Browse Items (39 total)
- Creator is exactly "Mick Jeffery"
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Interview with Cyril Peters
Cyril Peters joined the Royal Air Force at Cambridge in 1940 and trained as a pilot in Canada and the United States. On his return to Great Britain he served as an instructor before flying operations as a pilot with 77 Squadron. He became a teacher…
Interview with Arthur Nicholson
Arthur was released from his reserved occupation as an apprentice engineer to join the Royal Air Force. After St John’s Wood, he underwent some basic training at RAF Bridlington and RAF Usworth before going on an engineering course at RAF St Athan…
Interview with William Neilson
William Neilson grew up in Edinburgh. After training as a pilot in Canada and the United States he served as a staff pilot at Number 1 Air Armament School RAF Manby. He discusses low level bombing practice. He was demobbed in 1946 and became a civil…
Interview with Harry Hooper
As a child, Harry Hooper enjoyed watching the planes at Heston Airfield. He volunteered for the RAF in 1939 and began training to be a pilot. He flew with 115 Squadron and undertook operations over Northern France and Germany using Gee, including…
Interview with George Hextell
George Hextell joined the RAF as a flight engineer and flew operations with 51 Squadron on Halifaxes. After being shot down over Holland, he became a prisoner of war. He gives a detailed account of his capture, imprisonment and liberation. He also…
Interview with Charles Henry Clarke. One
Charles volunteered for the RAF when he was 17 and trained as a bomb-aimer at RAF North Luffenham. After qualifying, he was posted to 619 Squadron at RAF Woodhall Spa. He was shot down on his 18th operation and he became a prisoner of war. He talks…
Interview with Ray Worral
Raymond (Ray) Worral joined the RAF in 1943. Ray completed his initial training in RAF Bridlington and then St Athen for the Flight Engineers' training course and learnt the technicalities of the Lancaster. After being crewed up at Winthorpe, Ray…
Interview with Arthur Emlyn Williams
Arthur Emlyn Williams was working as a pump operator at the mines, before he volunteered for the RAF. His mother hid his first recruitment letter. He trained at Lord’s Cricket Ground, and Number 2 Air-Gunnery school at RAF Inverness, on Ansons. He…
Interview with Arthur Emlyn Williams
Arthur Emlyn Williams describes his life before volunteering and what lead to his decision to volunteer. His parents were upset about his decision to join the RAF. In September 1943, he was accepted for training as an air-gunner. He started his first…
Interview with Iain Urquhart Robertson
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…
Interview with Arthur Poore
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…
Interview with Ted Peck
Ted joined 1014 Squadron Air Training Corps at RAF North Weald, then became a flight engineer and warrant officer. He flew 30 operations for 622 Squadron.
Ted describes an incident which occurred in bad weather in a Stirling at the 1657 Heavy…
Ted describes an incident which occurred in bad weather in a Stirling at the 1657 Heavy…
Interview with Peter Miller
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 …
Interview with Thomas Marchant
Tom Marchant had always wanted to fly and joined the RAF, aged 18, as a Wireless Operator Air Gunner but was re-mustered as Flight Engineer after his initial postings to RAF Burtonwood, Warrington and RAF Squires Gate Airfield, Blackpool. He…
Interview with F N Larard
After being called up, Larry was assessed as pilot, navigator, bomb aimer but changed to rear gunner, to avoid the delay in pilot training. He was trained at RAF Dalcross on Wellingtons before moving to RAF Lindholme to convert to the Halifax and…
Interview with Roy Hill
Roy Hill joined the RAF wanting to be a pilot but became a wireless operator air gunner. On his 18th operation, in a Lancaster flying over the Ruhr he was shot down by a German night fighter. He was captured and incarcerated in Stalag Luft 1 for…
Interview with Ian Hawkins
Ian Hawkins was training to be a teacher when he decided to volunteer for the RAF, joining in 1941. He commenced training under the Arnold Scheme in Canada and the US and passed the course as a pilot. He returned to England as a sergeant and…
Interview with Norman Gregory
Having volunteered for aircrew in 1941 in York, Norman came into active service in 1942. He flew Tiger Moths at RAF Ansty and was recommended for multi-engine aircraft. After RAF Heaton Park, he went to Halifax, Nova Scotia. He spent six months…
Interview with Jim Penny. One
Jim Penny joined the Air Force in July 1940, aged 18. He recalls his training prior to becoming a Bomber Command Pathfinder pilot for 97 Squadron at RAF Bourn. He explains the crewing up process and details those who were in his crew. He gives…
Interview with Ken Johnson. One
Kenneth Alfred Johnson joined the Royal Air Force at the age of 19, after being in a reserved occupation making barrage balloon cables. He trained as an air gunner, serving as a mid-upper gunner. He spent time at the Operational Training Unit, flying…
Interview with Mary Stuart
Mary Stuart, nee Atkins, was the youngest of nine children who, during the Second World War, lived on the island of Malta. She tells of her love of aviation and how she spent time on the roof of her house when Spitfires flew over. Mary recollects…
Interview with Charles Parker
Charles Parker was part of the Fast Night Striking Force of Number 8 Group, Pathfinder Squadron in Bomber Command, flying in Mosquitos. He tells of “crewing up” in September 1943 as a 21 year old, his near miss with a Mosquito from 1409 Met…
Interview with Kenneth Locke Brown
Kenneth Locke was born in 1923 and wanted to join the Royal Air Force, following in the footsteps of his father, who was a First World War Pilot. Between leaving school and joining the Royal Air Force, Kenneth worked as a bank clerk, before signing…
Interview with Maurice Hatch
Maurice Hatch was training as a chartered accountant when he volunteered to be a pilot but was, instead, enlisted as a navigator. After initial training at Torquay, Brighton and Eastbourne he went to South Africa for a year. On his return, he crewed…
Interview with John De Hoop
John De Hoop was evacuated to Sussex at the start of the war but returned to London in early 1940. He joined the Home Guard before joining the Air Training Corps and went to radio school in RAF Yatesbury in Wiltshire, where he experienced flying in a…