Browse Items (164 total)
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Interview with Bertram Arthur Yeandle
After leaving school, Bertram Yeandle joined the RAF apprentice scheme and trained as an engine fitter at RAF Halton. After completing his apprenticeship at RAF Cosford, he was posted to 148 Squadron, RAF Harwell, where he serviced Wellingtons. In…
Interview with Robert Norman William Didwell. Two
Robert joined the RAF at the end of 1938, aged 18. He flew with 99 Squadron, spending three and a half years overseas. Robert recalls how his older brother was a regular soldier in the 1920s, before the war, and his mother was a kitchen maid. From…
Interview with Elizabeth Zettl
Elizabeth Zettl was born in Croydon. Her father was a stockbroker and she had a sister who was 10 years younger. Liz went to school in Hillcotte in Eastbourne, from the age of 10 until she was 18. She then went to college for six months to train as…
Interview with Vivian David Williams
Vivian joined the Royal Air Force in July 1938 as a flight mechanic and served for seven and a half years. After square drills at RAF Uxbridge and a course at RAF Manston, he did a basic engineering course at RAF Henlow. After six months at RAF St…
Interview with Keith Alec Williamson
Sir Keith Alec Williamson was born in in Leytonstone, Essex. Early education was at Bancroft’s School until bombs fell across the school. He was then sent to a grammar school in Market Harborough where he joined the Air Training Corps. On leaving…
Interview with John Robert Watson
John Robert Watson joined RAF Bomber Command in 1943, volunteering after he witnessed his next-door neighbour's house being destroyed by a bomb. Against his father's wishes, John joined Bomber Command initially as a wireless operator, before…
Interview with Clifford Watson. Two
Clifford Watson remembers his training as a pilot in Salisbury, Zimbabwe, but being scrubbed at the flying test. He tells of when he flew a Ju-88 at RAE Farnborough and talks about the different wages in various trades. Clifford recalls an emergency…
Interview with Clifford Watson. One
Clifford Watson, initially, wanted to join the navy because of a high demand in pilots. After being rejected, he joined the RAF and was sent to Rhodesia for pilot training, but then re-mustered to become an air gunner. He flew 76 operations in total.…
Interview with Stephen Walker
Stephen’s father, Ronald Cecil Walker, was born in Southampton in 1923. On leaving school he worked as a junior clerk with an accountancy firm. In 1941 he joined the Air Training Corps, 424 Squadron, in Southampton and, in December, the Royal Air…
Interview with Henry Wolfe Wagner. Two
Henry’s aircraft was shot down in Holland when the fuel tank exploded on the starboard wing. Henry was the only member of the crew to bale out. Their target had been the armament works in Duisburg. Henry drifted across the River Maas behind German…
Interview with Gwendolen Wadmore
Gwendolen Wadmore was born in London in 1922, and lived there throughout the Second World War. Her early memories are marching with the Girl Guides. She left school at 14 and began work in a tailor’s shop; at the start of the war she was employed…
Interview with Elizabeth Anne Tyler
Elizabeth Anne Tyler talks about her family’s farmland, its history and when it was purchased by the Air Force for the construction of RAF North Luffenham. She mentions various episodes of wartime life around Edith Weston, as reported by family…
Interview with Kenneth William Trueman
Kenneth William Trueman volunteered for the RAF and was called up in 1941. After training in South Africa, he served as a navigator with 640 Squadron and speaks of his preference for the Gee navigation aid rather than H2S. His operations included…
Interview with Henry Townsley
Henry Townsley was born near Workington, left school aged 14 and started work as an apprentice vehicle fitter. After a spell as a junior engineer in the Merchant Navy, in April 1940 he volunteered for the RAF, rather than the Navy as he suffered from…
Interview with Katherine Thompson and Roy Briggs
Katherine Ellen Thompson remembers her time in Rotterdam during the war and, particularly, during Operation Manna. She recalls various episodes: food shortage; bartering linen and silver for food; members of the Dutch fascist party being paraded…
Interview with Eric Horsham
Eric Horsham was born in East London in 1923 and, after lkeaving school aged 14 he was a messenger at the Royal Ordnance Factory before working for the railways. In 1937 he joined the Air Training Corps and learned about aircraft maintenance. On his…
Interview with Dennis Swains
In 1936, Dennis went to Dr Challoner’s Grammar School in Amersham, where an Air Training Corps was formed. Aged 17, he got a job with the North British and Mercantile Insurance company. He visited RAF Halton with the Air Training Corps each Sunday,…
Interview with James Swaffield
James Swaffield was born and grew up in West London and flew as a navigator in the RAF. He discusses his life before, during and after the war. Highlights include: remembering his father, who served during the First World War and was awarded a…
Interview with Walter Raymond Stevenson
Walter Raymond Stevenson volunteered for the RAF as soon as he was 18 and trained as a wireless operator/air gunner, learning Morse code at RAF Yatesbury. He flew with 'sprog' pilots as they trained and was posted to Number 3 Air Gunnery School at…
Interview with Victor Stapley
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…
Interview with Timothy Sindall
Timothy Sindall is the son of James Herbert Sindall DSO, whose career as a pilot in the Royal Air Force started in the mid-1930s. Following the discovery of all of James logbooks, personal letters and newspaper cutting, Timothy has put together a…
Interview with Rex Searle. Two
While Rex Searle was an air frame fitter with 601 Squadron he was evacuated from France at the start of the war. He returned home for a short leave but, not wanting to wake the family, waited patiently from 4 a.m. until 6 a.m. when his mum started…
Interview with Rex Searle. One
Rex Searle joined the RAF in 1938 as an air frame fitter. He was based at RAF Hendon and then at RAF Biggin Hill with 601 Squadron before the squadron was split and he moved with them to France. He was evacuated back to the UK via Boulogne as the…
Interview with Tim Schneider
Tim Schneider lived at Westcott before, during and after the construction and occupation of RAF Westcott as 11 Operational Training Unit. He tells of feeding the rabbits when he was four years old; leaving school at fourteen to help working on the…