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Time out for war
History of wartime experiences of Ronald Witty. Starts with schooling and early employment in Hull, just before the war. Mentions German bombing of Hull and volunteering for the RAF. Describes training in London and Torquay before departing on a…
Water under the bridge - Alan Gamble's Memoirs in 3 parts.
Part 1. Covers the period from Alan Gamble's years as a schoolboy in Worthing in the late 1930's, up to joining the RAF in 1943, where he trained, before moving to RAF Fairford in 1944. He flew 29 bombing and mine laying sorties over Germany and…
Interview with Keith Campbell. Two
Keith Campbell grew up in New South Wales and joined the Royal Australian Air Force when he was old enough. He flew 35 operations as a bomb aimer with 466 Squadron from RAF Leconfield and RAF Driffield when, on their 31st operation another aircraft…
Interview with Ernest Cutts
Ernest Cutts was born in Mallee in Victoria and, at the age of 15, he passed the Commonwealth Public Service Exam, joining the Military Post Office as a civilian junior postal officer. Aged 18, he enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force and went…
Interview with Denis Kelly
Denis joined the Royal Australian Air Force at 18 and married when he enlisted. He wanted to be a pilot but became a wireless operator/air gunner because he lacked depth perception. After Somers, Denis went to Victor Harbour. He then did a radio…
Interview with Lawrence Larmer
Lawrence Larmer was born in Australia in 1920. On leaving school he went to work on the Beaufort aircraft in the Department of Aircraft Production. He was called up in 1942 and volunteered for the Royal Australian Air Force to avoid the army. His…
Interview with Donald McDonald
Because of his dislike of the army, Don enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). He went to Somers Initial Flying Training School and became a pilot. At Elementary Flying Training School at Western Junction, Don flew Tiger Moths although he…
Interview with Herbert Tinning
Herbert joined the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and was posted, initially, to a communication flight as a fitter. He managed to transfer to aircrew and describes the enlistment process. He went to Somers, then Cootamundra for navigator training…
Interview with Joe Stemp
Joe was a navigator with 578 Squadron and later with 77 Squadron, flying Halifaxes and then Dakotas. Joe has a sister and a brother. His brother ended his service with the Royal Air Force after an accident on a dinghy drill course left him deaf in…
Interview with an Anonymous Interviewee (An00086)
This interviewee was working at Chatham dockyard before being accepted by the RAF as a mechanic. He then re-mustered as a flight engineer which fulfilled his hopes to be aircrew. While waiting for a place on the training course at St Athan he did…
Interview with Inge Nicolis
Inge Nicolis, the daughter of a Swedish engineer faher and an Italian mother, reminisces about her wartime experiences in Milan. She stresses the sense of having been thrown into a tragedy and the anguish of not being able to evacuate Milan, on the…
Interview with Rusty Waughman. One
Rusty describes a mid-air collision during an operation with 101 Squadron. to Hasselt. He describes what it was like prior to a operation and the feelings experienced by the crew, from seeing the battle orders on the notice board, the pre-flight…
Interview with Derrick Stubbs
Derrick Stubbs joined the RAF aged 17, after lying about his age, having previously been told by the army recruiter that he was too young. After training at RAF Catfoss, Derrick was posted to Egypt and was attacked by U-boats on route. Derrick did…
Interview with Bill Spence
Bill Spence was born in Middlesborough. He abandoned his teacher training and joined the Royal Air Force in 1942, becoming a bomb aimer. He completed 36 operations during his time in Bomber Command. Bill tells of his experiences while training in…
Interview with Charles Frederick Green
Charles Frederick Green was born in Peckham, London, in 1921. On leaving school, he began an apprenticeship with a printing company, acting part-time as a police courier, before becoming an Air Raid Precautions warden. He then volunteered for the…
Interview with Geoff Green
William Green was born in Kings Lynn in Norfolk and joined the Royal Air Force when he was 17 and a half at the outbreak of war, becoming a rear gunner on Lancasters and, eventually, rising to the rank of squadron leader.He tells about going on to…
Conversation with Cliff Hobbs
Cliff mentions that he had interviewed his pilot Peter Fotherby, looking for further information about some incidents. He describes volunteering for the RAF and training as an air gunner in Ansons. He was posted to the Middle East, trained and crewed…
Interview with Harold James Richards
Harold Richards, from Lincoln, was working in the health industry before he volunteered for the RAF. After trying to be a pilot he trained as an observer. He was posted to 297 Squadron at RAF Stoney Cross from where he and his crew dropped supplies…
Interview with Alan Payne
Alan Payne was born in Wendover, Buckinghamshire. He volunteered for aircrew with the Royal Air Force and, after initial training, was sent to South Africa where he trained as an observer. When he returned to the UK, he was allocated the role of bomb…
Interview with Rusty Waughman. Two
Russell (Rusty) Waughman was born in Shotley Bridge, County Durham. Due to serious poor health as a child, his education was interrupted. He describes his training with the Empire Training School in Canada. He was posted to 101 Squadron which was a…
Interview with Mary Ward. One
Mary Ward grew up in Bloxham. She joined the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force in 1940 and was posted to RAF Driffield, on general duties in the officers’ mess. She describes a German daylight attack on RAF Driffield on the 15 August 1940 and the extensive…
Interview with Mary Ward. Two
Mary Ward joined the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force in 1940. She served, briefly, at RAF Driffield but mostly at RAF Linton on Ouse. She trained as a cook before being moved to duties as a map officer, where she prepared maps for briefings and…
Interview with a navigator from 101 Squadron
The interviewee was born in London and worked for some time as a clerk until joining the Royal Air Force. He did not like the idea of serving in the Army or in the Navy but - as a Londoner - he was keen to take part in the war, having experienced the…
Interview with John Wakeford Quine
John volunteered for the Royal Air Force as a pilot. He went to Lord’s Cricket Ground, followed by the Initial Training Wing at Scarborough. He spent 10 hours on Tiger Moths in Carlisle. After a short time at RAF Heaton Park in Manchester, John went…
Interview with Jim Auton
Jim Auton grew up on Royal Air Force stations and joined the Royal Air Force at 17. He trained as a pilot navigator and bomber at RAF Ansty near Coventry, then in South Africa under the Empire Air Training Scheme. He trained on B-24s at Lidder and,…