Browse Items (612 total)
- Contributor is exactly "Julie Williams"
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Interview with Vic Farmer
Vic Farmer volunteered for the Royal Air Force at 18 and trained, in South Africa, as a navigator. He describes his experiences of crewing up and serving in 550 squadron, RAF North Killingholme. He saw action on D-Day and participated in further…
Interview with Derry Derrington
Dr Arnold Pearce Derrington grew up in Cornwall and joined the University Air Squadron at Exeter. He joined the Royal Air Force in 1942 and completed training at RAF Ansty, South Africa, RAF West Freugh and RAF Moreton in the Marsh, where he trained…
Interview with Barbara Bulleyment
Barbara Bulleyment worked at a department store in Boston until she joined the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force and was, initially, stationed at 16 Maintenance Unit Stafford and then 209 Maintenance Unit at Broughton. She recounts her life as an…
Interview with Rob Carter
Rob Carter was born in the village of Scampton and reminisces about his life on the land before the war. He recalls the foundation of RAF Dunholme Lodge, which his house overlooked. During the war, he served in the Auxiliary Fire Service. He was…
Interview with Dirk Bosch
Dirk Bosch was eight years old when the German army occupied his hometown of Amsterdam. He describes what life was like for him during this time. He tells of seeing Dutch Jews rounded up and deported. He describes the hunger of the time and the…
Interview with James Flowers
Horace James Flowers was born and grew up in Huthwaite, Nottinghamshire. He became an apprentice butcher before being released to volunteer for the Royal Air Force in 1944. He trained as an air gunner at RAF Bridgnorth, RAF Wigsley and RAF Syerston…
Interview with Bill Thomas
Bill had been a member of the Air Defence Cadet Corps and Air Training Corps. He volunteered as a pilot in the Royal Air Force and flew Tiger Moths at RAF Sywell but was re-mustered as a navigator. Bill went to Canada as part of the Empire Air…
Interview with Donald Briggs
Donald Briggs was born in Lealholm near Whitby in Yorkshire. After school, he became an apprentice with the Royal Air Force. He trained at RAF Halton in 1939 and became an engine fitter working on Wellingtons and Manchesters. He volunteered for air…
Interview with Colin Cole
Colin Cole was brought up and attended school in Twickenham and worked at W H Smith before joining the Royal Air Force. He trained as a wireless operator/air gunner at RAF Yatesbury and RAF Barrow in Furness. He then served with 617 Squadron,…
Interview with George Haig
George Haigh was already a keen footballer when he volunteered for the Royal Air Force and became a physical training instructor. He was posted to RAF Morecambe, where he provided basic training to new recruits. He discusses the mixed level of…
Interview with Gladys Gildersleve
Gladys Gildersleve was working for a laboratory when she decided to join the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force. She began her training at RAF Bridgenorth and at RAF Morecambe. Her first posting was to barrage balloons at Swansea Docks. She eventually…
Interview with John Young
After John volunteered for the Royal Air Force, he reported to St John’s Wood before being posted to Newquay in April 1943. He was sent to RAF Eastchurch, on the Isle of Sheppey, and spent a short time in Lincolnshire. He chose to be a flight…
Interview with Frank Wilcox
Frank Wilcox was born in Wales and worked in aircraft manufacturing. He was later called up and served in the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry. He was taken prisoner at Anzio and became a prisoner of war. When he was released and returned to the UK,…
Interview with Joan Wilson
Joan Wilson was born in Nettleham near Lincoln. She joined the Women’s Auxilliary Air Force and served as a wireless operator at RAF Morton Hall. The day after the Normandy landings, she had to send an urgent signal to all aircraft to stop…
Interview with Ron Hemsworth
Ron joined the Royal Air Force in January 1941. Initially a wireless operator/air gunner, he failed morse code at Blackpool. He was posted to RAF Swinderby and worked in the stores and flying control. Air gunnery school followed at RAF Bridlington…
Interview with Reg Woolgar
Reg Woolgar was born in Hove. He volunteered for the Royal Air Force in December 1939 and trained as a wireless operator/air gunner. He flew Hampdens with 49 Squadron. His aircraft was damaged by anti-aircraft fire on a mine-laying operation to Oslo…
Interview with Desmond O'Connell
Desmond O’Connell was born in London in 1919. He followed in his brother’s footsteps by joining the Royal Air Force Voluntary Reserve in 1939. He went to Cambridge to commence pilot training but half the contingent were transferred to become…
Interview with George Anderson
George Anderson was born in County Durham and worked in a grocery shop before he joined the Royal Air Force in 1943. At the end of the war, he flew operations from RAF Ludford Magna, as a wireless operator with 101 Squadron. In 1959 George and his…
Interview with Irene Howard
Irene Howard grew up in Salford and describes her life there before the war. During the war she worked in a factory and as a firewatcher, before being called up. She served as an Air Raid Precaution Warden. She describes being bombed at home, trapped…
Interview with Arthur Atkins
Arthur Atkins grew up in Melbourne, Australia. As a Boy Scout, he experienced a flight in an aircraft and knew then he wanted to be a pilot. He transferred from the army to the Royal Australian Air Force and started pilot training in Australia. He…
Interview with Bob Frost. One
Bob Frost recounts experiencing the London Blitz as a member of the Auxiliary Fire Service. He volunteered for the Royal Air Force and trained at the Air Gunnery School at RAF Evanton, Scotland. He was then posted to the Operational Training Unit at…
Interview with Roy Briggs
Roy Briggs was born in Battersea, London. After leaving school he undertook an engineering apprenticeship with Benham and Sons, producing equipment for the war. He describes his life during the Blitz. When he joined the Royal Air Force he trained as…
Interview with John and Vera Casey
Before the war, John Casey worked for Vickers Armstrong. He joined the Royal Air Force and completed his training as a warrant officer at RAF Padgate. He learned how to fly Stirling aircraft at RAF Wigsley, Wellington aircraft at RAF Bruntingthorpe…
interview with Derrick Allen's family
Derrick Allen was the mid-upper gunner on a Lancaster that crashed near Spa in Belgium. He had been making his way to bale out when the pilot asked him to help the rear gunner who was trapped in his turret. He managed to do this but the plane broke…