the attack by 617 sqdn. Taken by F/O D G Scott in Spitfire PRX1 serial EN411 of 542 sqdn. (double photo used with stylograph to make the image 3D)'. The image on the left has the caption 'EDER DAM' and the image on the right has the caption 'AMPS/587 18-5-43'. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Great Britain. Royal Air Force Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1943-05-18 Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1943-05-16 1943-05-17 1943-05-18 Spatial Coverage Spatial characteristics of the resource. Germany Germany--Eder Dam Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Royal Air Force Royal Air Force. Bomber Command Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Photograph Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource One b/w photograph Conforms To An established standard to which the described resource conforms. Geolocated Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. 542 Squadron 617 Squadron aerial photograph bombing Eder Möhne and Sorpe operation (16–17 May 1943) reconnaissance photograph Spitfire https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/165/2241/PWrightJ1539.1.jpg c7aa7c9d3ab4e36eaae1ab712b5348b6 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wright, Jim J R Wright Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-05-21 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. Some items have not been published in order to protect the privacy of third parties, to comply with intellectual property regulations, or have been assessed as medium or low priority according to the IBCC Digital Archive collection policy and will therefore be published at a later stage. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collection-policy. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Wright, J Description An account of the resource 93 items. The collection contains two oral history interviews with Jim Wright, letters, cuttings and photographs. It concerns James Roy Wright’s research into his father, Sergeant Arthur Charles Wright (1911 - 1943, 1149750 Royal Air Force) and an operation to Turin 12/13 July 1943 which caused 100 aircraft to violate Swiss airspace. Two aircraft were shot down or crashed in Switzerland. There are many photographs and details of the activities that night including reports by the Swiss authorities. The crews are identified with photographs and there are several photographs of the funerals at Vevey. Additional material includes aerial photograph of bomb damage in Germany and the logbook and airman's pay book of W G Anderson. The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Jim Wright and catalogued by Nigel Huckins, with descriptions of official Swiss documents provided Gilvray Williams. Additional information on Arthur Charles Wright is available via the <a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/126015/">IBCC Losses Database</a>. This collection also contains items concerning Hugh Burke Bolger and his crew. Additional information on Hugh Burke Bolger is available via the <a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/102186/">IBCC Losses Database</a>. Access Rights Information about who can access the resource or an indication of its security status. Access Rights may include information regarding access or restrictions based on privacy, security, or other policies. Permission granted for commercial projects Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Dam Busters 617 Squadron Description An account of the resource Group of airmen arranged in four rows in front of a Lancaster. Captioned 'Dam Busters 617 Squadron'. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource One b/w photograph Type The nature or genre of the resource Photograph Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context PWrightJ1539 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Royal Air Force Royal Air Force. Bomber Command Spatial Coverage Spatial characteristics of the resource. Great Britain Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Great Britain. Royal Air Force 617 Squadron Lancaster https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/1368/23089/PThomasAF20050028.2.jpg f80f48ef0ea04867903de9df40bdf134 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Thomas, Arthur Froude. Album 4 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2020-02-11 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Thomas, AF Description An account of the resource 42 items. An album containing photographs of 149 Squadron aircraft and personnel as well as pictures taken in 1946 of some of the bomb damage to German cities. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Berchtesgaden Description An account of the resource A view of the ruins of Hitler's villa and the SS Barracks. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1946-01-22 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource One b/w photograph on an album page Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Photograph Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context PThomasAF20050028 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Royal Air Force Royal Air Force. Bomber Command Spatial Coverage Spatial characteristics of the resource. Germany Germany--Berchtesgaden Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Great Britain. Royal Air Force Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1946-01-22 617 Squadron bombing Hitler, Adolf (1889-1945) https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/1898/35393/PPenswickJ1709.1.jpg f03dee060a5d3de58be174368fe1f0bd Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Penswick, Jack J Penswick Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2017-07-09 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Penswick, J Description An account of the resource 19 items. The collection concerns Jack Penswick (1497486 Royal Air Force) and contains his log book and photographs. He flew operations as an air gunner with 61 and 617 Squadron. The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by John Penswick and catalogued by Barry Hunter. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Tirpitz Description An account of the resource A vertical aerial photograph of the bombing of the Tirpitz. Much of the image is obscured by smoke and explosions. Tirpitz can be seen right of centre. Anti-aircraft fire can be seen to the top of the photograph. Three bomb explosions in the water are visible to the top right. It is captioned: '685 LOS 12.11.44//8" 15400' 325° 0843 Tirpitz J 1 HC 12000DT c 31 secs F/L Gumbley J 617'. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1944-11-12 Spatial Coverage Spatial characteristics of the resource. Great Britain Norway Norway--Tromsø Scotland--Moray Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Royal Air Force Royal Air Force. Bomber Command Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Photograph Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource One b/w photograph Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context PPenswickJ1709 Conforms To An established standard to which the described resource conforms. Geolocated Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Great Britain. Royal Air Force Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1944-11-12 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Stuart Cummins 617 Squadron aerial photograph bombing Lancaster Operation Catechism (12 November 1944) RAF Lossiemouth Tallboy target photograph Tirpitz https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/2798/49971/PWillettS19010005.jpg 1fdd739ab25132b2a459caaded21c42f https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/2798/49971/PWillettS19010006.jpg d97bb644350a576306c1f7ed2ea0e0f0 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Willett, S Description An account of the resource 155 items. The collection concerns contains documents, correspondence about the Fighter Command Communication Squadron, and photographs including a series of reconnaissance photographs. The collection was loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Shane and Lesley Willett and catalogued by Jan Johnstone. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2019-07-03 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Willett, S Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context PWillettS19010005, PWillettS19010006 Title A name given to the resource Breached Mohne Dam Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Great Britain. Royal Air Force Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1943-05 Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1943-05-16 1943-05-17 Spatial Coverage Spatial characteristics of the resource. Germany Germany--Möhne River Dam Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Royal Air Force Royal Air Force. Bomber Command Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Photograph Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource One b/w photograph Description An account of the resource Vertical reconnaissance photograph captioned 'Breached Mohne Dam After the dams raid 16th 17th May 1943'. An interpretation with the title 'Results of the RAF attack on the Mohne and Eder Dams' is pasted to the reverse of the print. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. 617 Squadron aerial photograph bombing Eder Möhne and Sorpe operation (16–17 May 1943) reconnaissance photograph https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/2798/50033/PWillettS19010012.1.jpg eaa4e32a5d0cdf8fd3e904aed8d48caf https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/2798/50033/PWillettS19010013.1.jpg 7fa969d2f72295c335bc0614479d5b24 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Willett, S Description An account of the resource 155 items. The collection concerns contains documents, correspondence about the Fighter Command Communication Squadron, and photographs including a series of reconnaissance photographs. The collection was loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Shane and Lesley Willett and catalogued by Jan Johnstone. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2019-07-03 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Willett, S Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context PWillettS19010012, PWillettS19010013 Title A name given to the resource Attack on bearings factory at La Ricamarie Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Great Britain. Royal Air Force Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1944-03-10 1944-03-11 Spatial Coverage Spatial characteristics of the resource. France France--La Ricamarie Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Royal Air Force Royal Air Force. Bomber Command Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Photograph Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource One b/w photograph Conforms To An established standard to which the described resource conforms. Pending text-based transcription Geolocated Description An account of the resource An oblique aerial photograph showing heavy bomb exploding in the target area. Captioned ' 617 sqdn raid photograph of an attack on the aircraft bearings factory at La Ricamarie'. Description pasted to the reverse side. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. 617 Squadron aerial photograph bombing target photograph https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/2798/50041/PWillettS19010022.2.jpg 7a03ada97c3a9be81820103f8e3cdb05 https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/2798/50041/PWillettS19010023.2.jpg 327d345e8688c6c5740331544516b720 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Willett, S Description An account of the resource 155 items. The collection concerns contains documents, correspondence about the Fighter Command Communication Squadron, and photographs including a series of reconnaissance photographs. The collection was loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Shane and Lesley Willett and catalogued by Jan Johnstone. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2019-07-03 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Willett, S Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context PWillettS19010022, PWillettS19010023 Title A name given to the resource Bielefeld Viaduct Description An account of the resource Oblique aerial photograph showing destruction of the Bielefeld railway viaduct. A description is pasted to the reverse of the print. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Great Britain. Royal Air Force Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1945-03-17 Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1945-03-14 Spatial Coverage Spatial characteristics of the resource. Germany Germany--Bielefeld Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Royal Air Force Royal Air Force. Bomber Command Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Photograph Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource One b/w photograph Conforms To An established standard to which the described resource conforms. Geolocated Pending text-based transcription Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. 617 Squadron aerial photograph bombing Grand Slam Lancaster reconnaissance photograph https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/592/31567/SJoynerJH1812689v1.pdf bc8e485f7191a669b21c66b11dd5eedf https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/592/31567/SJoynerJH1812689v1 rescan.pdf c869b246adddc6173e6f89d647cfddac https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/592/31567/SJoynerJH1812689v1-1.pdf a8a6b284e5339a264ad686b88616d9e2 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Joyner, John John Howard Joyner J H Joyner Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Joyner, JH Description An account of the resource Three items. An oral history interview with John Joyner (1924 - 2016, Royal Air Force), his memoir and scrap book. He flew operations as an air gunner with 189 and 101 Squadrons. The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by John Joyner and catalogued by Trevor Hardcastle. Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. Transcribed document A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Transcription Text transcribed from audio recording or document [Flying Log Book] JOYNER J [Page break] [Inserted] No 16 OTU [/inserted] [Sergeants’ Mess Subscription Card R.A.F Upper Heyford] J. H. J[word missing] [Inserted] 101 SQUADRON [/inserted] [Sergeants’ Mess Subscription Card R.A.F. Ludford Magna] Sgt JOYNER No 619 [Inserted] 189 SQUADRON [/inserted] [Sergeants’ Mess Subscription Card R.A.F. Bardney] Sgt. Joyner [Inserted] 16 O.T.U. [/inserted] [Sergeant’s Mess Subscription Card R.A.F. Barford St. John] 920 Sgt Joyner [Page break] [Drawings of aircraft] John. H. Joyner [Photograph] – His Book [Page break] [Photograph] Little did the Air Force know of the disaster about to befall them with the approach of the winter months, – Annual A.T.C. Summer Camp. Halton 1943. [Photograph] Air Crew Receiving Centre – October, 1943 (Juggernaut bottom right). [Page break] [Postcard] [Inserted] No 2 Squadron Grand Hotel No 1 Squadron Rusacks Marine. [/inserted] St Andrews – P.N.B. Initial Training Wing November 1943 – February 1944. [Page break] [Inserted] T.IW. St Andrews. [/inserted] The Officer Commanding and Officers wish you all a Happy Christmas [Inserted] Christmas 1943 [/inserted] [R.A.F. Crest] [Inserted] [Signatures] [/inserted] ROYAL AIR FORCE NO. 12 INITIAL TRAINING WING Menu Soup. Cream of Celery. [Underlined] Joints. [/underlined] Roast Stuffed Turkey. Roast Pork. Apple Sauce. [Underlined] Vegetables. [/underlined] Roast Potatoes. Creamed Potatoes. Brussels Sprouts. [Underlined] Sweets. [/underlined] Christmas Pudding. Sauce. Mince Pies. Cheese. Biscuits. Potato Crisps. Apples. Dates. Beer. Minerals. Christmas, 1943. [Page break] [R.A.F. wings] 11 Embarkation Unit Belfast Northern Ireland Christmas Fare 1946 [Page break] [Underlined] MESSAGE FROM “THE OLD MAN” [/underlined] We in 11 E.U. have travelled a long road – a hard road, since 1940 and I would say this to you who are with us now, when the job is nearly complete. You have followed the traditions of the old R.F.C. and the young but sturdy, R.A.F. 11 E.U. has done a grand job of work. Keep it up until the last bit of Freight has been successfully handled, till the last vehicle has been slung on the ship and till the last “Body” has been allocated his space. A right Merry Christmas to you all and Happiness and Peace in the future wherever you may be. Thank you and good luck to you all. R. S. Swanton. Wing Commander. [Page break] Menu 08.00 hrs. Breakfast (WHY?) No. 9’s or SHREDDED WHEAT BACON AND EGG (Burned, Fried or Destroyed) TOAST, MARMALADE AND BUTTER (Try and get it) TEA OR COFFEE (With sugar and milk) 1300 hrs. Dinner (A NECCESSITY) [sic] CREAM OF CHICKEN (Oil-skins to be worn) DISEMBARKATION TURKEY – BREAD SAUCE (Gave itself up) BURNT PORK AND BRUISED HAM (Kerr’s speciality) ROAST POTATOES (Basted Smiling Murphys) SPROUTS AND PEAS (Kempson’s Revenge) CHRISTMAS PUDDING – G.D. SAUCE MINCE PIES AND CUSTARD (Smith’s Reply – Works and Bricks) APPLES, BEER AND CIGARETTES (Nuts) [Underlined] No Gratuities for Waiters! [/underlined] [Page break] Evening RUNNING BUFFET (One Waiter – One Sandwich) COLD HAM – TONGUE ROAST BEEF BREAD – BUTTER – JAM TEA [underlined] Any Complaints? [/underlined] [Page break] [R.A.F. Wings] 11 Embarkation Unit Belfast Northern Ireland Christmas Fare 1946 [Page break] [Photograph] “Mac” and his grandfather. [Page break] [Underlined] Before leaving the “Tarmac” or parking area a complete and methodical cockpit check is to be carried out in the order laid down. [/underlined] 1. Controls working fully and freely in right direction (Rudder Tested whilst taxying). 2. Sufficient petrol for flight in tank. 3. All four switches on. 4. Petrol on. 5. Tail trim back for running up and taxying. 6. Mixture control back. 7. Throttle friction nut slack (for taxying). 8. Altimeter zero. 9. Compass set to wind direction. 10. Rev counter working. 11. Oil pressure satisfactory. 12. Slots unlocked. 13. Cockpit doors locked and harness secure. 14. Goggles down. 15. Run up the engine, testing the magnetos. [Drawing vertical in margin] [Underlined] Vital actions before take off (Tiger Moth) [/underlined] T - (Throttle friction nut tight. (Tail-trimming gear set for take off. M – Mixture control back. F – Fuel-cock on and sufficient fuel for flight. F – Free slots. Flying Grading School – Theale, Reading April 1944. [Page break] [Photograph] [Page break] [Photograph]Harry, Kim, Dicky & myself – [indecipherable], Heaton Park [Page break] No 7 Air Gunnery School Pyle – Glamorganshire. [Cartoon] And it all depended on Winde! [Photograph] Marie of Pyle. [Photograph] [Page break] W. G. Jones [Photograph] [Photograph] MG Stockwell. DJ. Brown. [Photograph] [Photograph] S. Holtham. R Erskine [Photograph] [Photograph] Gordon J Page [Page break] [Photograph] George. F. Chatterton [Signature] [Photograph] [Photograph] J. B. Walker. [Photograph] [Signature] [Page break] [Stormy Down Station Stamp] 23 JUN 1944 [Initials] R.A.F. Form 295. [missing letter]EAVE FORM. [missing letter]ASS. [missing letters]is pass is/is not valid for [missing letters]rthern Ireland and/or Eire. [missing letters]tion. RAF Stormy Down [missing letters]ficial No. 1812689 (Rank) AC/2 [missing letters]e JOYNER J. H. [missing letters]m 1250 No 1990430 [missing word] permission to be absent from [missing word] quarters from A.D hrs. on 23/6/44 23.59 hrs. on 24/6/1944. [Missing word] the purpose of proceeding on 1944 pass/leave to Garnant. [Missing numbers]4 “Brynamlwg” Garnant Rd. Garnant Carms. Date 22/6/44. [Signature] F/O. for Commanding Officer. [Page break] [Photograph] With Bill, Don, Ritch and Frank celebrating our reunion after three days separation. Sprog Air Gunners! Trafalgar Square – 22nd August 1944. [Page break] [Section of Theatre Leaflet] WHITEHALL Licensed by the London County Council to LOUIS COOPER 6D DIXTRA ENTE[missing letters] England’s Popular Pin-Up Girl PHY[missing words] “PEE[missingwords] [Inserted] Phyllis Dixey. [/inserted] CONTINUOUS from [missing words] Reserved Seats Bookable [Page break] [Signed photograph] [inserted] To Johnny Good Luck Phyllis ! [/inserted] On leave – 22nd August 1944 [Page break] [Telegram] + BNP/T 1812689 14 12 HUND 5/ + 16 9.20 BNP/T OHMS 40 [Stamp] 1812689 SGT JOYNER J 14 THE CRESCENT ILFORD ESSEX = [Inserted] 5.30 [underlined] Paddington [/underlined] [/inserted] REPORT TO RAF STATION UPPER-HEYFORD BY 1200 HOURS 5/ SEPTEMBER NEAREST RAILWAY STATION HEYFORD PRODUCE TELEGRAM AT NEAREST [word obscured] OR POLICE STATION FOR ALTERATION OF RAILWAY WARRANT AND ROUTING ACKNOWLEDGE = AEROS PYLE [Page break] [Photograph] The village of Bloxham Burford St. John December 1944 [Photograph] [inserted] Happy Landings Johnny Ken [/inserted] Sergeant Ken Ketley – Operational Training Unit. Upper Heyford September 1944 [Page break] [RAF Form 295] [Orderly Room Date Stamp] 21 OCT 1944 Station RAF BARFORD ST. JOHN Official No 1812689 (Rank) SGT. (Name) JOYNER J.H. Form 1250 No 257212 has permission to be absent from his quarters from A.D. hrs. on [deleted] 23.59 [/deleted] 2 DECEMBER 1944 to 23.59 hrs. on 23rd Oct 1944 for the purpose of proceeding on [deleted] leave [/deleted] pass to 14 THE CRESCENT ILFORD. ESSEX. (leave address) (Date) 21/10/44 I. G. McPhail F/LT. for Commanding Officer. [Page break] [Theatre advert] Comedy THEATRE Licensees Comedy Theatre Ltd. Lessee ARCHIBALD NETTLEFOLD Managing Director CHARLES KILLICK JACK DE LYON in association with MARCEL HELLMAN PRODUCTIONS presents Sonia Dresdel In This was a Woman 6D [Inserted] Tuesday Boxing Day 26th December 1944 With Mum and Dad. [/inserted] A NEW PLAY BY JOAN MORGAN [Page break] [RAF Crest] SERGEANTS’ MESS R.A.F. STATION, WINTHORPE The Warrant Officers and Senior N.C.O.’s of the Sergeants’ Mess REQUEST THE PLEASURE OF THE COMPANY OF McQualky’s Kids’ TO A Victory Dance at the Sergeants’ Mess, Winthorpe FRIDAY, JUNE 22nd, 1945, at 20.00 hrs. R.S.V.P. C.M.C. [Photograph] YOUR PLACE in the AIR CREW TEAM [Page break] [Theatre advert] PRINCE OF WALES THEATRE Coventry Street, W.1. [Drawing] SID FIELD by Dame Laura Knight RA in George Black’s STRIKE IT AGAIN! [Inserted vertically in margin] Friday 22nd December 1944. After visiting the [indecipherable word] And Johnny Collins [Page break] [Variety Show Programme] GEORGE BLACK invites you to “STRIKE IT AGAIN” Designed and produced by ALEC SHANKS With WENDY TOYE Dances Musical Advisor: DEBROY SOMERS 1 MEET THE SWING STREET KIDS (“That’ll be the DAY” by Hubert Gregg) The Good News is told by ROBERTA HUBY, STELLA MOYA, JOYCE WHITE, PAULINE BLACK, CORAL WOODS and LIND JOYCE “The Adam in Me” (by Hubert Gregg) Sung by BONAR COLLEANO Jnr. 2 A COME-BACK (by Bud Flanagan) – SID FIELD Introduced by – JERRY DESMONDE 3 THE CONVICTS RETURN (by Frank Eyton) The Heroine – ROBERTA HUBY 4 LOOK ON THIS PICTURE (Harold Purcell) (a) Royal Diversion The Singer – ROBERTA HUBY (b) Affairs of State Premiere Danseuse – WENDY TOYE An Admirer – TEDDY KING 5 FRENCH WITHOUT A BLUSH (by Barbara Gordon and Basil Thomas) The Parisian – BILLY DAINTY The Vendeuses – STELLA MOYA & LIND JOYCE A Tommy – SID FIELD A G,I. – JERRY DESMONDE 6 THE FRENCH PANTOMIMIST (by Pam Smalley and P. Frustaci) SHERKOT 7 FANTASY – “Fascinating You” The Young Man – BERNARD HUNTER The Dancer – JOYCE WHITE 8 BRUSHWORK (by John Jowett) The Artists – SID FIELD & JERRY DESMONDE A Student – PAULINE BLACK A Rustic – SYD RAILTON They’re Only Human (by Leslie Gibbs and Michael Carr) (Note.- The Shirts used in this scene are washable) [Page break] [Variety Show Programme Cont.] 9 SOMETHING OLD – SOMETHING NEW Around Chestnut Street – “Between 18th and 19th Chestnut Street” The Boys and Girls: CORAL WOODS, BILL GORDON, CHARLES YATES and PAULINE BLACK At the Café – “Canteen Bounce” The Proprietor – BILLY DAINTY The Pianist – JOHN SHACKELL Bessie Rhonestone Gown – STELLA MOYA The Waiters – ALAN WREN, BILLY MAGUIRE The Checkroom Girl – JACQUELYN DUNBAR The Guests: HAZEL HOLLAND, BERYL FRASER, JEAN CHAPPELLE, DAVID CAREY, TEDDY KING Piccadilly – “I Left my Heart in Piccadilly (by Herbert Gregg) – BERNARD HUNTER and ROBERTA HUBY The M.P.’s: KEN ASTELL, DREW PRINGLE, ARTHUR LOADER and ALAN EDWARDS Further North – “Jingle Bells” The Boy – BONO COLLEANO Junr. The Girl – LIND JOYCE South Again – “Come and Live on the Farm” (by Hedley Grey) Sung by CORAL WOODS The Train Arrives – “Headin’ South” (by Tommy Connor and Dennis Moonan) The Traveller – LIND JOYCE Dancing in the Barn – ALL THE FOLKS Special Guests – THE WALLABIES INTERMISSION Orchestra under the Direction of JIMMY CAMPBELL 10 SWING FEVER – THE GIRLS 11 SLIGHT CONFUSION Boy and Girl – MARGERITE & CHARLES 12 PORTRAIT STUDY (by Martin Lane) The Receptionist – HAZEL HOLLAND The Sitter – JERRY DESMONDE The Photographer – SID FIELD 13 FORCES FAVOURITE (Lyrics by Harold Purcell, Music by Phil Park) Pin Up Girl, 1939 – CORAL WOODS Pin Up Girl, 1914 – STELLA MOYA Pin Up Girl, 1900 – LIND JOYCE Jane, 1944 – ROBERTA HUBY The Service Men: BERNARD HUNTER, BILLY DAINTY, WILLIAM GORDON and BONAR COLLEANO, Junr. 14 WE LIKE TO DANCE (Music by Phil Greene) WENDY TOYE with IRVING DAVIES, DONALD REED and JOHN SHACKELL PROGRAMME CONTINUED OVERLEAF [Page break] [Theatre advert] STOLL THEATRE KINGSWAY Licensed by the Lord Chamberlain to Prince Littler [Inserted] With Mac and [indecipherable] Monday 23rd. October 1944. [/inserted] THE LISBON STORY [Inserted] This the result of a pleasant 48 hr. when we were just back to 92 Course. [/inserted] EVENINGS AT 6.15 MATINEES: Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday at 2.30 [Page break] [Underlined] Addendum March 2001 [/underlined] This is a report composed and written by Stan [indecipherable], our Navigator, for F/O Harrison our pilot following the transfer of McQuitty our first pilot, to Transport Command. It relates to Bill Jones, our rear gunner, who was later found to have sustained a burn from a short circuit in his heated suit (in addition to his problems with his chute). [Page break] To./ O.C. Flying – RAF Stn. Winthorpe. From/ F/Lt. Harrison 21 Course. Sir, I, [inserted] F/Lt Harrison [/inserted] have the honour to report that while engaged on [deleted] night [/deleted] flying on the night of 26th inst. I allowed my gunner to leave the [inserted] rear [/inserted] turret due to [deleted] the [/deleted] intense cold [inserted] to his face [/inserted] & to the fact that ice was forming on his oxygen mask. [Deleted] While doing this his parachute was accidentally opened [/deleted] [Page break] [deleted] and his oxygen tube became damaged and removed from mask [/deleted] After leaving the turret the gunner reached the oxy. pt at the door and plugged in.[symbol] From [deleted] that [/deleted] the time [inserted] R/G left the door position to [/inserted] reaching the Wop pos; he has vague recollect of what happened, [deleted] where [/deleted] [inserted] then [/inserted] he collapsed. [Deleted] I [/deleted] The W/op shared his oxygen supply, at the same time noticing that gunners tube was missing. I immediately decided to descend to [inserted] below [/inserted] oxygen level.[symbol] As I could not get any reply from the RG on the inter-com, I ordered the MUG to leave his turret to ascertain his whereabouts & condition. The MUG found RUG making his way forward obviously in a condition of oxygen lack and oblivious to the fact [Page break] [Post Office Telegram] [Nottingham date stamp] 3 JU 45 1.29 9.50 PM EAST LDN T 21 1812689 SGT JOYNER C/O SGTS MES RAF STN WINTHORPE NR NEWARK-NOTTS CONGRATS ON YOUR 21 ST WITH LOVE = MOTHER DAD AND JEAN + 1812689 21 ST + [Page break] [Photograph] [inserted] B Flight Gunners 101 Squadron JULY 1945 [/inserted] ‘B’ Flight Air Gunners No 101 Squadron – Ludford Magna July 1945 [Page break] [Underlined] Addendum March 2001 [/underlined] Joyner Midupper sixth from right back row Bill Jones Rear Gunner eighth from right back row {opposite telegram dated 4/6/45) [Page break] [Newspaper clip] [Hand of cards] [indecipherable newspaper cutting] [Photograph] [Underlined] Above [/underlined] The Greatest Shootist of them all [underlined] John Cameron. Right - [/underlined] The famous passport to Poverty. Ludford Magna August 1945 [Page break] [Photograph] [Page break] [newspaper cutting] Coming back in bombers “Daily Mirror” Reporter LONG before you awoke this morning Lancaster and Halifax bombers were winging their way over the British coast and across France on the same routes they’d taken months ago to bomb the Reich. But in their bomb-bays were no bombs, the twin Brownings had gone from the gun-turrets, and inside the fuselage were rows of cushions. For the bombers were off to Italy to bring home Army men, some on leave, and others for de-mobbing. Bomber Command of the RAF has agreed to bring home nearly 20,000 men a month. Transport Command too, will fly a big number back. After six or seven hours in the air all bombers will circle airfields near Naples and Bari before landing to pick up twenty men each for the homeward trip. All the flying is done by day and at low altitude, so that the men, unused to air travel, will be as little fatigued as possible. Air crews rest in Italy for a day and a half before making the long trip home. Only fully trained crews, many with one or two tours of thirty operations to their credit, are picked for the job. [Leaflet] [Photograph] [inserted] Pompei 25th August 1945 Myself, Jock MacGregor and Cam – in front of the Catholic Cathedral in Pompei August 1945 [Page break] [Postcard] Pompei – Santuaria – Interna [Photograph] “Dear Old Pals” – Pete and Jock [Banknote] [page break] “McQualky’s Kids” [Photograph] David McQuitty [Pilot’s wings] [Page break] [Photograph] Peter Gillespie [Engineer’s brevet] [Page break] [Photograph] John Bennett Orr [Bomb aimer’s brevet] [Page break] [Photograph] Stanley Annetts. [Navigator’s brevet] [Page break] [Photograph] John Cameron. [Signaller’s brevet] [Page break] [Photograph] William. G. Jones. [Air Gunner’s brevet] [Page break] [Postcard] Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem Inn, Nottingham. [Underlined] 10th August. [/underlined] And it came to pass that on this date + at this tavern in Nottingham Town, each and every year, those who are known as McQualky’s Kids were wont to meet. And many were the lines that were shot, the songs sung, And the drams drunk, for they had diced together, and were as brothers. [Page break] [Theatre advert] THEATRE ROYAL LINCOLN WEEK COMMENCING MONDAY, OCT. 15th, 1945 6.0 p.m. – TWICE NIGHTLY – 8.0 p.m. [Photographs] ZISKA FRED BRAND Billy MAXAM Jane “JANE” of the DAILY MIRROR the VICKERS TWINS and LESLIE JOHNS ANGLO-AMERICAN PRODUCTIONS Ltd Know you will be pleased that “JANE’S BACK!” PAUL ROACH and SYLVIA ROYAN The Marie-de-Vere Trio Waddington – Lincoln December 1945 Good times with “Rip” [Page break] [Photograph] 1692006 RIPPON F/SGT “Rip” [Bottle label] “The Caf” LINCOLN January 1946. [Photograph] No 9 and 617 Squadron’s Farewell Party, Waddington December 1945 [Page break] [Photograph] [Photograph] [Page break] [9 Squadron Date Stamp]DEC 1945 By arrangement with the Traffic Superintendant, [sic] the undermentioned is permitted to travel by train on Special Christmas Leave, prior to proceeding overseas. 1812689 F/S JOYNER, J. H. (A/G). [photograph] [Inserted] Friday 7th December Tower Hill London [/inserted] [Page break] [Telegram] [Confirmation Stamp] [Lincoln Date Stamp]3 JAN 46 [inserted] 11-11 U SO [/inserted] 65 10.40 EAST LONDON T 20 FLT/SGT JOYNER 1812689 RAF SGTS MESS RAF STATION WADDINGTON NR-LINCOLN = GOOD LUCK GOD BLESS YOU JEAN OKAY = MOTHER AND DAD + [deleted] 1812689 [/deleted] + + + [Page break] [Postcard] DESTINATION SOUTH EAST ASIA [Rupee Note] [Inserted] 8 Mugs of “Char” 2 Cinema Seats 2 Lime and Lemons 8 Oranges. 11 Bananas 4 [deleted] Boxes [/deleted] packets of Gum etc, etc. [/inserted] [Photograph] [Page break] No. 17 STAGING POST ROYAL AIR FORCE CASTEL BENITO North Africa 11th January 1946. [Deleted] Snacks [/deleted] Soup Spaghetti Gratim Roast Lamb Peas Fried Onions Cream Potatoe’s [sic] Trifle Coffee or Tea [2 Lire Note] [Page break] [Photograph] [inserted] Cairo 1946 12th January [/inserted] Cairo West “In quest of Brown Knees” 12th January 1946. [Bank note] [Page break] [Beer label] [inserted] SHAIBAH PERSIA 13th January 1946 [/inserted] Shaibah IRAQ – 13th January 1946. [Photograph] Approaching Digh Road Karachi 14th January 1946. [Photograph] Karachi – 15th January 1946 In front of the Catholic Church [Page break] Note – Underneath the “White Label ale” more correctly than SHAIBAH SHU’AIBA [Page break] [Underlined] opposite “White Label” [/underlined] The five NCOs of the new crew [Underlined] Back row [/underlined] ‘Nobby’ Clark W/op? Bill [deleted] spalding [/deleted] “Jock” Spalding (Bomb aimer) Self (Mid upper) (Rear Gunner) Addendum [underlined] March 2001 [/underlined] [Page break] [Photograph] Jock Spalding with some of the local “colour” pose before the Catholic Church in Karachi. 15th January 1946 [Photograph] Salbani Airfield [Page break] [Photograph] Runner up in the Salbani Annual Chariot Race. Salbani Family Group. [Photograph] [Photograph] A Hindu Girl – Praying in the Pani [Page break] Note 31st March 2003 Bottom right – The girl is in the PANI but is not praying. She is making the NAMASKAR A sort of salutation or greeting. [Page break] [Cartoon] HAMBOLO RECORDINGS Well, I must jaldi now, Bessie – nearly Khanna time. hope [inserted] you, the [/inserted] chickos and the sub cheese are all teak hai. Hope to see you all tora peachy . . . “ One of the “Boys out East”! [Page break] [Photograph] With Nobby at the Bazaar – [Underlined] Khargpur [/underlined] 24th March 1946. [Travel ticket] [Page break] [Photograph] “Down by the River” Salbani Village [Photograph] Another River Scene. [Photograph] Nobby plus background “T” Tail on the Salbani Dispersal [Page break] [Photograph] Left to Right [indecipherable] Jimmy Taylor Nobby [indecipherable words], Bill Standing in the doorway, with myself outside right “All for One and One for all” [Photograph] Salbani Airfield just after take-off [Page break] [Photograph] [Page break] Redundant – Embarkation assistant Belfast. 4-48 [Page break] [Photograph] [Page break] Jock Spalding Mid upper [Page break] [Photograph] [Page break] 48 [Page break] SALBANI BED MINUS NOBBY 27/3/46 Or CHARP minus CLARK [sketch] [Page break] [3 Photographs] [Page break] [Photograph] 1999 Postscript We are sitting on 500lb bombs at NAGPUR central India, to where we flew from SALBANI. Bengal. We were supposed to be dealing with [inserted] the [/inserted] mutiny of the Indian Navy. From Karachi we flew back without incident. [Page break] [Inserted] Mauripur Karachi. February 1946. [/inserted] [ENSA Crest] ENSA Entertainment for H. M. Forces By Arrangement with Canteen Services (India) presents “LABURNAM GROVE” A COMEDY IN THREE ACTS by J.B. PRIESTLEY. [Top of Newspaper] REG. NO. S. 16. Editor: K. PUNNIAH The Sind Observer Evening Bulletin NO. 12. VOL. 7. PRICE: HALF ANNA. KARACHI, MONDAY, JANUARY 14, 1946. [Page break] AYAZ & Co., Manufacturers Cashmir Shawls, Embroidery & Wood Carving Dealers in:- Persian & Bukhara Carpets, furs and Namdas Head Office ERAHAH STREET LUDHJANA (Punjab) Branch “KHAN MANZIL” NAGIN ROAD SRINAGAR (KASHMIR) No. Date 2/4/46. Received the sum of Rs. 20/- on a/c of the one Indian Carpet size 6 x 3 For Ayaz & Co., Manager, M. jan. Receipt for a 65 Rupee Carpet. [Page break] [3 x Photograph] [Page break] [Map] COMING HOME [Page break] [2 x photographs] [Page break] [Photograph] Top F/O Kirkwood Pilot. Bottom – Someone said this was the Dead Sea. [Photograph] [Page break] [3 x Photograph] [Page break] [3 x Photograph] [Page break] [2 x Photographs] [Page break] [Photograph] [Page break] Units at which served STORMY DOWN 18/8/44 [Page break] [Sergeants’ Mess ROYAL AIR FORCE WADDINGTON. Lincs.] [Sergeants’ Mess R.A.F. Coningsby. Mess Subscription Card] Name JOYNER Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource John Joyner's scrap book Description An account of the resource A log book used as a scrap book. The photographs and documents cover his aircrew training from November 1943. It has sergeant's mess subscription cards, photographs, correspondence and cuttings. Many of the entries are post war and a number refer to theatrical performances. It includes a promotional picture of Phyllis Dixey. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource John Joyner Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1943-10 1946-12 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Printed book with photographs and documents with handwritten annotations Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Physical object Text Photograph Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context SJoynerJH1812689v1 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Royal Air Force Royal Air Force. Bomber Command Spatial Coverage Spatial characteristics of the resource. Great Britain England--Lincolnshire England--Nottinghamshire England--Oxfordshire Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1943-10 1946-12 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource David Bloomfield Anne-Marie Watson 101 Squadron 617 Squadron 9 Squadron air gunner aircrew Anson bomb aimer entertainment flight engineer Lancaster mess military living conditions military service conditions navigator Operation Dodge (1945) Operational Training Unit pilot RAF Bardney RAF Coningsby RAF Ludford Magna RAF Upper Heyford RAF Waddington RAF Winthorpe Tiger Moth training wireless operator https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/1898/35394/Penswick, J - Notes-02.1.pdf 168cc0c279aab920a1d3ef082b58b71f Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Penswick, Jack J Penswick Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2017-07-09 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Penswick, J Description An account of the resource 19 items. The collection concerns Jack Penswick (1497486 Royal Air Force) and contains his log book and photographs. He flew operations as an air gunner with 61 and 617 Squadron. The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by John Penswick and catalogued by Barry Hunter. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Warrant Officer Jack Penswick 1497486 Air Gunner Description An account of the resource A compilation of photographs of Jack comprising 25 images in this collection. This item was sent to the IBCC Digital Archive already in digital form. No better quality copies are available. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource John Penswick Spatial Coverage Spatial characteristics of the resource. Great Britain England--Leyland England--Lancashire Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Royal Air Force Royal Air Force. Bomber Command Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Photograph Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource One colour photograph Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context PPenswickJ17050001 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. 61 Squadron 617 Squadron air gunner aircrew Caterpillar Club Lancaster Operation Catechism (12 November 1944) Tirpitz training https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/3115/58904/SBraithwaiteP[Ser -DoB]v1.pdf 317f1e6a6dac377962108554347107dc Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Braithwaite, Peter Description An account of the resource One item. The collection concerns the men of Ryedale who died serving with Bomber Command and contains research carried out by the Ryedale Family History Group. It contains biographies of the following: Flight Sergeant George Thomas Barker, (1912 - 1940, 563835 Royal Air Force) He flew operations as a pilot with 150 Squadron and was killed in action 14 May 1940. Additional information on George Thomas Barker is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/201274/">IBCC Losses Database.</a> Flying Officer Arthur James Calvert (45897 Royal Air Force). He flew operations as an air gunner with 218 Squadron and was killed in action23 September 1942. Additional information on is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/204181/%20">IBCC Losses Database.</a> Pilot Officer James Spalding Cameron (195466 Royal Air Force). He flew operations with 114 Squadron and was killed in action. Additional information on is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/305788/">IBCC Losses Database.</a> Sergeant Alan Ridley Croft (Royal Air Force) He flew operations as a flight engineer with 224 Squadron and was killed in action. Sergeant Arthur Cross (1593233 Royal Air Force). He flew operations as an air gunner with 12 Squadron and was killed in action 16 March 1944. Additional information on is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/105312/%20">IBCC Losses Database.</a> Sergeant John Dunning (Royal Air Force). He flew operations as a pilot with 21 Squadron and was killed in action. Sergeant William Goodwill (620440 Royal Air Force). He flew operations as a bomb aimer   with 44 Squadron and was killed in action. Additional information on is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/108901/%20">IBCC Losses Database.</a> Sergeant Air Gunner Kenneth Frank (1590367 Royal Air Force). He flew operations as an air gunner with 619 Squadron and was killed in action. Additional information on is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/108042/%20">IBCC Losses Database.</a> Aircraftman 1st Class Arthur Haigh (1768277 Royal Air Force). He served as ground personnel and was killed in an aircraft collision. Additional information on is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/211512/%20">IBCC Losses Database.</a> Flight Sergeant John Robert Harper (Royal Air Force). Flight Lieutenant Christopher John Geoffrey Howard (104406 Royal Air Force). He flew operations as a pilot with 617 Squadron and was killed in action. Additional information on is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/111312/%20">IBCC Losses Database.</a> Sergeant Air Gunner John Hudson (1457263 Royal Air Force). He flew operations as an air gunner with 100 Squadron and was killed in action. Additional information on is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/111425/%20">IBCC Losses Database.</a> Aircraftman 2nd Class Robert Humble (Royal Air Force). He served as ground personnel. Flight Lieutenant John Kennedy (Royal Air Force.) He flew operations as a pilot with 248 Squadron and was killed in action. Wing Commander Francis Alfred George Lascelles DFC (40398 Royal Air Force). He flew operations as a pilot with 82 Squadron and was killed in action. Additional information on is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/216204/%20">IBCC Losses Database.</a> Pilot Officer John Owen Laverack (Royal Air Force). He flew operations as a pilot with 517 Squadron and was killed in action. Flying Officer Geoffrey Willis (Peter) Leefe (121586 Royal Air Force). He served as ground personnel with 24 SAAF Squadron and was killed in motor transport accident. Additional information on is available via the I<a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/304143/%20">BCC Losses Database.</a> Sergeant Roland William Magson (Royal Air Force). He flew operations as a pilot with 120 Squadron and was killed in action. Sergeant Joseph Marshall (1593190 Royal Air Force). He flew operations as an air gunner with 9 Squadron and was killed in action. Additional information on is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/114975/%20">IBCC Losses Database.</a> Sergeant Raymond Henri Martin (1270135 Royal Air Force). He flew operations as an air gunner with 625 Squadron and was killed in action. Additional information on is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/115061/%20">IBCC Losses Database.</a> Flight Sergeant William Richard Pallister (627672 Royal Air Force). He flew operations as an air gunner with 35 Squadron and was killed in action. Additional information on is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/221494/%20">IBCC Losses Database.</a> Aircraftman 2nd Class John Gordon Robinson (Royal Air Force). He served as ground personnel and was killed in a flying accident. Sergeant Jack Wilson Sharples (1865144 Royal Air Force). He flew operations as a flight engineer with 405 Squadron and was killed in action. Additional information on is available via the I<a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/225280/%20">BCC Losses Database.</a> Sergeant Cecil Stancliffe (1130080 Royal Air Force). He flew operations as a wireless operator / air gunner with 49 Squadron and was killed in action. Additional information on is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/122141/%20">IBCC Losses Database.</a> Wing Commander Donald Cecil Broadbent Walker (Royal Air Force). He flew operations with 544 Squadron and was killed in action. Sergeant Frederick Marshall Wrothwell (Royal Air Force). He served as ground personnel. Sergeant Thomas Wilfrid McDonagh (Royal Air Force). He flew operations with 59 Squadron and was killed in action. RAF Wombleton Memorial Aircrew (collective summary). RAF Wombleton, the only Bomber Command airbase in Ryedale, operated as a Heavy Conversion Unit from October 1943, training aircrew in Halifaxes and Lancasters. Though not an operational base, it saw numerous crashes, resulting in the loss of 94 aircrew, mostly Canadians. The Book of Remembrance at St Gregory’s Minster, Kirkdale, lists those who gave their lives between 1943 and 1945. The memorial at Wombleton honours the men and women of the RAF and WAAF who served there, expressing the community’s gratitude for their sacrifice. Many of these airmen died during training flights or conversion exercises, and their memory is preserved in local and national memorials. The collection was donated to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Peter Braithwaite and catalogued by IBCC Digital Archive staff. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2019-06-12 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Braithwaite, P Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Ryedale Family History Group biographies Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Peter Braithwaite Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1992-06 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Royal Air Force Royal Air Force. Bomber Command Royal Air Force. Coastal Command Royal Air Force. Fighter Command Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Text. Personal research Photograph Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource 70 printed sheets Conforms To An established standard to which the described resource conforms. Pending text-based transcription Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Claire Campbell Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context SBraithwaiteP[Ser#-DoB]v1 Description An account of the resource Biographies of the men of Ryedale who died serving with the RAF. Research carried out by the Ryedale Family History Group. It contains biographies of the following: Sergeant George Thomas Barker, known as Tom, joined the RAF in 1929 and served as a metal rigger and pilot in India and Afghanistan. He flew sorties as a pilot on Battles with 150 Squadron as part of the Advanced Air Striking Force and was killed 14 May 1940 on a daylight operation to attack the bridges at Sedan. Flying Officer Arthur Calvert was born in Terrington in 1916, the son of a carrier and a tailor’s daughter. After losing his father young, he attended local schools and married Margaret Adams in Scotland in 1941. Calvert joined the RAF and became a Flying Officer, Air Gunner in 218 Squadron, Bomber Command. His squadron flew Fairey Battles, Blenheims, Wellingtons, and later Stirlings and Lancasters, operating from Downham Market. Calvert’s active service included operations over Germany, with his final mission on 23 September 1942 targeting the shipyards at Vegesack. Flying a Stirling Mk I, his aircraft was lost with all crew and no trace was ever found. Pilot Officer James Cameron, born in Scotland in 1922, moved to Yorkshire to work as an under-keeper at Keldy Castle. He married Dorothy May Johnson in 1942 and lived near Cropton. Cameron joined the RAF early in the war, serving as an Air Gunner in 114 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. His squadron operated in Italy. On 19 February 1945, Cameron was shot down and killed during an operation over Udine, Italy. He is buried at Udine War Cemetery. Sergeant Alan Croft, born in Thornton Dale, Yorkshire, was the son of Arthur and Anne Croft. He attended local schools and worked at the village Co-op before volunteering for the RAF in 1942. Croft served as a Flight Engineer with 224 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, based at RAF St Eval, Cornwall. His squadron was heavily involved in anti-submarine and anti-shipping patrols, notably during ‘Operation Cork’ to protect the Channel ahead of the Normandy landings. On 6 June 1944, Croft took off in Liberator BZ 942 for a patrol over the English Channel. The aircraft was lost, likely shot down by flak from German U-boat U 256, and Croft was killed aged 20. Sergeant Arthur Cross, born in Hull in 1913, was a village policeman in Westow before joining the RAF. He served as a Mid-Upper Gunner in 12 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, flying Avro Lancasters from RAF Wickenby, Lincolnshire. On 15 March 1944, Cross’s crew was detailed for an operation on Stuttgart, Germany. During the operation, their Lancaster ND447 was attacked by a night fighter, killing Cross instantly. The order to bale out was given, and only two crew members survived as prisoners of war. His wife, Doris, gave birth to their son shortly after his death and later remarried. Sergeant John Dunning, from Wilton near Thornton Dale, Yorkshire, worked as a council clerk before joining the RAF Volunteer Reserve. He served as a Sergeant Pilot in 21 Squadron, flying Blenheim IV bombers. Dunning’s squadron was engaged in low-level attacks on German shipping and columns, operating from Norfolk bases. On 18 April 1941, Dunning’s aircraft took part in an operation off Stavanger, Norway, targeting a convoy. Several aircraft were lost to enemy fighters and flak. Dunning’s body was later washed ashore on the Frisian Islands, and he is buried at Sage War Cemetery, Germany. Sergeant William Goodwill, born in Hovingham in 1917, was the only son of a butcher and smallholder. After school, he worked for his father before joining the RAF in 1939, training as a wireless operator. Goodwill served in 44 Squadron, Royal Air Force, flying Handley Page Hampden bombers from RAF Waddington. His squadron was engaged in mine-laying and bombing coastal targets during the summer of 1940. Goodwill participated in 15 operations. On 11 September 1940, during a operation on Bremerhaven and Hamburg, his aircraft was shot down and crashed into the sea. Goodwill’s body was recovered and later reburied at Becklingen War Cemetery, Germany. Sergeant Kenneth Frank, son of Arthur and Ottoline Frank of Pickering, was born in 1922. He joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve and served as an Air Gunner in 619 Squadron On 27 April 1944, Frank was killed in action, aged 22. He is buried at Landeville Churchyard, France. Arthur Haigh, born in 1925 in Claxton, was the eldest child of Arthur and Hannah Sophia Haigh. He joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve and was posted to 620 Squadron, a heavy bomber unit formed at RAF Chedburgh, Suffolk. Haigh’s role was likely as a fitter, and he was on a test flight in a Short Stirling bomber. On 2 July 1943, two Stirlings collided during a training exercise over Suffolk. Haigh, aged just 18, was killed in the accident and is buried at Sand Hutton Churchyard. Flight Sergeant John Harper, born in Pickering, Yorkshire, was the son of Frank and Sarah Harper. Before the war, he worked locally and married Dorothy Vera. Harper joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve, serving as a Wireless Operator/Air Gunner. He was posted to Bomber Command, where he flew operational sorties over enemy territory. On 14 December 1942, he was killed in action, aged 29, and is buried in Pickering Cemetery. Flight Lieutenant Christopher Howard, son of Geoffrey and Ethel Howard, was educated in Yorkshire before joining the RAF Volunteer Reserve. He served as a pilot in 617 Squadron. On 7 October 1944, Howard was killed in action, aged 22, and is buried at Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany. Sergeant John Hudson served as an Air Gunner in 100 Squadron, RAF Volunteer Reserve. Details of his pre-service life are limited, but he was remembered for his commitment to duty. Hudson flew in Lancaster bombers, taking part in operations over occupied Europe. On 26 May 1943, he was killed in action and is buried at Jonkerbos War Cemetery, Netherlands. Aircraftman 2nd Class Robert Humble, husband of Doreen, lived in Kirkbymoorside before joining the RAF Volunteer Reserve. He served as ground crew, supporting operational squadrons. He died on 11 October 1941 and is buried at Kirkbymoorside (All Saints) Churchyard. Flight Lieutenant John Kennedy, born in 1923, was the son of Colonel Charles Fraser Kennedy and Constance Frances Kennedy of Kirkbymoorside. Educated at Winchester College, he joined the RAF after leaving school, training as a pilot in Canada and the US. Kennedy served with 248 Squadron, part of Coastal Command, flying Beaufighters and later Mosquitos on anti-shipping and anti-submarine operations in the Bay of Biscay, Western Approaches, and North Sea. On 16 December 1944, Kennedy’s Mosquito was hit by flak during an attack on shipping at Malloy and Kraakbellesund, Norway. He and his navigator ditched successfully and were seen in a dinghy, but despite search efforts, they were never found. Wing Commander Francis Lascelles, born in 1912, was the son of Sir Alfred and Lady Lascelles of Terrington. He joined the RAF, rising to Wing Commander in 82 Squadron. Lascelles flew Bristol Blenheims, conducting anti-shipping and bombing operations over the North Sea and German-occupied Europe. On 26 August 1941, he was killed when his Blenheim was shot down near Heligoland during a diversionary operation. He is buried at Sage War Cemetery, Germany, and was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Pilot Officer John Laverack, son of Ernest and Mary Laverack of Malton, was born in 1916. He joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve, serving as a pilot in 517 Squadron, which flew meteorological reconnaissance missions. Laverack’s squadron operated over the Atlantic and European waters, gathering vital weather data for operational planning. On 2 October 1945, Laverack failed to return and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. Flying Officer Geoffrey Leefe, son of Oswald and Mabel Leefe of Malton, was born in 1910. Before the war, he lived locally and was known for his community spirit. Leefe joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve, serving as a Flying Officer in 24 Squadron. His squadron operated transport aircraft, supporting operations across the Mediterranean and Middle East. On 7 April 1944, Leefe was killed in action and is buried at Ramleh War Cemetery, Israel. Sergeant Roland Magson, born in Pickering in 1918, was the son of George and Minnie Magson. He joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve, serving as a Sergeant Pilot in 120 Squadron. On 10 December 1941, Magson was killed in action and is buried at Pickering Cemetery. Sergeant Joseph Marshall, husband of Maleta Violet Marshall of Little Barugh, Malton, was born in 1920. He joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve, serving as a Sergeant in 9 Squadron. Marshall flew as aircrew on bombing operations over occupied Europe. On 22 May 1944, he was killed in action and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. Sergeant Raymond Martin, born in London in 1909, moved to Helmsley and married Lilly Dale. He joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve, serving as an Air Gunner in 625 Squadron, flying Lancaster bombers from RAF Kelstern, Lincolnshire. On the night of 3/4 May 1944, Martin’s aircraft was shot down during an operation on Mailly-le-Camp, France, targeting the German 21st Panzer Division. He was buried at Poivres Churchyard, France. Flight Sergeant William Richard Pallister, born in York in 1920, was the son of William and Maud Mary Pallister. Before the war, he lived with his family in Sheriff Hutton. Pallister joined the RAF and served as a Flight Sergeant Air Gunner in 35 Squadron, flying Halifax bombers as part of the Pathfinder Force. On 9/10 August 1943, Pallister’s Halifax HR908 took off from Graveley for an operation to Mannheim, Germany. The aircraft was attacked by night fighters and Pallister was killed during his parachute descent after bailing out. He is buried at Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany. Aircraftman 2nd Class John Gordon Robinson, born in 1925, was the eldest of eight siblings from Rievaulx, Yorkshire. He joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve and volunteered for aircrew, training as an air gunner. On 8 May 1944, Robinson was taking part in a training flight in Avro Anson LV300 from No.7 Air Gunnery School at Stormy Down. The aircraft collided with another and crashed into the sea off Porthcawl, Wales. Robinson’s body was recovered and buried in Helmsley Cemetery. Sergeant Jack Sharples, born in Nawton in 1924, was the son of Noel and Frances Sharples. He worked as an apprentice joiner and glider engineer before joining the RAF in 1942. Sharples trained as a Flight Engineer and flew with 405 (Vancouver) Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force, part of the Pathfinder Force. His 25th operation was to the railway marshalling yards at Versailles, France, on 10 June 1944. His aircraft was shot down at Auneau by a German night fighter. Sharples is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, with no known grave. Sergeant Cecil Stancliffe, son of J.A. and Elizabeth Ann Stancliffe of Norton, Malton, was born in 1920. Before the war, he lived locally and was known for his quiet determination. Stancliffe joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve, serving as a Sergeant in 49 Squadron. On 18 August 1943, Stancliffe was killed in action and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, with no known grave. Wing Commander Donald Walker, son of Lawrence Cecil and Jessie Walker of Malton, was born in 1915. He joined the RAF, rising to Wing Commander in 544 Squadron, which specialised in photographic reconnaissance. On 11 November 1943, Walker was killed in action and is buried at Pena (Navarre) Cemetery, Spain. Sergeant Frederick Wrothwell, son of Frederick James Hartley Wrothwell and Emily Wrothwell, was born in 1905. He was a member of the Pharmaceutical Society before joining the RAF Volunteer Reserve. Wrothwell served as a Sergeant, supporting operational squadrons during the war. On 7 July 1945, he died and is buried at Kirkbymoorside (All Saints) Churchyard. Sergeant Thomas McDonagh, born in York in 1921, was the son of Thomas Ralph and Ellen McDonagh. Before the war, he lived with his family at the “Half Moon Inn” in Strensall. McDonagh joined the RAF and served as a Sergeant in 59 Squadron, flying Bristol Blenheim Mk.4 bombers. His squadron was engaged in night reconnaissance and bombing missions over northern France during the German advance in May 1940. On 29 May 1940, McDonagh took part in a patrol over Dunkirk, reporting on fires and bomb damage. His aircraft encountered heavy anti-aircraft fire and was forced to bail out; only one parachute was seen to open. McDonagh’s body was never identified, and he is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1940-05-14 1940-05-29 1940-09-11 1941-04-18 1941-08-26 1941-12-10 1942-09-23 1942-12-14 1943-05-26 1943-07-02 1943-08-09 1943-08-10 1943-08-18 1943-11-11 1944-03-15 1944-03-16 1944-04-07 1944-04-27 1944-05-03 1944-05-04 1944-05-08 1944-05-22 1944-06-06 1944-06-07 1944-06-10 1944-10-07 1944-12-16 1945-02-19 1945-10-02 Spatial Coverage Spatial characteristics of the resource. France Germany Great Britain Israel Italy Norway Spain Atlantic Ocean Atlantic Ocean--English Channel England--Cornwall England--Lincolnshire England--Norfolk England--Suffolk France--Dunkerque France--Mailly-le-Camp France--Sedan France--Versailles Germany--Bremerhaven Germany--Hamburg Germany--Helgoland Germany--Mannheim Germany--Stuttgart Germany--Vegesack Italy--Udine Norway--Stavanger Wales--Porthcawl Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. 100 Squadron 12 Squadron 120 Squadron 150 Squadron 21 Squadron 218 Squadron 24 Squadron 248 Squadron 35 Squadron 405 Squadron 419 Squadron 44 Squadron 49 Squadron 517 Squadron 544 Squadron 59 Squadron 617 Squadron 619 Squadron 620 Squadron 625 Squadron 82 Squadron 9 Squadron air gunner Air Gunnery School aircrew Anson B-24 Battle Blenheim bombing bombing of Mailly-le-Camp (3/4 May 1944) Distinguished Flying Cross ditching final resting place flight engineer ground crew ground personnel Halifax Halifax Mk 2 Hampden Heavy Conversion Unit killed in action Lancaster Martinet memorial mid-air collision mine laying missing in action Mosquito Pathfinders pilot RAF Bodney RAF Chedburgh RAF Downham Market RAF Gransden Lodge RAF Graveley RAF Lossiemouth RAF Middleton St George RAF St Athan RAF St Eval RAF Stormy Down RAF Watton RAF Wickenby RAF Wombleton shot down Stirling training Wellington wireless operator wireless operator / air gunner https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/1986/37845/BBryanR-MBurnsideJGBv1.pdf fff5439a06e39ac2a95bacf0b31d332e Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Burnside, James Gordon Bennett J G B Burnside Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2017-11-16 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Burnside, JGB Description An account of the resource 44 items. The collection concerns Flight Lieutenant James Gordon Bennett Burnside (b. 1909, 155209 Royal Air Force) and contains his log book, documents, correspondence and photographs. He flew operations as a flight engineer with 619 Squadron. The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Reverend Canon Terence Alan Joyce and catalogued by Nigel Huckins. Transcribed document A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Transcription Text transcribed from audio recording or document ‘LUCKY JIM’ [picture] [photograph] JAMES GORDON BENNETT BURNSIDE (Lucky Jim) A Royal Air Force Wartime Flt Engineer [page break] THIS MEMENTO IS DEDICATED TO TERRY AND DEBBIE JOYCE RELATIVES OF THE LATE FLT LT BURNSIDE RAF RESERVE Produced By Rose and Malc Bryan 2011 [page break] [underlined] SOURCES [/underlined] ‘Tim’ Bomber Command Diaries 619: The History of a Forgotten Squadron (Bryan Clark) Personal communication and Log Book Internet Rose and Malc Bryan own publications [page break] [underlined] INDEX [/underlined] PAGE 1. Family Background PAGE 6. War Service and Post War [page break] Page | 1 [underlined] JAMES GORDON BENNETT BURNSIDE 1909 – 1992 [/underlined] [underlined] PART 1. FAMILY BACKGROUND [/underlined] Born in Hendon on 3rd June 1909 James Gordon Bennett Burnside was one of six Children born to John Bennett Burnside and his wife Laura Emily (nee Smallwood). The children were three boys, James, John Percy Stuart and Pax Aubrey, plus three girls Betty Christina and twins Molly and Peggy. [underlined] James [/underlined] – Who’s story this is. [underlined] John Percy Stuart [/underlined] [photograph] Born 1911 – Joined the Sherwood Forester Regiment in 1931 serving in India, Khartoum etc, before losing his life on the Anzio Beach head on the 4th April 1944 [underlined] Pax Aubrey [/underlined] Born in June 1919 married Teema Swain in Manchester 1948. Passed away February 2001. His photograph appears to show him in RAF inform [sic] but no information or evidence was found to confirm his service. [photograph] Stuart and Pax [page break] Page | 2 [underlined] Betty Christina [/underlined] [photograph] Born July 1914 in Hendon. Married Leslie F Taylor 1939. Died 2008 aged 94 [photograph] 94th Birthday party [underlined] Molly [/underlined] Born in Hendon June 1916. Married Thomas A. Derwent 1940. [underlined] Peggy [/underlined] Molly’s twin. Married Thomas Percy Hough 1940. Passed away 30th October 2003. [page break] Page | 3 [underlined] FAMILY PHOTOS [/underlined] [photograph] MABLETHORPE APPROX 1920 [photograph] BETTY AND DAD AND THE FAMILY CAR [photograph] FAMILY HOME AT CHEADLE [page break] Page | 4 [photograph] STANDING (L TO R) PEGGY, GORDON, MOLLY, STUART, BETTY SITTING – LAURA, PAX, JOHN BURNSIDE [photograph] PAX AUBREY AND TEEMA SWAIN WEDDING 1948 [page break] Page | 5 Their father John Bennett Burnside was one of three children in an ill fated family. Born in Glasgow on 2nd December 1881 he had an elder brother James and an elder sister Elizabeth both will [sic] to die young. James born in October 1887 died in 1892 of meningitis and Elizabeth born 1879 died when only nine months old. John Bennett and James became orphaned in 1884 when their mother Christina (nee Bennett) died in child birth. The baby also died in January compounded by their father James dying in July of the same year. The two brothers in 1889 were sponsored by their father’s work company and sent to Pinner in London to the Royal Commercial Travellers School where they received their education. Marrying Laura Emily Smallwood in July 1908 John Bennett Burnside, a commercial traveller/draper moved around the country spending time in Leeds, Lanarkshire and Cheshire. [photograph] During the Great War he served with an Artillery Unit as a driver. Working in Cheshire as a Food Officers clerk he died on the 14th Mach [sic] 1945 at the age of sixty-four years. His wife Laura Emily born in London in 1885 was one of three boys and two girls born to Richard Henry Smallwood and his wife Emily Elizabeth (nee Read). Laura Emily died August 1948 in Stockport. [page break] Page | 6 Underlined] PART 2. WAR SERVICE [/underlined] [underlined] 155209 FLYING OFFICER JAMES GORDON BENNETT BURNSIDE [/underlined] [drawing] AVRO LANCASTER OF 619 SQUADRON Entered the Royal Air Force as a Leading aircraftsman probably sometime in 1941, qualified as a Pilot Officer Flt Engineer, 16th December 1942 at St Athan's in Wales. In April 1943 Burnside was posted prior to an operational squadron, to No. 1660 Heavy Conversion Unit at RAF Swinderby half way between Newark and Lincoln to experience flying heavy bombers. On the 28th April 1943 'Jim' was posted to the newly formed 619 Squadron flying Lancaster Bombers at Woodhall Spa approximately fifteen miles north of Boston. After localised flying on training exercises on 7th June 1943 his crew under the command of Sqdr. Leader Ronnie Churcher received their own operational aircraft, Lancaster ED977 code PG-A Apple. A letter to his wife stated ED977 given the name 'Nulli Secundus' with all the crew agreement a bomb sign signifying a mission would not be painted on its nose but a beer tankard would be. Not yet flown a mission his letters at this time were of sanguineness with a signing off quote of 'Lucky Jim'. The 11th June 1943 saw Flt. Lt Burnside and crew on the crew list for their first operation. Called a 'tour' in RAF parlance this consisted of completing thirty bombing missions (if you were lucky) before being sent for a 'rest' to either a training or Heavy Conversion Unit. [page break] Page | 7 Judging by the number of crashes at these types of units it was no easy option you were given by the powers that be. Some pre-war aircrew in at the beginning are known to have completed over one hundred bombing operations (fortunate indeed) Flying as Flight Engineer meant monitoring instruments and being responsible for the aircrafts fuel consumption. It also meant in an emergency possibly flying the Lancaster. The sequence of bombing operations undertaken by Flying Officer Burnside and crew were as followers [sic]: MISSION 1 11-06-1943 DUSSELDORF – the heart of the German Ruhr. 783 Aircraft sent 326 Lancaster's (14 lost) 202 Halifax's (12 lost) 143 Wellingtons (10 lost) 99 Stirling's (2 lost) Total of 38 Aircraft lost 13 Mosquito’s (target markers) 619 Squadron sent 12, one failed to return. MISSION 2 12-06-1943 BOCHUM 503 Aircraft sent 323 Lancaster's (14 lost) 167 Halifax's (10 Lost) Total of 24 Aircraft lost 11 Mosquito’s (target markers) 619 Squadron sent six all returned [page break] Page | 8 MISSION 3 14-06-1943 OBERHAUSEN 203 Aircraft sent 197 Lancaster's (17 lost) 6 Mosquito's (target markers) 619 Squadron sent six, one failed to return shot down by night fighter. A letter to his wife this day indicated the business of the coming day. MISSION 4 21-06-1943 KREFELD 705 Aircraft sent 262 Lancaster's (91 lost) 209 Halifax's (17 lost) 117 Stirling's (9 lost) 105 Wellington's (9 lost) Total 44 aircraft lost 12 Mosquito's (target markers) 619 Squadron sent 7 aircraft one failed to return crashed in Holland. A cloudless night – the German fighters were very active. 35 Squadron sent 19 aircraft 6 failed to return. Dates indicate 'Jim' Burnside did not fly on operations for a further five weeks. MISSION 5 29-07-1943 HAMBURG 777 Aircraft sent 340 Lancaster's (11 lost) 244 Halifax's (11 lost) 119 Stirling's (4 lost) 70 Wellington's (2 lost) Total 28 aircraft lost. [page break] Page | 9 4 Mosquito's (target markers) 619 Squadron sent 12 aircraft all returned. Second raid on Hamburg following one two nights earlier. Misjudgement of target caused fire storm in residential areas (mainly of wooden construction) 40,000 people perished. [619 squadron badge] MISSION 6 02-08-1943 HAMBURG 740 Aircraft sent 309 Lancaster's (13 lost) 235 Halifax’s (10 lost) 105 Stirling's (3 lost) 66 Wellington's (4 lost) Total of 30 Aircraft lost 5 Mosquito's (target markers) 619 Squadron sent 14 aircraft and all returned. Thunderstorms over Germany scattered the aircraft some turned back, others became lost. [page break] Page | 10 MISSION 7 07-08-1943 MILAN 197 Lancaster's (2 lost) 619 Squadron sent 10 aircraft all returned. This was politically ordered operation to attack Milan. Turin and Genoa. Prior to this day a letter to his wife ends with `Goodbye Darling’ Significant? MISSION 8 09-08-1943 MANNHEIM 457 Aircraft sent 286 Lancaster's (3 lost) 171 Halifax's (6 lost) 619 Squadron sent 14 aircraft all returned. His letter on this day states change in crew members due to postings. MISSION 9 15-08-1943 MILAN 140 Lancaster's (1 lost) 619 Squadron all aircraft sent returned. MISSION 10 23-08-1943 BERLIN 727 Aircraft sent 335 Lancaster's (17 lost) 251 Halifax's (23 lost) 124 Stirling's (16 lost) 17 Mosquito's (target markers) 619 Squadron sent 10 aircraft, one failed to return crashed on beach north of Kiel. [page break] Page | 11 MISSION 11 31-08-1943 BERLIN 622 Aircraft sent 331 Lancaster's (10 lost) 176 Halifax's (20 lost) 106 Stirling's(17 lost) 9 Mosquito's (target markers) 619 Squadron sent 13 aircraft 2 of which failed to return. (1) Crashed outbound (1) Victim of night fighter Flares dropped by German aircraft marked the bombers route. Two thirds of losses fell to fighters over and near Berlin. Cloud and faults in marking equipment plus ferocity of fighters caused bombing over wide area away from target. MISSION 12 17-09-1943 ANTHEOR VIADUCT – Cannes to Italy coastal railway. 12 Aircraft sent 12 Lancaster's (1 lost) 617 sent 8 Lancaster's with no losses 619 sent 4 with a loss of one which ditched off Portugal crew interned. Joint operation, with No 617 Dambusters for which crews were specially selected (later in the war 617 and 619 where [sic] to work closely together on vital targets i.e. Brest Submarine Pens, Tirpitz Battleship etc. Two days prior to this operation. 617 Squadron had lost five aircraft on an attack at Ladbergen in the north Rhine area, targeting the Dortmund – Elm Canal. The crew included the new Commanding Officer, Guy Gibson's Dambuster crew and Les Knight another of the Dambusters. Gibson himself was to die when crashing a target marking Mosquito in Holland in September 1944. [page break] Page | 12 MISSION 13 01-10-1943 HAGEN Submarine parts factory. 251 Aircraft sent 243 Lancaster's (1 lost) 8 Mosquito's (target markers) 619 Squadron sent 12 1 failed to return crashed in the Bristol Channel all crew were killed. MISSION 14 08-10-1943 HANOVER 504 Aircraft sent 282 Lancaster's (14 lost) 188 Halifax's (13 lost) 26 Wellington's Total of 27 Aircraft loss 8 Mosquito's (target markers) 619 Squadron sent 8 aircraft one of which wrecked on take-off with no crew injuries, all other aircraft returned. MISSION 15 03-11-1943 DUSSELDORF 589 Aircraft sent 344 Lancaster's (11 lost) 233 Halifax's (7 lost) Total of 18 Aircraft lost 619 Squadron sent 15 aircraft all returned. [page break] Page | 13 MISSION 16 18-11-1943 BERLIN This marked the beginning of what became known as the 'Battle of Berlin'. Totalling nineteen operations dated from 18th November 1943, ending on the night of 31st March 1944. These attacks cost the Royal Air Force Bomber Command 607 aircraft and 3,347 aircrew not including ditching, crashes on home soil or internments. 444 Aircraft sent 440 Lancaster's (9 lost) 4 Mosquito's (target markers) 619 Squadron sent 19 aircraft all of which returned. From this period Germany developed new fight tactics in which fighters would approach in the blind spot beneath the bomber before firing upwards. This caused withdrawal of the Stirling bomber and much Bomber Command concern and re-thinking. MISSION 17 23-11-1943 BERLIN 764 Aircraft sent 469 Lancaster's (11 lost) 234 Halifax's (10 lost) 50 Stirling's (5 lost) Total of 26 Aircraft lost 11 Mosquito's (target marking) 619 Squadron sent 16 aircraft with no losses. This night German fighters were generally grounded by bad weather. [page break] Page | 14 [photograph] MISSION 18 16-12-1943 BERLIN 493 Aircraft sent 483 Lancaster's (25 lost) 10 Mosquito's (target marking) 619 Squadron sent 15 aircraft of which 2 failed to return, one crashed in Germany and the other was posted missing. Another Lancaster was shot-up and badly damaged by a night fighter when outbound. Carrying out its task it struggled home before crash landing at base. The crew were commended for bravery. German controllers plotted route of bombers then being met by fighters. Others were guided to the scene, others waiting over target. On return to England low cloud over bases caused 30 more Lancaster's to either crash or be abandoned. 148 aircrew were lost including 6 in the North Sea and 39 seriously injured. No 97 Squadron at Coningsby lost 8 aircraft this night, seven on home soil. 27-12-1943 `Jim' was promoted to Flying Officer. [page break] Page | 15 MISSION 19 01-01-1944 BERLIN 421 Aircraft sent 421 Lancaster's (28 lost) 619 Squadron sent 14 aircraft all returned. A feint by Mosquitos to Hamburg failed to deceive German Controllers, once again fighters met the Lancasters. Not much of a welcome to the New Year 06-01-1944 Flown by another crew Lancaster ED977 'Nulli Secundus' failed to return from a [sic] operation to Stettin. 09-01-1944 619 Squadron moved from Woodhall Spa four miles south to RAF Coningsby (now the home of the Eurofighter) in exchange with 617 Dambusters Squadron. MISSION 20 27-01-1944 BERLIN 530 Aircraft sent 515 Lancaster's (33 lost) 15 Mosquito's (target marker) 619 Squadron sent 14 aircraft all returned. German fighters were committed early, some meeting the bombers 75 miles over the North Sea. Elaborate diversions did divert some fighters. This was 'Jim's' last flight under the command of Squadron Leader Ronnie Churcher who's 'tour' had ended, he being posted, [page break] Page | 16 MISSION 21 15-02-1944 BERLIN 891 Aircraft sent 561 Lancaster's (26 lost) 317 Halifax's (17 lost) 16 Mosquito's (target markers) 619 Squadron sent 20 aircraft one failed to return after crashing into the Baltic Sea. German Controllers plotted Bombers which swung north outranging the fighters. This ended Flight Engineer Burnside's operational flights for the next five months. Some of his activities being as follows: 29-03-1944 to 26-04-1944 Flight Engineer's Leaders Course at No.4 School of Technical Training at St. Athens. 14-04-1944 Bomber Command Instructor's School at RAF Finningley (now Robin Hood Airport) 01-06-1944 Air Sea Rescue Course at Blackpool. 30-03-1944 Was the night when Bomber Command attacked Nuremburg with 795 aircraft including 16 of 619 Squadron one of which failed to return. Bad planning and wrong weather forecasting resulted in the loss of 96 aircraft and crews. Th highest loss of the war on one operation. [underlined] `Jim' did not take part in this disaster. [/underlined] MISSION 22 12-07-1944 CHALINDREY – Strategic target to the French Ardenne aiding the D-Day landings. Flying Officer 'Jim' Burnside returned to operational duty, his first since February. 619 Squadron sent 15 Lancasters all of which returned. [page break] Page | 17 A letter to his Wife ended 'Goodbye' my darling. In 'Jim's' absence 619 Squadron had moved to RAF Dunholme Lodge north of Lincoln during April. MISSION 23 18-07-1943 REVIGNY – Again a strategic attack Railway Junctions to the District of Franche Comte, France. 263 Aircraft sent 253 Lancaster's (24 lost) 10 Mosquito's (target markers) 619 sent 18 aircraft five failed to return as follows: One shot down by night fighter over aiming point, and three were shot down out- bound by night fighters, and another was caught by a night fighter. Aircraft of No.5 Group (Lincolnshire) including 619 Squadron were strongly attacked by the defending fighters. 619 Squadron lost 32 aircrew on this operation. MISSION 24 20-07-1944 COURTRA –North-East of Lille – Railway Yards. 317 Aircraft sent 302 Lancaster's (9 lost) 15 Mosquito's (target markers) 619 Squadron sent 15 aircraft all returned. MISSION 25 23-07-1944 KIEL – Port and u-boat yards. 629 Aircraft sent 519 Lancaster's (4 Lost) 100 Halifax's 10 Mosquito's (target markers) 619 sent 12 aircraft one failed to return crashed in the sea all crew lost. [page break] Page | 18 MISSION 26 24-07-1944 DANGES 113 Aircraft sent 104 Lancaster's (3 lost) 9 Mosquito's (target markers) 619 sent 6 aircraft all returned. MISSION 27 25-07-1944 STUTTGART 550 Aircraft sent 412 Lancaster's (8 lost) 138 Halifax's (2 lost) Total of 10 aircraft lost 619 sent 14 aircraft, one failed to return crashed in France. No details for this operation. MISSION 28 28-07-1944 STUTTGART 496 Aircraft sent 496 Lancaster's (39 lost) 2 Mosquito's (target markers) 619 Squadron sent 13 aircraft. One failed to return after crashing in Germany. Last in a series of attacks on Stuttgart, bright moonlight aircraft were intercepted by fighters. Stuttgart at the end of July 1944 ended 'Jim's' operational tour, his last seven being in sixteen days. His missions as a Flight Engineer into enemy territory had covered thirteen months. On 14th August 1944 he was posted back to a heavy Conversion Unit this time at Wigsley, west of Lincoln to No.1654. [page break] Page | 19 [photograph] German anti-aircraft fire and night fighters took their toll on RAF heavy bombers, and moderately/heavily damaged aircraft where repaired where possible. Here, a Lancaster from No. 1660 Conversion Unit is transported in sections to the repair shops. Whilst at Wigsley he made only three local flights totalling three hours and thirty- five minutes. These were in Short Stirling noted for undercarriage collapse and engine fires (see later) An incident with a Wigsley Lancaster June 1943 was when Sgt Pilot William Featherstone from Sutton in Ashfield on the last part of his training crashed his aircraft into houses on the [photograph] outskirts on Lincoln. Six people were killed including three children. William Featherstone lies buried in Sutton Cemetery. Posted again on 4th November 1944, ‘Jim’ arrived at RAF Balderton south of Newark to Air Commando School (non flying) [page break] Page | 20 On the move again on the 29th December he reported to No.1661 Heavy Conversion Unit at RAF Winthorpe near Newark. Staying till the unit ceased to operate in July 1945, he flew only six local flights. Promoted to Flight Lt on 27th June 1945 'Jim' Burnside's very last flight in service came on 4th July 1945 from Winthorpe flying over the ruins of German cities showing ground crew the effects of the bombing campaign. His total hours flying being 358 hours and 17 minutes. [photograph] CREW OF SQUADRON 619 (RAF) WHILE TRAINING IN STIRLING BOMBER MARCH 1944 RAF WINTHORPE [page break] Page | 21 On the 14th January 1945 a Stirling aircraft took off from RAF Winthorpe, its mission to Belfast for scrapping. Finding a crew was difficult the pilot Sqdr Leader 'Steve' Cockbain said to be suffering from war weariness and should have been taken off flying, found people reluctant to take the flight. An engine fire on take-off with low cloud and lack of engine power condemned the Stirling to disaster. It crashed in Annesley Wood a few minutes later. [photograph] ANNESLEY MEMORIAL TO EH988 Its tie up with 'Jim', who with others may have watched the take off, was 'Steve' Cockbain had served alongside 'Ronnie' Churcher in 1942 under the command of Guy Gibson and the Flt Engineer 'Terry' Ball had arrived at Winthorpe from 619 Squadron. [page break] Page | 22 [photograph] [italics] Professional RAF publicity photograph of S/L Ronnie Churcher standing in front of ED977 Nulli Secundus in 1943. (Gp Capt R G Churcher) [/italics] Sqdr Leader Ronald George Churcher, `Jims' close friend, born in 1922 entered the RAF in May 1941 and had flown a full tour in 1942 being awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. When arriving at 619 Squadron he had the rank of Squadron Leader where `Jim' became his Flight Engineer. After leaving 619 Squadron in January 1944 after a short rest he joined No. 627 Squadron at Woodhall Spa for a third tour flying Mosquito's in the target marking role for No. 617 Squadron Dambusters who's commanding officer was Leonard Cheshire. Appointed Deputy Controller and Marker Leader on an attack on the towns Monchengladbach/Rheydt, outbound Churcher's Mosquito developed a fault. Guy Gibson took over as Master Bomber, failing to return. `Ronnie' Churcher continued in the RAF after the war being in command of 216 Squadron at RAF Lyneham in 1958. Promoted to Wing Commander 1st January 1959, he was further promoted on 1st January 1970 to Group Captain, commanding RAF Henlow 1973/74. He retired from the 31st March 197 [sic] aged 55 years as Group Captain Ronald George Churcher DSO MVO DFC the MVO being a merit award given by Her Majesty the Queen. He was said to have died some time later after being very ill. [page break] Page | 23 Stationed at RAF North Luffenham south west of Stamford sometime in 1945, James Gordon Bennett was released from the Service on 1st January 1946. [photograph] CREW PHOTO [page break] Page | 24 [photograph] [page break] [map] [page break] [photograph] [page break] [photograph] Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource James Gordon Bennet (Lucky Jim) Burnside - biography Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource R and M Bryan Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1942-12-16 1943-04 1943-04-28 1943-06-07 1943-06-11 1943-06-12 1943-06-14 1943-06-21 1943-07-29 1943-08-02 1943-08-07 1943-08-09 1943-08-15 1943-08-23 1943-08-31 1943-09-17 1943-10-01 1943-10-08 1943-11-03 1943-11-18 1943-11-23 1943-12-16 1943-12-27 1944-01-01 1944-01-06 1944-01-09 1944-01-27 1944-02-15 1944-03-29 1944-04-14 1944-06-01 1944-03-30 1944-07-12 1944-07-18 1944-07-20 1944-07-23 1944-07-24 1944-07-25 1944-07-28 1944-08-14 1943-06 1944-11-04 1944-12-29 1945-07 1945-07-04 1945-01-14 Spatial Coverage Spatial characteristics of the resource. Great Britain Wales--Vale of Glamorgan England--Nottinghamshire Germany Germany--Düsseldorf Germany--Bochum Germany--Oberhausen (Düsseldorf) Germany--Krefeld Germany--Hamburg Italy Italy--Milan Germany--Mannheim Germany--Berlin France France--Var Germany--Hagen (Arnsberg) Germany--Hannover France--Culmont-Chalindrey France--Lons-le-Saunier France--Lille Region Germany--Kiel Atlantic Ocean--Baltic Sea Germany--Stuttgart England--Nottinghamshire England--Lincolnshire England--Lincoln England--Sutton in Ashfield Germany--Ruhr (Region) France--Anthéor France--Revigny-sur-Ornain Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Civilian Royal Air Force Royal Air Force. Bomber Command Language A language of the resource eng Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Thirty-one page printed document with b/w and colour photographs and maps Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context BBryanR-MBurnsideJGBv1 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2011 Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Photograph Text. Personal research Description An account of the resource Part 1 - family background with information on relatives and family photographs. Part 2 - war service of Flying Officer James Gordon Bennett Burnside flight engineer. Covers training as flight engineer. Then follows short descriptions. listing number sent and losses, of the 28 operation he flew. Targets include: Düsseldorf, Bochum, Oberhausen, Krefeld, Hamburg, Milan, Mannheim, Berlin (several times), Anthéor Viaduct, Hagen submarine part factory, Hanover, Chalindrey, Revigny, Coutra, Kiel and Stuttgart. He then went to RAF Wigsley on a heavy conversion unit. Gives some details of his time there including a fatal crash at Lincoln, when civilian were also killed on the ground. Subsequently went to RAF Balderton and RAF Winthorpe from where he flew Cook's tour as his last sortie. Includes several photographs. Continues with account of crash of Stirling and biography of Squadron Leader Ronald George Churcher a friend of Jim. Jim Burnside was released from service on 1 January 1946. Includes portrait photograph of James Burnside, as well as maps showing airfields he served at, photograph of memorial plaque. Jim and wife. Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Peter Bradbury 617 Squadron 619 Squadron 627 Squadron aircrew Berlin Campaign (23 August 1943 – 25 March 1944) bombing bombing of Hamburg (24-31 July 1943) Cheshire, Geoffrey Leonard (1917-1992) Cook’s tour crash Distinguished Flying Cross flight engineer Halifax Lancaster Mosquito RAF Balderton RAF North Luffenham RAF St Athan RAF Swinderby RAF Wigsley RAF Woodhall Spa Ruhr Campaign (5 March – 10 July 1943) Stirling target indicator training Wellington https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/1652/26481/SBriarsRA1299161v1.pdf 2a781daac7a5ee89fd2d6eb170264b96 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Casswell, Robert Ivan. Ralph Briars DFM Description An account of the resource 1 Item. Was an air gunner on John Sanders and Roy Machin's crew on 49 Squadron. Collection consists of a memoir. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-10-27 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. Some items have not been published in order to protect the privacy of third parties, to comply with intellectual property regulations, or have been assessed as medium or low priority according to the IBCC Digital Archive collection policy and will therefore be published at a later stage. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collection-policy. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Briars, R Transcribed document A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Transcription Text transcribed from audio recording or document [picture] REAR VIEW Ralph Briars [page break] [photograph] TO MARK AND AMANDA, IN THE FERVENT HOPE THAT THEY AND THEIRS NEVER BECOME INVOLVED IN WORLD UPHEAVALS SUCH AS HAPPENED BETWEEN 1939 AND 1945 DEDICATED FIRSTLY TO MY TRAVELLING COMPANIONS IN THOSE UNFRIENDLY SKIES, PARTICULARLY TO JOHN SANDERS WHO FLEW US THERE AND BACK, AND JAMES BARRON WHO GUIDED US. THE OTHERS AL AND ARTHUR, ROY AND TOMMY, ALL STRANGERS THROWN TOGETHER IN THE COMMON CAUSE. SECONDLY TO BILL HUDSON WHO CAME WITH ME FROM GUNNERY SCHOOL TO FISKERTON, A WARMLY REMEMBER [sic] PERSON WHOSE FAVOURITE TIPPLE WAS GUINESS AND GIN-MIXED. SADLY HIS AIRCRAFT DID NOT RETURN FROM A RAID IN MARCH 1944, SHORTLY BEFORE WE WERE POSTED TO 617 SQUADRON. [page break] [underlined] FORE-WORD [/underlined] TO EMPLOY A WELL WORN BUT NONE THE LESS ACCURATE CLICHÉ, LIFE IS FULL OF SURPRISES. THUS I PONDERD [sic] RUEFULLY, IN JANUARY 1944, ON FINDING MYSELF SITTING AT THE REAR OF A LANCASTER BOMBER EN ROUTE TO STETTING, WHICH IS THE WRONG SIDE OF DENMARK. NOT THAT I AM UNPATRIOTIC REALLY, BUT DURING THE TIME THAT HAD PASSED SINCE JOINING THR [sic] ROYAL AIR FORCE I DID THINK THAT SOMEONE OUGHT TO GET A MOVE ON AND WIN THE WAR BEFORE I BECAME INVOLVED. THE R.A.F. INVITED ME TO JOIN IN 1941 ON THE ROSY PROSPECT THAT TRAINING AS A WIRELESS OPERATOR/AIR GUNNER – KNOWN IN THE TRADE AS A WOP/AG – WOULD FOLLOW INITIAL INSTRUCTION ON GETTING THE LEFT FOOT AND RIGHT ARM IN SYNCHRONISATION ON MOVING OFF. SO AWAY TO SAMPLE THE DELIGHTS OF THE BLACKPOOL LANDLADIES, BLESS-EM. SOME WERE LIKE MUVVERS, OTHERS LET YOU WASH IN THE YARD AND NO WARM SHAVING WATER. ONE LEARNED, USUALLY TOO LATE, NEVER TO EXPOUND THE VIRTUES OF THEIR COOKING – OR ANY OTHER ACTIVITY – FOR THE PERMANENT STAFF SOON HAD YOU OUT AND THEMSELVES IN, TO USE THE VERNACULAR, WITH THEIR FEET AND TRULY UNDER THE TABLE. NOW I WOULD NOT SAY THE MORSE CODE IS PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT TO LEARN GIVEN MORE TIME MY INSTRUCTORS WERE PREPARED TO OFFER, AND AS THE WAR WAS NOT GOING ALL THAT WELL I HAD TO DEPART FROM THIS POSH PART OF LANCASHIRE. ALTHOUGH I WAS A BIT MIFFED AT THE TIME, THE DECISION WAS EVENTUALLY ADVANTAGEOUS, AS I WILL EXPAND LATER,.. SO THERE I WAS, WITH A FEW OTHER FAILURES, ON THE ISLE OF SHEPPEY, BEING INSTRUCTED ON A DIFFERENT SUBJECT, PARACHUTE AND CABLES. BEAR WITH ME, IF YOU WILL, YOU’LL NOT BELIEVE THE REST. SOME BRIGHT SPARK IN THE MIN. OF DEFFENCE [sic] INVENTED A FORM OF DEFENCE AGAINST LOW FLYING AIRCRAFT CONSISTING OF A ROW OF TUBES SET VERTICALLY AND CONTAINING ROCKETS TO WHICH WERE ATTACHED. [sic] [page break] 2 LONG LENGTHS OF STEEL CABLE, WITH INCREDIBLE ACCURACY YOU FIRED THESE OFF JUST AS AN AIRCRAFT – PREFERABLE [sic] BELONGING TO THE OTHER SIDE – WAS ABOUT TO CROSS THE LINE, WHERE-UPON UP THEY WENT TO AROUND 800 FEET, EJECTING A PARACHUTE FIXED TO THE CABLE WHICH THEN SLOWLY DROPPED TO THE GROUND. IF THEN YOUR TARGET WAS NOT ENTANGLED IN THE STEEL CURTAIN, OR A SECOND ONE CAME ALONG, YOU NEEDED AT LEAST 30 MINUTES TO REFILL THE SYSTEM, PRESUMABLY THIS VISIONARY TYPE OF DEFENCE AROSE DURING THE PROBLEMS OF SUPPLYING CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS AT THAT STAGE OF THE WAR, AND WAS USED TO DEFEND MERCHANT SHIPPING AS WELL AS AIR FIELDS. ANYWAY, I WAS PACKED OFF TO SAVE THE R.A.F. BASE AT LINTON-ON-OUSE, NEAR YORK, AND IN THE PERIOD FROM CHRISTMAS 1941 TO AROUND FEBRUARY 1943 WE FIRED NOT ONE SHOT. NO DOUBT THE LUFTWAFFE HAD HEARD ABOUT IT ALL. DURING THIS EXCITING PERIOD I MADE REGULAR APPLICATIONS TO TRAIN AS AN AIR GUNNER, FOR NOT ONLY WAS THIS DEFENCE WORK FARCICAL – FOR EXAMPLE ONE COULD NOT OPERATE AFTER DARK AS THERE WAS NO REFERNCE [sic] TO JUDGE DISTANCE – OUT DEFENCE DUTIES WERE BEING SLOWLY TAKEN OVER BY THE NEWLY FORMED R.A.F. REGIMENT, WITH ALL THE ASSOCIATED ARMY STYLE TRAINING WHICH I COULD PLAINLY SEE WAS NOT GOING TO BE MY CUP OF TEA AT ALL. EVENTUALLY I FOUND MYSELF IN ST. JOHNS WOOD, IN LONDON, ONCE AGAIN ON ASSESSMENTS AND INITIAL TRAINING LEADING TO A GUNNERY COURSE. THENCE TO BRIDLINGTON FOR THE REAL THING, WHERE AMONGST DIVERS ACTIVITIES WE SPENT HOURS IN A LOCAL GARAGE WHIRLING AROUND ON DIFFERENT TYPES OF GUN TURRETS MOUNTED UPON METAL FRAMES CONTAINING SMALL PETROL ENGINES WHICH SUPPLIED ELECTRIC AND HYDRAULIC POWER. NEARBY FLAMBOROUGH HEAD WAS USED FOR LIVE FIRING MUCH TO THE DISCOMFORT OF THR [sic] RESIDENT GULLS, FOR THE CONTINUAL USE OF OLD GUNS SEEMINGLY SO WIDENED THE BORE THAT TRACER BULLETS RARELY FOLLOWED EACH OTHER BUT WANDERED ABOUT LIKE GUNSHOT. [page break] 3 THE NEXT STOP WAS DALCROSS, THE FLYING SCHOOL NEAR INVERNESS WHICH IS NOW THAT TOWN’S AIRPORT. WHERE WE SPENT SEVERAL WEEKS IN LOVELY WEATHER FLYING OVER THE MORAY FIRTH IN OLD DEFIANTS AND ANSONS FIRING AT TOWED TARGET DROGUES OR SEA MARKERS. MANY OF THE PILOTS WERE POLISH, TEMPORARILY WITHDRAWN FROM ACTIVE DUTY, AND THEY UNDERSTANDABLY WANTED TO RETURN TO BASHING THE HUN RATHER THAN FERRYING AROUND THREE TYRO GUNNERS AND THEIR INSTRUCTOR. ONE OCCURRENCE THAT WOULD INVITE A FLOW OF FURIOUS POLISH – THE PURPORT OF WHICH WAS CLEAR EVEN THOUGH THE LANGUAGE WAS NOT – WAS WHEN AFTER PAINFULLY CLIMING [sic] TO HEIGHT AND AWAITING THE ARRIVAL OF THE TARGET TOWING AIRCRAFT THE FIRST GUNNER IN THE TURRET SHOT OFF THE DROGUE. AMONGST US GUNNERS THIS WAS SEEN AS EVIDENCE OF GREAT PROWESS, BUT THE RESULT WAS RATHER A LONG HOPEFULL [sic] WAIT FOR A NEW DROGUE TO BE STREAMED BY THE TOWING AIRCRAFT, OR, AS MORE OFTEN HAPPENED, A RETURN TO THE AIRFIELD. EACH GUNNER FIRED 200 ROUNDS. THE TIPS OF WHICH HAD BEEN DIPPED IN A STICKY SORT OF PRINTERS INK, RED PURPLE OR GREEN, SO THAT THE HITS COULD BE COUNTED. THE PROCEDURE WAS FOR US TO LAND FIRST AND AWAIT THE DROPPING OF THE DROGUE TARGET, WHICH WE HAD TO LUG INTO THE SCOOL [sic] FOR ASSESSMENT. OH! THE EXCITEMENT! HOW MANY WOULD YOU HAVE? HAD YOU, IN FACT ANY? 10 WAS EXCELLENT 15 INCREDIBLE, MORE OFTEN IT WAS SINGLE NUMBERS. AIR TO AIR FIRING WAS WILDLY WASTEFUL, NONE OF YOUR HEAT-SEEKING MISSILES THEN! WE DID A LOT OF GUN TURRET TRAINING, AND COULD EVENTUALLY WRITE OUR NAMES BY MEANS OF A PENCIL WEDGED INSIDE THE GUN BARREL WHICH ENABLED ONE TO TRACE THE LETTERS ONTO A BOARD HELD IN FRONT OF THE TURRET. HOURS WERE SPENT INSIDE LARGE WHITE WASHED DOMES WHERE MOVING FILMS OF VARIOUS ATTACKING AIRCRAFT WERE PROJECTED, AND WITH A TORCH STRAPPED TO THE GUN BARREL ONE HAD TO SHOW CONVINCING ABILITY TO TRACK AND LEAD THE TARGET. ALERTNESS WAS EVERYTHING, FOR SOMETIMES A BRITISH AIRCRAFT WOULD BE SHOWN, AND IF NOT [page break] 4 IDENTIFIED HEAVY SARCASM WOULD BE OBSERVED BY THE INSTRUCTOR, HAD NOT THE SERVICE ENOUGH TROUBLES ALREADY? THE END OF THE COURSE CAME AND WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE UNFORTUNATE SOUL WE ALL PASSSED [sic]. THERE WE WERE AGAIN, BACK ON THE OLD L.M.S., TRAIN, DESTINED FOR VARIOUS COMMANDS AND GROUPS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. PASSING ALONG THE GRAND SCOTTISH SCENE THROUGH AVIEMORE, PERTH AND CARSTAIRS, AND THEN BY WAYS DEVIOUS I ENDED THE JOURNEY, WITH ONE ACQUAINTANCE FROM DALCROSS, AT 14 C.T.U. [sic] 9 (OPERATIONAL TRAINING UNIT) AT COTTESMORE IN WHAT AT THE TIME WAS THE PLEASANT COUNTY OF RUTLAND. HERE FOR THE FIRST TIME WE MET OTHER FLYING TRADESMEN, PILOTS, NAVIGATORS, WIRELESS OPERATORS AND BOMB AIMERS. FIVE TO A CREW FOR THE TIME BEING, AS WE TRAINED ON WELLINGTON TWIN ENGINE AIRCRAFT. IN A SURPRISING BUT SOMEHOW VERY BRITISH WAY, A NOVEL WAY OF FORMING CREWS WAS ADOPTED. NOT FOR US A LIST OF WHO WOULD FLY WITH WHOM, WHICH MIGHT HAVE BEEN EXPECTED, BUT INSTEAD A PERIOD – FROM LONG MEMORY AROUND TWO DAYS – IN WHICH WE MADE OUR OWN SELECTION. ANYONE NOT CREWED UP IN THE TIME ALLOTTED WAS MADE UP WITH OTHERS SIMILARLY PLACED. SO IT WAS DOWN TO THE (GEORGE) AT OAKHAM, AND BY THE TIME WE WERE CHUCKED OUT MOST CREWS WERE ARRANGED. HOW, YOU MIGHT SAY, DID ONE CAREFULLY SELECT SUITABLE SKILLED, ALERT, ETC. COMPATRIOTS WITH WHOM TO GO SWANNING AROUND GERMAN SKIES? DID ONE EARNESTLY ASK A PILOT HOW MANY HAD HE WRITTEN OFF ALREADY, OR SEEK A NAVIGATORS OPINION ON THE TRIANGLE OF VELOCITIES? YOU MUST BE JOKING! AFTER A FEW DRINKS WE WERE ALL EXCELLENT FELLOWS! THIS NAVIGATOR STEADIED HIMSELF ON ME AND SAID HE HAD A PILOT, WAS I FIXED UP? SEEMINGLY REASONABLY RESPECTABLE I WANT ALONG WITH HIM TO SEE THE PILOT, WHO HAD TWO WINGS UP SO WAS CLEARLY RELIABLE, AND HE TOOK ME ON, WE THEN ALL FOUND A WIRELESS MAN APPARENTLY KNEW ALL THE PUBS IN NOTTINGHAM, AND ON--- [page break] 5 ON THE WAY BACK ASSISTED THIS CANADIAN BOMB AIMER WHO WAS NOT SURE WHICH WAY EAST OR WEST, AND SO SANDERS SAINTS WERE FORMED. TOGETHER WE TRAINED AS A TEAM UNTILL [sic] THE END OF SEPTEMBER, FLYING OUT OF SATELLITE AIR FIELDS AT MARKET HARBOROUGH AND HUSBANDS BOSWORTH, TOTALLING AROUND 80 HOURS FLYING TIME. INITIALY [sic] THE PILOT WAS MOST INVOLVED IN FAMILIARISING HIMSELF, UNDER INSTRUCTION, WITH THE LARGER AND HEAVIER AIRCRAFT. ONE HAS SOME FEELING FOR HIM IN THIS, FOR HIS SKILL AND PROGRESS WERE WITHIN SIGHT AND SOUND OF THE REST OF US PASSENGERS DURING SEVERAL HOURS TAKINF [sic] OFF AND LANDING, COLLOQUIALLY KNOWN AS CIRCUITS AND BUMPS. HOWEVER JOHN SANDERS WAS QUITE UP TO ALL THIS, AND BEFORE LONG WE ALL HAD TO JUSTIFY OUR TRAINING DURING CROSS-COUNTRY EXERCISES, PRACTICE BOMBING AND GUNNERY. IN THESE THE PILOT AND NAVIGATOR WERE OF COURSE CONTINUALLY EXTENDING THEIR EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE, AS WAS THE WIRELESS OPERATOR, TUCKED UP IN HIS LITTLE NICHE, AND HERE I WOULD INTERPOSE MY FEELINGS TOUCHED UPON EARLIER CONCERNING MY SUMMARY EXIT FROM THE WIRELESS SCHOOL. THE VITAL WIRELESS OPERATOR, - RECEIVING INFORMATION ABOUT WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION CHANGES, ALTERATIONS TO BOMBING TECHNIQUES, CHECKING THE INTERCOM, TUNING IN TO ENEMY AIRCRAFT AND THEIR CONTROLLERS WAVELENGTHS SO THEY COULD BE JAMMED VIA A MICROPHONE IN AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT, TRACKING POSSIBLE NIGHT FIGHTERS ON A SMALL VDU, - SAW LITTLE OF ACTUAL WAR. SOME MAY THINK IMAGINATION WOULD HAVE WORKED OVERTIME WONDERING WHAT WAS HAPPENING OUTSIDE, LISTENING AND FEELING BUT NOT KNOWING. THE SIGHTS I SAW FROM MY VANTAGE POINT AT THR [sic] REAR WERE NOT ALWAYS ENTIRELY REASSURING, BUT THAT’S REALITY, AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO NOT KNOWING AT ALL, WAS PREFERABLE. [page break] 6 SHORTLY BEFORE LEAVING COTTESMORE AT THE END OF OCTOBER 1943 TWO MORE CREW MEMBERS ARRIVED, THE ENGINEER AND THE MID-UPPER TURRET GUNNER. WHILST THE FORMER COULD BE ACCOMMODATED IN THE DUAL COCKPIT OF THE WELLINGTON, THE NEW GUNNER WAS LESS FORTUNATE AND SPENT A FEW DRAUGHTY COLD SPELLS IN THE FUSELARGE [sic]. ROY MACHIN WAS A LITTLE LESS THAN DELIGHTED WITH LIFE, BUT IT WAS NOT LONG BEFORE WE MOVED AND HE HAD HIS OWN NEST. SO IT WAS OFF TO THE LAST STAGE OF TRAINING AT WINTHORPE, NEAR NEWARK. THIS PERIOD OF SIX WEEKS WAS SIMILAR TO THAT AT COTTESMORE, EXCEPT THAT THIS UNIT, 1661 CONVERSION UNIT, FAMILIARISED US WITH THE SAME TYPE OF AIRCRAFT USED IN OPERATIONS, THE HALIFAX AND THE LANCASTER. I BELIEVE OUR 5 GROUP WAS PHASING OUT THE HALIFAX AT THE TIME, ANDWE [sic] ONLY FLEW ABOUT FIVE HOURS IN THEM. FROM THE GUNNERS POINT OF VIEW THE MAIN DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO TYPES WAS THE BOULTON AND PAUL (BP) TURRET IN THE HALIFAX AND THAT MADE BY FRAZER-NASH IN THE LANCASTER. BOTH HAD FOUR GUNS FED BY AMMUNITION CONVEYED ON TRACKS FROM BINS NEAR THE CENTRE OF THE FUSELAGE TO AVOID UNWANTED WEIGHT AT THE REAR OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE BP TURRET WAS ELECTRICALLY OPERATED AND CONTROLLED BY A SINGLE JOYSTICK, WHEREAS THAT IN THE LANCASTER WAS HYDRAULICALLY DRIVEN WITH BICYCLE TYPE HANDLEBAR CONTROLS. I PREFERRED THE LATTER, PROBABLY DUE TO FAMILIARITY THOUGH BOTH HAD A SMOOTH AND PRECISE ACTION, EACH ‘303 BROWNING GUN FIRED ABOUT 1200 ROUNDS A MINUTE, AND WERE (HARMONISED) THAT IS FOCUSED FOR MAXIMUM CUMULATIVE EFFECT ON TARGET AT 400 YARDS. HAVING SEEN THE DEVASTATING RESULT OF SIX GUNS ON AN ENEMY AIRCRAFT DURING OUR FIRST OPERATION TO STETTIN WE HAD MUCH CONFIDENCE IN THEM. THE PROBLEM WITH NIGHT OPERATIONS WAS, SIMPLY, SEEING THE ATTACKER. THE REAR GUNNER SEARCHED BEHIND AND BELOW, THE OTHER GUNNER BEHIND AND ABOVE, BOTH CONSTANTLY SCANNING THE SIDE AREAS AS WELL. THE MAIN DANGER CAME FROM TWIN ENGIND [sic] ME110’S AND JUNKERS 88’S NEITHER OF WHICH WAS ------ [page break] 7 PARTICULARY [sic] FAST BUT EASILY SURPASS A LADEN LANCASTER’S CRUISING SPEED OF 170 M.P.H. FURTHERMORE, SOME FIGHTERS WERE FITTED WITH UPWARD FIRING 20 M.M. CANNON, AND WOULD CREEP ALONG BELOW BOMBERS WHICH TENDEDTO [sic] SILHOUETTE AGAINST THE LIGHTER UPPER SKY. THEY WERE VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE, UNLESS THE GROUND WAS SNOW COVERED AND ALL WE COULD DO WAS TO CARRY OUT A BANKING SEARCH – THE PILOT DOING THE HARD WORK TILTING THE AIRCRAFT ENABLING THE AREA BELOW TO BE INSPECTED. THIS WAS, OF COURSE, DIFFICULT WITH A LOADED BOMBER, AND DOUBTLESS MANY GOOD CREWS WERE LOST DUE TO THE SHEER SLOG OF CONTINUAL SEARCHING AND A CONSEQUENT FALLING OFF OF EFFICIENT LOOKOUT. THERE IS THOUGHT, HOWEVER THAT AS THE CANNON WERE, I BELIEVE, INCLINED AT 60 DEGREES ABOVE THE HORIZONTAL, IN ANY LIKELY FIRING ATTITUDE THE FIGHTER HAD TO BE BELOW, AND BEHIND, THUS WITHIN THE REAR GUNNERS FIELD OF SEARCH. PROVIDED NATURALLY IT WAS NOT TOO DARK TO SEE ANYTHING AT ALL! MANY OF THE RADIAL ENGINED LANCASTER II WERE FITTED WITH AN EXTERNAL GUN POSITION OPERATED REMOTELY FROM WITHIN THE REAR FUSELARGE [sic], PROBABLY WITH A PERISCOPIC SIGHT VISIBILITY AT NIGHT WITH THE NAKED EYE IS OBVIOUSLY LIMITED AND MOST REAR TURRETS EVENTUALLY HAD THE PERSPEX PANEL FRONT OF THE GUNSIGHT REMOVED ENTIRELY. ANY FORM OR [sic] PERISCOPE WAS NO DOUBT FOUND TO HAVE SUCH A POOR FIELD OF VISION TO NOT JUSTIFY THE ADDITIONAL CREW MEMBER AND THE WEIGHT PENALTY INSTALLATION. I HAVE INTERJECTED ONE OR TWO MATTERS FOR THE RECORD, AS THIS FORWARD TO THE DIARY FINISHES WITH COMPLETION OF THE COURSE AT WINTHORPE AND OUR POSTING TO 49 SQUADRON AT FISKERTON, A FEW MILES EAST OF LINCOLN, IN DECEMBER 1943. A WORD ABOUT THE DEPTH OF TRAINING THE R.A.F. GAVE US. DESPITE THE WAR LOSSES OF PERSONNEL AND MATERIAL – MANY AND MUCH OR [sic] WHICH CAME BY HAZARDOUS SEA PASSAGES – THERE WAS NEVER ANY FEELING OF HASTE IN INSTRUCTING TRAINEES SO THEY COULD BE PASSED ON QUICKLY TO OPERATIONAL DUTIES. [page break] 8 THE INSTRUCTING AND TRAINING SOMETIMES WAS UNIMAGINATIVE AND REPETITIVE, BUT IN THE OUTCOME IT WAS OF SUFFICIENT DEPTH FOR ONE TO ACHIEVE SOME SKILLS AND QUICK REACTION TO EVENTS. THIS IS PROBABLY TRUE OF THE OTHER SERVICES, AND SOMETHING FOR WHICH ALL TRAINEES SHOULD BE THANKFULL [sic]. HOWEVER, IT IS AN INEVITABLE FACT THAT IN WARTIME THE HIGHEST DEGREE OF TRAINING IS SUBJECT IN MANY RESPECTS TO LUCK, OR FATE, OR WHAT YOU WILL. THAT IS, BEING IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME OR BEING IN THE WRONG PLACE AT ANY TIME. CONSIDER AIR COLLISIONS, A MATTER MUCH DISCUSSED IN THESE ‘80’S OBVIOUSLY IT CAN NEVER NOW BE KNOWN WHAT PROPORTION OF WARTIME LOSSES WERE DUE TO THIS CAUSE, BUT VISULISE [sic] THE FACTS. IN 1944 UP TO 800 OR SO BOMBERS TAKING OFF IN THE DARKNESS FROM DOZENS OF AIRFIELDS IN THE MIDLANDS AND EASTERN ENGLAND, NAVIGATION LIGHTS EXTINGUISHED BEFORE CROSSING THE COAST, ALL CLIMBING TOWARDS THE FIRST TURNING POINT. AS TIME TO BE OVER THE TARGET IS STAGGERD [sic] THROUGHOUT THE FORCE OVER A PERIOD OF SAY 20 MINUTES, AND THE NAVIGATOR FINDS SOME TIME MUST BE LOST, (DOG-LEGGING) IS RESORTED TO. SIMPLY THIS MEANS THE AIRCRAFT DIVERGES FROM THE COURSE BEING FOLLOWED AND RETURNS WHEN SUFFICIENT TIME HAS BEEN DROPPED. THE IMPLICATION OF DELIBERATELY TURNING ACROSS THE PATHS OF MANY UNSEEN OTHERS AND RETURNING A LITTLE LATER STILL CHILLS ME. WHILST STILL OVER THE NORTH SEA IT WAS NOT UNUSUAL TO SEE AN EXPLOSION IN THE SKY, FOLLOWED BY BURNING DEBRIS, AND IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY PREVIOUS AIR TO AIR FIRING IT WAS REASONABLE TO ASSUME A COLLISION HAD OCCURRED. SOMEWHAT WORSE WAS WHEN THE TARGET WAS REACHED AND GROUND MARKERS HAD NOT BEEN DROPPED, OR WERE IN THE WRONG POSITION OR HAD BURNT OUT, AND IT WAS NECESSARY TO CIRCLE WHILST AWAITING FRESH MARKERS. CLEARLY, NOT ALL AIRCRAFT WOULD BE CIRCLING CONCENTRICALLY! [page break] 9 THEN UPON RETURN TO ENGLAND THERE WOULD BE A CONVERGING OF THE THRONG, WHICH FOR VARIOUS REASONS WOULD BE FROM MANY DIRECTIONS. ONCE AGAIN WITHOUT NAVIGATION LIGHTS UNTILL CLOSE TO BASE (OR NOT AT ALL IF THE LUFTWAFFE WAS INFILTRATING THE STREAM HOPING TO FIND SOMEONE ASLEEP) WHERE WE CIRCLED HOPEFULLY WELL AWAY FROM ONE ANOTHER BEFORE BEING CALLED TO LAND. THIS WAS IRKSOME AT WOODHALL SPA BECAUSE BEING CLOSE TO CONINGSBY THE RING OF MARKER LIGHTS GUIDING AIRCRAFT AROUND EACH FIELD ACTUALLY INTERSECTED AND TO AVOID COLLISIONS AT THIS POINT WE ALL HAD TO FLY THE DOUBLE CIRCLE THUS CONSIDERABLY EXTENDING THE TIME TAKEN TO LAND. THIS PROCEDURE WAS OF COURSE PARTICULARLY TIRING TO THE PILOT WHO HAD BEEN AT THE CONTROLS CONTINUALLY FOR MANY HOURS. THE POINT OF ALL THIS IS TO REITERATE THAT THE HIGHEST DEGREE OF TRAINING CANNOT NECESSARILY OVERCOME CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE THE ODDS ARE ADVERSELY STACKED. THE MIRACLE IS THAT SO MANY SURVIVED THESE ODDS; THE SADNESS THAT SO MANY CAPABLE CREWS WERE LOST, OFTEN THROUGH CAUSES OTHER THAN ENEMY ACTION. AN EXAMPLE OF THIS IS MENTIONED IN THE NOTES CONCERNING A RAID ON A TARGET NEAR RHEIMS ON THE 31ST OF JULY. AS TO THE DIARY, WELL, THIS WAS WRITTEN UP SHORTLY AFTER EACH TRIP, USUALLY IN BED FOLLOWING THE TRADITIONAL SUPPER OR BREAKFAST OF EGG AND BACON. I HAVE NO RECOLLECTION WHY I WROTE IT, IT’S JUST THE SORT OF THING I USED TO DO. THE DIARY WAS MISSING FOR YEARS, BUT I HAD A FEELING IT WOULD RE-APPEAR, AND WHEN IT DID I DECIDED TO PROPERLY LAY IT OUT BEFORE IT WENT AGAIN. DESPITE WINCING AT THE STYLE AND PROSE OF THOSE TIMES I FELT IT RIGHT TO REPRODUCE IT VERBATIN [sic], WARTS AND ALL. [page break] 10 [underlined] 6 – 1 – 44 STETTIN [/underlined] FELT MORE INTEREST THAN NERVOUSNESS ON THIS TRIP – QUEER,. NOT TOO COLD AT 22,000 FEET, TARGET WELL ALIGHT. ENGAGED 109 WHICH WAS FINALLY SEEN WITH BROWN SMOKE POURING HEAVILY FROM THE ENGINE, OUR DAMAGE WASA [sic] FEW BULLETS FROM M.U. THROUGH THE FUSELAGE AND ONE THROUGH THE TURRET, SHAKY DO! SIX HOURS BACK – TERRIBLE, SAW SUN RISE OVER THE SEA, TEA NEVER SO WELCOME. SHORT OF FUEL, S.O.S. PREPARED, READY TO DITCH, FINALLY MADE IT AND LANDED AT THE FIRST DROME, LUDFORD MAGNA. PRETTY TIRED, 9 HOURS 50 MINUTES IN THE AIR. DICKENDS [sic] OF A JOB TO KEEP AWAKE, LUCKILY BAGS OF CLOUD, NEVER DID LAND LOOK MORE WELCOME AS THE COAST OF LINCOLNSHIRE. [underlined] NOTES [/underlined] 109 WAS A SINGLE ENGINE MESSERSCHMITT AIRCRAFT, NORMALLY A DAY FIGHTER, BUT OCCASIONALLY SEEN AT NIGHT. WHEN THE ATTACK TOOK PLACE WE HAD JUST ENTERED AN AREA ILLUMINATED BY FLARES DROPPED BY HIGH FLYING GERMAN AIRCRAFT; THE FIGHTER APPROACHED FROM NEARLY DEAD ASTERN, FIRING – BUT MISSING – ALL THE WAY IN. AS I STARTED FIRING I SAW TRACER PASSING OVERHEAD FROM ROY MACHIN IN THE – UPPER TURRET (M.U.) AND ALTHOUGH INTERUPTER [sic] GEAR SHOULD HAVE PREVENTED HIS FIRE FROM DAMAGING OUR AIRCRAFT IN THIS INSTANCE IT DID NOT, FORTUNATELY WITOUT [sic] DISASTROUS RESULTS. [underlined] 14 – 1 – 44 BRUNSWICK [/underlined] FAIRLY COLD, -32 CALL LIGHT REPEATEDLEY [sic] FLASHED FOR NO GOOD REASON, HAD TO SMASH BULB HAVING NO WISH TO ADVERTISE OUR POSITION. CLEAR MOST OF THE WAY, 7/10 OVER TARGET, FIRES WERE NOT SO GOOD AS BEFORE, SAW 110 BUT DID NOT ENGAGE, LITTLE FLAK, BAGS OF SEARCHLIGHTS, NO OTHER FIGHTERS SEEN. SCARECROW FLARES SEEN, TWO LOADS JETTISONED NEAR TEXEL,. ENGINEER SHORT OF OXYGEN, DROPPED MY KNIFE WITH LEAFLETS. BACK AT 10-30 BEST LANDING JACK MADE. EGG, SAUSAGE, AND BACON FOR SUPPER, LOVELY; [underlined] NOTES NEXT PAGE [/underlined] [page break] 11 [underlined] NOTES [/underlined] CALL LIGHT WAS A SIGNALLING LIGHT AT ALL CREW STATIONS FOR USE IN CASE OF FAILURE OF THE NORMAL INTERCOM, IN THE GUNNERS POSITION IT COULD BE SEEN FROM OUTSIDE THE AIRCRAFT. 110 WAS A TWIN ENGINE MESSERSCHMITT, MUCH USED AGAINST THE R.A.F. AT NIGHT. SCARECROW FLARES GAVE THE EFFECT OF AN AIRCRAFT EXPLODING PRESUMABLY EMPLOYED AGAINST MORALE. WHEN BOMBS HAD TO BE JETTISONED THE RESULTING LINE OF EXPLOSIONS GAVE AN INDICATION OF ROUTE TO ANY NIGHT FIGHTERS IN THE AREA. BETTER THE BOMBS WERE DROPPED (SAFE) BUT THIS WAS UNDESIRABLE OVER ENEMY OR OCCUPIED TERRITORY AS THEY COULD BE RECOVERD [sic] AND EXAMINED. FUSES WERE OFTEN RE-DESIGNED TO FRUSTRATE, UNEXPLODED BOMBS BEING MADE SAFE BY THE ENEMY. TO BE HONEST, HOWEVER, IN AN EMERGENCY NECESSITATING JETTISONING A HEAVY LOAD IT SEEMS UNLIKELY THAT THE (SAFE) OR (LIVE) ASPECT WOULD OFTEN BE CONSIDERED! 7/10 INDICATED PROPORTION CLOUD/SKY. [underlined] 20 – 1 – 44 BERLIN (MY BIRTHDAY) [/underlined] NICE TRIP, FELT QUITE GOOD ALL WAY, EXCEPT USUAL SINKING FEELING OVER TARGET; THIS WAS WELL LIT UP, ANOTHER BROCKS BENEFIT, SCARECROWS AND ROCKETS ABOUT, FLAK NOT TROUBLESOME, NO FIGHTERS SEEN. DICKENS OF A JOB TO KEEP EYES OPEN LAST TWO OR THREE HOURS, EVEN STICKING HEAD INTO THE WIND DOESN’T HELP MUCH. MIKE WAS U/S FOR A PERIOD, HEARD SKIPPER SAY WAS I ASLEEP, CHEEK! FIRED TEST BURST OVER TARGET, GUNS O.K. WASN’T VERY COLD. CAME HOME A BIT QUICKER THAN USUAL, HOPE ALL TRIPS ARE AS PEACEFUL. [underlined] Notes [/underlined] (MIKE) WAS MICROPHONE BUILT INTO OXYGEN MASK AND OFTEN FROZE DUE TO BREATH EXHALATION FREEZING. EVENTUALLY SMALL HEATERS WERE FITTED INTO THE MASK, AND THESE CURED THE PROBLEM. [page break] 12 [underlined] 21 – 1 – 44 MAGDEBURG [/underlined] HAD LITTLE TROUBLE OURSELVES, NO ENGAGEMENTS, A FEW FIGHTERS SEEN, BAGS OF FIGHTER FLARES AND SOME SCARECROWS. MIKE FROZE AS WE CAME ON TO THE TARGET, LUCKILY THERE WAS NO TROUBLE, IT BECAME U/S 1 HOUR FROM BASE. SPOOF ON BERLIN ABSOLUTELY USELESS, THERE BEING NO FLAK, FLARES OR ANYTHING, RAN INTO COASTAL FLAK ON RETURN, NO DAMAGE. TARGET WELL ALIGHT, LIKE STETTIN, 3/10 CLOUD. DON’T KNOW HOW I KEPT AWAKE AFTER LAST EFFORT, DARNED TIRED NOW. [underlined] NOTES [/underlined] (SPOOF) WAS A DIVERSIONARY RAID, OFTEN CARRIED OUT BY MOSQUITO AIRCRAFT TO SOW DOUBT INTO THE GERMAN DEFENCES AS TO THE REAL TARGET. LIKE MANY THINGS IN WARTIME, SOME WORKED, OTHERS DID NOT. [underlined] 27 – 1 – 44 BERLIN [/underlined] VERY QUITE TRIP ON THE WHOLE, WARM TOO, TEMP. ABOUT – MINUS 20, DIFFICULT TO CLIMB – OVER TARGET AT .17,500 FEET. 10/10 CLOUD OVER CITY, NO FIGHTERS SEEN, THO’ OBVIOUSLY ACTIVE, QUITE A NUMBER OF FIGHTER FLARES, SAW ONE LANC. ONLY, NOT MUCH DOING OVER THE TARGET, QUEER. LONG ROUTE BACK, TERRIBLE BIND, ARRIVED AT ENGLISH COAST BANG-ON, DON’T KNOW HOW JOCK DOES IT. JACK WHEELED KITE IN, PERFECT LANDING NO TROUBLE WITH MIKE THESE DAYS. [underlined] NOTES [/underlined] (JOCK) WAS THE NAVIGATOR JAMES BARRON, A CHEERFUL, SCOT WHO GUIDED US THERE AND BACK WITH LITTLE FUSS BUT WITH MUCH EXPERTISE. LIKE MOST BRITISH AIRCRAFT OF THE TIME, THE LANCASTER NORMALLY LANDED ON TWO MAIN WHEELS AND THE TAIL WHEEL, (THREE POINT) LANDING. OCCASIONALLY THE PILOT WOULD TOUCH DOWN ON ONLY THE TWO MAIN WHEELS, HOLDING THE TAIL WHEEL OFF THE RUNWAY UNTILL SPEED REDUCED. THIS WAS MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE FOR THE REAR GUNNER. [page break] 13 [underlined] 29 – 1 – 44 BERLIN [/underlined] THE BOYS WERE CERTAINLY WAITING FOR US TONIGHT, SAW COMBATS ALL THE WAY IN FROM THE COAST, BAGS OF FIGHTER FLARES, ROUTE LIKE PICCADILLY IN PEACE TIME. FIRED AT ORIGIN OF GREEN TRACER, SAW SOMETHING FALLING. TARGET HORRIBLY WELL LIT UP, HOW WE GET AWAY WITH IT BEATS ME, MARVELLOUS PRANG, FAR BETTER THAN PREVIOUS, SAW GLARE WHILE NEAR ROSTOCK ON THE WAY BACK. BAGS OF CLOUD MOST OF RETURN, - VERY USEFUL. CLOUD AT BASE DOWN TO 800 FEET, DON’T CARE FOR HEDGE HOPPING IN EARLY MORNING. VERY TIRED, BUT WE GO ON LEAVE TOMORROW! [underlined] 15 – 2 – 44 BERLIN [/underlined] 10/10 CLOUD OVER MOST OF GERMANY, LITTLE TROUBLE EXCEPT AT TARGET, - LOADS OF FIGHTER FLARES AND FAIR AMOUNT OF FLAK BELOW, NO FIGHTERS SEEN. GENERATOR WENT U/S AFTER TARGET, GYRO COMPAS [sic] U/S, HAD TO USE P4. JACK MANAGED WELL. 23,000 FEET ON THE WAY BACK, SUITS NOT VERY USEFUL OWING TO LOW VOLTAGE. R/T U/S AT BASE, HAD TO USE VERY’S TO COME IN. TARGET NOT MUCH TO LOOK AT GENERALLY [underlined] NOTES [/underlined] I DON’T REMEMBER HOW MANY GENERATORS THERE WERE, BUT CLEARLY MORE THAN ONE! THE P4 WAS A STANDBY MAGNETIC COMPASS, QUITE RELIABLE BUT NOT SO EASY FOR THE PILOT TO FOLLOW AS WAS THE GYRO COMPASS REPEATER. (SUITS) REFERS TO ELECTRICALLY WARMED SUITS WORN BY BOTH GUNNERS. THERE WAS NO HEATING IN THE FUSELAGE AFTER THE MAIN SPAR AT THE WIRELESS OPERATORS POSITION, -- AND NOT A LOT FORWARD EITHER. VERY’S ARE SIGNALLING PISTOLS, USED HERE TO SEEK LANDING PERMISSION BY FIRING APPROPRIATETCOLOUR [sic] TO RUNWAY CONTROLLER IN THE CARAVAN, WHO SIMILARLY RESPONDED. I NOTE FROM MY LOG BOOK THAT DURING THESE FIRST SEVEN OPERATIONS 261 AIRCRAFT WERE LOST. TOWARDS THE END OF FEBRUARY THIS INFORMATION WAS OMITTED, PRESUMABLY FOR BEING TOO GLOOMY TO INCLUDE. [page break] 14 [underlined] 19 – 2 – 44 LEIPZIG [/underlined] ON THE WAY OUT COULD GET NO GUN DEPRESSION, AGREED TO GO ON, FLACK AND SEARCHLIGHTS OVER COAST, SAW A NUMBER OF COMBATS, AND AIR WAS FAIRLY LIVELY ALL THE WAY TO THE TARGET; ARRIVED EARLY AND HAD TO STOOGE AROUND UNTILL THE MARKERS WENT DOWN. NOT A LOT OF OPPOSITION OVER TARGET, WHICH BLAZED UP QUITE WELL. SOON AFTER LEAVING THE TARGET OXYGEN TUBE DISCONNECTED FROM MASK, AND HAD TO COME HOME SUCKING TUBE – NOT VERY COMFORTABLE CLOUD MOST OF THE TRIP, COLD TOO – MINUS 30. [underlined] NOTES [/underlined] ONE OF THOSE TRIPS; DESPITE PRE-FLIGHT AIR TEST, FAULT OCCURRED IN TURRET HYDRAULICS THAT PREVENTED GUNS BEING DEPRESSED BELOW HORIZONTAL. FORTUNATELY WE WERE NOT ATTACKED, - AND 79 AIRCRAFT WERE LOST. [underlined] 20 – 2 – 44 STUTTGART [/underlined] COLD TRIP, ABOUT 20,000 FEET MOST OF THE WAY, WENT OVER READING, FELT QUITE HOMESICK. VERY QUIET TRIP, COUPLE OF FLAK BURSTS OVER FRENCH COAST SHOOK ME A BIT. MIKE FROZE UP SOME TIME BEFORE TARGET, GETTING A REGULAR HABIT. 5/10 OVER TARGET, SAW BITS OF GROUND, GOOD PRANG, NOT MUCH FLAK, FIGHTER FLARES DID NOT ARRIVE UNTIL ABOUT 15 MINUTES AFTER LEAVING. HAD TO LAND AT DUNHOLME OWING TO TAKE-OFF CRASH AT BASE. PRETTY TIRED, BED LOOKED GOOD TO ME [underlined] 24 – 2 – 44 SCHWEINFURT [/underlined] ARRIVED AT THE SOUTH COAST IN TIME TO GET MIXED UP IN HUN RAID; CONED BY OWN SEARCHLIGHTS, LUCKILY COLOURS OF THE DAY DOUSED THEM BUT IT WAS PRETTY WARM. OVER THE OTHER SIDE IT WAS VERY QUIET, DIDN’T SEE ONE FIGHTER FLARE OR COMBAT. GOOD VISION, NO CLOUD, BOMBS WELL CONCENTRATED ON TARGET, BAGS OF SMOKE ----- [page break] 15 --- AND FIRES AS WE LEFT, AIRCRAFT CLIMBED WELL 23,000 FEET WAY BACK; FOR ONCE MIKE DIDN’T FREEZE, BUT ICE FORMED ON MASK OVER FRANCE. [underlined] NOTES [/underlined] COLOURS OF THE DAY WERE FIRED FROM A VERY PISTOL FOR IDENTIFICATION PURPOSES, RED/WHITE GREEN/RED ETC. COLOURS WERE CHANGED AT REGULAR INTERVALS, SOMETIMES EVERY 12 HOURS, LEST THE ENEMY USED THEM TO PROTECT THEMSELVES AGAINST OUR DEFENCES. [underlined] 25 – 2 – 44 AUGSBURG [/underlined] 7 HOURS SLEEP, AND NO SQUARE MEAL BEFORE TAKE-OFF, BAD SHOW ARRIVED FRENCH COAST IN SOME LIGHT, PROMPTLY GOT SHOT-UP BY FIGHTER, FEW HITS ON PORT WING AND COCKPIT. LOTS OF ACTIVITY OVER FRANCE, SAW SEVERAL KITES GO DOWN. 30 MILES FROM TARGET LANCASTER BELOW SQUIRTED AT US, DAMAGED AIRCRAFT BEHIND DOOR SEVERELY, ON FIRE, ROY AND I PUT IT OUT, REAR TURRET U/S, NO OXYGEN, HAD TO GO FORWARD. BOMBS JETTISONED, STARBOARD ELEVATOR FABRIC STRIPPED, BALANCE TAB PRACTICALLY SHOT OFF, INTERCOM U/S, KITE DIFFICULT TO HANDLE, SKIPPER DID WIZARD JOB GETTING US HOME AND LANDING – SHAKY NIGHT. [underlined] NOTES [/underlined] (SQUIRTED) – FIRED AT US FROM REAR TURRET. U/S – UNSERVICEABLE. THE FOLLOWING WAS ADDED TO MY DIARY ENTRY, UPON SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION IT WAS FOUND THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN HIT BY CANNON SHELLS SO IT SEEMS WE WERE HIT BY STRAY SHELLS AT THE IDENTICAL MOMENT THE LANCASTER FIRED. ALTERNATIVELY THE LUFTWAFFE WAS USING A CAPTURED LANCASTER WITH CANNON IN THE TURRET. THE 5 GROUP INVESTIGATOR THOUGHT IT HIGHLY UNLIKELY. WONDER IF WE’LL EVER KNOW? I STILL HAVE NO DOUBT AS TO WHAT I SAW THAT NIGHT. THE LANCASTER BELOW US WAS QUITE VISIBLE AT INTERVALS WHEN WE PASSED OVER PARTLY SNOW COVERD [sic] LAND, I HAD NOTICED IT EACH TIME THE TURRET WAS ROTATED IN THAT DIRECTION, AND NO ONE WAS MORE SURPRISED THAN I WHEN THE STREAM OF TRACER CAME TOWARDS US – AND WE WERE ON FIRE. THE DIRECTION OF THE SUSTAINED DAMAGE AND THE EXPLOSIVE EVIDENCE SUGGEST S THAT POSSIBLY ------- [page break] 16 ------- AND AT THE SAME TIME WE WERE STRUCK BY CANNON SHELLS FROM A NIGHT FIGHTER BELOW AND TO THE OTHER SIDE. IT SOUNDS A BIT THIN, BUT THE CASE WILL HAVE TO REST. PILOT JOHN SANDERS WAS AWARDED A IMEADIATE [sic] D.F.C. THE WIRELESS OPERATOR ARTHUR WARD AND THE TWO GUNNERS ROY MACHIN AND RALPH BRIARS WERE AWARDED IMEADIATE D.F.M. [underlined] 10 – 3 – 44 OSSUN [/underlined] FIRST TRIP IN BRIGHT MOONLIGHT, FELT VERY OBVIOUS IN THE SKY, VISION ABOUT 3 MILES. EXPECTED BAGS OF FIGHTERS, BUT NONE SEEN, DIDN’T GET IT; OVER FRANCE AT 15,000 FEET TEMPERATURE MINUS 14, LOVELY, TARGET AT 8,000 FEET. CLEAR OVER OSSUN, HAD TO IDENTIFY TARGET FOR A CHANGE, WERE STOOGING AROUND FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES BUT DIDN’T FEEL UNDULY WORRIED, - IT WAS TOO PEACEFUL. AL FINALLY SAW THE TARGET AND WE BOMBED, WE HAD D A’S SO DID NOT SEE RESULT, BUT SAW AND HEARD OTHER BOMBS GO OFF. SAW PYRENEES, LOKED [sic] GRAND BUT RATHER FORBIDDING. RATHER TIRED ON RETURN. [underlined] NOTES [/underlined] AL WAS OUR CANADIAN BOMB-AIMER, D A’S WERE DELAYED ACTION BOMBS, JUST TO CONFUSE OUR FRENCH ALLIES, WHO NO DOUB-T [sic] HAQD TO DEFUSE THEM. [underlined] 15 – 3 – 44 STUTTGART [/underlined] BAGS OF OPPOSITION ON THE WAY IN, SAW SEVERAL COMBATS – AND SEVERAL GO DOWN, NOT SO GOOD, MAKES ONE WONDER WHO’S NEXT. FLAK HEAVY OVER TARGET, NO FIGHTER FLARES, SAW ONE COLLISION. BIT IF [sic] A MIX UP, PFF LATE, FEW T I’S UNTILL WE LEFT, APEARED [sic] TO BE QUITE A GOOD BLAZE ON TARGET LATER. VERY QUIET RETURN, SAW NOTHING; CLOUDS UP TO 20,000 FEET IN PLACES, CON TRAILS APPEARD [sic] NEAR FRENCH COAST, MOON BRIGHT, EXPECTED TROUBLE, NONE CAME. [underlined] NOTES [/underlined] PFF WAS PATH FINDER FORCE WHO IDENTIFIED THE TARGET AND DROPPED TARGET IDENTIFIERS – COLOURED GROUND MARKERS WHICH THE MAIN FORCE FOLLOWING BEHIND SIGHTED UPON ----- [page break] 17 ----- AND THESE WERE BACKED UP AS NECESSARY AS THR [sic] RAID PROGRESSED SO POOR OLD PFF HAD TO CIRCLE AROUND UNTIL EVERYONE HAD DONE THEIR BIT, NOT AN ENVIABLE JOB; CON. TRAILS THEN, AS NOW, OCCUR WHEN AIR CONDITIONS ARE SUCH THAT WATER VAPOUR IN EACH ENGINE’S EXHAUST BREEZES [sic] AND TRAILS ALONG WHITE PLUME, JUST RIGHT FOR A NIGHT FIGHTER TO FOLLOW. CHANGING HEIGHT DOWNWARDS WAS THE CURE AND THE PILOT PROMPTLY DID SO ON HEARING THE WAILS FROM THE GUNNERS. [underlined] 30 – 3 – 44 NUREMBURG [/underlined] VERY COLD TRIP, OPPOSITION HEAVY SOUTH OF RHUR, FULL MOON NO CLOUD TO KEEP FIGHTERS DOWN. USUAL TROUBLE, ROUTE TOO LONG, JERRY MARKING TRACK ON BOTH SIDES WITH COLOURED FLARES, 96 AIRCRAFT LOST A.M. WILL HAVE TO REVISE ROUTING METHODS. SAW AT LEAST A DOZEN KITES SHOT DOWN, BAD FOR MORALE IF NOTHING ELSE, SEVERAL ROCKETS OBSERVED. TARGET LOOKED POOR, THICK FLAK AT 17,000 TO 19,000 FEET. WAY BACK AGONY TO SIT TWO HOURS AND KEEP AWAKE. PERHAPS DAYLIGHTER WOULDN’T BE SUCH A STRAIN. TIRED AS HELL, BED; [underlined] NOTES [/underlined] THE LOSSES ON THIS RAID WERE THE WORST SUSTAINED DURING ONE OPERATION. AIR CHIEF MARSHALL HARRIS LATER SAID THAT AGAINST AN EXPERIENCED, WILY ENEMY, WHO WAS FAMILIAR WITH MOST OF OUR AIR WAR STRATAGEMS BY 1944, THINGS WERE INEVITABLE OCCASIONALLY DISASTROUS. SEEMINGLY THE LONG STRAIGHT ROUTE LEGS WERE, HOPEFULLY, A RUSE TO SUGGEST TO THE LUFTWAFFE THAT WE WERE GOING TO NUREMBURG, WHERE UPON THEY WOULD, BY EXPERIENCE, SUSPECT WE WOULD SUDDENLY DIVERT ELSEWHERE AND DISPOSE THEIR FORCES ACCORDINGLY, THIS TIME THEY WERE NOT DECEIVED. TRULY ONE CANNOT WIN’EM ALL, PARTICULARLY IN WARTIME. REFERENCE TO (DAYLIGHTS) REFERRED TO DAY OPERATIONS, OF WHICH AT THAT TIME, WE HAD NO EXPERIENCE. WHEN, LATER, WE FLEW MANY SUCH RAIDS, I ADDED A FOOTNOTE TO THIS DIARY ENTRY – AFTER 22 DAYLIGHT TRIPS I FOUND THIS TRUE – WELL, THERE’S NO ACCOUNTING FOR TASTES. [page break] 18 FOLLOWING THR NUREMBURG TRIP WE WERE POSTED, QUITE SUDDENLY AND FOR WHATEVER REASON, TO 617 SQUADRON AT WOODHALL SPA, NORTH OF BOSTON LINCOLNSHIRE. THE MUCH PUBLICISED RAIDS ON THE GERMAN DAMS AT MOHNE, SORPE AND EDER WERE CARRIED OUT BY THIS SPECIALLY FORMED SQUADRON, WHICH WAS SUBSEQUENTLY, THOUGH NOT ENTIRELY RETAINED FOR SPECIALISED OPERATIONS. LEONARD CHESHIRE WAS THE WING COMMANDER WHEN WE ARRIVED AND HE WAS REPLACED BY WILLY TAIT IN JULY, I THINK BOTH WERE OF SIMILAR MOULD AND MUCH RESPECTED. [underlined] 18 – 4 – 44 JUVISY RAILWAY YARDS – PARIS [/underlined] DARK NIGHT, 10,000 FEET ALL THE WAY, TEMPERATURE MINUS 5,. DROPPED FLARES TO HELP MOSQUITOES IDENTIFY MARSHALLING YARD, THEN CIRCLED AND BOMBED THEIR MARKER, SAW ONE MOSQUITO CIRCLING AT 2-3000 FEET APPARENTLY UNCONCERNED AT WHAT LITTLE FLAK THERE WAS, IMAGINED BOMBS SHOOK IT RATHER. NO FIGHTERS, FLAK SHIP IN THE CHANNEL FIRED AT US, WISH WE HAD BEEN LOW ENOUGH TO DO THE SAME. CIRCLED BASE FOR 50-55 MINUTES BEFORE COMING IN, - SHADES OF FISKERTON. [underlined] NOTES [/underlined] MOSQUITOES WERE TWIN ENGINE AIRCRAFT, LARGELY BUILT OF PLYWOOD AND GLUED TOGETHER. FAST AND HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL IN VARIOUS ROLES – NIGHT FIGHTERS, BOMBERS THAT COULD DROP 4000 POUNDS ON BERLIN, RECONNAISSANCE AND CLANDESTINE MISSIONS INCLUDING CONVEYING DIPLOMATS AND OTHERS IN THE (VERY COLD) BOMB BAY BETWEEN BRITAIN AND SWEDEN. BOTH CHESHIRE AND TAIT USED THESE FOR TARGET MARKING, LATER CHANGING TO ANOTHER EXCELLENT DESIGN, THE ROLLS-ROYCE ENGINE MUSTANG FIGHTER. PHOTOGRAPHS SHOWED AN UNUSUALLY CONCENTRATED BOMBING PATTERN, AT THE TIME WE DID NOT FULLY APPRECIATE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS RAIL DISRUPTION SIX WEEKS OR SO BEFORE THE JUNE INVASION OF FRANCE. REFERENCE TO FISKERTON IS DUE TO THE GOOD OLD HABIT OF BELIEVING THE LAST WAS BETTER THAN THE NEW; ------ [page break] 19 ------ INITIALLY I THINK WE FELT PROCEDURE AT WOODHALL WAS NOT TO THE STANDARD OF FISKERTON, IN OTHER WORDS WE WERE KEPT WAITING FOR OUR SUPPER; THIS SOMETIMES WAS DUE TO HAVING TO FLY AROUND TWO OUTER MARKER CIRCLES OF LIGHTS WHEN NEARBY CONNINGSBY WAS ALSO RECEIVING AIRCRAFT, AS MENTIOND [sic] IN THE FORWARD. TO BE FAIR, THOSE IN THE CONTROL TOWER WERE NO DOUBT JUST AS ANXIOUS TO GET US DOWN QUICKLY AS WE WERE; ONE’S FIRST DUTY WAS TO THE KING, THE SECOND TO GRUMBLE ABOUT THE METHOD OF SO DOING .. [underlined] 20 – 4 – 44 PARIS – LA CHAPPELLE [/underlined] INTRUDERS OVER AS WE TOOK OFF, STARTS STRAIN AT ONCE, STILL THERE WAS NO APPARENT TROUBLE. QUIET ALL IN AND OUT, BOMBED AT 11,500 FEET, TARGET, BEING NEARER THE CENTRE OF THE CITY, HAD QUITE A BIT OF MEDIUM AND LIGHT FLAK. LONG STRINGS OF RED AND GREEN CAME ALL ROUND, BURSTING ABOUT 1000 FEET BELOW, WITH BRIGHT SPARKLING FLASHES – PRETTY; AL WELL AND TRULY HIT THE YARDS WITH OUR BOMBS, CARRIED 12 X 1000 LBS BOMBS, NICE LOAD. SAW MOSQUITO RUN INTO AREA – AND SHOOT HELL OUT OF THEM. TEMPERATURE MINUS 5. [underlined] NOTES [/underlined] (INTRUDERS) WERE NIGHT FIGHTERS PROWLING AROUND FOR SOMEONE LEAVING THEIR NAVIGATION LIGHTS ON TOO LONG AFTER TAKE-OFF MIND YOU, A TRICKY DECISION. LEAVE THEM ON FOR FRIENDS TO SEE – AND THE LUFTWAFFE, TURN THEM OFF AND RISK A COLLISION. [underlined] 22 – 4 – 44 BRUNSWICK [/underlined] LITTLE FIGHTER OPPOSITION IN OR OUT, CONDITIONS HAZY OVER TARGET ABOVE 18,000 FEET, SO WE DIVED THROUGH TO ABOUT 16,000 FEET TO BOMB, PFF A FEW MINUTES LATE SO IT WAS A NIGHT-MARE OF KITES COMING IN ALL DIRECTIONS. HEARD FLAK BURSTING FOR THE FIRST TIME, TARGET WAS WELL ON FIRE. LONG TRIP BACK, TO AVOID ANOTHER LANCASTER JACK DIVED SO SUDDENLY AND STEEPLY MY NEW THERMOS WAS BROKEN, MY KNEE BRUISED AND ALL THE AMMUNITION WAS THROWN OUT OF THE TANKS. ----- [page break] 20 ----- INTRUDERS ALL THE WAY HOME, DARNED NUISANCE BUT WE HAD NO TROUBLE, TEMPERATURE MINUS 15 TO MINUS 20 [underlined] NOTES [/underlined] AS MENTIONED IN THE FOREWARD, CIRCLING THE TARGET WHILST AWAITING MARKERS TO BE DROPPED BY THE PATHFINDERS WAS NOT THE MOST DESIRABLE OCCUPATION. LOOK AT THE MOANS AND GROANS, TOO, DON’T YOU KNOW THERE’S A WAR ON. [underlined] 24 – 4 – 44 MILAN (ABORTED) [/underlined] OUR FIRST BOOMERANG; (EARLY RETURN TO BASE) SHORTLY AFTER TAKE-OFF AN OIL PIPE IN THE TURRET BURST AND IN A FEW MINUTES THERE WAS NO OIL IN THE SYSTEM, - MOST OF IT WAS ON ME. AFTER A BIT OF NATTERY WE DECIDED TO RETURN, REMEMBERING THE LEIPZIG TRIP, AND IN VIEW OF A LONG JOURNEY – MILAN. PITY, BUT IT WAS THE BEST THING, BESIDES, WE GO ON LEAVE TOMORROW. [underlined] 6 – 6 – 44 2ND FRONT (D-DAY) [/underlined] AFTER NEARLY SIX WEEKS OF VERY BORING TRAINING AND INACTION WE DID OUR STUFF – SLINGING OUT WINDOW TO SIMULATE A CONVOY AND TO CONFUSE POOR JERRY; BY THE LACK OF OPPOSITION DURING TROOP LANDINGS IT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN A USEFUL TRIP. TOOK TWO CREWS IN ONE KITE, ROY AND I TOOK TURNS AS FRONT GUNNER, QUITE A CHANGE. SAW SOME OF THE SHIPPING IN THE CHANNEL – GRAND SIGHT – ALSO THE LUFTWAFFE APPARENTLY ATTACKING A CONVOY, ONE SHIP CAUGHT FIRE AND BLEW UP. LOTS OF TUGS AND GLIDERS SEEN GOING OVER. QUIET TRIP. [underlined] NOTES [/underlined] (WINDOW) WAS METALLIC COATED STRIP DROPPED TO CONFUSE ENEMY RADAR. WE FLEW OVAL COURSES, EACH CIRCUIT BEING PROGRESSIVELY NEARER FRANCE. THE INTERVALS OF DROPPING THE FOIL MATCHED THE SPEED OF AN IMAGINARY CONVOY IN THE CHANNEL APPROACHING THE COAST MILES TO THE EAST OF THE ACTUAL LANDING AREA IN NORMANDY ------- [page break] 21 ------ I AM NOT NOW SURE, BUT POSSIBLY ANOTHER SQUADRON WAS WITH US. TWO CREWS BECAUSE OF THE QUANTITY OF WINDOW TO BE DROPPED. AGAIN, MANY AIRCRAFT ORBITING UNSEEN TO EACH OTHER OVER A FOUR HOUR PERIOD IN QUITE A NARROW SPACE. I DOUBT THE BLOOMIN’ INFANTRY BELOW CONCIDERED [sic] THERE WAS A LACK OF OPPOSITION! WE CAN ONLY HOPE OUR EFFORTS SOMWHAT [sic] REDUCED THE PRESSURE. [underlined] 8 – 6 – 44 SAUMER (FRANCE) [/underlined] FLEW THROUGH CLOUD MOST OF THE WAY THERE AND BACK, WEATHER CLEAR OVER TARGET. USUAL SCHEME, H2S KITES DROPPED FLARES AND MOSQUITOES MARKED WITH RED SPOT FIRES. SQUADRON CARRIED 12,000 POUNDER BOMBS, - LOOK LIKE TORPEDOES – AND WE TOOK 1,000 POUNDERS TO ATTACK NEARBY BRIDGE, WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE FAIRLY UNSUCESSFUL [sic]. BIG BOMBS MADE COLOSSAL FLASH AND WE SAW EARTH FLUNG TO HELL OF A HEIGHT, THIS WAS SUCESSFUL! FLAK FROM ONE GUN BURST AT OUR HEIGHT BUT ONLY IN ONE AREA, SO WE CIRCLED ROUND IT – NO FIGHTERS ARRIVED, - NO TROUBLE, DIVERTED TO METHERINGHAM AIRFIELD TO LAND BECAUSE OF LOW CLOUD. [underlined] NOTES [/underlined] SAUMER WAS ON THE MAIN RAIL LINK TO NORTHERN FRANCE AND THE OPERATION WAS TO PREVENT PANZER DIVISIONS ARRIVING AT THE DEVELOPING BRIDGEHEAD AT NORMANDY. THERE ARE PICTURES SHOWING HOW COMPLETELY THE TUNNEL WAS BLOCKED. H2S WAS AN EARY [sic] FORM OF RADAR THAT GAVE THE NAVIGATOR A RATHER POOR PICTURE ON HIS VDU OF THE GROUND BELOW. RIVERS AND ESTUARIES SHOWED UP QUITE WELL, OTHER FEATURES WERE NOT EASILY DISTINGUISHABLE. THE EXTERNAL SCANNER WAS CONTAINED IN A PROMINENT HALF-EGG SHAPE HOUSING BELOW THE AIRCRAFT. THIS TRIP WAS THE FIRST TIME WE HAD COME ACROSS THE 12,000 LB. BOMB, CODE NAME (TALLBOY) AND WE SUBSEQUENTLY DROPPED MANY ON SPECIALIST TARGETS. THEIR TAIL FINS WERE OFFSET, AND WHEN DROPPED FROM NEARBY AIRCRAFT ONE COULD OBSERVE THEM STARTING TO SPIN AS THEY RAPIDLY FELL OUT OF SIGHT. MY LOG BOOK REVEALS THAT WITH CAPTAIN SANDERS I WENT TO METHERINGHAM BY ROAD TO FLY OUR LANCASTER BACK TO WOODHALL. AS FLIGHT ENGNEER [sic] (TEMPORARY UNPAID) I THINK I WAS PERMITTED TO RAISE THE UNDER-CARRIAGE (MY FINEST HOUR.) [page break] 22 [underlined] 14 – 6 – 44 LE HAVRE [/underlined] FIRST DAYLIGHT RAID – OVER THE TARGET ABOUT 10-30 P.M. FLEW IN FORMATION GOING, SOME SIGHT, WENT AS FRONT GUNNER AS WE STILL HAVE NO KITE OF OUR OWN. SECOND TO BOMB – WITH TALLBOY – TARGET QUIET UNTILL A FEW MINUTES BEFORE DROPPING THE BOMB, THEN THEY LET LOOSE BAGS OF LIGHT AND MEDIUM FLAK, PREDICTED, TOO AS BOMB LEFT FLAK HIT STARBOARD INNER ENGINE AND TOP TURRET, GUNNER OK, ENGINE HAD TO BE FEATHERED. E BOAT PENS, 25 FEET THICK, WERE HIT, GOOD BOMBING. SAW PART OF SPITFIRE ESCORT, NO ENEMY FIGHTERS SEEN, INTERESTING TRIP. [underlined] NOTES [/underlined] THE LANCASTER WE FLEW FROM FISKERTON WHEN POSTED TO 617 SQUADRON IN APRIL 1944 REMAINED A 49 SQUADRON AIRCRAFT, ALTHOUGH WE USED IT ON SEVERAL OPERATIONS PENDING IT’S RETURN TO THAT SQUADRON. EVENTUALLY WE WERE ALLOCATED A 617 AIRCRAFT THAT HAD BEEN REPAIRED AFTER A SPOT OF BOTHER LATE IN 1943. OMINOUSLY NUMBERED ME562, IT NEVERTHELESS SERVED US WELL OVER NINE MONTHS FOR NINETEEN OR SO OPERATIONS, SURVIVED THE WAR AND WAS SOLD OUT OF SERVICE IN JANUARY 1947. BY CONTRAST, OF THE TWELVE OTHER OPERATIONAL LANCASTERS WE HAD FLOWN IN – EITHER ON RAIDS OR PRACTICE BOMBING OR OTHER EXERCISES – ONLY TWO SURVIVED, ONE BEING THE FIRST WE HAD FLOWN IN ON A CROSS-COUNTRY EXERCISE ON ARRIVAL AT FISKERTON. [underlined] 15 – 6 – 44 BOULOGNE [/underlined] FOUND PORT OUTER ENGINE MOUNTING HAD ALSO BEEN HIT AFTER LAST NIGHT, SO IT HAD TO BE CHANGED, THIS MADE US FORTY MINUTES LATE TAKING OFF BUT WE GOT OVER THE TARGET SHORTLY BEFORE REST OF KITES LEFT, VISIBILITY WAS VERY BAD WITH LOW CLOUD AND WE WERE TOLD TO RETURN TO BASE. BOB KNIGHTS, BEING A KEEN TYPE AND IN VIEW OF THE WORK THE GROUND CREW HAD DONE DECIDED TO BOMB. BAGS OF LIGHT AND MEDIUM FLAK, HOT FOR A FEW MINUTES, REAR TURRET AND OIL TANK HIT, NO ONE INJURED. TARGET LOOKED QUITE A MESS WHEN WE LEFT, SAW LITTLE FIGHTER COVER. TARGET HEIGHT 7,500 FEET. ------ [page break] 23 ------ [underlined] NOTES [/underlined] HERE AGAIN, I FLEW WITH THE SAME PILOT AS THE DAY BEFORE. WHAT NOW PUZZLES ME IS WHY I FLEW FIVE SUCCESSIVE TRIPS WITH BOB KNIGHTS, AS FRONT GUNNER. WHAT WAS THE THEN P.O. SANDERS DOING ALL THIS TIME? I HAVE A FEELING HE WAS AWAY HAVING A BABY, FOR I HAVE A FAINT RECOLLECTION OF A CONSTANT AIR OF CRISIS CONCERNING THE EVENT. THERE WERE EVEN STRONG RUMOURS THAT A LANCASTER HAD BEEN BORROWED TO FURTHER THE ABOUT-TO-BE-FARTHER’S [sic] CAUSE. [underlined] 19 – 6 – 44 WATTEN (PAS DE CALAIS) [/underlined] TOOK OFF ABOUT 6 PM IN TRUE FIGHTER STYLE, ONE EACH SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, FLEW OVER IN FORMATION OF FIVE, WEATHER PERFECT. FIGHTER COVER OF SPITFIRES., MET US AT ORFORDNESS. TARGET 10-12 MILES INLAND, SAW RESULTS OF THE MARAUDERS WORK IN LOTS OF PLACES, A LITTLE FLAK OUTSIDE TARGET AREA DIDN’T TROUBLE US. CIRCLING FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES BEFORE WING COMMANDER GAVE THE OK TO BOMB, TARGET DIFFICULT IT WAS IN A CLEARING ON THE EDGE OF A WOOD. BOMBING FAIR, BOMBAIMER’S [sic] A BIT DISAPPOINTED WITH RESULTS, WATCHED THE REST OF THE AIRCRAFT COMING IN TO BOMB AND THEN CAME HOME. BELIEVE BANDITS TURNED UP AS MOSQUITOES LEFT – GOOD SHOW, FLEW AT 17,000 FEET. [underlined] NOTES [/underlined] THE OPERATION WAS AGAINST FLYING BOMB SITES AS WERE MANY OTHERS THIS MONTH AND AGAIN IN JULY. (MARAUDERS) WERE TWIN ENGINE AMERICAN BOMBERS MUCH USED BY THE TACTICAL AIR FORCES. [underlined] 4 – 7 – 44 ST-LEU-D’ – ESSERENT (PARIS) [/underlined] FULL MOON – EXPECTED – AND HAD A RECEPTION AS AT NUREMBURG, SEARCHLIGHT BELT JUST INSIDE COAST ANNOYING BUT NO FLAK. COMBATS SEEN ALL THE WAY IN AND OUT, AT TARGET WE TURNED AND HAD THE MOON BEHIND, HARDLY HELPFUL; FIGHTERS CAME IN FROM ALL DIRECTIONS, NEVER SEEN SO MUCH TRACER, GOT VERY MAD AND SCARED; ------ [page break] 24 ------ JU88 AT LAST CAME NEAR ENOUGH TO GIVE IT TWO LONG SQUIRTS OF GUN FIRE AND IT APPEARED TO GO INTO ONE BIG BALL OF FIRE, LOST SIGHT OF IT BUT SKIPPER RECKONS IT BROKE IN HALF AND HIT THE DECK. UNABLE TO BOMB BECAUSE MARKERS INDEFINITE, PITY. FIGHTERS FOLLOWED ALL THE WAY TO OUR COAST, COULDN’T HAVE ANY COFFEE TILL WE GOT TO READING. [underlined] NOTES [/underlined] TARGET HERE WAS A V.1 STORAGE DEPOT ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF PARIS. V1’S WERE PILOTLESS FLYING BOMBS V2’S WERE THE LATER GUIDED ROCKETS. THE LAUNCH SITES OF BOTH WERE THE FOCUS OF MUCH BOMBING EFFORT, AND WERE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO LOCATE. [underlined] 17 – 7 – 44 WIZERNES (FRANCE) [/underlined] TOOK OFF 11 A.M FLEW IN LOOSE BUNCH TILL REACHING TARGET, CLOSED UP A LITTLE THERE. WEATHER GRAND, ABOUT 1/10 CLOUD COVER OVER FRANCE, TARGET VISABLE [sic]. TARGET AREA HEAVILY BOMBED. SPITFIRE ESCORT, SAW NO HUN FIGHTERS, NO FLAK AT ALL, GENERALLY ALL WAS REMARKABLY QUIET. BOMBING SEEMED GOOD – ALTOGETHER VERY NICE AND QUIET TRIP. HAD TWO EGGS FOR DINNER, WONDER WHAT THE CATCH IS. [underlined] 25 – 7 – 44 WATTEN [/underlined] TOOK OFF ABOUT 07-00 FAIRLY CLEAR, COOL. SKY CLEARED NICELY OVER THE CHANNEL, TARGET EASILY SEEN. WATCHED KITES BEHIND AS WE RAN IN, SO INTERESTED THAT I FORGOT ABOUT DEFENCES, AND THEY LET GO SOME VERY ACCURATE FLAK JUST BEFORE BOMB WENT DOWN. DESPITE ALL THIS BOMBS WERE WELL DROPPED, GRAND SHOW ON BOMBAIMERS [sic] PART. WEAVED LIKE HELL FOR A FEW MINUTES TILL CLEAR OF AREA, NEVER FELT OR HEARD FLAK SO NEAR – SLUNG OUT SOME WINDOW MYSELF, STARBOARD TAILPLANE SLIGHTLY DAMAGED. SAW ONE KITE HIT IN ENGINE, SMOKE POURED OUT, ENGINE WAS FEATHERD [sic] AND THEY GOT BACK HOME. [page break] 25 [underlined] 31 – 7 – 44 RILLY-LA-MONTAGE (NEAR RHEIMS) [/underlined] WENT WITH ABOUT 200 MAIN FORCE KITES, - MADE A SIGHT WORTH SEEING. TARGET 120-150 MILES INLAND, JUST SOUTH OF RHEIMS, ANTICIPATED SOME JERRY ACTIVITY BUT NONE APART FROM HEAVY FLAK IN TARGET AREA. TARGET IN WOOD, DEPOT FOR FLYING BOMBS, RESULTS APPEARED GOOD, DIFFICULT TO ASSESS DUE TO SMOKE. JUST MANAGED TO WEAVE OUT OF THE WAY OF A STICK OF BOMBS FROM KITE ABOVE. BILL REID V.C. WAS HIT THE SAME WAY AND WAS LOST – SEE NOTES. WEATHER QUITE CLEAR. SPITFIRE ESCORT. ONE PIECE OF FLAK IN AIRCRAFT NOSE, AL (BOMB AIMER) DIDN’T KNOW TILL WE LANDED. [underlined] NOTES [/underlined] BILL REID’S AIRCRAFT WAS TO ONE SIDE AND BELOW US AND WAS HIT BEHIND THE TOP TURRET BY A BOMB THAT DID NOT EXPLODE BUT SO DAMAGED THE FUSELAGE THAT IT MOMENTARILY SAGGED, THEN BROKE IN TWO AND SPUN AWAY. MIRACULOUSLY, BILL AND ONE OF HIS CREW SURVIVED. DURING THE LUNCH FOLLOWING THE SQUADRON MEMORIAL DEDICATION IN 1987, BILL TOLD US OF HIS FEELINGS AS HE FELL FROM THE STRICKEN LANCASTER, KNOWING HE HAD WON A FEW POUNDS GAMBLING, (THERE GOES THAT B----- REID) THEY WOULD BE SAYING (TAKING OUR MONEY WITH HIM) A LOVELY CHAP. [underlined] 5 – 8 – 44 BREST [/underlined] TOOK OFF 09-45, CLIMBED ON TRACK FOR A CHANGE. WEATHER PERFECT, COUNTRYSIDE LOOKED GRAND, ESPECIALLY IN THE SOUTH WEST. SPITFIRE’S MET US OFF SIDMOUTH. TARGET U-BOAT PENS, DIDN’T FEEL SO HAPPY KNOWING BREST’S REPUTATION FOR FLAK, OVER 80 HEAVY GUNS TO BE SHARED AMONGST SIXTEEN KITES. AS WE RAN IN FLAK BANGED VERY CLOSE, BUT CLEARED FOR BOMBING RUN. GOOD RESULTS, FIVE PENS HIT, REST VERY CLOSE. SAW ONE PARACHUTE FROM KITE THAT WAS LOST, QUEER THING, IT APPEARED TO BE UNDER CONTROL BUT MADE NO EFFORT TO COME HOME. WE HAD FLAK THROUGH THE NOSE AND ONE ENGINE COVER. [page break] 26 [underlined] NOTES [/underlined] THE AIRCRAFT LOST AT BREST WAS PROBABLY F/LT CHENEY’S, AND BRINCKHILL’S BOOK (THE DAM BUSTERS) HAS A VIVID DESCRIPTION OF WHAT HAPPENED TO IT AFTER RECEIVING DIRECT FLAK SHELLS. THE PILOT AND TWO OTHERS WERE PICKED UP BY A FRENCH FISHING BOAT AND LATER RETURNED TO THE SQUADRON, THE REST WERE NEVER FOUND. [underlined] 6 – 8 – 44 LORIENT [/underlined] TOOK OFF ABOUT 18-00, WEATHER AND FLIGHT PLAN AS BEFORE, PROBABLY; SAW AN AIRFIELD BEING SHELLED NEAR TARGET. FLAK STARTED EARLY BUT AT 16,000 FEET WE SEEMED TO BE IN A FREE BELT, AS ABOVE AND BELOW IT WAS VERY THICK. BOMBING RUN GOOD, ALTOGETHER IT DIDN’T APPEAR TO BE SUCH A GOOD EFFORT AS YESTERDAYS, BUT DIFFICULT TO TELL REALLY. HEAVY FLAK FOR A FEW MINUTES OUT OF THE AREA, HIT IN TAILPLANE AND SPINNER, NO KITES LOST. HOPE THERE ARE NO MORE PENS TO HIT, JERRY GETS ANNOYED SOMEWHAT. [underlined] 9 – 8 – 44 LA PALLICE [/underlined] TOOK OFF 10-00, WEATHER GOOD. BEING A BIT LATE WE CUT ACROSS COUNTRY, PASSED QUITE CLOSE TO ALDERNEY AND GUERNSEY, EVENTUALLY CAUGHT UP WITH THE REST NEAR FRENCH COAST. WENT NEAR TO LORIENT AND FOLLOWED COAST TO THE TARGET. RAN IN FROM THE SEA, NO FLAK UNTILL BOMB WENT, RESULTS GOOD EXCEPT FOR ONE BOMB THAT WENT A LONG WAY WIDE AND HIT THE HARBOUR WORKS INSTEAD OF THE PENS. FLAK MODERATE, HIT ON ONE SPINNER. QUITEA [sic] LONG TRIP, SAW NO ENEMY FIGHTERS, ESCORT OF MUSTANGS AND SPITFIRES, MOST OF THEM MET US ON THE WAY BACK – HELPFUL; SKIPPER AND ROY’S THIRTIETH TRIP. [underlined] NOTES [/underlined] ALTHOUGH AIRCREWS NORMALLY FLEW TOGETHER UNDER ONE PILOT, THERE WERE OCCASIONS WHEN INDIVIDUALS WOULD JOIN OTHER CREWS, AS I DID FOR SEVERAL TRIPS WITH BOB KNIGHTS. THE REASONS WERE MANY, SICKNESS OF ONE MEMBER MIGHT RESULT IN A REPLACEMENT FROM ANOTHER CREW, OR THE VARIOUS TRADES MIGHT BE FARMED OUT TO OTHER CREWS NEEDING TEMPORARY STAFF. ------ [page break] 27 ------- THUS DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF THE SAME CREW OFTEN HAD VARYING NUMBERS OF OPERATIONAL SORTIES TO THEIR CREDIT, I SEEM TO REMEMBER THAT ON ARRIVING AT 49 SQUADRON OUR PILOT, JOHN SANDERS, FLEW HIS FIRST FLIGHT OVER GERMANY AS SECOND PILOT, SO HE WAS ONE UP ON THE REST OF US ALREADY; I SUPPOSE THE IDEA WAS TO SEE IF HE LIKED THE EXPERIENCE. . . . THE FIRST TOUR WAS THIRTY OPERATIONS, THE SECOND FIFTEEN. [underlined] 11 – 8 – 44 LA PALLICE [/underlined] TOOK OFF ABOUT 11.30, LOAD 6 X 2.000 LD. [sic] ARMOUR PIERCING, DON’T KNOW WHAT USE THESE ARE AGAINST PENS, - OURS NOT TO REASON WHY. ROUTE AS YESTERDAY, AS WAS THE ESCORT. MUCH MORE FLAK ON RUN IN, SAW ONE KITE HIT AND CONTINUE ON THREE ENGINES, HEARD LOTS OF BURSTS, BOMBS WENT DOWN BANG ON TARGET, WE WERE HIT IN THE AIRCRAFT NOSE AND ONE ENGINE, NOTHING SERIOUS. LANDED AT GROVE, SHORT OF PETROL. HOPE THIS TARGET IS FINISHED, FLAK FAR TOO ACCURATE FOR COMFORT, [underlined] 12 – 8 – 44 BREST [/underlined] TOOK OFF 07-00 – 12 HOURS AFTER LANDING. WEATHER PRETTY FOUL, TRIED TO CLIMB THROUGH CLOUD, BECAME ICED UP, HAD TO REDUCE TO 11,000 FEET AND CLIMB OVER CHANNEL. ONLY EIGHT KITES ON THE RAID, EXPECTED TO BE SHOT TO HELL, BUT LUCKILY FLAK WAS LIGHTER AND LESS ACCURATE THAN BEFORE, - ONE FLAK SHIP IN THE HARBOUR. PENS APPEARED TO RECEIVE SEVERAL DIRECT HITS, SMOKE POURED FROM GAP IN THE ROOF, SMALL DENT IN SPINNER, NOT BAD TRIP, INTERCOM BETTER THAN YESTERDAY, SO CREW WAS MORE SOCIABLE; SAW NO ESCORT, EXCEPT USUAL MOSQUITO. [underlined] NOTES [/underlined] IT SEEMS WE HAD MORE DENTED SPINNERS THAN ANYTHING ELSE, WHICH IS PROBABLY VERY FORTUNATE, CURIOUS REFERENCE TOA [sic] MOSQUITO AS ESCORT, WHEREAS I KNOW VERY WELL IT WAS THE MARKING AIRCRAFT. PERHAPS THE CRACKS WERE BEGINNING TO SHOW. [page break] 28 [underlined] 13 – 8 – 44 BREST [/underlined] TOOK OFF 08-30, WEATHER GOOD. TARGET FOR US WAS A SHIP IN THE HARBOUR THAT MIGHT BE USED AS A BLOCKSHIP, OTHERS BOMBED PENS, AND 9 SQUADRON SUPPORTING HAD ANOTHER VESSEL. FLAK; COR! IT WAS HOT, JUST LIKE FIRST TIME TO BREST HIT IN UNDERCARRIAGE AND HYDRAULICS, BEFORE OUR BOMB LOAD (12 X 1.000 POUNDERS) WENT DOWN, BAGS OF HOT OIL AND VAPOUR IN THE NOSE, PANIC FOR A FEW MINUTES; TOMMY’S HARNESS WAS HIT AND THERE WERE OTHER HOLES. SAW ONE KITE GO DOWN, STRAIGHT DOWN AND BURST ON THE SHORE, NASTY, ONE BURST OF FLAK WAS PINK, - GREMLINS GOT ME AT LAST; ALTOGETHER FAR TOO LIVELY FOR MY LIKING. [underlined] 14 – 8 – 44 BREST [/underlined] TOOK OFF 08-30, USUAL TIME, WEATHER GOOD. AFTER YESTERDAYS EFFORT FELT LOUSY ON THE WAY ANTICIPATING EVERY SORT OF TROUBLE, THE OLD TUMMY GETS A BIT SORE THINKING OF FLAK THESE DAY’S. TARGET – SHIP IN THE HARBOUR AGAIN, 9 SQUADRON SUPPORTING RAN INTO TARGET IN MORE N.W. DIRECTION – OVER – BAY HEIGHT 16,200 FEET, FLAK BOUNCED US ABOUT A BIT BUT IT WASN’T QUITE SO BAD. PIECES OF FLAK THROUGH JACK’S SCREEN, MID UPPER TURRET AND ONE ENGINE, NOTHING SERIOUS. SAW SEVEN STICKS OF BOMBS GO DOWN, EACH JUST MISSED THE SHIP, HOPE SOMEONE HIT IT OR BACK WE GO ANOTHER DAY. BOMB LOAD 6 X 2,000 POUNDERS, ARMOUR – PIERCING. [underlined] NOTES [/underlined] (STICKS) WERE THE ENTIRE BOMB LOAD DROPPED BY EACH AIRCRAFT. IT WAS INFURIATING TO WATCH THE FOUNTAINS OF SPRAY APPEAR AS EACH BOMB HIT THE WATER ON EITHER SIDE OF THE VESSEL. I WONDER IF IT EVER SANK, WE DIDN’T GO TO BREST AGAIN, THANK GOODNESS, (THE SHIP WAS THE GERMAN CRUISER GUEYDON) WE THEN WENT ON TO MORE INTERESTING THINGS. ----- [page break] 29 [underlined] 11 – 9 – 44 KAA FIORD NORWAY (VIA RUSSIA) [/underlined] THE BIG ONE AGAINST THE GERMAN POCKET BATTLESHIP [underlined] TIRPITZ [/underlined], WHICH HAD SO FAR LED A CHARMED LIFE DESPITE A VARIETY OF ATTACKS BY EVERY – BODY EXCEPT THE ARMY, - AND SURVIVED THE LOT AS THE VESSEL WAS OUT OF RANGE FROM BRITAIN THE PLAN WAS TO FLY TO YAGODNIK, AN ISLAND AIRFIELD UPSTREAM FROM ARCHANGEL, REFUEL, CARRY OUT THE RAID, REFUEL AGAIN IN RUSSIA AND RETURN TO LINCOLNSHIRE. AS ADDITIONAL PETROL HAD TO BE CARRIED THE TOP TURRET WAS REMOVED, TOGETHER WITH MUCH OF THE AMMUNITION FOR THE REAR TURRET, SOME OF THE RADAR AND THE EXHAUST COWS [sic] FROM EACH ENGINE, - WHICH SEEMED RATHER EXTREME AND MAY HAVE BEEN DONE UNDER THE OLD DICTUM THAT EVERY LITTLE HELPS. A 250 GALLON FUEL WAS INSTALLED IN THE FUSELAGE, AND THE LENGTH OF THE TANK NECESSITATED THE DEPARTURE OF THE TOP TURRET. WE CARRIED TWELVE 450 POUND BOMBS – WHICH I HAVE A FEELING WERE A SORT OF SEA MINE – AND OTHERS HAD THE 12,000 POUND “TALLBOY”. THERE WERE TWENTY LANCASTERS FROM 617 AND EIGHTEEN FROM 9 SQUADRON. THE DIARY ENTRY: TOOK OFF 19-00, HEADED FOR NORWAY AT 2,000 FEET, CLIMBED TO 6,000 FEET AT THE COAST TO CLEAR THE MOUNTAINS, BIT CLOUDY, SAW GLIMPSES OF THE PEAKS AT TIMES. SWEDEN WAS WELL LIGHTED, EVEN SAW NEON SIGNS OCCASIONALLY, SOME FLAK IN ONE AREA, ONE KITE DAMAGED. AS IT BECAME LIGHTER WE DROPPED TO AVOID CLOUD AT 500-1,000 FEET, CROSSED WHITE SEA VERY LOW, LOOKED SOMEWHAT INHOSPITABLE AND COLD. EVENTUALLY FOUND ARCHANGEL IN THE MOUTH OF THE RIVER, AND AFTER SOME SEARCHING CAME ACROSS THE AIRFIELD ON A [sic] ISLAND DOWN STREAM. LANDED ON GRASS WITH BOMBS ON BOARD. QUARTERS IN A OLD RIVER STEAMER, HAD TO CLEAN OUT, WASHING AND SANITARY CONDITIONS LOUSY. MEALS GOOD GENERALLY, PLENTY OF EGGS, BUTTER AND SUGAR. TEA WITHOUT MILK – IN GLASSES – SLIGHTLY SOUR BREAD AND SPAM WILL BE REMEMBERD [sic]; --------; [page break] 30 ----- SWAPPED CIGARETTES FOR CAP BADGES, COINS, PAPER MONEY AND BUTTONS. ENTERTAINED EVERY NIGHT WITH CONCERTS, FILMS AND DANCES. BAND COULD EVEN PLAY (LAMBETH WALK) SAND AND GRASS FIELD, WEATHER SLIGHTLY COLDER THAN AT HOME. TOOK OFF 09-30 ON SEPTEMBER 15TH LOOSE GAGGLE, 1,000 FEET, ROUTE OVER FINLAND, SWEDEN AND NORWAY, A GOD-FORSAKEN COUNTRYSIDE OF HILLS, RIVERS, TIMBER AND MARSHES. WE LED J.W. FORCE AND CAME IN FROM A DIFFERENT DIRECTION. TO THE MAIN FORCE. SAW SMOKE GENERATORS START UP A FEW MINUTES BEFORE BOMBING, NUISANCE. SAW J.W’S SWINGING DOWN ON PARACHUTES, WEIRD SIGHT, FLAK SCATTERD [sic] AND INACCURATE, SUPRISING [sic] AS WE BOMBED AT 11,000 FEET, NO FIGHTERS. ONE KITE ONLY DAMAGED. TOOK OFF 19-15 ON THE 16TH TO RETURN HOME. WEATHER DULL, POOR VISIBILITY, 1,500 FEET OVER FINLAND, CLIMED [sic] TO 7,000 OVER SEA AND SWEDEN. DARK NIGHT, SAW SOME AIRFIELDS LIGHTED, OCCASIONAL LIGHT FLAK. BAD WEATHER JUST AFTER LEAVING SWEDEN, HAD TO DROP TO 4,000 FEET TO CLEAR CLOUD AND HEAVY RAIN, OFF TRACK, RAN OVER NORTH DENMARK, SEARCHLIGHTS EVADED BY USING CLOUD COVER, FLAK SHIPS A DARN NUISANCE OFF COAST. CARRIED THREE OF ROSS’S CREW BACK. BET THEY WERE COLD IN THE FUSEELARGE [sic]. GLAD TO SEE ENGLISH SEARCHLIGHTS AND AIRFIELDS AGAIN – AND REAL EGG, BACON AND CHIPS ON RETURN. [underlined] NOTES [/underlined] RE READING THE DIARY REMINDS ME OF THE PROFICIENCY OF OUR NAVIGATOR, JAMES BARON, WHO SO SKILLFULLY [sic] GUIDED OUR WAY TO RUSSIA AND BACK, BASICALLY WITH ONLY HIS EXPERTISE, MAP, AND SIX PAIRS OF ANXIOUS EYES TO ASSIST. NO NAVIGATIONAL AIDS IN THAT PART OF THE WORLD, SEVERAL AIRCRAFT FORCE-LANDED IN THE AREA WHEN FUEL RAN OUT IN THEIR VAIN SERCH [sic] FOR THE LANDING FIELD; SO FAR AS I RECALL, NO ONE WAS LOST, THE RUSSIANS BROUGHT THEM ALONG IN VARIOUS ANCIENT LIGHT PLANES AT INTERVALS. THERE IS A PHOTO OF A DOWNED LANCASTER, IT’S 12,000 POUND TALLBOY BOMB HURLED FREE ON LANDING INPACT [sic] AND LAYING FORLORNLY IN THE MUD. A CONSIDERABLE DISTANCE FROM THE AIRCRAFT. [page break] 31 THE CREWS INVOVLED [sic] WITH THESE CRASHED LANCASTERS CAME HOME IN OTHER AIRCRAFT AND THEIR AIRCRAFT LEFT IN RUSSIA. THE RUSSIAN FILMS WERE TERRIBLE, LONG AFFAIRS OF CONTINUAL WAR SCENES, AND I SEEM TO RECALL THAT THE ROYAL NAVY CONTINGENT AT ARCHANGEL SENT SOME CARTOONS WHICH CHEERED US UP AND LEFT OUR HOSTS BAFFLED. LIVING AROUND THE AIRFIELD IN VARIOUS PRIMITIVE HUTS WERE SOME OF THE RUSSIAN STAFF, INCLUDING, NO DOUBT, THE LADIES WHO FELL ABOUT IN LAUGHTER WHEN ASKED FOR HOT WATER TO SHAVE WITH – SUCH WESTEN [sic] DECADENCE. THE MEN SPENT MUCH TIME PLAYING CARDS ON THE RIVER BANK. THEIR WIVES ONLY APPEARED WHEN CALLED TO HAVE LARGE TREE TRUNKS, THAT HAD FLOATED DOWN FROM THE URALS, HOISTED ON TO THEIR STURDY SHOULDERS BY THEIR CARING PARTNERS; IT WAS A PEACEFUL SCENE, ONLY DISTURBED BY THE SOUND OF CHOPPING AND SAWING WHILST THE INTERRUPTED CARD GAME CONTINUED. LENIN WOULD SURELY HAVE APPROVED. I JEST A LITTLE, WITHIN THE LIMITATION OF THE TIMES, THE RUSSIANS WE MET WERE GENERALLY KINDLY, GENEROUS HOSTS. THEY BEAT US HANDSOMELY AT FOOTBALL TOO. THE WAIT FOR SUITABLE WEATHER ACCOUNTED MAINLY FOR THE FEW DAYS THAT PASSED BEFORE ATTACKING THE (TIRPITZ) AND THE TIME WAS PROBABLY USEFUL TO ENABLE SOME AIRCRAFT SERVICING TO BE DONE. I THINK OUR J.W. BOMBS WERE KNOWN FOR SOME REASON AS JOHNNY WALKERS, AND AS DESCRIBED, THEY FLOATED GENTLY DOWN ON PARACHUTES. IF THEY HIT SOMETHING SOLID THEY EXPLODED ON CONTACT, IF THEY FELL INTO THE WATER THEY WOULD SINK ARMED THEM SELVES AND RISE TO THE SURFACE HOPEFULLY DETONATING UNDER A SHIP IF NO TARGET WAS FOUND THEY WOULD SINK AGAIN AND MOVE 30 FEET AND REPEAT. AT THE TIME OWING TO THE SMOKE SCREEN THE RAID WAS NOT THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN THAT SUCCESSFUL, BUT LATER IT WAS FOUND THAT TALLBOY NEAR MISSES HAD DAMAGED THE SHIP AND PREVENTED IT FROM RETURNING TO THE SEA. [page break] 32 THE TAKE-OFF TO RETURN HOME TO ENGLAND WAS AN INTERESTING SIGHT FOR ONLOOKERS, AS REFUELLING HAD TO BE DONE WITH THE ONLY AVAILABLE LOWER OCTANE RATED PETROL SO THERE WAS SOME ENGINE COUGHING AND BANGING AS EACH LANCASTER SPED ALONG THE SO CALLED RUNWAY AND FINALLY STAGGERD [sic] INTO THE AIR. [underlined] 23 – 9 – 44 DORTMUND-EMS CANAL [/underlined] NIGHT TRIP AGAIN – DARNED IF I LIKE ‘EM TARGET – AQUEDUCT CARRYING CANAL ACROSS A RIVER, LOAD TALLBOY. HAD FIRST SHAKING WHEN TWO KITES COLLIDED OFF THE COAST; THEN ANTI-RADAR LIGHTS WERE LEFT UNCOVEREDAND [sic] FLASHES ALL ROUND THE TRIP. QUEER THINGS, RED GREEN AND YELLOW FLARES, ENORMOUS FLAK BURSTS, KITES GOING DOWN WITHOUT COMBAT, - NO TRACER USED BY FIGHTERS, I GUESS. SPOT FIRE JUST UNDER CLOUD, HAD SEVERAL TRIES TO BOMB, BUT IT BECAME COVERED JUST BEFORE RELEASE SO WE BROUGHT THE BOMB BACK FELT VERY TIRED AND SHAKEN ON RETURN, CURSE THE DARKNESS. [underlined] NOTES [/underlined] I DON’T REALY [sic] RECOLLECT BEING UNDULY DISTURBED ABOUT OPERATIONS, BUT IT SEEMS THERE IS JUST A HINT OF BOTHER WITH MY DESCRIPTION OF THE EVENTS. USUALLY UNSYMPATHETICALLY REFERRED TO AS THE TWITCH, IT WAS QUITE OFTEN EVIDENT IN THE DEMEANOUR OF THOSE IN THEIR THIRD OR FOURTH TOUR. [underlined] 29 – 10 – 44 KEMS BARRAGE (ON THE RHINE) [/underlined] TOOK OFF 13-10 PLAN SEVEN KITES TO BOMB AT 7-6,000 FEET, SIX AT [underlined] 600 [/underlined] FEET, WE WERE ONE OF THE SIX, OF COURSE AFTER THE DRAW, MUSTANGS AS ESCORT AND ANTI-FLAK. WE BOMBED FIVE MINUTES AFTER HIGH FORCE, RAN IN TWO ABREAST DROPPING TALLBOY WITH DELAYED ACTION. NOT A LOT OF FLAK, BUT MACHINE GUNS VERY ACCURATE WHICH HIT TWO KITES AFTER BOMBING, THEY HIT THE DECK – HARD, SO ONLY FOUR OUT OF THE SIX MADE IT. MY PERSPEX WAS SHATTERED TWO SPLINTERS IN MY SHOULDER, (NOTHING MUCH) BLAZED AWAY AT FLAK POSTS, VERY HAPPY; AL’S BOMB ZIPPED OVER BARRAGE TOP, GATES FINALLY GAVE AWAY, GOOD JOB. [page break] 33 [underlined] NOTES [/underlined] THIS WAS A PRE-EMPT EFFORT TO FORESTALL THE GERMANS FROM RELEASING THE PENT UP WATERS OF THE RHINE WHEN ALLIED GROUND FORCES WERE ABOUT TO CROSS. THE EFFECT OF A CONSIDERABLE HEAD OF WATER UPON TEMPORARY BRIDGES MAY BE IMAGINED. DURING A SWISS HOLIDAY IN THE MIDDLE 80’S WE TOOK A VERY FRAGILE BOAT TRIP TO A ROCKY ISLAND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RHINE FALLS AT SCHAFFHAUSES, WHERE THE VIBRATION GRAPHICALLY DEMONSTRATED THE WEIGHT OF THE WATER FLOWING BY. THE TWO AIRCRAFT THAT WAS SHOT DOWN PILOTED BY (S/L WYNESS AND F/O HOWARD) IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT WYNESS AND HIS CREW MANAGED TO GETOUT [sic] OF THEIR AIRCRAFT AND INTO THE DINGHY TO SAIL DOWN THE RHINE TO GAIN THE SANCTUARY OF THE SWISS BANK BUT WERE SHOT BY THE GERMANS. PILOT JOHN SANDERS WAS AWARDED BAR TO HIS D.F.C. [underlined] 29 – 10 – 44 TIRPITZ – TROMSO [/underlined] TOOK OFF FROM LOSSIE MOUTH AT 2 A.M. AND LANDED BACK AT 2-55P.M. – DID I FEEL DONE. CROSSED NORWEGIAN COAST AT DAWN AND FLEW NORTH OVER SWEDEN, LOOKED VERY BLEAK AND COLD HAD TO ORBIT AT RENDEZVOUS, BOTH SQUADRONS WENT ON TO THE TARGET, BECAME VERY HAZY EVEN AT 15,000 FEET WITH 7-6/10’S CLOUD BELOW, SHIP HARD TO FIND, AL FINALLY BOMBED ON FOURTH RUN. BAGS OF FLAK, BUT VERY INACCURATE, ONE KITE HIT BADLY, LANDED IN SWEDEN. TERRIBLE STOOGE HOME, SAW NO LAND FOR FOUR HOURS, - HAD 16 HOURS SLEEP AT LOSSIE. [underlined] NOTES [/underlined] THE VESSEL WAS MOVED SOUTHWARDS TO TROMSO AFTER THE SEPTEMBER ATTACK, POSSIBLY BECAUSE OF THE DAMAGED [sic] RECEIVED THIS PUT IT IN THE RANGE FROM LOSSIEMOUTH, AGAIN WITH LONG-RANGE FUEL TANKS. THE CLOUD PREVENTED ACCURATE BOMB-AIMING AND THE ‘TIRPITZ’ SURVIVED ONCE MORE, - BUT NEMESIS DREW NIGH; A SOME WHAT COMIC ASPECT OF THE LONG SEA CROSSING BACK WAS THE REASSURANCE GIVEN AT BRIEFING THAT ROYAL NAVY DESROYERS [sic] WOULD BE ON OUR RETURN ROUTE SHOULD ANY NEED TO PUT DOWN IN THE WATER ARISE. ------ [page break] 34 ------ BY 1944 THE R.N. HAD QUITE PROPERLY DEVELOPED ITCHY GUN FINGERS WHERE AIRCRAFT WERE CONCERNED, PARTICULARLY IF THEY GAVE NO REGOGNITION [sic] SIGNALS. THUS WE WERE RATHER ALARMED TO FIND OURSELVES BEARING DOWN ON THIS MENACING LOOMING SHIP WITH AL IN THE NOSE FRANTICALLY DIGGING AROUND FOR THE COLOURS-OF-THE-DAY CARTRIDGES TO PUT IN HIS VERY PISTOL. I’M NOT SURE IF WE WERE ACTUALLY FIRED UPON, BUT CERTAINLY THE COLOURS WENT UP A TRIFLE LATE. ONE CAN IMAGINE THE IRATE OFFICER-OF-THE-WATCH DOWN THERE FUMING ‘THAT SHOWER’ UP THERE. [underlined] NOVEMBER 1944 [/underlined] MY LOG BOOK FOR THIS MONTH SHOWS ONLY A TRIP TO LOSSIEMOUTH FOR ANOTHER GO AT THE ‘TIRPITZ’, BUT THE WEATHER FORECAST WAS SUCH THAT WE RETURNED TO WOODHALL THE NEXT DAY. MORE IMPORTANTLY, AN UN-DATED NOTE IS ADDED THAT MUST HAVE BEEN WRITTEN IN JANUARY 1945:- “BROKE MY FINGER WHILST TRYING TO FIX AN ESCAPE HATCH DURING NIGHT PRACTICE BOMBING – CLOT!! WENT U/S UNTILL AFTER CHRISTMAS. ROY AND AL MEANWHILE FINISHED THEIR SECOND TOUR, DIDN’T SEE AL AGAIN. LUCKILY MANAGED TO GET BACK WITH SANDY AND REMAINDER OF THE CREW. NIGHT BOMBING PRACTICE AT WAINFLEET WAS NOT A FAVOURITE PASTIME, SO I DOUBT ANYONE REGRETTED THE EARLY RETURN ARISING FROM MY MISHAP. I CHERISH THE MEMORY OF OUR CAPTAIN SPEEDILY CALLING FOR AN AMBULANCE TO MEET US ON LANDING, AND HIS INSISTENCE ON HALF CARRYING ME DOWN THE AIRCRAFT LADDER TO THE GROUND. BEING A VERY FORTUNATE CREW, THIS WAS ABOUT THE WORST THING THAT HAPPENED TO US IN ALL THE TIME WE FLEW TOGETHER ON OPERATIONS. THUS I DID NOT JOIN THE FINAL ATTACK ON THE “TIRPITZ” ON 29TH OF NOVEMBER, WHEN THE VESSEL CAPSIZED FOLLOWING DIRECT HITS WITH TALLBOY 12,000 POUND BOMBS; INSTEAD ROY MACHIN HAD A VIEW OF THE AFFAIR FROM THE TAIL RATHER THAN HIS ACCUSTOMED POSITION IN THE TOP TURRET. ONE OF THE MINOR MYSTERIES IS WHY NO ENEMY FIGHTERS APPEARED DURING THE LAST TWO RAIDS, WHEN IN NORWAY. [page break] 35 [underlined] 3 – 2 – 45 PORTESHAVEN (HOLLAND) [/underlined] TOOK OFF 14-00, TARGET MIDGET U-BOAT PENS. WEATHER CLEAR, HEIGHT 14,000 FEET. OVERCOAST [sic] SAW WALCHEREN ISLAND, NEARLY ALL FLOODED, TERRIBLE DEVASTATION. LONG RUN UP TO TARGET AND JUST BEFORE BOMB WENT FLAK WAS VERY ACCURATE THO’ NOT PARTICULARLY HEAVY. WE BOMBED SECOND AND I SAW THE REST OF THE EFFORT, WHICH EXCEPT FOR THREE WIDE THE REST WAS DEAD ON. P.R.L. COVER DETERMINED THAT THE WHOLE STRUCTURE HAD COLLAPSED. IT HAD FIFTEEN HOLES. [underlined] NOTES [/underlined] P.R.L. WAS THE PHOTO RECONNAISSANCE UNIT, OFTEN FLYING MOSQUITOES, SOMETIMES SPITFIRES, USUALLY ALONE – DODGY IN DAYLIGHT. [underlined] 6 – 2 – 45 BIELEFELD VIADUCT (GERMANY) [/underlined] ON THIS THE LONGEST TRIP INTO THE REICH, WE DEFINITELY EXPECTED BANDITS, SO GAGGLE WAS TIGHTENED AND ALTOGETHER WE HAD TEN SQUADRONS OF SPITFIRES AND MUSTANGS AS COVER, - VERY NICE FOR SEVENTEEN KITES; SOME HEAVY FLAK AT AACHEN AND COOLENZ, OTHERWISE NONE. 10/10 CLOUD COVER MOST OF THE ROUTE, SAW NO BOMBING. VERY SURPRISED AT NO LUFTWAFFE – AND RELIEVED. SKY WAS FULL OF OUR COVER, AND YANKS WERE VERY ACTIVE WITH HEAVY STUFF. [underlined] NOTES [/underlined] BY 1944 THE AMERICAN AIRFORCE (U.S.A.A.F.) WERE WELL USED TO FORMATION FLYING NECESSITATED BY THEIR BOMBING TECHNIQUES, AND THE MUTUAL COVER AGAINST THE LUFTWAFFE. APART FROM INITIAL DISASTROUS DAYLIGHT SORTIES IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE WAR, BOMBER COMMAND IN EUROPE LARGELY RESORTED TO NIGHT RAIDS UNTILL D-DAY IN 1944. THEN THE (GAGGLE) WAS THOUGHT UP AS A LOOSE FORMATION TO GIVE SOME PROTECTION AGAINST FIGHTERS WHILST STILL RETAINING EACH BOMB-AIMERS DESCRIPTION AS TO THE MOMENT OF RELEASE. HOWEVER, I FEEL THE WORTHY INTENTION WAS DIMINISHED BY THE RESULT IN THE AIR, AS AFTER YEARS OF INDIVIDUAL FLYING IN THE DARK THE DISCIPLINE-AND WILL-NEEDED TO KEEP IN CLOSE FORMATION WAS JUST NOT THERE AND WE TENDED TO JUST TRUNDLE ALONG FAIRLY NEAR TO ONE ANOTHER; ------ [page break] 36 ------ AS IT HAPPENED IT DID NOT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE ON THE DAYLIGHT TRIPS I FLEW ON. THERE IS NOT MUCH DOUBT IN MY MIND, HOWEVER, THAT AN ATTACK ON US BY THE LUFTWAFFE WOULD HAVE HAD SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES BEFORE OUR ESCORT COULD HAVE GOT AMONGST THEM. BOTH GERMANS AND AMERICANS FOUND THAT EFFECTIVE DEFENCE OF BOMBERS BY FIGHTERS IS MOST DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE AGAINST DETERMINED ATTACKS, SOME WILL ALWAYS SUCCEED. [underlined] 6 – 2 – 45 IJMUIDEN (HOLLAND) [/underlined] TOOK OFF 06-00 UNDER DULL HIGH CLOUD THAT PERSISTED WAY TO THE TARGET, SAW BAGS OF LIBERATORS FORMING UP ON THE WAY OUT. SPITFIRE ESCORT MET US OFF THE COAST. BOMBING RUN SEEMED PLAIN STUPID; INSTEAD OF RUNNING IN FROM THE SEA WE CIRCLED IN LAND, NEAR AMSTERDAM, AND HAD A LONG RUN UP TO TARGET IN HEAVY FLAK AREA. JACK LED GAGGLE AND DID THEY PASTE US, FOR JUST OVER TWO MINUTES WERE CONTINUALLY PREDICTED, - NEVER FELT AND HEARD SO MUCH. U-BOAT PENS WERE HIT, [underlined] NOTES [/underlined] NOW WE ARE CRITICISING ROUTEING[sic] – EVERYONE IS AN EXPERT AFTER TWO TOURS, THIS WAS THE LAST OPERATIONAL TRIP FOR ME. DURING RAIDS INVOLVING MANY AIRCRAFT FLAK WAS GENERALLY INDISCRIMINATE, BUT WHEN ONLY TWENTY OR THIRTY WERE OVERHEAD IT WAS POSSIBLE FOR THE DEFENCES TO FOCUS ON ONE BY RADAR AND (PREDICT) ITS COURSE AND FIRE ACCORDINGLY. FLAK BATTERIES WERE OFTEN IN FOURS, AND OCCASIONALLY ONE COULD SEE SUCCESSIVE BURSTS FOLLOWING BEHIND, EVEN WHEN TURNING. I NOTICED THIS PARTICULARLY DURING THE OCTOBER (TIRPITZ) RAID AS WELL AS THIS ONE. NOT A LOT COULD USEFULLY BE DONE – EXCEPT HOPE – IF ON THE BOMB RUN; EVENTUALLY, OF COURSE, WE FLEW OUT OF RANGE, OR THEY SELECTED ANOTHER LUCKY LOT FOR ATTENTION. [page break] 37 [underlined] POSTSCRIPT [/underlined] TO FORESTALL ANY BRIGHT SPARK WHO MAY HAVE COUNTED ONLY FORTY OPERATIONS IN THE DIARY, THERE WERE FIVE OTHER TRIPS MENTIONED BUT NOT DESCRIBED AS EACH TIME THE TARGET WAS NOT BOMBED DUE, TO CLOUD AT THE CRUCIAL POINT, FOUR WERE ‘V’ BOMB SITES IN NORTHERN FRANCE, THE OTHER LA PALLICE AGAINST U-BOAT PENS TO MY SURPRISE, AND NO DOUBT PLEASURE, THESE WERE INCLUDED IN THE TOTAL FOR TWO TOURS OF OPERATIONS, THAT IS FORTY FIVE TRIPS. THE ‘V’ WEAPONS WERE FIRSTLY SELF PROPELLED FLYING BOMBS DIRECTED AT LONDON, AND SECONDLY ROCKET PROPELLED MISSILES LAUNCHED FROM HOLLAND THAT FELL UPON THE CITY WITHOUT WARNING. FORTUNATELY THIS ALL STARTED AROUND THE SUMMER OF 1944, SO THE LAUNCH SITES WERE PROGRESSIVELY OVER RUN AS THE ALLIED LAND ARMIES MOVED EASTWARDS FROM NORMANDY LATER IN THE YEAR. ONE MUST OBSERVE THAT AS A CREW WE WERE QUITE FORTUNATE, FOR I CANNOT RECALL ANYONE BEING HURT, NEITHER WERE THERE MANY DISAGREEMENTS. THE ONLY ONE OF THE LATTER THAT COMES TO MIND WAS AN ALTERCATION THAT AROSE WHILST WAITING AROUND OUTSIDE THE AIRCRAFT AS TO THE MERITS OF THE FLIGHT SANDWICHES ISSUED FROM THE OFFICERS PALACE AT THE PETWOOD HOTEL (OFFICERS MESS) COMPARED TO THOSE FROM THE SERGEANTS MESS; IMPORTANT MATTERS SUCH AS THIS COULD HAVE AFFECTED THE WHOLE COURSE OF THE WAR. TO COMMENT ON LUCK, THERE IS A STORY OF THE BOMB-AIMER’S PARACHUTE HARNESS. WE WERE SETTLING DOWN AT DISPERSAL AWAITING TAXI CLEARANCE WHEN AN AGONISED CRY CAME FROM AL IN THE NOSE – I’VE FORGOT MY PARACHUTE HARNESS, JACK; MUCH HEAVY BREATHING FROM OUR ESTEEMED PILOT BRFORE [sic] HE GROUND OUT “YOU’D BETTER HURRY AND GET IT THEN” OR WORDS TO THAT EFFECT. WITH INTEREST I WATCHED AL LEAP OUT, GRAB ONE OF THE GROUND CREW’S BIKES AND VANISH IN THE DIRECTION OF THE LOCKER ROOM, HEAD DOWN, PEDALLING FURIOUSLY. ------ [page break] 38 ------ MEANWHILE, IN THE COCKPIT THE CAPTAIN AND ENGINEER WERE DECIDING TO SWITCH OFF THE ENGINES AS THEY WOULD OVERHEAT QUITE QUICKLY WHILST IDLING DUE TO THE LACK OF AIR PASSING THROUGH THE RADIATORS FROM THE PROPELLERS. WHEN AL REAPPEARED FULLY KITTED AND BREATHLESS, THE ENGINES WERE RE-STARTED. ONE, HOWEVER, STUTTERD [sic] BANGED AND BELCHED BLUE SMOKE, RAN VERY ROUGHLY FOR A FEW SECONDS AND FINALLY STOPPED WITH A SHUDDER THAT SHOOK THE WHOLE AIRCRAFT. SO WE ALL CLAMBERED OUT AND JOINED THE GROUND CREW CLUSTED [sic] UNDER THE OFFENDING ENGINE, ONE STILL HOPEFULLY CLUTCHING A FIRE EXTINGUISHER, SOME STAGING WAS PUSHED INTO PLACE AND A FITTER REMOVED THE COWLING AND LOOKED INTO THE WORKS. “T’ARIN’T ARF A MESS” HE INFORMED THE THRONG, “RECKIN IT’S THE CYLINDER HEAD, THERE’S BITS AND PIECES EVERYWHERE”. THUS, IT SEEMS, OUR LUCK HELD AGAIN WHO KNOWS, BUT FOR THE DELAY, WHETHER THAT ENGINE MIGHT HAVE FAILED ON TAKR-OFF [sic], AND WE HAD A 12,000 LB BOMB ON ABOARD. SO THERE IT IS. ON COMPLETION OF THE TOURS I WAS SOON POSTED AWAY TO BECOME THE SHIFT NCO I/C THE PARACHUTE STORE AT WOOLFOX LODGE, AND WHERE THAT WAS I NOW HAVE NO IDEA. HOWEVER, WHILST THERE I HAD MY LAST FLIGHT IN A LANCASTER ON THE 20TH OF JUNE 1945, STANDING BEHIND THE PILOT ON A SIGHT SEEING TRIP OVER GERMANY IN DAYLIGHT. NO FIGHTERS, NO FLAX [sic] JUST GHASTLY DEVASTATION IN THE RHUR DOWN AS FAR AS COLOGNE AND EASTWARDS TO DORTMUND. WHICH REMINDS THAT ONLY A FEW WEEKS AGO WE WERE IN THE STATION AREA OF DORTMUND, WHERE EVEN THE TAXIS ARE MERCEDES BENZ REFLECTING THE GENERAL WEALTH. BARMY, AIN’T IT. IN DECEMBER 1945 I MANAGED TO GET ON AN AIRFIELD CONTROL COURSE AT WATCHFIELD, NEAR SHRIVENHAM. HERE WE OCCASIONALLY FLEW IN ANSON AIRCRAFT, THE SAME AS AT GUNNERY SCHOOL SEEMINGLY SO MANY YEARS AGO. NOTHING HAD CHANGED, THE UNDERCARRIAGE STILL HAD TO BE WOUND UP AND DOWN BY HAND. HAVING SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE COURSE IN THE NEW YEAR, I WAS POSTED TO WELFORD, NEAR NEWBURY. [page break] 39 WE WERE MARRIED AT THIS TIME SO I WAS ABLE TO COMMUTE FOR A WHILE VIA THE LAMBOURN VALLY [sic] RAILWAY AND PUSHBIKE. THE JOB AT WELFORD WAS LARGELY IN THE RUNWAY CARAVAN WHERE ONE IMPORTANTLY FLASHED LIGHJTS [sic] AND FIRED FLARES WHILST HOPEFULLY CONTROLLING AIRCRAFT MOVEMENTS. ACCORDING TO THE SHIFT ONE WAS ON RATIONS WERE SENT OUT TO BE COOKED ON AN OLD PRIMUS STOVE, AND WHEN THE WEATHER WAS KIND IT WAS ALL SORT OF IDYLLIC, MUNCHING ON A BACON SANDWICH WITH A POT OF STRONG TEA HANDY, OBSERVING THE WILD LIFE ALL AROUND BEFORE THE FIRST AIRCRAFT TO LAND OR TAKE OFF DISTURBED THEM. INEVITABLY THIS COULD NOT LAST, AS WELFORD WAS BEING LESS AND LESS USED, AND SO I WAS SENT AWAY AGAIN, FIRST TO DISHFORTH IN YORKSHIRE AND FINALLY TO TERN HILL IN SHROPSHIRE. HERE I RECALL ENDLESS HOURS IN THE CONTROL TOWER LOGGING TRAINING HARVARD AIRCRAFT MOVEMENTS. ONE HAD TO BE SURE THE NUMBERS THAT WENT OUT BALANCED THOSE THAT LANDED, OTHERWISE A GREAT FLAP AROSE, FOR WENLOCK EDGE AND THE WREKIN SEEMED TO ATTRACT THE UNWISE ATTENTION OF THE TYRO PILOTS. EVENTUALLY THE R.A.F. AND I PARTED IN AUGUST 1946, WITH ME SENT TO OLYMPIA TO FIND A CIVVY SUIT. MY PARENTS HAD A FLAT AT POLPERRO AT THIS TIME, SO SYLVIA AND I WERE ABLE TO SOAK UP THE SUN IN THIS UNSPOILED VILLAGE BEFORE RETURNING TO NEWBURY AND WORK. [underlined] WAS IT ALL WORTH IT; --- [/underlined] WELL, IT HAD TO BE, DIDN’T IT, AS I COME OUT UNSCATHED. AN ADVENTURE TO BE SURE, WITH GRAND AQUAINTANCES [sic] MET ON THE WAY. WITH OUR COMBINED GRATUITY WE BOUGHT SOME LAND ON WHICH OUR FIRST HOME WAS BUILT – BUT THAT’S ANOTHER STORY ---- RALPH BRIARS BOURNMOUTH 1989 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Rear view - Ralph Briars memoir Description An account of the resource Starts with tribute to crew and has colour photograph of a 617 Squadron Lancaster over Lincoln. Writes of his joining the RAF, selection as an air gunner and his basic training. Goes on with description of gunnery training, before going to OTU at RAF Cottesmore where he crewed up while training on Wellington. He describes member of the crew. He describes heavy conversion unit flying Halifax and Lancaster. Provides a long description of a night sorties and discusses the level of training in the RAF for aircrew as well as problem of collisions. He is finally posted to become operational on 49 Squadron at RAF Fiskerton. He gives a very detailed diary of the 14 operations he carried out on 49 Squadron,, followed by the 25 he carried out after the crew were posted to 617 Squadron. These sorties included the Saumur tunnel, V1 and V2 sites, the Tirpitz, Dortmund Ems canal and the Bielefeld viaduct. He concludes with some more anecdotes and life after he finished operational flying, including getting married. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource R Briars Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1989 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Thirty-nine page printed document Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Text. Memoir Text. Diary Photograph Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context SBriarsRA1299161v1 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Royal Air Force Royal Air Force. Bomber Command Spatial Coverage Spatial characteristics of the resource. Great Britain England--London England--Yorkshire Scotland--Inverness-shire Scotland--Inverness England--Rutland England--Leicestershire England--Nottinghamshire England--Nottingham Poland Poland--Szczecin Germany Germany--Braunschweig Germany--Berlin Germany--Magdeburg Germany--Leipzig Germany--Stuttgart Germany--Schweinfurt Germany--Augsburg Germany--Nuremberg France France--Paris Italy Italy--Milan France--Normandy France--Saumur France--Le Havre France--Boulogne-sur-Mer France--Saint-Omer (Pas-de-Calais) France--Brest France--Lorient France--Creil France--La Rochelle Norway Norway--Alta Norway--Tromsø Germany--Dortmund-Ems Canal Netherlands Netherlands--IJmuiden Germany--Bielefeld France--Tarbes England--Hampshire England--Bournemouth France--Reims France--Rilly-la-Montagne France--Saint-Leu-d'Esserent Russia (Federation)--Yagodnik Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1944-01-06 1944-01-14 1944-01-20 1944-01-21 1944-01-27 1944-01-29 1944-02-15 1944-02-19 1944-02-20 1944-02-24 1944-02-25 1944-03-10 1944-03-15 1944-03-30 1944-04-18 1944-04-20 1944-04-22 1944-04-24 1944-06-06 1944-06-08 1944-06-14 1944-06-15 1944-06-19 1944-07-04 1944-07-17 1944-07-25 1944-07-31 1944-08-05 1944-08-06 1944-08-09 1944-08-11 1944-08-12 1944-08-13 1944-08-14 1944-09-11 1944-09-23 1944-10-29 1945-02-03 1945-03-02 1945-02-06 1944-03-31 1944-06-16 1944-07-05 1944-04-19 1944-06-09 1944-06-05 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Steve Christian Steve Baldwin Maureen Clarke 1661 HCU 49 Squadron 617 Squadron air gunner Air Gunnery School aircrew Anson anti-aircraft fire Berlin Campaign (23 August 1943 – 25 March 1944) bombing bombing of Nuremberg (30 / 31 March 1944) bombing of the Boulogne E-boats (15/16 June 1944) bombing of the Creil/St Leu d’Esserent V-1 storage areas (4/5 July 1944) bombing of the Juvisy, Noisy-le-Sec and Le Bourget railways (18/19 April 1944) bombing of the Le Havre E-boat pens (14/15 June 1944) bombing of the Saumur tunnel (8/9 June 1944) bombing of the Watten V-2 site (19 June 1944) control caravan control tower Cook’s tour crewing up Distinguished Flying Cross Distinguished Flying Medal Halifax Heavy Conversion Unit Lancaster Lancaster Mk 2 Me 109 mid-air collision Mosquito Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944) Normandy deception operations (5/6 June 1944) Operational Training Unit RAF Cottesmore RAF Dalcross RAF Fiskerton RAF Husbands Bosworth RAF Linton on Ouse RAF Market Harborough RAF Winthorpe RAF Woodhall Spa Scarecrow searchlight service vehicle Tallboy Tirpitz training V-1 V-weapon Wellington Window https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/105/1006/PAmbroseBG1615.1.jpg a45323ed60fc89ad5041953046041ebb Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Ambrose, Basil B G Ambrose Basil G Ambrose Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. Some items have not been published in order to protect the privacy of third parties, to comply with intellectual property regulations, or have been assessed as medium or low priority according to the IBCC Digital Archive collection policy and will therefore be published at a later stage. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collection-policy. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-06-29 Description An account of the resource 18 items. The collection consists of an oral history interview with Basil George Ambrose (1923 – 2016, 1604870 Royal Air Force), his log book, a page from his service book and 15 photographs. Basil Ambrose was a flight engineer flying Lancasters with 467 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force from RAF Waddington between September 1944 and March 1945 and with 617 Squadron from RAF Woodhall Spa. The collection was been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Basil Ambrose and catalogued by Nigel Huckins. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Ambrose, BG Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Requires A related resource that is required by the described resource to support its function, delivery, or coherence. 6 March 1942: Joined RAF as a trainee turner Posted to RAF Sealand, qualified turner Posted to RAF St Athan, Flight Engineer training 5 July – 8 September 1944: RAF Swinderby, 1660 HBCU, flying Stirling aircraft 8 September 1944: Promoted to Sergeant 22 – 26 September 1944: RAF Syerston, Lancaster Finishing School, flying Lancaster aircraft 29 September 1944 – 23 March 1945: RAF Waddington, 467 (RAAF) Squadron, flying Lancaster aircraft Commissioned, promoted to Pilot Officer November 1945 Promoted to Flying Officer 22 April 1945 – 9 January 1946: RAF Woodhall Spa, 617 Squadron, flying Lancaster aircraft 11 January 1946 – 15 April 1946: Detached with 617 Sqn to Digri, India Command 28 May – 1 July 1946: 617 Squadron RAF Binbrook October 1946: 1604870 Flying Officer B.G. Ambrose released from Service Basil George Ambrose was born on 24th June 1923 in Derby Street, Reading, the youngest of five children. He attended Wilson Road School near Reading’s football Ground.  In 1937, when he was just 14 years old, he left school and took up employment as an apprentice turner at the Pulsometer.  He was paid five shillings a week, half of which he had to give back to pay for his indenture training. Although engineering was a reserve occupation, on 6th March 1942, he was able to join the RAF as a trainee turner.  On completion of training, he passed out as a Leading Aircraftsman and was posted to RAF Sealand.  Whilst there, he applied, and was accepted, for Flight Engineer training at St Athan. His first ever flight was memorable in that he took the opportunity to join an old family friend (a test pilot at St Athan) who was taking a Beaufighter up for an air test.  While airbourne over the Bristol Channel he witnessed a long line of merchant ships, all nose to tail as far as the eye could see, the ships were readying for the for the D Day landings. On 7the June 1944, he completed his Flight Engineer training and joined the HBCU at RAF Swinderby, before moving on to the Lancaster Finishing School at RAF Syerston.  In September 1944, Sergeant Ambrose and his crew, now fully trained, joined 467 Squadron (RAAF) at RAF Waddington.  On just his second operational flight, tasked with destroying enemy field guns in Holland, his aircraft had to drop below the cloud base at just 4000 feet.  Almost immediately, the aircraft alongside them was hit by ack-ack and went down in flames.  Basil’s aircraft returned safely, but the mission ended in failure. Just over a fortnight later, his first ever night operation proved even more eventful, one they were all very fortunate to survive.  En-route to Brunswick, a fire in the cabin set alight the blackout curtains surrounding the pilot and navigator.  Basil had to use two extinguishers to put out the fire.  The events caused significant delay and at their estimated time of arrival on target, they were still approximately 40 miles away.  By the time they got there all the other aircraft had gone through and were on their way home.  Basil’s aircraft was now completely alone over the target and although they were able to drop their bombs successfully, the aircraft was illuminated by a whole cone of search lights from the ground, plus an enemy fighter aircraft was fast coming in from the port side.  The skipper took evasive action by immediately putting the aircraft into a 5000 feet dive and Basil found himself pinned to the cabin ceiling by the ‘G’ force; conversely when the aircraft pulled out of the dive, he was forced down to the cabin floor.  The evasive manoeuvre was repeated one more time before they managed to lose the searchlights and the fighter.  The trip home was conducted at low level without further alarm.  In all, Basil and his crew went on to record thirty operations together.  After 467 Squadron, Basil was commissioned as a Pilot Officer and was posted to 617 Squadron in April 1945.  He was never to fly operationally again although with 617 Squadron he served for a brief period in Digri, India.  Basil reached the rank of Flying Officer and was demobbed in 1948. Basil returned to the Pulsometer and finally qualified as a turner.  After a short period working in Birmingham, he settled in Reading with his wife Jean and two children.  He continued to work in engineering, eventually moving into the engineering safety field.  He retired from his final position of Chief Safety Advisor for Greater London Council in 1981.<a href="https://www.getreading.co.uk/news/local-news/war-veteran-still-swing-90-4802178"></a> Chris Cann Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Tiger Force Lancaster Tiger Force March 1945 * Sq/Ldr Saxby [sic] ???? Description An account of the resource Front section of a Lancaster with part of the front turret and the cockpit, a man in shirt sleeves is leaning out of the cockpit window. Underneath the cockpit, a 617 Squadron crest. In the foreground and background the inboard engines are visible. Additional information about this item has been kindly provided by the donor. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource One b/w photograph Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context PAmbroseBG1615 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Royal Air Force Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1945-03 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. Type The nature or genre of the resource Photograph Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1945-03 617 Squadron Lancaster nose art Tiger force https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/147/1477/PColeC1602.2.jpg 485d30c1cb9c3bf495fb42983d80427e https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/147/1477/PColeC1603.2.jpg 3710d502e054435bcdee777783514751 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Cole, Colin C Cole Colin Cole Description An account of the resource 31 items. The collection relates to Warrant Officer Colin Cole (1924 – 2015 RAF Volunteer Reserve 1605385) who served with 617 Squadron. The collection contains two oral history interviews his, logbook, service documents, medals, memorabilia from the Tirpitz and six photographs. Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. Six items have not been published in order to protect the privacy of third parties or to comply with intellectual property regulations. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2016-01-27 2015-07-27 Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Cole, C Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Colin Cole and crew in front of a Lancaster Description An account of the resource Seven aircrew dressed in uniform, standing in front of a Lancaster. A lorry is visible in the background. Captioned 'Woodhall Spa, Sept 1944 Mid-Upper Gunner, Flight Eng. Bomb Aimer, Skipper, Nav, w/op 'Me' Rear Gunner' On the reverse 'Colin Cole L to R M/U/G "Jock" Goldie, "Griff" Sgt Griffin, Sgt Dennis Oldman, F/Lt [?] (John), Sgt Cole, Sgt John Daley'. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1944-09 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource One b/w photograph Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context PColeC1602 PColeC1603 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Royal Air Force Royal Air Force. Bomber Command Spatial Coverage Spatial characteristics of the resource. Great Britain England--Lincolnshire Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. Type The nature or genre of the resource Photograph Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1944-09 617 Squadron air gunner aircrew bomb aimer flight engineer Lancaster navigator pilot RAF Woodhall Spa service vehicle wireless operator https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/442/7827/PTwellsE15070004.2.jpg ba5d7df833d3c9587da4c58c47557229 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Twells, Ernie. Album Description An account of the resource A scrapbook containing photographs and documents of Ernie Twells' wartime and post-war service including squadron reunions. The photographs and documents are contained in wallets in a scrapbook. The wallet page has been scanned and then the individual items rescanned. The scans have been grouped together. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-10-26 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Twells, E Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Airmen and Lancasters at at Archangel Yagodnik USSR Description An account of the resource Flight Lieutenant Knights and crew. Ernie Twells is third from right, standing in front of a Lancaster. Flight Lieutenant Knights is third from the left. The two starboard engines of a Lancaster viewed from inside the aircraft. In the background are two more Lancasters, On the reverse 'PB415 Yagodnik'. Ernie Twells climbing on the starboard outer engine of Lancaster PB414. The view is from the inside the aircraft. On the reverse is 'PB414 Yagodnik'. A view from a Lancaster of other Lancasters on the ground. On the reverse 'Lancasters at Yagodnik'. The engine change on Lancaster PB415. It is captioned 'Archangel USSR Yagodni 17-9-44 Engine change on PB415 1st Tirpitz Op 63' Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1944-09-17 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Five b/w photographs on a scrapbook page Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Photograph Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context PTwellsE15070004 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Royal Air Force Royal Air Force. Bomber Command Spatial Coverage Spatial characteristics of the resource. Russia (Federation) Russia (Federation)--Yagodnik Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1944-09-17 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive 617 Squadron aircrew flight engineer ground crew ground personnel Lancaster pilot Tirpitz https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/442/7835/PTwellsE15070005.1.jpg b6496f2e3ed423acdfd71e71bb5118a3 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Twells, Ernie. Album Description An account of the resource A scrapbook containing photographs and documents of Ernie Twells' wartime and post-war service including squadron reunions. The photographs and documents are contained in wallets in a scrapbook. The wallet page has been scanned and then the individual items rescanned. The scans have been grouped together. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-10-26 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Twells, E Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Flight Lieutenant Bob Knights and crew Description An account of the resource A group of six airmen, Ernie Twells is third from right, standing in front of a Lancaster. Flight Lieutenant Knights is third from the left. All have their hands behind their backs except one man who has his right hand in his pocket. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource One b/w photograph Type The nature or genre of the resource Photograph Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context PTwellsE15070005 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Royal Air Force Royal Air Force. Bomber Command Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1944 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive 617 Squadron aircrew flight engineer Lancaster pilot https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/442/7836/PTwellsE15070006.jpg 5e5b93e92b50701815a456ef37fd9868 https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/442/7836/PTwellsE15070007.jpg 62f854589e4ef46dde7320b56ceb9327 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Twells, Ernie. Album Description An account of the resource A scrapbook containing photographs and documents of Ernie Twells' wartime and post-war service including squadron reunions. The photographs and documents are contained in wallets in a scrapbook. The wallet page has been scanned and then the individual items rescanned. The scans have been grouped together. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-10-26 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Twells, E Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Starboard engines, Lancaster Description An account of the resource The two starboard engines of a Lancaster viewed from inside the aircraft. In the background are two more Lancasters, On the reverse 'PB415 Yagodnik'. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource One b/w photograph, from a scrapbook Type The nature or genre of the resource Photograph Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context PTwellsE15070006, PTwellsE15070007 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Royal Air Force Royal Air Force. Bomber Command Spatial Coverage Spatial characteristics of the resource. Russia (Federation) Russia (Federation)--Yagodnik Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1944-09 Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1944-09 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive 617 Squadron Lancaster Tirpitz https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/442/7837/PTwellsE15070008.jpg 7d52f2bdf4011c40670bdf7dcb028ae3 https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/442/7837/PTwellsE15070009.jpg 3db366d5b591641413e15d60ee10cc08 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Twells, Ernie. Album Description An account of the resource A scrapbook containing photographs and documents of Ernie Twells' wartime and post-war service including squadron reunions. The photographs and documents are contained in wallets in a scrapbook. The wallet page has been scanned and then the individual items rescanned. The scans have been grouped together. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-10-26 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Twells, E Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Ernie Twells on a Lancaster engine Description An account of the resource Ernie Twells is climbing on the starboard outer engine of Lancaster PB414. The view is from the inside the aircraft. On the reverse is 'PB414 Yagodnik'. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource One b/w photograph, from a scrapbook Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Photograph Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context PTwellsE15070008, PTwellsE15070009 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Royal Air Force Royal Air Force. Bomber Command Spatial Coverage Spatial characteristics of the resource. Russia (Federation) Russia (Federation)--Yagodnik Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1944-09 Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1944-09 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive 617 Squadron aircrew flight engineer Lancaster Tirpitz https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/442/7838/PTwellsE15070010.jpg 2887c4a02edd30142c91e036e3fc0b80 https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/442/7838/PTwellsE15070011.jpg dfdcd22e0b955341d6ee5ee4dcf55ef8 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Twells, Ernie. Album Description An account of the resource A scrapbook containing photographs and documents of Ernie Twells' wartime and post-war service including squadron reunions. The photographs and documents are contained in wallets in a scrapbook. The wallet page has been scanned and then the individual items rescanned. The scans have been grouped together. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-10-26 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Twells, E Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Engine change on Lancaster PB415 Description An account of the resource Taken from inside a Lancaster, looking to the starboard side from the rear door. An engine is on a crane with several ground crew working on it. On the reverse 'Archangel (Yagodnik) 17.9.44 Engine Change on PB415'. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1944-09-17 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource One b/w photograph Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Photograph Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context PTwellsE15070010, PTwellsE15070011 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Royal Air Force Royal Air Force. Bomber Command Spatial Coverage Spatial characteristics of the resource. Russia (Federation) Russia (Federation)--Yagodnik Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1944-09-17 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive 617 Squadron ground crew ground personnel Lancaster Tirpitz https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/442/7839/PTwellsE15070012.1.jpg e3f1c99a706eea9557e5f4cf146ccd01 https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/442/7839/PTwellsE15070013.1.jpg b1fe06b251ed6cc5f8da5476b828405e Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Twells, Ernie. Album Description An account of the resource A scrapbook containing photographs and documents of Ernie Twells' wartime and post-war service including squadron reunions. The photographs and documents are contained in wallets in a scrapbook. The wallet page has been scanned and then the individual items rescanned. The scans have been grouped together. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-10-26 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Twells, E Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Lancasters at Yagodnik Description An account of the resource A view from a Lancaster of other Lancasters on the ground. On the reverse 'Lancasters at Yagodnik'. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource One b/w photograph Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Photograph Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context PTwellsE15070012, PTwellsE15070013 Spatial Coverage Spatial characteristics of the resource. Russia (Federation) Russia (Federation)--Yagodnik Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1944-09 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Royal Air Force Royal Air Force. Bomber Command Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1944-09 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive 617 Squadron 9 Squadron Lancaster Tirpitz https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/442/7840/PTwellsE15070014.jpg 99cf1de7cf5f5196c2c8d470b6ea6e48 https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/442/7840/PTwellsE15070015.jpg deacfdecd0e416618982812ae5c44302 https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/442/7840/PTwellsE15070016.jpg ce6cba25c71bbe2cdf54dd4cdde23e5b https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/files/original/442/7840/PTwellsE15070017.jpg a71ebf897e2abb0cefdd464ecfea1503 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Twells, Ernie. Album Description An account of the resource A scrapbook containing photographs and documents of Ernie Twells' wartime and post-war service including squadron reunions. The photographs and documents are contained in wallets in a scrapbook. The wallet page has been scanned and then the individual items rescanned. The scans have been grouped together. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2015-10-26 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Twells, E Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Gnome Rhone works Description An account of the resource Aerial photographs of the bombing of the Gnome Rhone aero engine works. Photograph 1 is a vertical aerial photograph of a bombing attack on the Gnome Rhone works. Much of the image is obscured by smoke and explosions. On the reverse 'Raid on Gnome Rhone works'. Photograph 2 is a low level oblique photograph of the bombing of the Gnome Rhone works. They are captioned 'Gnome Rhone Wks, Limoges OP25 Aero Engine Wks'. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Two b/w photographs from a scrapbook Language A language of the resource eng Type The nature or genre of the resource Photograph Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context PTwellsE15070013, TwellsE15070014, PTwellsE15070015, PTwellsE15070016, PTwellsE15070017 Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Royal Air Force Royal Air Force. Bomber Command Spatial Coverage Spatial characteristics of the resource. France France--Limoges Europe--Rhône River Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1944-02-08 1944-02-09 Conforms To An established standard to which the described resource conforms. Geolocated Temporal Coverage Temporal characteristics of the resource. 1944-02-08 1944-02-09 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available IBCC Digital Archive 617 Squadron aerial photograph bombing Cheshire, Geoffrey Leonard (1917-1992) target photograph