Browse Items (13 total)
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Interview with Jimmy Graham
Jimmy Graham was employed in a Reserved Occupation but volunteered with the RAF as potential aircrew. He began his training in Northern Ireland and was, eventually, qualified as an air gunner. He was posted to RAF Elsham Wolds. He took part in the…
Interview with Frank Stafford
Frank Stafford grew up in a small mining village in Creswell, Derbyshire. After leaving school at 16, he went to work for the Inland Revenue. At the age of 18, he volunteered for the Royal Air Force. He was sent to London to begin physical training…
Interview with William Hough
Bill Hough came from a farming background, went to a local grammar school in Northwich and was a member of the Air Training Corps. He joined the RAF in 1943 and describes his initial training at RAF Bridgnorth. This was followed by continuation…
Interview with Harry Harris
Harry ‘Sam’ Harris grew up in Scotland and volunteered for the Air Force. He trained as a navigator in South Africa. On the penultimate day of his training he flew over a multitude of lifeboats bearing the survivors of a torpedoed ship. The next day…
Interview with David Berrie
David Berrie joined the RAF and served as a wireless operator. He flew six operations with 576 Squadron from RAF Elsham Wolds and shares his experience of living on the station with Polish crews. David remembers crashing twice in 24 hours and, on one…
Interview with Kenneth Trent
Ken grew up in London and joined the Royal Air Force, as a pilot, on his 18th birthday. After exams and interview at RAF Uxbridge, he went to Number 9 Receiving Wing in RAF Torquay and an Initial Training Wing in Stratford-upon-Avon. He then trained…
Interview with Alfred Huberman
Alfred Huberman volunteered for the RAF when he was 18 and trained as an air gunner. He describes the training and emphasises how physically hard it was. He flew 31 operations in Lancasters, from RAF Elsham Wolds. These included operations over the…
Interview with Lillian Margaret Bailey
Lillian Margaret Bailey volunteered for the Women's Auxiliary Air Force and, after a brief time in RAF Balloon Command, was trained as a driver. She served at RAF Elsham Wolds driving aircrews out to their aircraft. She was known as Margaret as there…
Interview with Dick Heath
Dick Heath was an apprentice boat builder and joined the Royal Air Force in 1943. He began training as an air gunner but was posted to RAF Fiskerton working in the bomb dump. He was on his way to Canada by ship when the war in Europe ended. After he…
Interview with Susan Chapman
Susan Chapman talks about her father, Charles Reginald (Reg) Jaques. Reg Jaques grew up in County Durham and, to improve his prospects for employment, he studied by the light of the streetlight. He secured a job with a local authority in Shropshire.…
Interview with Jeff Brown
Jeff left school at 15 and became an electrician. Being keen on aircraft he joined the Air Training Corps and volunteered for the RAF when aged 17 to prevent him being randomly sent into the mining industry. Deferred until he was 18, he was initially…
Interview with Roy Briggs
Roy Briggs was born in Battersea, London. After leaving school he undertook an engineering apprenticeship with Benham and Sons, producing equipment for the war. He describes his life during the Blitz. When he joined the Royal Air Force he trained as…