Browse Items (33 total)
- Spatial Coverage is exactly "Atlantic Ocean--English Channel"
- AND Type is exactly "Sound"
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Interview with Harry Richardson
Harry describes his early life and operations on Wellingtons with 149 Squadron and then on Liberators in the Far East with 59 Squadron.
Briefing for an operation to Essen
![APappleFJ[Date]-01.mp3](/application/views/scripts/images/fallback-audio.png "APappleFJ[Date]-01.mp3")
Recording of an operational briefing.
Interview with Alan "Jock" Richardson. Two
Alan Richardson begins half way through a story of an aircraft losing wings flying through the Needles. S Bond then tells a couple of stories about crew who ditched a Wellington and an air gunner taken off ops. Alan finishes with some comment on log…
Conversation with Jo Lancaster. Part one
Steve Bond explains the purpose of the interiew, that he is gathering information from personnel involved with the Wellington with a view to producing a book on the "Wimpy". Jo starts by talking about his training and Wellington flying. He starts by…
Interview with John Elliot
John describes an operation where all crew of his aircraft had to bale out, after all airfields in England were fog bound as they were running out of fuel. He goes on to describe an incident on an operation when he looked up out of astrodome to see a…
Interview with Frank Standen
Frank Standen recounts his service in the RAF from 1941. At the age of 18 he decided to leave his job as a railway clerk and join the RAF for aircrew training. After being accepted, he was informed that he had a lazy eye muscle and decided to…
Interview with Peter Olney
Peter Olney recounts his service in the RAF from October 1942 to November 1946. Due to his previous maritime experience, Peter was accepted as an AC2 for motorboat crew and in December 1942 was posted to RAF Carswell for marine craft training. After…
Interview with Charles Meacock
Charles responded to a newspaper article for motorboat crew and joined the Royal Air Force in July 1941. He was, eventually, called up to RAF Cardington and kitted out at Penarth, with an Initial Training Wing at Weston-super-Mare. From Great…
Interview with George Griffiths
George Griffiths recounts his service in the RAF from 1942, when he volunteered as a wireless operator. In June 1942, he was called up and completed his wireless operator training before being posted to Norfolk in February 1943. During this time, he…
Interview with Les Rutherford
Les Rutherford was called up for the Army just short of his 21st birthday. He was in France at the time of Dunkirk and made it to the beach of St Valery where they were under constant bombardment. He and another soldier found a door and used it to…
War Memoir - George Bilton
George talks of early life at school and work in Hull. He volunteered as ARP messenger and describes his duties and air raid damage in Hull. He then volunteered as aircrew and, initially was selected for wireless operator/air gunner but later asked…
Interview with James Ferguson Latimer
James Ferguson Latimer was born in Edinburgh. His family emigrated to Canada when he was young but moved back to Scotland in 1939. He recalls witnessing a German U-boat torpedo a ship as they sailed back home. Latimer joined the air force and…
Interview with Vivian David Williams
Vivian joined the Royal Air Force in July 1938 as a flight mechanic and served for seven and a half years. After square drills at RAF Uxbridge and a course at RAF Manston, he did a basic engineering course at RAF Henlow. After six months at RAF St…
Interview with Ernie Tillbrook
Ernest Hector Angelo Pedrazzini was the son of an Italian father and an English mother. After the war he changed his name to Tillbrook. Ernie’s father escaped from a prison camp during the First World War and found his way to Russia and employment…
Interview with Frank Charles Standen
Frank Standen always wanted to fly. He volunteered for the RAF hoping to become a pilot. Sadly, an eye defect was detected. He volunteered for motorboat crew and took part in air sea rescues. On one occasion he was involved in rescuing the crew of a…
Interview with Douglas Frank Newham
Doug joined the Royal Air Force and trained in the UK as a navigator observer, initially flying on Bothas and then Blenheims. His navigation training took place in Jurby on the Isle of Man. An Operational Training Unit at RAF Kinloss on Whitleys…
Interview with James McKenzie Leith
James McKenzie Leith had been a swimming instructor prior to joining the RAF. He trained as a gunner and was posted to 429 Squadron at RAF Leeming. He recalls his first operation during which he and his crew had to ditch into the sea. He goes on to…
Interview with Ronald Huntley
Ronald Huntley enlisted in the Royal Air Force as a flight mechanic, before volunteering to join Air Sea Rescue. Born in Edmonton, London, he represented his school in athletics at Crystal Palace and witnessed its destruction by fire in 1936. After…
Interview with Ken Done
Upon leaving Battersea Grammar School aged 14, he was employed at Chelsea Town Hall as a junior clerk. When the war started, he discovered he was in a reserved occupation and unable to enlist. However, suffering The Blitz was too much and after being…
Interview with Lawrence Henry di Placito. Two
Lawrence di Placito served as a second-class coxswain on the RAF Air Sea Rescue launches during the Second World War. He gives further details of his experiences in rescues, both successful and those with a tragic ending. He also tells of Ealing…
Interview with Lawrence Henry di Placito. One
Lawrence di Placito served as a second-class coxswain on the RAF Air Sea Rescue launches during the Second World War. He was born in Chertsey and attended Egham grammar school where he was a member of the cadet force. Upon leaving school in 1936 he…
Interview with Don Browning
Don Browning volunteered for aircrew and began his training as a wireless operator in his native Australia. His arrival in Brighton in the UK coincided with his first experience of an air raid. Don was posted to 463 Squadron at RAF Waddington. He did…
Interview with Ken Beard
Ken Beard served as a rear gunner during the Second World War. He has been a member of The Salvation Army all his life and his faith played a huge role in helping him through the horrors of war. Awarded a scholarship at Retford Grammar School, he…
Interview with Jack Warner
Jack Warner grew up in Huddersfield. He volunteered for the Royal Air Force and trained at RAF Filey and RAF St Athan. He completed a tour of 37 operations as a flight engineer with 428 Squadron from Middleton St George. On one mine-laying operation,…
Interview with Donald Wallace
Born in Edinburgh, Donald was 14 when war began. As a messenger during the bombing he remembers wanting to get back at Hitler, so joined the Royal Navy aged 17. He trained at Harwich then joined HMS Hotspur on Atlantic convoy duties. He recalls his…