2
25
121
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Akrill, William
Billy Akrill
W Akrill
Description
An account of the resource
132 items. The collection concerns Sergeant William Akrill (1922 - 1943, 1436220 Royal Air Force). He was a navigator with 115 Squadron. His Wellington was shot down by a night-fighter on an operation to Essen and crashed into the Ijsselmeer 12/13 March 1943. The collection contains his photographs, letters, and cartoons as well as an oral history interview with Michael and Ann Akrill about their uncle. There is also a subcollection of letters written as a teenage boy to his father in hospital. The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Michael and Ann Akrill and catalogued by Nigel Huckins. Additional information on William Akrill is available via the <a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/200183/" title="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/akrill-we/ ">IBCC Losses Database</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-12-04
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Akrill, M-A
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
The Dear old Freugh
(for the last time)
[underlined] Monday [/underlined]
Dear Mum,
Thought id drop you a line before leaving here then you’ll have some idea what’s happening. We got to Stranraer Harbour at about 5 this am. & waited in the usual rain for the first bus at 7.40
Learned that we were being posted tonight & we had a choice of stations and duties – near Leighton Buzzard as Navigator or to near Oxford as either Bomb Aimer or Navigator. I wanted Nav-B. Aimer combined but of the 2 I chose Navigator at Upper Heyford just south of Oxford. [deleted] All [/deleted] Most of my best pals are going there either as B.A.s or Navs.
[page break]
Sorry I shan’t have the long waited for pleasure of dropping bombs but I’d made up my mind to do the harder job of Nav if possible.
So it looks as if I’ll be on heavy stuff – Lancasters and the like. May be taking the roofs off Collingham soon! Of course [underlined] this is not supposed to be public knowledge [/underlined] – I’m just a Sgt. Observer somewhere near Oxford.
All having a terrible job packing. Passing out this afternoon. Got letter O.K. but Pyjamas have not turned up! As a final farewell it’s just pouring with rain. Scots mist & all that and the food is terrible — good old West Freugh!!
[page break]
[underlined] Later [/underlined]
Now passed out. Sergeant Observer . Chaos everywhere at the moment. Trying to get this off but have no stamp. Write as soon as I get to Upper Heyford. 160-TO
[underlined] Bill [/underlined]
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Description
An account of the resource
Last letter before leaving West Freugh. Writes about potential choice next courses as navigator or bomb aimer. Chooses navigator course at Upper Heyford. Considered navigator as harder job. Catches up with news and writes in pencil at the end that he has now passed out as sergeant observer.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Three page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo][Date]-06
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Civilian
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
Scotland--Dumfries and Galloway
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Jan Morgan
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
William Akrill
aircrew
bomb aimer
military living conditions
navigator
observer
RAF Upper Heyford
RAF West Freugh
training
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Akrill, William
Billy Akrill
W Akrill
Description
An account of the resource
132 items. The collection concerns Sergeant William Akrill (1922 - 1943, 1436220 Royal Air Force). He was a navigator with 115 Squadron. His Wellington was shot down by a night-fighter on an operation to Essen and crashed into the Ijsselmeer 12/13 March 1943. The collection contains his photographs, letters, and cartoons as well as an oral history interview with Michael and Ann Akrill about their uncle. There is also a subcollection of letters written as a teenage boy to his father in hospital. The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Michael and Ann Akrill and catalogued by Nigel Huckins. Additional information on William Akrill is available via the <a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/200183/" title="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/akrill-we/ ">IBCC Losses Database</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-12-04
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Akrill, M-A
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
No 1436220 L.A.C. AKRILL
Hut 20. A.T.W.,
R.A.F. Station,
[deleted] Tue [/deleted] West Freugh,
AUGUST BANK HOLIDAY STRANRAER
MONDAY 1942 Scotland.
Dear Mum,
No end pleased to get your letter on Sat. Thought you seemed so worried over my bit of a sting I’d better let you know that it’s quite O.K. Forgot to mention it when I wrote last. All that’s left is a scar where the blister formed. I thought the other hand was going to follow suit when a thundering great bot-fly bit it & it swelled for a day. I think my blood must be turning sour to let such little things affect me!
Hope your [sic] not having too terrible a time with Mrs. H. going frantic & with the Terrible Infant. I suppose you wouldn’t mind having him alone.
Expect Mary will be camping this week. Is Nip with her as well? Hope the weather’s more settled though
[page break]
[underlined] 2 [/underlined]
I have my doubts. Hope you can get the 16 acre alright anyway.
Some very good news about [underlined] food [underlined]. As from yesterday morning the cadets get a mess of their own - a part of the Corporal’s Mess in fact. Afraid it may do something towards creating ill-feeling among the Ground Staff, but Air Crew does [sic] need a special diet. Yesterday for the first time here I had 3 [underlined] good [/underlined] meals. Breakfast - cornflakes, scrambled eggs (real) & beautifully cooked bacon, bread & butter, plenty of marmalade & buiscuits. [sic]. [deleted] The [/deleted] Dinner - Roast beef. New potatoes done beautifully in mint & some delicious green peas. Sultana roll & sauce. Those potatoes & peas were a treat. Tea - salad, - with tomatoe [sic] radishes & onions, cake b & b & jam. Well I ask for nothing better than that. Today breakfast was more on the old standards but dinner & tea were fine. Whats more the place is
[page break]
[underlined] 3 [/underlined]
kept quite clean, with white oilcloth table cloths, sweet bread, & little pots of jam. The Waafs are clean too. I still can’t believe it’s true & [underlined] can’t [/underlined] believe it will last. I’ve even sat down to eat with an appetite & got up feeling full & satisfied. Up to yesterday I’d eaten about enough to keep a mouse alive since getting back.
We had an interesting trip the other day up to a lovely wee town among the pine forests of the Highlands not far from Aberdeen. We passed close by Glasgow, Edinboro’ & Dundee & had a magnificent view of the Tay & Forth Bridges. We are night flying tonight - worse luck.
Must tell you this. Listen in a fortnight next Sunday night 24 [underlined] th [/underlined] August. Our weekly service in the Scotch Hut is being broadcast. I don’t know quite what time it will
[page break]
[underlined] 4 [/underlined]
be. We normally hold it at 8 o’clock but I suppose it will have to fall in with B.B.C. programmes. I think the Padre will be very good. The [inserted] Camp [/inserted] Male Voice Choir & some Waafs will sit in the front to do the singing but I hope to be there as usual unless flying or lectures keep me back. So look out for announcement for a “Service from an Air Force Camp somewhere in Scotland” Possibly it’s the usual “ Sunday Half Hour” on the force’s at 7.30. every Sunday when they have community Hymn Singing. I was late for the Service last night & didn’t quite get all the gen.
Well there’s not much to tell you. Be seeing you 6 weeks on Saturday. Not long really for there’s tons of work to be done & it will soon pass - for me anyway. Think David was home last week end. Hope Ros’s teeth are not bothering her. Love [underlined] Bill [/underlined]
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Description
An account of the resource
Writes of insect bite and catches up with family news.
Excited that cadets now have own mess and, although not popular with the ground crew, aircrew need a special diet. Food is now much better and describes meals. Writes of flight up to near Aberdeen and about their weekly service in the 'Scotch Hut' which was to be broadcast on the BBC.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-08-03
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Robin Christain
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Four page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EAkrillWEAkrill{Mo}4208XX
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Civilian
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
Scotland--Dumfries and Galloway
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-08
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
William Akrill
faith
ground personnel
mess
military living conditions
military service conditions
RAF West Freugh
training
Women’s Auxiliary Air Force
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Akrill, William
Billy Akrill
W Akrill
Description
An account of the resource
132 items. The collection concerns Sergeant William Akrill (1922 - 1943, 1436220 Royal Air Force). He was a navigator with 115 Squadron. His Wellington was shot down by a night-fighter on an operation to Essen and crashed into the Ijsselmeer 12/13 March 1943. The collection contains his photographs, letters, and cartoons as well as an oral history interview with Michael and Ann Akrill about their uncle. There is also a subcollection of letters written as a teenage boy to his father in hospital. The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Michael and Ann Akrill and catalogued by Nigel Huckins. Additional information on William Akrill is available via the <a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/200183/" title="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/akrill-we/ ">IBCC Losses Database</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-12-04
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Akrill, M-A
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
Sunday 21 [underlined] st [underlined] Sept ’41. NO: 1436220 AC2. AKRILL
9/12 No.4 SQUADRON.
BENTINCK CLOSE.
Prince Albert Road,
LONDON. N.W.8.
Dear Mum,
Thought I’d be getting a letter from you yesterday & was glad not to be disappointed. Knew you’d find time anyway. Nice to hear every body’s OK but tell the whole household that a few times won’t come amiss now & then.
I’m writing this in bed. I intended getting lots of writing done this afternoon as I’ve not yet done any, but I’ve had a very full and miraculously enjoyable day. I woke this a.m. rather dreading Sunday [deleted] though [/deleted] We had nothing to do after Church parade at 8.40. I was sure I should be so tempted to think of the great difference between the old Sundays & this. Weekdays are full & I’m perfectly happy but I was afraid of Sunday. Well we went to C.P. The Nonconfirmists [sic] have to parade to a Baptist Chapel near where the Raf Padre should have spoken to us but as he was away we had the Pastor. Well he gave a general invitation to us to go down to the service afterwards & so I went & [deleted] sta [/deleted] I was the only one & everyone was extremely Kind & I stayed sacrament & the Pastor invited me to tea in the afternoon so I had a grand afternoon & evening. The Pastor & his wife were the grandest old couple
[page break]
[underlined] 2 [/underlined]
& you can imagine how fine it was to get a nice quiet time in a [underlined] home [/underlined] again for Sunday. I went to Chapel again & back to supper with another Cadet who is also a Methodist & has been here for 4 months & has been looked after generally by these two kind souls. We had a lovely evening & I can say that my first Sunday in the Raf has been splendid. I’m sure mother will be glad to know that another mother & father - can share her feelings about her precious little one!
Well my first week’s over — though it feels as though I’ve been here months. I’m thoroughly enjoying it. They are a grand set of fellows and in our room we are already great friends. My pals’ - Jo Phil & Ken don’t know London so I’ve had to more or less look after them - though I left them to their own devices today. During the week we’ve had all our Tests & filled up time with drills, lectures, P.T &c. Next week we don’t do much. Tomorrow is [deleted] vaccine [/deleted] vaccination, inoculation & Blood Grouping & for the rest of the week we recover.
[page break]
[underlined] 3 [underlined]
& get a few lectures. Then we’ll probably be posted though I expect I’ll have to stay on for Maths Revision. The paper we got was quite straight forward — I needn’t have done any of that swotting but I hadn’t anything like enough time to do it satisfactorily but I’m not going to worry for if I know I’m not up to standard I know I’ll have to get there for I don’t want to go on to I.T.W & fail there as that would be the end so If I have to stay for another fortnight I’ll not mind except that it will mean parting from the boys though I suppose that that’s bound to happen though we want to keep together. A story goes that only about 40% get through right off so expect some of them will stay but my particular chums are pretty good on Maths. Preselection was a rum do. Had to do craziest thing before a Psychological Board of [underlined] Waafs [/underlined]. It’s to see, of course, whether you’r [sic] fitted for fighter, bomber or nothing at all.
We’re now without an N.C.O. as Cpl: has gone on leave. He was the best of sorts though [deleted] you [/deleted] though no one would think so on Parade. He was quite the stricktest [sic] of the lot & put us through it but we soon became the
[page break]
[underlined] 4 [/underlined]
smartest flight around. Got our uniforms now. Mine had to be altered & fast as they’re struck on perfect fittings, so I escaped it for a while. Fed up of it already this hot weather and my feet! What do you do for corns? Sending my civvies tomorrow I believe, so possibly get this posted with them.
Food may as well tell you it’s disappointing. At first it [deleted] was [/deleted] couldn’t have been worse. Very little of it too. One day we got fish for the umpteenth time. It was Haddock & the smell was unbearable & I just couldn’t eat a crumb though we had some nice buiscuits [sic] as well. There were complaints but the cooks ignored them as soon as the officer had gone. Anyway there’s been a steady improvement since & todays breakfast was very tasty & I hear that dinner was good. I miss tea parade whenever possible though it means buying some. We get v.good cheap meals in the Canteen under St. Martins. So you see I’ll not save much. Also seen two shows.
I often think of that story of Mr. [indecipherable word] when in the West End. Every other person seems to be an officer of some sort or Nationality
[page break]
[underlined] 5 [/underlined]
& so [deleted] my [/deleted] our arms soon ache. Worst of it is that after giving them [deleted] blighters [/deleted] a perfect salute they wave a paw at you in the sloppiest manner imaginable [deleted] if [/deleted] that is if they acknowledge you at all. I’ve not saluted any Waafs or ATS yet I dodge ‘em but I’d like to try some time for fun.
Well the boys all seem to be asleep so I’d better put the light out & join them. See if I can finish this tomorrow.
[underlined] Monday after dinner [/underlined] We’ve got a bout an hour’s rest so I can finish this. We’ve had Kit Inspection this morning & this afternoon we are on a Swimming Parade. Tonight we’re on guard. Food’s been very good today.
No I havn’t found London altered at all. Where I have been there’s hardly any bomb damage to be seen though I hear that the City is practically destroyed. Food is plentiful. The shops are full & nobody dreams of queues. You hardly know there’s a war on here. Everything seems absolutely normal until night time. Then you can see that everybody’s on the alert. The Tube shelters are still pretty full. I believe a big Blitz is expected. Anyway no one’s taking chances & the whole town’s prepared. The Houses of P & the Abbey are a bit scarred & I should imagine they’re [deleted] about [/deleted] ruined inside but there’s not much to be seen of
[page break]
[underlined] 6 [/underlined]
damage.
If I get posted at the end of the week I shall go on to I.T.W. at Torquay, Cambridge, Stratford, or Scarborough most likely. I f I get through there I think I can [deleted] squee [/deleted] manage to get a few days leave before being sent abroad. I should be there about 6 weeks.
I expect you’ve got on well with the barley this hot weather. It’s more of a scorcher than ever today & I’m not liking my uniform.
I must write to the boys. Possibly Dave will have written. I want to get my civvies off today if possible as they’re in the way & getting in a mess. Please pack them away in moth balls for me as I’ll be wanting them when on leave. Though I suppose I’ll have to parade around in my uniform. I may as well swank in it while I have a chance. It’s pretty common here, but the Londoners treat us very well. We’re getting some of the glory for the Battle of Britain.
Best of love to everybody. Glad to hear from you all, all about everything. Tell everybody I’m having a good time. [underlined] Bill [/underlined]
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Description
An account of the resource
Bill is at the Receiving Centre in London. He writes that he has had a good Sunday with going to a Baptist Chapel and being invited for tea by the pastor and meeting up with another cadet - 'I can say my first Sunday in the RAF has been splendid'. He has thoroughly enjoyed his first week generally.
There have been all kinds of tests, drills, lectures, PT and next week they will have vaccinations etc. He's not sure he will pass the maths and may have to stay there to retake it - would rather do this than fail at the Initial Training Wing. Describes Preselection being before a Psychological Board of WAAFs.
Has now got his uniform - which is a bit hot. Finding the food disappointing, although it is getting slightly better. So many officers in West End that saluting them makes your arm ache.
London doesn't seem to be altered - especially during the day, but at night everyone is on alert and the tube shelters are full.
Not sure where he will be posted to. Gets a good reaction to his uniform in London - 'we're getting some of the glory for the Battle of Britain'.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1941-09-21
1941-09-22
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Robin Christian
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Six page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]410921
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Civilian
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--London
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1941-09
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
William Akrill
civil defence
faith
ground personnel
Initial Training Wing
military living conditions
military service conditions
training
Women’s Auxiliary Air Force
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Akrill, William
Billy Akrill
W Akrill
Description
An account of the resource
132 items. The collection concerns Sergeant William Akrill (1922 - 1943, 1436220 Royal Air Force). He was a navigator with 115 Squadron. His Wellington was shot down by a night-fighter on an operation to Essen and crashed into the Ijsselmeer 12/13 March 1943. The collection contains his photographs, letters, and cartoons as well as an oral history interview with Michael and Ann Akrill about their uncle. There is also a subcollection of letters written as a teenage boy to his father in hospital. The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Michael and Ann Akrill and catalogued by Nigel Huckins. Additional information on William Akrill is available via the <a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/200183/" title="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/akrill-we/ ">IBCC Losses Database</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-12-04
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Akrill, M-A
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
Cadet. NO 1436220 A.C.2. Akrill,
9/12. No 4 Squadron,
Friday night 26 Sept. 1941. Bentinck Close,
Prince Albert Road,
LONDON. N.W.8.
Dear Mum,
Glad to have a letter from you this morning. Also had one from Rosie, much to my surprise. I had written to the boys but they havn’t replied. I thought I’d better get most of this letter written tonight as we’re moving tomorrow & will perhaps not have much time. I don’t know yet where [deleted] we [/deleted] I am going but I am not moving from London just yet. Only 3 of our flight have been posted. They went off to I.T.W today. Our flight will be split up & go either to Avenue Close to await posting or to Viceroy Court (next door) for a Maths Course. I’m really not bothered what happens. At Viceroy we get a very good course of lectures in Maths. Aircraft Recognition & Morse, at Avenue we just wait about feeling “browned off’. Well I’ll enclose my new address, but it won’t be permanent.
I’ve completely recovered innoculations [sic]. I felt practically no effect & went out to the chapel in the evening & had a sing song with five other Cadets & I
[page break]
[missing page]
[underlined] 3 [/underlined]
about every meal too to improve our night vision. I’ve never drunk so much tea before or eaten so much chocolate which is very plentiful. We buy pounds of apples & I’m devouring one now. I always seem to be hungry though I ‘m eating nearly as much as usual. Fancy talking about tomatoes. I must buy some. All the window boxes are full here. But how I could do with a few glasses of [underlined] new milk [/underlined]. That’s one thing I don’t think we can get here & I’m dying for one (well not quite). We hardly dare drink the tea as its liable to be strongly doped. Kept everybody awake one night on the rum! It was like dynamite!!!
Ro I’ve not seen Mr. Woods. I don’t suppose I’d know him but he’s not in our flight. There are hundreds coming in every Monday.
Glad you’ve got Phyllis there. Hope [deleted] she gets [/deleted] it does her good. Hope Peter likes being at school.
Hope you’ll soon be able to get the barley. What a job. You should be having our scorching weather! What a sensation about Bill. B! Where did they get it? Who were they? I could just
[page break]
4
do with one of your Bramble Pies! Glad to hear Joyce is back. Give her my best regards. And [underlined] please [/underlined] I wan’t to hear from everybody. I’m sure daddy could manage a few minutes & I should appreciate it. I hope Mary will write. Tell Nip I’ve just been singing “Good Bye Dolly” in the bath & that like her everybody admires my brown back! Our bathrooms are gorgeous especially when we’ve polished them up for C.O’s inspection. Which reminds me. I scrubbed the floor of our room the other day. Got up at 5.30. to do it & hadn’t time for breakfast. But the old Boy told us it was [underlined] very [/underlined] clean. Gosh! Its surprising what fellows will do in the hope of becoming pilots! Nobody grumbles about scrubbing & polishing & we do make a good job of it. Well (to continue) I was going to say that I’d be glad to hear from Nip too. Heard from H & R. Letters always acceptable. Must go to sleep as boys are waiting to & I’m tired after a strenuous day’s [underlined] drill [/underlined].
[underlined] Saturday [/underlined] Waiting now for the Squadron Parade in full Kit. We’ve just got it all packed up.
[page break]
[underlined] 5 [/underlined]
I feel like a pack mule & I can sympathise with those fellows who did pack drill at Collingham. We have three rucksacks full, steel helmet, gas cape, water bottle, respirator all strapped on & in addition to this our kit bags & cases. Fortunately we’ve not far to go. Don’t know where yet.
We sent off our civvies yesterday. They will be at the Station sometime next week I expect. We’ve quite left “Civvie [sic] Street” behind now. We gave up our Identity Cards on Wednesday & got blue pass books, so I can’t ever pretend to be a Civilian again. We had pay parade on Thursday. 30/- for a fortnight. They pay to the nearest 10/- & the rest goes over to the next fortnight.
This morning my vaccination is beginning to burst & make a nasty mess.
Give my love to everyone, will enclose my new address with this letter when I know it. Cheerio. [underlined] Bill [/underlined]
[page break]
P.S. Have you sent off those books &c yet? And have they replied?
Here is my new address (for I hope not more than a week).
Cadet [underlined] No [/underlined] 1436220 A.C.2. Akrill W. E.
5 flight
P squadron.
Posting wing.
You will see that I Avenue Close.
have passed my Exams Avenue Road.
and am still with Joe, Ken London NW.8.
& Phil, billeted in a [underlined] kitchen [/underlined] of another luxury flat [deleted] in a [/deleted] some distance from Bentinck. A number of old chums are not with us. We expect to go to I.T.W a week today. Very very [deleted] stickt [/deleted] keen on discipline here. Yes I can do with a clean pair of pyjamas but wait till I get to I.T.W. [deleted] Write /deleted] If you write write as soon as you can, at least before Wed. or Thurs. so that I’m sure of getting it. [underlined] Bill [/underlined]
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Description
An account of the resource
Bill writes that he is about to be posted within London for a short period. [page missing] Have been given food to improve night vision but he really misses getting fresh milk. Are about to move and really feel they have left 'civvie street' now.
Catches up with family and farm news as well as his daily activities.
Gives new address at the end (but only for a week). Has passed his exams and will be posted to Initial Training Wing soon.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1941-09-26
1941-09-27
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Robin Christain
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Five page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]410926
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Civilian
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--London
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1941-09
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
William Akrill
Initial Training Wing
military living conditions
military service conditions
training
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Akrill, William
Billy Akrill
W Akrill
Description
An account of the resource
132 items. The collection concerns Sergeant William Akrill (1922 - 1943, 1436220 Royal Air Force). He was a navigator with 115 Squadron. His Wellington was shot down by a night-fighter on an operation to Essen and crashed into the Ijsselmeer 12/13 March 1943. The collection contains his photographs, letters, and cartoons as well as an oral history interview with Michael and Ann Akrill about their uncle. There is also a subcollection of letters written as a teenage boy to his father in hospital. The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Michael and Ann Akrill and catalogued by Nigel Huckins. Additional information on William Akrill is available via the <a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/200183/" title="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/akrill-we/ ">IBCC Losses Database</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-12-04
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Akrill, M-A
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
[Raf crest]
[No. 1436220 Akrill
A.4. 6. I.T.W. Raf.
Aberystwyth
Friday 14 Nov ‘41
Dearest Mum,
Just one more week!! Think of it — a week tonight you’ll be sitting up with a saucepan of milk on the little stand by the fire (which will be nearly out with some logs thrown on the cinders) You’ll have a basin ready with bread & sugar & salt & you’ll be knitting & reading & sleeping in a cold room with everybody else in bed waiting for the lost one to return. I can just picture you doing all this – just as you’ve done it hundreds of times before! I want you to take my
[page break]
advice & got to bed as it’ll be morning before I get home I expect. We’re going to find out about trains tomorrow so I’ll let you know what I can before I post this. I don’t think our train gets into Shrewsbury our nearest link with civilisation until 4 or 5 in the afternoon. It’s a terrible journey across Wales & then I have to cross England. And now for a piece of good news. Last Monday we had the Squadron Dance when the cup was presented. Well the Wing Com. said nice things about the Squadron Leader, the Squadron Leader said nice things about the Wing Commander, everybody cheered and the Wing Com. gave the whole squadron 48hrs leave and we are adding ours to our 7 days & so instead of coming back on Saturday we have to be back at 23.59 on Monday
[page break]
[Raf crest]
We don’t mind all this stupid drill & stuff if it means extra leave! I think we’ll all be ready for it. The continuous swotting is telling on everybody. I shall be very thankful when I can at last sit down to the exams.
We have Mouse Buzzer first thing Monday, Aldi’s lamp Tuesday, Armaments Wednesday, Law,, Hygiene, Aircraft Rec, Thursday and Navigation last but by no means least on Friday.
Do you know I can hardly realise that I’ll be home at last in a week. I seem to have been talking about it for months. I think I shall spend most of my time in bed. Certainly I’m going to have a quiet restful time as I’m feeling a bit tired with a cold come on this last day or two. Everyone’s the same.
[page break]
I’ll have plenty of stitching for you to do. My trousers are held with safety pins & broken braces. Can’t make buttons stay on. My tunic’s parted body from soul & split up the seams & I’ve not yet stitched on my V.R badges. Wish I could bring you my [one indecipherable word] to stich on but I don’t get them ‘till I get back, having passed all exams.
Had a parcel from the R.T.G’s as they called themselves — Balaclava, big slab choc, & some grapenuts! Must write & thank them when I get home. Well must get some work done — writing it in bad, finish it tomorrow
[underlined] Sun: [/underlined] There is a train vis Crewe& Denby arrives Nottn.] 10.11p.m.
Went to Stn. Today but it was closed (Everything closes here on a Sun) Will try again tomorrow & let you know something more definite as soon as I can.
What a scandal about Kathlene Millns! Seems to be causing a sensation all the soldiers going!
See you Fri (or Sat)
Bill.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Description
An account of the resource
Bill writes that he is looking forward to coming home on leave in a week's time. All the parades have paid off since they have been given some extra leave. Before then have a whole week of exams. Trying to find out about the trains, but will have to let her know later.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1941-11-14
1941-11-16
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Jan Morgan
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Four page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]411114
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Civilian
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
Wales--Dyfed
Wales--Aberystwyth
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1941-11
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
William Akrill
military living conditions
training
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Akrill, William
Billy Akrill
W Akrill
Description
An account of the resource
132 items. The collection concerns Sergeant William Akrill (1922 - 1943, 1436220 Royal Air Force). He was a navigator with 115 Squadron. His Wellington was shot down by a night-fighter on an operation to Essen and crashed into the Ijsselmeer 12/13 March 1943. The collection contains his photographs, letters, and cartoons as well as an oral history interview with Michael and Ann Akrill about their uncle. There is also a subcollection of letters written as a teenage boy to his father in hospital. The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Michael and Ann Akrill and catalogued by Nigel Huckins. Additional information on William Akrill is available via the <a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/200183/" title="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/akrill-we/ ">IBCC Losses Database</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-12-04
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Akrill, M-A
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
No 1436220 LAC Aksill,
No 26 E.F.T.S.
[deleted] R.A.F. [/deleted]
Theale,
Nr. Reading ; Berks.
Wednesday 31 Dec. 1941.
Dear Mum,
Am writing this from the sumptuous mansion of Sir Norman Watson, where we are billeted. Sulhampstead House is its name and its in a glorious park setting, and quite a fine example of modern architecture. I’m in a lovely bedroom overlooking the rose gardens, pergolas, wall gardens and park. Here we eat and sleep, do our drill, P.T, all lectures and link trainer – in fact all but the flying. The drome is two good English miles away and the station quite another so that’s one disadvantage though there is certain
[page break]
transport to the drome at times. Reading is about 15 mins journey from Theale and London less than an hour from Reading. I’m feeling dead tired as you can guess. We had to work to the very last minute in Aber. and marched off from the Lion at 5 o’clock to catch the 5.25, all looking very jaunty, waving goodbye to old friends with Sandy charging in front barking wildly. Our Officers and Brownie wished us farewell at the station and as we looked out for the last time on our old haunts we found we’d got Sandy in with us! We put him out at the first stop with instructions for taking him back. Well just 12 hours after starting we got into Reading and had to wait until 8.15 for a train to Theale. You can guess we were dead tired
[page break]
but we got no chance of a minutes rest or wash or any of the common neccessities [sic] of life until late tonight and then I found I had to do fire patrol at 7.0 and 11.0 so it will be late when I get to bed. [underlined] Never [/underlined] have I longed for sleep more. Today we’ve rushed up and down to the drone for parachute fittings, medicals, issuing of lockers for flying kit, lectures and interviews by various officers, filling in forms, issuing of kit and dorms and on top of all that I can’t get to bed until nearly midnight and I’m flying tomorrow. Thigs are certainly starting off in a rush and there looks like being a busy time ahead but we get Saturday off though this week we work on Sunday all day we have Sat and Sun off on alternate
[page break]
weeks but there’s no hope of both. We have some Turkish officers here who are training with us.
Well I haven’t the energy to write anything else. Will write and let you know how I get on later.
Got Mums letter. Glad to know you had a good time.
Love [underlined] Bill [/underlined]
[underlined] Wed. [/underlined] Been up today. Its [underlined great [/underlined] You’re to enjoy life!!! Will be at controls every five day now.
[deleted] Got [/deleted] For your peace of mind I have a very steady instructor a Flt/Lt of 15 years experience. Most are crazy Sg/Pilots. In Reading tonight food good.
Love Bill
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Description
An account of the resource
Bill writes describing his new living accommodation in Sulhamstead House, Theale, where his bedroom overlooks rose gardens, park land etc. All except the flying takes place here, whereas the airfield is a couple of miles away. Writes about the journey from Aberystwyth, which took over 12 hours.
Postscript: his been up in plane today and really enjoyed it. Food good.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1941-12-31
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Ashley Jacobs
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Three page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]411231
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Civilian
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Berkshire
England--Theale (West Berkshire)
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1941-12
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
William Akrill
military living conditions
military service conditions
training
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Akrill, William
Billy Akrill
W Akrill
Description
An account of the resource
132 items. The collection concerns Sergeant William Akrill (1922 - 1943, 1436220 Royal Air Force). He was a navigator with 115 Squadron. His Wellington was shot down by a night-fighter on an operation to Essen and crashed into the Ijsselmeer 12/13 March 1943. The collection contains his photographs, letters, and cartoons as well as an oral history interview with Michael and Ann Akrill about their uncle. There is also a subcollection of letters written as a teenage boy to his father in hospital. The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Michael and Ann Akrill and catalogued by Nigel Huckins. Additional information on William Akrill is available via the <a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/200183/" title="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/akrill-we/ ">IBCC Losses Database</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-12-04
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Akrill, M-A
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
No 1436220 [inserted] LAC [/inserted] Akrill.
No 26 E.F.T.S.,
Theale,
Fri. 2nd January 1942 Nr. Reading.
Berks
Dear Mum,
Afraid I’ve run out of notepaper & have to fall back on the good old notebook, but I guessed you’d want to hear a bit more than my scribbled note on Wednesday when I was far too tired & sleepy to know what I was writing.
We’re still feeling rather strange here (I am anyway) as its such a change from I.T.W. Yesterday we started off good & proper. We parade outside on the gravel in two groups – flying & lectures. There are, not including the Turks, 2 courses here ourselves, the junior, and about 20 more in the Senior Course who have passed out & are waiting to go to [deleted] 59 [/deleted] S.F.T.S. Then there’s a complicated arrangement about groups & flights. Joe & I are in different flights but in the same groups. Thus we fly [deleted] & do lec [/deleted] at the same time but from different parts of the field, & do lectures together but do not get the same day off which is a pity. Well, as I was saying we paraded
[page break]
[deleted] and [/deleted] with the Turk officers & answered our names. Imagine the excitement when, with a group of officers present, the Sgt. Read out their first name & their [sic] came a [deleted] so [/deleted] high pitched voice out of the darkness, “I am here!” They’re hopeless at marching & drill & it was painful marching behind them to the flying field. Well it was a bad morning so we had to sit around in the Crew Room till the weather cleared after our various instructors had been along & given us the low-down on the plane & instruments &c. Finally the weather cleared somewhat & I grabbed parachute & helmet & booked out at the Timekeeper’s Office & stumped across the field, strapped on my ‘chute, struggled into rear cockpit & strapped myself in. My instructor told me it was to be a purely passenger flight as the C.O. insisted that first flight should be.
We taxied across the field turned gathered speed & up & away leaving the drome buildings below our left wing tip. We flew to Reading & circled by the Thames. My instructor was doing his best to give me some idea of direction & whereabouts but I was quite lost. Then I got demonstrations in pitching, rolling & yawing. Gosh did my heart & stomach come in my mouth the first time he shoved the
[page break]
stick forward. Well after 20 minutes we came down & my Inst. asked me how I liked it. My beaming face must have answered him. It was [underlined] great [/underlined]! I was deaf for about an hour after but today I felt no effect. My Inst (I’ll call him [underlined] Mr. H [/underlined] for short) also had a Turk so I got no more that morning. In the afternoon we had lectures, very dull as we’ve done it all at I.T.W. We also got P.T. We do 1/2 hr. every day with the Turks. They’re a funny crowd! [deleted] In the [/deleted] After tea [deleted] we [/deleted] Joe & I went into Reading as we get a chance to go on the service bus once a week. Nothing else to do but pictures though.
Today we should have done lectures in the morning & flying in the afternoon but as the Senior Course are night flying there was no flying this afternoon so we had to get in what we could just before dinner. I got in 45 minutes but as I was at the controls most of the time it didn’t seem anything like long enough. I could have gone on soaring around there high above the lovely Berkshire countryside all day – not that I saw much of it, it was foggy & I was far too busy turning, and keeping the kite level to admire it. I flew for miles along a small river & then had to make turns for lakes, smoke &c. Finally I was shown how
[page break]
to decend [sic] with a glide, he’d demonstrated some glides before. Suddenly I realised that we were on the edge of the flying field & I felt Mr. H take the stick but I still had the rudder bar & was giving it plenty of right as instructed & so we made a landing. I’ll never be afraid of attempting a landing alone now I’m sure. Oh folks its glorious!!! I feel like doing a dance every time I think about it. I’ve simply [underlined] got [/underlined] to get through – but I don’t see why I shouldn’t. Of course Tigers nearly fly themselves. They’re the most glorious kites on earth I think. I don’t want to get on any heavy two-engined jobs now. It was grand when three Spitfires zoomed in front & just below my nose & at the same time I saw a Wellington far below.
So much for that. Now about life here. It’s very different being stuck here in Sulhampton [sic] House, from the old days in Aber. when one could always be popping into town, getting to know plenty of people. We get one day off weekly. This week ours is Saturday. What to do I don’t know but it will be a rest anyway. I shall go into Reading as there are a few things I want. Sunday is work as usual. We’re pretty well treated here. Food is cooked & served up by women from the village & we’re waited on by A.C.S. Flying Schools are primarily civilian concerns
[page break]
5
which have been taken over by the RAF. Theale is only a new station & been going since August but it’s still Civvy with RAF. butting in & you never know where you are. We get Civvy rations (to prevent jealousy from the Civvy Staff we’re told) but they’re not too bad for quantity & very well dished up. Flying certainly gives you an appetite.
Sulhampstead House is a glorious place to live in but when it’s not home I don’t care for living so far away from anywhere. It’s a very lovely district as I can see from the air. It’s a pity I don’t know any one in London or round about as a lot of the boys have gone up tonight to spend their day off there. I [underlined] thought [/underlined] of hitch hiking home but not very seriously. Max & some of the old flight go to Brough near Hull today. I’m sure I could have got home from there. Well I’ll perhaps be home soon & have plenty to tell you.
Glad to get your letter. Poor old pear tree. It won’t be at all like home but it was certainly not much use however ornamental it may have been though I’m sure there be no fruit on any new trees that are planted.
Best love to everybody [underlined] Bill [/underlined] PTO.
[page break]
Now getting 7/6 a day but have to pay 5/- a week insurance. I believe I’m now liable for income tax but I don’t suppose it will be deducted.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Description
An account of the resource
Bill describes the set up at the Elementary Flying Training School, Theale where there were two flying courses and some Turkish students. He describes his first flight as a passenger which he found 'great'. Goes on to describe flying the next day.
Finds it a bit different being at Sulhamstead House and only having one day off a week, after Aberystwyth, when they could easily go into town. Mentions that the food is good, served up by local women and although they have 'civvy' rations, and quantity is fine.
Postscript detailing amount of pay.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-01-02
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Robin Christain
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Six page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420102
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Civilian
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Berkshire
England--Theale (West Berkshire)
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-01
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
William Akrill
aircrew
military living conditions
pilot
Tiger Moth
training
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Akrill, William
Billy Akrill
W Akrill
Description
An account of the resource
132 items. The collection concerns Sergeant William Akrill (1922 - 1943, 1436220 Royal Air Force). He was a navigator with 115 Squadron. His Wellington was shot down by a night-fighter on an operation to Essen and crashed into the Ijsselmeer 12/13 March 1943. The collection contains his photographs, letters, and cartoons as well as an oral history interview with Michael and Ann Akrill about their uncle. There is also a subcollection of letters written as a teenage boy to his father in hospital. The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Michael and Ann Akrill and catalogued by Nigel Huckins. Additional information on William Akrill is available via the <a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/200183/" title="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/akrill-we/ ">IBCC Losses Database</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-12-04
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Akrill, M-A
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
No 1436220 LAC Akrill.
No 26 E.F.T.S.
Theale,
Wed. 14.1.42 Reading.
Dear Mum,
Pleased to get your letter today. Sorry about colds & humbugs. Hope all over now. Thought I’d better get this off now though I’ve no gen about leave or posting or Exams. I expect that by next week at this time we’ll not be here (I certainly hope so) but where we’ll be I’ve not the vaguest idea.
I expect that that those who get through O.K. will gather up all their kit & get some leave before being sent for to Manchester to be embarked. That’s the usual procedure I believe. Of course it’s by no means sure whether I’ll get through or not. This is certainly the most difficult rung of the ladder so far & once over the top is [deleted] almost [/deleted] is quite hopeful (with plenty of hard work) the course
[page break]
[circled 2]
Is certainly a far stiffer one than we had been led to imagine. We thought were in fir just a few joy rides but now find that we have to take a flying test with the Chief Flying Instr. & also do the usual Ground Exams. The lectures are hopeless & we’re always missing them to go on the link &c. We’ve 3 subjects we know nothing about - Engines, theory of Flight & Airmanship. We get off after tea about 7.0. at night & are much too tired to do much swotting so I don’t know what kind of a mess we’ll make.
Of course flying matters most. After about 10. hrs we should be able to take the C.F.I. up on “Circuits & Bumps” - that is start up the plane, taxy [sic] out, take off, do a good circuit of the drome & land again, repeat process once or twice & taxy [sic] back. The weather’s been very bad & though I’ve got 7. hrs down I’ve not done much “circuits & bumps” yet. Some chaps have 11 hrs & are quite ready for tests or solo. I’m afraid it takes a bit to
[page break]
[circled 3]
sink into my thick scull [sic] but both the Link Instr & my Flying Instr. tell me I’m improving at last. My Flying Instr. told me it would be hard work for me as I’ve not got “air-sence” [sic] & it doesn’t come natural. Still I [deleted] tho [/deleted] can do the take-off & circuit O.K. provided I don’t get lost & I can get the plane down somehow, though once today I thought I was going to take the top of a tree with me! Tigers stand plenty of rough handling but people say they’re the hardest possible to fly. I’ve been doing several spins!! When my Instr. first showed me one I thought I was being flung out of the cockpit & the earth was revolving up to meet me. “Right” he said “now you do one to the right” so I swallowed hard, set my teeth & sat squarely on my seat & away we went spinning down to mother earth & I felt no queer sensation at all & came out of it right way up
[page break]
[circled 4]
I’ve done several since then and really enjoy them. The ground’s been covered in snow for the last 2 days & we got no flying in yesterday & had to pack up early this afternoon because of bad visibility. Don’t expect there’ll be any in the morning.
We had another group photograph taken today by the main entrance of our stately residence. It will be really funny complete with Turks & their high officers our Ground Instrs., snow and plenty of wide grins. You’ll soon have quite a gallery.
Pity I didn’t know Joan Reeson’s address. Yes Barney & I have found a little Congregational Chapel in Theale but on working Sundays its a rush to get there & we miss our 3rd meal anyway.
Had a real fan . mail today - Ron Melton, Dave Nip & your’s. Ron tried once again to get in for training as Pilot but didn’t succeed. Don’t think he’s enjoying life too much. Sad about his sister. Dave tells me of
[page break]
[circled 5]
More troubles in the office. Jelly has gone into hospital with Sugar diabetis [sic] & Mr. Sunman has a bust ulcer in his stomach causing internal bleeding. Poor old CTS. He never was very strong - especially in that quarter. I’m afraid it’ll shake him up for a long long time & goodness knows what the office will do. [undecipherable word] & Gorgeous will carry on I suppose! Titch used to live at Theale when a nipper.
Well must retire as it’s striking 9.0. and I like to be in bed by then.
Will let you know immediately I get to know anything — until then take it I’ll be gone from here in a week and —WISH ME LUCK!!!! (I’ll need it) [underlined] Bill [/underlined]
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Description
An account of the resource
Describes how flying training, although fun, is becoming harder. He seems to be struggling with navigation and landings. He remains happy but accepts he may not have the aptitude to pass this phase of pilot training. Will have to do a test with chief flying instructor. Bill is concerned that some of the lectures are poor and they miss some due to other training. Unsure when he will be moved on and where to. Concludes catching up with family and friends.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-01-14
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Robin Christain
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Five page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420114
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Civilian
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Berkshire
England--Theale (West Berkshire)
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-01
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
William Akrill
aircrew
military service conditions
pilot
Tiger Moth
training
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Akrill, William
Billy Akrill
W Akrill
Description
An account of the resource
132 items. The collection concerns Sergeant William Akrill (1922 - 1943, 1436220 Royal Air Force). He was a navigator with 115 Squadron. His Wellington was shot down by a night-fighter on an operation to Essen and crashed into the Ijsselmeer 12/13 March 1943. The collection contains his photographs, letters, and cartoons as well as an oral history interview with Michael and Ann Akrill about their uncle. There is also a subcollection of letters written as a teenage boy to his father in hospital. The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Michael and Ann Akrill and catalogued by Nigel Huckins. Additional information on William Akrill is available via the <a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/200183/" title="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/akrill-we/ ">IBCC Losses Database</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-12-04
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Akrill, M-A
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
No 1436220 L.A.C. Akrill,
No 26 E.F.T.S.
Theale,
Bedks [sic]
Sat. Jan 17 ’42.
Dear Mum,
Thought I’d get this letter written now & then after my test tomorrow I can let you know the result & let you know whether or not its likely that I’ll be coming home on Wed.
Most of our flight have already had their test & got through. Some had it yesterday & our day off was cancelled today & a few more had it & just as I thought I was going up with the C.F.I. this afternoon he decided that we’d been working so hard that we deserved a bit of rest so we’ll take it tomorrow morning I expect. Shan’t I be glad to get it over!
We’ve spent the last 2 days down on the flying field & I’ve been getting in all the flying I could. I was a good way
[page break]
[circled] 2 [/circled]
behind in my hours & my landings were still “power dives” or “arrivals”. Everything else I’ve got taped quite O.K. & my approach & landing has improved a lot. I had another instr. as my own’s been away & he just concentrated on landings & gave me both praise & encouragement which I’d not had before. Still standing by the Watch Office watching some landings that have passed the C.F.I. I don’t think I need fear about getting through! The ordeal of the test isn’t a pleasant thought though. The boys say that the C.F.I. can swear better than anything they’ve heard before and simply screams down the inter-com “you blank fool, you silly blank what the blank are you doing. blank [sic] blank blank [indecipherable symbol] !!!” with his teeth set all the time. When it’s over he’ll possibly say “Well its the blank worst blank flying I’ve ever seen. Oh I suppose you’ve scraped through.”
[page break]
[circled] 3 [/circled]
Once that ordeal’s over there are the ground exams on Monday or Tuesday & then I believe we get leave on Wednesday for a week or maybe more. So I thought I’d have this letter ready & if I get through the test I could pop it in the post perhaps you’d get it on Tuesday or Wednesday & be in some way prepared if I decended [sic] upon you on Wed sometime. I shall be able to get a train from Kings X & can get right to Newark I should think. Though if I get stranded at Grantham it won’t be far hitch hike.
So keeping in mind the susceptibility [inserted] of those in power [/inserted] to change their minds at the last moment I’ll hope to see you sometime about Wednesday.
I absolutely forgot Harry’s birthday & could have kicked myself when I found out. I’m afraid days just come & go here & my poor old memory’s been working overtime
[page break]
[circled] 4 [/circled]
Still it’s not too late to wish him “many happy returns” I wrote only the other day & still didn’t remember.
I’ve seen the group photo & ordered you one. There are too many on for it to be a good [deleted] grou [/deleted] photo but you’ll have the satisfaction of seeing that I was smiling anyway.
Gee it’s COLD today & upstairs my nose just seemed to turn to water. It’s still very sore & very red. Thats the worst of having such a big one!
Thanks, Mary for letter, I’ve been very lucky this week - 4 one day 2 the next & 2 the next and 2 at the beginning of the week! Miss Mary has raked up a friend in Reading!
[underlined] Friday 23 Jan’1 [/underlined]
I guess you’ve been wondering just what on earth’s happened! Well [underlined] I’ve [/underlined] been wondering just what’s going to
[page break]
[circled] 5 [/circled]
happen. I’d better explain what this week has brought forth — On Sunday morning we got up in all eagerness & confidence for our test only to find that there was a heavy covering of snow & that it was still snowing. It snowed all Sunday night & by Monday there was a foot of it. By this time rumours were around that we were leaving on Wednesday & the two of us who’d yet to have their test realised that we’d had it. On Tuesday we knew that 18 were going - first for 1 days embarkation leave & then to Manchester. I was not among them. We were a dismal crowd on that Tuesday - the 7 who were left! The others were so noisy about their thought of Canada & grumbling because of their short leave that we thought it would be a relief to get rid of them. Now the only [deleted] worry [/deleted]
[page break]
[underlined] 6 [/underlined]
grumble I have against the affair is that I’m separated from them. They were the grandest set of chaps one could wish for.
Since then, knowing that the worst had happened, I’ve just settled down to enjoy things. The [deleted] 8 [/deleted] 7 have all settled down in my room & we’re taking life as comfortably as possible. A new grading course has come in & as far as we can gather we’ll join them for another 3 weeks here. So life should be pretty good for the next 3 weeks for we’ve taken our ground exams & needn’t worry much about lectures & as soon as the weather’s fit we can get on to flying, get our test over & then amuse ourselves. Its funny but you’ve got to get down on your luck to realise how well off you are.
[page break]
7
The boys the went away on Wed. morning were grumbling in the same old way!!!
For the last few days we’ve been shovelling snow or dodging shovelling snow. Somebody has decided that a large + of runways should be cleared & the entire camp has been working on it — flying instructors, pupils, Ground Defence, assisted by some of the Civvy Staff & [deleted] one indecipherable word [/deleted] It was quite a grand sight to see everyone shovelling together with a few crazy flying Instrs. rushing madly around with the lorries. I admit I quite enjoyed it all - though I didn’t work very hard! Today its raining hard so it was all to little avail.
The remaining 7 are an odd collection. Brindle, who I get on with very well except for times when his all too
[page break]
8
[underlined] “frightfully” [/underlined] Oxford drawl gets on my nerves. At times he can be too superior forwards, but for the most part he’s good fun to have around. Hart & Nash I’ve not had much to do with. Their fathers fought together throughout the last war & they’ve managed to stick together so far. Warren’s rather a dumb cluck. The best two are Thornhill & Cook. Cook has been my room - mate all the time I’ve been here & George & I have got on very well together. He’s in my flight & group & the other one who’s not has [sic] a test yet. The others have had one test & not got through - in most cases because they’d not had enough hours. The tests are very unfairly carried out.
But I’m just beginning to get settled here so I’m not bothering in the least & I’m feeling chalks better than I ever did in Aber. I don’t think the mild
[page break]
[circled 9 [/circled]
sticky atmosphere suited me at all. Of course I get plenty of fresh air here which I didn’t there, as well as daily P.T. The food’s very very limited & I’m often hungry at nights though we can buy cheese sandwiches in the bar here. This is a scandal as everyone knows that it’s our own cheese ration that we’re buying. Phillips & Powis (the Civvy firm that run this joint) are the biggest swindlers out. At the canteen in the camp we have to pay 2d for a tiny little tart that disappears in a mouthful. [deleted] They [/deleted] P & P are the one big snag at this place. Their own employees are earning collosal [sic] wages - at our expence! [sic] Its real crazy that a civillian [sic] firm should be allowed such a free hand in such an important work - especially in war time.
Well if I go on at this rate I’ll
[page break]
[circled] 10 [/circled]
be needing an outsize envelope to hold all this - have enclose [sic] £8 in notes too. We got paid today & there’s no sence [sic] in keeping it. We seem to get 6/6 a week deducted for insurance & various other mysterious things. We were paid £4.12 for the fortnight.
Well its gone 8.0. I like to retire about 8.0 for a bath & then snuggle into bed for a little read before turning over. Life must have its little luxuries.
Best of love to all. Thanks for letters — always [underlined] very [/underlined] welcome. Please pay for stamps out of my money. Would send some if it was easier to get them. I doubt if I’ve one left for this letter. If you got a couple of books while you were at it I could do with one but they must come out of my money.
[underlined] Bill [/underlined]
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Description
An account of the resource
Letter written over several days. Initially expecting to have his flying test the next day and be able to return for leave soon after, but this is changed following snow. He and six others are unable to take their tests in time and remain at the unit for the next three weeks. Once he has accepted this, he is quite positive, since they only need to take their flying test (having done the ground ones), and should be easier.
Critical comments on the food provided by a civilian firm and suggests that they are selling some of the rations back to the men.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-01-17
1942-01-23
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Alan Pinchbeck
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Ten page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420117
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Civilian
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Berkshire
England--Theale (West Berkshire)
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-01
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
William Akrill
aircrew
military living conditions
military service conditions
pilot
training
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Akrill, William
Billy Akrill
W Akrill
Description
An account of the resource
132 items. The collection concerns Sergeant William Akrill (1922 - 1943, 1436220 Royal Air Force). He was a navigator with 115 Squadron. His Wellington was shot down by a night-fighter on an operation to Essen and crashed into the Ijsselmeer 12/13 March 1943. The collection contains his photographs, letters, and cartoons as well as an oral history interview with Michael and Ann Akrill about their uncle. There is also a subcollection of letters written as a teenage boy to his father in hospital. The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Michael and Ann Akrill and catalogued by Nigel Huckins. Additional information on William Akrill is available via the <a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/200183/" title="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/akrill-we/ ">IBCC Losses Database</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-12-04
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Akrill, M-A
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
No 1436220 LAC Akrill
No 26 EFTS
Theale,
Reading, Berks.
Sat. 7.2.42.
Dear Mum,
Definite “pukka gen” at last. I asked the C.F.A. myself & got to know from him what was happening to us today. No doubt you’ll be pleased to here [sic] [inserted] it [/inserted] & though I believe its definitely for the best I did feel disappointed to learn that we are not going with the Grading Course on Wednesday but are doing our E.F.T.S. Course at No 26 Theale!
I had a test with the C.F.I. today & thought it strange but it was apparently the solo test. I think I achieved something by going up with him & not be stormed at once. He only once swore when I nearly landed on some “bloody ice” which covers half the field. He told me I must wait for some nice fine weather & then see what I can do. He was extremely pleasant on the whole & I can’t imagine all the gruesome stories I’ve heard about him.
So now I suppose I’ll have to get down to
[page break]
work in good earnest & I’m afraid there’ll be no leave yet awhile so it’s a good job I snatched those few hours when I’d the chance. I shall have a crack at getting another like that when I feel [deleted] brown [/deleted] a bit browned off. My part-annual leave is due in just over another month [deleted] so [/deleted] but I can’t see either the C.F.I. or the C.O. condecending [sic] to let us have it.
Had an excitement the other day when one of the Seniors was doing Low Flying Practice & left his undercarriage on a muck cant. He circled the drome & everyone, ambulance fire tender M.O. ran out to the field as he came to land. He ended up on his back but neither he nor the instructor were hurt though they are to be Court Martialled [sic].
Thank Ros a pip for letters. Will answer later. Grub is [underlined] glorious [/underlined] & it was grand being home. Hope the snows gone at P.H.
Love
[underlined] Bill [/underlined]
[inserted] It was a lovey [underlined] gusty [/underlined] day for a test
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Description
An account of the resource
Writes he is not going with grading course but staying at Theale for Elementary Flying Training School. Mentions he had a test with Chief Flying Instructor which didn't go too badly. Writes he will now have to get down to work and there will be no leave. Writes of incident where student left his undercarriage on a muck cart and aircraft ended up on its back. Fortunately no injuries but both student and instructor to be court martialled.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-02-07
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Tricia Marshall
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Two page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420207
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Civilian
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Berkshire
England--Theale (West Berkshire)
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-02
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
William Akrill
aircrew
military discipline
military service conditions
pilot
training
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Akrill, William
Billy Akrill
W Akrill
Description
An account of the resource
132 items. The collection concerns Sergeant William Akrill (1922 - 1943, 1436220 Royal Air Force). He was a navigator with 115 Squadron. His Wellington was shot down by a night-fighter on an operation to Essen and crashed into the Ijsselmeer 12/13 March 1943. The collection contains his photographs, letters, and cartoons as well as an oral history interview with Michael and Ann Akrill about their uncle. There is also a subcollection of letters written as a teenage boy to his father in hospital. The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Michael and Ann Akrill and catalogued by Nigel Huckins. Additional information on William Akrill is available via the <a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/200183/" title="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/akrill-we/ ">IBCC Losses Database</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-12-04
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Akrill, M-A
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
No 1436220 L.A.C. Akrill
No 26 E.F.T.S.,
Theale,
Reading, Berks.
Sun. 15.2.42.
Dear Mum,
Pleased to get your letter on Friday.
Now I’ve got some news that’s really going to disappoint you – that’s the worst part about it -. I managed to cut a promising career short last Tuesday, or at least I had it cut short for me when the C.F.I. decided to suspend every body he could!
I told you I’d had the one test. That seemed O.K. Then he started giving every one of us another. Peachey passed me out for Solo. He was quite satisfied & didn’t seem to have the least doubt about me & I’d none either & we were both chatting happily about what we’d do when I’d done my first solo. I flew with him in the morn & again in the afternoon did a couple of circuits before he got out & C.F.I. got in. He told me to taxy [sic] out & I had to go right round the field to get right for take off, at a slow pace & I suppose
[page break]
2
that must have shattered my nerves rather. Anyway I went all to pieces but never, never imagined that I’d get suspended for I’d been so sure & confident a few minutes before with Peach. I simply couldn’t believe he meant it & Peachy nearly wept, but couldn’t do anything about it. He’s a grand instructor – young, quite a little boy to look at but a F/L & hot stuff.
That was that but I’ve managed to get recommended as observer, & am now waiting for the posting to come through when I’ll go to Brighton. It’ll be a very interesting job anyway – It’s always been interesting to me & if I hadn’t had a crack at pilot & found that I liked it & could do it I wouldn’t mind at all. I’d prefer to be observer to pilot on a bomber anyway. The pilot’s just the bus driver there & does as the observer tells him, though in England the pilot is usually
[page break]
[underlined] 3 [/underlined]
the captain. But it makes me feel so useless not to have got through & I feel most upset that you’ll be disappointed. However it’s perhaps prolonged my life a bit. If I had been a bit unsafe or doubtful it may have meant that I’d have come to a sad end one day in an Oxford. There are ghastly stories from the S.F.T.S. near hear [sic] of the number of pupils who are killed.
The C.F.I. asked for me the other day to sign papers ac. & had the cheek to say [inserted] twice [/inserted] that it was sheer bad luck that I hadn’t made it & then went on to say that it was a definate [sic] loss to the Air Force as I would have made a very good pilot !!!!!????? He also said that had it been peace time he’d certainly not have let me go as I only wanted a little more time which I couldn’t have in war time & that I’d had a rather unfair chance!! Well I didn’t know [underlined] what [/underlined] to make of it nor do any of us, but it looks as if anyone left over from Grading Courses has little or no chance of getting through as we’re just in the way.
[page break]
[underlined] 4 [/underlined]
It means that I lose my 2/6 a day flying pay but I’ll get 2/- of this made up when I get to AONS (Air Observer Navigation School). [deleted] Two [/deleted] Once trained the pay’s the same.
Your brain-wave seems to have worked alright. Yesterday I went to the Wrays when I had my day off & got to know where Emmerdale Rd was. Its only a few mins. walk from there. Today I just “brake camp” & went to Reading again so I’ve had a whole week end off. It was a risk & I’d have been in for it had anyone found out but it was worth it.
I looked Joan up in the afternoon & sure enough she still lives there & though she didn’t recognise me she made me very welcome & I stayed for tea. Her husband isn’t called up yet. The child was a vile, hefty little brute, with a shocking temper which was politely put down to a cold & a tooth & various other reasons but I think that the
[page break]
5
the chief reason was insufficient use of a heavy hand. Joan is growing the image of her mother. Auntie Gertie is still living in Bourne, but she says uncle doesn’t do much travelling these days. The twins are both working in a Solicitors Office. Can you imagine them as somebody’s capable secretary? She says they’re getting on very well. One gets a slightly higher wage than the other so they split the difference!
The Wrays is just like a “home from home” these days & I can just wander in & out & do as I please. Mrs. Wray’s given me the freedom of the garden – and the tools so I can amuse myself there. I’ve got to know the guests too & find that only 3 are school missesses [sic] & they are not as bad as you’d think. They’re all just a happy family party & its grand to join in with them.
I’ve also got to know some people in the village. The minister at the Cougl. Chapel I attend asked me to supper.
[page break]
6
one night & I’ve a pressing invitation to go whenever I like & they’re also wanting me to go to this & that chapel function. They’re very nice people. The minister’s young & newly married & his aunt & sister are living with him. They’re grand homely Welsh folk. So you see just as I’m about to depart I’ve found plenty of friends! Next I start exploring Brighton. Wonder if Miss Mary has any friends there!
I had a grand walk today along the [deleted] pa [/deleted] tow path of the River Kennet to Reading. I don’t know how far it was but it took me 3 hours. It was a lovely walk & I did enjoy it. The folk at the Wrays suggested it. They’re great walkers & country lovers & we have great discussions on Natural History ac.
Well, I’m feeling very sleepy after my exertions but I can’t go to bed yet as I’m Orderly Corporal today which means that I have to tuck everybody [inserted] else [/inserted] in bed first. I suppose I’d better attend lectures tomorrow as the old brain will have to get used to hard usage now
[page break]
7
I don’t suppose I’ll be able to get 48 as they never know when my posting will come through. Unfortunately George, Thornhill & Harty were posted to Brighton the other day but I don’t think I’ll be alone as there have been so many suspentions [sic] that some are bound to get recommended as Observers. I think Brindle will be coming anyway (of [underlined] all [/underlined] people)
Best of love to everybody.
[underlined] Bill [/underlined]
Yes, written to Auntie, & to Annie who has replied v promply [sic]. Will send mucky clothes when I get to Brighton but I haven’t another pr. pants to change into.
[page break]
[underlined] 8 [/underlined]
[underlined] P.S [/underlined] Must tell you this. We’ve got a new Cadet Commander whose been looking into Food Question & inquired about what happens to our Jam and Cheese Rations & has ordered that we get a 3 course meal at 6.30 instead of the feeble mouthful of bubble & squeak we usually get.
One morning we actually got EGGS but when [deleted] 40 [/deleted] there were found to be 40 short [underlined] we [/underlined] were accused of pinching & there was a terrible scene over it.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Description
An account of the resource
Disappointed to tell his mother that he has failed the flying test. Bill described the final test with the Chief Flying Instructor, which went badly, despite having completed a successful test beforehand with his own instructor. Has now been recommended for training as an observer (probably in Brighton) and is awaiting posting. On reflection quite happy with this, but disappointed at failing to become a pilot.
Describes the various local friends he has made through a family and via the chapel. Also taking a walk suggested by some friends along the river Kennet to Reading.
Ends with PS that they have a new Cadet Commander who has been investigating the question of food and it seems to have improved. Suggestion that eggs which have gone missing probably not stolen by the men.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-02-15
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Tricia Marshall
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Eight page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420215
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Civilian
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Berkshire
England--Theale (West Berkshire)
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-02
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
William Akrill
aircrew
military living conditions
military service conditions
observer
pilot
training
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/666/18011/EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420220-0001.jpg
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Akrill, William
Billy Akrill
W Akrill
Description
An account of the resource
132 items. The collection concerns Sergeant William Akrill (1922 - 1943, 1436220 Royal Air Force). He was a navigator with 115 Squadron. His Wellington was shot down by a night-fighter on an operation to Essen and crashed into the Ijsselmeer 12/13 March 1943. The collection contains his photographs, letters, and cartoons as well as an oral history interview with Michael and Ann Akrill about their uncle. There is also a subcollection of letters written as a teenage boy to his father in hospital. The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Michael and Ann Akrill and catalogued by Nigel Huckins. Additional information on William Akrill is available via the <a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/200183/" title="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/akrill-we/ ">IBCC Losses Database</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-12-04
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Akrill, M-A
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
No 1436220 L.A.C. Akrill,
“E” Flight. No 1 Squadron,
A.C.D.W.
Metropole Hotel.
Brighton.
Fri. 20.2.42.
Dear Mum,
Thought I’d better let you know as quickly as possible that I’ve already arrived in Brighton.
Two of us got to know yesterday morning that we were being posted somewhere and eventually arrived in Brighton at 5.30 last night. Nobody seemed to know quite what to do with us so we just had to search this enormous hotel for somewhere to sleep & by 8.0 o’clock we’d at last been able to collect a bed together. This morning we managed to find out our flight & squadron & I for one am just making myself scarce as there’s no point in looking for trouble. Warren, who is with me, has managed to get bagged for a fatigue already.
[page break]
This is the place where we hang around for postings. I’m wanting one to A.O.N.S. I managed to bump into the 3 old pals. Cook, Thornhill & Hart & find they’re [deleted] still [/deleted] in the same flight so that was lucky. I think they’d managed to get 7 days leave but had it cancelled owing to a Posting Rumour. I expect that lots more of our boys will follow.
I was very surprised to get the parcel on Tuesday. I’d seen it on the Rec. Room Table but never dreamed it might be for me. Thanks very much for all it contained. I was going to send my dirty washing but now I’m here it may not be wise.
Well I can’t write much at the moment but I thought I’d better let you know where I was.
Sorry to hear about Mrs. Baines.
Love to all
[underlined] Bill [/underlined]
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Description
An account of the resource
Writes to confirm that he has arrived in Brighton, although clearly wasn't expected by anyone and took some time to get a bed. He is waiting for posting to Air Observers Navigation School. Has met up with friends and was delighted to receive parcel from home.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-02-20
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Tricia Marshall
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Two page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420220
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Civilian
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Sussex
England--Brighton
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-02
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
William Akrill
military living conditions
military service conditions
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/666/18012/EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420223-0001.jpg
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Akrill, William
Billy Akrill
W Akrill
Description
An account of the resource
132 items. The collection concerns Sergeant William Akrill (1922 - 1943, 1436220 Royal Air Force). He was a navigator with 115 Squadron. His Wellington was shot down by a night-fighter on an operation to Essen and crashed into the Ijsselmeer 12/13 March 1943. The collection contains his photographs, letters, and cartoons as well as an oral history interview with Michael and Ann Akrill about their uncle. There is also a subcollection of letters written as a teenage boy to his father in hospital. The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Michael and Ann Akrill and catalogued by Nigel Huckins. Additional information on William Akrill is available via the <a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/200183/" title="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/akrill-we/ ">IBCC Losses Database</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-12-04
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Akrill, M-A
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
Start of transcription
No 1436220 LAC Akrill,
2 Flight. D Squadron,
No 1 E.A.O.S.
R.A.F.
Eastbourne. Sussex
Mon. 23.2.42.
Dear Mum,
Guess you’ll have to get letters written at odd moments. I started one to Auntie N. a week ago but havn’t [sic] got it finished yet. Only get barely an hour free most days & if I don’t get much tea that’s half taken up with filling up at the YWCA. Canteen & with the rest I like to get a breath of fresh air.
At the week I had a grand fresh air Campaign. [sic] After tea on Saturday I set out across the Downs & walked along the cliffs & then scrambled down on to the beach & walked right round almost to the lighthouse off Beachey Head. It was the first time I’d ever seen the Head & it was really a wonderful sight. I hadn’t met a soul all the way & by the time I reached the the [sic] Head it was getting dark & the whole thing was rather eerie with the great, white cliffs towering hundreds of feet above the boulders, the sea & the gale making doleful noises. On Sunday I set off in the afternoon & walked mile upon mile until I was dead beat. I went with the intention of some of the little old Saxon Churches in the Downland villages & though I got lost plenty of times I managed
[page break]
to reach all the villages I had planned to. They were beautiful little places quite lost among the hills & the churches perfect gems built of downland flint with squat, square towers with red roofs. At first there was cloud & fog over the hills & the wind was terrific. You don’t know what wind is until youve [sic] been on the top of the bleak downs. Later it was brighter. At one time I thought I’d be wandering over the downs all night when I suddenly came on top of a hill & there was the main road back to Eastbourne & so I tramped to it & got a bus back Got a cup of tea at the Churches canteen in the Meth. Chapel & stayed for the service & social hour afterwards, singing until I couldn’t sing anymore having used up all the energy I had left. When I got back I was nearly too tired to get undressed but I must say it was a better way of spending a free day than spending it in the pictures.
I’ve meant asking you about the allowance I’m making home. You’ve not said that you’ve heard anything yet. I believe you should have forms or something sent every week & draw it from the P.O. Its 2/6 a day. I’d better make enquiries at the accounts section as they’ve [deleted] not [/deleted] deducted it form my pay. They’re quite safe for that sort of thing but sometimes a bit slow. If I make an allowance you should be able to get compensation if I ever stop a packet.
[page break]
Looking forward to the week-end. Can do with a rest. We get exams next week. Really getting down to work now. We have to know some stuff. Just been doing the plot of the first raid on Münster which was carried out by [deleted] p [/deleted] Poles from Scampton. I’m now doing [underlined] quite [/underlined] 20 times as much work as I did at E.F.T.S. for 2/- a day less! We look like having a spell of cold, fine nights so shall be able to get some star, planet & moon sights taken. I don’t know when I shall get all these stars learned – then there are clouds & things too which have to be known.
Well must get changed for P.T. - & its a good change too from sitting here for hours.
[underlined] Tues [/underlined] Sending dirty pyjams. [sic] off. I want to bring a lot of books when I come home so I don’t think I could manage them.
Think it’s going to be fine over the week-end acording [sic] to our Met. fellow.
Love Bill
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Description
An account of the resource
Bill writes that he doesn't have much time to write letters. He has managed to take a couple of long walks on the downs and around Beachy Head and through local villages. Mentions allowance that should be sent home for mother. Exams next week and writes of doing plots of an operation on Munster carried out by Poles from RAF Scampton. Work is harder than Elementary Flying Training School but for less pay.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-02-23
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Tricia Marshall
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Three page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420223
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Civilian
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Eastbourne (East Sussex)
England--Sussex
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-02
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
William Akrill
aircrew
military living conditions
military service conditions
navigator
training
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Akrill, William
Billy Akrill
W Akrill
Description
An account of the resource
132 items. The collection concerns Sergeant William Akrill (1922 - 1943, 1436220 Royal Air Force). He was a navigator with 115 Squadron. His Wellington was shot down by a night-fighter on an operation to Essen and crashed into the Ijsselmeer 12/13 March 1943. The collection contains his photographs, letters, and cartoons as well as an oral history interview with Michael and Ann Akrill about their uncle. There is also a subcollection of letters written as a teenage boy to his father in hospital. The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Michael and Ann Akrill and catalogued by Nigel Huckins. Additional information on William Akrill is available via the <a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/200183/" title="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/akrill-we/ ">IBCC Losses Database</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-12-04
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Akrill, M-A
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
No 1436220 L.A.C. Akrill.
“B” Flight No 1 Squadron.
A.C.D.W.
Hotel Metropole,
BRIGHTON.
Sat. 28.2.42.
Dear Mum,
Glad to get your letter the other day. I hadn’t had any for a long time. Had a very sympathetic one from Dave yesterday. Also one from Miss Mary. Her letters are a treat (so’s everybody else’s for that matter)
Glad to hear that Mrs. Baines is a lot better. I’d been wondering. Poor old souls they seem to be having a trying time.
Hope the carrots are done with now. Suppose your busy with spuds now. The weather up home doesn’t seem to be much good for anything else. Been very cold here but today’s been bright & sunny & much warmer.
Yes I told Dave I’d have 30 certs.
[page break]
I may as well. He seems very busy these days – Joint Secretary with Mr. Evans.
As for leave – it’s not very easily got and if I missed a posting through being on leave it might mean I’d be here for the duration. I agree it would do me a world of good but I don’t feel like coming home until I’m [underlined] doing [/underlined] something definite again. I shan’t begin to recover from my shock until I’ve proved myself as a navigator.
By the way I was walking by a Polyphoto place today & had a sudden impulse & burst of courage & walked in. It was a terrible ordeal but they’re going to send you the result in 3 weeks time so if there’s any you like I’ll get some enlargements for you. I’m afraid there won’t be as I felt like a scared rabbit & also had just had a nice prickly hair-cut.
Brighton’s a big change from Theale and
[page break]
dear old Aber. It’s a big place & very lively. Plenty of chocolate &c. I can get any amount of fags if Harry’s short. We saw an Ice-Hockey match between England & Canada this week. Very good but it ended up with a lovely free fight in which the referee was nearly murdered. I want to go to the Rink next week to try some skating when the boys go.
Brindle & 3 more of the Theale crowd arrived the other day. The C.F.I. has now suspended everyone – 13 in all. It’s quite obvious that someone decided that we were in the way & this was the best way out. Well they’ve lost the [underlined] Keenest [/underlined] fighter pilot they could have if nothing more.
I didn’t tell you about firing the Vickers’ Machine Gun. It was great!!!! I had 6 bursts – they were supposed to be short but once I’d got my finger pressed
[page break]
I didn’t feel like releasing it! Before I finished I gained great distinction by sending the whole target flying. Gosh was I bucked! We were trying to get the Sergeant to let us have a go with the Browning when we left.
I’ve found a very nice chapel here & already made friends. I’ve promised to speak at the Young People’s Service tomorrow & still don’t know what I’m going to talk about so I must leave off & think about it.
Love to Ros & Harry, Daddy & All.
[underlined] Bill [/underlined]
P.S. Guess the aconites have been a picture this afternoon if the sun’s been shining like this at home
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Description
An account of the resource
Begins with catching up with news from home. Mentions not much chance of leave but that he has had photograph taken of himself. Writes that Brighton is change from previous locations and describes activities. Went to see an ice hockey match between England and Canada, which ended up in a fight. Will go to the skating rink with some of the other men.
Continues with news of training suspensions at Theale and describes how he felt when he fired a Vickers machine gun. Concludes with news that he has found a nice chapel and has made friends.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-02-28
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Tricia Marshall
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Four page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420228
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Civilian
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Sussex
England--Brighton
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-02
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
William Akrill
entertainment
faith
military service conditions
sport
training
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Akrill, William
Billy Akrill
W Akrill
Description
An account of the resource
132 items. The collection concerns Sergeant William Akrill (1922 - 1943, 1436220 Royal Air Force). He was a navigator with 115 Squadron. His Wellington was shot down by a night-fighter on an operation to Essen and crashed into the Ijsselmeer 12/13 March 1943. The collection contains his photographs, letters, and cartoons as well as an oral history interview with Michael and Ann Akrill about their uncle. There is also a subcollection of letters written as a teenage boy to his father in hospital. The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Michael and Ann Akrill and catalogued by Nigel Huckins. Additional information on William Akrill is available via the <a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/200183/" title="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/akrill-we/ ">IBCC Losses Database</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-12-04
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Akrill, M-A
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
Would YOU PLEASE DELIVER THIS TO [underlined] MUM [/underlined]
I thank you
[page break]
No 1436220 L.A.C. Akrill,
“B” Flight No 1 Squadron.
ACDW.
Hotel Metropole
BRIGHTON
Thursday 4.3.42
Dear Mum,
Been looking out anxiously for a letter all the week but had no luck yet. Suppose you’ve not been able to get to the post or else our Post Office here has lost it which isn’t unlikely. I got the letter of Ron Melton’s you sent on yesterday. He’s still hoping for 7 days. He’s finished [deleted] his [/deleted] the first part of his Wireless Course & is waiting posting.
I think I am being posted to Eastbourne on Saturday but as I’ve not yet been on parade today I don’t know whether or not the list’s been read but but [sic] George was in the Orderly Room last night & saw it being typed & thinks my name was on it. Think about 120 are going so I expect all our crowd (8 in all) will be going. Oh dear that means work again & I don’t feel in the least enthusiastic. I’ve not done any serious work
[page break]
since I took the I.T.W. Exam & I havn’t [sic] the keeness [sic] I had then so it won’t go down very well I believe we have to work very hard – this is quite the hardest course of all. Still, once I get down to it I guess I’ll be quite happy. I’m due for leave but I’ll not get any for at least 6 weeks now, maybe 12 or more.
No sooner do I get used to a place & get to know somebody than I get posted. I’d quite settled down for a month or two here as I realised it was no use worrying about posting. I’ve got to know some of the nicest people at Chapel here. One real fatherly & motherly couple – couple would, I’m sure have found me [deleted] all [/deleted] real home from home. The minister’s a grand young chap & asked me there whenever I like. His wife’s mother is a dear old soul but stone deaf & she’s [deleted] wants [/deleted] itching to get lodgings in Newark as her son is an officer at Ossington. Then there’s Mrs. Case the Young People’s leader, whose really grand. They all think the world of her. She lives some way out of Brighton [deleted] but [/deleted] so I’ve not been able to get over but we had planned a grand party for Saturday week wich [sic] of course will be no good now. There was
[page break]
[underlined] 3 [/underlined]
grand crowd of boys too. Of course Miss Mary knows someone in Brighton – one of the ministers here who preaches at Barnby Gate every Easter. Ah well, I must see what Eastbourne brings forth.
I managed to give something of a talk at the Y.P. Service last Sunday but I wished I was anywhere when the minister announced at the morning service that “At the Young People’s Service tonight the speaker will be Mr. Akrill of the RAF.”
I think you’d better keep Auntie’s pen & pencil for the time being. This pen’s O.K. for the RAF. The soap came in handy as without it I’d have run out before we got our coupons. There’s still most of it left & I’ve 2 coupons in hand now so I shall be O.K for soap. Must write to Auntie when I get to E’bourne. Is she better yet?
When I get to E’bn will you send me a pair of pants as I’ve no clean ones to change into & I’ve had these on ever since I left Aber. (29 Dec 1941 to be correct)
Weather’s been better here for the last few days except for Channel fogs which suddenly spring up. There’s a very heavy sea at the moment as I can
[page break]
see & hear as I sit on my bed writing this. It’s usually very calm here.
Well I must get my Kit-bag mended as there’s a lovely hole in the bottom & then get my dinner as there’s Pay Parade this afternoon which can’t be missed.
I’ll let you Know as soon as I get to E’bn.
Love to all, looking forward to leave when I’ve got on top of the Navigator work.
Bill
Heard a good story from the latest arrival from Theale (they still keep coming) The C.F.I. took a pupil up one day & carried on in his usual manner so the pupil said to him “I’m afraid if you must be blasphemous sir, I’ll have to get out!” Well he got out alright. The C.F.I. straight away slung him out of aircrew altogether.
P.S. Would you keep my letters for me as they’ll be a kind of diary later on.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Description
An account of the resource
Bill writes that he hasn’t received a letter from her for a while, but did get the one she sent on from a friend. He also writes that he is expecting to be posted to Eastbourne shortly with 120 others but this will mean he has to start work again.
Writes about his social activities, the people he has met at church and giving a talk at the Young People’s Service. Catches up with news and domestic issues. Finishes with story about the Chief Flying Instructor at Theale. Asks her to keep his letters 'as they'll be a kind of diary later on'.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-03-04
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Tricia Marshall
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Four page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420304
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Civilian
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Sussex
England--Brighton
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-03
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
William Akrill
faith
military living conditions
military service conditions
training
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/666/18015/EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420307-0001.jpg
a60e54e1e9093c8bda53525b5e0d5714
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Akrill, William
Billy Akrill
W Akrill
Description
An account of the resource
132 items. The collection concerns Sergeant William Akrill (1922 - 1943, 1436220 Royal Air Force). He was a navigator with 115 Squadron. His Wellington was shot down by a night-fighter on an operation to Essen and crashed into the Ijsselmeer 12/13 March 1943. The collection contains his photographs, letters, and cartoons as well as an oral history interview with Michael and Ann Akrill about their uncle. There is also a subcollection of letters written as a teenage boy to his father in hospital. The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Michael and Ann Akrill and catalogued by Nigel Huckins. Additional information on William Akrill is available via the <a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/200183/" title="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/akrill-we/ ">IBCC Losses Database</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-12-04
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Akrill, M-A
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
No 1436220 LAC Akrill,
No 2 Flight, D Squadron,
No 1 E.A.O.S., R.A.F.,
Imperial Hotel,
Eastbourne,
Sussex.
Sat. 7.3.42.
Dear Mum,
I just managed to get your letter as I was leaving Brighton & read it as I was waiting with all my kit for the Posting Parade. After reading your letter I didn’t expect Mary’s bit to contain quite such exciting news & I’m not sure but I think I shouted when I read it & then for some extraordinary reason I felt I wanted to weep. I’d been wondering if the next letter form home would have any news & looking out anxiously as I hadn’t heard for some time. I guess you’r [sic] all excited about it – especially Grandma and Auntie Mary though I should think Grandpa’s pretty pleased on the quiet. I know that Uncle Bill is. I shall want to hear all about the young man of course. I expect any letters you’ve sent to Brighton will get here sometime.
Arrived safely at Eastbourne this morning.
[page break]
Its only about 1/2 hr on the fast train from Brighton. I think I shall like it here very much. Going to have plenty of work anyway. We work 6 days and 4 nights a week for 6 or 7 weeks & then after our exam get a few days leave – embarkation leave I’m afraid! Some weeks I think we can get off from 4.30 on Sat. to Sunday night but I’m afraid I couldn’t get home in that time. However I’ve had 3 separate invitations to Brighton so I think I’ll go over there. It’s a lovely journey across the [deleted] downs [/deleted] Sussex downs.
Mr. Sidebottom (the minister) was telling me that some of our paratroops who had got lost on the return from France landed at Newhaven, just near here between Brighton & Eastbourne, the other night. He said they were lined up & marched off & not one even opened his mouth to say a word.
Glad to hear all the other news in mum’s letter. Always wanting to know what’s happening at home. Sorry about Harry’s ringworm. Perhaps now his young son’s arrived he’ll feel better. Gordon’s lucky! If he does come over a lot just think about me. A fire & a cup of good tea mean a lot (they do to me anyway) Well you’ll be too busy rushing round to Harry’s & thinking about babies to read this.
Love to Ros & all
Bill
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Description
An account of the resource
Bill was excited to receive good news from home about Mary's baby.
Explains that now he is reached Eastbourne will have to work hard - 6 days and 4 nights a week for the next 6-7 weeks. He might get leave after the exams, but that will be embarkation leave. If he gets part of the weekends off he has three separate invitation from friends in Brighton.
Tells a story about some paratroops who got lost returning from France and ended up at Newhaven.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-03-07
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Tricia Marshall
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Two page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420307
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Civilian
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Sussex
England--Eastbourne (East Sussex)
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-03
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
William Akrill
military service conditions
training
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/666/18016/EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420311-0001.jpg
75be0371ed5302109d107e0be513bdf7
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/666/18016/EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420311-0002.jpg
24c09bd837232918e6f4e5ecd89e4677
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/666/18016/EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420311-0003.jpg
6ca5969a3e5374bac0dbede7b24fc015
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Akrill, William
Billy Akrill
W Akrill
Description
An account of the resource
132 items. The collection concerns Sergeant William Akrill (1922 - 1943, 1436220 Royal Air Force). He was a navigator with 115 Squadron. His Wellington was shot down by a night-fighter on an operation to Essen and crashed into the Ijsselmeer 12/13 March 1943. The collection contains his photographs, letters, and cartoons as well as an oral history interview with Michael and Ann Akrill about their uncle. There is also a subcollection of letters written as a teenage boy to his father in hospital. The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Michael and Ann Akrill and catalogued by Nigel Huckins. Additional information on William Akrill is available via the <a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/200183/" title="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/akrill-we/ ">IBCC Losses Database</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-12-04
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Akrill, M-A
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
No 1436220 L.A.C. Akrill,
2 Flight D Squadron,
No 1 E.A.O.S., R.A.F.,
Eastbourne
Sussex.
Wed. 11.3.42
Dear Mum,
Thought I’d get this off today so that it might be in time to wish Daddy many happy returns on [deleted] Thursday [/deleted] Friday. How did he like the birthday present of a grandson?
I’ve not heard anymore yet. I’ve had no letters at all since I got here. Don’t suppose they’ve had time to get here since you knew my new address. I shall be glad of a few letters. I seem to have been short lately and there’ll not be much other form of entertainment I can have here.
We’ve got down to work now. It’s certainly hard after the easy time I had on the pilot’s course. That’s a piece of cake compared with the observers. At the moment we’re struggling with the Sextant which is used for taking sights of the sun, moon, Stars & planets and from that finding out our position. We have to do at least 10 good ones
[page break]
of each before we leave here. So far we’ve been miles out. It all seems terribly complicated but the light of dawn’s just beginning to break. The rest of the work so far [deleted] we’ve [/deleted] I’ve done before at I.T.W. but I expect it will get more advanced later. We have quite long hours, 8.15 – 12 with 15 mins break & 1.15 to 5 & then evenings 7.15 – 8.45, excepting Tuesdays when we have games in the afternoon & nights off. Saturdays are free from 4.30 and all Sunday is free though later we [deleted] have [/deleted] find work to do even then. Anyway I’m going to keep Tuesdays & Sundays as free as I can as I think I need a change & some fresh air now & then. Yesterday I had a grand time & spent the afternoon down at the tennis courts & if we didn’t play very good tennis we enjoyed ourselves. At night we went to the pictures. Now it’s work until the week-end when I might go to Brighton or a trip somewhere – to Lewes or a walk to Beachey Head. I’m feeling stiff at the moment from my exhertions [sic] at tennis. Havn’t [sic] done any P.T. or drill for some time. We get a bit of each every day here which makes a change.
We get a 48 every month here which is much better for me than the old idea of late passes every week. I shall get my first on the week-end a fortnight from next
[page break]
[deleted] somewhere [/deleted] on the 28th I believe. I can get off after duty on Friday so I shall get to London on Friday night & get the first Newark train I can in the morning if I can’t get one at night. I can catch the 4.15 back again. It’ll be another flying visit but I’m looking forward to it. I look like getting my proper leave at the end of April. It’ll be grand if I can get a full 7 days. Pity I didn’t get leave before I started here. I think I’d have got it if I hadn’t been posted but I never expected being posted as early as I was. So many have to wait months for their re-mustering to come through.
Wonder how your getting on with lambing &c at home. Weathers been grand here for a day or two but its raining today. I’ve been wishing I was at Potter Hall when the blackbirds were singing in the gardens & the sun shining. Well I’ll hope for a fine week-end on 28th. I shall be able to see the young ‘un as well. Wonder how he’s getting on. He’ll be a week old now.
Must go. Best of love to all
Best wishes for Daddy’s birthday
[underlined] Bill [/underlined]
[inserted] P.S. If you’ve any odd cakes, pastries &c lying around I often turn hungry at nights. [/inserted]
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Description
An account of the resource
Bill wishes he had more letters from home recently. The work is much harder than on the pilot's course and he is struggling to get the hang of the using a sextant. Describes daily training hours through the week, but have games on Tuesday afternoons and was able to play tennis the previous day.
Should be able to get a short period of leave and will come home briefly if he can.
Wonders how they are getting on at home with the lambing.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-03-11
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Tricia Marshall
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Three page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420311
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Civilian
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Sussex
England--Eastbourne (East Sussex)
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-03
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
William Akrill
aircrew
military living conditions
military service conditions
navigator
training
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/666/18018/EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420324-0001.jpg
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https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/666/18018/EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420324-0002.jpg
59ebd5883f717fdd232ef9935e9135a3
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Akrill, William
Billy Akrill
W Akrill
Description
An account of the resource
132 items. The collection concerns Sergeant William Akrill (1922 - 1943, 1436220 Royal Air Force). He was a navigator with 115 Squadron. His Wellington was shot down by a night-fighter on an operation to Essen and crashed into the Ijsselmeer 12/13 March 1943. The collection contains his photographs, letters, and cartoons as well as an oral history interview with Michael and Ann Akrill about their uncle. There is also a subcollection of letters written as a teenage boy to his father in hospital. The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Michael and Ann Akrill and catalogued by Nigel Huckins. Additional information on William Akrill is available via the <a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/200183/" title="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/akrill-we/ ">IBCC Losses Database</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-12-04
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Akrill, M-A
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
No 1436220 L.A.C. Akrill,
2 Flight, D. Squadron,
No 1 E.A.O.S.
Eastbourne.
Sussex.
Tues. 24.3.42.
Dear Mum,
Found your letter waiting when I got back from posting the parcel. Thought I’d better let you know that the 8.20 will be quite O.K. on Friday. We’re only allowed to travel by rail on presenting passes and are only allowed on certain very infrequent trains & [underlined] all [/underlined] travelling is stopped from April 2 – 7 I think we have to catch the 5.13 from here. It will be a rush but believe me I can do it! It will give me plenty of time to get to Kings X.
Just because its my one study free night I’ve been bagged for duty tonight & although it’s a glorious evening I have to stay in. [deleted] so [/deleted] Anyway I can get some letters written. I’ve got Auntie Nellies finished.
Had a letter from Annie B. She says that the Thompson baby is to be called John or Jane & then makes [deleted] a [/deleted] one of her fine remarks that [deleted] these [/deleted] fine names are too common these days & the aristocracy chooses simple ones!
Old Brindle one of the old flight from Theale who followed me to Brighton arrived strangely enough in the same hotel the other day. He’d managed to get posted by a wangle & left the other lads still down there. I must say I was lucky to get away so very early.
[page break]
Gosh that chunk of cake [underlined] was [/underlined] good! Talk about luxuries! Haven’t started of [sic] the almond one yet but it won’t last long when I do. I’ll bring my bag for some pig-cheer as I know you’ll not know what to do with it.
Poor old Harry. He does seem to be in for it. I think he’d better come back with me to the “Queen of Watering Places” for a rest cure, though you can’t even rest here these days with tanks & barbed wire & things. It’s supposed to be one of the healthiest spots in England.
Sorry to hear about Auntie.
Unless you hear anything else I’ll be off that train at Newark about 2300 on Friday & look out for Mary. I must say its very nice to have a sister who’ll turn out at that hour to meet me.
Love to all
Bill
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Description
An account of the resource
Describes difficulty of travel by train due to restrictions. Has very little free time. Catches up with home news of family and friends. Hopes to be home on Friday.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-03-24
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Tricia Marshall
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Two page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420324
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Civilian
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Sussex
England--Eastbourne (East Sussex)
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-03
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
William Akrill
military service conditions
training
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/666/18019/EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420330-0001.jpg
79cc9e867b85025904e0d38a82f0895a
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/666/18019/EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420330-0002.jpg
2ccf0ae1aa3cf2fa72f7bc734a71020f
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Akrill, William
Billy Akrill
W Akrill
Description
An account of the resource
132 items. The collection concerns Sergeant William Akrill (1922 - 1943, 1436220 Royal Air Force). He was a navigator with 115 Squadron. His Wellington was shot down by a night-fighter on an operation to Essen and crashed into the Ijsselmeer 12/13 March 1943. The collection contains his photographs, letters, and cartoons as well as an oral history interview with Michael and Ann Akrill about their uncle. There is also a subcollection of letters written as a teenage boy to his father in hospital. The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Michael and Ann Akrill and catalogued by Nigel Huckins. Additional information on William Akrill is available via the <a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/200183/" title="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/akrill-we/ ">IBCC Losses Database</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-12-04
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Akrill, M-A
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
No 1436220 L.A.C. Akrill,
2 Flight. D. Squadron.
No 1 E.A.O.S.
R.A.F.,
Eastbourne.
Sussex.
Mon. 30.3.42
Dear Mum,
This is just to stop you wondering whether I got back safely or not.
The train didn’t leave until 4. & Sid’s mother found there was more room at the far end & so we moved down & got a seat. Got into Kings X about on time & had a good talk with Sid on the way & got to know about everybody. Had some time to spare in London so I had a stroll round. & got something to eat at the old [deleted] p [/deleted] canteen I used to go to [deleted] at [/deleted] [inserted] in [/inserted] St Martins Crypt. Gosh it [underlined] was [/underlined] hot & stuffy in the train. We couldnt [sic] have any doors or windows open from Victoria to Eastb. so I stood out in the corridor most of the way talking to one of the old Railway Chaps. Got back to billets about 10.30. & was very surprised to find my bed already down & pyjamas laid out. Denny had got in earlier & gone to bed. I was even more surprised when I found that there was no joke or apple-pie business about it.
We’re getting our mid-course exams this week, starting this afternoon with a plot. Wed. morning we get General Theory and Meteorology & on Sat. afternoon armaments (the Browning
[page break]
gun). We get our final exams in the 3rd or 4th week from now so we should be able to be getting 7 days in a month – about the 24th April. Of course thats [sic] only my calculations but its something to hope for.
It was grand to be home but oh dear it was such a rush all round & just made me long for a longer stay. Lets hope you’ll all be better by the time I came again.
Must get on parade & get down to exams.
Love
[underlined] Bill [/underlined]
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Description
An account of the resource
Writes of journey from home to Eastbourne. Mentions mid course exams coming up that week and end of course exams in 3 or 4 weeks time. Says it was good to be home, but such a rush around he wished for a longer stay.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-03-30
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Tricia Marshall
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Two page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420330
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Civilian
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Sussex
England--Eastbourne (East Sussex)
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-03
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
William Akrill
military living conditions
military service conditions
training
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/666/18020/EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420413-0001.jpg
b23314d7c15289f4963281c1f09cc233
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/666/18020/EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420413-0002.jpg
94f04c89d6e075d122dded2550e09642
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Akrill, William
Billy Akrill
W Akrill
Description
An account of the resource
132 items. The collection concerns Sergeant William Akrill (1922 - 1943, 1436220 Royal Air Force). He was a navigator with 115 Squadron. His Wellington was shot down by a night-fighter on an operation to Essen and crashed into the Ijsselmeer 12/13 March 1943. The collection contains his photographs, letters, and cartoons as well as an oral history interview with Michael and Ann Akrill about their uncle. There is also a subcollection of letters written as a teenage boy to his father in hospital. The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Michael and Ann Akrill and catalogued by Nigel Huckins. Additional information on William Akrill is available via the <a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/200183/" title="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/akrill-we/ ">IBCC Losses Database</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-12-04
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Akrill, M-A
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
No 1436220 LAC Akrill.
“2” Flight D Squadron,
1. E.A.O.S.,
Eastb.
Mon. 13.4.42
Dear Mum,
Just to let you know I got back O.K. Got a seat at Peterboro’ in a nice warm train with the heating full on. Nearly boiled. However I sat near a very nice jolly little land girl so [deleted] that [/deleted] had a long talk with her & that relieved the tediousness a bit. She was working for the WAC on derelict farms in Essex & seemed to be enjoying it. Then a few nice warm [indecipherable word] & a boiling canteen put the final touches to it. However the Eastb. train from Vic. was nearly empty so I cooled off a bit. Got back before Denny so my bed wasn’t made.
Had our games afternoon today & the weather’s been perfect. Went up to the golf links & got quite enthusiastic over golf. It’s the most beautiful evening – really warm & quite calm – though it was windy on the downs. Must say I’m lucky to be in such a glorious spot. The gardens in the town (those that are left) are just a blaze of colour. Unfortunately I’m supposed to stay in as I’m on duty but luckily the windows in our part of the building open on to the back-garden which has an unlocked door.
Afraid I can’t get home on the Friday in a fortnight’s time as we have the fateful medical
[page break]
on Saturday morning. So it may be the 11.30 again though I shall try for the 6 or even 4 o’clock from Kings X.
I think I enjoyed this weekend even more than ever. P.H is a paradise at this time of the year. Oh for those 7 days!
Well, must go & get a spot of this glorious air & sunshine. It’s a perfect evening. See if a can walk up town to see one of the ministers who asked me to call. Then after tonight I must work!
Give my love to Auntie if you go on Sun. in case I don’t get a letter off.
Love to all
[underlined] Bill [/underlined]
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Description
An account of the resource
Tells of meeting land girl on train while returning from leave. Writes of games afternoon, played golf. Writes of changes to plans for next leave because has the 'fateful medical' the next day. Notes very good weather.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-04-13
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Tricia Marshall
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Two page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420413
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Civilian
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Sussex
England--Eastbourne (East Sussex)
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-04
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
William Akrill
military living conditions
military service conditions
sport
training
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/666/18021/EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420419-0001.jpg
9bbf7f9cb849b1447f02fb51f796f7e5
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/666/18021/EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420419-0002.jpg
e4079cc282ebc4c27b768e52e19c0663
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Akrill, William
Billy Akrill
W Akrill
Description
An account of the resource
132 items. The collection concerns Sergeant William Akrill (1922 - 1943, 1436220 Royal Air Force). He was a navigator with 115 Squadron. His Wellington was shot down by a night-fighter on an operation to Essen and crashed into the Ijsselmeer 12/13 March 1943. The collection contains his photographs, letters, and cartoons as well as an oral history interview with Michael and Ann Akrill about their uncle. There is also a subcollection of letters written as a teenage boy to his father in hospital. The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Michael and Ann Akrill and catalogued by Nigel Huckins. Additional information on William Akrill is available via the <a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/200183/" title="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/akrill-we/ ">IBCC Losses Database</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-12-04
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Akrill, M-A
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
1436220 LAC Akrill.
2. Flight D. Squadron.
1 EAOS, RAF,
Eastbourne.
Sunday 19.4.42
Dear Mum,
Just a few minutes before I go on Ch. Parade so thought I’d let you know I’m still alive & all is still O.K. for 7 days next Saturday. Had some of our finals & get the rest next week ending with the medical on Friday afternoon. Can’t get away Friday night though as some of them have medical on Sat morning. Should get away about mid-day Sat & be able to catch the 4.0 o’clock from Kings X. & get into Newark at 7. However don’t meet it unless you happen to be in Newark as its not certain though I think I can catch it. Should be able to get a lift at that time. We get until the following Sunday.
The “all clear” has just gone again. We get warnings every few hours these days but nothing happens though when I was on duty the other night there was a Jerry circling round very low. I guess that when the sirens go just across on the other side of the water it’s a different story. We’ve seen the sweeps going over every afternoon this week. Sometimes they’re above the haze but the noise is terriffic. [sic] The sky seems covered with hundreds of spitfires & a few tight formations of Boston bombers.
[page break]
Just back from [deleted] the [/deleted] Church Parade so I’ll get this finished & then go out for a walk & post it. It’s a gorgeous morning. Sirens went again half way through the sermon.
Been meeting some old aquaintances [sic] lately. Last night I bumped into George Cook & Ron Thornhill who were with me at Aber. & Theale. Wish they were now. This morning in Chapel at the end of the service the fellow I’d been sitting next to all the time suddenly said “Excuse me.” I looked at him in surprise & then he said “You are Eric Akrill from Collingham aint you?” I recognised him then. It was Ray Ward from Girton who was on the pilot’s course with Lena Johnson’s brother over in Canada. He’s not been here long & I think he may be with Cookey & Thornhill. I had to rush off on parade so I didn’t see much of him. He’s going home next Friday for 48.
There go the sirens again.
On my night off last week I walked up to see one of the ministers who had invited me to go. His wife turned out to be Dr Hine’s cousin. Another minister’s wife here was Miss Eleanor Quibell a daughter of Oliver Quibell. Can’t remember the name but I think it begins with a P.
Glad to hear christening will be O.K. for next Sunday Pleased to get letter. Nobody seems to write these days. Suppose they’re all busy.
See you Sat
[underlined] Bill [/underlined]
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Description
An account of the resource
Bill gives details of his expected travel arrangements for his seven-day leave at the end of the week. As he will be part-way through his final exams and has the medical on Saturday, he will leave soon after.
Mentions air raid warning but no activity apart from circling enemy aircraft, also writes of Spitfire sweeps and formations of Bostons. Writes of social activities and meeting old acquaintances. Mentions chapel and meeting ministers. Refers to next Sunday's christening.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-04-19
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Tricia Marshall
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Two page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420419
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Civilian
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Sussex
England--Eastbourne (East Sussex)
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-04
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
William Akrill
Boston
faith
military living conditions
military service conditions
Spitfire
training
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Akrill, William
Billy Akrill
W Akrill
Description
An account of the resource
132 items. The collection concerns Sergeant William Akrill (1922 - 1943, 1436220 Royal Air Force). He was a navigator with 115 Squadron. His Wellington was shot down by a night-fighter on an operation to Essen and crashed into the Ijsselmeer 12/13 March 1943. The collection contains his photographs, letters, and cartoons as well as an oral history interview with Michael and Ann Akrill about their uncle. There is also a subcollection of letters written as a teenage boy to his father in hospital. The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Michael and Ann Akrill and catalogued by Nigel Huckins. Additional information on William Akrill is available via the <a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/200183/" title="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/akrill-we/ ">IBCC Losses Database</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-12-04
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Akrill, M-A
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
[underlined] 1 [/underlined]
1436220 L.A.C. Akrill,
2 Flight “D” Squadron,
1. E.A.O.S.,
Eastbourne.
Monday 4.5.42.
Dear Mum,
Well my exam results turned out to be on the right side of the pass-mark so that’s that worry over. The papers were very tricky & some of the questions unfair & the marking stiff but only 10% didn’t get through. We’re here for 3 more weeks & I think its very likely that we’ll be able to manage a 48 the week-end after next – oh no that’s Church parade so we may not get one. Anyway our Flt/Commdr is trying to get us one. Then we go to the Embarkation Centre at Heton Park in Manchester to wait for the boat. We should get at least a week’s Embarkation Leave from there. That will be in about a month’s time. In the meantime we just have to amuse ourselves here. We’ve just been re-issued with equipment & I’ve got about £70’s worth this time including a 15 guinea watch. I’m very pleased to say that except for Wednesdays & one fine night from 10 – 11 each week (for star sights) our evenings will be free in future. Shan’t know what to do with so much spare time.
Denny said he got home last Saturday in the middle of the air-raid on Bath. His village is only
[page break]
a mile or two away & had some bombs. He says Bath is –
Well I wrote that at dinner time [deleted] & had [/deleted] & I was going to say that Bath was levelled & that the villages round are crowded with refugees with neither food nor shelter & that his village alone cooks a thousand meals a day. Little did I realise then that before I could say that I should also be “bombed out” but alive, thank God, and at least fed and sheltered.
I was writing a letter to Dave in class this afternoon (we’d nothing to do) when without any warning there was a terriffic [sic] “bump” & a drone of aero engines. I turned to the window just at my back to see, just outside, an Me 109 bank round and dive on a tiny little boat where two people were fishing and turn his guns on it – the filthy swine. There was another terriffic [sic] bang – some had sence [sic] to crouch under tables but most of us rushed to the windows & balcony until we were ordered downstairs. We rushed to those windows in time to see the rest of the Jerries 5 Me 109E’s in all make off low over the Channel. Each apparently loosed a bomb. One on a train in the station which I think will be repaired in time for my 48 if I get it. One on the gas works and another has just about demolished one of the churches. The remaining 2 caused all the fuss
[page break]
[underlined] 3 [/underlined]
Both of them were on a Raf hotel just on the opposite side of the road from ours & a few hundred yards from our classroom. One is not yet exploded so our flight – as we’d finished our course – had to charge into our shattered billets among splinters, rubble, broken glass &c & collect everyones bedding – also covered with broken glass &c. & cart it on lorries to a safer area. Out kit’s still scattered around our old billets. I just managed to grab eating, washing & shaving things. We’re sleeping crowded on the floor of the basement of another hotel. The Waafs have also had to move out – their billets missed it by inches. They’re allowed to take kit & it’s a scream to see them rushing about with their belongings. Lots of our boys are going around with scars & bruises & dusty clothes. Most of them were out doing P.T. but there were a number of casualties – some fatal according to reports & I think some are still trapped. I hope the confounded bomb goes off soon as its not going to be very pleasant sleeping as we are now. Don’t think our billets will be very badly hurt when, or if, it does. So now I know what it’s like to be bombed out. It was terrifficaly [sic] exciting while the raid lasted to [deleted] ha [/deleted] see the Me 109 outside just as we’d seen the spits so often before. It was all over in a few minutes & they were scooting like mad across the Channel. I can’t admire their
[page break]
[underlined] 4 [/underlined]
bravery in gunning the tiny boat with its two occupants having a quiet afternoons fishing – then they didn’t sink it for one of its mates went out & towed it back with one occupant showing signs of life. I suppose they’ll go back saying that hits were made on an enemy patrol vessel! Well I’ll shake ‘em one of these days - & it won’t be cowardly hit & run raids on Churches & peaceful towns either. The Mes have been doing quite a bit of that during the last week on the coast just here. There’s absolutely no means of stopping them as they just nip across the narrow strip of water, drop their bombs, & scram. We got no warning but the “all clear” went when it was over & since then the Civil Defence has been rushing around wasting time & petrol
So much for our raid – we’ll probably be having more within the next [deleted] few [/deleted] 3 weeks. You’ll not get this until late as I didn’t get it finished & posted in the rush.
Hope to see you – [underlined] maybe [/underlined] next week-end. Hope that blinking bomb goes off soon so that we can have somewhere to live again.
Had a grand leave – missing the food & “lie-in”.
[underlined] Bill [/underlined]
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Description
An account of the resource
Writes about exams and passing. Mentions leave possibility and church parade. Speculates over embarkation and writes of being re-equipped. Starts writing about a friend's experience of a bombing attack on Bath but then breaks off. Resumes to write of witnessing a Me 109 attack on fishing boat and others dropping bombs on railway station and local hotel used by the RAF. Describes damage to accommodation from bombing. WAAFs had to move out due to near miss. Comments on Me 109 'cowardly hit and run attacks on churches and peaceful towns' and the impossibility of countering them.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-05-04
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Tricia Marshall
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Four page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420504
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Civilian
Wehrmacht. Luftwaffe
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Sussex
England--Somerset
England--Eastbourne (East Sussex)
England--Bath
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-05
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
William Akrill
bombing
ground personnel
Me 109
military living conditions
military service conditions
perception of bombing war
training
Women’s Auxiliary Air Force
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Akrill, William
Billy Akrill
W Akrill
Description
An account of the resource
132 items. The collection concerns Sergeant William Akrill (1922 - 1943, 1436220 Royal Air Force). He was a navigator with 115 Squadron. His Wellington was shot down by a night-fighter on an operation to Essen and crashed into the Ijsselmeer 12/13 March 1943. The collection contains his photographs, letters, and cartoons as well as an oral history interview with Michael and Ann Akrill about their uncle. There is also a subcollection of letters written as a teenage boy to his father in hospital. The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Michael and Ann Akrill and catalogued by Nigel Huckins. Additional information on William Akrill is available via the <a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/200183/" title="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/akrill-we/ ">IBCC Losses Database</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-12-04
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Akrill, M-A
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
No 1436220 L.A.C. Akrill.
2 Flight “D” Squadron.
1 E.A.O.S.,
R.A.F.,
Eastbourne.
Thursday evening. 7.5.42.
Dear Mum,
In case you listened to Haw-Haw’s 5.45 & other broadcasts I thought I’d better let you know that I’m still alive & unsurrendered. [sic] I believe he claimed that Eastbourne was successfully attacked this afternoon. I suppose he was perfectly right but not much damage was done. This time a bomb fell close by our classroom shattering the windows & demolishing the empty building opposite. Fortunately for our nerves we had left for the Range 20 minutes before. But we
[page break]
2
still got plenty of fun for we were just on the outskirts of the town when we heard m/c guns. Spits had been practicing all day [deleted] but [/deleted] and it took Sgt. Goldinjay quite a few seconds to realise that Spits dont [sic] usually gun the streets & ordered us to take cover as a Me 109F bore down on us with blazing guns. We dived to a grass bank & lay there as he drew nearer. Gosh it was a tense few seconds – we were a perfect target and I expected feeling hot lead any moment & had a strange longing for my tin-hat – still blitzed. However
[drawing]
Just as Jerry was above us he must
[page break]
[underlined] 3 [/underlined]
have decided to get rid of his load & made a rather clumsy & as we watched him dive to bomb the station we saw a chance of finding better cover so as bombs crashed & guns rattled we raced across the road, leaped the wall & sheltered behind it beneath the trees. But it was nearly all over then & as we crept out & the Jerries were racing back the warning went. They hit the station again but I don’t know where the other bombs dropped. You lose interest in details after a while. On the range the armaments cpl. & sgt. emptied two pans on them – but without effect. About 10 minutes later the Spitfires which had been messing about
[page break]
4
came back to patrol & a number of tomahawks appeared. There has just been another short warning as a good sized convoy passed but nothing happened. We still get lots of warnings but were safe when they go as they’re then attacking elsewhere on the coast. There was quite a blitz in Brighton direction on Monday night.
Still living under bombed-out conditions – nearly given up hope of getting kit out of the Imperial. Am wearing dirty clothes, no sleep, want a good bath & oh for some food. I though they’d managed well at first but things grow worse & I’ve given up hope of getting meals here & go out for them. Its expensive
[page break]
[underlined] 5 [/underlined]
but I feel I must get a good meal.
On Tuesday [deleted] the [/deleted] G.H.Q. got panickey [sic] & a lot of us were to be evacuated to ACRC London that night but after the usual fuss it was cancelled & we look like being here the usual time. I hope so for I don’t like the thought of London again. But I do hope we can get somewhere to live soon I’m fed up with being homeless.
They’re still probing round the Cavendish Hotel & waiting for the bomb to go off. They’ve blown up a lot of it. Five bodies – 3 airmen, a Waaf & a civilian woman were found. The Church had a direct hit on the chancel & was gutted by fire. 2 of the 3 men in the little boat were riddled with bullets. 1 is still
[page break]
6
alive. Expect there’ll be more raids yet but Mes don’t carry very dangerous bombs – 50 pounders. We saw a modern version today the Me 109F The others were Me 109Es. I expect the school will have to evacuate if they keep it up though as they can soon [deleted] put [/deleted] make us short of accomodation. [sic]
Any rain yet? I suppose not. Heat wave here. [deleted] If [/deleted]
If you hear of any more bombing don’t get bothered if you don’t hear from me – short of writing things & nowhere to keep anything. Quite enjoying the excitement but browned off with being bombed out.
Love to all
Bill
PS. Afraid I had my 48!!
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Description
An account of the resource
Writes that he is still alive despite Lord Haw Haw's broadcast of German bombing attacks on Eastbourne. Mentions damage to nearby buildings. Describes attack by Me 109s including machine gunning and dropping bombs - and how they had to hide from the attack. Bombs were dropped on the railway station and nearby hotel. Mentions Spitfires and Tomahawks patrolling after attack. Mentions other air raid warnings and living under bombed out conditions. The un-exploded bomb in the Cavendish Hotel has not gone off yet but they have found five bodies. Notes types of Me 109 and discusses bombs they could carry. Includes a sketch of how he hid from the attacking aircraft.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-05-07
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Tricia Marshall
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Six page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420507
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Civilian
Wehrmacht. Luftwaffe
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Sussex
England--Eastbourne (East Sussex)
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-05
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
William Akrill
bombing
Me 109
military living conditions
military service conditions
P-40
propaganda
Spitfire
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Akrill, William
Billy Akrill
W Akrill
Description
An account of the resource
132 items. The collection concerns Sergeant William Akrill (1922 - 1943, 1436220 Royal Air Force). He was a navigator with 115 Squadron. His Wellington was shot down by a night-fighter on an operation to Essen and crashed into the Ijsselmeer 12/13 March 1943. The collection contains his photographs, letters, and cartoons as well as an oral history interview with Michael and Ann Akrill about their uncle. There is also a subcollection of letters written as a teenage boy to his father in hospital. The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Michael and Ann Akrill and catalogued by Nigel Huckins. Additional information on William Akrill is available via the <a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/200183/" title="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/akrill-we/ ">IBCC Losses Database</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-12-04
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Akrill, M-A
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
No 1436220 L.A.C. Akrill.
2 Flight “D” Squadron
No 1 E.A.O.S.
RAF
Eastbourne.
Sussex.
Sunday morn. 10.5.42
Dear Mum,
This is just a scribble to let you know that alls well from the “front line”! Thought I’d get it done now or you may not get a letter until the middle of the week.
Now for the latest. The Raf authorities here are in a panic & on Friday morning we found that all cadets who’d passed exams were either being sent on indefinite leave or being put on gun posts. It was just [deleted] my [/deleted] the luck of our flight to get in
[page break]
for this. The idea quite appealed to me at first & when they were nominating duties I rushed up & got with Denny & 2 more for the first post. This is high on the tower of the largest Raf hotel & overlooks the sea. We have no protection from the wind (which is keen up there) or, more important from Jerry bullets. We have a Vickers gun mounted on a low tripod. We’ve been called the “Suicide Squad” for even if Jerry doesn’t see us we’re just as likely to be mown down by our pals on another building at the back!! But it’s a great thrill & I’m itching for a crack at Jerry. Afraid our guns ain’t very effective but its satisfying
[page break]
[underlined] 3 [/underlined]
to have something to hit back with. We’ve arrange [sic] our duties from 2 o’clock one day to two the next so that we get 24 hrs on & 24 off. Get a bit of time for sleep on night on as we’re only there during dusk & daylight. So picture me up there under my tin hat & by my gun scanning the Channel horizon for Jerries. We are the only ground protection Eastb. has (hush!!!) but we get British fighter patrols now. Jerry usually dodges in when they’re elsewhere though as he did at dawn yesterday when I saw Bexhill, just down the coast go up in smoke. He was around all day & tried Eastb. at 9. at night. Luckily some
[page break]
Spits were about and chased them back to France before they could get in. We’re still living upside down – more so than ever but I hope we can get back to the Imperial soon. I’ve no clean things or anything handy! They found another body in the Cavendish the other day.
I am glad that Dave’s been up. He’ll like it & I’m sure it’ll do him good. He’s a [underlined] grand [/underlined] lad. If you see him again tell him I’m looking out for any amount of letters & tell him I’m standing firm on old England’s shore to face the foe. Even if I don’t bring one down it will be satisfying to know I’ve shown them what I feel & what
[page break]
we're made of. I little thought I’d have a chance so soon. We were told that we’d be here until the end of May at least. Just hard luck to get stuck here. I think we may be getting 48 next week-end but I’ll let you know later. [deleted] If so [/deleted] Just in case could you let me have £1 out of my money. I’m not short but I have to be prepared & I’ve been spending a lot on food.
Must go & get to Chapel.
Lots of love to all. Hows Mick?
[underlined] Bill [/underlined]
[drawing]
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Description
An account of the resource
Writes about measures after bombing attack - half the course to go on leave and other, including his flight, to man gun post. Describes how he and friend Derry rushed to get the first post. They are on a very exposed gun post with a Vickers machine gun and work 24 hour shifts. Mentions that they have fighter patrols but the Germans attack when they are not present. Mentions attack on Bexhill and attack on Eastbourne driven off by Spitfires.
Bill hopes to get back into the Imperial Hotel soon, since he has no clean things. Catches up with news of family and friends. Ends with cartoon drawing of machine gun post and aircraft being shot down in flames.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-05-10
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Tricia Marshall
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Five page handwritten letter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Artwork
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420510
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Civilian
Royal Air Force
Wehrmacht. Luftwaffe
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Sussex
England--Eastbourne (East Sussex)
England--Bexhill
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-05
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
William Akrill
anti-aircraft fire
arts and crafts
bombing
military living conditions
military service conditions
Spitfire
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Akrill, William
Billy Akrill
W Akrill
Description
An account of the resource
132 items. The collection concerns Sergeant William Akrill (1922 - 1943, 1436220 Royal Air Force). He was a navigator with 115 Squadron. His Wellington was shot down by a night-fighter on an operation to Essen and crashed into the Ijsselmeer 12/13 March 1943. The collection contains his photographs, letters, and cartoons as well as an oral history interview with Michael and Ann Akrill about their uncle. There is also a subcollection of letters written as a teenage boy to his father in hospital. The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Michael and Ann Akrill and catalogued by Nigel Huckins. Additional information on William Akrill is available via the <a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/200183/" title="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/akrill-we/ ">IBCC Losses Database</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-12-04
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Akrill, M-A
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
No 1436220 L.A.C. Akrill,
2 Flight “D” Squadron,
1. E.A.O.S., R.A.F.,
Eastbourne,
Sussex.
Tuesday night. 12.5.42.
Dearest mum,
Thanks a lot for letter, envelopes & paper. On duty tonight. Thought I’d get this written now to say that I shall not be getting 48 next week-end but we have been [underlined] promised [/underlined] one the week-end after Whit. So if you haven’t already done so don’t send the £1. I [underlined] will [/underlined] be glad of a break. Its going to get tiring day after day We now do [deleted] 4 [/deleted] 2, 3 hour shifts a day but have to keep dashing off to the post for warnings any time between 5. am. & 11. p.m. so we don’t get much of a break at all. Not been any actual bombing here lately – there have been some rainy days. Some Messerschmitts came over at about 25,000 ft the other night & for about half an hour made pretty patterns in the sky with condensation trails but nothing happened. Some very distant ack-ack sent up a few puffs of white smoke to make the sight prettier.
We’ve not been allowed in the Imperial yet but the 3 of us managed to find beds in an empty room of the other hotel. Still not got our kit. Don’t thing [sic] there can be a bomb there – it would have been very difficult to get 2 together.
[page break]
In an article in a Sunday paper Eastb. was included with Warsaw, Rotterdam, Belgrade, Bath, Coventry &c as the “shattered towns of Europe”! It certainly has been shattered in spiteful attacks.
What an excitement you must have had when the greenhouse caught fire. Lucky you saw it! Glad you’ve had some rain. We’ve had some lovely ones. It was glorious on the roof the morning after the first at 5. a.m. I’d like to see Harry’s chicks. You’ll be in a fix without the wireless.
Also had letters from Miss Mary & Dave yesterday. Glad of something to read now.
Better tell you that the food situation is much better. The gun crews can get special meals at different times and we get [deleted] wha [/deleted] as much as we like. So am not doing so bad. Enjoying chance of fresh air. Don’t think Jerry will bother us much more. He’s too busy if he’s going to start in the East. On his knees I think. Doubt if I’ll be in time to do my bit. Of course there are still the Japs.
Must get on the roof,
Love to all
[underlined] Bill. [/underlined]
[page break]
[underlined] P.S [/underlined] Am on a posting. You will no doubt rejoice to hear that the first home-posting for months has come through & I’m on it. [underlined] Very [/underlined] disappointed I can’t go overseas but it’s very much best for training in the Country. Going to another distant spot – Scotland to a place – West Frugh [sic] near Stranraer on the West Coast not far from Irish Coast. If you see Dave tell him its attatched [sic] to a Fleet Air Arm Station & is an O.T.U. Write as soon as I get there.
Go sometime tommorrow Denny is not going with me. What a shame having to part from a grand friend like that. The best I’ve ever known in the Raf.
[page break]
Mrs. Akrill
Potter Hill Farm,
N. Collingham,
Newark-on-Trent
[underlined] Notts [/underlined]
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Description
An account of the resource
Bill writes about possible leave - keeps changing. Now on 2-3 hr shifts on the gun post, but also have to get there quickly if there is an air raid warning. Says no air raids recently but saw Me 109 at high level and resulting anti aircraft fire.
Still have not been able to get back into Imperial Hotel, but have found a room in another hotel with two others, although they still have not got their kit. Noted recent newspaper article where Eastbourne was included in a list of shattered towns of Europe.
Food much better now since gun crews get special meals at different times and as much as they like.
PS He has heard that he is to be posted to West Freugh near Stranraer in Scotland. Very disappointed not to get an overseas posting. Friend Derry not going with him.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1942-05-12
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Tricia Marshall
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Three page handwritten letter and envelope
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420512
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Civilian
Royal Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Sussex
England--Eastbourne (East Sussex)
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-05
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
William Akrill
anti-aircraft fire
bombing
military living conditions
military service conditions
Operational Training Unit
RAF West Freugh
training