Great Britain. Royal Air Force]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Service material]]> Royal Air Force]]> In December 1944 he completed a flight engineer’s course at No. 4 School of Technical Training changing role from pilot to flight engineer. Posted to 1654 Heavy Conversion Unit.
Posted to 106 Squadron for operations in March 1945 and then in May to the Pathfinder Training Unit.

Served at RCAF Virden, RCAF Brandon, RCAF Penhold, RAF Woodley, RAF Spitalgate, RAF St. Athan, RAF Wigsley, RAF Metheringham, RAF Warboys.

Aircraft flown were Tiger Moth, Cessna Crane, Anson, Oxford, Magister, Lancaster I, Lancaster III.

With 106 Squadron he flew 6 bombing operations (4 night and 2 day) to Bohlen, Wesel, Farge, Plzeň, Flensburg and Tønsberg.
He also flew 2 Operation Exodus (Rheine) and 1 Cook's Tour.
His pilot on all operations was Flying Officer Page.
]]> Great Britain. Royal Air Force]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Nick Cornwell-Smith]]> Review Oct 2024]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Log book and record book]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Berkshire]]> England--Huntingdonshire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> Wales--Glamorgan]]> Canada]]> Manitoba]]> Manitoba--Virden]]> Manitoba--Brandon]]> Alberta]]> Alberta--Red Deer Region]]> Germany]]> Germany--Wesel (North Rhine-Westphalia)]]> Germany--Bremen]]> Germany--Flensburg]]> Germany--Rheine]]> Czech Republic]]> Czech Republic--Plzeň]]> Norway]]> Norway--Tønsberg]]> Germany--Böhlen]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945-03-20]]> 1945-03-21]]> 1945-03-23]]> 1945-03-24]]> 1945-03-27]]> 1945-04-16]]> 1945-04-17]]> 1945-04-23]]> 1945-04-25]]> 1945-04-26]]> 1945-05-10]]> 1945-05-11]]> 1945-06-08]]>
Posted to 309 (Polish) Squadron in November 1940. Operational posting to No. 1 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit (PRU) in May 1941, which in September 1942 became 540 Squadron.

Shot down on 28 March 1943 over Norway by two Me 109’s. After capture flown to Germany in a Ju-52. He was held in Stalag Luft III from 5 April 1943 until May 1945.

On returning to England undertook refresher training at No. 17 Service Flying Training School, before postings to 525 and 187 Squadrons.

Served at RAF Walsgrave, RAF Anstey, RAF Grantham, RAF Meir, RAF Upavon, RAF Old Sarum, RAF Renfrew, RAF Benson, RAF Gibraltar, RAF Bathurst (Gambia), Freetown, RAF Leuchars, RAF Coleby Grange, RAF Wymswold, RAF Syerston, RAF Membury, RAF Netheravon.

Aircraft flown were Tiger Moth DH82, Anson, Hind, Hector, Tutor, Master, Lysander, Magister, Proctor, Battle, Spitfire, Blenheim, Hornet Moth, Maryland, Swordfish, Hudson, Boeing Clipper, Sunderland, Mosquito, C-47 Dakota, B-24 Liberator, JU-52, Lancaster, Oxford.

With 1 PRU and 540 Squadron he flew as the pilot 102 photoreconnaissance operations all in daylight. His targets included Tarifa, Casablanca, Oran, the Spanish Coast, Lisbon, Straits of Gibraltar, Tangier, Cartagena, Majorca, Cadiz, Cape St Vincent, Rabat, Minorca, Dakar, Tambacounda, Kaolack, Bambey, Saint Louis, Bergen, Narvik, Stavanger, Danzig, Gdynia, Stettin, Skagerrak, Trondheim, Egersund, Oslo, Kristiansund, Copenhagen, Stadlandet, Tromso, Gibraltar, Algiers, Toulon, the Balearic Islands, Tarragona, Kiel, Namsos.

He was involved in photographing Tirpitz, Scharnhorst and Prince Eugen.]]> Great Britain. Royal Air Force]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Nick Cornwell-Smith]]> Review Oct 2024]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Log book and record book]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Coastal Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Berkshire]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> England--Oxfordshire]]> England--Staffordshire]]> England--Warwickshire]]> England--Wiltshire]]> Scotland--Fife]]> Atlantic Ocean--Skagerrak]]> Gibraltar]]> Gibraltar]]> France]]> France--Toulon]]> Germany]]> Germany--Kiel]]> Portugal]]> Portugal--Cape Saint Vincent]]> Portugal--Lisbon]]> Spain]]> Spain--Balearic Islands]]> Spain--Cádiz]]> Spain--Cartagena]]> Spain--Tarifa (Cádiz)]]> Spain--Tarragona]]> Poland]]> Poland--Gdańsk]]> Poland--Gdynia]]> Poland--Szczecin]]> Denmark]]> Denmark--Copenhagen]]> Norway]]> Norway--Bergen]]> Norway--Egersund]]> Norway--Kristiansund]]> Norway--Namsos]]> Norway--Narvik]]> Norway--Oslo]]> Norway--Stadlandet]]> Norway--Stavanger]]> Norway--Tromsø]]> Norway--Trondheim]]> North Africa]]> Algeria]]> Algeria--Algiers]]> Algeria--Oran]]> Morocco]]> Morocco--Casablanca]]> Morocco--Rabat]]> Morocco--Tangier]]> Gambia]]> Gambia--Banjul]]> Senegal]]> Senegal--Bambey]]> Senegal--Dakar]]> Senegal--Kaolack]]> Senegal--Saint-Louis]]> Senegal--Tambacounda]]> Sierra Leone]]> Sierra Leone--Freetown]]> 1939]]> 1940]]> 1941-08-12]]> 1941-08-13]]> 1941-08-14]]> 1941-08-15]]> 1941-09-04]]> 1941-09-06]]> 1941-09-07]]> 1941-09-10]]> 1941-09-16]]> 1941-09-29]]> 1941-09-30]]> 1941-10-02]]> 1941-10-03]]> 1941-10-05]]> 1941-10-06]]> 1941-11-14]]> 1941-11-15]]> 1941-11-16]]> 1941-11-19]]> 1941-11-24]]> 1941-11-25]]> 1941-11-27]]> 1941-11-30]]> 1941-12-06]]> 1941-12-11]]> 1941-12-12]]> 1941-12-13]]> 1941-12-15]]> 1942-01-09]]> 1942-01-10]]> 1942-01-13]]> 1942-01-14]]> 1942-01-15]]> 1942-01-18]]> 1942-01-19]]> 1942-01-20]]> 1942-02-26]]> 1942-03-03]]> 1942-05-17]]> 1942-05-19]]> 1942-05-22]]> 1942-05-29]]> 1942-06-02]]> 1942-06-06]]> 1942-06-19]]> 1942-06-25]]> 1942-07-03]]> 1942-07-08]]> 1942-07-11]]> 1942-07-15]]> 1942-07-29]]> 1942-08-04]]> 1942-08-08]]> 1942-08-10]]> 1942-08-17]]> 1942-08-26]]> 1942-09-06]]> 1942-09-14]]> 1942-09-26]]> 1942-09-28]]> 1942-10-11]]> 1942-10-13]]> 1942-11-01]]> 1942-11-05]]> 1942-11-06]]> 1942-11-07]]> 1942-11-10]]> 1942-11-14]]> 1942-11-19]]> 1942-11-25]]> 1942-12-01]]> 1942-12-03]]> 1943-01-06]]> 1943-01-08]]> 1943-01-10]]> 1943-01-14]]> 1943-01-24]]> 1943-01-26]]> 1943-02-03]]> 1943-02-04]]> 1943-02-06]]> 1943-02-09]]> 1943-02-23]]> 1943-03-07]]> 1943-03-09]]> 1943-03-12]]> 1943-03-14]]> 1943-03-20]]> 1943-03-22]]> 1943-03-28]]> 1945]]> Initial training as a pilot at Nos. 3 and 2 Flying Training Schools. Posted to 99 Squadron in January 1932. Between January and August 1933 posted to Iraq with 70 and 203 Squadrons. 1935 saw a posting back to England with 24 Squadron and then the Home Aircraft Depot Ferry Flight and Ferry Squadron.
Posted to the Central flying School in August 1937 followed by No. 11 Flying training School. Posted to 9 Squadron in November 1938.

Served at RAF Grantham (Spitalgate), RAF Digby, RAF Upper Heyford, RAF Hinaidi, RAF Shaibah, RAF Hendon, RAF Henlow, RAF Cardington, RAF Upavon, RAF Wittering, RAF Shawbury, RAF Stradishall, RAF Honington.

Aircraft flown were Vickers Victoria, Westland Wapiti Float Plane, Blackburn Monoplane, Fairey Gordon, Hawker Audax, Fairey Seal, Avro Tutor, Gloster Gauntlet, Fairey Swordfish, Handley Page Heyford, De Havilland Queen Bee, Vickers Vildebeeste, Avro Prefect, Tiger Moth, Fairey IIIF, Hawker Hart, Hawker Hind, Hawker Fury, Vickers Valentia, Bristol Bulldog, Vickers Vincent, Westland Wallace, Blackburn Shark, Boulton Paul Overstrand, Avro Anson, Vickers Wellington, Miles Magister, Handley Page Harrow.]]> Great Britain. Royal Air Force]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Nick Cornwell-Smith]]> Pending review]]> Review Oct 2024]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Log book and record book]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Bedfordshire]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Middlesex]]> England--Oxfordshire]]> England--Shropshire]]> England--Suffolk]]> England--Wiltshire]]> Iraq]]> Iraq--Baghdad]]> Iraq--Baṣrah]]> 1930]]> 1931]]> 1932]]> 1933]]> 1934]]> 1935]]> 1936]]> 1937]]> 1938]]> 1939]]> T Mercer]]> S Bond]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Pending text-based transcription]]> eng]]> Text]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Buckinghamshire]]> England--Milton Keynes]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--London]]> England--Newquay]]> United States]]> Florida--Clewiston]]> England--Rutland]]> England--Bristol]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> England--Northamptonshire]]> Florida]]> England--Cornwall (County)]]> 1941]]> 1944]]>
Served at RAF Southend, RAF Desford, RAF Grantham, RAF Harwell, RAF Marham.

Aircraft flown were Tiger Moth, Anson, Wellington.

He flew 12 night bombing operations with 218 Squadron as second pilot. His targets were Boulogne, Rotterdam, Hannover, Bremen, Brest, Berlin, Hamburg, the Scharnhorst, Mannheim.
His pilots were Flying Officer Anstey, Flying Officer Agar and Sergeant McNeil.
His aircraft force landed in England after the operation on 11/12th February 1941. His aircraft was attacked by two Me110’s on the night of 13/14th March 1941 which result in a minor injury to himself.
]]> Great Britain. Royal Air Force]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Nick Cornwell-Smith]]> Pending review]]> Review Oct 2024]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Log book and record book]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Essex]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Norfolk]]> England--Oxfordshire]]> France]]> France--Boulogne-sur-Mer]]> France--Brest]]> Netherlands]]> Netherlands--Rotterdam]]> Germany]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> Germany--Berlin]]> Germany--Bremen]]> Germany--Hamburg]]> Germany--Hannover]]> Germany--Mannheim]]> 1939]]> 1940-12-29]]> 1941-01-09]]> 1941-02-07]]> 1941-02-10]]> 1941-02-11]]> 1941-02-12]]> 1941-03-02]]> 1941-03-12]]> 1941-03-13]]> 1941-03-14]]> 1941-05-03]]> 1941-05-04]]> 1941-05-05]]> 1941-05-06]]> 1941-05-07]]> 1941-05-08]]> 1941-05-10]]> 1941-05-11]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> eng]]> Text]]> Royal Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> 1940-09]]> recovered to RAF Marham with damaged aircraft. He took part in 13 operations as second pilot and then asked to leave Bomber Command. He talks about his subsequent ground job. He was asked about, and commented on, squadron operations and flying the Wellington. He was also asked about a couple of operations, one to Brest to target Scharnhorst and his last trip to Hamburg. He concludes with a conversation about a bullet proof door in an aircraft which did not prevent him being shot.]]> S Bond]]> D Vandervord]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Maureen Clarke]]> Pending text-based transcription]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Memoir]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Norfolk]]> Germany]]> Germany--Bremen]]> Germany--Hamburg]]> France]]> France--Brest]]> Atlantic Ocean--bay of Biscay]]> England--Wiltshire]]> 1939]]> 1941-02-11]]> 1941-03-13]]> 1941-05-07]]> 1941-05-10]]> S Bond]]> D Vandervord]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Maureen Clarke]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Bexhill]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Oxfordshire]]> England--Norfolk]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Germany]]> Germany--Hamburg]]> France]]> France--Brest]]> Atlantic Ocean--Bay of Biscay]]> England--Wiltshire]]> England--Sussex]]> 1940-12]]> 1941-02-11]]> 1941-03-13]]> 1941-05-10]]> 1941-05-07]]> Posted to 12 Operational Training Unit in April 1941. Operational posting to 101 Squadron in June. Attended Beam Approach Training course in September/October. May 1942 posted to 21 Operational Training Unit. Posted to 1652 Conversion Unit in August 1943 before operational posting to 102 Squadron.
In September 1944 posted to 46 Group Headquarters, Transport Command. In April 1945 posted to Air Command, South East Asia.

Served at RAF Desford, RAF Tern Hill, RAF Grantham, RAF Benson, RAF West Raynham, RAF Oakington, RAF Honington, RAF Moreton-in-March, RAF Marston Moor, RAF Pocklington, RAF Broadwell, RAF Ratmalana (Sri Lanka), RAF Swinderby.

Aircraft flown were Tiger Moth, Anson, Wellington Ic, Wellington III, Wellington X, Halifax, Oxford, C-47 Dakota, Proctor, Auster, B-17 Flying Fortress, York, Mosquito, C-54 Skymaster, C-45 Expeditor, Sunderland, Varsity.

Undertook 40 operations with 101 Squadron (2 day, 38 night) to targets including Rotterdam, Cologne, Bremen, Brest, Bielefeld, Osnabruck, Kiel, Hamburg, Mannheim, Hamm, Essen, Hannover, Duisburg, Berlin, Turin, Frankfurt, Wilhelmshaven, Munster, Lubeck, Dortmund, Rostock. One operation was the search for the Gneisenau and Scharnhorst, and a second was a meteorological operation over the North Sea. Other than himself, his pilots were Squadron Leader Colenso, Sergeant Gaunt and Pilot Officer Todd.

Whilst at 21 Operational Training Unit he flew 4 night bombing operations to Cologne, Essen, Dusseldorf and Bremen.

At 102 Squadron he flew 21 night bombing and mine laying operations. Targets were Modane, Hanover, Mannheim, Bochum, Kassel, Dusseldorf, Ludwigshafen, Berlin, Frankfurt, Leipzig, Meulan, Trappes, Le Mans, Helgoland, Kiel Bay and Courtrai.
During the operation on the night of 3rd November 1943, his aircraft was hit and set on fire. Sergeant Doherty managed to put out the fire and was later awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal as described in a newspaper clipping in the log book.

On the night of 19/20th February 1944 their aircraft managed to shot down a Ju-88.
]]> Great Britain. Royal Air Force]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Nick Cornwell-Smith]]> Pending review]]> Review Oct 2024]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Log book and record book]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Air Force. Transport Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> England--Gloucestershire]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Norfolk]]> England--Oxfordshire]]> England--Shropshire]]> England--Suffolk]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Atlantic Ocean--Kiel Bay]]> Germany]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> Germany--Berlin]]> Germany--Bielefeld]]> Germany--Bochum]]> Germany--Bremen]]> Germany--Cologne]]> Germany--Dortmund]]> Germany--Duisburg]]> Germany--Düsseldorf]]> Germany--Essen]]> Germany--Frankfurt am Main]]> Germany--Hamburg]]> Germany--Hamm (North Rhine-Westphalia)]]> Germany--Hannover]]> Germany--Helgoland]]> Germany--Kassel]]> Germany--Kiel]]> Germany--Leipzig]]> Germany--Lübeck]]> Germany--Ludwigshafen am Rhein]]> Germany--Mannheim]]> Germany--Münster in Westfalen]]> Germany--Osnabrück]]> Germany--Rostock]]> Germany--Wilhelmshaven]]> Netherlands]]> Netherlands--Rotterdam]]> Belgium]]> Belgium--Kortrijk]]> France]]> France--Brest]]> France--Le Mans]]> France--Meulan]]> France--Modane]]> France--Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines]]> Italy]]> Italy--Turin]]> Sri Lanka]]> Sri Lanka--Ratmalana]]> Atlantic Ocean--North Sea]]> 1940]]> 1941-06-17]]> 1941-06-18]]> 1941-06-21]]> 1941-06-26]]> 1941-06-27]]> 1941-06-28]]> 1941-06-29]]> 1941-06-30]]> 1941-07-01]]> 1941-07-02]]> 1941-07-05]]> 1941-07-06]]> 1941-07-09]]> 1941-07-10]]> 1941-07-20]]> 1941-07-21]]> 1941-07-24]]> 1941-07-25]]> 1941-07-30]]> 1941-07-31]]> 1941-08-01]]> 1941-08-02]]> 1941-08-05]]> 1941-08-06]]> 1941-08-07]]> 1941-08-08]]> 1941-08-12]]> 1941-08-13]]> 1941-08-14]]> 1941-08-15]]> 1941-08-17]]> 1941-08-18]]> 1941-08-31]]> 1941-09-01]]> 1941-09-07]]> 1941-09-08]]> 1941-09-10]]> 1941-09-11]]> 1941-09-12]]> 1941-09-13]]> 1941-09-20]]> 1941-09-21]]> 1941-10-15]]> 1941-10-16]]> 1941-10-22]]> 1941-10-23]]> 1941-10-24]]> 1941-10-25]]> 1942-01-10]]> 1942-01-11]]> 1942-01-22]]> 1942-01-23]]> 1942-02-12]]> 1942-03-08]]> 1942-03-09]]> 1942-03-13]]> 1942-03-14]]> 1942-03-22]]> 1942-03-25]]> 1942-03-26]]> 1942-03-28]]> 1942-03-29]]> 1942-04-07]]> 1942-04-08]]> 1942-04-09]]> 1942-04-11]]> 1942-04-12]]> 1942-04-14]]> 1942-04-15]]> 1942-04-22]]> 1942-04-23]]> 1942-04-24]]> 1942-05-30]]> 1942-05-31]]> 1942-06-01]]> 1942-06-02]]> 1942-07-31]]> 1942-08-01]]> 1942-09-13]]> 1942-09-14]]> 1943-09-16]]> 1943-09-17]]> 1943-09-22]]> 1943-09-23]]> 1943-09-24]]> 1943-09-29]]> 1943-10-22]]> 1943-10-23]]> 1943-11-03]]> 1943-11-18]]> 1943-11-19]]> 1943-11-22]]> 1943-11-25]]> 1943-11-26]]> 1944-01-06]]> 1944-01-07]]> 1944-01-20]]> 1944-01-21]]> 1944-02-03]]> 1944-02-04]]> 1944-02-11]]> 1944-02-12]]> 1944-02-19]]> 1944-02-20]]> 1944-03-02]]> 1944-03-06]]> 1944-03-07]]> 1944-03-18]]> 1944-03-22]]> 1944-03-26]]> 1945]]> 1946]]> 1952]]> Great Britain. Royal Air Force]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Terry Hancock]]> Review Oct 2024]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Log book and record book]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> France]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> United States]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> England--Oxfordshire]]> France--Saint-Nazaire]]> Germany--Berlin]]> Germany--Duisburg]]> Germany--Essen]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> Germany--Stuttgart]]> Oklahoma]]> Germany--Nuremberg]]> Atlantic Ocean--Bay of Biscay]]> England--Berkshire]]> 1943-02-25]]> 1943-02-26]]> 1943-02-28]]> 1943-03-01]]> 1943-03-08]]> 1943-03-11]]> 1943-03-12]]> 1943-03-26]]> 1943-03-27]]> 1943-03-29]]> Colin talks of his entry interview into the RAF, his time at an Initial Training Wing, and his tuition as a pilot in the United States. After the American entry into the war, he went from being a newly qualified pilot to being an instructor, as well as transporting Canadian built Mosquitos to the UK.
In 1943 Colin completed a night fighter course and was recruited into No 8 Pathfinder Group’s Light Night Striking Force. Colin details how he dealt with the rigours of operations by copying a fighter pilot’s plan of not having much imagination.
During an operation to Duisburg he thinks that two aircraft were lost to anti-aircraft fire. He describes the bombing of Dresden and why it was targeted, the use of ‘Window’, and how Military Intelligence would use radio operators to misdirect the enemy. He was demobbed in 1946.
Also present was Colin's friend, Mark Vickers.]]> Nigel Moore]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Carolyn Emery]]> Claire Campbell]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Canada]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> Greenland]]> Iceland]]> United States]]> Atlantic Ocean]]> Alabama]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--London]]> England--Norfolk]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Florida]]> Germany--Berlin]]> Germany--Duisburg]]> Germany--Emden (Lower Saxony)]]> Germany--Hannover]]> Ontario--Toronto]]> Scotland--Ayrshire]]> Ontario--London]]> Ontario]]> 1940]]> 1941]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]>