IBCC Digital Archive]]> Debbie Record]]> David Bloomfield]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Personal research]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Civilian]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Belgium]]> Belgium--Spa]]> Belgium--Hotton]]> 1944-11-02]]>
The report consists of five sections:

1. Details of bombs which fell in and around Praratoud and action taken.
M. Gauthier, Chief of Police of the Fribourg Canton, had received reports of bombs falling on Praratoud, Oudisfeld and Ueberstorf. He went to Praratoud immediately and confirmed that the above reports were true – 5 bombs had fallen but not exploded. With the help of the local constabulary, he took steps to establish order and ensure the evacuation of one farm especially at risk. The Federal Military Police requested that M. Gauthier, remain in Praratoud to investigate the possible destruction of the bombs or their removal. A Military Service Order was put in place and would remain until the bombs were removed or destroyed. In the locality of Oudisfeld only one bomb fell and exploded: however, it was claimed that there was serious damage to crops and to the rooves of apartment blocks over a radius of 400 – 800 m.

2. Details of bomb which fell on Le Bouveret and action taken.
Information, coming into District 1 from different directions, suggested that a bomb fell in the vicinity of Le Bouveret. A detachment of Fusiliers from the Border Force was immediately sent out to investigate. It was thus established that a 4-engined aircraft had come down in this area. 5 bodies were found and searches continued. Major Corboz of District 10 got in touch with M. Gauthier shortly before 08.00 and requested instructions concerning the collection of the bodies. From 08.00 onwards detachments from District 10 and Border Force Fusiliers continued with the formalities.

3. Details of bomb which fell near Sion. Difficulties encountered and action taken.
Details had come in from various directions regarding the fall of an aircraft in the vicinity of Sion but problems were encountered when trying to contact and obtain reliable information from the relevant authorities during the hours of darkness. In spite of these difficulties, the reports received were eventually thought to be correct and the Inspector of District 1 was able to send the order to District 10 to ask the neighbouring constabularies to proceed with the necessary enquiries. An aircraft was finally located at the end of the road leading to Viryon.

4. Details regarding incendiary bombs.
During the morning, various places were located where the incendiary bombs had fallen, – mainly in the area above Lausanne in the region of Savigny, Normiers and their environs. Steps were taken in each case to proceed with the destruction of the unexploded incendiary bombs. These bombs do not appear to have caused widespread damage.

5. Other bodies contacted and informed regarding the above events.
Various other imprecise observations were confirmed as correct in the early part of the morning by Districts 2 and 11 and the Inspectorate of District 1 was immediately informed. As soon as the facts were sufficiently clarified, each piece of information regarding the 2 afore-mentioned aircraft was also communicated to the Army High Command, Land Division; the Intelligence Service; the Anti-Aircraft Division and the Press Office of District 1. He also requested that all authorities under the control of District 1 participate in the destruction of the incendiary bombs – or, for any other incident, to send in a detailed report.
]]> Switzerland. Armée]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> fra]]> Text]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Switzerland]]> Switzerland--Bouveret]]> Switzerland--Fribourg]]> Switzerland--Lausanne]]> Switzerland--Savigny]]> Switzerland--Sion]]> 1943-07-12]]> 1943-07-13]]> ]]> Switzerland]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> fra]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Text]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Switzerland]]> Europe--Lake Geneva]]> Switzerland--Bouveret]]> Switzerland--Chiasso]]> Switzerland--Porrentruy]]> Switzerland--Sion]]> 1943-07-12]]> 1943-07-13]]> 14 airmen were buried at Vevey and the funeral is described. There is repetition of documents and accounts.]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Alan Pinchbeck]]> David Bloomfield]]> eng]]> Text]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Italy]]> Switzerland]]> Switzerland--Bouveret]]> Switzerland--Sion]]> Switzerland--Vevey]]> Italy--Turin]]> 1943-07-12]]> 1943-07-13]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Switzerland]]> Switzerland--Sion]]> 1943-07-12]]> 1943-07-13]]>
Additional information about this item has been kindly provided by the donor.]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Switzerland]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Belgium]]> Belgium--Spa]]> 1944-11-02]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Belgium]]> Belgium--Spa]]> 1944-11-02]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Belgium]]> Belgium--Spa]]> 1944-11-02]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Belgium]]> Belgium--Spa]]> 1944-11-02]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Belgium]]> Belgium--Spa]]> 1944-11-02]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Belgium]]> Belgium--Spa]]> 1944-11-02]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Belgium--Spa]]> Belgium]]> 1944-11-02]]> Gemma Clapton]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Maureen Clarke]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England]]> France]]> Spain]]> England--Northamptonshire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Germany--Essen]]> Pyrenees]]> Netherlands]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> 1942]]> Cathie Hewitt]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Cathie Hewitt]]> Janet McGreevy]]> Maureen Clarke]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> Congo (Democratic Republic)]]> Zimbabwe]]> Cyprus]]> Cuba]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> West Indies]]> 1945-05]]> Derrck J Allen]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Claire Monk]]> Maureen Clarke]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Memoir]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> 1944-11-02]]> 1944-11-03]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Claire Monk]]> eng]]> Text]]> Physical object]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> England--Peterborough]]> Belgium]]> Belgium--Spa]]> 1946-09-21]]> 1944-11-02]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Steve Baldwin]]> eng]]> Text]]> Royal Air Force]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> England--Peterborough]]> 1945]]> 1944-11-02]]> Mark Hunt]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Maureen Clarke]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Civilian]]> Belgium]]> Great Britain]]> Belgium--Spa]]> 1944-11-02]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Claire Monk]]> eng]]> Physical object]]> Photograph]]> Text]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> England--Newark (Nottinghamshire)]]> 1944-07-29]]> Gill Barnes]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Maureen Clarke]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Civilian]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Polskie Siły Powietrzne]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> 1940]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> Harry Bartlett]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Maureen Clarke]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Civilian]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> 1940]]> 1943]]> Moving to Alford in 1939, David describes in detail seeing many instances of German aircraft raiding the local area and remembers the glow from fires in Hull.
Joining the air training corps at the age of 13, he flew in many types of aircraft from RAF Manby and enjoyed shooting, aircraft recognition and Morse code. At Manby he remembers sitting in a Messerschmitt 163 and saw a flying example of a Me 188 which was scrapped when parts became unavailable.
Nearby were German and Italian prisoner of war camps and he frequently spoke with prisoners who were working on farms. One of his neighbours was a well known flyer who in 1938 set the record for the England-Cape Town-England flight and later was a test pilot for Supermarine. David recalls that one day he was standing on a hill when the neighbour flew so low past him that he could look down into the cockpit.
In 1953 he was working for the local council and describes in detail the effects of the severe floods and after being seconded to the Drainage Board, assisted with surveys of the damage. Several people who were forced to abandon their homes, were given refuge in his house and he later married one of them.
Due to his interest in aviation David joined the Air mMnistry as an assistant engineer, carrying out surveys of the runways of local aerodromes, most of which were unsuitable for future use. An exception was RAF East Kirkby which was refurbished with David supervising the work. Returning to working for the council, he became the assistant director of planning for 19 years until he retired to work part time for a local solicitor.]]> Anna Hoyles]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Christine Kavanagh]]> Maureen Clarke]]> Terry Holmes]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Horncastle]]> England--Yorkshire]]> England--Hull]]> 1938]]> 1939]]> 1940]]> 1941]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> 1953]]> John’s aircraft was shot down by a fighter and he managed to bale out, although three of the crew were killed. He was picked up by the Gestapo and taken to Frankfurt, followed by 18 months in a prisoner of war camp. He contracted appendicitis while he was there and was operated on by French doctors in fairly unsanitary conditions. There were thousands in the camp and different nationalities. John describes the food, the Red Cross food parcels and how he spent his time. He recounts how some air force officers were shot for escaping. He also remembers a German officer visiting his English son, a navigator.
When the Germans left the camp, John notes that hundreds of Russian horsemen arrived and gave them sacks of beans and a cow. Once liberated, he stayed for a while with a German teacher but then had to leave and walked 12 kilometers before being rescued. From Brussels, he flew back to England in a Lancaster.
John flew Halifaxes from Rutland at the end of the war.
John shares his views on the treatment of Bomber Command.
]]> Pam Locker]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Maureen Clarke]]> Sally Coulter]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Yorkshire]]> England--Hampshire]]> Germany]]> Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Jackie Simpson]]> Maureen Clarke]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> England--Buckinghamshire]]> 1945-01-04]]>