Browse Items (402 total)

  • Type is exactly "Text. Memoir"

BCrossWCrossWv10001.jpg
William Cross Memoir of a supply drop to Polish fighters. They lost an engine and struggled to maintain height. The pilot had bailed out leaving the rest of the crew to fly the aircraft. They landed successfully in Russian territory and met up with…

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BBullockWEJBullockWEJv1.pdf
Covers the period from joining as a Halton Apprentice in September 1932 for training as an Aircraft Fitter. Through the completion of his training and posting to 16 squadron, before being transferred to Egypt in 1937 and on to Iraq with No 4 Flying…

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MDentonDH1256316-200114-010001.jpg
Notes written by Wilf Clutton in early 1950's

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MBrookerWH[Ser#-DoB]-180402-04.Pdf
William Brooker's service. His crew was transferred from Swinderby Heavy Conversion Unit to 463 Squadron at RAF Waddington.
He names the crew and describes their roles, including the ground crews, details the activities before an operation, and…

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BBrookerWHBrookerWHv1.Pdf
WH Brooker volunteered in June or July 1940. He was called up on 27 February 1941 and trained in Pearce, Western Australia. On transfer to UK there were delays in further training.
Initially he served on Wellingtons at Snaith. He describes…

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SWarrenGC1580687v20004.jpg
Walter shot down George's aircraft. This is his memoir of the action.

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MPerryWRP1317696-170719-02.pdf
Writes of his time on 106 Squadron at RAF Syerston. Mentions operation to the Ruhr and Italy and that they were two thirds of their way through tour. Writes of his last operation at Syerston and squadron's move to RAF Metheringham. Describes his new…

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BPerryWRPPerryWRPv2.pdf
Memoir starts by describing early life and education in Tunbridge Wells before moving to Cornwall. Writes about beginning of the war. Volunteered for aircrew in Plymouth (which had been bombed the day before) shortly after his 18th birthday.…

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BMorrisWMorrisWv1.pdf
A memoir covering Walter Morris’ early life before moving into his service in the Air Training Corps from 1941 and his entry into the Royal Air Force in February 1942 (as the first Air Training Corps Cadet from Kettering to be called up). The…

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YHolmesWC176554v1.pdf
Describes crossing the Atlantic to Canada and journey to Bowden, Alberta and then on to Estevan, Saskatchewan. Day by day account of activities, flying and life in Canada, Concludes with journey back across Canada

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S78Sqn19361201v30026.pdf
Gives background on what inspired him to write a memoir. Theme of chronical is 'Luck'. Writes of joining RAF as soon as he was old enough and of initial tests and selection as a wireless operator/air gunner followed by 18 months deferred service.…

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BPayneTPGunningFVv1.pdf
A biography of Vivian, born in Beaminster in 1920. He trained at Aldergrove and served at Bassingbourne, Wattisham, West Raynham, Watton then Wyton. Losses were high. He was shot down near Le Bourget, his two crew members dying with him. Additional…

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BPayneTPPayneTPv2.jpg
Tom's memoir of his early RAF days. He talks about his cousin, Vivian Gunning who died in a Blenheim in June 1940.
Tom joined the RAF at 15 after altering his birth certificate. He trained in Canada as a pilot.

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BPayneTPPayneTPv1.pdf
An autobiography of Tom Payne, mainly pre-war in Hemel Hempstead. At the start of the war he became a fire watcher. His cousin, Vivian Gunning, died in June 1940 whilst flying in a Blenheim. He recalls bombing and low flying German bombers. He joined…

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BBennettTBennettTv1.pdf
A memoir describing the operation to Mailly-le-Camp 3/4 May 1944.

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BWallerTWallerTv1.pdf
Memoir covers early life, joining and training as a Royal Air Force Armourer and his subsequent wartime career. States that he served on 138 Squadron at Royal Air Force Stradishall and describes its Special Operation Executive operations. Goes on to…

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SFellowesD[Ser#-DoB]v100004-0001.jpg
An article written by ED Leaviss about the formation of the association.

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BFordTAFordTAv1.pdf
Terry Ford's wartime experiences written and read to Avon Talking Magazine for the Blind.

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BNealeETHNealeETHv09.jpg
A short story about the SS Strathmore in Sierra Leone harbour during a transit to South Africa. Fishermen were diving for silver coins and one was singing a crude version of 'Bless em all'.

MNealeETH1395951-150731-0210001.jpg
Ted arrived in Portici, south of Naples from training in Palestine. He recalls a trip to Rome driven by Jesse Owens, the Olympic athlete. Afterwards he was transferred to Foggia to join 37 Squadron. There was a shortage of crews and he did not fly…

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MNealeETH1395951-150731-0200001.jpg
Ted Neale describes the start of the war and the end of his schooling. After a couple of jobs, which he left quickly, he moved to the Woolwich Arsenal as an apprentice tool maker. On Saturday 7th September 1940 an air raid destroyed the factory,…

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MNealeETH1395951-150731-0190001.jpg
Ted Neale's recalls his absence of memory of the food at No 1 Aircrew Reception at Lords Cricket Ground, apart from the fresh milk. He was posted to Scarborough where the food was so bad that they ate fish and chips and flapjacks at a nearby cafe.…

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MNealeETH1395951-150731-0180001.jpg
Ted Neale's account of his last operation on a Wellington Mk 10. They had to fly to Grotaglie to take soldiers to Athens. He describes how they fitted the 12 men into the aircraft. On reaching Kalamaki, the airfield was being besieged by ELAS…

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MNealeETH1395951-150731-0170001.jpg
Memories of an early operational sortie for Ted Neale. An hour into the flight the cover of the photoflash spinner had come off. This could have caused the flash to ignite in the aircraft and brought it down.

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MNealeETH1395951-150731-0020001.jpg
Ted Neale describes the aircrew and circumstances leading to their baling out near Nereto, Tortoreto, Italy. Some of the crew were captured, but Ted was sheltered by local people. He met up with an English army corporal and travelled by boat to…

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