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Memoirs of an Air Gunner
![ABedfordRG[Date]-01.mp3](/omeka/application/views/scripts/images/fallback-audio.png "ABedfordRG[Date]-01.mp3")
Ron Bedford volunteered for the Royal Air Force and was told he had the aptitude to be a pilot but re-mustered as an air gunner, to avoid waiting for call up. He reads the "Message of Welcome" letter he received in July 1942 from the Secretary of…
Michael Peel interview. Two
Michael Peel was posted to 44 Squadron based at RAF Dunholme Lodge. On one operation, at midnight, his crew wished him a happy 21st birthday. On another occasion, they found they still had a bomb in the bomb bay and, as the Flying Control did not…
Interview with Dr James Hendrie Burt. Two
During his time as medical officer at RAF Waddington, James Burt was responsible for inspecting sanitation and food hygiene, as well as general medicine. On one occasion he also had to travel to RAF Tangmere to investigate the death of a member of…
Interview with Dr James Hendrie Burt. One
James Burt conducted his medical training St Andrew’s University in Scotland. Although he and his friends had tried to join a Service during the war, their training was a Reserved Occupation and, not only were they refused but they were strictly…
Michael Peel interview. One
Michael Peel was with the university squadron before volunteering for the RAF. He wanted to be a navigator but was encouraged to train as a pilot. He went to Canada to train in Harvards and Tiger Moths. In conversation with his son he discusses his…
Interview with Terry Lloyd
Terry Lloyd’s older brother was a wireless operator in Bomber Command and became a prisoner of war. Terry was also determined to join the RAF as aircrew. However, he was rejected due to his eyesight and served on Air Sea Rescue launches. Terry was…
Interview with Eric Haynes
Eric Haynes recalls his service in the RAF as a coxswain in Air Sea Rescue. He enlisted on 4 September 1939 as a photographer; however, when he was mustered in January 1940, he was told there were no photography spaces. He entered service as RAF…
Interview with George Griffiths
George Griffiths recounts his service in the RAF from 1942, when he volunteered as a Wireless Operator. In June 1942, he was called up and completed his Wireless Operator training before being posted to Norfolk in February 1943. During this time, he…
Interview with Ken Done
Kenneth Done recalls his service in the RAF as a Wireless Operator in Air Sea Rescue. During school, he joined the Cadet Corps, where he reached the rank of Company Sergeant Major. He applied for the RAF, hoping to be a Fighter Pilot but after being…
Interview with Bill Bilton
William (Bill) Bilton recounts his 6 years of service in the RAF Marine Section, from 1940-1946. During his time in Air Sea Rescue, he served in the UK and Europe, assisting RAF operations from the waters. At his first posting in Dover, William was…
Interview with Mollie Caunt, Michael Bassett and Professor David Stocker about the Freiburg Letters
Talk with Mollie Caunt, Michael Bassett and Professor David Stocker about the origin and publication of the Freiburg letters.
Dorothy May was a British woman living in Germany during the war. Her husband was conscripted into the Germany Army.…
Dorothy May was a British woman living in Germany during the war. Her husband was conscripted into the Germany Army.…
Interview with Ray Parke. Two
Ray Parke trained as a flight engineer. During one training flight, the pilot wanted to get back to base as soon as possible because he had a date but they were flying a Stirling. The pilot made an error on landing and the wheel stayed in the ditch…
Interview with Gwendoline Thickett
Gwendoline Thickett grew up in Rotherham and was a young schoolgirl when the Second World War began. She was in Sunday School at her local church when the news of the declaration of war was announced. Her parents had already begun to prepare for…
Interview with Rex John Arnett
Rex was born in 1924 and grew up in Toronto, Canada. In 1942,aged 18, he joined the RCAF as aircrew. He initially started training as the second member of a Mosquito crew but was later changed to wireless operator/air gunner. Having completed his…
Interview with Geoff Brown
Geoff was born and lived in the same area of Grimsby all his life, at the date of his interview he was 93. The first part of the interview concentrated on his experience of finding a German butterfly bomb close to his home. Geoff described how, after…
Interview with Patricia Cook
Patricia Cook was born in Lincoln, one of eight children, during the Second World War. She recalls having to sleep four to a bed and having to share their house with complete strangers. They had the Morrison shelter table in their front room. The…
Interview with Peter Zolty
Peter was born in Erdington, Birmingham. He joined the RAF and was trained at the Empire Air Training School in Canada. He re-mustered as a navigator and was with 49 Squadron for a short time. Peter then joined 106 Squadron and did a tour of 34…
Interview with Monty Felton
Monty grew up in Croydon and became an articled accountant in London before joining the RAF. Training at the Initial Training Wing in Torquay was followed by RAF Bishops Court in Northern Ireland and RAF Kinloss, which had a flight simulation room.…
Interview with Frank Edwards
Frank was born in London. He recalls a V-1 coming over and taking shelter in the London underground. Frank talks of his evacuation to the countryside near Croxton Kerrial, when he was nearly five. He was accompanied by his two brothers and,…
Interview with Peter Offord Davies. Part Two
Peter volunteered in 1942 and was accepted early in 1943. He outlines the combat training they received and talks of the rations he received early in the war and on the RAF station. He describes the autonomy of his anti-aircraft unit. Reflecting on…
Interview with Peter Offord Davies. Part One
Peter was born in Coventry. Although in the army, Peter was stationed on RAF airfields and joined the Royal Warwickshire Regiment in October 1938, aged 16, transferring to the Royal Artillery. He then joined the Army Air Corps (AAC) and was part of…
Interview with Keith Toule
Keith was five at the start of the war and lived in a farm adjoining the airfield at RAF Skellingthorpe. He describes the airfield and how the trees were cut down in the farm belt. The airfield was closed soon after the war, bought by the City…
Interview with Alan George Buxton
Alan was born in Parramatta, Sydney, in Australia. After going to the Middle East with the army, he returned to Australia, when Japan entered the war, and transferred to the RAF in November 1942. Alan was posted to Bradfield Park for training and…
Interview with Jan Albone
Jan was born on a farm in North Lincolnshire and went to school in Brigg. She loved the farm, particularly the horses. Their farm was close to RAF Kirton in Lindsey, which was used as a rest home for men from the Battle of Britain. They worked on the…
Interview with John Usher about Bob Burns
Bob Burns trained as a navigator and was posted to 106 Squadron at RAF Metheringham. His aircraft came under attack from a night fighter and the centrifugal force pinned the crew down and making an escape impossible.
Suddenly the aircraft broke in…
Suddenly the aircraft broke in…