]]> Adam Purcell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Mal Prissick]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> Australia]]> Atlantic Ocean--Bay of Biscay]]> Atlantic Ocean--English Channel]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Germany--Cologne]]> Germany--Frankfurt am Main]]> Germany--Rüsselsheim]]> Poland--Szczecin]]> France--Chartres]]> France--Gironde Estuary]]> France--Le Havre]]> United States]]> Germany]]> France]]> Poland]]> California--San Francisco]]> California]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> Adam Purcell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Hugh Donnelly]]> Phil Crossley]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Transport Command]]> Australia]]> Egypt]]> Libya]]> Italy]]> Italy--Udine]]> Germany]]> Italy--Grupignano]]> Germany--Mühlberg (Bad Liebenwerda)]]> 1941]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945-05]]> Adam Purcell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> France]]> Great Britain]]> United States]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> France--Juvincourt-et-Damary]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> Adam Purcell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> Poland]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Germany--Oberursel]]> Poland--Tychowo]]> Germany--Riesa]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> Adam Purcell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> Poland]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Poland--Opole (Voivodeship)]]> 1939]]> 1942-05]]> 1943]]> 1944-01]]> Adam Purcell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Carolyn Emery]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Royal New Zealand Air Force]]> Australia]]> Great Britain]]> Netherlands]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> Netherlands--Eindhoven]]> Victoria--Melbourne]]> Victoria]]> Germany]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> Adam Purcell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Jackie Simpson]]> Brian May]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> Scotland]]> England--Brighton]]> England--Yorkshire]]> New South Wales--Sydney]]> Victoria]]> Victoria--Mallee]]> Victoria]]> Victoria--Mount Martha]]> Victoria]]> New South Wales]]> England--Sussex]]> 1944-03-06]]> 1944-03-07]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> Adam Purcell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Carolyn Emery]]> Pending OH summary]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> Great Britain]]> England--Derbyshire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> 1946]]> There were some delays as Bomber Command had surplus aircrew. He spent some leave through the Lady Ryder Scheme and went to RAF Padgate. He was sent to RAF Fairoaks and witnessed V2 flying bombs before returning to RAF Padgate. Colin was sent to RAF West Freugh and did dead reckoning navigation. His next destination was 27 Operational Training Unit in Lichfield. Colin describes how they crewed up. He was introduced to the Gee radio navigation system and Wellingtons. He went to a Heavy Conversion Unit at RAF Lindholme and encountered Lancasters and H2S.
Colin discusses his impressions of England and his activities. He also outlines how he carried out his role as a navigator.
They transferred to 460 Squadron at RAF Binbrook and started operations in March 1945. Colin describes some of their seven operations, which involved damage to the aircraft on a trip to Saarbrücken; being caught in the searchlights at Potsdam; cancellation mid-route of their trip to Bremen. On 25 April 1945, they flew in the second wave to Berchtesgaden and were hit, losing all but one engine. Some of the crew baled out but the pilot crash-landed the aircraft with the rear gunner because of a missing parachute. Colin was taken to Stalag Luft 7 at Moosburg. They were freed on 29 April 1945 by the American 14th Division, although it took some time to return to England and ultimately Australia.
Colin gives his views on the treatment of Bomber Command and the politics involved.
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Adam Purcell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Sally Coulter]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Staffordshire]]> England--Surrey]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Scotland--Wigtownshire]]> Germany]]> Germany--Saarbrücken]]> Germany--Potsdam]]> Germany--Berchtesgaden]]> Germany--Moosburg an der Isar]]> Germany--Ingolstadt]]> Poland]]> Poland--Opole (Voivodeship)]]> 1943]]> 1943-03]]> 1944]]> 1944-02]]> 1945-04-25]]> 1945-04-29]]>
Adam Purcell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Christine Kavanagh]]> Pending review]]> Pending OH summary]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> France]]> France--Pargny-sur-Saulx]]> Great Britain]]> United States]]> Adam Purcell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Hugh Donnelly]]> Mal Prissick]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> Canada]]> Great Britain]]> England--Brighton]]> England--Staffordshire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Manitoba]]> United States]]> England--Sussex]]> 1940]]> 1941]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> Adam Purcell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> Pending OH summary]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> Great Britain]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Adam Purcell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> Pending OH summary]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> 1945]]> Adam Purcell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> Pending OH summary]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> Burma]]> Great Britain]]> India]]> India--Bengal]]> Victoria]]> Victoria--Mount Martha]]> Victoria]]> 1941]]> 1943]]> 1945]]> Adam Purcell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Katie Gilbert]]> Pending review]]> Pending OH summary]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> Great Britain]]> England--Gloucestershire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Victoria]]> Victoria--Mount Martha]]> Victoria]]> Adam Purcell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Cathie Hewitt]]> Pending review]]> Pending OH summary]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> Great Britain]]> England--Suffolk]]> United States]]> Adam Purcell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> Pending OH summary]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> Canada]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> British Columbia--Vancouver Island]]> New South Wales--Sydney]]> New South Wales]]> After a holding station in Padgate, Alan went to Brighton. En route, he witnessed the devastating effects of war in London. He saw some V-1s in Brighton. He did a commando course in the North East before going to RAF Llandwrog, an Advanced Flying Unit. He learnt Gee and H2S navigation systems. Alan was posted to No. 17 Operational Training Unit on Wellingtons. Because of illness, he had to crew up a second time. The satellite station was at RAF Silverstone. Alan recounts some of his activities on leave.
Alan was posted to the 1661 Heavy Conversion Unit at RAF Winthorpe where he first encountered Lancasters. A flight engineer was added to their crew.
Alan discusses the large losses of Bomber Command and also Australians.
He details a “bullseye” exercise to London when the radio malfunctioned and Alan had to navigate by dead reckoning. A few days later, they had to abort an attack on the Ruhr. They were almost hit from below on their return journey.
When Germany surrendered, the Australians were sent to RAF Worksop. Alan spent VE Day in London. After the atomic bomb on Japan, Alan briefly found a job in London before sailing back to Australia.
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Adam Purcell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Sally Coulter]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> England--Buckinghamshire]]> England--Northamptonshire]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> England--London]]> Wales--Gwynedd]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> Canada]]> Alberta]]> Alberta--Edmonton]]>
Adam Purcell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> Great Britain]]> United States]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> New York (State)--New York]]> Queensland--Brisbane]]> Victoria--Melbourne]]> Germany]]> Germany--Heidelberg]]> Victoria]]> New York (State)]]> Queensland]]> 1939]]> 1940]]> 1941]]> 1943]]> Adam Purcell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Peter Schulze]]> Pending review]]> Pending OH summary. Allocated S Coulter]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Staffordshire]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1945]]> Adam Purcell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Peter Schulze]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> Canada]]> Czech Republic]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> New South Wales]]> Alberta--Edmonton]]> Czech Republic--Plzeň]]> England--Brighton]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Germany--Essen]]> Germany--Leipzig]]> New South Wales--Sydney]]> California--San Francisco]]> United States]]> California]]> Alberta]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> England--Sussex]]> 1940]]> 1941]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> Adam Purcell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Peter Schulze]]> Pending review]]> Pending OH summary]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> Canada]]> Great Britain]]> Germany]]> Alberta--Edmonton]]> Germany--Dresden]]> Northern Territory--Darwin]]> United States]]> Northern Territory]]> Alberta]]> 1940]]> 1941]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> Adam Purcell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Pending review]]> Pending OH summary]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> Great Britain]]> Adam Purcell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> England--Norfolk]]> New York (State)--New York]]> Victoria--Melbourne]]> Victoria]]> New York (State)]]> Ken describes how he met his pilot. They initially shot down V-1s flying Mosquitoes. They went to northern France and did cross countries. Ken missed D-Day as he was training on Mark 10 radar at RAF Twinwood Farm. They did intruder raids. He describes going to Linz and Linz and their encounters with fighters. His squadron, along with another Mosquito squadron, were sent to the Channel Islands and was instrumental in the surrender German forces stationed there on 9th May 1945.
Ken was a recipient of Lady Ryder’s Dominion and Allied Services Hospitality Scheme and describes some of the hospitality and leisure pursuits he experienced.
After the war, Ken received the Legion of Honour.
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Adam Purcell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Sally Coulter]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> Austria]]> Austria--Linz]]> Canada]]> England--Bedfordshire]]> England--Northumberland]]> England--Sussex]]> France]]> Great Britain]]> Great Britain Miscellaneous Island Dependencies--Channel Islands]]> Netherlands]]> Netherlands--Arnhem]]> Victoria]]> Victoria--Mornington Peninsula]]> Victoria--Mount Martha]]> Western Australia]]> Western Australia--Bunbury]]> Western Australia--Busselton]]> Western Australia--Geraldton]]> Western Australia--Moora]]> 1945]]>