Browse Items (376 total)
- Spatial Coverage is exactly "Zimbabwe"
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Palm trees
Looking up into the canopy of the palm trees.
Outside a hut
John, dressed in desert uniform with short and rolled up sleeves. He is leaning on an oil barrel outside a grassed walled building with a rolled up canvas doorway. On the reverse 'This was taken outside my old hut'.
Out for a stroll
Four men in uniform with long woollen socks, shorts, buttoned jackets, shirt and ties with half caps all with white bands. On reverse 'The lads out for a stroll'.
Open country
A view of rolling scrubland and trees with a road passing through. On the reverse 'View of country we crossed'.
On the steps of the Round House Hotel
John, wearing long trousered uniform, standing on the steps of the Round House Hotel, at the corner of Esigodini Road/ Hope Fountain road, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. On the reverse 'At the Round House'.
Newspaper cutting, RAF lost half of all bomber crews
Quoting Sir Arthur Harris that nearly 50,000 British bomber crew personnel out of a total of 110,000 were killed during the war.
Navigation Notes
Notes kept by JH Bird during his training.
My life in the Royal Air Force Bomber Command
Includes several b/w photographs of people and aircraft. Writes of early life and mentions beginning of the war and volunteering for the air force in January 1940. Continues with account of initial training and mustering as an airframe mechanic and…
My life in the RAF - chapter 5
Describes time at Hillside ITW camp, Bulawayo. Having to wait before starting aircrew training. Includes letter to sister and brother describing a typical day in camp. Describes local area and inhabitants as well as training activities, drill,…
My Life in the RAF - chapter 4
Starts after arrival at Durban in South Africa. Describes time in Clairwood "rest camp", visiting Durban and Christmas and New Year celebrations. Long description of activities in Durban. Discusses South Africa and describes train journey to South…
Municipal Offices Gwelo
Large single story building with three story structure in the centre, large portico. Low hedge and grass in front, captioned 'Municipal Offices Gwelo'.
Men with topees
A group of 14 men, 11 of whom are wearing tepees and three holding them. Some of the helmets have feathers decorating them with John is standing second right, On the reverse 'Can you see me? I'm second from the right. Before starting out on the…
Men pushing a carriage
Two men pushing a carriage on a metal track, which runs alongside a roadway. The carriage has a slated seat with metal framework on it.
Men on a sofa
Three uniformed men, wearing side caps with white bands sitting on a leather Chesterfield style sofa. The sofa is against a wall under a framed photograph of Cecil Rhodes with a framed citation below.
Men in a car
Nine uniformed men, all wearing safari pith helmets, sat in and on an open topped car. There is a post and wire fence alongside and there are wires on poles beyond.
Men around a camp fire
Sixteen men in uniform around the ashes of a camp fire. Thirteen of the men are standing and three are sat in front. Eight are holding enamel cups. John is standing second from the right with a camera slung across his body. On the reverse 'This was…
Map of Southern Rhodesia
Hand drawn map showing rivers, places visited during his training and railways.
Map of Southern Africa
Hand drawn map showing national boundaries and railways.
Man with rifle
A man in shorts standing in front of a tree. To the left two buildings and to the right a straw hut and another tree. On the reverse 'My pal Jonny with rifle at Mr Baston's farm. (A Roman Candle Tree', S. Rhodesia 1-6-41, S Africa'.
Man with cats
A man with short sleeves is holding two cats while standing in front of an open door. In the background a corrugated iron building. On the reverse 'Alan and the catts [sic], Mt Hampden, Salisbury S. Rhodesia May 1941'.
Man standing by Devil's cataract
A man in short sleeved shirt, shorts and side cap standing in a river by the edge of a cataract. In the distance the river disappears over a fall. On the reverse 'Pedro Walker, Victoria Falls. July 1942, (Devils Cataract)'.
Man in headdress
A man wearing a headdress incorporating feathers and horns stands alongside a two wheeled cart in a park. There are a number of other carts and uniformed men beyond the carts and multi storey buildings are in the background.
Man feeding monkey
A man in short sleeved shirt and shorts standing by a tree feeding a monkey. In the background trees. On the reverse 'Pedro Walker feeding a monkey, Vic Falls, 1942'.
Man crouching by cairn
A man wearing short sleeved shirt, shorts and topee crouching by a small stone cairn with a wooden pole. On the reverse 'Mt Hampden, Salisbury, gold claim, Taff Dalling, 1941
Lobengula's Indaga Tree
Three uniformed service men standing under the tree. The man in the centre is holding the sign for the tree. On the reverse 'Chief Lobangula's conference tree. Rhodes visited him when he was the chief of the Bulawayo Kraal and stayed in the hut that…