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Chan Chandler's biography

A biography of Chan's life.

Tags: 115 Squadron; 467 Squadron; 49 Squadron; 5 Group; 617 Squadron; 83 Squadron; 9 Squadron; air sea rescue; Anson; anti-aircraft fire; B-17; Battle; Bismarck; Blenheim; bombing of Cologne (30/31 May 1942); bombing of Hamburg (24-31 July 1943); bombing of Peenemünde (17/18 August 1943); bombing of the Le Havre E-boat pens (14/15 June 1944); bombing of the Saumur tunnel (8/9 June 1944); briefing; C-47; Cheshire, Geoffrey Leonard (1917-1992); Churchill, Winston (1874-1965); Defiant; Distinguished Flying Cross; Distinguished Service Order; ditching; forced landing; Gee; George VI, King of Great Britain (1895-1952); Gibson, Guy Penrose (1918-1944); Gneisenau; Goldfish Club; H2S; Halifax; Hampden; Harris, Arthur Travers (1892-1984); incendiary device; Ju 88; Lancaster; Manchester; master bomber; Me 109; mess; mine laying; Morse-keyed wireless telegraphy; Mosquito; Nissen hut; Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944); Normandy deception operations (5/6 June 1944); Oboe; Operation Exodus (1945); Operation Manna (29 Apr – 8 May 1945); Pathfinders; pilot; prisoner of war; propaganda; RAF Andover; RAF Boscombe Down; RAF Castle Combe; RAF Castle Kennedy; RAF Coningsby; RAF Croydon; RAF Earls Colne; RAF Fiskerton; RAF Honington; RAF hospital Rauceby; RAF Kinloss; RAF Manston; RAF Martlesham Heath; RAF Middle Wallop; RAF Northolt; RAF Old Sarum; RAF Scampton; RAF Tangmere; RAF Upper Heyford; RAF Uxbridge; RAF West Freugh; RAF White Waltham; RAF Wittering; RAF Woodhall Spa; RAF Yatesbury; Ruhr Campaign (5 March – 10 July 1943); Scharnhorst; searchlight; Spitfire; Stirling; Sunderland; Tallboy; target indicator; target photograph; Tirpitz; training; V-1; V-2; V-3; V-weapon; Wallis, Barnes Neville (1887-1979); Wellington; Window; wireless operator / air gunner

Watten blockhouse

A low level vertical aerial photograph of the Watten blockhouse, after bombing. On the reverse '49 V3 site Watten'.

Tags: aerial photograph; bombing; reconnaissance photograph; V-3; V-weapon

Operations in Lancaster ED562 by 100 and 550 Squadrons to Essen, Spezia, Duisburg, minelaying in the Baltic, Dortmund, Bochum, Dusseldorf, Oberhausen, Cologne, Krefeld, Mulheim, Elberfeld, Gelsenkirchen, Hamburg, Mardyck, Hasselt, Orleans, Aachen,…

Conversation with Alan Thomsett

Edited transcript. Gives personal details and service history. Enlisted in 1942.Pilot on 1473 Flight and 192 Squadron (100 Group) on Wellingtons. Starts with comments about first posting 1473 Flight which eventually merged with 1474 Flight to become…

Leonard Cheshire talking to a boys high school in Palmerston and to Catholic Overseas Aid in Auckland.

First, talking to Catholic Overseas Aid in Auckland, Leonard starts with mention of previous visit when he got support for a project in India. He talks about his wife's organisation work in Poland, Yugoslavia and other parts of Europe. He gives…

Tags: 617 Squadron; bombing; bombing of Nagasaki (9 August 1945); Cheshire, Geoffrey Leonard (1917-1992); perception of bombing war; Tallboy; V-1; V-2; V-3; V-weapon

Recording of several events during a tour of New Zealand and Australia. Oct/Nov 1974

First - Leonard Cheshire - Sacred Heart College: talk to the school. Talks of the dambusters and their operation to the German dams. Goes on to talk of operations against V-weapon sites and other operations carried out by 617 Squadron. Goes on to…

Tags: 617 Squadron; bombing; Cheshire, Geoffrey Leonard (1917-1992); Eder Möhne and Sorpe operation (16–17 May 1943); V-1; V-2; V-3; V-weapon; Wallis, Barnes Neville (1887-1979)

Leonard Cheshire - talk to St Ignatius School

Talks about the 617 Squadron and their operation against German dams. Continues with recollection of his time on the squadron and operations against v-weapons with Barnes Wallis designed bombs. Mentions development of low-level marking techniques and…

Tags: 617 Squadron; aircrew; bombing; Cheshire, Geoffrey Leonard (1917-1992); Eder Möhne and Sorpe operation (16–17 May 1943); Gibson, Guy Penrose (1918-1944); Grand Slam; Tallboy; V-1; V-2; V-3; V-weapon; Wallis, Barnes Neville (1887-1979)

A bomber pilot’s journey through WWII

Biography of Squadron Leader David James Baikie Wilson, DSO, DFC and Bar (1917 - 1947). He flew operations as a pilot with 214, 196 and 617 Squadrons before becoming Head of Aerodynamic Development and Testing, and Test-Pilot at A V Roe & Co Ltd.…

V Group News, July 1944

Five Group Newsletter, number 24, July 1944. Includes a foreword by the Air Officer Commanding, and features about second thoughts for pilots, gardening, war effort, signals, armament, war savings, navigation, radar navigation, navigation training,…

Mimoyecques

Target photograph showing open countryside with fields. Prominent roads run left to right. There are some craters scattered over the image. Caption '392, W.S., 6.7.44., 8", 18800, 140 degrees, 1532, Mimoyecques RD, D, 1 x 12000, C, 35 secs, F/L…

Tags: 617 Squadron; aerial photograph; bombing; bombing of the Mimoyecques V-3 site (6 July 1944); Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944); Tallboy; target photograph; V-3; V-weapon

Mimoyecques

Target photograph showing open countryside with a large area with dense craters in the centre.Smoke can be seen in centre and top centre. Caption '387. W.S. 6.7.44, 8", 18200, 160 degrees, 1538, Mimoyecques RD, B, 1 x 12000, C, 35 secs, F/L Stanford.…

Tags: 617 Squadron; aerial photograph; bombing; bombing of the Mimoyecques V-3 site (6 July 1944); Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944); Tallboy; target photograph; V-3; V-weapon

Mimoyecques

Target photograph showing open countryside with fields. There are forests in the centre and from left to right across the top. Caption '387, W.S., 6.7.44. 8", 16000, 141 degrees 1530, Mimoyecques RD, Y, 1 x 12000, C, 35 secs, F?L Stout, Y, 617'. On…

Tags: 617 Squadron; aerial photograph; bombing; bombing of the Mimoyecques V-3 site (6 July 1944); Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944); Tallboy; target photograph; V-3; V-weapon

Mimoyecques

Target photograph showing open countryside with fields. Prominent road runs top centre to bottom and left centre to right. Craters are scattered over most of the image mostly left of centre line. Caption '377, W.S., 7.7.44, 17000, 178 degrees, 1535,…

Tags: 617 Squadron; aerial photograph; bombing; bombing of the Mimoyecques V-3 site (6 July 1944); Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944); Tallboy; target photograph; V-3; V-weapon

Mimoyecques

Target photograph showing open countryside with fields. Prominent roads run from top centre to bottom and left centre to right. Caption '376, W.S., 6.7.44, 8", 15800, 136 degrees, 1531, Mimoyecques RD, A, 1 x 12000, F/L Pryor, A, 617'. On the reverse…

Tags: 617 Squadron; aerial photograph; bombing; bombing of the Mimoyecques V-3 site (6 July 1944); Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944); Tallboy; target photograph; V-3; V-weapon

Mimoyecques

Target photograph showing open countryside with fields. There are prominent roads running bottom left to top centre and top right to left. Caption '372, W.S, 6.7.44, 8", 17000, 140 degree, 1530, Mimoyecques RD, T, 1 x 12000, C, 35 secs, F/L Willsher,…

Tags: 617 Squadron; aerial photograph; bombing; bombing of the Mimoyecques V-3 site (6 July 1944); Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944); Tallboy; target photograph; V-3; V-weapon

Mimoyecques

Target photograph showing open countryside with a large area on dense craters in the centre. Caption '367, W.S., 6.7.44, 8", 16800, 145 degrees, 1529, Mimoyecques RD, Z, 1 x 12000, C, 25 secs, F/O Ross, Z, 617'. On the reverse '51:97/7'.

Tags: 617 Squadron; aerial photograph; bombing; bombing of the Mimoyecques V-3 site (6 July 1944); Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944); Tallboy; target photograph; V-3; V-weapon

Mimoyecques

Target photograph showing open countryside with fields and roads. There is a large area with craters bottom right extending towards the top.There are other scattered craters throughout the image. Caption '367, W.S.,6.7.44, 8", 130 degrees, 1531,…

Tags: 617 Squadron; aerial photograph; bombing; bombing of the Mimoyecques V-3 site (6 July 1944); Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944); Tallboy; target photograph; V-3; V-weapon

Mimoyecques

Target photograph showing open countryside with area covered in craters bottom right. There is an airfield on the left edge just below centre. Caption '367, W.S., 6.7.44, 8", 19000, 130 degrees, 1531, Mimoyecques RD, K1, 1 x 12000, C, 235 secs, F/L…

Tags: 617 Squadron; aerial photograph; bombing; bombing of the Mimoyecques V-3 site (6 July 1944); Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944); Tallboy; target photograph; V-3; V-weapon

Mimoyecques

Target photograph showing open countryside with fields and roads. Village on the right side edge just below centre. Caption '358, W.S., 6.7.44, 8", 16400, 134 degrees, 1530, Mimoyecques RD, C, 1 x 12000, C35 secsa, F?O Duffy, C, 617' On the reverse…

Tags: 617 Squadron; aerial photograph; bombing; bombing of the Mimoyecques V-3 site (6 July 1944); Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944); Tallboy; target photograph; V-3; V-weapon

Mimoyecques

Target photograph showing open countryside with heavily cratered area in the centre. Caption '362, WS, 6.7.44, 8", 15600, [....], 1534, Mimoyecques RD, X, 1 x 12000, C, 35 secs, [..]earn, X, 617'. On the reverse '5:99/5, Photo 282'.

Tags: 617 Squadron; aerial photograph; bombing; bombing of the Mimoyecques V-3 site (6 July 1944); Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944); reconnaissance photograph; target photograph; V-3; V-weapon

Mimoyecques

Reconnaissance photograph showing open countryside with fields. A railway runs from top right downwards then loops to the left, culminating in the centre, The left side is covered in multiple craters. Craters on the right side are less concentrated.…

Tags: 617 Squadron; aerial photograph; bombing; bombing of the Mimoyecques V-3 site (6 July 1944); Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944); reconnaissance photograph; target photograph; V-3; V-weapon

Interpretation report, locality, Marquise/Mimoyecques, provisional statement of damage

Reports four craters from heavy bombs in target area and details damage done by each.

Tags: bombing; bombing of the Mimoyecques V-3 site (6 July 1944); Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944); Tallboy; V-3; V-weapon

Attack on constructional works Mimoyecques, narrative

Reports that this was the fourth constructional works target for the squadron. One P-51, one Mosquito and 17 Lancasters were detailed. States it was another difficult target and describes marking efforts. Reports difficultly in finding aiming point…

Tags: 617 Squadron; bombing; bombing of the Mimoyecques V-3 site (6 July 1944); Cheshire, Geoffrey Leonard (1917-1992); Lancaster; Mosquito; Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944); P-51; Tallboy; V-3; V-weapon