Browse Items (644 total)

  • Spatial Coverage is exactly "England--Norfolk"

EButlerRHeslopM410302-0001.jpg
Letter sent from Sergeant's Mess, 99 Squadron, RAF Newmarket. Describes bomb damage to Newmarket town and brief details of two operations to Boulogne.

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Navigation calculation sheets and chart for an operation to a V-1 site at Beauvoir.

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Geoff Payne has his first experience of the Royal Air Force with the Air Training Corps, at RAF Wyton in Cambridgeshire, where he had one of his first experiences of military humour. He joined in 1943 at the age of 17 and a half hoping to become a…

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Jack grew up in Liverpool. His brother was the famous ballet dancer, Frederick Franklin CBE. He describes the Liverpool May Blitz and the paper merchants’ firm, where he worked, being bombed. He returned to his job after the war. After the Local…

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Born on 27 December 1924 in Aigburth Liverpool, James was 15 when war broke out in Europe. He intended to join as a pilot, navigator, bomber aimer in 1943 but, due to shorter waiting list and training time, he trained to become a wireless operator at…

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Eric William Harrison joined the RAF in 1943 and trained as a flight engineer at RAF Locking, RAF St Athan, and RAF Chedburgh. He flew Stirlings and recollects that they were a terrifying aircraft compared to Lancasters. Harrison formed a crew at the…

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Requesting views on possible armistice celebrations. Need to cater for 253 officers, 500 N.C.O. and 1382 other ranks. Makes a number of proposals including church service, all ranks dances, sport, open air festival, community singing, interchange…

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YPattissonC1264245v1.pdf
Transcription of day by day account of activities from 19 April 1942 to 3 October 1942. Commences with photograph of Squadron in front of Halifax and of pilots on training course (Pattisson top left), Records daily activities, casualties, losses of…

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Thanks David for sending good wished on his award. Describes current activities at Little Horwood. Congratulates David on the award of bar to Distinguished Service Order. Comments that he is sorry that 192 Squadron is close to dissolution.

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AWoodardP160512.mp3
Peter was in the Air Training Corps and joined the Royal Air Force, on deferred service, as a wireless operation/air gunner. He was soon called to the Air Crew Reception Centre at Lord’s cricket ground. He went to the No. 2 Radio School at RAF…

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ALambournJP170112.mp3
John Lambourn joined the Royal Air Force at the age of 17, after working at Stewart Turners with engines and pumps. He was classed as working in a reserved occupation, but joined the Air Training Corp whilst waiting to sign up for the Royal Air…

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AHearmonPC160317.mp3
Peter was born in London and evacuated for part of the war. For National Service, he was taken on by the Air Force for a short time engagement and, subsequently,accepted a permanent commission. After RAF Padgate, Peter was selected as…

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AMaywoodRM151109.mp3
Dick was born in Peterborough and volunteered for the Royal Air Force in 1941. He was called up to Lord’s Cricket Ground in 1942. Dick went to No. 6 Initial Training Wing at RAF Aberystwyth. He then went to RAF Desford, flying Tiger Moths and was…

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Geoff Paine attended High Wycombe Royal Grammar School and Falmouth Grammar School, joined Air Training Corps and volunteered for the Royal Air Force aged 18. Upon completion of initial training, he was posted to RAF Waltham (100 Squadron) then RAF…

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APayneTP160422.mp3
Tom joined the Air Training Corps as a deferred service airman, even though he was under-age. In April 1942 he received his call up papers to report to the Air Crew Reception Centre at St John’s Wood, before being posted to Ludlow. He then went to…

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ACushingTEC180115.mp3
Tom Cushing lived alongside the site of what became RAF Little Snoring in Norfolk. He watched the construction of the airfield over time and the daily life of the operational squadrons thereafter. After the war he continued to be interested in the…

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AJuryAR171222.mp3
Alan Jury began his career with the RAF as an engineering apprentice at RAF Halton. When he retired from the RAF he joined the Parish Council at his local village and was informed that a Lancaster had crashed in the village in March 1945. After a…

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Ken Kileen was called up and reported to ACRC in London at the beginning of 1942. He started flying as a navigator at 12 Air School, Queenstown in South Africa flying in Oxfords and Ansons. On his return to UK in 1943, he joined 83 OTU at RAF Peplow…

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ASindallTH170801.mp3
Timothy Sindall is the son of James Herbert Sindall DSO, whose career as a pilot in the Royal Air Force started in the mid-1930s. Following the discovery of all of James logbooks, personal letters and newspaper cutting, Timothy has put together a…

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AStapleyVA160802.mp3
Victor Stapley was born in Ilford in Essex, where he was fond of playing cricket. He left school at 15 and worked at a tobacco company. He then became a shipping manager, a job which involved shipping spaces whilst not having any telephones in his…

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Leslie Valentine was a second year student at the University of Scotland when he volunteered for the Army. After serving with the BEF and returning to the UK after Dunkirk, he saw an advertisement for aircrew with the RAF and decided he would…

AWilliamsVD170403.mp3
Vivian joined the Royal Air Force in July 1938 as a flight mechanic and served for seven and a half years. After square drills at RAF Uxbridge and a course at RAF Manston, he did a basic engineering course at RAF Henlow. After six months at RAF St…

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AYeandleBA181229.mp3
After leaving school, Bertram Yeandle joined the RAF apprentice scheme and trained as an engine fitter at RAF Halton. After completing his apprenticeship at RAF Cosford, he was posted to 148 Squadron, RAF Harwell, where he serviced Wellingtons. In…

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Edward served on 90 Squadron as a rear gunner. Born in 1925 on the Isle of Sheppey, he was employed as a butcher’s boy at the outbreak of the war. Evenings were spent fire watching, for which he received a small wage from the council. He became a…

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AShepherdFH150525.mp3
Frederick joined the Royal Air Forcein 1941. After going to RAF Cardington, he was given deferred entry and studied for a year at university. He was invited to London for initial training, followed by the Initial Training Wing at RAF Newquay. He did…

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