Browse Items (488 total)
- Type is exactly "Text. Memoir"
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Walter Heidenreich Memoir
Walter shot down George's aircraft. This is his memoir of the action.
106 Squadron - happy days and others
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…
Me - William Roy Peter Perry DFC
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.…
Walter Morris - 1939/45 War Record
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…
William Holmes memoir - training in Canada
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
Memoirs of Flt/Sgt William Brookes, 78 Squadron, RAF Breighton
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.…
Scrapbook covers
Front covered with images cut from newspapers.
The Story of Frank Vivian Gunning
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…
Tom Payne's Early RAF career
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.
Tom joined the RAF at 15 after altering his birth certificate. He trained in Canada as a pilot.
Tom Payne
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…
Memory of Mailly-Le-Camp
Part of a memoir describing the operation to Mailly-le-Camp 3/4 May 1944.
The war memoirs of 1096366 Cpl T Waller
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…
The Founding of the Manna Association
![SFellowesD[Ser#-DoB]v100004-0001.jpg](https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/square_thumbnails/253/35485/SFellowesD[Ser -DoB]v100004-0001.jpg "SFellowesD[Ser#-DoB]v100004-0001.jpg")
An article written by ED Leaviss about the formation of the association.
A Rather Strange Time
Terry Ford's wartime experiences written and read to Avon Talking Magazine for the Blind.
SS Strathmore at Sierra Leone harbour
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'.
Ted Neale's memories of serving in Italy
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…
Ted Neale's early war memoirs
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,…
A Gastronomic Journey (Experience)
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.…
The Algerian Affair and On
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…
Wellington memories
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.
Italian war memories
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…
Ted Neale's training and early operational experiences
An account by Ted Neale of his training in South Africa, subsequent further training in Jerusalem, crew selection and transfer to Italy. He relates early experiences on operations - including Shederevo oil refinery - and losing a Wellington to enemy…
Two stories and a letter by Ted Neale
#1 Ted Neale's account of a train trip in South Africa. Ted and his tall friend were attacked in Bloemfontein by a group of six locals.
#2 Designated pilots-navigators or bomb aimers at Heaton Park then sent to Bridgnorth to await a ship to South…
#2 Designated pilots-navigators or bomb aimers at Heaton Park then sent to Bridgnorth to await a ship to South…
Ted Neales' memoir
Memoirs of Ted Neale (written in a non-contemporary diary), recounting his experiences of an air raid on Woolwich, travelling to South Africa for aircrew training and taking part in bombing operations from Italy. Some anecdotes are repeated. This…
Oil's Well
Discusses in detail an operation to attack the Ploesti oilfields in Romania. At that time he was based in Foggia, Italy. They had an issue with the airframe of the Wellington twisting due to a mismatch in the fuel tanks. On another operation a…