Browse Items (48 total)

  • Tags: 640 Squadron

NLawJH191026-06.jpg
A newspaper cutting of John's funeral.

BSturrockHSturrockHv3.pdf
Will a flight engineer’s brevet on the first page. The recollections of Henry Sturrock of his time flying in the Halifax with No 640 Squadron at RAF Leconfield. He flew his first operation on 12 September 1944 and his last on 2 March 1945, he flew…

ACraftRW960924.mp3
Richard Craft was navigator on 640 Squadron. He recalls briefing visiting American officers about RAF navigation. He took part in a thousand bomber operation to Duisburg. While over the target area he looked up through the astrodome and saw to his…

S102SqnRAF19170809v30004.jpg
Detailed operation order from group to 102, 77, 10, 158, 466, 640, 76, 78, 51 and 578 Squadrons with numbers of aircraft required. Target "Whitebait". Gives detailed instructions, routes, bomb loads, wave orders, fuel loads, window carriage, route…

PHarveyW1810.jpg
A vertical aerial photograph of Oostkapelle. Much detail is visible on the ground. It is captioned '2441 LCF 28-10-44//7" 4000 104 1149 Oostkapelle W19.Z. 1 HC 2000 In.7 ANM59DN. 4 MC 500DT. C24 secs. P/O Goodrum Z640'.

S102SqnRAF19170809v10005-0001.jpg
List of thirty-three operations with record of aircraft, take off and landing times and pilot.

AHumphreysJT940513.mp3
J Humphreys trained as a wireless operator before being posted to 640 Squadron at RAF Leconfield. In this recording he recounts being attacked and his aircraft being severely damaged. They managed to return to the UK flying only about fifty yards…

SBondS-ColesAv10003.pdf
Transcription of interviews. Interviewer mentions a friend who was on 158 Squadron. Coles mentions that brother was a wireless operator, special operations, out in India. Talks about early ops to Lens and then to Stuttgart. Goes on with anecdotes of…

APillingW[Date]-01.mp3
W Pilling trained as a gunner before joining 102 Squadron at RAF Pocklington. During a training flight he jumped out of a burning Whitley. While at his first squadron he flew with several crews and when he no longer flew with them they had a tendency…

AHarveyRW950911.mp3
R Harvey trained as a gunner before being posted to RAF Lossiemouth to join an already established crew. While based at Leconfield he married and his wife moved close by. He was sure that the weather conditions were such that there would not be…

AKnowlesRA950911.mp3
R Knowles served with 640 Squadron at RAF Leconfield. As bomb aimer he had to deal with at least two remaining hang ups in the bomb bay. When they missed a Group message telling them not to return to base but to divert due to fog they insisted on…

AHydeON170830-01.mp3
Oluwole Hyde’s father was Adesanya Hyde, who served as a navigator with 640 Squadron. He was badly injured but continued to navigate the aeroplane on operation. It was only when they were over the UK that he accepted the morphine for the pain. After…

ATruemanKW150921.mp3
Kenneth William Trueman volunteered for the RAF and was called up in 1941. After training in South Africa, he served as a navigator with 640 Squadron and speaks of his preference for the Gee navigation aid rather than H2S. His operations included…

This interview was recorded for the Imperial War Museum. The transcription only has been published.

ATruemanKW970804.mp3
Ken Trueman trained as a navigator and flew operations with 640 Squadron from RAF Leconfield. While on operations they came under attack and the plane began to burn. The crew baled out except the pilot and rear gunner. Ken parachuted into a field…

AGoldbyJL171025.mp3
John Goldby was born in Kent but the family moved to London the year after. He was inspired to join the RAF when a schoolfriend joined and became a Spitfire pilot. John believes that it was a mid-air collision with a night fighter that led to his…

ACotterJDP180828.mp3
John was born in Hendon, London and his family fell on hard times in his early years. John and his brother, Paul, joined the RAF in 1941 as a pilot and wireless operator, respectively. After initial training at RAF Brize Norton, John was trained in…

AGrayJ960613.mp3
Stationed at 640 Squadron at RAF Leconfield Jim Gray recalled an occasion when having been briefed for an operation to Trappes airmen having a drink in Beverley heard the local townspeople talking openly about the operation. Since the operation was…

AWiltshireLJ[Date]-02.mp3
Warrant Officer J Wiltshire flew as a Flight Engineer on Halifaxes with 640 Squadron. He was demobbed March 1947.

He describes training as a flight engineer, the nerves of his first flights, and the humour found in mishaps and banter. Life on base…

AWiltshireLJ[Date]-01.mp3
J Wiltshire trained as a flight engineer. He joined his crew at RAF Riccall before being posted to RAF Leconfield. On one occasion a navigational error found the crew over enemy territory rather than Norfolk they had expected. However, they got home…

AWilkieI[Date]-01.mp3
Ian Wilkie served as a flight engineer on 158 Squadron before being posted to RAF Leconfield in January 1944. Paddy, the mid-upper gunner on his crew always said that shrapnel wouldn’t hurt them until he was hit by it. He was pulled from the turret…
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