Browse Items (59 total)
- Coverage is exactly "Second generation"
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Interview with Peter Jones
Peter William Arthur Jones (b. 1954) speaks about his father Thomas John Jones DFC (b. 1921, 1640434 and 184141 Royal Air Force). Peter Jones discovered a memoir written by his father, Thomas Jones, a flight engineer, just after he passed away. Peter…
Interview with Neville Shenbanjo
Neville was born in Leeds in 1945, one of seven children of Akin Shenbanjo DFC, who served as a wireless operator with 76 Squadron.
The first part of the interview relates to Neville's early life and relationship with his father. Neville was brought…
The first part of the interview relates to Neville's early life and relationship with his father. Neville was brought…
Interview with Rita Brooks
Rita’s late husband was Flight Lieutenant Edward Brooks DFC, DFM. He was in the Home Guard before enlisting with the Royal Air Force in February 1941, and sometime later went to RAF Uxbridge. Following training at Blackpool, the recruits were…
Interview with Stuart Stephenson MBE
Stuart was five when war broke out and recalls some of his early memories. In the early 1970s the Lancaster PA474 was flown to RAF Waddington from RAF Henlow, ostensibly to be a gate guardian. In 1973 the Lincolnshire Echo announced that it was to be…
Interview with Frances Grundy
Frances Grundy was born in Dorking in 1942 whilst her father was serving as a pilot with the RAF. She describes her earliest memories of growing up during and post war and the special relationship she had with her father. After the war, her father…
Interview with Peter Charles Hearmon
Peter was born in London and evacuated for part of the war. For National Service, he was taken on by the Air Force for a short time engagement and, subsequently,accepted a permanent commission. After RAF Padgate, Peter was selected as…
Interview with Peter Andrew Hopgood
This interview is with Peter Hopgood, who relates the experiences of his father, Sergeant Pilot Phillip Hopgood. Philip Hopgood lived in Liverpool and, after matriculation and having been a member of the Air Training Corps, he registered for the…
Interview with Jacqueline Assheton
Jacqueline Assheton discusses her father's career in the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force and his post war work establishing Safmarine shipping line, as well as his friendship with Jan Christiaan Smuts. Her father did not talk about his wartime…
Interview with Michael and Ann Akrill
Michael and Ann Akrill talk about their uncle, William Akrill, who grew up in Lincolnshire, and studied art in London and under the tutelage of Robert Kiddey. He considered becoming a contentious objector, but volunteered for the RAF and, after…
Interview with Eunice Burley and Leonard Bennett
William [Billy] Lord volunteered for the RAF and, having worked for Cable and Wireless before the war, he served as a wireless operator with 619 Squadron based at RAF Woodhall Spa. He had one sister with whom he was very close and who was the mother…
Interview with Tony Coulson
Bill Clarkson was flying on operations from RAF Tempsford dropping agents and supplies over occupied territory. On one occasion they were recalled due to bad weather and had to return with the agent on board. Obviously, he was in civilian clothes and…
Interview with Hilary Crozier
Hilary’s uncle, William Frederick Burkitt (known as John), was born in North London. He joined up in October 1943 and after training as a flight engineer, was sent to RAF Bardney. During their first operation they were badly hit and the rear…
Interview with Tony Dyer
Tony Dyer was a three or four year old child when his grandfather took him to the cinema in Reading on the 10 February 1943. As Tony was ironically watching the animation of a bomber and a tank on the Pathé News segment a bomb hit the nearby…
Interview with Martin Edwards
Martin Edwards recounts the war-time stories of his father, Frederick Edwards. Frederick was born in Kent in 1923, and lived on the family farm. He joined the RAF in 1943 and was posted to Canada for training as a navigator. On his return to England,…
Interview with Steven Ellams
Steve Ellams is the son of a wireless operator, who flew in a number of different aircraft. During the war he flew overseas, initially, in Sunderlands before being posted back to the UK. He started operational flying in Bomber Command with 199…
Interview with John Fisher
John Fisher was born six weeks after his father was killed on an operation over Germany. As he got older he became more and more curious about what had happened to his father and discovering more about him and the events leading up to his death.…
Interview with Rachel and John Gill
Peter Hazeldene lived in Wales and joined the RAF when he saw a poster encouraging people to see the world from a different perspective. He trained as a wireless operator and, during training, suspected a couple of incidents of sabotage on the base.…
Interview with Elaine Green
Elaine’s uncle worked as an armourer at RAF Scampton. He first joined the Royal Flying Corps before the organisation was renamed the RAF. He worked with Barnes Wallis at the time of the design of the bouncing bomb. He sustained an injury which the…
Interview with Ken Hayton
Ken Hayton’s father, George Stanley Hayton (Stan), worked for Lloyds Bank. In 1940 Stan left his post to join the Royal Air Force; Ken recalled going to Durham station to see his father off, travelling to start basic training at RAF Padgate. Ken…
Interview with Richard Hollis
Richard’s father, Arthur Hollis, went to Dulwich College as a day boy. He left aged 16 to join the Home Guard, then worked for a firm of accountants for a couple of years before joining the Royal Air Force. He was sent to Manchester University for…
Interview with Janet Hughes, One
Janet Hughes’ father, Reginald Charles Wilson, volunteered for the RAF in August 1941. In January 1942, he was posted to America under the Arnold training scheme and was later re-mustered to train as a navigator in Canada. After forming a crew at…
Interview with Janet Hughes. Two
After flying as a spare, Reginald Wilson (Hughes’ father) formed a new crew and completed their first operation to Berlin on the 29th December 1943. During their second operation to Berlin on the 20 January 1944, the aircraft was shot down. Upon…
Interview with Oluwole Hyde
Oluwole Hyde’s father was Adesanya Hyde, who served as a navigator with 640 Squadron. He was badly injured but continued to navigate the aeroplane on operation. It was only when they were over the UK that he accepted the morphine for the pain.…
Interview with Oluwole Hyde. Two
Olu Hyde continues his interview by describing his experience as the son of a Bomber Command veteran.
Interview with David Jackson
David Jackson tells of his father, Norman Jackson VC, born in Ealing, London in 1919 who was working in an engineering company when the war broke out. After initially trying to join the navy, he then joined the RAF and classified as a fitter on…