Browse Items (133 total)

  • Tags: forced landing

EDavidsonAP[Unknown]J450224-01.jpg
John was tasked with investigating Peter Stevens' RAF record in order to ascertain his suitability for British citizenship. Additional information about this item was kindly provided by the donor.

This item was sent to the IBCC Digital Archive…

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SBondS-RichardsonAv10014.MP3
Jock begins the interview with joining up and first flying on 201 Squadron, with Flying Boats from Sullom Voe. He then, briefly, covers training as wireless operator/air gunner. He was posted to 38 Squadron on Wellingtons in July 1940 at RAF Marham…

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PLeicesterD1601.jpg
David was called up in August 1941 and went to the Initial Training School at Victor Harbor. Elementary Flying Training School followed, and he was posted to Parafield, flying Tiger Moths. He then went to the Service Flying Training School at Point…

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MMcDonaldEA1076160-150914-01.pdf
Consisting of three parts: The first part gives an eye witness account of an aircraft crash and its aftermath. The second part describes the 'Skilling Follies', an aircrew who completed 25 operations from RAF Skellingthorpe. The third part…

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ABaronC160321.mp3
Charles Baron grew up in London and volunteered for aircrew in 1940, where he trained as a navigator and on radar. He later volunteered for overseas duties and was posted to India, where he flew intruder operations over Burma. After the war, he…

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AHolmesGH161016.mp3
George was born in Mansfield and was bought up by his grandparents until he was seven when he moved back to his parents in Leicester, where his father ran a coffee shop. He was a semi-professional musician playing violin, trumpet and mandolin. He…

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ARobinsonD160911.mp3
Douglas was in the Local Defence Volunteers before joining the Royal Air Force as a pilot. After RAF Babbacombe, he did initial training at RAF Scarborough and then in Rhodesia. Initial flight training in Harare on Tiger Moths was followed by service…

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PCrabbJL1701.jpg
John Crabb transferred to the RAF from the Army. He began training as a pilot in the USA but then returned to train as an observer in Canada. On his return was posted to 49 Squadron. After 13 operations he and the bomb aimer developed colds and were…

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SCuthillCR574146v10009.jpg
The first page is annotated 'Unpublished writing by Charles Cuthill, publication rights please, Matt Nicol'. The exctract continues with an account of icing, flashes round the aircraft and static on the intercom, along with a description of difficult…

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AWaughmanR150803.mp3
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…

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Mieczysław Stachiewicz.jpg
Mieczysław describes his military training from his Polish secondary school before volunteering for the Polish Air Force. He was evacuated to Warsaw but the railway lines were cut by the Germans. His squadron re-assembled on the Romanian border,…

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AHolmesWC151105.mp3
William Holmes remembers his time as a pilot in the RAF. He gives a vivid and graphic account of the dramatic crash-landing which left him badly injured and brought him to join the Guinea Pig Club. William remembers various episodes of his…

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PKilleenKAL1701.jpg
Ken Kileen was called up and reported to ACRC in London at the beginning of 1942. He started flying as a navigator at 12 Air School, Queenstown in South Africa flying in Oxfords and Ansons. On his return to UK in 1943, he joined 83 OTU at RAF Peplow…

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AMarriottMW170824.mp3
Having been interested in aircraft through the Air Training Corps, Maurice joined the Royal Air Force in 1942 and went to RAF Cardington. In July 1943 he went to the Air Crew Reception Centre at Lord’s Cricket Ground, followed by 17 Initial Training…

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PHorshamES1602.jpg
Eric Horsham was born in East London in 1923 and, after leaving school aged 14 he was a messenger at the Royal Ordnance factory before working for the railways. In 1937 he joined the Air Training Corps and learned about aircraft maintenance. On his…

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SClydeSmithD39856v10011.pdf
Starts with joining on short service commission and covers, in great detail, his pilot training activities, including a crash landing during a cross country. After receiving his wings award, he moves to trials work, target towing and aircraft…

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SBondS-VandervordDv10009.pdf
Edited transcript. Begins by recalling joining up and pilot training on Tiger Moth, Anson and Wellington. Posted to 218 Squadron at RAF Marham as second pilot, and mentions the first pilots he flew with. He recalls an operation where they had to…

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SBondS-VandervordDv10014.MP3
David Vandervord explains that, as a Wellington second pilot, he never actually handled the aircraft on operations. He mentions leaflet dropping. He, initially, joined the civil air guard and started pilot training but this was interrupted by the…

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AMcDonaldEA150918.mp3
Allan McDonald was born in Hull and watched Alan Cobham’s Flying Circus as a child. He worked as an apprentice electrician before joining the Air Force. He served as ground personnel in Northern Ireland until he passed the exams to become aircrew…

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BRichardson20260210.pdf
Harry Richardson grew up in Bolton and North Wembley before beginning pilot training as war broke out. After qualifying, he flew his first tour of operations with 149 Squadron from RAF Mildenhall. He then became an instructor at 27 OTU, flying…

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PHammondBF1801.jpg
Bert Hammond was born and brought up in Norwich and was working as a grocer’s assistant, as well as being an air cadet, at the start of the war. He recalls bombing attacks on Norwich and a lone aircraft machine gunning female workers leaving the…

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ATrotmanPJ180604.mp3
Applying for RAF Bomber Command in May 1940, Percival Trotman was called up in September 1940, training as a pilot at RAF Towyn in Aberystwyth. Being present at Coventry when the town was bombed, he recalls deciding that the Germans deserved to have…

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ADellowJA170617.mp3
James ‘Jim’ Albert Dellow had to register the start of the war he as he was 18 years old. On being asked which service he would prefer, he opted for the Royal Air Force as a pilot. Whilst waiting for his call up, he worked in an insurance office in…

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YJamesER[Ser#-DoB]v1.pdf
A detailed diary of ER James' operations. On the first pages are a photograph of his crew and their names. Included with the text are several aerial photographs and newspaper cuttings.

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BMannionFMannionFv10002.jpg
Notes arrived at POW Camp Luckenvalde IIIA February 8th. Escaped form there in May. Lists some of his operations and result of combat against enemy aircraft and damage by anti-aircraft fire. Includes forced landing at Pershore and eventually shot…

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