Didwell, N
Title
Didwell, N
Didwell, N (Bond, S collection)
Description
114 items. Corporal Norman Didwell served as ground crew on 99 Squadron at RAF Mildenhall from 1939 and then in the Middle East. Collection consists of documents and photographs of people, places and aircraft from the squadron's time in Great Britain, India and Cocos (Keeling) Islands.
The collection was licensed to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Dr Steve Bond and catalogued by Nigel Huckins. This collection was provided, in digital form, by a third-party organisation which used technical specifications and operational protocols that may differ from those used by the IBCC Digital Archive.
The collection was licensed to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Dr Steve Bond and catalogued by Nigel Huckins. This collection was provided, in digital form, by a third-party organisation which used technical specifications and operational protocols that may differ from those used by the IBCC Digital Archive.
Date
2022-01-18
Publisher
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘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. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
SBondS-DidwellNv1
Collection Items
Wellington landing
Painting of a Wellington coming in to land. Submitted with caption 'Wellington landing by Norman Didwell'. Additional information kindly provided by the donor.
A group of airmen in front of a Lancaster
Twenty-three aircrew wearing uniform tunic with brevet sitting and standing in three rows in front of a Lancaster. Submitted with caption 'Unknown Coastal Lancaster group [Norman Didwell]'. Additional information kindly provided by the donor.
Sea Hurricane
Hurricane mounted on catapult on bow of ship. Submitted with caption 'Sea Hurricane I V7070 on 'Empire Heath' 1 Nov 42 just before Plt Off Norman Taylor's combat with KG40 Condor'. Additional information kindly provided by the donor.
Sea Hurricane
Hurricane mounted on ship catapult. Submitted with caption 'Sea Hurricane I aboard unknown Merchant ship 2. Additional information kindly provided by the donor.
Sea Hurricane
Hurricane mounted on ship catapult. A pilot is standing in the cockpit and saluting. Submitted with caption 'Sea Hurricane I aboard unknown Merchant ship 1'. Additional information kindly provided by the donor.
Lancaster
Painting of a Lancaster parked on dispersal with bomb trolleys in front and men working. Submitted with caption 'Oakington Lancaster painting'. Additional information kindly provided by the donor.
Norman Didwell
Head and shoulders portrait of Norman Didwell wearing shirt and glasses, taken in garden. Submitted with caption 'Norman Didwell Sep 07'. Additional information kindly provided by the donor.
Conversation with Norman Didwell - early days of Wellington on 99 Squadron
Norman mentions the personnel and roles of the Wellington development flight. He discusses the arrival of Wellington on squadron and conversion of crews. He notes that most pilots were NCOs. Norman discusses the difference between and problems with…
Jens Henning Fisker Hansen
Biography of Danish volunteer in the Royal air Force. His history as a pre-war motorbike racer, volunteer for the RAF, time on 99 Squadron including incident when as a gunner he shot down an Me 110 (possibly a first in Bomber Command) , which had…
Short conversation with Norman Didwell 4
Norman discusses accident involving 99 Squadron Wellington which had an engine failure after take off and crashed into a barn.
Short conversation with Norman Didwell 3
Norman discusses fate of aircraft R3170 and names Gerald Francis Saxon (755373 Royal Air Force).
Short conversation with Norman Didwell 2
Norman discusses Harry Booth and photograph of Fred Calcraft? taken at RAF Mildenhall in 1938.
Short conversation with Norman Didwell
Norman mentions Evans twins on 99 Squadron and reference to Wellington as "Wimpies".
Conversation with Norman Didwell - photographs 2
Norman discusses photographs that they are looking through. He mentions Wing Commander Roy Max, various incidents with aircraft and other personalities. He also mentions loan of book and R-Robert. Covers photographs during visit to Canada.
Conversation with Norman Didwell - photographs
Norman discusses photographs and names of personnel on them. He also mentions plans for book; 99 Squadron association; how various memorabilia, including logbook was obtained.
Conversation with Norman Didwell - Jens Hansen
Norman relates some of the story of Jens Henning Fisker "Morian" Hansen shooting down a Me 110. He goes on to discuss various prisoners of war, including some who were murdered by the Gestapo after the escape from Stalag Luft 3 in March 1944.
Conversation with Norman Didwell - Hetherington crash
Norman describes refuelling operations and the layout of aircraft. He mentions the state of aircraft and casualties after return from operation. He also describes an accident of crash aircraft near an airfield, the rescue of crew and the presence of…
Conversation with Norman Didwell various losses
Talks about losses of aircraft on operations in France in December 1940.
Conversations with Norman Didwell
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…
Wing commander greeting two men
A wing commander shaking hands with two men wearing civilian suit, ties and hats with buildings in the background. Submitted with caption 'Wg Cdr Alan Craig DSO DFC, C Audrey Smith, Alan Adare British actor, Hollywood 35 Sqn goodwill tour'.…
Sergeant Cedric Charles Pettit DFM (562595 Royal Air Force)
DFM gazetted 2 Jan 1940 when he was a Corporal air gunner on 99 Squadron. Citation records action on 16/17 Jun 1944 as flight engineer in 550 Squadron Lancaster. Hit by flak which damage port engines, continued to attempt to bomb despite stuck bomb…
37 Squadron - Aircrew participating in the daylight Wellington raid of 18 December 1939
List of 31 aircrew with those killed in action (18) asterisked. Eight were taken as prisoners of war. Submitted with caption '37 Squadron losses Heligoland'. Additional information kindly provided by the donor.
Norman Didwell
Full length image of an airman wearing battledress top unbuttoned, hands in pockets,, standing in a field with trees in the background. Submitted with caption 'Norman 'looking and feeling Browned off May '44' [Norman Didwell]'.
Air routes to India
Hand drawn map showing detail of Persian Gulf and large scale of Middle East and India with routes.
A group of airmen in barrack block
A group of airmen behind a table in a barrack block room with Christmas decorations. Submitted with caption 'Barrack room Christmas '44 Habbaniya [Norman Didwell]'.
Collection Tree
- Didwell, Robert Norman William
- Didwell, N