Browse Items (403 total)
- Type is exactly "Text. Memoir"
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Eric Hookings's life story book 1
From birth in 1920 until operational pilot in 1944. Covers early life in Battersea and Morden in London, family life, school and first jobs after leaving school at 14 years old. Describes family experiences at beginning of the war volunteering for…
An account of John Joyner's time in the RAF
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…
Post war his squadron took part in the repatriation of Army personnel from Italy and his unit was in India at around the time…
Extracts from war diaries and information on aircraft crews and lists of bombing operations
Describes training and crewing up at operational training unit on Wellingtons. Mentions staying in London on leave with RCAF colleague, using the Canadian forces club London and dining at the Ritz. Includes diary entry describing operational baptism.…
A few impressions of WW2
Writes that everyone was issued with identity cards, ration books and gas masks. Comments on necessity to carry gas masks and possible fifth columns. Continues with description of black out, bomb shelters, call up, an aircraft crash and taking in…
Thea Colemen - my story 1940-1945
Describes growing up in the Netherlands before the war. Writes of the political situation in the Netherlands before the war. Mentions the invasion by the Germans and subsequently describes life under occupation. Includes photographs of Rotterdam…
The memoir of Sergeant Harry J Whitwell wireless operator / air gunner 50 Squadron RAF
A detailed account of an operation on Friday, 8th October 1943. The crew of Lancaster 'N for Nan' were Pilot PPilot Officer John Charles Peter Taylor from London, Flying Officer Stewart Stubby bomb aimer from Herefordshire, Warrant Officer James…
A retrospective - Bomber Command No 625 Squadron
Opens with some details of 625 Squadron and introduction with reasons for writing. Writes of beginning of the war when still at school and experiences before joining up. Mentions activities with Air Training Corps and being awarded an RAF bursary to…
Loose on the wind
Starts with a poem and then a series of stories which together form the memoirs of Harold Yeoman, an officer who served in Bomber Command during the war, initially as a pilot on Wellingtons and then as an Intelligence Officer. He relates his…
Flying Officer Arthur S Woolf - RAF career and experiences in WW2
First page has head and shoulders portrait of Arthur Woolf wearing uniform tunic with half brevet, medal ribbons and peaked cap. Next page has badges for Bomber Command, 5 Group and 630 Squadron.
Covers joining the RAF at age 19 and training at…
Covers joining the RAF at age 19 and training at…
Joining up/Training
Account of Peter Potter's experiences following signing up to join the RAF.
RAF Hixon
Posted for training on Wellingtons. Describes crewing up process and other events while training including a brake failure on landing and ending up on railway line outside the airfield boundary.
Conversion to 4 engines and posting
Conversion to 4 engines Halifax and Lancaster at RAF Hemswell and then to RAF Wickenby on 626 Squadron. Mentions allocation of aircraft and nose art.
Westkapelle
Account of return from an operation to Westkapelle when they flew over authors father's farm and local village where they threw out window.
Training
Covers some aspect of aircrew training including decompression chamber and parachute training.
On take off
Account of crew actions during take off and one particular time when aircraft ahead slewed when tire burst half way down the runway. Luckily they were able to get airborne and avoid the other aircraft.
Two stories from Pembrey
Tells story of a one comrade who did not take part in Christmas festivities due to his being excessively religious and resulting events. Second risqué story about innocent comrade.
Bridlington
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.
Bombing
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…
After ops
Noted that tour was completed on 17/18 December 1944 and was not called upon to fly again as the war in Europe was nearly over.
My finest memory
Story of Price Albert and his stutter causing him to be unable to issue command and author having to strike him on the back to force out the necessary order.
Main Ops - with crew only
Starts with account of operation to Paris on 3 May 1944 when attacked by Me 109 and writes of crew actions. Continues with list of operations giving details of target, anti-aircraft fire, flight time, some bomb loads, events, results. From 3 August…
Friendly fire
Tells story of taking girlfriend to a pub while on leave and misadventures on bicycle on return journey. Concludes with her trying to get into her parents locked house and encounter with her angry father.
Description of operational flying
Writes of being given their own aircraft with nude lady nose art which survived the war. Mentions icing problem on operation to Saarbrücken. Describes operation to Frankfurt where engaged by Ju-88 where he injured his jaw. Writes that they learn as…
Snippets
Gives account of incidents on operations and in hotels/pubs. Spells out vital actions. Stettin over Sweden 29-8 - describes incident of oxygen starvation. Stuttgart - incident. Ghent 18-18, another John Moore incident - having to leave turret, "Flak…
Kiel Canal operation
Describes operation dropping mines in Kiel Canal. Mentions attack at low level, anti-aircraft fire and lucky not to be hit. Concludes by telling of flying to cover crew who had failed to get back to station in time and refusing a commission. Page…