Browse Items (226 total)
- Spatial Coverage is exactly "England--Shropshire"
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Letter to John Valentine from his wife Ursula
Notes he has been readmitted hospital and awaits details. Will be glad if they can do something but hopes it will not interfere with Christmas plans. Believes demobilization might be postponed. Catches up with news of family/friends and mentions…
Postcard to John Valentine from his wife Ursula and sister Barbara
On the front a woodland scene with track and small bridge. On the reverse a short note written during shopping expedition with his wife and daughter,
Tom Payne's Early RAF career
Tom's memoir of his early RAF days. He talks about his cousin, Vivian Gunning who died in a Blenheim in June 1940.
Tom joined the RAF at 15 after altering his birth certificate. He trained in Canada as a pilot.
Tom joined the RAF at 15 after altering his birth certificate. He trained in Canada as a pilot.
Some days in the life of a production test pilot
Mentions that he has six log books to cover his flying career. Gives a brief outline of career starting in Poland and then in United Kingdom starting in 1940. After training he became an instructor until volunteering for operations and posting to 300…
Trevor Saint diary/memoir
Diary from joining the RAF in may 1941, through training as groundcrew and then volunteered for aircrew and eventually trained as air gunner and posting to 514 Squadron. Describes operations while on the squadron and notes details and losses.…
My life in the Royal Air Force Bomber Command
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 subsequent technical training. Describes first posting to…
The lucky crew
Memoir including photographs of the crew and aircraft. Thomas Jones was a flight engineer on Stirling and Lancaster and completed 64 operations on two tours. Describes early life, joining the RAF, selection and training., crewing up and first posting…
Interview with Fred Tiller
Fred was too young to get in the Royal Air Force, so he joined the Air Training Corps where they did aircraft recognition and visited various camps. He joined in 1943/44 and went to Lord’s cricket ground where he was evaluated to become an air…
Interview with James Wright
James Wright was born in Nottinghamshire and worked as a civil servant before he joined the Air Force. After training in Canada he flew on operations as a navigator with 61, 97 and 630 Squadrons. He recalls the occasion when Eastbourne Railway…
Form for purchasing handkerchiefs
An uncompleted form authorising the bearer to purchase handkerchiefs.
Interview with Bob Kemley
Upon joining the RAF in 1940, Bob Kemley trained as a navigator and completed thirty-four operations on Halifaxes, Wellingtons, and Lancasters. He joined 427 Squadron based at RAF Leeming, before moving to 432 Squadron as a navigation officer. On his…
My POW Days - Postscript
Reg starts with a page about the Caterpillar Club then describes his life after the war. Over the years he had many reunions and he undertook research regarding the four crew members who died the night they were shot down. In 2001 he and 90 or so…
Biography of Reg Miles
A detailed Biography of Reg' service and post service life.
Categorisation Certificate
A certificate awarded to Jim Tyrie at category A1
Jim Tyrie Identity Paper
A certificate issued to Jim Tyrie by the RAF identifying him as a member of the RAF.
Biography of Squadron Leader Lighton Verdon-Roe DFC RAFVR -156 (PFF) Squadron
Second son of Sir Alliot Verdon-Roe founder of A.V. Roe & Co Ltd to be killed in the RAF Bomber Command in WWII. Starts with b/w photograph of head and shoulders portrait of an RAF officer wearing tunic with pilot's brevet, medal ribbon,…
Peter Hattersley's Service Diary
A service diary written by Peter Hattersley covering the period from November 1930 to 24 September 1948.Initially he served in the Royal Engineers but in February 1936 he joined the RAF. It covers his training and operations including a newspaper…
Peter Potter biography - part
Describes childhood in great detail and work after the war started. Continues with account of training after being called up.
Memories
Gives account of time at Bridlington which included training on basic navigation, bomb aiming, wireless operating and morse code. Also included physical training and drill. Mentions training on machine guns and then moved on to Lindholme, Pembrey,…
Bridlington, Lindholme and Sandtoft
Describes training at Bridlington, Lindholme and Sandtoft including navigation, Morse code, wireless and radio, basic piloting and gunnery as well as physical training. Mentions move to Bridgnorth. Finally to Pembrey for training on aircraft, moving…
Interview with Les Munro
John Leslie Munro was born in the area of Gisborne, New Zealand. He only completed two years of secondary education because of the economic slump and in 1936 began work on a sheep ranch and then a mixed farm. On the outbreak of the Second World War,…
Reg Miles Audio Memoir
Reg Miles's memoir in three parts. Part one Reg describes his childhood in St Peter’s on the Isle of Thanet, his family, school, lack of money, and holiday jobs. Reg joined the Royal Air Force as an apprentice, known as a ‘Brat’, in January…
Interview with F N Larard
After being called up, Larry was assessed as pilot, navigator, bomb aimer but changed to rear gunner to avoid the delay in pilot training. He was trained at RAF Dalcross on Wellingtons before moving to RAF Lindholme to convert to the Halifax and then…
Interview with David Bowker
David Bowker joined the Air Force and was originally training to be a wireless operator / air gunner but remustered as a pilot. He discusses rudder lock on early versions of Halifax. Jacqueline Bowker his wife, discusses her life during the war and…