Browse Items (59 total)
- Type is exactly "Sound"
Sort by:
Interview with Ken Oatley
Initially too young to enlist at the beginning of the war, Ken Oatley served in the Home Guard until he was able to enlist in October 1940 and, after initial training, he undertook pilot training. After basic flying training he went onto Canada…
Interview with Ken Hayton
Ken Hayton’s father, George Stanley Hayton (Stan), worked for Lloyds Bank. In 1940 Stan left his post to join the Royal Air Force; Ken recalled going to Durham station to see his father off, travelling to start basic training at RAF Padgate. Ken…
Interview with Johnny Johnson. Two
George ‘Johnny’ Johnson was born in rural Lincolnshire. As a child he won a scholarship to Lord Wandsworth’s Agricultural College in Hampshire. At the outbreak of the Second World War, he volunteered for the Royal Air Force, and was selected for…
Interview with Johnny Johnson. Three
George ‘Johnny’ Johnson gives his opinion on Paul Brickhill's book and the 1955 film of the same name (The Dambusters). He provides his thoughts on various topics, including Winston Churchill, the campaign to award medals to Bomber Command and the…
Interview with Johnny Johnson. One
George ‘Johnny’ Johnson was the bomb aimer in a Lancaster AJ-T flown by Joe McCarthy during Operation Chastise 16th of May 194. He discusses the attack on the dams and the events before and after the attack. He describes training over the Derwent Dam…
Interview with John Richard Bell
John was a bomb aimer and after completing a tour in Bomber Command, he and his crew volunteered to join 617 Squadron. They were interviewed by Wing Commander Cheshire, who they found to be very compassionate, easy to talk to and who didn't give…
Interview with John James Smith
John Smith grew up near Corby, surrounded by aerodromes, so was used to the sight of aircraft. He observed Lancaster aircraft practising for the Dambusters raid over Eye Brook Reservoir. He also witnessed glider practice and was impressed by the…
Interview with John Bell
John Bell completed a tour as a bomb aimer with 619 Squadron. The crew decided they would like to continue flying and, so, volunteered to join 617 Squadron. They were interviewed by Wing Commander Leonard Cheshire and accepted on to the squadron.…
Interview with John 'Snogger' Watkins
John Watkins was working in retail in Rotherham and in 1939 he joined 218 Squadron ATC. He joined the RAF in February 1942 at RAF Cardington, and did his initial training at RAF Blackpool. In December 1942 he did his wireless training at RAF…
Interview with Jamie (Jim) Barr
Jim joined the Royal Air Force after an engineering apprenticeship. He learnt navigation in South Africa at Oudtshoorn, followed by gunnery training at Port Alfred. After Dumfries, he went to an Operational Training Unit (OTU) at RAF North Luffenham…
Interview with James Flowers
Horace James Flowers was born and grew up in Huthwaite, Nottinghamshire. He became an apprentice butcher before being released to volunteer for the Royal Air Force in 1944. He trained as an air gunner at RAF Bridgnorth, RAF Wigsley and RAF Syerston…
Interview with Hugh Rogers
Hugh Rogers was a cameraman during the war and remembers filming the sinking of the Tirpitz in November 1944. He gives a vivid and detailed account of the operation, describing the briefing, the technical modifications to the aircraft and the…
Interview with Horace Robertson
Horace Robertson was working with his father as a shoe repairer in Edinburgh before he joined the RAF. He trained as an electrician and his first posting was at RAF Finningley where he worked on Hampdens. He was then posted to a salvage unit and…
Interview with Glenn Atkins
Glenn Atkins was born in Newport Pagnell and was called up for National Service in 1951. He was involved in exercises to test the defences of Europe during the Cold War. When he was released from National Service he returned to his former company…
Interview with Gilbert Gray
Gilbert Gray grew up in Dunfermline and joined the Air Training Corps before enlisting in the Royal Air Force as a flight engineer in 1940, aged 18 years. He trained at RAF St Athan in Wales, graduated as a sergeant and was posted onto Lancasters. He…
Interview with Frank Tilley
Frank Tilley was a flight engineer with 617 Squadron. He took part in the operation to sink the Tirpitz. He explains his flights and pre-operation briefings at RAF Woodhall Spa, RAF Milltown and RAF Lossiemouth. On their return from sinking the…
Interview with Frank Gerald Bassett
Frank was brought up in Woolwich, joined the RAF at the age of 18 and became an armourer. Frank describes the difficult physical work, loading and unloading bombs. He served 617 Squadron and loaded bouncing bombs, which were different. He remembers…
Interview with Edward Cayhill
Edward Cayhill was the eldest of eight children and, with his father’s encouragement, was hoping to go to university. His father died in 1938 which meant that the university dream was cancelled and Edward went to work as a Civil Servant in the…
Interview with Cyril Gosling
Cyril Gosling trained as an armourer at Kirby in Blackpool and was first posted to 49 Squadron where he worked on the guns and turrets. As part of his role he would go on flights in the bombers to check the accuracy of the guns by firing at drogues.…
Interview with Colin Cole
Colin Cole was brought up and attended school in Twickenham and worked at W H Smith before joining the Royal Air Force. He trained as a wireless operator/air gunner at RAF Yatesbury and RAF Barrow in Furness. He then served with 617 Squadron,…
Interview with Bob Leedham
Bob Leedham was a flight engineer who carried out 21 operations on Stirlings. At the beginning of the war Bob was an apprentice motor mechanic and, along with other apprentices, was left to operate the garage when all the engineers were called up. In…
Interview with Benny Goodman. Two
Benny Goodman grew up in London and hoped to become a pilot. He volunteered for the Air Force and was, originally, posted to RAF Abingdon as a ground gunner before beginning his flying training. After qualifying as a pilot in Canada, he became an…
Interview with Benny Goodman. One
Benny Goodman discusses some of his operations as a pilot with 617 Squadron. He discusses attacking the Tirpitz and the use of Tallboy and Grand Slam bombs, which required the Lancaster plane to be modified. On a flight against the U-boat pens in…
Interview with Basil Ambrose
Basil Ambrose was born in Reading. He left school at 14 and became an apprentice turner. He joined the Royal Air Force in May 1942 and trained as a turner before transferring to aircrew as a flight engineer. He trained at RAF St Athan and completed…
Interview with Arthur Poore
Arthur joined the Royal Air Force at the age of 19 when war started in 1939, and completed a navigation course, which lasted six weeks. When the School of Navigation in Cheshire was expanded, Arthur became staff pilot, flying from mid Cheshire across…