1
25
326
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
King, Edward James
E J King
Description
An account of the resource
46 items. The collection concerns Sergeant Edward James King (b. 1920, 1377691, 182986 Royal Air Force) and contains his log book, photographs and an album of charts and newspaper cuttings. He flew operations as a navigator with 96 and 15 Squadrons.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Patricia Joan Potter and catalogued by Trevor Hardcastle.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2020-11-22
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
King, EJ
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
[underlined] Chambly. [/underlined]
[underlined] 1/5/44 [/underlined]
Airborne 2220
[underlined] Landed 0220 [/underlined]
Flak seen from Dieppe on way to target.
Target – no flak with good marking and master of ceremonies.
Attacked by rocket fighter (single – engined) in target area but corkscrewed starboard and evaded it.
Aerodrome with three runways seen near second turning point out of the target.
Two lots of trace seen, probably combats.
[inserted] MARSHALLING YARDS [/inserted]
[page break]
[map]
[inserted] [underlined] CHAMBLY [/underlined] [/inserted]
[page break]
[map]
BEAUMONT-SUR-OISE
[page break]
[photograph]
Vital French rail depot is smashed
Until the night of May 1 the railway yards at Chambly, north of Paris, were claimed to be among the most important in Europe. They contained the best-equipped permanent way depot on the Continent
These “before and after” pictures show how an attack on Chambly by Bomber Command on the night of May 1 reduced this vital German transport link to a wilderness of scrap metal and rubble
[photograph]
R.A.F. Launch 6-Prong Moon Blitz
3,000 TONS RAINED ON INVASION TARGETS
Then France Bombed To-day
[italics] “Evening News” Air Correspondent [/italics]
HUNDREDS of British heavies rained probably 3,000 tons of bombs on France and Belgium in the night in a great six-pronged moonlight blitz – then, to-day, the cross-Channel attack went on again.
The main objectives were a motor vehicle works at Lyons, aircraft repair works at Tours, an aircraft factory and explosive works at Toulouse, railway stores and equipment at Chambly, north of Paris, and railway yards and facilities at Malines, north-east of Brussels, and at St. Chislain, near Mons.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Description
An account of the resource
Four items, Edward's description of the operation, where he comments on the anti-aircraft fire, conditions over the target, events during the trip and general observations. Edward's navigation plot, the expected H2S plot over the target and newspaper clippings with photographs showing the damage caused during the operation.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Edward King
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1944-05-01
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
France
Great Britain
England--Suffolk
France--Paris Region
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Map. Navigation chart and navigation log
Text
Map
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
A handwritten document, navigation plot, H2S plot, newspaper clippings
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
SKingEJ182986v10038, SKingEJ182986v10039, SKingEJ182986v10040, SKingEJ182986v10041
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1944-05-01
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Jan Waller
Title
A name given to the resource
Chambly, Edward King's 8th operation of his tour
15 Squadron
aircrew
bombing
H2S
Lancaster
Lancaster Mk 3
navigator
RAF Mildenhall
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
King, Edward James
E J King
Description
An account of the resource
46 items. The collection concerns Sergeant Edward James King (b. 1920, 1377691, 182986 Royal Air Force) and contains his log book, photographs and an album of charts and newspaper cuttings. He flew operations as a navigator with 96 and 15 Squadrons.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Patricia Joan Potter and catalogued by Trevor Hardcastle.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2020-11-22
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
King, EJ
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
[underlined] Nantes. [/underlined]
[underlined] Chateau Bougon Aerodrome [/underlined]
[underlined] 7/5/44 [/underlined].
Airborne 0015
[underlined] Landed 0605 [/underlined]
Full Moon – Quiet on way in to target.
Target – Flak very accurate. Good T.Is & Master of Ceremonies. Bomb Aimer saw runways with bombs bursting on it. Pall of black smoke up to 10,000’ with fires burning on ground.
Defences at Vannes quite concentrated light flak – had to go round them.
[page break]
[map]
[inserted][underlined] NANTES. [underlined][/inserted]
[page break]
[map]
NANTES
Aircraft Assembly Works (S.N.C.A. du SUO-OUEST)
Chateau Bougon Airfield
[page break]
6-POINT MOON BLITZ ON FRANCE
The R.A.F.s moonlight precision bombing experts – specially-trained “ace” squadrons – were switched in strength on to German bomber bases and ammunition dumps in France in the night, whites the [italics] Evening News [/italics] Air Correspondent.
Swift and concentrated bombing attacks were carried out on at least three heavy and medium bomber airfields in Western and Central France. The other targets in a six-point attack on France included two ammunition dumps.
Leverkusen, the big chemical centre north of Cologne, was also attacked, and the regular mining of enemy waters was continued. Nine aircraft are missing.
The airfields, at which there are also aircraft repair depots, were; Rennes, inland from St. Malo; Nantes, inland from St. Nazaire; and Tours, Central France.
Following up recent British and American daylight attacks, these latest blows were in the nature of “pot-boiling” raids of a tactical type, designed to smash runways, grounded aircraft, hangars, and depots, and put important Luftwaffe installations out of action for days or perhaps weeks.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Description
An account of the resource
Four items,Edward's description of the operation to the Chateau Bougon aerodrome, his navigation plot, the expected H2S return of the target, a newspaper cutting referring to Bomber Command bombing by moonlight.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Edward King
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1944-05-07
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
France
Great Britain
England--Suffolk
France--Nantes
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Map. Navigation chart and navigation log
Text
Map
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Handwritten document, navigation plot, H2S plot, newspaper clipping
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
SKingEJ182986v10042, SKingEJ182986v10043, SKingEJ182986v10044, SKingEJ182986v10045
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1944-05-07
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Jan Waller
Title
A name given to the resource
Nantes, Edward King's 9th operation of his tour
15 Squadron
aircrew
bombing
H2S
Lancaster
Lancaster Mk 3
navigator
RAF Mildenhall
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Eyles, Bill
C W Eyles
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-04-10
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Eyles, CW
Description
An account of the resource
51 items. The collection concerns Bill Eyles DFM (900473 Royal Air Force) and contains his log book. notebooks, correspondence and photographs. He flew a tour as a bomb aimer with 78 Squadron and later a second tour with 35 Squadron Pathfinders.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Hazel King and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
18 Queens Rd
Burnley
Lancashire
Sep 21/43
Dear Bill
Please pardon me writing you in this familiar way, I only do so, because you were a pal of my nephew Harry Binns & anyone who was a friend of his was a friend of mine.
I went to Sale last Sat week to see Mrs Binns & I got your address from her & I might say she was pleased to hear from you & would be glad if you will call & see her, at your first opportunity & if you could tell her of anything of Harry of the last few days before the accident, she would be comforted, for this has been a great blow to her & to all of us.
Harry to me, was a very dear nephew & has been all his life, we shared much in common & we were looking forward to some great times after the war.
This cannot be now, but he has left us all a great legacy of happy memories of his boyhood,
[page break]
[inserted] Letter after Harry Binns, our navigator, had been killed in the crash he was a sergeant but his commission had come through that day. [/inserted]
2
[missing words] reached a great height
[missing words] meet you if at all possible
[missing words] hours leave & you are too
[missing words] we would only be
[missing words] you with us.
[missing words] together & are homely folks & we would make you comfortable.
We shall always be interested in your welfare & I would be pleased if you would send me your home address, then we should be certain of getting to know your whereabouts.
We share with you the very trying experience you have had & if I could express Harry’s wishes, I am certain he would say, “Carry on the great work until we have won the Victory we set out for.”
We send you our very best wishes, that in all the experiences you share, you will come safely through & return to those whom you love & enter on a still greater work in the building up of a better world.
With very kind regards.
Yours sincerely
S Bradshaw
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter to Bill Eyles from S Bradshaw
Description
An account of the resource
Letter from relation of Harry Binns navigator who had been killed in a crash. Asks Bill to tell Mrs Binns about Harry's last days. provides some information about Harry and asks him to share any experiences.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
S Bradshaw
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1943-09-21
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Two page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
SEylesCW900473v10004
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Civilian
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Lancashire
England--Burnley
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1943-09-21
Conforms To
An established standard to which the described resource conforms.
Pending text-based transcription. Under review
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Jan Waller
aircrew
crash
killed in action
navigator
promotion
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Eyles, Bill
C W Eyles
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-04-10
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Eyles, CW
Description
An account of the resource
51 items. The collection concerns Bill Eyles DFM (900473 Royal Air Force) and contains his log book. notebooks, correspondence and photographs. He flew a tour as a bomb aimer with 78 Squadron and later a second tour with 35 Squadron Pathfinders.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Hazel King and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
FRANCAIS!
[sketch]
Le Gouvernement de la Grande Bretagne vient de signer un accord avec le Général de Gaulle, ainsi qu’en témoignent les documents suivants :-
1. Lettre de M. Winston Churchill
2. Texte de l’accord
3. Lettre du Général de Gaulle
T.S.V.P.
[page break]
1. Lettre de M. Winston Churchill
10, Downing Street,
Whitehall,
Londres.
7 Août 1940.
Mon cher Général,
Vous avec bien voulu me faire connaître vos idées relativement à l’organisation, á l’utilisation et aux conditions de service de la force de volontaires français actuellement en cours de constitution sous votre commandement, cela en votre qualité, qui vous est reconnue par le Gouvernement de Sa Majesté dans le Royaume-Uni, de chef de tous les Français libres où qu’ils soient, qui se rallient à vous pour deféndre la cause alliée.
Je vous envoie maintenenant un memorandum qui, si vous l’acceptez, constituera un accord entre nous relativement à l’organisation, à l’utilisation et aux conditions de service de vos forces.
Je saisis cette occasion pour declarer que le Gouvernement de Sa Majesté est résolu, lorsque les armes alliées auront remporté la victoire, à assurer la restauration intégrale de l’indépendance et de la grandeur de la France.
Sincérement á vous,
WINSTON S. CHURCHILL.
2. Texte de l’accord
I.
1. – Le Général de Gaulle procède à la constitution d’une force française constituée de volontaires. Cette force, qui comprend des unites navales terrestres, aériennes et des éléments techniques et utilisée contre les ennemis communs.
2. – Cette force ne pourra jamais porter les armes contre la France.
II.
1. – Cette force conservera, dans toute la mesure du possible, le caractére d’une force française, en ce qui concerne le personnel, particulierement pour ce qui a trait à la discipline, la langue, l’avancement et les affectations.
2. – Dans la mesure où son équipement l’exigera, cette force aura la priorité d’attribution, en ce qui concerne la propriété et l’usage du materiel (particuliérement des armes, avions, véhicules, munitions, machines et approvisionnements) déjà apporté par des forces françaises de toute origine ou qui pourra être apporté par de tells forces, dans les territoires places sous l’autorité du gouvernement de Sa Majesté dans le Royaume-Uni ou dans ceux sur lesquels le Haut-Commandement britannique exerce son autorité. Dans le cas ou le commandement d’une force française aura été délégué par le Général de Gaulle à la suite d’un accord avec le Haut-Commandement britannique, aucun transfert, échange ou reattribution des équipements, biens et matériels en possession de cette force ne sera ordonné par le Général de Gaulle sans consultation préalable et accord avec le Haut-Commandement britannique.
3. – Le Gouvernement de Sa Majesté fournira à la force française – dès que cela sera realisable – le complement de materiel indispensable pour doter ses unites d’un équipement equivalent à celui des unites britanniques du même type.
[page break]
4. – Les navires de la flotte française seront affectés de la maniére suivante:
(a) La force française armera et mettra en service tous les navires pour lesquels elle pourra fournir des équipages.
(b) L’affectation des navires armés et mis en service par la force franaise, en vertu de l’alinea (a), sera l’objet d’un accord entre le Général de Gaulle et l’Amirauté britannique, accord qui sera revu de temps à autre.
(c) Les navires qui ne seraient pas affectés à la force française en vertu de l’alinea (b) deviendront disponibles pour être armés et mis en service sous la direction de l’Amirauté britannique.
(d) Parmi les navires mentionnés sous (c) les uns pourront être mis en service sous le contrôle direct de l’Amirauté britannique, tandis que certains autres pourront être mis en service par d’autres forces navales alliées.
(e) Les équipages des navires mis en service sous le contrôle britannique comprendront, quand ce sera possible, une proportion d’officiers et de marins français.
(f) Tous les navires de la flotte française restent propriété française.
5. – L’utilisation possible des navires de commerce français et de leurs équipages, en tant qu’elle aura pour objet des operations militaires de la force du Général de Gaulle, donnera lieu à des arrangements entre le Général et les Ministères britanniques intéressés. Une liaison régulière sera établie entre le Ministère du Shipping et le Général de Gaulle pour ce qui concerne l’utilisation du reste des navires et des marins de commerce.
6. – Le Général de Gaulle, qui a le commandement supreme de la force française, declare, par les présentes qu’il accepte les directives générales du Commandement britannique. En cas de besoin, il déléguera d’accord avec le Haut-Commandement britannique, le commandement immédiat de telle ou telle partie de sa force, à un ou à plusieurs officiers britannique de rang approprié, sans que ceci affecte ce qui est dit à la fil de l’Article I.
III.
Le statut des volontaires français sera établi de la manière suivante:
1. – Les volontaires s’engageront pour la durée de la guerre, afin de combattre les ennemis communs.
2. – Ils recevront une solde don’t la base sera déterminée séparément par accord entre le Général de Gaulle et les Ministéres intéressés. La période de temps pendant laquelle le taux de ces soldes sera applicable, sera fixée par voie d’accord entre le Général de Gaulle et la Gouvernement de Sa Majesté.
3. – Les volontaires et les personnes à leur change bénéficieront de pensions et autres prestations, en cas d’invalidité on de dééès des volontaires, sur une base qui sera déterminée par des accords séparés entre le Général de Gaulle et les Ministères intéressés.
4. – Le Général de Gaulle aura le droit de créer un organisme civil comportant les services administratifs nécessaires à l’organisation de sa force. Les effectifs et les émoluments des membres de cet organisme seront fixés en consultation avec la Trésorerie britannique.
5. – Le Général a également le droit de recruiter un personnel technique et scientifique travaillant à la guerre. Les effectifs, le mode de retribution et l’utilisation [missing word] personnel seront fixés en consultation avec les Ministéres intéresses du Gouvernement de Sa Majesté.
6. – Le Gouvernement de Sa Majesté dans le Royaume-Uni fera tous ses efforts, lors de la conclusion de la paix, pour aider les volontaires français à rentrerdans tous les droits, y compris la nationalité, don’t ils pourront avoir étè privés en consequence de leur participation à la lute contre
[page break]
l’ennemi commun. Le Gouvernement de Sa Majesté est dispose à fournir à ces volontaires des facilités spéciales pour acquérir la nationalité britannique et se fera donner tous les pouvoirs nécessaires à cet effet.
IV.
1. – Toutes les dépenses engages pour la constitution et l’entretien de la force française suivant les prévisions du present accord, seront provisoirement à la charge des Ministéres intéressés du Gouvernement de Sa Majesté dans le Royaume-Uni; ceux-ci auront le droit de procéder à tous examens et verifications nécessaires.
2. – Les montants payés à ce titre seront considérés comme des avances et comptabilisés à part. Toutes les questions relatives au règlement final de ces avances, ainsi que des montants qui auront pu être crédités en contrepartie d’un commun accord, seront l’objet d’un arrangement ultérieur.
V.
Le présent accord sera considéré comme produisant effet à compter du ler Juillet 1940.
3. Lettre du Général de Gaulle
Carlton Gardens No. 4.
Londres.
7 Août 1940.
Monsieur le Premier Ministre,
Vous avez bien voulu m’envoyer un memorandum relative à l’organisation, à l’utilisation et aux conditions de service de la force de volontaires français, actueriement en [indecipherable word] constitution sous mon commandement.
En ma qualité reconnue par le Gouvernement de Sa Majesté dans le Royaume-Uni, de chef de tous les Français libres oú qu’ils soient, qui se rallient à moi pour défendre la cause alliée, je viens vous faire connaître que j’accepte ce memorandum. Il sera considéré comme constituent un accord conclu entre nous, relativement à ces questions.
Je suis heureux qu’a cette occasion le Gouvernement Britannique ait tenu à affirmer qu’il est résolu, lorsque les armes alliées auront remporté la Victoire, à assurer la restauration intégrale de l’indépendance et de la grandeur de la France.
De mon côté, je vous confirme que la force française en voie de constitution, est destinée à participer aux operations contre les ennemis communs (Allemagne, des territoires français et des territoires sous mandate [missing words] des territoires sous mandate britannique.
Veuillez agréer, Monsieur le Premier Ministre, l’assurance de ma haute consideration.
de GAULLE.
The Rt. Hon. Winston Spencer Churchill, C.H., M.P.,
Prime Minister,
10, Downing Street,
Whitehall.
VIVE LA FRANCE!
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Notice to the French
Description
An account of the resource
Document stating that the government of Great Britain had signed an accord with General de Gaulle. Includes letters in French from Winston Churchill and General de Gaulle and text of the accord.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1940-04-07
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Four page printed document
Language
A language of the resource
fra
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
MEylesCW900473-170410-07
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Civilian
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1940-08-07
Conforms To
An established standard to which the described resource conforms.
Pending text-based transcription. Under review
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Steve Baldwin
Jan Waller
Churchill, Winston (1874-1965)
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1828/33479/EWithallG-DEylesMJ440428-0001.2.jpg
142ab654355f66fca561b729bd882b35
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1828/33479/EWithallG-DEylesMJ440428-0002.2.jpg
31c626c817156575303edd6e6918cd74
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Eyles, Bill
C W Eyles
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-04-10
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Eyles, CW
Description
An account of the resource
51 items. The collection concerns Bill Eyles DFM (900473 Royal Air Force) and contains his log book. notebooks, correspondence and photographs. He flew a tour as a bomb aimer with 78 Squadron and later a second tour with 35 Squadron Pathfinders.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Hazel King and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
28-4-44
Dear Bill / We received your letter this morning & were not surprised in a way, as we had heard your name mentioned in several letters, we had had from Marjorie Both her Dad & I feel the same, Marjorie is of an age now when we feel she should know whether she feels she should be engaged to you & it is for her to decide, although on the other [inserted] hand [/inserted] we do appreciate her thought of writing to us about it, we’ve always had their confidence, on most things & all we can say is, that we wish for the very best that life can hold, for both of you in the future.
[page break]
particularly in the way of health & comradeship There is no doubt, as you have made up your minds that you are suited to each other, it will be nicer for you, when parted to feel that you have someone to think about & look forward to something more in the future & to feel you each have a purpose in keeping true to each other. As I have been writing this a wire has come, so we were wondering if you are moving sooner than you expected, if so we do both wish you God speed in all your endeavours & hope we [inserted] shall [/inserted] soon be at peace & living under different conditions, hoping that we may have an opportunity of meeting before long, so Bye Bye & all the very best comes us both.
G & D. Withall
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from D and G Withall to their daughter Margorie
Description
An account of the resource
In reply to information that she was engaged to Bill and stating that she was old enough to make up her own mind. Catches up with family news.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
D and G Withall
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1944-04-28
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Two page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EWithallG-DEylesMJ440428
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Civilian
Royal Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Leicestershire
England--Leicester
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1944-04-28
Conforms To
An established standard to which the described resource conforms.
Pending text-based transcription. Under review
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Jan Waller
love and romance
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1828/33478/EWithallG-DEylesCW440428-0001.2.jpg
2ed09656a9cf85e9a2fdb0c58209ad6b
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1828/33478/EWithallG-DEylesCW440428-0002.2.jpg
0299767eee150c8b2262ebc9783bbc05
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Eyles, Bill
C W Eyles
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-04-10
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Eyles, CW
Description
An account of the resource
51 items. The collection concerns Bill Eyles DFM (900473 Royal Air Force) and contains his log book. notebooks, correspondence and photographs. He flew a tour as a bomb aimer with 78 Squadron and later a second tour with 35 Squadron Pathfinders.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Hazel King and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
28-4-44
My dear Marjorie / Well, one never knows what is store for one, does one. How the wire put me off my stroke, for how to word it I couldn’t think, but there’s no doubt you think a great deal of Bill, as no doubt he does of you, or should do. “I guess he does” & as Dad & I both think you are old enough to know your own mind now & I think it must be Mr Right for you never have really thought of anyone much before, have you? So that we both congratulate you & do hope it will not be so long before a great change will come along, in the way of peace & then what a commotion, eh.
[page break]
I believe you said he comes from Leicester, that is a good way off. We wondered when the wire came if he was to go sooner than you thought. I have written him, but its a bit difficult when you haven’t seen a person, but I generally make myself understood. Did you get the parcel alright I post it on Wednesday. I’ve been in the war’s lately, my nose is about better now, but for a week I’ve had a septic finger & its not too good yet, isn’t it tiresome, although perhaps its better out than in. I don’t think I had better stay for more now, as you may get this in the morning If you do get a chance to come along, do by all means it would be nice to meet & have a chat. Well bye for now, fondest love from Mum & Dad
XX XX
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter to Bill Eyles from G and D Withall
Description
An account of the resource
Letter in reply to one he sent stating that their daughter was of an age when she was able to make up her own mind about getting engaged to him. They did appreciate him writing to them about it. Speculates on their future and wished them well.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
G and D Withall
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1944-04-28
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Two page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EWithallG-DEylesCW440428
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Civilian
Royal Air Force
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1944-04-28
Conforms To
An established standard to which the described resource conforms.
Pending text-based transcription. Under review
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Jan Waller
love and romance
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/2007/33445/EButlerARHIrvineLtd441229.2.jpg
4e1f2b54fd104865bdac47ec4f5e73cf
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Daymont, William Henry
W H Daymont
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2018-10-16
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Daymont, WH
Description
An account of the resource
Seventeen items.
The collection concerns William Henry Daymont (b. 1920, 1111945 Royal Air Force) and contains his log book, documents, correspondence, his caterpillar club pin and photographs.
He flew operations as a flight engineer with 100 Squadron.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Pauline Daymont and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
[inserted] 2 JAN 1945. [/inserted]
[RAF Crest]
J 26039 Butler. A.R.H.
RAF Grimsby
near Waltham
Lincs
29/Dec/44
The Irvine Airchute Corp. Ltd.
Letchworth
Herts.
Dear Sirs:
I wish to apply on behalf of myself and my crew for your Caterpillar badges. We jumped from our Aircraft on the night of [underlined] Dec 24 44. [/underlined] No difficulty was experienced with the chutes by any of the crew and we all landed safely.
I realize that some delay is necessary due to shortage but as we are a Canadian Crew and may be leaving this country in a
[page break]
month or so could ours be speeded up a bit?
I am enclosing the names of the crew and the chute numbers.
F/O Builer 15922
F/O Pryde 122850
F/S Cox 115502
Sgt Daymont 42/333842
F/S Locke 122739
F/S Hart 131087
F/S Roadhouse 241352.
Needless to say that we all think that our chutes are no longer just something extra to carry around.
With thanks I remain
Yours truly
AR Butler F/O.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from F/O P R Butler to the Irvin parachute company
Description
An account of the resource
Requests caterpillar badges for himself and his crew after they baled out on night of 24 December 1944.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
P R Butler
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1944-12-24
1945-01-02
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Two page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EButlerARHIrvineLtd441229
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Civilian
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Royal Canadian Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Lincolnshire
England--Hertfordshire
England--Letchworth
England--Herefordshire
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1944-12-24
Conforms To
An established standard to which the described resource conforms.
Pending text-based transcription. Under review
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Jan Waller
bale out
Caterpillar Club
RAF Grimsby
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1754/32538/EScottHAClark[Mr-Mrs]440725-0001.jpg
96a9f12d5a0c183d4aafa9bf8b880d6d
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1754/32538/EScottHAClark[Mr-Mrs]440725-0002.jpg
9d4aa1a9c47ce5644fa5eafc0ed7074e
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Woolley, Andrew James
A J Woolley
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-10-16
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Wooley, AJ
Description
An account of the resource
Twenty items and a sub collection of fifty-one items. The collection contains photograph and letters mainly concerning Royal Air Force and Royal Australian Air Force servicemen. A sub-collection contains a scrapbook relating to mostly Australian, New Zealand and Canadian servicemen. <br /><br /><a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/show/2030">Woolley, Andrew James. Scrapbook</a><br /><br />The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Andrew James Woolley and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
[inserted] 30.7.44. [/inserted]
F/O. Scott. H.A.
R.A.F. Station
Coningsby
Lincoln
Telephone : Coningsby 281/2/3
25.7.44
Dear Mr and Mrs Clark,
I must apologise for not having written to you sooner, but life has been a little mixed up here during the last week or so.
I understand that our mid-upper gunner, Bob Hay wrote to you and told you what happened.
I was in hospital when it all happened. I arrived back here on Wednesday and Dermot being an Aussie no one had seemed to worry about informing any of the people he knew
[page break]
2
in this country.
Dermot never left any address other than that of his Father. It was only from knowing him so well that we have been able to tell most of the people that knew him.
I offer my sincere sympathy to you all. Dermot always spoke of you and how happy you had made him feel in this country.
If there is anything else I can do please let me know as I will be only too pleased.
I hope that I may have the chance to see you again sometime soon.
Yours very sincerely
Hector Scott.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from H A Scott to Mr and Mrs Clark
Description
An account of the resource
Mentions that he understood that their mid upper gunner had also written. Explains complications in contacting friends of Dermot and expressing sympathy. Signed Hector Scott.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
H Scott
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1944-07-25
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Two page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EScottHAClark[Mr-Mrs]440725
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Civilian
Royal Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Lincolnshire
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1944-07-25
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Jan Waller
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1754/32537/EHegartyDJ[Recipient][Date]-010001.jpg
26fc417db9c2bb651dadfe17443c4099
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1754/32537/EHegartyDJ[Recipient][Date]-010002.jpg
b83c29aa7f752db49bc5ee3b813a6d61
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1754/32537/EHegartyDJ[Recipient][Date]-010003.jpg
77970c0c3d295ef73284ddba3545284a
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Woolley, Andrew James
A J Woolley
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-10-16
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Wooley, AJ
Description
An account of the resource
Twenty items and a sub collection of fifty-one items. The collection contains photograph and letters mainly concerning Royal Air Force and Royal Australian Air Force servicemen. A sub-collection contains a scrapbook relating to mostly Australian, New Zealand and Canadian servicemen. <br /><br /><a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/show/2030">Woolley, Andrew James. Scrapbook</a><br /><br />The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Andrew James Woolley and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
Aust 420561
F/O Hegarty D.J.
R.A.F. Coningsby Lincs.
Sunday.
Dear Sweetheart,
I was very glad to get your letter & also the card telling me Jack was in England. I also got a telegram from him but it was read to me over the phone & I didn't get all the news. I've written a letter to him to-day so I'm hoping to hear from him this coming week.
Well I've had my wireless fired up & its going all right again now. The car is still going strong too.
[page break]
You asked us about the trip & exams. Well I've passed the exam but I still have one trip more to do. I doubt whether I'll get that done before next leave as a couple of nights ago we were shot up & the navigator & wireless operator were wounded, not too badly though. We made a crash landing on return & no-one else was hurt. Scotty has his hand bandaged & its pretty sore as he has a few shell splinters in it. Still we're all alive & kicking which is a good thing.
[page break]
Sorry to hear Geoffrey is on the sick list. I hope he is o.k. Now.
Last night we went & visited some people near here. I told you about them before. We had a nice quite [sic] evening & came home early.
That's about all for right now, so I Will close.
Sincerely Yours,
Derm.
[inserted] 2.7.44
heard from Terry
went to Cox & Fish.
G. going to hospital
on Tuesday. [/inserted]
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from D J Hegarty
Description
An account of the resource
Addressed dear sweetheart. Catches up with news of friends in England. Mentions another trips still to do before leave. Mentions that they were shot up a and the navigator and wireless operator were wounded and they crash landed on return. Concludes with news of his activities. Added annotation 'dated 2.7.44, heard from Jerry, went to Cox and Fish, G going to hospital on Tuesday'.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
D J Hegarty
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Three page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EHegartyDJ[Recipient][Date]-01
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Lincolnshire
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1944-07-02
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Jan Waller
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1944-07-02
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
crash
RAF Coningsby
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1791/32503/BWierTWierTv1.2.pdf
5f188c9ba5ddfdcf0a5d99baf50ed940
Dublin Core
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Title
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Wier, Tadeusz
T Wier
Tadeusz Wierzbowski
T Wierzbowski
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IBCC Digital Archive
Date
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2017-01-22
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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
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Wier, T
Description
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24 items. The collection concerns Tadeusz Wier (b.1920) and contains his log books, memoirs, photographs and documents. He flew operations as a pilot with 300 Squadron.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Michael Wier-Wierzbowski and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
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Tadeusz Wierzbowski grew up on a farm near Zgierz, Poland. He learned to fly at the training school at Deblin and escaped from the Nazi and Russian invasions in 1939. He travelled through Romania to the Black Sea, and was in France when the Nazis invaded. He eventually arrived in Liverpool on the Andura Star in June 1940.
He flew as an instructor, training others to fly for three years, before he was posted into combat with 300 Squadron. He flew 25 operations as a Lancaster pilot from RAF Faldingworth including bombing Hitler’s Eagle’s nest at Berchtesgaden.
Tadeusz was a test pilot after the war and shortened his name to Wier to make it easier for air traffic control officers. Over his career, he flew over 40 different aircraft types from Polish RWD 8 trainers to Vampire jets.
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Transcription
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FLASHBACKS – 0 to 4
SQN. LDR. T. WIER, A.F.C., R.A.F. (Retd.)
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[underlined] 0 FLASHBACKS 0 [/underlined]
Most of my family are of the opinion that I ought to write something about my childhood. I guess they are right because I came and eventually settled in this country over half a century ago and with the exception of my wife and my son, Michael, no other member of my immediate family have seen or heard much about the part of Poland where I come from.
I must confess that up till now I did not think that the times of my youth were particularly interesting but, having lived all these years I have come to the conclusion that one should leave something in black and white for the children and succeeding generations.
I can even cite a personal example why one should do so. I have never met or known my grandparents because I was born quite a few years after their death. Therefore, the only good and reliable source of information about them would have been my own parents but, due to the way my life has been fashioned by world events, I could not talk to them about it, simply, because I was not able to see them in my later years. I saw the family for the last time during the Christmas holidays in 1938 when I was already in military uniform and spending the few days of my leave at home between recruit training with the infantry and posting to the Officers' Flying Training School in Deblin, Poland.
My father died less than a year later and I was not able to visit my mother after the war because the communist regime would not allow Polish citizens any social contacts with the people living in the Western countries. Actually, I received a letter from by brother about my mother's death six months after her demise while I was serving in Singapore. She died on the 1st of May, 1960, age 77 years. The next person to die in my family was my eldest brother, Wacek, and I got the news of that event again half way round the world while I was serving in Belize, British Honduras, in the early seventies.
It is obvious that I should start writing my story from as far back as it is possible. And, as all the beginnings come from our ancestors, then it must be in order to mention them at this stage.
Every time when I go to Poland, I set aside a few hours to visit the Parish Cemetery in ZGIERZ where a lot of my dead relations are now buried. It is not in any way a depressing experience because I usually find people there tending the graves, bringing flowers, clearing the footpaths or just simply walking about. There are permanent flower stalls outside the cemetery gates and they are open every day of the year. I still remember All Saints' Day celebrated on the 1st of November each year when there is a real flood of people who turn out in the evening to light the candles on the graves of their family departed. Some persons travel long distances, even scores of miles, to visit on that day their parents or other relatives graves
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and also to meet old colleagues and friends. Most of the graves will have dozens of candles flickering in the wind, others a few and there may be the odd one unattended. Very likely it will have a candle lit by a neighbour. The glow of thousands of candles is visible a long way off even on a darkest night, no matter what the weather. It is a real social occasion and one not to be missed lightly.
Last year, when I went to the cemetery, I made a note of the inscriptions on the gravestones of my grandparents and my parents.
Here are the names and dates I have noted: -
My mothers' parents: -
WAWRZYNIEC i MALGOZATA (z PABIANCZYKOW) WIERZBOWSCY
ZYL LAT 39, ZM. 4.10.1904 (Born 1582)
ZYLA LAT 67, ZM. 28.11.1917 (Born 1850)
My fathers' parents:-
BRONISLAWA i MARCEL WIERZBOWSCY
ZYLA 44 LAT, ZM. 3.1.1904 (Born 1860)
ZYL 56 LAT, ZM. 20.1.1906 (Born 1850)
My mother: -
ELEONARA WIERZBOWSKA
UR. 22.11.1882, ZM. 1.5.1960 (Lived 77 years)
My father: -
JOZEF WIERZBOWSKI
UR. 19.3.1883, ZM. 1.10.1939 (Lived 56 years)
Some explanatory notes: -
ZYL, ZYLA means Lived
LAT means Years
ZM. (Zmarl, a) means Died
UR. (Urodzony, a) means Born
WIERZBOWSCY is a collective name of the family.
It seems that in the nineteenth century Poland people did not live too long – old age being an exception rather than the rule.
As I said before, I never saw my grandparents and now I very much regret that I did not talk closely to my parents about the life of our ancestors. Were my mother and father
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alive today, I would have hundreds of questions to ask them but, unfortunately, it is too late and I have only odd bits of information which remained in my memory.
Somehow, I don’t think there was an opportune time, urge or sufficient will to delve deeply into my parents’ past. Neither do I know if the lives of my grandparents were particularly happy or joyous. None of them lived in a free country because Poland was then partitioned amongst our age-old enemies of Russia, Germany and Austria. It is certain that they were not benevolent as masters.
By a curious coincidence my mother’s parents had the same surname as my father. I queried that fact once or twice with my mother but she assured me that there was no blood relationship between her and my father. Apparently, her family came from a small settlement 25-30 miles to the west of KROGULEC which was the name of the village where we lived. I suppose, the chances are that some Wierzbowski strayed in one direction or another long, long ago and started a new branch of the family. However, my maternal grandparents must have lived not too far away because they are buried in our cemetery.
I only vaguely remember being told that my father’s parents lived in a neighbouring village and raised altogether twelve children, my father being the eldest of the five brothers. My mother had two brothers and two sisters, making five children in all on that side of the family. When I went back to Poland for the first time after my retirement in 1976, my brother, Ryszard, and I sat down and made a list of our first cousins. There were over sixty of them and some were already dead. One was killed as a soldier during the Polish campaign and another was murdered by the Gestapo during the occupation.
I think that my paternal grandfather was a small farmer because I remember that the parts of the land which were inherited by my father and belonged to our farm were really in the next village where the grandparents lived.
There is not much more that I can write about my grandparents so I will now say something about my parents, my brothers and my only sister.
My mother was married twice, my father being her second husband. Her first husband’s name was KOSTECKI so that my two elder brothers and the sister had that surname. Her name was GENOWEFA, I think she was born in 1900 or 01 which made her the eldest of the children. Unfortunately, she died in 1936 with lung disease – her trade was tailoring. Next was my brother WACLAW who served as an officer in the Polish Army (Armoured Brigade) and he was followed by HENRYK who trained at an Agricultural College and became a farmer. I believe their father died just before the First World War at a fairly young age.
I was born on the 2nd of January 1920 as the first of three brothers, the other being RYSZARD born in February 1921 and ZENON born January 1927. Ryszard became a chemical
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engineer and Zenek studied Agriculture and eventually took over our farm. There is only Ryszard left now of all of my family and we are in a kind of a race for the second place with the undertaker. I think our chances are fairly even.
Something about my father. As far as I can figure out, our part of Poland was under Russian occupation because my father was called up or conscripted into the Russian army. I still have a photograph of him in a Russian army uniform which was taken somewhere in Moscow. (There is an inscription on it to that effect). He was eventually taken prisoner by the Germans during the First World War and spent sometime in a Prisoners of War camp in Germany. I want to mention one legacy of those times which remained with him for the rest of his life – he had a somewhat choleric temperament and when he got mad he could swear fluently in three languages – Russian, German and Polish!
He returned home after the war and married my mother who was then a widow. I suppose one of the factors which helped in the marriage was the fact that my father's land was adjoining my mother's. The plots were divided only by the village road so it made economic sense to combine the two properties together. As a matter of fact, this made our farm one of the largest in the neighbourhood.
I was really born in a thatched cottage. It was very ancient, rather small and built on my mother's part of the property. A few years after my birth my parents must have decided that a larger dwelling was necessary. A new house was built of bricks and roofed over with tiles simply on the outside of the old cottage so that we had somewhere to live while the building was going up and the new roof covered the lot. I was then 4 to 5 years old.
One incident from that period of time remained in my memory and it concerns the actual new building. Well, the external walls were built of red-fired bricks but, I think, that in order to save expense, the chimney which was located in the centre of the house, was built of dried but unfired clay bricks. It was an important structure in the house because it contained near its base a kind of bakery for making our bread every week. I guess it was an accepted practice to use unfired bricks in that situation because, when the fire was lit in the bakery stove, it produced a lot of heat and would, obviously, further dry and harden the bricks. The chimney was partly built and then one night it came crashing down. There must have been some damage but, fortunately, no one was hurt. Next morning the builders inspected the havoc and looked for the cause of the disaster and eventually said that it must have been one of our dogs which peed against the corner of the chimney and thus weakened the structure. Some explanation! In point of fact I now think (with hindsight!) that the mortar they used which was lime and sand only might have been too wet and thus soaked the unfired bricks so they eventually gave way. Anyway, I believe they stuck to their story but had to rebuild the chimney where it stayed until recent years.
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One of the earliest memories which I have is that of our orchard. This happened while we still lived in the cottage and when I was very young. I was sick with measles and on top of that I caught a cold or some other infection, became very seriously ill and remained in bed for good few weeks. I remember when I was eventually allowed outside I saw the orchard in full bloom. We had a lot of fruit trees; - apples, pears, plum and cherry trees, damsons and also lots of fruiting shrubs. The time must have been in May or so because all the trees were covered in blossom. They looked beautiful to me and after being cooped up inside all those weeks, seeing the sun and the blue sky, and feeling the warm spring air, was as good as heaven to me, or at least a kind of paradise. I have never forgotten the experience.
I was my father's oldest child and he must have been quite fond of me because I was often with him and sometimes he led me around the farm by the hand. Life slows down in winter on the farm, the days get shorter so on most evenings my father would sit me on his knee and read aloud books to me. They were mostly fairy tales and, of course, I was fascinated by the wonderful stories. When my father read to me he also used a pointer showing me the words and letters as he pronounced them. Somehow or other I very quickly learned to read myself and from then on I was always in love with the written words and the treasures and wisdom to be found in books. Later on, when I was at school, I belonged and used three different libraries so that I would always have an unread book at hand. To illustrate my commitment to reading I will quote my uncle who seeing me for the first time during my return visit to Poland in 1976 said:- “Last time I saw you before the war you were reading a book and now almost forty years later on you still have a book in front of you.” Another uncle used to say to his children:- “Why aren't you like Tadek and read books?!” Those cousins reminded me of that many years later. I must have been a real pain in the behind to them.
The school starting age in Poland is seven years, although now they have a kind of preparatory classes from the age of six. My father knew the local village Schoolmaster fairly well and he arranged for me to start school before I was even six years old. It was a very small school, one classroom, one teacher and the kids up to the age of twelve or fourteen. I was probably a little shrimp of a lad amongst the other village boys and girls but I could read, while my contemporaries were beginning to learn the alphabet. Life was real easy for me then.
I don't really remember too much about that school except that I busted my collar-bone during one playtime period and was off school for two or three weeks. It was a peculiar kind of a game called “Snake” where about a dozen boys and girls would join hands in a line, usually according to size and then run. The 'heavy' end of the Snake would turn and the whole line would act like a whip. I was the sucker at the end of the line and went flying as if I were shot out of a catapult. Result, damaged and painful arm.
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I left the village school at the age of ten to attend a large school in town. From there to the Gimnasium still in Zgierz where I matriculated in 1938.
A few lines of information about our farm. It was situated 2 1/2 miles or so west of Zgierz which was our nearest town. I think we had over 25 acres of land and were mostly self-sufficient in food. 2 or 3 horses to work on the farm. 6 to 8 cows, some pigs, chickens, geese and turkeys. The farm produce included mainly rye grain, oats, barley, potatoes and plenty of fruit in the season. We had to go occasionally to town to get such things as sugar, coffee, tea and again fish which was usually salted or fresh herrings.
While I was at home, that is to say between the wars, we always had a hired man and woman living in; the woman helping mother in the house (laundry, baking) and working outside on jobs like milking cows and feeding poultry and pigs. The man would work mainly in the fields with my father. Of course, at harvest time everybody was on the go including us when we were off school. When the cherries were in season and there was no panic about work I would often hide in a tree with a book and stuff myself with fresh fruit. Now and again mother would chase us around to pick the cherries or plums as they could be sold in town without any trouble. They were sure great times!
I do not wish to create the impression that we were particularly well-off. Far from it! There was never too much money about and regular taxes to pay. It was the time of the Great Depression and there certainly weren't any farm subsidies to collect. It was more or less a hand to mouth existence and people would work for next to nothing, very often for their keep and a small reward. For instance, I never heard of the idea of pocket money for kids until I came to this country. I guess it would be very difficult to starve on a farm but we certainly never had any luxuries. Nevertheless, it was a healthy kind of life and the sun always seemed to be shining. Youth is such a wonderful time but one only learns to appreciate it in later years!
January 1992 T. Wier
N.B. One of my Aunts' first name was NEPOMUCENA. How about that?!
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[underlined] FLASHBACKS 1 [/underlined]
I still remember our first bombing raid. Not necessarily because it was the first but because it did not go exactly according to plan.
I was posted with the crew just after Christmas 1944 to No 300 Bomber Squadron at Faldingworth, near Lincoln. It was snowing heavily at the time - fortunately the journey was not too long, about 30 miles from Blyton, near Gainsborough, where we had finished our training on four-engined Halifaxes and Lancasters.
I think I ought to write something about my experiences in England up to that time because it is likely that they are different from those of my colleagues.
I started flying in England in May 1941 about 10 months after the collapse of France. I had one week on aircraft type Magister at Hucknall, near Nottingham and after that to Montrose in Scotland (NO 8 SFTS) for training on Masters and Hurricanes. From September until the end of that year I was in the south of England flying Henleys and Lysanders at Weston Zoyland [sic], Somerset. January and February 1942 Flying Instructors Course at Church Lawford, near Rugby and then a posting to No 25 (P) EFTS at Hucknall, Nottingham for duties as a Pilot Instructor. I must have been one of the youngest instructors there – a new, 22 year old Pilot Officer serving in “C” Flight with Capt. Tanski as Flight Commander.
The next two years felt like a constant roundabout. Each instructor had, normally four pupils every eight weeks and the first ten hours flying (average) with a pupil is mostly all talk in the air and often lots of explanations on the ground. So much talk that often one’s throat would get sore. And the pupil listened and learned to fly, sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. What amazes me now is the fact that they learned so much in such a short time – first solo, spinning, aerobatics, instrument flying, cross-country flights and even night flying. I remember one poor soul made 23 approaches before finally landing without mishap. I must admit that landing was difficult that particular night because the wind was from the wrong direction. The Flight Commander and the instructors heaved a sigh of relief – somebody wanted to bring anti-aircraft artillery!
At Hucknall there was also another problem.
Practically each and every one of the instructors wanted to join an operational Squadron. Of course, the result was that there was a regulated list of such volunteers and one had to wait for one’s turn to be released from flying instructor’s duties. I must have been way down the list because my turn did not come until June 1944. Moreover, I only got in because someone ahead of me declined this privilege.
I received an allocation to a bomber Squadron and a posting to Finningley, near Doncaster for training on twin-engined Wellingtons. I was very pleased that my instructor would be Janek Dziedzic and Flight Commander Jozek Nowak – both of them my colleagues from the Flying School, Deblin, in Poland.
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At Finningley, apart from flying training the aircrew personnel were formed into individual aircraft crews, that is to say the crew would consist of pilot, navigator, bomb-aimer, radio-operator and two gunners. The flight-engineer would join the crew later for training on four-engined aircraft.
I was very lucky with my crew. They approached me as a gathered and complete group – all good lads – I had a lot of flying hours under my belt, maybe that helped. They were all N.C.O.s, younger than I was with the exception of the bomb-aimer a year or so older. The youngest was the rear-gunner, only nineteen!
Flight Sergeant Hieronim Stawicki, our Flight Engineer, became eventually “The Father” of the crew. I think he was 27 years old at the time and started flying with us in November 1944.
I return now to our arrival at Faldingworth. The end of December, winter, frost. There were not too many people as the older crews were finishing their tours of duty and some of the others simply were not returning from the raids. In spite of the fact that the Germans were retreating on all fronts, the Squadron was still losing crews. One aircraft lost meant seven aircrew, leaving a large hole in the Unit. Even during the last raid of the war on the 25th of April 1945 while bombing Berchtesgaden, one of Squadron aircraft was so badly damaged that the pilot was forced to crash-land in France. Luckily, the whole crew escaped without too many injuries. The bomb-aimer in that crew was my school-friend, Flying Officer, Roman Piaskowski.
A few weeks after our arrival, reporting to all our Commanders and some training flights we found ourselves on the 2nd of February 1945 at the briefing with all other aircrews for our first raid on Germany. Target – WIESBADEN. A night flight, but not too bad because most of the route was over France. The flight duration was about six hours.
As far as I remember the weather was fairly good. From time to time we could see the other aircraft in the stream. The only problem which we discovered on route to the target was strong head wind, much stronger than forecast – the navigator was complaining that we should be late over the target. I was not sure what to do about it – we increased the speed slightly, but this was not necessary as we discovered after our return to base. The correct procedure was to continue as per flight plan following the principle that the same wind was affecting all the other aircraft. I guess we must have been in good time over Wiesbaden.
There was quite a bit of anti-aircraft fire on the approach and over the target. Not much time to worry about it because one has to fly accurately following bomb-aimer's instructions. After a while the aircraft jumps up, “Bombs gone!”, bomb doors close and the aircraft shoots forward without the load.
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14,000 pounds went down – a great relief for the aeroplane and all crew members.
The return flight is always easier. The aircraft is very light and after crossing of the Channel everyone feels fairly safe. We were returning to Faldingworth from the south. When the navigator said that we were getting near the airfield I noticed the lights and received clearance to join the circuit and to land over the R/T. Normal circuit, approach and landing without much trouble.
Then our problems began. After clearing the runway and taxying [sic] to dispersal we stopped the engines and started to leave the aircraft. To my surprise we had landed at FISKERTON, an airfield few miles south of Faldingworth which also had Lancasters probably taking part in the same raid.
The worst trouble was that we were not allowed to take off again and return to Faldingworth because we had one or two hung-up bombs in the bomb bay which we were unable to jettison earlier. And naturally, the Armament Officer in charge of such operations decided that it would be more sensible to tackle a job like that in daylight rather than in the middle of the night. We, of course, had to sit and wait there, returning eventually to Faldingworth eight or nine hours later.
What had happened? Well, there were quite a number of Bomber Command airfields in Lincolnshire (I can list 10 of them within 12-15 mile radius of Faldingworth) and they were very much alike. That is to say, their lighting was similar, the runways more or less in the same direction and of nearly standard length. One thing which distinguished one airfield from another were the recognition letters placed in, what was called “The Outer Circle” of airfield lights. Nearly always they consisted of two letters – the first and the last letter of the airfield's name. Thus Faldingworth had FH and Fiskerton FN. I did see the letters when I was doing the circuit, but unfortunately, I did not know or realize that there was an airfield with similar letters so close to ours. As a matter of fact, I thought that the installation of the lights was slightly damaged and the centre bar of the letter H had dropped at one end and was simply leaning over. I fully intended to report the matter on the ground after landing.
This is my explanation of the incident. It ended without mishap, but now I realize that we really avoided trouble. A simple oversight on my part, but talking to our own air Traffic Control and landing at another airfield was neither a sensible nor a safe occupation.
I stopped flying as a pilot in the Royal Air Force towards the end of 1959. Sometime later I read the following short article (I do not know the author and I decided that it would be appropriate to place it on the last unused page of my Pilot's Flying Log Book:-
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[underlined] “I WANT TO BE A PILOT” [/underlined]
[underlined] by a 10- year old Schoolboy [/underlined]
“....I want to be a pilot when I grow up ….because it's a fun job and easy to do. That's why there are so many pilots flying today. Pilots don't need much school, they just have to learn to read numbers so they can read instruments. I guess they should be able to read road maps so they won't get lost. Pilots should be brave so they won't be scared if it's foggy and they can't see, or if a wing or motor falls off, they would stay calm so they will know what to do. Pilots have to have good eyes to see through clouds and they can't be afraid of lightning or thunder because they are closer to them than we are. The salary pilots make is another thing I like. They have more money than they can spend. This is because most people think plane flying is dangerous except pilots don't because they know how easy it is. There isn't much I don't like except girls like pilots and all the stewardesses want to marry pilots so they always have to chase them away so they don't bother them. I hope I don't get air sick because I get car sick and if I get air sick I couldn't be a pilot and then I would have to go to work....”
I guess this is the right way to finish this part of my recollections.
June 1991
T. Wier
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[underlined] FLASHBACKS 2 [/underlined]
There must be lots of reasons which influence and help young people in the choice of their career. I was already interested in flying in Primary School – I read what I could find about the subject, made flying models of gliders and aeroplanes and when I was in Gimnasium (Grammar School) I attended several lectures given by a glider instructor. At fifteen or sixteen I received a brochure describing conditions of Service in the Polish Air Force and in the Officers Flying Training School situated at that time in Deblin forty or fifty miles south of Warsaw. There were a number of photographs in the book and the one that impressed me a lot was a photograph of a pilot with the rank of a colonel in the Polish Air Force. He looked very smart at at 36 was about to retire. Fantastic! Of course the profession was somewhat risky and there was always a possibility of a fatal accident but the pilot then had a very impressive funeral and a propeller over his grave!
One of the books which I read was by Captain Janusz Meissner and the title of it was “School of Young Eagles”. Beautifully written and the contents were really inspiring – kind of an answer to the dreams of all would-be young Flyers. As it happened we met Captain Meissner later while we were interned in Romania and where he was our Unit Commander for a while. A very imposing and kind officer – he looked after us like a father. Very much like “Captain Grey” - the character in the book I mentioned.
While considering my future career I received some advice from my older colleague. Takek Walczak matriculated from the same school in ZGIERZ one year ahead of me and joined the Polish Air Force in 1937. He was actually then at the Flying School and I met him while he was on leave all resplendent n his uniform and the “walking out” dagger at his side. My original intention was to apply for admission to the Technical Officers School but he soon convinced me that life as a “plumber” would be very dull and that of a pilot much more interesting.
I must now admit that he was absolutely right. I can not now imagine the 22 years of my life from 1938 to 1960 in a profession other than as a military pilot. I feel certain that I have lived during the “golden age” of aviation. When I started flying the aeroplanes were “string, wires and canvas” (at least the first ones I trained on were!) and by 1948 I was flying the early jet aircraft. In 1957 the SPUTNIK was circling the globe and in 1969 NEIL ARMSTRONG walked on the surface of the moon. What progress!
Soon after my matriculation in 1938 I received a notification to attend a course on gliders in Ustianowa, South-East Poland. Two weeks earned my category “B” on glider type “Wrona”. Week or two later another course in Ustianowa but this time for selection to the Officers Flying Training School. Gliders “Czajka” and “Salamander” ending with the award of category “C”.
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After all these valiant efforts the authorities still managed to get hold of me and sent me to a Labour camp in Southern Poland. The work involved building a road and was kind of obligatory for all students who have completed secondary education. I think the attachment was for a month or so. However, the Camp Commandant realized that I have done my stint of service for the Government and sent me home after three or four days. Just in time for the harvest! Father was very pleased – great help on the farm.
End of September 1938 found me in a khaki uniform with a very short haircut in the barracks of 31st Infantry Brigade in Lodz for my course of Recruit Training. Lots of drill, marching, weapon training, instructions in field tactics, rifle and machine-gun range firing and, thank God, after Christmas posting to Flying School in Deblin. Much, much better there! Fitted uniforms, modern barracks, mattresses instead of straw pallets. (Easy to remake the bed after duty N.C.O.s' failed inspection). About an hour of drill a day and an awful lot of lectures. I think that we had about seven hours – one had to have a brain like a sponge to assimilate it all – somehow a lot stayed in. We started lectures about six or seven in the morning then one break and a small snack at eleven. Lunch was well after two in the afternoon. And one hour of drill after that!
Spring 1939. The weather was kind because I remember that we finished initial flying training on aircraft RWD 8 fairly quickly. We used a small grass satellite airfield called Zajezierze on the west side of the river Vistula. I ought to add that the main airfield at Deblin, the other satellite airfields and the nearby town Irena were all on the right, east bank of the river.
Before the first solo we had a dual flight and carried out spinning on aircraft type PWS 26 (our initial RWD 8 was non-aerobatic and not stressed for practice of spinning) and after that a free fall parachute jump out of a large three-engined Fokker aircraft. There were six of us in each group to carry out the jump and I was the first to be pushed out of the aeroplane. I do not know if I was the lightest or the heaviest in the group but I fell down fairly fast. 3 seconds later I pulled the ripcord and the parachute opened without any trouble. One had to hang on to the handle of the ripcord because it’s loss meant a small fine and every penny of our meagre pay soon got used up. What actually frightened me most was the fact that I seemed to be heading straight for a huge metal wind indicator which was situated in the corner of the airfield not too far from the Officers’ Mess. However, my Guardian Angel looked after me and I managed to land several yards away from this obstruction. There would not be much fun having an argument with such a heap of iron and one could certainly do oneself an awful lot of painful injury by landing on it.
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3
I do not remember now the exact date but early in June we found ourselves at another satellite airfield called Borowina. I still had my original instructor on the next type of aircraft which was a biplane PWS 26. I think now that my instructor was near enough a saint – he never got angry and had infinite patience. Only once, I remember, he told me after an hour’s instrument flying under the hood that he could not have lasted much longer. I don’t know if it was my flying or some other reason that caused the remark.
I recollect a couple of incidents from that part of my flying career. I was very impressed with the speed with which our Technical Branch dealt with a problem which was discovered in our aircraft following a near-fatal accident. It happened that one of our lads, Stasiek Litak, was carrying out an exercise in spinning. This required starting the spin, two or three turns and then recovery. Fairly simple exercise – one needed some height, a clear bit of sky, speed reduced to minimum and then the stick fully back, rudder pedal hard over to one side and the machine goes round. for the recovery exactly opposite action of the flying controls, that is to say, the stick fully forward and the rudder pedal hard over to the other side. I must add that Stasiek Litak was a big chap and wore very large size boots. (This has no connection with the incident but he was a brilliant player on the accordion). What I heard eventually was that Stasiek started the spin OK but while doing so his foot slipped of [sic] the rudder and got jammed by the side of the fuselage and the bar itself. In spite of great efforts he was unable to pull his foot out and apply the opposite rudder. And so the aeroplane continued spinning although at a slower rate all the way down. I believe Stasiek was injured but, fortunately, still able to explain what had happened.
Few days later all the PWS 26 aircraft were modified – special wooden guards were fitted to prevent the foot getting jammed. Very simple and effective.
We had a very comprehensive program of flying exercises to carry out. Towards the end of the course one of them involved live air to ground firing – fixed machine gun firing through the propeller into a target on the ground. The target was a large rectangle of cleared ground and covered with smoothed-out sand so that every bullet hitting it would show a trace. We had a prescribed number of rounds loaded for each pilot to fire and it was thus fairly simple to count the hits and figure out who was a good shot.
As the target was flat on the ground, one had to dive and aim the aircraft. Furthermore, the nearer the vertical the dive and closer to the ground, the better the score. Of course, we were limited to the number of passes we could make on the target so one had to judge everything nicely – there wasn’t much time to correct any mistakes.
I guess, I must have got a pass-mark for my live firing – I certainly do not remember my score. But I remember what happened to another pilot doing the same exercise.
4
Parallel with our course we had eight or ten officers from the Bulgarian Air Force trained by Polish instructors. They were not billeted with us and we saw them only from time to time. Their senior officer was a Bulgarian captain, very strict, keen and correct. He was always trying to get top marks in every activity, no doubt to set a good example to his other officers.
Unfortunately, as I said before, one did not have much time to correct mistakes during the air firing exercise. It was necessary to stop the firing and pull out of the dive in good time to avoid crashing into the ground. Few seconds too long and the pilot was in trouble which is exactly what happened to our Captain. He must have pulled out very hard but did not quite make it and left some bits of his aeroplane on the surrounding bushes and trees. Somehow he got away without serious injury himself.
September 1939 and the German invasion of Poland. The bombing of Deblin and our own airfield was not very pleasant. Fortunately, we were a mile or so away from the airfield and nobody was injured in our Section. The bombing took place about lunchtime on the 2nd of September and that afternoon we cleared out of our barracks and continued the march for most of the night in the direction of Lublin, which was South-East of our airfield. We stopped for a couple of days near a large farming estate and from there I was detailed for my last flight in Poland. I do not know how it happened but I think that my instructor must have been confident of my flying ability because I was instructed to fly one of our training aircraft, PWS 26, in formation with my instructor in the direction of Lwow in South-East Poland. These aircraft were already dispersed from our home airfield so the take off and landing were to be on temporary landing grounds. My instructor flew ahead and I had to follow him. We were flying quite low and I simply kept close so as not to lose his aircraft – he was navigating for both of us. My attention must have wandered off temporarily because I got a real fright when a tall chimney of some brickworks or a factory suddenly appeared ahead of me. Quick yank on the stick and full throttle got me out of that predicament. I landed, eventually, behind my instructor on a field still covered with short stubble from the recent harvest. After landing, the aeroplane was pushed tail first into a nearby wood, few branches across the front completed the camouflage. I guess, the Russians found the aircraft there when they marched in, we could not fly them any further because of lack of fuel.
About 11 o'clock on Sunday, 17th of September our Commanders received a message that the Russians have invaded Poland from the East. Soon after came the order to evacuate the Unit in the direction of Rumanian border and next day we found ourselves in that country – disarmed and in a foreign land.
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5
It must have happened during our journey to the southern region of Rumania. Somewhere and somehow I contracted dysentery, most likely eating contaminated fruit. I spent about a week in a hospital in Tulcea and slowly recovered my health. My youth and skilled medical care helped to overcome a very unpleasant illness.
Unusual coincidence. My father, in Poland, only 56 years old at the time, also contracted this disease about the same time as I did. He died because of it on the 4th of October 1939. I received the information about his death and the cause of It well after the war ended. Life for a life?
The following recollection which touched me very deeply will always remain in my memory. It happened on the first Sunday of our internment in Rumania. A large camp of tents, Holy Mass in the open and at the end a hymn: -
O God, Who for centuries Have allowed Poland
The splendour of might and glory and Who
Protected her with the shield of Your care
From the misfortunes which had threatened.
We carry this prayer before Your altars
Bless our free Motherland, O Lord.
We sang:-
Return to us our Motherland, O Lord.
I was then nineteen....
Tadek Wier
August 1991
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[underlined] FLASHBACKS 3 [/underlined]
Rumania. Soon after my return from the hospital (first days of October, 1939) we were moved from the tented camp in Tulcea to a village in Dobrudja, somewhere near Bazargic in South-East Rumania. Bolek Uszpolewicz and I were billeted with a village family which consisted of the old farmer and wife, his married son and wife, and a younger daughter of the old farmer, about twenty years of age. Bolek was six years older than I and his family lived in Lithuania.
I must add that I am relying entirely on my memory when writing these recollections and sometimes I am not quite certain of the dates. The reason for this is that during our internment in Rumania everybody was trying to escape to the West, that is to say to France or England which were still at war, and so to continue fighting the Germans. The right way to go about it was to get rid of everything which would connect a person with the fact that he was in the Polish Forces, then acquire a civilian suit and proceed to a designated collection point given to us just before the escape. Therefore, all the photographs, documents and papers had to be destroyed or thrown away. As a result, I do not have any positive records from that period of time. I am not quite certain now that such a drastic clear-out was absolutely necessary, but when one is young and without experience of tricky matters, it is best to listen to the advice of people who are older and have the knowledge of what to do in unusual circumstances.
Our old farmer left the house practically every day to work in the fields and always took with him a full jug of wine. The jug was a fair size, three pints or so and when he returned in the evening he was in high good humour. His son invited us one day to have a look at their cellar where the wine was kept – huge barrel, about five feet in diameter – must have lasted a whole year until next grape harvest.
I am ashamed to say that I do not remember our host's name or even their religion. Rut religious they were. Each Sunday the young woman in the house would trot off to church and later join the group of young people gathered in the village square. There was a small band of musicians and men and women would dance. The dances had a definite oriental flavour – very likely the influence of Bulgaria and Turkey.
A small happening which I recollect with pleasure. Our food was no great shakes and there wasn't too much of it. The winter was approaching fast, November, snow, frost and often howling wind – a hungry person feels such discomforts quite a lot. Bolek and I decided that it would be nice to have a real feast for once. We managed to save some money and then bought a goose from a neighbour's wife. This lady, very kindly has agreed to cook or roast the goose for us. The cooked bird was truly delicious – stuffed with sauerkraut and paprika. These two ingredients seemed to a perfect flavouring for the goose meat, I would recommend this method of preparing it to any cook or chef.
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2
Sometime at the beginning of December we got our, sort of, civilian outfits, some extra money for the journey and one early morning caught a train which eventually took us to Balcic on the coast of the Black Sea and very close to the Bulgarian frontier. We waited there a couple of weeks or so for the boat and for our travel documents. These, of course, were forged and our senior officers had a lot of work inventing new names for all of us. I don't think they had much trouble finding one for me – Tadeusz Eugeniusz Wierzbowski disappeared and Maciej Gruszka showed up in his place. I guess I ought to add that there is a common Polish proverb which says that the good times will come when willow trees will start growing pears. And wierzba means willow in Polish – gruszka is a pear!
A few days before Christmas a boat called “Patris” showed up in the harbour. There must have been several hundreds of us and all eager to get away. We eventually found out that our destination was Beirut in, as it was then Syria. The boat must have been fairly small and rather unstable because when we were passing one of the islands and most of the passengers on top moved to one side to get a better view, the boat listed quite a few degrees towards the island.
We landed in Beirut two or three days before Christmas and spent the next three weeks in a military camp just to the north of the city. With French hospitality we were treated at Christmas to a choice meal and half a bottle of champagne. Once or twice we wandered into the city – very busy, lots of money changers and cafes – sweet, thick coffee and cakes when one could afford it! What surprised me a lot was the sight of fruiting orange trees (January!) and the cheepness [sic] of oranges – one could buy a dozen for next to nothing.
About the middle of January we embarked on a large passenger ship and after leaving Beirut spent few pleasant days on the journey to Marseille [sic]. They were pleasant because the weather was quite good and when we sailed through the Straits of Messina (between Sicily and Calabria – Italy was then still neutral) we had a good view of Mount Etna and sometime later the island and volcano of Stromboli.
The ship docked in Marseille on the 20th of January, 1940. Hard winter there - frost, some snow and a short stop-over in a camp just outside the town. Very primitive, I think we inherited it after the refugees from the Spanish Civil War. Eventually we were transported to a camp near a village of Sept Fonds, not far from Caussade in South-West France. Lovely countryside, but the camp not so good, very much like the one in Marseille.
The situation improved a lot when we were moved to Lyon in March, 1940. We stayed in Lyon-Foire, a large building which housed some sort of Exhibition a year or so before. It was located on the edge of the city and right on the bank of the River Rhone. Nearby was a nice park – I still remember a flock of peacocks which was kept there – they would strut around and display their dazzling tail feathers.
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3
The city itself was very impressive – lovely buildings, bridges over the Rhone, spring and early summer – about the best time of the year to get to know the place and to learn French which was most important for further service in the Air force there.
It did not last long. The German offensive started on 10th of May, 1940. We had an early raid by German bombers directed mainly against nearby airfield of Lyon-Bron used by our training Units. There were casualties, killed and wounded. One of the young officers in the air at the time attacked the formation of bombers but was himself shot down by them and killed – death of a hero!
The 18th of June, 1940 was a sad day in Lyon. The end of the fighting in France and the armistice. Also the tears of the women who wept as they watched us marching from Lyon-Foire to the railway station. Overnight journey and we found ourselves the next day somewhere near Montpelier on the Mediterranean coast of France. We waited there nearly two days because our Commanders expected a boat or a ship to transport us to North Africa or to England. Unfortunately, nothing turned up and we were loaded on to a train again and transported in the direction of the West coast of France. The train stopped for several hours in Toulouse on a siding and alongside a goods train. I mention this because someone discovered that one of the wagons of the goods train was loaded with boxes of fresh peaches. I do remember that we were very hungry, so in no time at all quite a few of the boxes found their way on board or our train. Soon there was no trace of the peaches and the empty boxes disappeared also. Since then, I have noticed, that I had become very indifferent to the sight or taste of fresh peaches.
After our stop in Toulouse the train headed southwards towards the Spanish frontier through Bayonne and halted eventually in St Jean de Luz. I think we spent the night there and the next day started boarding a British ship which was anchored about half a mile from the shore. The ship was called “Andora Star”.
The following letter from a reader appeared in the “Sunday Times” on the 13th of October, 1991:-
LAST TO LEAVE: The account of Sir James Goldsmith's escape from France in 1940, News Review last week stated that his family left from Bayonne in the last ship to leave for England. On Monday, June 24 1940, we (my family) overtook a German advance military unit just north of Bordeaux and raced on to Bayonne to find the British Consul had moved to St Jean de Luz. It was there that we boarded the Arandora Star, together with the remnants of the Polish air force. The ship sailed at 17.30 on June 24 with 4000 on board and reached Liverpool on June 27. That was the last sailing from the Atlantic coast of France to England.
I remember it well – I was there. - R.S. Bendall, Exeter.
I was there as well among the others....
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I also have a Post Scriptum about the ship “Arandora Star”. It happened that the journey from St Jean de Luz to Liverpool was the last that the ship completed successfully. The next sailing from Liverpool to Canada on the 1st of July 1940 ended tragically when the ship was torpedoed soon after passing Ireland by a U-boat whose Captain was the renowned Gunther Prien of Scapa Flow fame. The Arandora Star went down in half an hour with the loss of 800 lives.
My Guardian Angel was still taking care of me.
Tadek Wier.
October 1991.
[underlined] FLASHBACKS 4 [/underlined]
I ought to explain how it came about that I changed my surname from WIERZBOWSKI to WIER.
During the second half of 1948 I received my appointment to a Short Service Commission in the General Duties Branch of the Royal Air Force. This was a very welcome news because, before that, I spent my time in the Polish Resettlement Corps on detachments to various R.A.F. Units where I was employed on administrative duties and later, just over four months of 1948, on a training course in Millom, Cumberland, learning the trade of turner and metal-worker. I enjoyed that course quite a lot because I was always interested in technical matters. The theory and practice of turning and metal work came in very handy when I retired from the Royal Air Force in 1975 and managed to do one year's training in watch and clock repair under the auspices of the Training Opportunities Scheme (TOPS) which was then available for ex-service personnel.
It was great to get back to flying. I shall always be grateful to the members of the R.A.F. Selection Board for allowing me to continue my career of the military pilot which was my original choice when I left school in Poland in 1938. My flying stopped when I left 300 Polish Bomber Squadron a few months before the Squadron was finally disbanded on the 11th of October 1946.
Actually, I did a fair amount of flying with the 300 Squadron from the end of the war until 7th of June 1946 – my last flight there recorded in my Pilot's Flying Log Book.
My final wartime bombing raid was on Berchtesgaden, Hitler's residence in the Alps, on the 25th of April 1945. Three days later, on the 28th of April we were off again to Europe, but this time on, a kind of, rescue mission, that is to say, repatriating former British Prisoners of War from one of the Allied forward airfields which I think was somewhere in Belgium. We were scheduled to carry back 20 men from Belgium to an airfield just north-west of London. We were taking with us 20 extra Mae Wests (life jackets!) for our passengers. I mention this fact because the flight did not start very well as one of our engines caught fire few seconds after take off. To close the throttle, feather the propeller, turn off fuel and press the fire extinguisher took less than a minute and we were back again on the ground in 12 minutes-flat landing on 3 engines.
While we were carrying out our circuit and landing, Wing Commander Jarkowski, our Squadron Commander, did some very smart, fast footwork and organised a replacement aircraft, so that after landing all we had to do was to transfer our own flying gear and the extra 20 Mae Wests to the other aircraft which was waiting for us with engines warming up. We were slightly behind the rest of our chaps but at least we got on the way without further problems and well in time to collect our 20 passengers who, otherwise, would have been cruelly disappointed.
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2
About one and a half hours after take off from Belgium we were landing in England. There was a very touching moment when we were coasting in somewhere near Dover and my crew brought the passengers forward in small batches to see The Cliffs when we were approaching the coast. There were some tears – quite a few of the men have been in captivity since 1940.
Few days later starting on the 2nd of May we carried food supplies to Holland which was then still under German Occupation. The drop was made from a very low altitude to prevent scattering of the load. These supplies were desperately needed because the people in Holland were near starvation and the drops must have been a success because we flew again on identical missions on the 5th and 7th of May, 1945.
The war in Europe ended on the 8th of May 1945. From then on we were busy carrying supplies to Europe and on the return journey bringing back former Prisoners of War. One or two flights were to and from temporary forward airfields surfaced with PSP (Pierced Steel Planking) making it a bit of tight squeeze to land a four-engined Lancaster on an airfield used only by our Spitfires or other light aeroplanes.
These operations ceased towards the end of June 1945 and we were then able to relax and fly over Germany on sightseeing trips. I have two such sorties listed in my Log Book – the first with my crew only to see the damage caused to targets which we bombed and to observe the results of the bombing from a comfortable height of 2000 or 3000 feet. Appropriately, this flight was named “Post Mortem”. The second flight was made for the benefit of our ground crew personnel who worked all hours of day and night throughout the war years to keep our aeroplanes in the air. No doubt, they understood that without their contribution, it might have been German airmen looking at such sights over England.
In September 1945 we started flying to Italy to transport mainly army personnel back to United Kingdom for their leave. Again 20 men at a time were back in England in about seven hours. The route for the outbound and return flight was via the South of France, near Northern Corsica, then Elba, with landing at Pomigliano, close to Naples which was our pick up point. On one occasion, when we were approaching Naples, I made a wide circuit over the Vesuvius and Pompei and actually had a look from above inside the cone of the volcano. It looked like a funnel of ashes – that’s all.
We usually spent one night in Naples and then back home the next day with the passengers. I remember that on one of my trips when we were delayed, I managed to get a ticket and see a splendid performance of the opera “Aida” at the Royal Opera House in Naples. Beautiful singing, music of the orchestra, costumes and scenery – quite an experience, I must say.
As a Flight Commander, it fell to me on one return journey to carry 20 nurses – all females; and all delivered safely back to England.
3
Some of the flights were not very pleasant because, as the autumn progressed, we had to fly sometime through severe storms which seemed particularly vicious at that time of the year in the Bay of Genoa and on our route. For the comfort of the passengers and safety we had to maintain heights of about 5000 to 8000 feet and these are pretty nasty heights to fly through a thunderstorm. Fortunately, such bad flying conditions do not last for very long and twenty to thirty minutes was enough to get through the worst turbulence, hail rain, lightning or what there was about. Nevertheless, we were unlucky in losing one aircraft and the crew somewhere over the Mediterranean. I do not remember now if they had any passengers on board or not.
On the 4th of November, 1945, my crew and I flew to Gatow airfield, Berlin, for an overnight stay and to have a look at the capital of Germany which was then still mostly in ruins. A short wander around the City, a walk through the parts of Reich Chancellery which were accessible and a flight back to UK. I guess, we used the same corridor route as the aircraft which were to fly in the supplies during the Berlin Airlift a couple of years later.
I had 2000 flying hours flown on various types of aircraft when I left the Squadron in 1946. I suppose this flying experience helped me to be selected for service in the Royal Air Force and to be employed on flying duties as a pilot.
Because I haven't done any flying for over two years I had to complete a 3-week Pilot Refresher Flying Course at R.A.F. Finningley and then I was posted to No 4 Ferry Pool which at that time was located at R.A.F. Hawarden, near Chester. I also spent further 3 weeks at R.A.F. Aston Down, near Stroud, converting to other types of aircraft, as well as jets.
I found the task of ferrying aeroplanes very rewarding and interesting for two main reasons. The first was the fact that I visited just about all the airfields in use in the United Kingdom at the time, delivering or collecting aircraft. The flights were carried out normally in fairly good weather but, inevitably, one encountered all sorts of conditions on longer trips and sometimes diversions were necessary. Great experience for getting acquainted with the geography of the country as we operated the length and breath [sic] of Great Britain, from the very North of Scotland to the Channel coast in the South and from the North Sea in the East to all of Northern Ireland in the west. Later on we also flew on some of the ferrying duties between UK and our Units in the British Zone of Germany.
The second interesting point was the variety of the aircraft which we ferried about. I was lucky because I qualified on all the categories which were then currently in use. All the single-engined, twin, four-engined and jets. Such was the variety that flying three different types and categories in one day was routine.
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4
Looking through my Log Book and monthly summaries I have the following: -
January 1949 - 9 types
May 1949 - 10 types
June/July 1949 - 12 types
June 1951 – 13 types
With such a collection of aeroplanes, one would learn peculiarities of each type and remember the differences – Pilot’s Notes were always handy to refresh one’s memory. Fortunately, flying itself is always standard; forward fast or slow, left or right, and up or down!
As I mentioned before, ferrying of aircraft meant landing and taking off from a lot of different airfields. Visiting 20, 25 locations in one month was again routine. Normally, the flight details would be passed to these airfields by phone from our Operations Room first thing in the morning and, similarly, that information updated would be phoned through between the airfields concerned as the day progressed.
One of the items of information phoned through would be the aircraft captain’s name and, of course, a name like Wierzbowski with eleven letters in it offered innumerable permutations for misspelling to the Air Traffic Control clerks who would copy out the name on the Movements Board for use by the Controllers.
A pilot would usually visit or contact the Air Traffic Control after arrival or before departure to check on the weather or other flight information of the destination aerodrome. Nearly every time during my visits I would see my name misspelled in a variety of ways. Then, after a few weeks with the Unit even our operations people got tired of spelling-out such a long name and started using a shortened form of the first four letters of it, that is to say, WIER.
I suppose, it was lucky that we had no other pilot with a name like WEIR because that is how my name sometime still appeared. And still does!
I guess what really convinced me that it would be right to change my name formally was the incident which occurred when my daughter, Elizabeth, started attending the Primary School in Ellesmere Port where we lived from 1949 onwards. I do not remember the exact date when this happened but Libby was then about eight years old and, one day, her teacher asked Elizabeth to write her full name on the blackboard for all the children in the class to see. No doubt, the teacher meant well but was somewhat insensitive to Libby’s embarrassment at being so different from all the other Smiths, Jones, Mills or what have you. I believe, Libby cried and refused to obey the teacher’s request and had to suffer painful consequences as a result.
I changed my surname by Statutory Declaration soon after to WIER. Even after that, my name was still somewhat
[page break]
5
unusual because of the strange spelling and until my retirement from the Service in 1975 was the only one so written in the Official Air Force List.
My son, Michael, was born in February 1952, a couple of years after the change of my surname and was duly registered as Michael Richard WIER. Sometime in his teens he decided that he was deprived of his Polish heritage to a certain degree and so after his eighteenth birthday he added the full name of Wierzbowski to his own. This was all done legally and at his own expense. I must say, I was quite touched by his determined action and, of course, very proud of the fact that he wanted to acknowledge his paternal ancestry and descent.
I imagine all this sounds like a very long-winded explanation of a simple happening but I have to point out that the situation and conditions 40-45 years ago were very different from the present. Life is much simpler now – we have Singhs, Patels, Wongs or Muhammads, one hears names like Gorbachev or Yeltsin and nobody bats an eyelid at the sound of them. It sure is a very welcome progress!
Talking of progress; I had a good example of it when Michael was about 3 years old. I will mention it now because at the time it made me realize that the world is developing much faster than we think or are aware of.
We lived in Whitby, Wirral, not very far from R.A.F. Station, Hooton Park, which was then used by an Auxiliary Squadron equipped with jet aircraft. These were flying around quite a lot and on occasions fairly low so that Michael was very familiar with the shape and sound of these aeroplanes. Well, one day, we were waiting at the traffic lights on the road passing the end of the runway at Hawarden near Chester, where I was actually stationed. As it happened, and old ANSON (twin-engined, propeller driven aircraft), was coming in to land and passed in front of us very low, throttled back and with the propellers turning slowly. I still remember the remark which, greatly astonished Michael made :- “Look, Daddy, an aeroplane with windmills on!”
June 1992.
T. Wier.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Flashbacks 0 to 4
Description
An account of the resource
Starts with commentary on family in Poland and names recorded on visits to Poland. Continues with account of early life, school and life in Poland before the war.
Flashback 1. Mentions first operation on 300 Squadron at RAF Faldingworth. Continues with account of training in England at Hucknall, Montrose and Western Zoyland. He then trained as an instructor and was posted as a flying instructor. He volunteered for operational duties and eventually was allocated to a bomber squadron at RAF Finningley training on Wellington where he crewed up before posting to RAF Faldingworth, Continues with description of first operation to Wiesbaden and mistakenly landing at RAF Fiskerton on return. Concludes with a 10 year old schoolboy's wish to be a pilot.
Flashback 2. Account of Tadeusz joining the Polish Air Force including the reasons for his ambition, early experience of gliding, labour camp and military training. Continues with account of flying training with various incidents. Describes events during German invasion and escape to Romania.
Flashback 3. Continues with events after arriving in Romania and then travelling onwards by boat to Beirut then onwards to Marseille, Lyon. Gives account of German invasion of France in May 1940 and his escape via Toulouse, Bayonne and St Jean de Luz and then by British ship to Liverpool.
Flashback 4. Writes of changing his name and of his career in the RAF after the war including continuing flying with 300 Squadron and his final operation to Berchtesgaden as well as prisoner of war repatriation flights and food drops in Holland. Continues with account of flying troops back from Italy and a visit to Berlin. He was posted to ferry aircraft of many different types.
Creator
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T Wier
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1992-01
1991-06
1991-10
1992-06
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Poland
Poland--Zgierz
Poland--Dęblin (Warsaw)
Great Britain
England--Lincolnshire
England--Nottinghamshire
England--Hucknall
Scotland--Angus
Scotland--Montrose
England--Somerset
England--Warwickshire
England--Rugby
England--Yorkshire
Germany
Germany--Wiesbaden
Romania
Lebanon
Lebanon--Beirut
France
France--Marseille
France--Lyon
France--Toulouse
France--Bayonne
France--Saint-Jean-de-Luz
England--Lancashire
England--Liverpool
Germany--Berchtesgaden
Belgium
Italy
Italy--Genoa
Germany--Berlin
England--Bridgwater
Romania
Romania--Tulcea
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1941
1944-12
1941-05
1944-06
1944-10
1945-02-02
1939
1939-09-17
1940-05-10
Format
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Twenty-five page printed document
Language
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eng
Type
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Text
Text. Memoir
Identifier
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BWierTWierTv1
Coverage
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Civilian
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Contributor
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Jan Waller
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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.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
300 Squadron
aircrew
crewing up
Halifax
Hurricane
Lancaster
Lysander
Magister
Operation Dodge (1945)
Operation Exodus (1945)
Operation Manna (29 Apr – 8 May 1945)
pilot
RAF Faldingworth
RAF Finningley
RAF Fiskerton
RAF Weston Zoyland
training
Wellington
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1817/32439/EWittyARWittyN430702.1.jpg
35b5344c9ba83fe5a4b842f264a525e1
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Witty, A R
Witty, Ron
Witty, Ronald
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-03-23
Rights
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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
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Witty, AR
Description
An account of the resource
118 items. The collection concerns Flight Lieutenant Ronald Witty DFM (1520694 Royal Air Force) and contains his log book, navigation charts and logs of all his operations, photographs and correspondence home from training in South Africa. He flew thirty operations as a navigator with 12 Squadron before going as an instructor on 1656 HCU and then 576 and 50 Squadrons after the war.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by David Witty and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Transcribed document
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Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
The Address must be written in LARGE BLOCK LETTERS wholly within the panel alongside.
1622275 A.C.2. WITTY N.,
63 FARNDALE AVENUE,
SOUTHCOATES LANE,
HULL,
YORKS.,
ENGLAND.
Sender's Name and Address: 1520694 L.A.C. WITTY A.R., 12A.N. C OURSE, 41 AIR SCHOOL, COLLONDALE, EAST LOND, S. AFRICA.
2/7/43
Dear Norman, It's quite a while since I had an airgraph from you and I'm anxious to know how you're getting on. I'm afraid the above opening won't cheer you much if you're still in the ranks of the waiting. If you are, you will probably be feeling considerably “cheesed”. This is quite a prevalent state of affairs these days. One gets absolutely “cheesed” waiting to take a course and when you are eventually put on a course, the concentrated “bending” makes one “cheesed” once more. There seems to be no limit to the state of “cheesedness” a human being can withstand. The only thing to do is to make the best of it, although things may seem deadly monotonous.
You've done a nice thing for yourself, my lad, re-mustering as our navigator. Here are a few comments from member of 12 A.N. Course. (1) “Any air-crew job is N.B.G.” (2) “When I joined air-crew I hadn't a grey hair in my head” (The blokes half bald now). (3) “There's one born every minute!”. (4) “Remuster back to pilot as soon as possible.” (5) “Poor devil!” (6) “Good heavens!” (7) “ What a ------!” You'll certainly have plenty of work to keep you occupied. Whatever you do, however, you have my sincere wishes for your success. Cheerio, now, Norman all the very best of luck to you. I wonder if you've started your course yet? Your affectionate brother. Ron.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Ron Witty to Norman
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1943-07-02
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1943-07-02
Description
An account of the resource
Notes it is quite a while since he received an airgram form him and wondered if he had started his courses or was still waiting which unfortunately was common at that time. However he said that Norman had done the right thing re-mustering as navigator. Follows with some anecdotes from members of his navigators course.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
A R Witty
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EWittyARWittyN430702
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Yorkshire
England--Hull
South Africa
South Africa--East London
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Jan Waller
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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.
aircrew
military service conditions
navigator
training
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1817/32438/EWittyARWittyN430531.2.jpg
1c2038b7984c3071549bc43d26832686
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Witty, A R
Witty, Ron
Witty, Ronald
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-03-23
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Witty, AR
Description
An account of the resource
118 items. The collection concerns Flight Lieutenant Ronald Witty DFM (1520694 Royal Air Force) and contains his log book, navigation charts and logs of all his operations, photographs and correspondence home from training in South Africa. He flew thirty operations as a navigator with 12 Squadron before going as an instructor on 1656 HCU and then 576 and 50 Squadrons after the war.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by David Witty and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
The Address must be written in LARGE BLOCK LETTERS wholly within the panel alongside.
1622275 A.C.2. WITTY. N.,
63 FARNDALE AVENUE,
SOUTHCOATES LANE,
HULL,
YORKS,
ENGLAND.
Sender's Name and Address: 1520694 L.A.C. WITTY A.R., 12 A.N. COURSE, 41 AIR SCHOOL, COLLONDALE, E. LONDON, S.A.
31/5/43
Dear Norman, I received another airgraph from you late during last week. You got a lot of lines on it but it was perfectly legible. I was very glad to hear that you managed at last to get a few days leave. You should be entitled to some more leave in the near future to make amends for the long delay you experienced in getting your last leave. Your news from home is always very interesting but I was amazed to hear that Hazel is practically as tall as you. In that case Dad & I will feel rather small.
I have passed the first 3 exams of this course and am waiting the results of the fourth. Our 5th exam falls due next week and after that they come thick and fast. If I don't go crazy with swatting during the next 5 weeks or so I shall have completed the course in 6 weeks time, which is relatively no time at all by the way time flies here at Collondale. For your interest I have approx. 50 flying hours now including a couple of night exercised to my credit (?)
I am pleased to know that you and your pal from Hull manage to stick together. It's a great help – I know. How old is Peter now. I should certainly have thought he was over 18 now. If he joins the R.A.F., I wish him all the best of luck. All my best wishes, too, to the Beckett's when you write to them. [underlined] It [/underlined] won't be long now. Affectionately yours, Ron.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Ron Witty to Norman
Description
An account of the resource
Reports arrival of airgram from Norman and was pleased that he had had a few days leave. Catches up with family news from home. Mentions he had passed the first three exams on the course and was waiting for results of the fourth. He would be working very hard over the next 5 weeks with just six to go until the end. Concluded with banter and gossip.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
A R Witty
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1943-05-31
Format
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One page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EWittyARWittyN430531
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Yorkshire
England--Hull
South Africa
South Africa--East London
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1943-05-31
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Jan Waller
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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.
training
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1996/31999/EHoganPJHoganDH430620.1.pdf
2c82d64d0a7c36b8fa785f9279f943e6
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Hogan, P J
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-12-05
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Hogan, PJ
Description
An account of the resource
Ninety-six items and a sub-collection with twenty two items..
The collection concerns Flight Sergeant Pat Hogan (436464 Royal Australian Air Force) and contains letters home to his family, his flying log book, accounts of his aircraft being shot down and him baling out, official documents, certificates and photographs.
He flew operations as a navigator with 466 Squadron.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Elizabeth Anne Lusby and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Transcribed document
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Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
[Air Force Logo]
20/6/43
Dear Dad,
I'll suppose you'll reckon its about time I wrote but I think you understand I was expecting a new address and consequently was holding off.
To start with I had a wonderful time in my sojourn at Katanning. Mr and Mrs Rae were both great scouts and were continually popping something fresh on us in the way of entertaining us. They have a large sheep station and, of course, we found plenty to do round about. The other two chaps were Sydney-siders, Doug Johnston & Ken Foreman.
We had plenty of riding, shooting, rabbiting and the Lord only knows what. One day we stuffed the carbi on the car and remedied its defects – temporary at least for it was still running alright when we left. I spent one day crutching sheep and nearly broke my back. Moreover we played a bit of golf in the paddocks.
For the week end to make up a party Mrs Rae brought out a few of the local girls. I think Mrs Rae enjoyed our stay almost as much as we did for
[page break]
2.
normally she's there in that big house by herself all day whilst the old man and his manager are out on their several tasks. As it was we used to order her out of the kitchen after every meal whilst we washed and cleaned up everything we could lay our hands on.
Her son, Gordon, a little more advanced with his training than we was home for the first few days of our stay. He was half expecting to go East to finish, although personally I don't think he would. In any case I took the liberty of inviting him up home, if he ever got stuck for somewhere to go. If, at any time, he did arrive I'd like you to show him round and give him a good time for his wonderful mother was marvellous to us. Jack Hogan could probably show him a thing or two. In any case, as I said before, it is most unlikely you'll see anything of him.
Since then I've been into Perth again twice and still manage to have a good time there so I suppose I shouldn't moan. I was most disappointed this week-end when the postings were announced and I was not amongst them. It is now running into months since I finished my course here and if I potter about much longer I'm afraid I'll have forgotten [deleted] my [/deleted] all I've learnt.
[page break]
3.
Our’s is a miserable existence for there is very little for us to do and we do even less. However they are perpetually on our tail and pity help any one who’s caught bludging. I’ve only been up once to date, D.G., and circumstances were such that I was able to use the gift of the gab and a little diplomacy and soon cleared myself & companions, although I suppose we were as guilty as most of those punished. Naturally having little to do, we have all day to do it in. I hope I didn’t say anything rash in the telegram I sent for I forget what I said. I know I was feeling a bit fed up when I sent it. There is no doubt about it, one does lose all enthusiasm, but I hope it is only temporary.
At the moment I’m doing guard duty, it is now just on 2 a.m. and quite cool out here on the river flats. Johno, who’s on with me seems to have the same idea as he is also punishing the pen.
What is the latest from Dan? Any more word re the AAF 22? I take it Doreen is still teaching at the Gully! I had another note from Eileen during the week. Vin Sier is quite taken up with the life here as I was at his stage. He was a friend of ours in Ken. He went to Assumption & later worked and knocked about with Ben Gallagher. Fisher and I used to knock about with them a lot.
I had another letter from Fisher recently. He likes the life in New Guinea or at least he doesn’t mind it & so far has not been hit by any of the eggs or shrapnel thereof. He wished to be remembered to you all.
[page break]
4.
I’m glad to hear Kev is just about right again. That’ll learn him! By the way you can now call me L.A.C. What is more important however is that I’m getting 4/- per day [inserted] raise [/inserted] and have several weeks back pay to collect next pay. For the present I’ll not make a further allotment but will bank the extra myself.
The big event of the trotting world over here, the Winter Cup, is to be held next Saturday and I hope to be able to go. At present I fancy two of the back markers Kobach & Black Bertha. The papers seem to think they are handicapped out of it but the former has treated me alright to date & I think I’ll be going for him. I’ve seen all the finalists for 6 of 7 races last week were heats of the Winter Cup there being 100 odd acceptors. I haven’t seen the fields but if you think anything worth it have an investment or two for me on the Nationals.
I notice Essendon are again well up in the football world and also that young Kevin Dyman is doing particularly well in the centre for North. You might tell that to Dan for I’m sure he’d been interested to know that, according to the papers, Kevin has trounced centremen all and sundry up to date. Ted apparently hasn’t played with the firsts yet this season.
Well, Dad, I’m afraid that is the issue. I hope you have thrown off your cold. How is Jim keeping? I suppose he’ll be well on the spot for Pat Colin’s ordination. Next month, no doubt?
I haven’t any further news I think (double dutch) so I’ll wind up for the present, Dad.
Love to all the family, Pat.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Pat Hogan to his father
Description
An account of the resource
Writes about his activities on leave in Katanning, Western Australia. Mentions going to Perth and that it was a month since he had finished his course but still no posting. Writes of his activities on base. He asks after friends and catches up with news as well as mentioning events in the trotting world and other sports news.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
P J Hogan
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1943-06-20
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Four page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EHoganPJHoganDH430620
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Civilian
Royal Australian Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Australia
Western Australia--Katanning
Western Australia--Perth
Western Australia
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1943-06-20
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Jan Waller
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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.
training
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1996/31992/SHoganPJ436464v30005-0001.2.jpg
77ef0fd199f63f8e4f4540ef849ddbf0
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1996/31992/SHoganPJ436464v30005-0002.2.jpg
3cb9494ae25e27c4de3bd8154ece2a4f
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Hogan, P J
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-12-05
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Hogan, PJ
Description
An account of the resource
Ninety-six items and a sub-collection with twenty two items..
The collection concerns Flight Sergeant Pat Hogan (436464 Royal Australian Air Force) and contains letters home to his family, his flying log book, accounts of his aircraft being shot down and him baling out, official documents, certificates and photographs.
He flew operations as a navigator with 466 Squadron.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Elizabeth Anne Lusby and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
[underlined] Report on Loss of Aircraft on Operations. [/underlined]
[underlined] Aircraft: [/underlined] Halifax III. NR. 179. 'C' of No: 466 Squadron.
[underlined] Date: [/underlined] 3/4th March, 1945. [underlined] Target. [/underlined] KAMEN.
[underlined] Special Equipment. [/underlined] H.2.S – Fishpond – Nitrogen filled petrol tanks.
[underlined] Cause of loss. [/underlined] – Fighter attack (intruders).
[underlined] Information from: [/underlined]
A. 136464 F/Sgt. P. HOGAN – Navigator.
A. 431933 F/Sgt. V. BULLEN. - Rear Gunner.
A. 115148 F/Sgt. G. LAING. - Mid Upper Gnr.
[underlined] Other members of crew: [/underlined]
A. 428602 F/O A.P. SHELTON – Pilot. Killed.
A. 437965 F/Sgt. R.R. JOHNSON. - Bomb Aimer. Killed.
A. 428968 F/Sgt. G.N. DIXON. - W/Operator. Killed
1606174 Sgt. W.E. WELSH. - F/Engineer. Killed
This crew were on their 10th Operational sortie.
[underlined] Narrative: [/underlined]
During the sortie, prevailing winds had been slightly different from forecast and this had necessitated the use of increased speed and greater fuel consumption. [indecipherable word] was reached at 6,000ft. And navigation lights were switched on. Height was lost down to 3,000ft. at the Wash, and a large amount of enemy fighter activity was seen over Norfolk. All lights, including resin lights, were therefore switched off.
2. On arrival at base airfield (Driffield), Flying Control gave instructions for aircraft lights to be dim, and for this aircraft to circle at 1,700ft. Later the aircraft was called down to 1,400ft, and finally given “prepare to land”. However, when approaching the funnel Flying Control did not give permission to land and the aircraft had to overshoot. The Pilot went round again, was given permission to land, and then when at 150ft. On R/T to proceed on a dog leg.
3. The Pilot climbed to 1,500ft. And flew West towards Pocklington on a Gee lattice line. The flight Engineer reported only 16 minutes endurance left and the Pilot therefore climbed up to 4,000ft. In case the aircraft had to be abandoned. The Bomb Aimer was in the nose and he reported a fighter coming from the port bow down. The Mid Upper gunner swing [sic] his guns in this direction but was unable to get a visual and the next moment the fighter opened fire. Fishpond was not in [indecipherable word].
4. Events then happened with great rapidity and in the opinion of a witness on the ground only 30/40 seconds elapsed between the bomber being set on fire and the subsequent crash. The Mid Upper gunner stated that both port engines were on fire. The H2S. modulator received a direct hit and the port side of the fuselage forward of the rear exit was set alight. The Navigator, who was at his table, saw a strike on the fuselage just above his table. The Aircraft went fairly quickly into a dive to port and the Pilot gave emergency bale out instructions.
5. The Mid Upper Gunner opened the rear exit door with difficulty and taking his helmet off, left head first. He was wearing suede boots and made a heavy landing in a field, a lightly spraining his ankle,
/over..
[page break]
6. The Navigator had to return to the rest position to recover his parachute. He passed The Bomb Aimer who, with his parachute on, was making for the front hatch. On reaching the rear exit the Flight Engineer was in front of the Navigator but delayed jumping and the Navigator left first. He left feet first and made a clean exit, although the aircraft by this time was in a dive. He made a good landing although he had left at very low height.
7. The Rear Gunner turned his guns to port and had difficulty to keep the port door open as the slip stream blew it back. He was wearing suede boots, size 10 and is right foot caught between the knee guard and the box under his seat. The aircraft was in a steep dive and flames were around the turret when he finally extricated himself by pulling his right foot out of his boot. He pulled the ‘D’ ring quickly but made a very heavy landing and was knocked out, but sustained no serious injuries.
8. All the other members of the crew were killed. The Flight Engineer was the only other member of the crew to leave the aircraft but he apparently left at too low an altitude. The Pilot had fitted his chest type parachute on as soon as the flight Engineer had warned of petrol shortage.
9. The Rear gunner stated that exit from the rear turret should be made easier and suggest the fitting of a saddle type seat which would occupy less space.
[underlined] 4G/221/9/1/Int.
28th. March 1945 [/underlined]
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Report on loss of aircraft on operations
Description
An account of the resource
Gives account of Halifax of 466 Squadron in which P J Hogan was navigator being shot down by German intruder aircraft on night 3/4 March 1945. The navigator and two gunners baled out successfully. The engineer left the aircraft but his parachute did not open and he was killed along with the other members of the crew.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1944-03-28
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Two page typewritten document
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Service material
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
SHoganPJ436464v30005
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Yorkshire
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1944-03-03
1944-03-04
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Jan Waller
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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.
466 Squadron
air gunner
aircrew
bale out
bomb aimer
flight engineer
Halifax
Halifax Mk 3
killed in action
navigator
pilot
RAF Driffield
RAF Pocklington
shot down
wireless operator
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1996/31957/ESadlerWJHoganPJ461209-0001.2.jpg
e721efed9ca1988ab224e2f220cc48c6
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1996/31957/ESadlerWJHoganPJ461209-0002.2.jpg
13224effec12af8afb1ad3c4ccfe57c5
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Hogan, P J
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-12-05
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Hogan, PJ
Description
An account of the resource
Ninety-six items and a sub-collection with twenty two items..
The collection concerns Flight Sergeant Pat Hogan (436464 Royal Australian Air Force) and contains letters home to his family, his flying log book, accounts of his aircraft being shot down and him baling out, official documents, certificates and photographs.
He flew operations as a navigator with 466 Squadron.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Elizabeth Anne Lusby and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
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Text transcribed from audio recording or document
[Company Logos}
THE G.Q. PARACHUTE Co. Ltd
PARACHUTES OF ALL TYPES FOR ALL PURPOSES.
CONTRACTORS TO H.M GOVERNMENT.
STADIUM WORKS,
WOKING, SURREY,
ENGLAND.
Directors : Raymond C. Quilter, chairman. Gerald N. Deane, Assoc: M. Inst. C.E. Arthur C. Dickinson, A.C.A. Sir Cuthbert Quilter, Bart.
[underlined] COPY [/underlined]
9th December, 1946.
Mr. P.J. Hogan,
67, Chapel Street,
Bendigo,
Victoria,
AUSTRALIA.
Dear Mr. Hogan,
At the present moment our Mr. Quilter is abroad, but before he left for South America he asked us to write to you and thank you for your extremely interesting letter of the 11th September and your kind gift of the parcel of food, which arrived here recently.
Your very generous gesture is greatly appreciated by all here, and it is difficult for us to express our thanks adequately.
It was agreed that the fairest way of distributing your parcel was to those still with us now who were working here at the time that the particular parachute which saved your life was manufactured. Lots were drawn, therefore, amongst these workers, and the eight people who received something from the parcel have written to personally to thank you.
We have also given your address to our Australian Representative in Sydney, Light Aircraft Pty., Ltd., 14, City Road, Sydney, and no doubt you will be hearing from the Managing Director, Mr. G.H. Mills, whom we felt sure would like to make contact with you.
Mr. Quilter was most interested in the contents of your letter, and in fact all of us here were interested to learn first hand of post war conditions and progress on the other side of the world. As you will appreciate, conditions here are far from normal, but the majority of the country is working hard in a determined effort to restore life to more
/normal
[page break]
2
normal channels, and your letter was very much appreciated. Indeed it is hoped that you will find time to write to us occasionally in the future and give us more of your news.
Once again may we offer you our very sincere thanks.
Yours sincerely,
William J. Sadler.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter to P J Hogan from Mr W J Sadler of the GQ parachute Co Ltd
Description
An account of the resource
Thanks him for letter and the gift of a parcel of food. He states that contents were distributed to those still with them that were working at the time that the particular parachute that saved his life was manufactured. Says his address was given to their Australian representative and that they were interested to learn of post war conditions and progress on the other side of the world and mention conditions in England.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
W J Sadler
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1946-12-09
Format
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Two page typewritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
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Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
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ESadlerWJHoganPJ461209
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Civilian
Royal Australian Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Surrey
England--Woking
Australia
Victoria--Bendigo
Victoria
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1946-12-09
Contributor
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Jan Waller
Publisher
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IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
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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.
bale out
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Hogan, P J
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-12-05
Rights
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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
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Hogan, PJ
Description
An account of the resource
Ninety-six items and a sub-collection with twenty two items..
The collection concerns Flight Sergeant Pat Hogan (436464 Royal Australian Air Force) and contains letters home to his family, his flying log book, accounts of his aircraft being shot down and him baling out, official documents, certificates and photographs.
He flew operations as a navigator with 466 Squadron.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Elizabeth Anne Lusby and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Transcribed document
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Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
A436464 F/S HOGAN P.
RAAF AUSPO
LONDON
16/7/45
Dear Marie,
On return from leave last night, I collected a little mail including one from you. Most of the chaps seem to be getting complaints from home about mail. Evidently some went astray somewhere. Very glad to hear you got the rain at last. It must have been a wonderful relief to everyone.
Well I spent 4 days of last week in Eire and had a great time. Didn't get far beyond Dublin this time. It is a really beautiful city compared to the English distorted sense of beauty. Admittedly English beauty does look very well on post cards but is dirty & old & depressing. Dublin is nice & clean & has the wide streets so familiar to any Australian.
Of course, I concentrated chiefly on wrapping myself round steaks, eggs, chocolates, milk & all the other things which
[page break]
had become a myth to anyone in England. I was lucky to get a spell of beautiful weather and got around all the nearby seaside resorts etc. Some of the scenery was beautiful & you'll get a fair idea of it through the post cards I send home. I also took some snaps but haven't had them developed as yet. I also bought a beautiful new camera over there. Haven't tried it yet as I've no film. The film situation is rather grim over this way. Hence if you [illegible words] onto any 116 films you can send them on, please.
I’ll be over [illegible word] for a long while yet & that is all of my own choosing, so don’t be too worried about it. As for the future I’m not letting it worry me unduly. I imagine we’ll be moving down southwards very shortly. We start a more advanced course in navigation theory, spherical trig etc & transport work next week & thence onto the real thing.
[page break]
Glad to note Dan is still O.K.
I spent each week end of my leave in Bradford with Jack & Mrs Collett, friends of Greg. I borrowed a few clothes from jack to go to Dublin. They are really good scouts & have treated me very well each time I’ve been there.
Met a pal of mine, Marty Ryan one day in O’Connell Street. I’d not seen him for about 15 mths & he was just finishing his honeymoon. His bride was a Dublin girl & very nice too. The girls all looked pretty decent [illegible words] it was a change to see [illegible words] dressed after the uniform [illegible words] clothes, with which [illegible words] have had to be [illegible words].
There are no buses on Sunday so I only had from Monday till Saturday & with the strict customs checks etc [inserted] at each end [/inserted] it took a whole day to cross each way which left me only 4 days.
I’ll be interested to know how the business about Uncle Jack Jeffrey goes. No doubt Smith’s & [indecipherable word] will go to town on it. We are not doing too well this test. Got the Drongoes out on Saturday for 254 & at lunch today we are 5 [indecipherable words]. Kev will be interested to know that Keith Miller is the best & fastest bowler in England at present. Regards to all Love Pat.
[page break]
AIR LETTER
Miss Marie Hogan
67 Chapel St.,
Bendigo Vic.
Australia
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Pat Hogan to Miss Marie Hogan
Description
An account of the resource
Comments on arrival of mail and that some for others had gone astray. Describes leave spent in Ireland in Dublin. which he compares favourably with dirty, old depressing England. Enjoyed food over there that was not available in England and describes some of his activities. Speculates on the future and mentions doing advanced course in navigation. Relates news of friend and colleagues. Asks after things at home.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
P J Hogan
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1945-07-16
Format
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Four sided handwritten airmail letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EHoganPJHoganM450716
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Civilian
Royal Australian Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--London
Ireland
Ireland--Dublin
Australia
Victoria--Bendigo
Victoria
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1945-07-16
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Jan Waller
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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.
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Hogan, P J
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-12-05
Rights
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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
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Hogan, PJ
Description
An account of the resource
Ninety-six items and a sub-collection with twenty two items..
The collection concerns Flight Sergeant Pat Hogan (436464 Royal Australian Air Force) and contains letters home to his family, his flying log book, accounts of his aircraft being shot down and him baling out, official documents, certificates and photographs.
He flew operations as a navigator with 466 Squadron.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Elizabeth Anne Lusby and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Transcribed document
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Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
A436464 F/S HOGAN P.
RAAF AUSPO
LONDON
27/4/45.
Dear Marie,
Thanks a lot for keeping up the stream of mail. I know my efforts from this end have been pretty poor but there has been little to write about & one gets so cheesed off hanging about.
Did my first op. For 7 weeks, a day or two ago. It was an easy one but we kept up our old form by getting a piece of flak through the windscreen. In this new crew I have the least number of ops. & in all they have quite a few hours between them & we should do alright together.
We are going on leave on Sunday. I’m forgetting the Irish trip for the time being, as I
[page break]
[indecipherable word] I’ll have far better opportunity when the war is over & we are hanging about waiting to get home. From what I can see it will take quite some considerable time to get rid of us from here & I reckon it will be a longer break then.
Sorry if you took me wrongly about the money, I know you have been very careful with it & appreciate your efforts very much. As for the lodge, I thought it was costing more, & seeing as I’ve kept it going this long you might as well keep it going.
I won’t worry a lot about the Bendigo election for frankly state politics aren’t worth it in my opinion. Please don’t bother getting addresses for me to look up anywhere for I already have plenty I know I’ll not be calling on as it is. I know you mean well but it would probably offend the donors if they knew I had no intention of calling there anyway.
[page break]
I’m afraid I’ve lost Neville Cox’s address, so I can’t write him. Had a letter from Dan yesterday also from Mrs Hilton & Mrs Johnson.
Glad to know everything is O.K. at home & going along serenely.
Sorry I’m pottering around so long with this letter, but honestly, I can find little to write about.
Love to all at home,
Pat.
[page break]
AIR LETTER
Miss Marie Hogan
67 Chapel St.,
Bendigo Vic
Australia
F/S HOGAN P.
RAAF AUSPO
LONDON
[stamp] 466 SQUADRON R.A.A.F. 27APR 1945
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Pat Hogan to Miss Marie Hogan
Description
An account of the resource
Thanks her for letters but says there had been little to write about his end and he was cheesed of with hanging about. Reports doing his first operation for seven weeks, it was an easy one but was hit by anti-aircraft fire. Talks a little of his new crew. Speculates over how long it will take to get home when the war is over. Discusses money issue and local politics at home and other gossip.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
P J Hogan
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1945-04-27
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--London
Australia
Victoria--Bendigo
Victoria
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1945-04-27
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Four sided handwritten airmail letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EHoganPJHoganM450427
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Civilian
Royal Australian Air Force
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Jan Waller
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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.
466 Squadron
anti-aircraft fire
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Hogan, P J
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-12-05
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Hogan, PJ
Description
An account of the resource
Ninety-six items and a sub-collection with twenty two items..
The collection concerns Flight Sergeant Pat Hogan (436464 Royal Australian Air Force) and contains letters home to his family, his flying log book, accounts of his aircraft being shot down and him baling out, official documents, certificates and photographs.
He flew operations as a navigator with 466 Squadron.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Elizabeth Anne Lusby and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
A436464 F/S HOGAN P.
RAAF AUSPO
LONDON.
13/4/45.
Dear Marie,
Thanks firstly for the cable & the couple of airgraphs which have arrived over the last 2 days (today's was only written on the 2nd). I've been doing pretty well recently with mail. News certainly gets around. One day I had 12 & yesterday [indecipherable number].
I've had airletters from the parents of each of the boys & it gives me wonderful satisfaction to know that I appear to have been at least some consolation in each case. They have all taken it very well indeed although Dr Shelton was particularly upset when he wrote me.
In all I got & dispatched [indecipherable number] group photographs to friends & relatives – I sent one home. I don't
[page break]
know why but I'm already starting to get parcels from round England here as well as some very enticing invitations.
Maurice Dyer, with whom as you will no doubt remember, I've been so pally since [indecipherable word] did not come back here last Sunday. I guess I'd better write his wife one of these days.
Still bludging around & getting no air under my feet. Rather monotonous but it is not so bad now that we are having weather almost worthy of an Australian spring. McDonald still has not left the conversion unit & the way things are going I think we've just about had it. It can't last much longer over here. However I would like to have had another crack before it packs in.
You seem to have been very busy over Easter but it is probably better that way that being quietly on your own. Pleased to know the old fair was once more a success.
Thank the rest of the family for letters. I'll eventually get round to answering them. This is my 6th tonight
[page break]
“Willie” Williams my new bomb aimer has just come in to see me. He is rather flushed as he nicked off to Bridlington today & sunbathed. I wish he’d have come to suggest it to me before he went.
We had intended having a big beano this week Roger Laing & Wally’s 21st were coming off as well as Alan’s 22nd, my 23rd all within 6th & 16th April. Roger is in getting drunk tonight (his birthday) but as I didn’t even feel like it for my own, I didn’t bother tonight.
I’d forgotten about the [indecipherable word] fiver you’d better take out some more tickets on my behalf. Sorry to hear the Phelan kids have been sick. Did the drought break?
Thanks again for all the Masses etc. over the prang. And the letters, Pleased the concert went off O.K.
Well, Marie, space is rather limited so I’ll bid you all the best again. There is no need to worry I haven’t so much as developed the familiar “twitch” so prevalent amongst operational aircrew. My only regret is that I don’t look like having another crack.
Love to all, Pat.
[page break]
AIR LETTER
Miss Marie Hogan
67 Chapel St.,
Bendigo Vic.
Australia.
A436464 F/S HOGAN P.
RAAF AUSPO
LONDON.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Pat Hogan to Miss Marie Hogan
Description
An account of the resource
Reports arrival of recent mail. Writes that he has received letters from the parents of each of the boys who seem to have taken it well apart from on father who was upset when he wrote. Catches up with other news of acquaintances. Says life is monotonous but the weather is better. Comments that it could not last much longer but he would have liked another crack at it before it was over. Discusses activities at home and at his location. Mentions parties planned for various events. Continues with other gossip and tells he not to worry as he has not developed the "twitch" prevalent amongst operational aircrew.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
P J Hogan
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1945-04-13
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Four sided handwritten airmail letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EHoganPJHoganM450413
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Civilian
Royal Australian Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--London
Australia
Victoria--Bendigo
Victoria
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1945-04-13
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Jan Waller
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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.
466 Squadron
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Hogan, P J
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-12-05
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Hogan, PJ
Description
An account of the resource
Ninety-six items and a sub-collection with twenty two items..
The collection concerns Flight Sergeant Pat Hogan (436464 Royal Australian Air Force) and contains letters home to his family, his flying log book, accounts of his aircraft being shot down and him baling out, official documents, certificates and photographs.
He flew operations as a navigator with 466 Squadron.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Elizabeth Anne Lusby and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
A436464 F/S HOGAN
RAAF AUSPO
LONDON.
18/2/45
Dear Marie,
Continuing from where I left off I'm afraid I must apologise for not wishing you birthday greetings earlier but I hope my cable arrived in time. I know I should have thought of it earlier to write in time to tell you to get yourself something you needed the same for Eileen. Still it is not too late now at least I'm in time I hope for Kevin & Dad.
Had a letter recently from Jack Brennan. He was very down in the dumps. His pilot has just been killed as well as about 7 other chaps with whom we trained at home & who were on his squadron. Sid Brown with whom we were both very thick has also gone in recently
[page break]
I wrote to Mrs Evelley some time back. If she mentions it please tell her not to bother sending further parcels for as I previously explained I don't really need them.
Glad to note in the air letter I received last night from Dad that he is sending me all the news about the family history for I do want to go to Ireland whilst I have the opportunity. I took the trouble this week of finding out all I could about getting [illegible words] civvy clothes [illegible words] I've also got a couple of addresses to go to – one in Dublin & one in Waterford.
You might also tell Dad I intended calling on Flegg & Son the last day I was in London. However on checking the address in the telephone directory found they had moved to a place called Walton-on the-Hill in Surrey about an hour out on the electric train.
[page break]
In any case I just couldn't make it. Dad seems very elated about his leave in the hills. Which reminds me, Eileen will be crook on me for not writing sooner. Actually I started to write from Dulverton but I don't know what happened. At least the cable may have given her a temporary restoration to forward.
Also had an airgraph from Jim last night but so far have managed to decypher [sic] only [illegible words] it. Gather he [indecipherable words] temporary [indecipherable words]
Sorry [indecipherable words] all to her liking but it still may turn out alright. Congrats to the laddie for doing so well with his Inter, although I believe he looks a little small for a sergeant in the Cadet Corps.
This issue should suffice for now. Again apologies & best wishes for your birthday & thanks for the pyjamas which are just as reqd.
Love to you all Pat.
[page break]
AIR LETTER
Miss M. Hogan
67 Chapel St.,
Bendigo Vic
Australia
Sender
A436464 F/S HOGAN
RAAF AUSPO
LONDON
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Continuation of previous letter form Pat Hogan to Miss Marie Hogan
Description
An account of the resource
Apologises for not sending birthday greetings. Catches up with news of friends who had lost colleagues. Says he does not need further parcels. Catches up with family news and says he has some addresses in Ireland. Catches up with more family gossip. Some of the pages are damaged and unreadable.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
P J Hogan
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1945-02-18
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Four sided handwritten airmail letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EHoganPJHoganM450218-02
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Civilian
Royal Australian Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--London
Ireland
Ireland--Dublin
Ireland--Waterford
Australia
Victoria--Bendigo
Victoria
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1945-02-18
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Jan Waller
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
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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.
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Hogan, P J
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-12-05
Rights
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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
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Hogan, PJ
Description
An account of the resource
Ninety-six items and a sub-collection with twenty two items..
The collection concerns Flight Sergeant Pat Hogan (436464 Royal Australian Air Force) and contains letters home to his family, his flying log book, accounts of his aircraft being shot down and him baling out, official documents, certificates and photographs.
He flew operations as a navigator with 466 Squadron.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Elizabeth Anne Lusby and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
436464 F/Sgt Hogan P.
RAAF AUSPO
LONDON
16/1/45.
Dear Marie,
Yesterday I had quite a bundle of mail from you at home. Pleased to note you all had a pleasant, if quiet, Christmas at home. No doubt your respective holidays at Olinda & Sydney are over now & I trust each of you enjoyed the sojourn. I should also mention that Kev's air letter arrived a couple of days ago & I'll duly acknowledge it in the near future.
Have his results come out yet? And what of the Cadets Camp. By the way a friend of mine in Melbourne, Joan Murphy, tells me she noticed the name of a Sgt Hogan M.B.C. Bendigo in the list of those going & therefore told her young brother Fred to look Kev up.
Two more large packages arrived during the week including the tin of ginger nuts. As we expect to be on the move this week the Lord only knows what we will do with the stuff we have on hand. I guess what we can't fit in we can post to our new address before leaving.
[page break]
We shall be notified of our new destination tomorrow & of course, on arrival will no doubt forward on my first impression unless we draw the rabbit, & hoping that food & general conditions will improve immensely & there should then not be the same urgency for the parcels. The tinned fruit here has been a boon. Funny how the old labels “Golden Bells”, “S.P. C.” “Ardmona” etc bring back memories of Bendigo & district & get Bill Bullen talking. Bill is a marvellous personality, is always in a good humour & has always a yarn to spin. It is amazing the good influence he has had upon our Mid Upper who was formerly definitely on the wayward side. To revert to the parcels, it is funny Mrs Exelby's has not come to hand. I'll write & thank her in any case. Actually there is another one in the mess for me to collect now but instead I'm waiting to readdress it & forward it on to my next whereabouts.
Very sorry indeed to hear of Jack Hogan's misfortunes. It is tough. Despite the cold & the rain the mud & the slush & all the rest of it I've amazed myself really for I've had no colds although I've invariably got wet feet.
[page break]
This place is a terrible mess now as all last week’s snow has completely thawed out & everywhere it is just a quagmire.
With the shortage of coal & coke (The Bevin boys have not been producing the required quota for some time) I’ve been to town to the pictures a couple of times recently. Saw a very entertaining racing picture in technicolour “Home in Indiana” which you’d better send Dad along to see when it arrives – if he has not already seen it. The others have been very ordinary.
Amused at the lad being caught smoking & was always amazed I was not caught when much younger than he; particularly in the 6 months Tom Ryan stayed with us. I think I was only in grade 6 or 7 then.
Well, Marie, thanks a lot to you all for keeping the home front well before me in the form of your letters & parcels. No doubt my letters back seem pretty thankless & disconnected but the fight against boredom & melancholy is always on & you’ve no idea how hard it gets to concentrate on letter writing. Don’t get the wrong idea now I think I’ve been pretty well on top of both most of the time but I think it is made much easier for me in that I have such a good lot of blokes to get along within the crew. Love to you all. Pat
[page break]
AIR LETTER
Miss Marie Hogan
67 Chapel St.,
Bendigo Vic
Australia
Sender
A436464 F/S HOGAN
RAAF AUSPO
LONDON.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Pat Hogan to Miss Marie Hogan
Description
An account of the resource
Reports arrival of mail, catches up with news of home and asks after relatives. Reports arrival of parcels from home, that he would be on the move soon and was hoping for improved conditions which would alleviate need for food parcels. Discusses his captain and other members of crew. Goes on to comment on winter weather, lack of coal and coke, going to see films. Concluded with gossip of friends and family and mentions how hard it is to concentrate on letter writing.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
P J Hogan
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1945-01-16
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Four sides handwritten airmail letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EHoganPJHoganM450116
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Civilian
Royal Australian Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--London
Australia
Victoria--Bendigo
Victoria
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1945-01-16
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Jan Waller
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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.
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Hogan, P J
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-12-05
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Hogan, PJ
Description
An account of the resource
Ninety-six items and a sub-collection with twenty two items..
The collection concerns Flight Sergeant Pat Hogan (436464 Royal Australian Air Force) and contains letters home to his family, his flying log book, accounts of his aircraft being shot down and him baling out, official documents, certificates and photographs.
He flew operations as a navigator with 466 Squadron.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Elizabeth Anne Lusby and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
[inserted] P.S. I did ask Eileen to have you cable £10 or £20 as soon as poss. I'm not broke or anything but with Christmas coming on, I didn't want to be caught if we got another leave soon after. Pat. [./inserted]
A436464VF/SGT HOGAN
RAAF AUSPO
LONDON
9/12/44.
Dear Marie,
I received an air letter from you again several days ago. Glad to know my mail seems to be arriving fairly regularly, at last, if not quiet [sic] as frequently as you expect. You seem to have my approximate whereabouts pretty well tabbed. We are not doing much flying these days for the weather is pretty woeful & for the better part of a day there is no visability [sic]. All the district, round here have had an occasional bit of snow but it had mussed us. However Alan & I went to York yesterday & as we came out of a cafe I saw real snow for the first time in all my life. I should image [sic] it would rather relieve the drab appearance of most English towns & perhaps give us a bit of the old English atmosphere we've so often imagined through the agency of postcards etc.
[page break]
Glad to note you've got the right slant on the [indecipherable word]. Please don't think we didn't appreciate the tinned stuff but it is rather awkward to get the water to cook it in the hut & the mess is so overcrowed [sic] I suppose you can't blame them for moaning about it when you ask them to cook it. We usually bring back several water bottles of water which just makes the cocoa & washes out the cups. We've done pretty well the last couple of days with parcels. I got a large hamper from the Phelans, whilst Roger & Greg got two each & Wally's people sent up some cackleberries which are one of the scarcest commodities in England. Moreover the A.C.F. came good & that meant another 6 hampers, although Alan no longer lives with us as he had to transfer to the officer's quarters.
By way of a change rather Alan & I have made the supreme effort of going out twice running the last couple of nights. We've seen so few pictures lately, we enjoyed both immensely. First up we went to Selby & saw “Thousands Cheer” (I'd seen it before) & then last night as I said before we got away early & saw a very light but amusing show in York.
[page break]
The rest of our mob have gone down for a few spats & a hop down in the village. Wally & I are the only ones in. I cabled Jim during the week just a day after the cheap rates cut out, hence pretty brief. Pleased to note Dad was on Sirius. I heard on the Aus. news the other night that Simmering has again come to the fore. Alan & I were both wondering what Lou had done with her this season.
I suppose Eileen will be home again this week. Has her appointment come through yet? Hope she likes Sydney. Glad to know Doreen's doing alright in her supps. Heard of another half doz navs. who went through Gambier & Piri with me & who have either been killed or failed to return from ops. In recent weeks, so keep praying for me as we should be soon amongst it. I'll go crazy if we are not for this boredom of hanging round makes one very “cheesed off” as they say in this country. Good to know Jack Hogan is doing well.
Well, Marie, give my regards to everyone & thanks for everything.
Love Pat.
[page break]
AIR LETTER
Miss Marie Hogan
67 chapel St.,
Bendigo Vic.
Australia.
Sender
A436464 F/S HOGAN P.J.
RAAF AUSPO
LONDON.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Pat Hogan to Miss Marie Hogan
Description
An account of the resource
Discusses recent mail arrival and frequency. Not doing much flying due to poor weather. Writes about going to York and seeing real snow for the first time in his life. Snow might relieve drabness of English towns and make it more like they imagined from post cards in the past. Discusses issue about the food that she had sent and difficulties getting tinned stuff cooked. Says they are doing well with parcels and got a large hamper. Relates some of his other activities and films he has seen. Catches up and asks after friends and family.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
P J Hogan
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1944-12-09
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Four sided handwritten airmail letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EHoganPJHoganM441209
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Civilian
Royal Australian Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--London
Australia
Victoria--Bendigo
Victoria
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1944-12-09
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Jan Waller
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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.
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Hogan, P J
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-12-05
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Hogan, PJ
Description
An account of the resource
Ninety-six items and a sub-collection with twenty two items..
The collection concerns Flight Sergeant Pat Hogan (436464 Royal Australian Air Force) and contains letters home to his family, his flying log book, accounts of his aircraft being shot down and him baling out, official documents, certificates and photographs.
He flew operations as a navigator with 466 Squadron.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Elizabeth Anne Lusby and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
F/SGT HOGAN P.J.
RAAF AUSPO
LONDON.
21/11/44
Dear Marie,
When writing to Dad last night I promised I'd also write you before this service gives the game away for Christmas. Tonight 2 cakes arrived, one from Doreen Phelan & one from yourself & both are in excellent condition. You've no idea how welcome they are just at the moment here for tucker has been extremely light on lately & there is nothing like a bit of supper these long cold nights.
Mary Ryan's flash in the pan was a bit of a surprise, wasn't it? I'd better write to congratulate her I suppose one of these days.
I'll be interested to know where Dan's future destination will be. I hope the debating & the concert are not too much strain. I suppose both must be over 'ere this.
I seem to have covered everything last night for I seem to be racking my brain for something to write about. I mentioned considering trying to get to Ireland sometime. Probably a long way off
[page break]
for the next one, I've promised to go down to Dorset with the engineer. Christmas leave is cancelled again this year – not that we'd get it anyway for we could hardly claim it was due to us.
Tonight being Tuesday we'll be listening in once to Anne Shelton's programme which is followed by the Australian news. Thanks for the statement re the Bank Balance. It will be handy when I get home I've no doubt but, by the time I buy clothes etc, I'll have to try to settle down & save for many a long day before I could even settle down in the other sense. Don't get the wrong idea though it is just a thought, there is nothing concrete in it.
It is a long while since I've written to Jim & Eileen too, for that matter & will have to try to get round the lot one of these fine days. I also owe Doreen a letter. I've got a pretty decent book I'm half finished at the moment “The Ballad & the Source” by Rosamond Lehman.
I’m terribly tired tonight for we had a long trip today, our first for a long time. I did the best trip I've ever done & it is very reassuring at this stage of the game for it is only a matter of a little more decent weather & we will soon be getting a taste of the real McCoy.
[page break]
These Halifaxes are wizard & I'll go so far as to say its almost a pleasure to fly in them. As I told Dad we had a decent week-end in a city which is reasonably handy.
By the way, I'll be sending home a few photos & what not home one of these days. But I guess it will be sometime before they reach you.
How is Uncle Jim faring lately? Has he lobbed the [indecipherable word] yet? And what of Mary Knight? Is young Phillips still around or has his father improved?
Well Marie, I seem to be beating around the bush in an endeavour to fill this up without repeating what I said last night. By the way, how did Doreen's exams go. Kev will soon be relieved of his too, no doubt.
Love to you all,
Pat.
[page break]
AIR LETTER
Miss Marie Hogan
67 Chapel St.,
Bendigo Vic
Australia.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Pat Hogan to Miss Marie Hogan
Description
An account of the resource
Reports arrival of very welcome cakes. Asks after friends and family and writes of future plans to visit Dorset with engineer. Mentions listening to radio for home news and and other domestic financial matters. says he owes other friends/family letters which he should get on with. Writes of just completing a long flight which went well and that with some decent weather they should soon be getting a taste of the real McCoy. States that Halifax is a pleasure to fly in. Mentions he will be sending home photographs but they will take some time to arrive. Asks after friends and family members.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
P J Hogan
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1944-11-21
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Four sided handwritten airmail letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EHoganPJHoganM441121
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Civilian
Royal Australian Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--London
Australia
Victoria--Bendigo
England--Dorset
Victoria
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1944-11-21
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Jan Waller
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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.
Halifax
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Hogan, P J
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-12-05
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Hogan, PJ
Description
An account of the resource
Ninety-six items and a sub-collection with twenty two items..
The collection concerns Flight Sergeant Pat Hogan (436464 Royal Australian Air Force) and contains letters home to his family, his flying log book, accounts of his aircraft being shot down and him baling out, official documents, certificates and photographs.
He flew operations as a navigator with 466 Squadron.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Elizabeth Anne Lusby and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
A436464 F/S HOGAN P.J.
RAAF AUSPO
LONDON
10/11/44
Dear Marie,
I have to hand your air letter of the 27th & might as well answer it right away as I still have about 20 mins of my lunch hour to fill in. We are going down to the village tonight in force to initiate Wally Welsh our engineer, whom we only picked up about a week ago. We were in early to get a lad from the South so that we could understand him. Wally comes from Dorset & hardly knows what to make of us as yet for the boys have peppered him with so many fantastic stories with such obvious sincerity he doesn't quite know what & whom to believe. Incidentally Bill Bullen is adept on this story telling racket. Re your inquiry as to which form of writing is the quicker. These are on the average by about 3 days in that they do not have to be photographed. However it chiefly depends on how you catch the mail – which of course are not published. So it therefore doesn't really matter which you write. For instance I also had one from Doreen today dated 30th Oct. As for this district you're telling me its cold, particularly where we are now.
[page break]
2.
England had a gale this week & do you think she was the goods by the time it reached us from across the moors. When it is raining you are up to your knees & when it is not raining the pools are covered in ice & your face, ears & feet are perpetually bitterly cold. Hence since our arrival we've not budged out of the hut after the fire's alight of a night. To make matters worse we have struck a place for the first time where they are pretty keen on discipline & they really make it uncomfortable these nights for defaulters. So far we have been let off with two cautions pleading innocence & will probably “go for the race track” next time. I guess in another month or so we will have the snow & am not exactly looking forward to my first White Christmas. Up till today we were the only full Aussie crew & I was pleased to see 4 more arrive today, particularly as all the Navs are old pals of mine.
The Melb. Cup is run tonight & I'll be listening in on the Australian News on Tuesday night. Last week they were all for Sirius. No doubt Dad will be there & I hope he does alright. The tax refund must have been a pleasant surprise.
I think I told you about the
[page break]
arrival of your parcels in good condition. As a matter of fact the cocoa & milk has been very nice the last few nights. I must soon write to Daisey. It is rather awkward you know for the parcel she sent & [deleted] one [/deleted] a hamper whose sender I don't know were half hitched from Alan's trunk in transit from our last station.
My twenty minutes is up so instead of hanging on to this to finish it as is my usual custom. I'll post it now & write again in a few days.
Love to you all
Pat.
[page break]
AIR LETTER
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Pat Hogan to Miss Marie Hogan
Description
An account of the resource
Writes of his panned activity to initiate their new English flight engineer into their Australian crew. Discusses best ways to send mail. Mentions other mail received and current weather. Writes of conditions on his station and that they were keen on discipline and about getting into trouble. Mentions that snow is due soon and he was not looking forward to a white Christmas. Mentions that that they as the only fully Australian crew had now been joined by four others whose navigators were all old pals of his. Says he will be listening to the Melbourne cup on the radio. Reports arrival of her parcels in good condition. Concludes with other gossip.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
P J Hogan
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1944-11-10
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Four sided handwritten airmail letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EHoganPJHoganM441110
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Civilian
Royal Australian Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--London
Australia
Victoria--Bendigo
Victoria
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1944-11-10
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Jan Waller
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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.
aircrew
flight engineer
military discipline
military living conditions
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1996/31926/EHoganPJHoganKG450126-0001.2.jpg
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https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1996/31926/EHoganPJHoganKG450126-0002.2.jpg
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Hogan, P J
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-12-05
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Hogan, PJ
Description
An account of the resource
Ninety-six items and a sub-collection with twenty two items..
The collection concerns Flight Sergeant Pat Hogan (436464 Royal Australian Air Force) and contains letters home to his family, his flying log book, accounts of his aircraft being shot down and him baling out, official documents, certificates and photographs.
He flew operations as a navigator with 466 Squadron.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Elizabeth Anne Lusby and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
A436464
F/SGT HOGAN P.
RAAF AUSPO
LONDON.
26/1/45
[inserted] P.S. How did the big sporting events go over Christmas? Hope you got a look at all the big shots. Australian Forces should do well at Lords this year with the A.I.F. Champ (Hasset, Pepper, Wellington) to strengthen Keith Miller & The RAAF boys. Pat [/inserted]
Dear Kev,
Surprised I was indeed to get you airgraph early this month. I apologise for not answering sooner but, as you probably know, I've been mucked around a bit lately. Early in the month I was doing a fair deal of flying & then I was posted to this Australian squadron where I am at present located.
Congratulations on getting through the first couple of subjects. Hope the rest were also successful. And what of the Cader camp? O.K.? By the way did you happen to run into young Ted Murphy from De La Salle, who I heard indirectly (through his sister if you must know) would endeavour to look you up.
[page break]
To answer some of your queries – I did not break down & cry on Christmas day. I'm afraid I'm rather a hardened soul these days for it's many years since I've felt really homesick. Yes we had a white Christmas but it was not snow. It was the dismal dull white of several days of very heavy frost in the coldest Christmas on record this century. Snow on other stations than this wasn't very pleasant. We were dispersed for miles & had no paved paths. We were always feet deep in mud & slush & the snow was always dirty. Here however, it is a bit of fun. Everything is paved & we have very nice centrally heated billets & it's easy to keep both dry & clean. For instance we have just had 3 days heavy snow & today each crew had to go out & dig away all the snow from around their own kite. When that is finished there is a big all in snow fight with no respect of rank from Group & Winco down. It's cold if you get in it the face or get rolled in it but you've no idea how warm it makes you.
As to your questions on Englishmen, girls, conditions & their opinion of us -
[page break]
Well, laddie, each of those questions has rather a wide range. When you overlook many customs & traditions & militaristic natures etc you can get along fairly well I suppose with the average Englishman. If you let him go far enough he'll eventually hang himself in red tape – thank God for that too or I'd have been in the can a month or so back. That is the beauty of an Australian squadron believe me.
The girls – well Kev there are millions of girls in England. Generally speaking they are good dancers & good mixers and (it may be the climate) far warmer than our girls back home. However, like most countries in wartime, the standard of morality is pretty low in a fair percentage & can be rather a shock for the unwary.
However there are also a good percentage of decent girls both civvy & service & you can soon pick them once they open their mouths. Strangely there are thousands of bottle blondes (quite a number 2 toners) & they admit it right out & are not the least insulted if accused of using peroxide.
As to the English opinion of us. The majority of people in this [underlined] democracy [/underlined] not having stirred off their own little dunghill have no conception whatever of what our “colony” is like or what we do or how we live. Of course on the other hand thousands have us taped generally speaking though they have a fairly high opinion of us. Regards to all. Pat.
[page break]
AIR LETTER
Kevin Hogan
67 Chapel St,
Bendigo Vic
Australia.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Pat Hogan to Kevin Hogan
Description
An account of the resource
Thanks him for airgram and apologises for not replying sooner. Says that he had been mucked about after doing a lot of flying and then being posted to an Australian squadron. Catches up with news and gossip asking how he was getting on. Continues by describing how he is feeling over Christmas and that he was not homesick. Comments on poor weather, recent snow and having to dig out around their aircraft. In answer to question offers his opinion of Englishmen and comments on English girls.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
P J Hogan
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1945-01-26
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Four sided handwritten airmail letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EHoganPJHoganKG450126
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Civilian
Royal Australian Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--London
Australia
Victoria--Bendigo
Victoria
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1945-01-26
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Jan Waller
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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.
military service conditions
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1996/31925/EHoganPJHoganJS441202-0001.1.jpg
f1c76bea1178b09cd44ac06eaeec1442
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1996/31925/EHoganPJHoganJS441202-0002.1.jpg
db71b5bff215b5b06e85fcad5bff4cb3
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Hogan, P J
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-12-05
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Hogan, PJ
Description
An account of the resource
Ninety-six items and a sub-collection with twenty two items..
The collection concerns Flight Sergeant Pat Hogan (436464 Royal Australian Air Force) and contains letters home to his family, his flying log book, accounts of his aircraft being shot down and him baling out, official documents, certificates and photographs.
He flew operations as a navigator with 466 Squadron.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Elizabeth Anne Lusby and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
A436464 F/SGT HOGAN
RAAF AUSPO
LONDON
2/12/44.
Dear Jim,
Actually I've been intending to do this for sometime but somehow an other I never seem to get down to it. I also intended to cable you greetings before the 9th inst. & had the opportunity yesterday as I had a day off & got into Leeds. However I went to the pictures in the afternoon & remembered your cable when consuming my dinner & it was then too late. I can't send one from the station here so you will have to be contented with my rather belated assurance that I did think of it.
I don't know when I last wrote you but image it was sometime before I last went on leave. Needless to say I had a slashing time & particularly enjoyed the ramble Roger Johnson & I had through Kent & Surrey. Despite doodlebugs,rockets, shelling & everything else they've
[page break]
had, it is by far the most beautiful & picturesque part of England I've had the pleasure of seeing. That brings me back to the direct opposite & that believe me is Yorkshire. Still Marie at some time or other has no doubt handed on all my moans about this place so I won't bore you with it further. Besides I'm getting used to both the weather and the routine around here. We are getting a little flying but are so bored that we like quite a lot more. As a matter of fact we are all rather keen on the old Halifax & are very pleased about being on them.
We now get Mass every Sunday again & I seem to be installed here now as the permanent altar – boy & so far have been fortunate not to have had to fly on a Sunday morning. It is a little difficult to get away at times from the section but the 3 “Micks” in our crew have always managed it so far.
Whilst staying at the Aust. Forces Club last time I was in London, I went to Mass
[page break]
one morning at the Brompton Oratory in Kensington. It is an enormous Church run by the Jesuits & is a masterpiece in marble although I'd never heard of it before it is far more elaborate than such historical churches as Westminster Abbey, Westminster Cathedral, St. Paul's, Selby Abbey, York Minster, Lichfield Cathedral etc.
Eileen tells me she hopes to go to Sydney for Christmas & seems quite buoyed up in anticipation. So far I've not heard definitely how Doreen & Kevin faired in the recent exams but hope the went alright.
I've heard very little of you, lately, for that matter, apart from the fact that you'd been down to Bendigo for the retreat recently & did a spot of relief work on the way back. How's the car running lately? I was thinking of buying one myself over here but got too much leave, when I kept travelling around & staying at decent hotels instead of service clubs & consequently spent most of the money I had on hand. Still whilst on leave, one enjoys a few luxuries & taken all round it's probably worth it. Remember me in your prayers. Your loving brother, Pat.
[page break]
AIR LETTER
Rev. J.S. Hogan
St. Patrick's Presbytery
Wangaratta Vic
Australia
Sender
A436464 F/Sgt Hogan P.
RAAF AUSPO
LONDON WC2
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Pat Hogan to Rev Jim Hogan
Description
An account of the resource
Apologises for not writing sooner and describes activities as reasons. Describes recent leave activities. Complains about Yorkshire but says he is pleased to be on Halifax. Mentions mass every Sunday and acting as permanent altar boy. Comments on staying at the Australian forces club in London and going to the Brompton Oratory.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
P J Hogan
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1944-12-02
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Four sided handwritten airmail letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EHoganPJHoganJS441202
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Civilian
Royal Australian Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--London
England--Yorkshire
Australia
Victoria--Wangaratta
Victoria
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1944-12-02
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Jan Waller
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
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.
faith
Halifax