Browse Items (375 total)

  • Tags: childhood in wartime

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Personal research on George Edward Gadd by his younger brother. It describes how he died and how his parents found out about his death on their way to visit him. It also mentions his amateur boxing and engagement to Kathleen Smith, a farmer's…

AClarkD3-250901.mp3
Doug Clark grew up in Lincolnshire and witnessed the construction of RAF Ludford Magna. He saw the wreckage of a Lancaster crash and recalled the time when Lancasters filled the sky. After he left school, he joined the Royal Observer Corps. He went…

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Beryl Fitter grew up in Birmingham during the war. She recalls the many hours spent in the Anderson or Morrison shelter. She also experienced the Black Market which supplemented the rations. The house across from them was bombed. An incendiary landed…

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Maureen Lill grew up in Louth during the war. She recalls the one night when a bomb destroyed the house of her school friend. Her father was in the Army and she didn’t see him for the duration of the war after he was called up. He had begun to read…

AEdwardsPB250206.mp3

Peter Edwards is the son of a Halton apprentice. His father was based at RAF Wittering as Senior Technical Officer during the war, but his mother moved with him and his brother to Lytham St Anne’s for the duration. American servicemen were frequent…

ARogersEA240501.mp3
Elizabeth's earliest memories include the family’s Anderson shelter, later replaced by a Morrison shelter where she slept during air raids. She recalls the sound of planes overhead and the impact of nearby bombings, including shattered windows and…

MMarsdenJ1591984-250707-03.pdf
The commemoration covers Jack Marsden's escape in June 1944, assisted by villagers from Courboin. A second part of the commemoration is a tale about Gaston Charruet who was caught by the Germans for assisting a British airman as witnessed by a child…

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Rudolph describes his father’s (James) life, from his childhood years in Trinidad, through to volunteering for and serving in the RAF in the UK. After demobilisation, James returned briefly to Trinidad before returning to the UK where he worked for…

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Jack writes that he has been night flying. [Page 2 and 4 are missing]
He talks about laundry and his two daughters.

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Details of the burial of Trevor Blweitt's daughter, Patricia Diane Blewitt who died aged 18 weeks.

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Full length image of an airman wearing tunic and side cap walking down town street with young boy and girl. On the reverse 'Thomas Rodger Donaghy, John Roger Donaghy, Janet Elizabeth Donaghy'.

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Schools port's day. Eight young girls being supervised by an older girl.
On the reverse 'Wendy's school sport press photograph June 1945, Wendy 6 years'.

SClarkeBE18567619v10117.pdf
A magazine published in July 1944. It contains news, letters, exam and sports results, club news, poems, Brian Clarke is reported missing, news of old boys, annual dinner, annual general meeting, staff list and adverts.

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Sid Kaufman in uniform and John Wray in school uniform crouching in a garden.
Captioned 'Technical Sergeant Sid Kaufman USAAF and John Wray in garden of 67 Lincoln Road Branston.'

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Bill Wray in civilian clothing, Sid Kaufman in uniform and John Wray in school uniform standing in garden.
Captioned 'Bill Wray, John Wray, Sid Kaufman in garden of 67 Lincoln Road, Branston.'

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Two men, two women and a boy standing in a garden. Bill Wray and the women in civilian clothes, Sidney Kaufman in uniform. The boy, John Wray, is in school uniform.
Captioned 'Bill Wray, Eva Akenhead, unknown, John Wray, Sid Kaufman in garden of…

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Eric Sinclair in uniform and his wife wearing a coat and hat walking holding the hands of a child in a kilt between them.

SHarriganD[Ser#-DoB]v320002.mp3
Nelson Nix grew up during the war. His father kept the village shop and was also a special constable and member of the Observer Corps, which later became the Royal Observer Corps. The post had access to the Darkie sets which were used to guide…

SHarriganD[Ser#-DoB]v310002.mp3
Bob Panton was a child during the war. One day as his father was coming towards their house Bob saw three Dornier 17 come into view. Then out of the sun came six Spitfires and a battle started in front of him. Bob saw the Dorniers shot down and,…

SHarriganD[Ser#-DoB]v230002.mp3
Reg Herring was living in London with his father and elder brother at the start of the war. His father built a shelter that collapsed after a heavy rainfall. Reg was evacuated to Sizewell and then to near Birmingham. After the war Reg returned to…

SHarriganD[Ser#-DoB]v190002.mp3
Cliff Thorpe and Roy Smith grew up in the village of Elsham while RAF Elsham Wolds was operational.

SHarriganD[Ser#-DoB]v150002.mp3
Christoper Franciss Allison, born 1925, (3007708, Royal Air Force) answers questions from school children about what it was like to fly in a Lancaster. He served as a flight engineer on 166 Squadron at RAF Kirmington and was demobbed after two…

SHarriganD[Ser#-DoB]v120002.mp3
Bernard can remember seeing much of the bomber action with the aircraft almost turning the sky black as they all left to participate in the ops over Occupied Europe. Bernard recounts how the RAF personnel were made welcome and well respected in…
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