Dan Ellin]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Heather Hughes]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Stafford]]> England--Boston]]> Wales--Broughton]]> England--Staffordshire]]> Dan Ellin]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Heather Hughes]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Civilian]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Hull]]> England--Lincoln]]> England--Welton (Lincolnshire)]]> England--Scampton]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Dan Ellin]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Emma Bonson]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> Germany]]> Italy]]> England--London]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Italy--Pomigliano d'Arco]]> Germany--Berchtesgaden]]> 1944-05-08]]> 1945]]> Dan Ellin]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Chris Cann]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Atlantic Ocean--English Channel]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Wiltshire]]> England--Lincoln]]> England--Norfolk]]> England--Oxfordshire]]> Germany--Berlin]]> Germany--Essen]]> Germany--Mannheim]]> Middle East--Jerusalem]]> Middle East--Palestine]]> Germany]]> Germany--Kiel Canal]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> 1941-09-01]]> 1942]]> Anecdotes include a low flying incident near Skegness for which they were in trouble with the group captain, and the issue of guns and ammunition when some German prisoners escaped. They lost their possessions to the Committee of Adjustment when they were diverted to another airfield.
Harry received army-type training at RAF Bridlington and continued his flight engineering training on Stirlings at RAF St Athan. He was sent to RAF East Kirkby on Lancasters.
Harry collected prisoners of war from Italy and Brussels. He describes people’s recollections of Guy Gibson.
He stayed for seven or so years in the RAF, flying Lancasters and Lincolns at RAF Waddington. Harry relates the delayed publication of a photograph, with a Lincoln and Lincoln cathedral.
Harry outlines his encounter with a group captain who helped him to change his wheel, subsequently inviting him to dinners at the Petwood Hotel and Bomber Command headquarters. Harry received a two minute standing ovation for one of the longest bombing trips of the war. ]]>
Dan Ellin]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Emma Bonson ]]> Sally Coulter]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Wales--Vale of Glamorgan]]> Germany]]> Germany--Wesseling]]> England--Woodhall Spa]]> England--Lincoln]]> 1944-06]]>
Dan Ellin]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Dawn Studd]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]>
RAF Waddington, Middle East, County Down, Wellington, flare path, gooseneck flare, 44 Squadron, Broomfield Hospital, Operation Manna, Vaassen, 15 Squadron, Stirling, 12 Squadron, RAF Wickenby]]>
Dan Ellin]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> Italy]]> Northern Ireland]]> Mediterranean Sea]]> Middle East]]> Northern Ireland--Down (County)]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Great Britain]]> Great Britain]]> 1943]]>
Dan Ellin]]> Heather Hughes]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Brian May]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Civilian]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Germany--Sorpe Dam]]> 1940]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> This content is available as embedded video:

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Dan Ellin]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Moving image]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Germany]]> Germany--Sorpe Dam]]> 1943-05-16]]> 1943-05-17]]>
Dan Ellin]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Chris Cann]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> Northern Ireland]]> Northern Ireland--Belfast]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Germany--Chemnitz]]> Great Britain]]> Great Britain]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> Dan Ellin]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Hugh Donnelly ]]> Mal Prissick]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> Italy]]> Atlantic Ocean--Baltic Sea]]> Germany--Peenemünde]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Germany--Hannover]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> 1939]]> 1940]]> 1941]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1943-06-25]]> 1943-09-27]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> Dan Ellin]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Suffolk]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> Dan Ellin]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> British Army]]> France]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> Poland]]> Atlantic Ocean--North Sea]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> France--Dunkerque]]> Poland--Żagań]]> 1939]]> 1940]]> 1941]]> 1942]]> 1943-12-20]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> Dan Ellin]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Dawn Studd]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Australia]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> 1944]]> Dan Ellin]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Gemma Clapton]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> England--London]]> England--Manchester]]> England--Lancashire]]> 1920]]> 1921]]> 1928]]> 1940]]> 1943]]> 1945]]> 1946]]> 1947-08-23]]> Dan Ellin]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Linda Saunders]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> England--Staffordshire]]> England--Wiltshire]]> Scotland--Aberdeenshire]]> 1944]]> This content is available as embedded video:

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Dan Ellin]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> eng]]> Moving image]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Poland]]> Poland--Żagań]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]>
Dan Ellin]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Carolyn Emery ]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Civilian]]> Royal Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Plungar]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> 1943]]> 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 moved to RAF Coltishall. A group gradually formed to oppose the move because of the Lancaster’s connections to Waddington; the Lincolnshire Lancaster Committee. A public meeting was held and the City Council agreed to adopt the Lancaster. The Lancaster moved to RAF Coltishall. The committee collected over 17,000 signatures in 15 weeks and eventually the Lancaster returned to RAF Coningsby.
The committee became Lincolnshire’s Lancaster Association so funds could be raised. While Stuart was Chair for c. 36 years, £½ million was donated to projects, including the digitisation of manuals.
Stuart describes how unfairly he felt Bomber Command and Sir Arthur Harris were treated.
Stuart lists a large number of people he has met, received letters or signatures from.]]>
Dan Ellin]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Vivienne Tincombe]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Second generation]]> Great Britain]]> England--Norfolk]]> England--Lincolnshire]]>
Dan Ellin]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Pending review]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Civilian]]> Second generation]]> Dan Ellin]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> ]]> Nick Cornwell-Smith]]> Julie Williams]]> Carolyn Emery]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> England--Yorkshire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Flixborough]]> England--Lincoln]]> 1944]]> 1945-05]]> 1947]]> 1958]]> 1959]]> 1974]]> Dan Ellin]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Belgium]]> France]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Germany--Mittelland Canal]]> France--Juvincourt-et-Damary]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> Dan Ellin]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Carolyn Emery]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Canada]]> Manitoba--Brandon]]> Manitoba--Virden]]> Manitoba--Winnipeg]]> New Brunswick--Moncton]]> Egypt]]> Egypt--Cairo]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> England--Westward Ho]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Israel]]> United States]]> New York (State)--New York]]> North Africa]]> New York (State)]]> New Brunswick]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> England--Devon]]> Manitoba]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> Upon leaving school, and unable to obtain employment in his chosen career, his father arranged a bound apprenticeship with a joiner. Attracted by the glamour of the RAF, when almost eighteen, and without his parent's knowledge, he travelled with a friend to Sheffield and they both enlisted in the RAF. Entry was initially deferred until Ron was at the required age. He describes his route through training, on successful completion of which, his crew joined 578 Squadron. In February 1944, Ron’s aircraft was attacked from behind, killing the rear gunner. With limited control of the aircraft, the remaining crew was forced to evacuate and Ron was immediately captured. Following interrogation, he eventually arrived at Stalag Luft 7. Whilst there he met a fellow prisoner playing a piano accordion. Having learnt to play in his younger days, Ron describes how further instruments were obtained and the formation of a concert party which enabled them to entertain their fellow prisoners. However, they were also required to entertain the German officers which caused some concern to Ron, but they received meals in return. There was a known collaborator amongst the prisoners, and care had to be taken to ensure no loose talk gave away any information. In January 1945, the advancing Russian army forced the evacuation and the prisoners were forced to march to Stalag 3A. This took several weeks in temperatures as low as -20 degrees Celsius, and improvised sledges were used to pull weak prisoners. Following liberation, Ron returned home to discover his mother was terminally ill. He spent some time on general duties before being discharged and with support from the RAF, was able to complete his apprenticeship. Contact with some of his crew has been maintained in conjunction with 578 Squadron Association, with several visits to the grave of the rear gunner. The site of the crashed Halifax, with the body still in position, was located when civil engineering was carried out in the area. ]]> Dan Ellin]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Ian Whapplington]]> Carolyn Emery]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Belgium]]> Great Britain]]> Poland]]> Belgium--Brussels]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> England--Wiltshire]]> England--Worksop]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Germany--Gelsenkirchen]]> Germany--Luckenwalde]]> Poland--Tychowo]]> Germany]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> 1939]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> Dan Ellin]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Civilian]]> Netherlands]]> 1943-06-12]]> 1943-06-13]]>