Browse Items (1001 total)

  • Tags: ground crew

PBunceFSG1609.jpg
Sid was working at a garage and a member of the local Air Training Corps when he volunteered for the Royal Air Force. At 18, he was kitted out at Padgate and trained as a flight mechanic on engines at Blackpool. Sid describes his 18-week training…

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ACoultonWA161020.mp3
William Coulton was born in Derbyshire and worked as an errand boy for the Co-Op until he joined the Royal Air Force in 1943, aged 18. He trained as a flight mechanic and was posted to 115 Squadron at RAF Witchford where he worked on Lancasters. He…

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ADunnGC170308.mp3
George Dunn DFC joined the Royal Air Force in June 1941 and, initially, trained as a Wireless Operator/Air Gunner, before training in Canada as a Pilot. He flew aircraft such as Avro Ansons and Airspeed Oxford. He tells of his experiences as ‘second…

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PMabeyBC1605.jpg
Bernard Mabey was born in London and experienced the Blitz at first hand. He was a member of the Air Training Corps in 1941, before volunteering for the RAF. He trained as an air frame mechanic at RAF Locking. His first posting was RAF Marston Moor…

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AAn00202-150907.mp3
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…

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AOrmorodJ170207.mp3
John Ormerod left school at 14 and worked in the textile industry before he volunteered for RAF. Initially, he trained as flight mechanic but later re-mustered to be a flight engineer. He talks about synchronising props and the German speaking eighth…

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AWarrenH160325.mp3
Harold joined the Royal Air Force just before war started. After basic training, he went to a technical school to learn about engines and airframes. He spent some time at RAF Boscombe Down. When war started, he was in France as part of 218 Squadron…

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AWarrenHJ160506.mp3
When Harold left Canada, where he was testing aircraft, he returned to RAF Bicester in his maintenance role. With his experience of four-engine aircraft, he went as flight engineer to RAF Greenock, flying in Sunderlands to Canada and back. Their role…

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AGilbertAC161013.mp3
Alexander Gilbert, DFC, joined the Royal Air Force in November 1940, and started service on the 7 April 1941. He had a long and varied career in the RAF, rising to the rank of Squadron Leader. On call up, he was trained as a Flight Engineer Air…

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APageTJ160702.mp3
Thomas Page grew up in a farming family before joining the Royal Air Force in 1940, training as a flight mechanic. He was, initially, posted to 257 Squadron (Hurricanes) but soon went to Gloucester to train as a fitter, subsequently being posted to…

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AParryHP161011.mp3
Hugh Parry was born in Oswestry and joined the Air Force in April 1943 and volunteered to be an air gunner. Knowing that there was a height restriction of six feet on air gunners, he hid his height by wearing baggy trousers. After training, he was…

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PBarrettR1703.jpg
Raymond Barnes worked in factories before he joined the RAF. He trained as an engine fitter and was posted to the Mediterranean, the Middle East and the Far East. He was servicing Spitfires for 242 Squadron and then Dakotas for 267 Squadron. He was…

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PFraserDK1607.jpg
Donald Fraser completed a tour of operations as a flight engineer with 101 Squadron. He discusses the importance of ground personnel, his crew, his operations and the conditions at RAF Ludford Magna. He describes having to stop his mid-upper gunner…

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ACourtPR171211.mp3
Percival Robert Court joined the Air Training Corps in March 1941, volunteering for the Royal Air Force at the earliest age of 17 and a half. Training at RAF Cardington, he became a flight mechanic. He then moved to RAF Skegness to continue formal…

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AInstoneTS160407.mp3
Thomas (Stan) Instone was working at a factory making Bristol Hercules engines but volunteered to be aircrew as soon as he was of age. Initially his application was unsuccessful but he persevered and trained as ground crew. He later re-mustered as a…

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AJacksonDM171130.mp3
David Jackson tells of his father, Norman Jackson VC, born in Ealing, London in 1919 who was working in an engineering company when the war broke out. After initially trying to join the navy, he then joined the RAF and classified as a fitter on…

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AJuryAR171222.mp3
Alan Jury began his career with the RAF as an engineering apprentice at RAF Halton. When he retired from the RAF he joined the Parish Council at his local village and was informed that a Lancaster had crashed in the village in March 1945. After a…

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AMackieGA171222.mp3
George Mackie served in the RAF as a pilot. He flew 44 operations, 15 as a second pilot. He was posted to 15 Squadron in 1941 and critically examines the state of Bomber Command at the time. He was posted to RAF Waterbeach for 18 months, where he…

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PSearleROJ1709.jpg
Rex Searle joined the RAF in 1938 as an air frame fitter. He was based at RAF Hendon and then at RAF Biggin Hill with 601 Squadron before the squadron was split and he moved with them to France. He was evacuated back to the UK via Boulogne as the…

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PSearleROJ1709.jpg
While Rex Searle was an air frame fitter with 601 Squadron he was evacuated from France at the start of the war. He returned home for a short leave but, not wanting to wake the family, waited patiently from 4 a.m. until 6 a.m. when his mum started…

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AStapleyVA160802.mp3
Victor Stapley was born in Ilford in Essex, where he was fond of playing cricket. He left school at 15 and worked at a tobacco company. He then became a shipping manager, a job which involved shipping spaces whilst not having any telephones in his…

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ATownsleyH180314.mp3
Henry Townsley was born near Workington, left school aged 14 and started work as an apprentice vehicle fitter. After a spell as a junior engineer in the Merchant Navy, in April 1940 he volunteered for the RAF, rather than the Navy as he suffered from…

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AWilliamsVD170403.mp3
Vivian joined the Royal Air Force in July 1938 as a flight mechanic and served for seven and a half years. After square drills at RAF Uxbridge and a course at RAF Manston, he did a basic engineering course at RAF Henlow. After six months at RAF St…

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AYeandleBA181229.mp3
After leaving school, Bertram Yeandle joined the RAF apprentice scheme and trained as an engine fitter at RAF Halton. After completing his apprenticeship at RAF Cosford, he was posted to 148 Squadron, RAF Harwell, where he serviced Wellingtons. In…

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SHarriganD[Ser#-DoB]v090002.mp3
Leading Aircraftsman Richard Moore joined up aged 18 and completed his basic training in Lincolnshire. He served as ground crew at RAF Locking, RAF Squires Gate and RAF Wickenby, working on several types of aircraft. He was able to take the controls…

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