Browse Items (358 total)

  • Type is exactly "Text. Memoir"

BLeedhamALeedhamAv10001.jpg
Tells of early life in London, joining the Woman's Auxiliary Air Force in 1941 and training as a driver. Relates experiences at RAF Scampton and then with 57 Squadron as a tractor driver pulling bomb trolleys. Subsequently went to East Kirkby.…

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BJoynerJHJoynerJHv1.pdf
Records his time in the Air Training Corps before joining the RAF, his training as an air gunner and his first operation.
Post war his squadron took part in the repatriation of Army personnel from Italy and his unit was in India at around the time…

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MBrownJ2205595-170131-010001.jpg
An account of events leading up to, and during Operation Manna, plus personal involvement. Page contains head and shoulders photograph of Jeff Brown, in uniform, showing an air gunners brevet and sergeants stripes.

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BWagnerHWWagnerHWv2.pdf
An extremely detailed account of the No 51 Squadron briefing for the operation to Essen on 28/29 November 1944 by Henry. It includes all the specialist officers as well as the Station Commander's brief. It also includes Henry's crew, Station and…

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BPayneGPayneGv1.pdf
Geoff Payne's autobiography divided into five chapters.

Chapter 1. Under Training.
Having been assessed in Birmingham Geoff sets off to London in August 1942 for training, at Lords. Initial training was at Bridlington then gunnery school at…

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MBartlettA[Ser#-DoB]-150520-040001.jpg
Describes events during a mine laying operation in a Stirling to the Gironde River near Bordeaux. Relates how the aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire which damaged the tail and an engine as well as wounding the flight engineer. Describes the…

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MLeeJR575842-180320-020001.jpg
Recalls shooting down of James Lee's aircraft where he was the only survivor. Subsequently rescued by French people and medically treated then became a prisoner of war. Notes he returned to the place and people who rescued him had no idea what had…

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BSpencerAHGSpencerAHGv1.pdf
Memoir of the life of Arthur Spencer. Includes details of childhood and growing up. Continues with his joining the Royal Air Force and his training in the United States as a pilot and then navigator. Followed by training in England and then posting…

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BWardCWWardCWv1.pdf
Memoir and diary covering Charles Ward's call up to the Army and early training. Mentions that he applied to transfer to the Royal Air Force and although accepted, all transfers were cancelled due to imminent operations. Describes in detail fighting…

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MTindallAJ173966-150815-01.pdf
A list of aircraft, operations and details of each operation undertaken by Arthur Tindall.

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PCollerAS17010001.jpg
Three annotated items:

Item 1 : Photograph of air raid shelter with pets
caption 1 'Air Raid Shelter constructed by a firm called "Troy" in 1938. Left [undecipherable] It was 16' deep with a poisen [sic] gas free escape hatch…

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An00509's autobiography. Seventeen chapters and an epilogue. Chapters 1-4 deal with early life and schooling. Chapter 5-14 the war years and 15-17 after the war.

This item is available only at the International Bomber Command Centre / University…

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BPayneRPayneRv1.pdf
A detailed account of Reg Payne's service in the RAF. He starts with a list of 18 RAF bases where he served in his 5 years of service. He was 16 when war was declared but volunteered for the RAF at 17. After tests he was selected for training as a…

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PHazeldenePV1714.jpg
Two (identical) air to air images of Avro Manchester L7389.
The caption describes two 1000 bomber operations that the aircraft took part in.

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MHarringtonBR621165-170503-04.pdf
Recounts childhood, joining the RAF in 1938. Originally staff duties, volunteered for aircrew. Started operational flying on 226 Squadron in September 1943 as wireless operator/air gunner on B-25 at RAF Swanton Morley. Completed 43 operations. He…

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BPayneRPayneRv2.pdf
An account by Reg Payne of his wartime experiences. Too young to sign up at the start of the war he spent two years in the Home Guard. Training started at age 18 and lasted for two years. He served at RAF Skellingthorpe and his brother served at RAF…

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MGreenAW104402-160919-02.pdf
A biography of Alan Green with personal photographs and headlines. It covers his training in Canada and UK. First squadron was 218 at Marham flying Wellingtons as a navigator, then Stirlings. He flew 22 operations and was shot down by friendly fire.…

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MEylesCW900473-170410-28.jpg
Enlisted in 1939, ground staff until re-mustered as aircrew, Feb 1943 to RAF St Eval, anti-submarine sweeps. May 1943 to 78 Squadron, 1943 instructing at OTU, July 1944 to 35 Squadron Pathfinders, total of 66 operations. Demobbed February 1946.

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MThomasWH152984-150721-01.pdf
He describes his first interest in the RAF, in 1938. He joined the Air Defence Cadet Corps, and later in 1941 the Air Training Corps. He was called up by the RAF in February 1942, and proceeded through initial training and the Initial Training Wing…

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BMilesRJMilesRJv1.pdf
A detailed Biography of Reg' service and post service life.

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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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BSharrockRSharockRv1.pdf
Bob's memoirs in the RAF. His training started at Lords cricket ground then Torquay. Technical training was at St Athan. At this time he met Dorothy. In March 1944 he was posted to Dishforth where his aircraft crashed damaging his spine.

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MShawSR3002545-160211-110001.jpg
A brief description of bombing activity during the war. Starting with the ineffectual early operations to 1000+ bomber operations. He lists some of the operations then details some of the hazards for returning aircraft. After the war Stan took a new…

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MPotterPL1878961-150914-19.jpg
Highlights some of the issues causing lack of precision with bombing. Also mentions problems of weather meant USAAF results despite their bomb site was rarely better that the RAF. Mentions their most successful operation was dropping mines in the…

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MPotterPL1878961-150914-20.jpg
Tells story of comrade who got drunk on pub crawl and fell into an emergency static water tank on his way back to camp and resulting events.

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