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- Spatial Coverage is exactly "Poland"
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Operations order 18 December 1944
Lists crews and aircraft for operation on night 18/19 December 1944. Annotated 'Gdynia'. Fourth member of each crew is underlined and ticked. Includes standby and reserve crews as well as duty personnel.
Bomb aimers briefing 16 August 1944 - Stettin
Shows one bomb load for eight aircraft and one reserve for bombing and one load for seven aircraft for mine laying. Includes distributor, preselection and false height settings for main. Includes timings and number of squadron aircraft in which wave.…
Stettin
Target photograph of Stettin. Completely obscured by light streaks and balls of light. Captioned '3[degreesF', '8B', '2173 SKELL 16/17.8.44 // NT (C) 8" 15000' [ARROW] 138[DEGREES] 0106 STETTIN RD.A.1X2000,12JX500.30 secs. F/O.MARTIN A.61'. On the…
Politz
Target photograph of Politz. Completely obscured by haze or cloud and balls of light. Captioned '5°F', '5B', 4390 SKELL. 8/9.2.45//NT/(C).8". 11000 056° 2117 POLITZ.K. HC4000IN.14MC500DT. 21secs. F/O. BAIN.K.61.'. On the reverse 'F/O. BAIN POLITZ.…
Politz
Target photograph of Politz. Partially obscured by light streaks, some bomb explosions, no clear detail. Captioned '3° F', '6B', '4237 SKELL.13/14.1.45//NT(C)8" 17000' 320° 2216 POLITZ.P. 1HC4000IN.14MC500DT. 27secs. F/O. COOKSEY. P.61.'. On the…
Stettin
Target photograph of Stettin. Mainly obscured by light streaks and balls of light. Visible are urban areas, no clear detail visible. Captioned '6', '1627 WADD.5/6.1.44.NT//5" 21000 [arrow] 130° 0351 STETTIN.J.3X1000+1X500+9X4+4X30.31secs.W/C.…
Gdynia
Target photograph of Gdynia. Partially obscured by light streaks, visible area is urban but no clear detail visible. Captioned '9', '3989 SKELL. 18/19.12.44.//NT(C)8" [height, heading & time censored] GDYNIA(B) 10 ANM 59 DT. [exposure censored] F/L…
Politz
Target photograph of Politz. Partially obscured by ball of light and haze, no clear detail visible. Captioned '5[degreesF', '5B', '4385 SKELL.8/9.2.45//NT(C).8" 10750 065° 2121 POLITZ.A. 1HC4000IN. 14MC500DT. 21secs. F/O MOURITZ.A.61.'. On the…
Stuart Boynton Interview
During 1939 Stuart left grammar school and joined the Air Training Corps. After about half a year he volunteered for air crew and was accepted. He and his girlfriend were married in February 1943. Stuart was posted to South Africa working on Ansons…
Interview with Mieczysław Stachiewicz
Mieczysław describes his military training from his Polish secondary school before volunteering for the Polish Air Force. He was evacuated to Warsaw but the railway lines were cut by the Germans. His squadron reassembled on the Romanian border…
Interview with Jan Black. Two
Jan Black Stangryciuk was born in Poland but his family emigrated to Argentina in 1934. He volunteered to travel to England to join the Royal Air Force in 1939. He recounts his journey, why he made this decision and how he joined the RAF. He was…
Interview with Fred Hooker. One
The interview begins with some details of Fred’s life before being called up for service, including that his brother became a prisoner of the Japanese captured Hong Kong. Fred joined the Boy Scouts aged 11 years, and then the Air Training Corp…
Interview with Les Rutherford. Four
Les Rutherford talks about the prisoner of war diary he compiled while an inmate of Belaria compound at Stalag Luft 3. Two months after arriving, he exchanged three chocolate bars for the notebook which became this personal memoir. He recollects…
Interview with John Philip Lambourn
Flight Engineer John Lambourn joined the Royal Air Force at the age of 17, after working at Stewart Turners with engines and pumps. He recollects seen London burning.
He was classed as working in a reserved occupation, but joined the Air Training…
He was classed as working in a reserved occupation, but joined the Air Training…
Interview with Eric Hookings
Eric Hookings joined the RAF and served as ground crew at RAF Newton before training as a pilot in America. He was posted to RAF Bruntingthorpe, flying Wellingtons, Stirlings and Lancasters with 619 Squadron. During an operation an Me 110 shot down…
Interview with Frank Mannion
Frank Mannion was born in Manchester. When he completed his electrical engineering apprenticeship at Metropolitan Vickers he volunteered for the RAF. Initially he was ready to train as a pilot but was told there was a shortage of air gunners so…
Interview with Joseph Musgrove
Born in York in 1922, Joseph left school at 14 and started work in a chocolate factory and attended two nights of further education per week. In 1936, a fighter aircraft had landed nearby which stimulated his interest in flying which he retained all…
Interview with Jack Smith
Jack volunteered for the Royal Air Force (RAF) in September 1940. He went to Padgate and then on to Blackpool where he trained as a wireless operator. Jack proceeded to a radio school at RAF Compton Bassett and then RAF Bramcote. He was posted to…
Interview with Gordon Topham
Gordon Topham was born in Salisbury, but his family settled in Norwich, Norfolk and he joined the Royal Air Force at the age of 17, qualifying as a flight engineer in July 1944. Gordon’s father used to drive steam wagons and was involved with…
Interview with Reginald Tween
Reginald joined the Royal Air Force in 1943, becoming a flight engineer with 415 Squadron, Bomber Command. He tells of his love of making and flying model airplanes and that, although he wanted to be a pilot, his love of anything mechanical made him…
Interview with Ron Wade
Ron was born in Stoke-on-Trent. He left school at 14 and tells of his experiences working in a pottery factory doing odd jobs, until he was called up. He joined the Royal Air Force in 1939 at the age of 22 and trained as an air gunner at RAF…
Interview with Charles Henry Clarke. One
Charles volunteered for the RAF when he was 17 and trained as a bomb-aimer at RAF North Luffenham. After qualifying, he was posted to 619 Squadron at RAF Woodhall Spa. He was shot down on his 18th operation and he became a prisoner of war. He talks…
Interview with Charles Henry Clarke. Two
Charles Clarke joined the RAF aged 17 and began training as a pilot but he became ill with mumps and later trained as a bomb aimer. His aircraft was shot down on an operation to Schweinfurt and he became a prisoner of war. He took part in the Long…
Interview with Rex Alan Austin
Rex Alan Austin was born in Werribee, Victoria in Australia on 4th of January 1924. Rex’s father served in World War One in the middle east and then transferred to the Australian Flying Corps, later known as the Royal Australian Air Force. Schooled…
Interview with Andrew Carswell
Andrew Carswell volunteered for the Royal Canadian Air Force in his native Toronto. He trained as a pilot and on arrival in the UK and completion of his further training he was posted to 9 Squadron. His first operation was to Berlin. On their final…