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Interview with Leslie Temple
Leslie Temple spent four years in the Air Training Corps before joining the Royal Air Force as a radio operator. He completed a tour of 30 operations with 101 Squadron at RAF Ludford Magna, as a German speaking special operator. He describes how…
Interview with Fred Young
Fred Young volunteered for the Royal Air Force at 17 and flew operations as a flight engineer with 57 Squadron from RAF East Kirkby. He recounts his experiences on several operations including Berlin, Magdeburg, Leipzig, Essen, Munich, Dresden, and…
Interview with Bernie Harris. One
Bernie Harris joined the Royal Air Force in 1943 and trained to become an air gunner. His first operation was Operation Manna, dropping food on Holland at the end of the war.
Interview with Stuart Michael Heaton
Michael Heaton grew up in Worcester and was a member of the Air Training Corps. He worked in a bank before joining the Royal Air Force and training as a navigator in Canada. He completed 22 operations as a navigator with 50 Squadron from RAF…
Interview with Harry Winter
Harry Winter grew up in Cardiff and worked in a paper mill from the age of 14. He served in the Home Guard before volunteering for the Air Force. After training as a wireless operator at RAF Yatesbury he flew operations over Germany, France, and…
Interview with Gordon Mellor. One
Gordon Mellor grew up in London and was interested in aviation. He volunteered for the Air Force and trained as a navigator in Canada. On his return to the UK he and his crew were posted to 103 Squadron. Returning from an operation they were attacked…
Interview with Phillip Winter
Philip Winter worked in the civil service before he volunteered for the Air Force. He trained as a pilot and flew three operations with 102 Squadron before he was wounded in the ankle. After recuperation he flew towing targets for air gunnery…
Interview with Colin Farr
Colin was born in Ilford in 1920 and, at the outbreak of war, was working in a London warehouse. Seeing the bomb damage around him he wanted to join the RAF and seek revenge, so he volunteered. Unfortunately, following an accident, he had a plaster…
Interview with Alfred Huberman
Alfred Huberman volunteered for the RAF when he was 18 and trained as an air gunner. He describes the training and emphasises how physically hard it was. He flew 31 operations in Lancasters, from RAF Elsham Wolds. These included operations over the…
Interview with Frederick Limer
Freddie Frederick volunteered for the Royal Air Force and did a course in Blackpool. He was posted to No. 12 Initial Training Wing at St Andrew, although was unsuccessful in his flying test. Freddie was then trained at RCAF Moncton in Canada and…
Interview with Derrick Stubbs
Derrick Stubbs joined the RAF at 17, after lying about his age after previously being told he was too young by the army recruiter. After training at Catfoss, Derrick was posted to Egypt and was attacked by U-boats on route. Derrick did some training…
Interview with Bill Moore. One
William Moore was born in Dunoon, Scotland in August 1924 and joined the Royal Air Force after spending some time in the Air Cadet Defence Corps and in the Air Training Corps. He volunteered for the Royal Air Force at the age of 17 and completed his…
Interview with Sidney Borthwick
Sidney enlisted on 4th January 1944 at the Air Crew Reception Centre, Lord’s cricket ground. He was accepted despite a tumour on his left arm. Sidney was a rear gunner on Lancasters. After trained at Blackpool, he served at RAF Bottesford, RAF…
Interview with Jack Alexander Cook
Beginning the war in a reserved occupation, Jack eventually volunteered for the Royal Air Force, however, it would take the majority of the war before he joined. Eventually being called up for Bomber Command in 1944, Jack trained as a wireless…
Interview with David Rose
David Rose was born in Swanage, Dorset. His father had been in the Medical Corps during the First World War and suffered ill health afterwards. David believed his father had as much reason to be on the War Memorial as his two brothers who died during…
Icelandic Hunters: No 269 Squadron
![SKnoxRW[Ser#-DoB]v80005.jpg](https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/square_thumbnails/1956/41447/SKnoxRW[Ser -DoB]v80005.jpg "SKnoxRW[Ser#-DoB]v80005.jpg")
A brief history of 269 Squadron.
Eric Coling memoir
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…
Memoir of Victory in Europe day
Recollection of events of Victory in Europe day when author and a bunch of ATS girls volunteered to welcome repatriated troops (prisoners of war) home. Travelled to a base near Bicester where planes landed with returning troops. Disembarking troops…
Statement of Angiolina Michelozzi about some Allied servicemen
Angiolina Michelozzi claims she helped, from September 1943 to the September 1944, some allied prisoners of war, bringing them food and clothes in the woods where they hid.
Statement of Angiolina Nesi about some Allied servicemen
Angiolina Nesi claims she helped thirteen English prisoners of war, from 10 September 1943 to 25 December 1943, giving them food, and clothes: R Cook (2620196), Guardsman C Simmons (2616361), W Howard (913574), J Jones (946866) and other nine…
Statement of Angiolina Pratesi about an Allied serviceman
Angiolina Pratesi claims she hosted an English prisoner of war in her house for fifteen days, from 16 to 30 October 1943. Then, he was recaptured by fascist militiamen.
P-38 crashing near Pocenia
A P-38 crashes in flames near a canal which is bordered by vegetation. Four other aircraft are visible in the sky amongst bursts of anti-aircraft fire.
Label reads “121”; signed by the author; caption reads “13 LUGLIO 1944. Cacciabombardiere…
Label reads “121”; signed by the author; caption reads “13 LUGLIO 1944. Cacciabombardiere…
The Bombing of Munich
The ruins of buildings and industrial plants in Munich are silhouetted against a wall of flames and smoke. At the top of the frame, a portion of blue sky appears to be full of aircraft, some of them crashing in flames. Anti-aircraft batteries, a…
Battle of the Espero convoy. Part 1
An exchange of salvos is taking place between three Regia Marina vessels and seven Royal Navy ships crossing a calm sea. Plumes of black smoke are billowing out of the funnels. Shell splashes are occurring around the Italian ships.
Label reads…
Label reads…
Battle of the Espero convoy. Part 2
A fire is raging on the deck of the Espero. Explosions send large amounts of water shooting up into the sky. A second vessel, engulfed in flames and smoke, is visible in the background.
Label reads “8”; signed by the author; caption reads…
Label reads “8”; signed by the author; caption reads…