Browse Items (82 total)

  • Contributor is exactly "Vivienne Tincombe"

PTownsendE1702.jpg
Ernest was born in Marylebone, London. He tells of his childhood, how he helped his father on his milk round and became a butcher's boy at Shepherd Market before serving in the Air Training Corps. He joined the Royal Air Force at the age of 17 and a…

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AStapleyVA160802.mp3
Victor Stapley was born in Ilford in Essex, where he was fond of playing cricket. He left school at 15 and worked at a tobacco company. He then became a shipping manager, a job which involved shipping spaces whilst not having any telephones in his…

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ASimmsL160807.mp3
Lester tells of his tough, early childhood and his first experience of seeing a Heinkel bomber flying over his home in Surrey, to attack the Brooklands Aircraft Factory. He tells of how he worked in the experimental department of Hawker Aircraft…

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ARogersLC160822.mp3
Lawrence Rogers joined the Royal Air Force aged 17 and trained to become a wireless operator. He served with 218 Squadron at RAF Woolfox Lodge and then with 75 Squadron, flying in both Ansons and Lancasters. He eventually completed 32 operations with…

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PParkerE1602.jpg
Eric was born in 1924 in West Derby, Liverpool and volunteered for the Royal Air Force at the age of 17 and a half, finally being called up in January 1942, when he became a navigator/bomb aimer on Lancasters. After completing his training in Canada,…

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APayneJB150608.mp3
John Payne was born in 1932 and went into the Royal Air Force as part of his National Service, becoming a Navigator on the Canberra aircraft with 15 Squadron. His father went into the combined service in the First World War and was training to be a…

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AMcVicarK151222.mp3
Kenneth George McVicar was born in Llanelli, South Wales and joined the Royal Air Force at the age of 18, where he qualified as a Gunner. He flew in Ansons, as mid upper gunner turret, but also on Stirlings and Lancasters. He tells of how he went on…

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PLashbrookW1501.jpg
Wally was born in February 1913, and joined the Royal Air Force in 1929 as an apprentice at RAF Halton and completed pilot training at RAF Prestwick. He flew many aircraft including Tiger Moths, Hendons and Halifaxes, and served with 51 Squadron and…

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James Hampton was born in February 1925. Before the war, he was an apprentice engineer with Laystall Engineering Company. He was in a reserved occupation before joining the Royal Air Force in 1943, where he trained as a flight engineer in Bomber…

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AGreenWG150911.mp3
William Green was born in Kings Lynn in Norfolk and joined the Royal Air Force when he was 17 and a half at the outbreak of war, becoming a rear gunner on Lancasters and, eventually, rising to the rank of squadron leader.He tells about going on to…

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PWadeR1503.jpg
Ron was born in Stoke-on-Trent. He left school at 14 and tells of his experiences working in a pottery factory doing odd jobs, until he was called up. He joined the Royal Air Force in 1939 at the age of 22 and trained as an air gunner at RAF…

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PTweenR1501.jpg
Reginald joined the Royal Air Force in 1943, becoming a flight engineer with 415 Squadron, Bomber Command. He tells of his love of making and flying model airplanes and that, although he wanted to be a pilot, his love of anything mechanical made him…

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ATophamG151018.mp3
Gordon Topham was born in Salisbury, but his family settled in Norwich, Norfolk and he joined the Royal Air Force at the age of 17, qualifying as a flight engineer in July 1944. Gordon’s father used to drive steam wagons and was involved with…

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ARobertsonIU150824.mp3
Iain was a National Service air gunner in the 1950s and served with 214 Squadron at RAF Upwood in Huntingdonshire, after being called up at the age of 18. Upon completion of training, he flew on Wellingtons and fighter affiliation with Spitfires. He…

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APotterP150914.mp3
Peter Potter was born in Fobbing where his grandfather had three farms in Shell Haven. He ran away from home at age 15 and got a job, before volunteering for aircrew, having falsified his date of birth. He talks about his time in London, visiting…

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APooreA151020.mp3
Arthur joined the Royal Air Force at the age of 19 when war started in 1939, and completed a navigation course, which lasted six weeks. When the School of Navigation in Cheshire was expanded, Arthur became staff pilot, flying from mid Cheshire across…

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PMotterheadN1501.jpg
Bluey was born on a farm in Shropshire. His best friend, from his youth, joined the Royal Air Force as aircrew and was killed at RAF Honington when a German aircraft bombed the station. A desire for revenge made him enlist for flying duties in…

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PMillerP1501.jpg
Peter was called up in November 1943 and, after basic training, was sent to RAF Halton to train as a flight mechanic. Whilst there he had several dangerous incidents during small arms training. He was, initially, posted to 527 Squadron, which was …

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AMaywoodRM151109.mp3
Dick was born in Peterborough and volunteered for the Royal Air Force in 1941. He was called up to Lord’s Cricket Ground in 1942. Dick went to No. 6 Initial Training Wing at RAF Aberystwyth. He then went to RAF Desford, flying Tiger Moths and was…

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PMayBJ1601.jpg
Ben was born in 1925 in Kent and his first job was in the gas works. A member of the Air Transport Command, he was called up in 1944 and, after initial training at RAF Locking, he joined No.4 flight engineers’ course at RAF St Athan for one year.…

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PMatthewsEH1501.jpg
Ted developed an interest in flying after experiencing Alan Cobham’s Flying Circus, and volunteered for aircrew. He went to the Air Crew Reception Centre at St John’s Wood, followed by RAF Newquay on the Initial Training Wing. Ted proceeded to…

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PLoganF1501.jpg
Fred joined the Royal Air Force in Sheffield on 4th December 1940 and was accepted as a direct entry fitter. He went to the training school in RAF Hednesford, where he learnt about engines, and was then posted on Stirlings to 7 Squadron. From RAF…

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PLimerF1501.jpg
Freddie Frederick volunteered for the Royal Air Force and completed a course in RAF Blackpool. He was posted to No. 12 Initial Training Wing at RAF St Andrew, although was unsuccessful in his flying test. Freddie was then trained at RCAF Moncton in…

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ALathamPA160203.mp3
Peter was an only child and grew up in the centre of Birmingham and recalls the bombing. His father was a plumber. He joined the Air Training Corps at his Grammar School and was a corporal when he finished school. He was offered a place at the…

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PKempMWD1603.jpg
Before joining the Royal Air Force in January 1944, Maurice helped to build Coningsby aerodrome. After attending an Aircrew Reception Centre at Edgbaston, he passed as a wireless operator gunner, finishing as a gunner. He joined up at Lord’s…

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