Browse Items (69 total)

  • Tags: tractor

BLeedhamALeedhamAv10001.jpg
Details of Alma's early life in London, joining the Woman's Auxiliary Air Force in 1941 and training as a driver. She relates experiences at RAF Scampton and then with 57 Squadron as a tractor driver, pulling bomb trolleys. Subsequently went to East…

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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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PBakerWB16040008.jpg
Top - painting of a Lancaster being bombed up. Captioned 'Winter of 43 somewhere in England. by David Shepherd'.
Bottom - photograph - view from above of a Lancaster with Spitfire and Hurricane on either wing over sea. Captioned 'Memorial in Flight,…

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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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MHalesARSA348737-200228-010001.jpg
A movement order detailing the transfer of 214 Squadron from Feltwell to Stradishall.
Personnel involved are listed in four Appendices.

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BReattigDWRaettigDWv10001.jpg
Wartime memoir covering Dennis Raettig's training at Blackpool and his posting to 104 Squadron at RAF Driffield in August 1941. He describes his work on Wellington aircraft and recalls his time at RAF Driffield including deployment to RAF Pocklington…

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PSaunstonFR1701.jpg
Frank Saunston joined the ATC in 1941 and the RAF in 1942. He worked as a transport driver at RAF Peplow and then as a forklift driver at RAF Methwold on the bomb dump. He describes his role and his duties and gives details regarding the bombs used.…

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BFraserDKFraserDKv1.pdf
Memoir describing his life and service career in the RAF, listing 29 operations in which he participated, along with notes on specific operations, and recounting a brief history of the Lancaster.

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PHawkinsGCG25010032.jpg
A man and a girl sitting on driving seat of a tracked tractor. Captioned ‘Doant ee get oi wrong missy - Oi be oanly a changing gear’.

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PWatsonD1511.jpg
Donald Watson joined the Royal Air Force in 1941, having previously worked in the print industry. After training he served as an armourer with 61 Squadron at RAF Skellingthorpe.
He wishes that the ground crew, without whom the aircrew could not…

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BRaebelGWRaebelGWv1.pdf
The document begins with a foreword by Geoffrey Raebel to his son, Shaun. There then follows an introduction to Bob Raebel's early life and his joining the Royal Australian Air Force in 1940 in a ground trade. He left Australia in 1941 as a member of…

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ABeechH160924.mp3
Harold Beech was born in Middle Rasen, Lincolnshire. He was six when war was declared and saw the construction of many airfields near his home. As a schoolboy, he also watched aircraft being transported on the back of Queen Marys. The family housed a…

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Vera Willis.jpg
Vera Willis volunteered for the Women's Auxiliary Air Force because she wanted to be a driver. Her driving career in the RAF involved driving driving aircrew to dispersal.This content is available as embedded video:

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ALeedhamA160514.mp3
Alma Leedham grew up in London and worked for Hawker aircraft on the Hurricane at the start of the war. She later trained as a driver in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force, and served at RAF Scampton driving tractors taking bombs to the aircraft. Alma…

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Vera Willis.jpg
Vera Willis nee Tomlinson volunteered for the Women's Auxiliary Air Force because she wanted to be a driver. Her driving career in the RAF involved driving long distances as well as driving aircrew to dispersal. Some crew gave her letters for…

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BNicholsJEKNicholsJEKv1.jpg
Posted to motor transport section of 77 Squadron at RAF Elvington in November 1942. Writes of duties, location and social activities. Mentions commanders and feeling part of the squadron. Posted to RAF Sandtoft in 1944. Gives dates of service June…

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APeelE161018.mp3
Eric Peel worked in the Cotton Exchange in Liverpool before he volunteered for the RAF. He trained as an armourer and was, initially, posted to 56 Squadron at RAF Sutton Bridge where he worked on Hurricanes. He was then posted to 103 Squadron at…

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AGreenKS150713.mp3
Kenneth Green was born on the 17 January 1922 at Pleasley, near Mansfield and worked with the Carlton Auxillary Fire Service, before joining the Royal Air Force at the age of 20. Being unable to fly due to eye problems, he trained as an engineer and…

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SBondS-DidwellNv10002.pdf
Transcript of discussions and includes information from a letter dated 21 April 1986. Norman Didwell was flight rigger on 99 Squadron at Mildenhall and Newmarket and then at Middle East staging posts, Transport Command RAF Waterbeach and Gatow…

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MCleggPV[DoB]-150701-01.pdf
A history of the Avro Repair Organisation at Bracebridge Heath. Aircraft with Category B damage were disassembled and taken to Bracebridge for repair. Contractor’s Working Parties repaired Category A damaged aircraft on their station using spares…

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BAndersonRJAndersonRJv1.pdf
A 58 page account in which Robert Anderson describes his training in Tasmania and Canada, and his tour of operations to targets in France and Germany with 106 Squadron.

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PWatsonD1508.jpg
Lancaster 'N' with pilot at the controls looking out of the open cockpit window. At the nose are trolleys with bombs being prepared by seven armourers. Six aircrew wearing Mae Wests are standing behind the bomb trolley. A tractor and buildings are in…

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PWatsonD1509.jpg
A group of ground personnel, some kneeling, most standing, some dressed in fatigues but most in full uniform. Two are standing on a tractor. Behind is a Nissen hut. On the reverse '61 Sqdn Crew Don is in there Somewhere. 1944'

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PRaettigDW16030005.jpg
Six airmen standing round and four sitting on a towing tractor. they are wearing battledress or tunic and three have side caps. At the rear a towing bar and in the background open ground, engine trestles and a line of trees. Dennis W Raettig front…

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PFalgateD16030105.jpg
Snowy landscape with five Lancasters on their dispersals, in the foreground tractor and bomb trolley with large bomb, armourers waiting to load.

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