Browse Items (477 total)

  • Tags: mine laying

SCheshireGL72021v20018-0001.mp3
At dinner held to commemorate 30th anniversary of VE Day on 10 May 1975 at RAF Club, London. Starts with greetings sent and toasts proposed by unidentified men. Present are Lord Boothby, Sir Athur Harris, and Air Marshall Broom. Starts with speech by…

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MRoyallGL1801494-220420-02.pdf
Magazine of 48 Air School, South Africa. On the front cover is written: '1801494 LAC ROYALL G.L. 27/6/43'. The magazine contains articles of local and war news, a description of what life is currently like in Britain, photographs of key personnel at…

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CWittyAR-170323-010099.jpg
Map showing southern England and northern France with pencilled route from Lincoln area to sea west of La Rochelle. Annotated top right 'Op No. 26, 10/8/44'. On the reverse 'Witty'.

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CWittyAR-170323-010101.jpg
Details of squadron, aircraft, captain, navigator, date, orders, route and four pages of en-route navigation observations. Note on top right 'Op No 26'.

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BWittyARWittyARv1.pdf
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…

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Complete history of the aircraft from 1942 to placement in RAF Museum. Delivered to 83 Squadron at RAF Scampton. Lists all flights with crews and provides details of operations and other sorties. First operation was on 8/9 July 1942. Was founder…

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BGambleATGambleATv1.pdf
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…

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SKnoxVD63842v10022.pdf
A communication to the men and women of Bomber Command from Air Chief Marshall A T Harris in which he summarises the impact of Bomber Command. References the disruption of enemy communications, industrial output and submarine training; striking…

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SHughesCL1334982v10022.pdf
Letters from air secretary branch stating that commissioning parchment was being prepared. Letter from RAF Historian researcher stating that he would obtain and send on the recommendation for his Distinguished Flying Cross and also copies of all his…

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ACahirFS160608.mp3
Jim Cahir grew up in Australia. He originally joined the army but later was transferred to the Royal Australian Air Force. He flew operations as a mid upper gunner, with 466 Squadron. His aircraft was shot down and he became a prisoner of war. After…

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PSmithJ1601.jpg
When the war began, Jean was working in the Ministry of Aircraft Production. She joined the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force in 1942 and did two months’ training at Innsworth camp. Jean was posted to 27 Operational Training Unit at RAF Lichfield, as…

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AFittP150519.mp3
Peter was born in Norwich. His father was a head gardener and wanted him to follow that occupation and so refused to let him join the RAF. With the advent of war, the situation changed and Peter volunteered at a recruiting station and, after…

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ALastRR151125.mp3
Ronald Last grew up in Dorset and worked as an apprentice for the local gas and water company before volunteering for the Air Force. He attended the reception centre at Lord's Cricket Ground and describes the medical tests and inoculations recruits…

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MDawsonSR142531-160516-01.pdf
The notebook (consisting of 53 pages) contains written accounts of 32 operations to targets in Germany, Italy and France, between June and November 1943 as well as a list of his crew. Accounts include bomb loads and descriptions of operations…

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PRichardsonH2501.jpg
Harry describes his early life and operations on Wellingtons with 149 Squadron and then on Liberators in the Far East with 59 Squadron.

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BRobertsRFKittridgeAv1.pdf
Describes enlisting in the aircraft apprentice scheme, recruitment and training. He flew 23 operations, one as wireless operator/air gunner, 12 as navigator/bomb aimer and ten as pilot. Pilots were Squadron Leader Allen, Sergeant Stretton, Pilot…

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PLucasWE1501.jpg
W E (Bill) Lucas joined the Royal Air Force in 1940, where he trained as a fighter pilot flying Miles Magisters and Miles Masters, before being posted to RAF Lossiemouth and moving into Bomber Command where he flew the Vickers Wellington 1C. He flew…

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PLancasterJ1501.jpg
After leaving school, Jo Lancaster was an aircraft apprentice with Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft Company in Coventry. Having volunteered for the Air Force, he trained as a pilot and completed a tour on Wellingtons with 40 Squadron from RAF Alconbury.…

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BBarffAColingEFv1.pdf
Time in the RAF including selection as an observer, enrolment at Lord's Cricket Ground, navigational dead reckoning and meteorology training in Eastbourne and Paignton. Time spent on navigational sorties in Grahamstown, South Africa in Ansons and…

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AClarkeE150817.mp3
Eric was born in Doncaster and had a difficult childhood. He was attracted by nearby RAF Finningley and decided he wanted to join the RAF, when war was imminent. He was registered as an aircraftman second class and trained to be a wireless operator.…

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AMcNamara150722.mp3
Len McNamara was born in Bristol in 1924. While working as an apprentice plumber, he joined the Air Training Corps and volunteered for aircrew. He discusses his initial training at various stations, the gunnery course he passed with merit and…

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AMusgroveJ150812.mp3
Born in York in 1922, Joseph left school at 14 and started work in a chocolate factory, whilst attending two nights of further education per week. In 1936, a fighter aircraft had landed nearby which stimulated his life-long interest in flying. After…

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MBartlettA[Ser#-DoB]-150520-040001.jpg
The writer describes events during a mine laying operation, in a Stirling, to the Gironde River near Bordeaux. He relates how the aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire which damaged the tail and an engine, as well as wounding the flight engineer. He…

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MLongNJ1581956-190516-01.pdf
Message from Arthur Harris to all Bomber Command Personnel.

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YMaceHA1295485v1 1.pdf
A diary kept during Arthur's RAF service.
There is a second diary for 1943 only and its contents are identical to the first diary. A third diary covers 1944.

Year 1942
The diary describes tedium and excitement of training through 1942. He…

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