Cheshire, Leonard

Title

Cheshire, Leonard
Cheshire, Geoffrey Leonard
Baron Cheshire

Description

375 items concerning Group Captain Leonard Cheshire VC, OM, DSO & Two Bars, DFC. Collection consists of photographs of people, vehicles, places, aircraft, weapons and targets; documents including, private and service letters, signals, telegrams, intelligence reports, crew lists and official documents. Cheshire served on 102 and 35 Squadrons and commanded 76 and 617 Squadrons. The collection includes details of 617 Squadron's precision bombing operations. Also included are two sub-collections: one containing 21 photographs of Tinian and Saipan, the other consisting of 37 audio tapes of speeches given by Cheshire after the war.

The collection has been licenced to the IBCC Digital Archive by The Leonard Cheshire Archive and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.

Date

2019-06-25

Publisher

IBCC Digital Archive

Rights

This content is property of the Leonard Cheshire Archive which has kindly granted the International Bomber Command Centre Digital Archive a royalty-free permission to publish it. Please note that it was digitised by a third-party which used technical specifications that may differ from those used by International Bomber Command Centre Digital Archive. It has been published here ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre.

Collection Items

Limoges railway station and marshalling yard
A reconnaissance photograph showing a large town with a river running from lower left to top right. A station and marshalling yard are in the middle of the left half and a further marshalling yard and the aero-engine factory are on the upper right…

Limoges railway station and marshalling yard
A reconnaissance photograph showing a large town with a river running from lower left to right. Just right of centre is a railway station with marshalling yard. A further marshalling yard is on the right side Both marshalling yards are indicated by…

Group Captain Leonard Cheshire's decorations
Framed collection of Leonard Cheshire's Victoria Cross, his signature, brevet, medal ribbons, photograph of him in uniform, and an image of a Lincoln flying over Lincoln Cathedral.

Four tapes of reading of 'The Light of many Suns - the meaning of the bomb', by Leonard Cheshire. Recorded for the Torbay Tapes for the handicapped and housebound association by kind permission of the publisher Methuen and Lady Rider. Reader is…

First, talking to Catholic Overseas Aid in Auckland, Leonard starts with mention of previous visit when he got support for a project in India. He talks about his wife's organisation work in Poland, Yugoslavia and other parts of Europe. He gives…

Question about human ability to cope with crisis objectively and whether there were any circumstances in which a nuclear war was morally justified. Cheshire provides his answers. Explains his rationale for atomic bombing of Japan. Question on use of…

Starts by defining morality and physical and moral laws. Comments on his own experience and describes why WW2 started. Talks of the rationale of atomic bombing of Japan. Goes on to discuss pacifism. Goes on to discuss war and the decision to use…

Starts by talking about the fact that his generation had rejected war, but governments made mistakes, so they were thrown into world war. Retells of event after the war that prompted him to work with the disabled. Told of spread of his organisation…

Second - Monday, October 21st, Adelaide, evening meeting of the sponsors. States it was a privilege to serve with Australians in the RAF. Talks about his and his wife's work with disabled. Comments on his home in Britain and other countries and in…

First - Leonard Cheshire - Sacred Heart College: talk to the school. Talks of the dambusters and their operation to the German dams. Goes on to talk of operations against V-weapon sites and other operations carried out by 617 Squadron. Goes on to…

Description refers to several tapes and talks. However attachment and transcription only refer to the first tape.



Talks of the commonwealth countries vital contribution to the second world war. Looks back on his time in the air force and draws…

Defines force and morality. Looks at the circumstance leading to use of force. Discusses natural, man-made and divine laws and their impact om use of force. Goes on to discuss place of pacifism in the argument. Loos at question of duty as Christians.…

Talks about the 617 Squadron and their operation against German dams. Continues with recollection of his time on the squadron and operations against v-weapons with Barnes Wallis designed bombs. Mentions development of low-level marking techniques and…

Talks about the role that disabled have to play in the world. Gives background for the world, himself and his wife before the war. Continues with talk of cost of war. Mentions his wife had been involved with special forces. Continues with her work…

Talks briefly of the squadron, Guy Gibson, Sir Ralph Cochrane and international nature of aircrew. Continues with message of peace and sends warmest greetings. Submitted with caption 'Possible message from Group Captain Leonard Cheshire played at the…

Talks of memories of wartime aircrew and his experiences. Continues with advice for the future for those on parade. Submitted with caption 'Speech by Leonard Cheshire at Passing Out Parade at RAF Swinderby. He reminisces about his own passing out…

Remembrance Sunday. Talk by Leonard Cheshire on the meaning of Remembrance Sunday. Short speech about war and remembrance, the dead. Explains why national act of remembrance was instigated. and talks about the unknown soldier and mentions work of war…

Interview with Leonard Cheshire. He talks about school, the ATC, university and other memories of early life. Continues with events leading to, and outbreak of the war and joining the RAF. Continues with promotions and command of 617 Squadron,…

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…

Notes that he took part in annual general meeting of the organisation and makes some comment on their progress. States that he would loke to talk not just about the Legion but also associations, clubs, institutions and ceremonies that were born out…

Talks about his invitation to propose toast and about the club. Recounts previous speakers talk on first world war episode. Mentions clubs that had origin in either world war. Continue with remarks on lessons learned from the wars. Goes on to mention…

Group Captain Leonard Cheshire: Staff college, RAF Bracknell, September 4th, 1980. Morality of Force. States that cornerstones of the use of armed forces are that you have to know that your cause is right, good and necessary and that the means you…

After opening remarks and thanks states that he would offer a personal reflection on the war. Tells story about rapid promotion in the air force in wartime. Tells of the lessons he learned in wartime. Reflects in his first operational posting and…

Thanks all for opportunity to speak. Sates that he would look back and reflect on memories of the war. Briefly mentions promotion in wartime and tells story. Looks back at his service history and relates some events including his first squadron and…

Service in a hangar. Talks about first national act of remembrance in 1919. Lists and explains what made Battle of Britain stand out in national memory. Then puts battle in context of the whole of the war. Introduces some Christian context.…
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