General Eisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force urges people to be ready to play their part. He reassures the French that, once liberated, they will choose their own government.
General Montgomery expresses confidence in the combined allied forces.
Leaflet drops at 5.30am on 6th June contain a message from General Eisenhower, alerting the French living within 35km of the coast to leave for the countryside, away from transport routes. A second leaflet urges transport and communication employees to ensure the plan to attack transport routes is successful.
General de Gaulle, at the BBC in London, asks the French to fight by all possible means but to take care and follow orders. The Resistance and French army will be involved.
Albert Guigui, the CGT delegate in London, calls on French workers to do all they can to thwart the enemy including acts of sabotage, whilst taking care not to be captured.
In Algeria, M. Le Troquer, Deputy Commissioner for the Administration of Free Metropolitan Territories, exhorts everyone to do all they can to ensure France’s liberation. This is reiterated by M. Félix Gouin, President of the Advisory Council. M. Emmanuel d’Astier, Commissioner of the Interior, remarks that the French Forces of the Interior will join the Allies.
Churchill’s makes a statement on 6th June in the House of Commons and shares details of the landings, the combined forces and successes so far. He refers to the complexity of the plans and the tactic of surprise. All are resolved to succeed.
There are extracts from the King’s radio broadcast that same evening in which he calls on the nation and empire to be strong, and pray for those involved, calling it a fight of good against evil.
There are several photographs relating to the D-Day landings, which include General Eisenhower, General Montgomery and Sir Bertram Ramsay, Naval Commander in Chief of the Allied Naval Expeditionary Force.]]>
IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Pending text-based transcription. Other languages than English]]> fra]]> Text]]> Civilian]]> France]]> 1944-06-06]]>
Audrey was 23 when the war started and was conscripted on 15 December 1942 electing to join the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. After her kitting out at RAF Innesworth she did some basic training at RAF Morecambe, then posted to RAF Lindholme and eventually to RAF Waddington where she worked as an administrator in the officer's mess. At that time there were four squadrons on the station: 9, 44, 463 and 467 Squadrons.
Audrey's duties in the officer's mess included checking the crews against the battle orders to ensure only crews flying that night got the special pre-flight meal and waiting on tables for VIP dinners, including Wing Commander Nettleton VC. She describes her friendships with the other staff and especially with bomber crews, mostly nice and respectful. Audrey and others would gather on the perimeter track to see them off. She and many others were billeted in a beautiful old building, known as "The Waafery”. Audrey describes her busy social life, dancing at many venues and winning jitterbug competitions. Remembers being called ‘belle gambe’ [beautiful legs] by Italian prisoners of war.
Audrey also describes the events of one night when an enemy fighter followed the aircraft home and strafed the airfield, hitting the incendiary dump, which exploded.
After the war, Audrey eventually worked for the local authority’s adoption service after the tragic death of her husband at a young age.]]>
Brian Wright]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Andy Fitter]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lancashire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Northamptonshire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> 1942-12-15]]> 1945-08]]>
Marie Thérèse Phillips]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Pending text-based transcription. Other languages than English]]> fra]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Civilian]]> France]]> France--Bernay (Eure)]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Pending text-based transcription. Other languages than English]]> deu]]> Text]]> Civilian]]> Germany]]> They had been warned by an English airman that the SS were going to carry out shootings and found refuge on 25th August. They were liberated on 29th August. The SS shot eight Resistance fighters and arrested three (out of 18-20). They had two airmen with them when they attacked the Sainte Catherine road. They had been ordered only to attack isolated Germans to avoid civilian reprisals. The American officer’s machine gun jammed and they were told to leave. They volunteered the following day and although the German command car was at the head of the convoy, they could not do anything.

Second witness statement from a Resistance fighter
The SS managed to shoot down their own aircraft instead of the British aircraft. The pilot bailed out.

Third witness statement (Pierre Madry)
Pierre describes former buildings including where George M. Mikels was imprisoned, the German Staff Headquarters and the prisoner camp. M. Le Monnier testified that the English were shot after being forced to dig their own graves. Against German wishes, the priest, Abbé Vard, came to bless them before burial. Five prisoners were shot. Gordon Brian Lafayette was not in the cemetery. Some bodies had allegedly been repatriated. Five soldiers remained.

Fourth witness statement (Pierre Madry)
An officer from the Wehrmacht was billeted at Pierre’s house and told him he was lucky to be alive after an encounter with some inebriated SS soldiers. The regular German army generally treated people well. They had given concerts and he had played darts with young German soldiers who were afraid of the SS. The camp held around 100 prisoners and George Mikels hid from the SS behind the dairy door.

A copy of a map showing where the Lancaster ND 533 crashed and the cemetery where the pilots were buried.]]>
IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Pending text-based transcription]]> eng]]> fra]]> Text]]> Civilian]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Wehrmacht]]> France]]> France--Lyons-la-Forêt]]> 1944-08]]>
Harry Bartlett]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Julie Williams]]> Carolyn Emery]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Leicestershire]]> Canada]]> Italy]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> Nigel Moore]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Julie Williams]]> Carolyn Emery]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> 1946]]> Frank talks of his evacuation to the countryside near Croxton Kerrial when he was nearly five. He was accompanied by his two brothers and initially his mother. His sister was sent to Somerset. He enjoyed his time in the countryside and shares memories about the people who looked after him, his school, mealtimes and leisure time pursuits.
Frank reluctantly returned to Chingford in Essex two years after the end of the war. He missed the countryside and was bullied at school. At the aged of 15, he ran away to Croxton Kerrial, to which his parents subsequently agreed. He never saw his parents again.
He started work on a farm and met his wife. After four years in the Coldstream Guards, he married and worked on another farm in Croxton. Frank then moved to Londonthorpe to set up the shoot. The shoot rented the land from the Belton Estate. When the estate was bought by the National Trust, no shooting was permitted. He was taken on as keeper by Sir Montague Cholmeley. After retirement, the latter let him live rent free.
Frank has written a book, “London Evacuee to Countryman” and appeared in Sporting Shooter and Lincolnshire Life magazines.
]]>
David Kavanagh]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Julie Williams]]> Carolyn Emery]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> England--London]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Melton Mowbray]]> 1944]]> 1945]]>
Peter describes his daily routine, flight training at the Elementary Flying Training School and glider training at RAF Stoke Orchard. He flew every military glider: Hotspur, Horsa, Hadrian, Waco and Hamilcar. Peter recounts his first solo and sneaking flights with aircrews carrying out night flying tests at RAF Kinloss and RAF Lossiemouth. He also describes his first glider flight and the interior of a Hamilcar.
They met tug crews prior to operations, sharing the mess, but living separately. The Halifax towed them on the Rhine crossing when they carried a 17-pounder anti-tank gun.
As a heavy lift squadron, they lifted both the 1st Airborne Division and 6th Airborne Division, lifting Royal Artillery or Royal Armoured Corps.
During his time with the United States 9th Airforce with Troop Carrier Command, Peter went to more than one mass drop prior to D-Day. He saw “Windy” Gale, Browning and Eisenhower. ]]>
Tom Ozel]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Julie Williams]]> Carolyn Emery]]> eng]]> Sound]]> British Army]]> Royal Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> England--Dorset]]> Germany]]> France]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]>
Peter first learnt to fly powered aircraft at Elementary Flying Training School and was then attached to the 9th United States Air Force. He flew in C-47s, then went back to C squadron, flying Hamilcars. When the war finished, Peter went to Fairford and converted onto Waco CG-4As to go to the Far East.
Peter discusses the time leading up to the Second World War, his views on Chamberlain and Churchill, and how prepared the country was for war. He describes his training and time as a boy soldier.
He trained at RAF Stoke Orchard on Hotspur gliders, towed off the ground by Master aircraft. When he left Glider Training School he went on Horsas, towed by C-47s. Hamilcars needed four-engined bombers: 38 Squadron Halifaxes. Peter describes flying these different gliders.
Peter recounts in some detail the Rhine crossing in which they were hit by anti aircraft fire and landed nose down before escaping to Hamminkeln and ultimately returning to RAF Brize Norton and then to his squadron at RAF Tarrant Rushton. He talks about his Bren gun.
Peter expresses his pride and the many friendships made. He also praises several generals for their roles in the war.
Peter discusses the VJ and VE Day celebrations and how warfare has since changed.]]>
Tom Ozel]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Julie Williams]]> Carolyn Emery]]> eng]]> Sound]]> British Army]]> Royal Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> England--Dorset]]> England--Oxfordshire]]> Germany]]> Rhine River]]> Germany--Hamminkeln]]> 1938]]> 1945-05-08]]> 1945-08-15]]>

Keith recalls preparations for war as well as the many aircraft he observed before, during and after the war (Blenheims, Oxfords, Lightnings, Vampires, Meteors, Sterlings and Lancasters). On D-Day Keith witnessed, from the playground at Doddington School, some of the C-47s towing gliders on their way to France.

There were four separate wartime crashes: a Hampden, a Wellington, a Manchester and a Lancaster. A low-flying Ju 88 was also shot down by fighters. Incendiary bombs were dropped at the bottom of the farm. Keith also recollects the impact of two time-bombs.

There were very bad snowstorms in 1947. Life was hard on the farm during the war and the work was all manual, picking potatoes and sugar beet. Some German prisoners of war, stationed at Waterloo Lane in Skellingthorpe, helped to pick potatoes. In 1952 the farm acquired electricity and mains water although they still used the hand pump for drinking water. Keith had success in some thatching competitions. He eventually owned the farm, which became increasingly mechanised. Keith increased yields through experimentation, having particular success with strawberries.

Keith remembers playing sport and describes the impact of climate change.

]]>
Dan Ellin]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Julie Williams]]> Carolyn Emery]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Lincoln]]> 1940]]> 1942]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> 1944-06]]> 1947]]> 1952]]>
Alan was posted to Bradfield Park for training and then to No. 2 Air Observers’ School in Edmonton, Canada. He was given a commission as a pilot officer and went to the Advanced Flying Unit at RAF Wigtown in Scotland, followed by the Operational Training Unit at RAF Lichfield. Alan describes the process of crewing up. He trained on Wellingtons and then went to the Heavy Conversion Unit at RAF Winthorpe. Alan describes the night they had to parachute from their Stirling after a trip to the coast of Holland.
After Lancaster Finishing School, Alan was posted to 617 Squadron where the Commanding Officer was J B “Willie” Tait. His first operation in November 1944 was to bomb the Urft Dam in Germany but it was too cloudy to release the 12,000 lb Tallboy bomb on board. A second attempt was also unsuccessful. Alan then refers to two operations in the Netherlands where U-boat pens were bombed. Bergen was another operation. On 25 April 1945, their target was Berchtesgaden, their last operation leading a Main Force Group of 400 aircraft.

Alan then went to 467 Squadron at RAF Metheringham. After the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, they were no longer required to go to Okanawa. Alan returned to Australia in February 1946 and joined Shell company in Sidney. ]]>
John Horsburgh]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Julie Williams]]> Carolyn Emery]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> Canada]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> Netherlands]]> Norway]]> Queensland]]> Alberta--Edmonton]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> Germany--Berchtesgaden]]> Norway--Bergen]]> Queensland--Brisbane]]> 1942]]> 1943-11-03]]> 1944-01]]> 1944-09-24]]> 1944-11]]> 1945-04-25]]> 1946-02]]>
Their farm was close to RAF Kirton in Lindsey which was used as a rest home for men from the Battle of Britain. They worked on the harvest to help them recuperate. Jan was aware of the Lancasters at RAF Scampton. They had two evacuees from Sheffield for a short time. Towards the end of the war, Jan also recalls having two German Prisoners of War from the camp in Pingley, near Brigg, to help on the farm.
When the war ended, Jan enjoyed being a member of the Young Farmers Club and met her husband. There were dances and tennis parties before her husband went to agricultural college and became a farmer. After marrying in 1952, they lived in the rectory at Hackthorn where they incubated chicks in the dining room. They moved to a farm in Binbrook. Jan helped with the Pony Club and was a marriage guidance counsellor for 40 years.
Jan talks about the changes in farming and how change accelerated after the war.
At the age of 80, she put on a three-day handiwork exhibition in the church.]]>
Dan Ellin]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Julie Williams]]> Carolyn Emery]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Binbrook]]> England--Hackthorn]]> 1940]]> 1952]]>
D Jones trained as a wireless operator. He learnt Morse code, the construction of the wireless and how to operates it.
Jones went to RAF Church Lawford, Warwickshire, before going to Wiltshire. Although he enjoyed it, he recalls how cold the winter was. Quite a few aircraft came back damaged, and some did not return.
D Jones refers to the droves of aircraft passing overhead on D-Day. After the war had finished he looked after German and Italian prisoners of war. He mentions the spectacular victory parade in London.
Attitudes to the West Indians were mostly good. They were pleased not to have much contact with American forces.
After the war, D Jones studied and went to teacher training college. A lot of West Indians worked in England after the war. He returned to Jamaica where there was not much recognition for his service. He reflects on his war experiences and his attitude to war now.

This item was sent to the IBCC Digital Archive already in digital form. No better quality copies are available.]]>
Johnson, M]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Pending OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Yorkshire]]> England--Warwickshire]]> England--Filey]]> England--London]]> Jamaica]]> 1944-06]]> 1946-06-08]]>

This item was sent to the IBCC Digital Archive already in digital form. No better quality copies are available.]]>
Johnson, M]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Pending OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> England--Oxfordshire]]> Germany]]> Germany--Berlin]]> Malaysia]]>
Miles, R]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Pending OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Civilian]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Air Force. Transport Command]]> Great Britain]]> Northern Ireland]]> Northern Ireland--Antrim (County)]]> England--Broadstairs]]> England--Buckinghamshire]]> England--Cornwall (County)]]> England--Kent]]> England--Liverpool]]> England--Merseyside]]> England--Shropshire]]> South Africa]]> South Africa--Bloemfontein]]> Despite earlier army reports being reliable, it is claimed that there is now German disinformation concerning the Russian campaign and the high number of casualties and prisoners.

After spotting a battle cruiser on 22nd July, an RAF operation was carried out on 24th July with damage to the Gneisenau and Scharnhorst battle cruisers and Prinz Eugen cruiser. 34 Messerschmitts were shot down. It claims German ships are now effectively confined to ports.

In a London radio broadcast, President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s adviser, Harry Hopkins, outlines American assistance to Britain, including joint patrols by warships, significant numbers of aircraft, food, and military equipment already en route.

Page 2
Ten Serbs are hanged in Pancevo, on the orders of Bandelow after posters appeared stating that ten Serbs would be hanged for every German soldier killed or wounded. There are photographs of the hangings and of the notice.

Several occupied cities were fined for using the V-sign (for victory) as an act of defiance. To counter this, the propaganda ministry has stolen the sign for its own use.

Claims public is being deceived about share dividends being reduced (regulation to limit the distribution of profits on 21st June 1941).

Page 3
The RAF flight range will increase as nights draw in, with heavier bombs at their disposal. Advice is dispensed to German urban populations on preparations to take for the autumn and winter.

Lord Woolton, Minister of Food, on 15 July denigrates German media propaganda on the state of British nutrition; he claims German prisoners are amazed at how abundant it is and points to American supplies in the coming year with a higher nutritional value than the last fifteen years.

America and Britain and its allies have frozen all Japanese assets as a result of it taking French-Indochina.

Page 4
By taking over protection of Iceland, the United States has reduced the danger zone for British ships crossing the Atlantic, fulfilling the United States’ Secretary of State, Cordell Hull’s promise that weapons and foodstuff would safely reach their destination.
With the news that Dr Robert Ley had visited some bombed cities in West Germany, the correspondent makes some comparisons between the good things England is doing for its people compared to Germany’s leaders.

In addition to all the steelworks, armaments works and mines acquired in a number of territories, Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring has acquired Omnipol A.G. as an import export company to buy and sell as it wants.
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IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Pending text-based transcription. Other languages than English]]> deu]]> Text]]> Wehrmacht]]> Royal Air Force]]> Germany]]> Atlantic Ocean]]> Great Britain]]> Serbia]]> Serbia--Pančevo]]> United States]]> 1941-06]]> 1941-07]]> 1941-06-21]]> 1941-07-15]]> 1941-07-22]]> 1941-07-24]]>

A proclamation by General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander and Military Governor follows the allies’ invasion. It stresses that military rule will be strict but fair in the allied territories with the aim of achieving peace, removing the Nazi leadership and sentencing war criminals. The civilian population will be able to go about their daily business. There are photographs of General Eisenhower and American officers in discussion with German civilians.
]]>
IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Pending text-based transcription. Other languages than English]]> deu]]> Text]]> Photograph]]> Civilian]]> Germany]]>
Veuve Senechal]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Pending text-based transcription. Other languages than English]]> fra]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Civilian]]> France]]> France--Eure]]> 1947-01-15]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Pending text-based transcription. Other languages than English]]> fra]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Civilian]]> France]]> Great Britain]]> England--Sale]]> France--Eure]]> England--Lancashire]]> 1948-02-03]]>
After the Air Training Corps, Roy was called up to be a meteorological officer. Roy trained in Kilburn, and went as a forecaster to RAF Warboys in Cambridge before RAF Wyton and then RAF North Creake.

Roy recounts the death of Canadian “Tiny” Thurlow, brought down by friendly fire in Northern France. There were three meteorological officers at RAF North Creake, working shifts. The information recorded was sent to the regional meteorological office whose forecast could not be amended. He attended the aircrew briefing and de-briefing sessions. The 100 Group dropped Window radar countermeasure. Its aircraft were prone to icing.

Roy contrasts weather forecasting then and now, particularly with reference to the jet stream. He talks about weather balloons and the readings they took. RAF Docking sent up Hurricanes or Spitfires, fitted with new equipment, to take readings.

In 1945 Roy set sail from Tilbury on RMS Strathaird to Bombay, Singapore (RAF Seletar) and then spent nearly two years for the British Commonwealth Occupation Forces at RAF Iwakuni in Japan, passing through Hiroshima. A Japanese man committed Hari-kari and there were three arson attempts by the Japanese.

On his return, Roy was promoted to flight lieutenant. After discharge, Roy taught mathematics, and subsequently became a school inspector and senior further education adviser.]]>
Dan Ellin]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Julie Williams]]> Carolyn Emery]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> England--Norfolk]]> England--Cambridge]]> England--London]]> Singapore]]> Japan]]> Japan--Iwakuni-shi]]> 1944]]> 1945]]>
IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Pending text-based transcription. Other languages than English]]> deu]]> Text]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Pending text-based transcription. Other languages than English]]> fra]]> Text]]> Russia (Federation)]]> Germany]]>
Huge increases in military aircraft production in United States, with ten times more output in September 1941. Free French Naval Forces commander of ‘Rubis’ submarine describes how it torpedoes a 4,000 ton merchant ship and suffers damage from depth charges. It surfaces the following day and re-joins its base. The Rubis is made a companion of the Ordre de la Libération on 15th October for its wartime service for France and crossing a minefield during an attack despite being damaged. Mussolini suffering heavy ship losses because of British navy and RAF in Mediterranean.

Free French Fleet has about 50 ships. Photograph of Admiral Muselier and Sir Dudley Pound, Admiral of the Fleet. Photograph of a general from Free French forces, together with an English general, inspecting 16-ton Valentine medium tanks said to be the best of their type.

Describes preparations and outcome of Anglo-Russian-American conference in Moscow at which a package of aid for Russia was agreed. Lord Beaverbrook representing England and W. Averell Harriman the United States. Russian arms production capacity and aircraft (MIG3 and Stormovik dive bomber) praised. Poster showing results of Moscow conference. Quotation from Clausewitz’s ‘On War’ 1833, suggesting Hitler is acting as though victorious as his opponent is too strong.
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IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Pending text-based transcription. Other languages than English]]> fra]]> Text]]> France]]> United States]]> Russia (Federation)--Moscow]]> 1941]]>

Article about Princess Hohenlohe, formerly Stephany Richter, of Hungarian Jewish origin. She had associations with Hitler and his entourage. Arrested in May and sentenced to deportation, she has been assisting the American government. As a result, Dr. Kurt Rieths, former German ambassador in Vienna, was arrested. The German-American federation, financed by the National Socialist Party, has also been dissolved and its leader sent to prison for embezzlement.

Because of the RAF actions on ships, the article questions how many reinforcements are reaching General Rommel in North Africa.

Favourably compares British and American steel and oil production to the Axis countries, suggesting they will, therefore, produce a higher number of bombs.

Cartoon called “The Final Victory 1941”.

Calorie consumption comparisons show a reduction between early months of 1940 and 1941. Although Germany and Denmark are still above the recommended 2500 calories per day, the Norwegians, Dutch, Belgians and French have insufficient. It suggests Germany is plundering them for its own needs.

List of German targets in Britain.

Eight facts and eight questions are listed on the subject of Rudolf Hess, who landed in Scotland on 10th May.]]>
IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Pending text-based transcription. Other languages than English]]> deu]]> Text]]> Civilian]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> United States]]> 1941-06-07]]> 1941-05-10]]>