29 OTU]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Geolocated]]> eng]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Leicestershire]]> 1943-06-14]]> A Buppinger]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Steve Christian]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Civilian]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--London]]> France]]> France--Le Havre]]> Atlantic Ocean--English Channel]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Market Harborough]]> 1944-08-07]]> 1944-08-08]]> 1944-09-07]]> A J Ward]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Claire Monk]]> Royalty-free permission to publish]]> Cheshire, Leonard. Correspondence]]> eng]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Text]]> Royal Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Loughborough]]> 1944-03-03]]> Adam Purcell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Peter Schulze]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> Canada]]> Czech Republic]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> New South Wales]]> Alberta--Edmonton]]> Czech Republic--Plzeň]]> England--Brighton]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Germany--Essen]]> Germany--Leipzig]]> New South Wales--Sydney]]> California--San Francisco]]> United States]]> California]]> Alberta]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> England--Sussex]]> 1940]]> 1941]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> Air Training Corps]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Log book and record book]]> Royal Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> England--Leicestershire]]> 1942-05-30]]> Air Training Corps]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Training material]]> Royal Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> England--Leicester]]> England--Leicestershire]]> 1942-10-17]]> Air Training Corps]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> eng]]> Text]]> MColeFIG1817994-180214-010005]]> Royal Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> England--Melton Mowbray]]> England--Leicester]]> England--Leicestershire]]> 1942]]> Albert Evans]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Tricia Marshall]]> Pending text-based transcription. Under review]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Civilian]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Wednesbury]]> England--Staffordshire]]> 1943-06-05]]> Annie Moody]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> India]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> India--Kānpur]]> Germany--Kiel]]> Scotland--Stranraer]]> 1945-04-09]]> Arthur Woodhead]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Peter Bradbury]]> David Bloomfield]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> EWoodleadACurnockRM460115-0002,
EWoodleadACurnockRM460115-0003,
EWoodleadACurnockRM460115-0004,
EWoodleadACurnockRM460115-0005,
EWoodleadACurnockRM460115-0006]]>
Civilian]]> Royal Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> England--Scarborough]]> England--Leicester]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> 1947-01-15]]>
Barry Green]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Christine Kavanagh]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> Great Britain]]> Morocco]]> United States]]> Gibraltar]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Suffolk]]> Morocco--Tangier]]> North Africa]]> 1942]]> Bill Bailey]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sue Smith]]> David Bloomfield]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Memoir]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> United States Army Air Force]]> Free French Air Force]]> Canada]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> Norway]]> Poland]]> Atlantic Ocean--English Channel]]> Atlantic Ocean--Kattegat (Baltic Sea)]]> England--Birmingham]]> England--Devon]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--London]]> England--Yorkshire]]> France--Domléger-Longvillers]]> France--Ardennes]]> France--Calais]]> France--Cap Gris Nez]]> France--Le Havre]]> Germany--Bochum]]> Germany--Cologne]]> Germany--Dortmund]]> Germany--Düsseldorf]]> Germany--Essen]]> Germany--Frankfurt am Main]]> Germany--Freiburg im Breisgau]]> Germany--Hannover]]> Germany--Karlsruhe]]> Germany--Leipzig]]> Manitoba--Carberry]]> Netherlands--Domburg]]> Netherlands--Eindhoven]]> New Brunswick--Moncton]]> Norway--Oslo]]> Nova Scotia--Halifax]]> Ontario--Hamilton]]> Ontario--Picton]]> Poland--Szczecin]]> Netherlands--Hague]]> France]]> Ontario]]> New Brunswick]]> Nova Scotia]]> Netherlands]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> England--Warwickshire]]> Manitoba]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> 1946]]> 1947]]> At the age of 16, Eric had an apprenticeship as an indentured apprentice marine engineer at Liverpool docks, however wanted to serve, however he was classed as being in a reserved occupation, so therefore could only volunteer as aircrew.
Eric flew Avro Ansons, Vickers Wellingtons, before moving on to Short Stirlings with 1654 Heavy Conversion Unit at RAF Wigsley where he trained as a rear gunner. He then flew Avro Lancasters with 463 RAAF Squadron at Waddington.
He flew missions to France, Nuremburg, Dortmund-Ems canal, Brunswick and targets in the Ruhr. Eric was shot down on 6 November 1944 and was taken prisoner of war, and he tells of his escape from the camp when it was liberated by the Russian forces.
After returning to the United Kingdom, Eric ran the Prisoner of War Camps, before leaving the Royal Air Force and joining the 40th Kings Royal Tank Regiment, and served 6 years as a Troop Commander.
Eric left the Army in 1956 and worked for his father as a salesman in the motor car industry. He started his own business and by the rime he retired, he had built up four businesses which he ran for approximately 30 years.]]>
Brian Wright]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Vivienne Tincombe]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> British Army]]> Great Britain]]> England--Merseyside]]> England--Cheshire]]> England--Gloucestershire]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> England--Shropshire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Northern Ireland--Down (County)]]> England--Liverpool]]> France]]> Germany]]> Germany--Nuremberg]]> Germany--Dortmund-Ems Canal]]> Germany--Braunschweig]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]>
Brian Wright]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lancashire]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--London]]> England--Lytham St. Anne's]]> England--Blackpool]]> Germany]]> Germany--Wiesbaden]]> Germany--Stuttgart]]> France]]> France--Caen]]> James says that a separate briefing was held for wireless operators to inform them of callsigns and code words to be used before the main briefing. James was also the mid-under gun operator when the aircraft required one. James’ crew only flew four operations over Berlin being near the end of the war; he mentions a mis-identified target incident and an attack by a night fighter. James’ account also details being involved in the Operation Dodge and Operation Manna, as well as recalling a time that he was invited to fly in a Mosquito which he described as ‘a terrific aircraft’. James continue to serve until 1947 until he de-mobilised due to his ‘dislike of a lack of flying’. James retired from active service as a warrant officer. He would work as a delivery driver until retiring in 1997. James recalls that he kept in contact with three members of his crew until 2015.]]> Brian Wright]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Alex Joy]]> Anne-Marie Watson]]> Steph Jackson]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Herefordshire]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Norfolk]]> Germany]]> Germany--Berlin]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> 1946]]> 1947]]> Bill returned to Scotland and converted to bomb aiming. He crewed up at RAF Castle Donington and went to RAF Sandtoft and RAF Hemswell to the Lancaster Finishing School. Bill was transferred to 166 Squadron at RAF Kirmington, flying Lancasters. They then went to RAF Scampton as 153 Squadron. Bill conducted 29 operations and one which was aborted because of engine problems. Bill then trained as an equipment officer, being sent to RAF Strubby. He then demobilised and returned to his job in local government.
The interview discusses relationships between commissioned and non-commissioned crew, Bill’s thoughts on Dresden, Bomber Command and Arthur Harris, and the awarding of medals. ]]>
Bruce Blanche]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Sally Coulter]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> Canada]]> Alberta]]> Ontario]]> Ontario--Toronto]]> Prince Edward Island]]> Québec]]> England--Cornwall (County)]]> England--Harrogate]]> England--Hastings]]> England--Lancashire]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--London]]> England--Manchester]]> England--Northamptonshire]]> England--Redruth]]> England--Sussex]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Scotland--Wigtown]]> Wales--Aberystwyth]]> Germany]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> Germany--Cologne]]> Germany--Dresden]]> Germany--Kassel]]> Germany--Kleve (North Rhine-Westphalia)]]> Germany--Stuttgart]]> Germany--Wanne-Eickel]]> New Brunswick]]> New Brunswick--Moncton]]> United States]]> New York (State)]]> New York (State)--New York]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]>
Bruce Blanche]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> Pending OH summary]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Suffolk]]> Wales--Bridgend]]> C Collier]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sue Smith]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Civilian]]> Royal Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Leicester]]> England--Yorkshire]]> 1944-10-18]]> C Dyer]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> David Bloomfield]]> eng]]> Text]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Germany]]> Germany--Berlin]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Kent]]> England--Folkestone]]> England--Lancashire]]> England--Croydon]]> England--Durham (County)]]> England--Sunderland (Tyne and Wear)]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Melton Mowbray]]> Germany--Ludwigsfelde Region]]> England--Morecambe]]> England--Sussex]]> England--Sussex]]> 1944-01-02]]> 1943-10-15]]> Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Anne-Marie Watson]]> Carolyn Emery]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> Poland]]> Zimbabwe]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--London]]> Poland--Szczecin]]> Zimbabwe--Gweru]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> 1939]]> 1941]]> Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Adalberto Di Corato]]> Carolyn Emery]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Air Force. Transport Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Scotland--Perth and Kinross]]> England--London]]> Canada]]> Manitoba]]> Manitoba--Portage la Prairie]]> Germany]]> Germany--Nuremberg]]> France]]> France--Mailly-le-Camp]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Cathie Hewitt]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> England--Yorkshire]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Germany--Berlin]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> Dick underwent intensive map training on his return and went to the Advanced Flying Unit in Wigtown on Ansons. He proceeded to the Operational Training Unit at RAF Upper Heyford on Oxfords, where he was introduced to Loran. He had just started a tour as a Mosquito Pathfinder navigator before VE Day. He describes the aircraft, Oboe, and the pattern of their operations. Dick participated in Cook’s Tours to the Ruhr Valley. He was in 608 Squadron but it was disbanded and so he was posted to 692 Squadron, another Group 8 unit, at RAF Gransden Lodge. This was also disbanded, and Dick was sent to RAF Blyton for a re-selection board where he was sent on a flight mechanic engines course at RAF Credenhill. He was posted to the 254 torpedo Beaufighter Squadron at Langham until he was demobilised.]]> Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> England--Herefordshire]]> England--Norfolk]]> England--Oxfordshire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Scotland--Aberdeenshire]]> England--Leicestershire]]> Canada]]> Ontario]]> Ontario--Goderich]]> Alberta]]> Prince Edward Island]]> Prince Edward Island--Charlottetown]]> Germany]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> Ontario--Belleville]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> 1945-05-08]]> Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Ian Whapplington]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> England--Wiltshire]]> Northern Ireland--Down (County)]]> Germany]]> Germany--Dresden]]> Great Britain]]> Atlantic Ocean--Irish Sea]]> Poland]]> Poland--Gdynia]]> Italy]]> 1943-04-05]]> 1945-12]]> City of Leicester Education Committee]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Log book and record book]]> MCurnockRM1815605-171114-0660002,
MCurnockRM1815605-171114-0660003,
MCurnockRM1815605-171114-0660004,
MCurnockRM1815605-171114-0660005,
MCurnockRM1815605-171114-0660006,
MCurnockRM1815605-171114-0660007,
MCurnockRM1815605-171114-0660008,
MCurnockRM1815605-171114-0660009,
MCurnockRM1815605-171114-0660010,
MCurnockRM1815605-171114-0660011]]>
Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> England--Leicester]]> England--Leicestershire]]> 1938]]>