On completion of operations Tom went onto instruct dinghy drill at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland and from there went on to join Transport Command flying Halifax aircraft. After the war he left the RAF but continued to fly gliders and motor gliders from Salby (ex USAF bomber station) near Grantham. He eventually went on to gain his Private Pilots License.
]]>
Mick Jeffery]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Hugh Donnelly]]> Pending review]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Air Force. Transport Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]>
David Kavanagh]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Hugh Donnelly]]> Pending review]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Canada]]> Great Britain]]> Egypt]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Denise Boneham]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Hugh Donnelly]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> Singapore]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> England--Chatteris]]> 1945]]> Annie Moody]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Hugh Donnelly]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Air Force. Balloon Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Shropshire]]> Wales--Pwllheli]]> 1942]]>
]]>
Ian Locker]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Hugh Donnelly]]> Pending review]]> Pending OH summary]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> England--Hull]]> 1939]]> 1940]]> 1943]]> 1945]]>


]]>
Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Hugh Donnelly]]> Pending review]]> Pending OH summary]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> France]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> Greece]]> Netherlands]]> Norway]]> South Africa]]> England--Essex]]> England--Oxfordshire]]> England--Kent]]> South Africa--Makhanda]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]>
RAF Swinderby was a Bomber Command station located in Lincolnshire, 8 miles (13 kms) south-west of Lincoln.

See all Archive items | See all wartime losses | Explore nearby

It opened in August 1940 as part of 1 Group when it was home to 300 Squadron and 301 Squadron, two Polish Squadrons. They were initially equipped with Battles but converted to Wellingtons in late 1940. In July 1941 the station was transferred to 5 Group and 50 Squadron and 455 Squadron both moved in with Hampdens. Concrete runways were laid November 1941 – June 1942 following which 50 Squadron returned converting to Manchesters and subsequently to Lancasters. In September 1942 operational flying ceased and RAF Swinderby became a training station with 1660 Heavy Conversion Unit operating Manchesters, Halifaxes, Lancasters and Stirlings. In November 1944 the station transferred to 7 Group.

Refinements:
   
Artwork                            Text
Map                                Text. Correspondence
Map. Navigation chart and log      Text. Diary
Moving image                       Text. Log book and record book
Photograph                         Text. Memoir
Physical object                    Text. Personal research
Physical object. Clothing          Text. Poetry
Physical object. Decoration        Text. Service material
Sound                              Text. Training material
Technical aid

Item type refinement is covered in the FAQ section, questions 12 and 13. The Archive also comes with a range of tools for searching and browsing content: please see the help page.
]]>
Hugh Donnelly]]> Nigel Moore]]>
Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Hugh Donnelly]]> Pending review]]> Pending OH summary. Allocated S Coulter]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Indian Ocean]]> Yemen (Republic)]]> Yemen (Republic)--Aden]]> Yemen (Republic)--Socotra]]> Kenya]]> Kenya--Nairobi]]> Africa]]> 1944-05-02]]> Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Hugh Donnelly]]> Pending review]]> Pending OH summary]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> Poland]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Poland--Tychowo]]> 1944]]> 1945]]>
See all Archive items | See all wartime losses | Explore nearby

The station opened in February 1942 in 5 Group. It was initially used as a satellite station by 106 Squadron Hampdens from RAF Coningsby. 97 Squadron with Lancasters arrived in March 1942 and stayed until April 1943. It was replaced by the formation of 619 Squadron with Lancasters. 617 Squadron moved to Woodhall Spa in January 1944 and operated Lancasters, Mosquitos and a P-51. The squadron used Tallboy and Grand Slam bombs. 627 Squadron with Mosquitos arrived in April 1944.

Refinements:
   
Artwork                            Text
Map                                Text. Correspondence
Map. Navigation chart and log      Text. Diary
Moving image                       Text. Log book and record book
Photograph                         Text. Memoir
Physical object                    Text. Personal research
Physical object. Clothing          Text. Poetry
Physical object. Decoration        Text. Service material
Sound                              Text. Training material
Technical aid

Item type refinement is covered in the FAQ section, questions 12 and 13. The Archive also comes with a range of tools for searching and browsing content: please see the help page.
]]>
Hugh Donnelly]]> Nigel Moore]]>
RAF Wigsley was a Bomber Command station located in Nottinghamshire, 8 miles (13 kms) west of Lincoln.

See all Archive items | See all wartime losses | Explore nearby

It opened in February 1942. 455 Squadron of 5 Group briefly operated Hampdens from the station before, in April 1942, the station became the home of 1654 Heavy Conversion Unit (HCU) with Manchesters, Stirlings and Lancasters. The station and 1654 HCU transferred to 7 Group in November 1944.

Refinements:   

Artwork                            Text
Map                                Text. Correspondence
Map. Navigation chart and log      Text. Diary
Moving image                       Text. Log book and record book
Photograph                         Text. Memoir
Physical object                    Text. Personal research
Physical object. Clothing          Text. Poetry
Physical object. Decoration        Text. Service material
Sound                              Text. Training material
Technical aid

Item type refinement is covered in the FAQ section, questions 12 and 13. The Archive also comes with a range of tools for searching and browsing content: please see the help page.
]]>
Hugh Donnelly]]> Nigel Moore]]>
RAF Waddington was a Bomber Command station located in Lincolnshire, 3 miles (5 kms) south of Lincoln.

See all Archive items | See all wartime losses | Explore nearby 

It originally opened in 1916 and subsequently reopened in March 1937. By September 1939 the station was in 5 Group and occupied by 44 Squadron and 50 Squadron, both equipped with Hampdens. In July 1940 50 Squadron moved out and 142 Squadron with Battles arrived, but only for a few weeks. 207 Squadron reformed at RAF Waddington in November 1940 to convert to Manchesters, becoming operational in February 1941. In late 1941 420 Squadron with Hampdens replaced 207 Squadron. 44 Squadron became the first squadron to convert to Lancasters, becoming operational with them in March 1942. 420 Squadron moved out in August 1942, replaced by 9 Squadron converting to Lancasters. Concrete runways were laid during 1943 and the station reopened with 463 Squadron and 467 Squadron both with Lancasters. RAF Waddington is still in use today.

Refinements:
   
Artwork                            Text
Map                                Text. Correspondence
Map. Navigation chart and log      Text. Diary
Moving image                       Text. Log book and record book
Photograph                         Text. Memoir
Physical object                    Text. Personal research
Physical object. Clothing          Text. Poetry
Physical object. Decoration        Text. Service material
Sound                              Text. Training material
Technical aid

Item type refinement is covered in the FAQ section, questions 12 and 13. The Archive also comes with a range of tools for searching and browsing content: please see the help page.
]]>
Hugh Donnelly]]> Nigel Moore]]>
RAF Syerston was a Bomber Command Station located in Nottinghamshire, 7 miles (11 kms) south-west of Newark-on-Trent.

See all Archive items | See all wartime losses | Explore nearby

It opened in December 1940 originally as part of 1 Group. 304 Squadron and 305 Squadron occupied the station, both flying Wellingtons. In July 1941 RAF Syerston transferred to 5 Group and 408 Squadron arrived with Hampdens until leaving in December so concrete runways could be laid. The station re-opened in May 1942 when 61 Squadron moved in with Manchesters and Lancasters followed in September 1942 by 106 Squadron with Lancasters. Both squadrons moved out in November 1943 and RAF Syerston was occupied by 1668 Heavy Conversion Unit which, in January 1944, was renamed 5 Lancaster Finishing School. 49 Squadron Lancasters arrived in April 1945.

Refinements:
   
Artwork                            Text
Map                                Text. Correspondence
Map. Navigation chart and log      Text. Diary
Moving image                       Text. Log book and record book
Photograph                         Text. Memoir
Physical object                    Text. Personal research
Physical object. Clothing          Text. Poetry
Physical object. Decoration        Text. Service material
Sound                              Text. Training material
Technical aid

Item type refinement is covered in the FAQ section, questions 12 and 13. The Archive also comes with a range of tools for searching and browsing content: please see the help page.
]]>
Hugh Donnelly]]> Nigel Moore]]>
See all Archive items | See all wartime losses | Explore nearby 

It originally opened in 1916 and re-opened in 1936. By September 1939 RAF Scampton was in 5 Group and occupied by 49 Squadron and 83 Squadron both equipped with Hampdens. Both squadrons converted to Manchesters late 1941 – early 1942 but from May 1942 both squadrons switched to Lancasters and 57 Squadron replaced 83 Squadron. 49 Squadron moved out and in March 1943 617 Squadron was formed at RAF Scampton. The station closed in August 1943 whilst concrete runwas were laid and the station was transferred to 1 Group. In October 1944 it became operational again with 153 Squadron and, later, 625 Squadron both flying Lancasters. The station closed in 2022.

Refinements:
   
Artwork                            Text
Map                                Text. Correspondence
Map. Navigation chart and log      Text. Diary
Moving image                       Text. Log book and record book
Photograph                         Text. Memoir
Physical object                    Text. Personal research
Physical object. Clothing          Text. Poetry
Physical object. Decoration        Text. Service material
Sound                              Text. Training material
Technical aid

Item type refinement is covered in the FAQ section, questions 12 and 13. The Archive also comes with a range of tools for searching and browsing content: please see the help page.
]]>
Hugh Donnelly]]> Nigel Moore]]>
Sue Johnstone]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Hugh Donnelly]]> Richard James]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> England--Rutland]]> 1940]]> 1943]]> 1945]]> Dan Ellin]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Hugh Donnelly ]]> Mal Prissick]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> Italy]]> Atlantic Ocean--Baltic Sea]]> Germany--Peenemünde]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Germany--Hannover]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> 1939]]> 1940]]> 1941]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1943-06-25]]> 1943-09-27]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> Annie Moody]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Hugh Donnelly]]> Pending review]]> Pending OH summary]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Germany--Cologne]]> Germany--Dortmund-Ems Canal]]> Germany--Dresden]]> Germany--Frankfurt am Main]]> Germany--Leipzig]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> ]]> Ron Merrideth]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Hugh Donnelly]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> France]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> Poland]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> France--Revigny-sur-Ornain]]> Germany--Luckenwalde]]> Poland--Żagań]]> Poland--Tychowo]]> 1944-07]]> 1945-02]]> Adam Purcell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Hugh Donnelly]]> Mal Prissick]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> Canada]]> Great Britain]]> England--Brighton]]> England--Staffordshire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Manitoba]]> United States]]> England--Sussex]]> 1940]]> 1941]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> Andrew Sadler]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Hugh Donnelly]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Air Force. Transport Command]]> Canada]]> East Asia]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Julian Maslin]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Hugh Donnelly]]> Pending review]]> Pending OH summary]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Air Force. Fighter Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> David Meanwell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Hugh Donnelly]]> Carolyn Emery]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> United States]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Shropshire]]> Alabama]]> Georgia]]> Texas]]> France]]> France--Reims]]> Germany--Troisdorf]]> 1945]]> David Meanwell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Hugh Donnelly]]> Pending review]]> Pending OH summary]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> Canada]]> United States]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Atlantic Ocean]]> Atlantic Ocean--Rockall Bank]]> 1943]]> Tina James]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Hugh Donnelly]]> Pending review]]> Pending OH summary. Allocated T Holmes]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> England--Kent]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--London]]> 1940]]> 1941]]> On one of his operations he arrived over France to drop supplies to the French resistance but, in the absence of a reception committee, returned home and successfully repeated the trip the next night.
After converting to Lancasters, his first trip was to Duisburg but he forgot to operate the bombing master switch which meant they had to go around again and work their way back into the main bomber stream. James considers himself very fortunate to have survived that episode.
He speaks warmly of his crew but admitted that on the morality of mass bombing he had a dispute with his engineer and actually came to blows.
In December 1944, he completed his 30th operation to the Oberhausen oil refinery but became ill with tonsillitis and hospitalised. On recovery he spent time at RAF Feltnell training new crews on the ‎Gee-H navigation system.
James was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross and after demob spent time as a clerk before joining Quantas Airways as an air navigation officer. Unfortunately the training was too complex for him and he left to pursue a career as a salesman for 25 years.
James speaks at length of his strong feelings on the importance of the role that Bomber Command carried out, which was not recognised by the leaders, and considers that the enemy were not the German people but the Nazis.
]]>
Barry Jackson]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Hugh Donnelly]]> Terry Holmes]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> England--Norfolk]]> England--Suffolk]]> France]]> Canada]]> Germany]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> Germany--Oberhausen (Düsseldorf)]]> Germany--Duisburg]]> 1944]]>