Harrogate and refresher training in Perth followed. Tom was posted to No. 3 Lancaster Finishing School at RAF Feltwell where two B-17 crashed. He went to RAF Kidlington and, after finishing at the Advanced Flying Unit, Tom was posted to 26 Operational Training Unit at RAF Wing to fly Wellingtons where he crewed up. In March 1945 he was posted to RAF North Luffenham flying Lancasters. Tom then had to report to 90 Squadron at RAF RAF Tuddenham and joined a different crew. He undertook a few Cooks’ tours for ground crew to the Ruhr, and went to 15 Squadron at RAF Mildenhall where he became flying officer. He brought back some British troops from Italy and did Operation Post Mortem, including a German radar at Kiel. With a few hundred aircraft, there was a significant danger of collision.
Tom finished at an instructors’ flying course at RAF Lulsgate Bottom and was demobilised at the end of 1946.
]]>
Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Devon]]> England--Manchester]]> England--Norfolk]]> England--Rutland]]> England--Suffolk]]> Germany]]> Germany--Kiel]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> Italy]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> 1946]]> 1942-04]]> 1943-05-16]]> 1943-05-17]]>

In 1948, Barry was posted to RAF St Athan No. 32 Maintenance Unit. He initially serviced a flight simulator, then moved to the Aircraft Electrical Servicing Squadron. After a year, he was posted to RAF Cranwell, servicing generators and was promoted to corporal. He passed his leading aircraftman examination. He spent two years in Malta before being posted to RAF Honington, where he became a sergeant.

Barry wanted to service flight simulators, did a course and was posted for two years to Fighter Command at Bentley Priory. He had a broad role in aircraft engineering at Command Headquarters.

Barry moved to become an education officer and did a course at the School of Education at RAF Uxbridge. He spent two years in the education branch, initially at RAF Melksham. He was then posted to RAF Halton to teach electrics and electrical mechanics before setting up the basic training for the first ground electrician apprenticeships.

Barry undertook an unaccompanied 12-month tour to RAF Muharraq (Bahrain) and was in charge of the battery charging room. A further twelve months were spent at RAF Benson on 90 Group Tactical Communication Wing before returning to RAF Halton to join the Trade Standards and Testing Board. This moved to RAF Brompton where he wrote skills and knowledge specifications for RAF trades. Barry left the RAF in 1975 and continued in teaching and training roles.
]]>
Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Fighter Command]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> Bahrain--Muḥarraq]]> England--Buckinghamshire]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> England--Oxfordshire]]> England--Suffolk]]> England--London]]> Bahrain]]> Bahrain--Muḥarraq]]> 1945-02]]> 1948]]> 1975]]>
]]> Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sam Harper-Coulson]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Navy]]> Great Britain]]> England--Buckinghamshire]]> England--Suffolk]]> England--London]]> 1941-08]]> 1943-04-28]]> 1944-02-05]]> 1944-03]]> 1944-10]]> 1945-01-04]]> Eric describes his basic training in London and Torbay then recollects his technical training at RAF St. Athan. He then went to 1652 Heavy Conversion Unit at RAF Marston Moor and joined his Halifax crew. In 1944 they were posted to 102 Squadron at RAF Pocklington where there were told that they wouldn't last three weeks.
Eric and his crew carried out a vast range of strategic bombings including daylight operations on V-1 sites, night operations on The Ruhr and Essen, night and daylight operations to oil targets, minelaying in the Baltic. They also provided tactical support in support of Allied troops near Caen and in the Ardennes, where they were badly damaged by a fighter and the mid-upper gunner received serious injuries. After landing at RAF Woodbridge in fog using FIDO he was hospitalised and did not fly again. The crew also supplied petrol to troops in Belgium, enjoying the low-level flying on these trips
Eric describes the sound of shrapnel hitting the aircraft, recalls a bomber exploding in flight, but dismisses the Scarecrow theory. He describes the use of Schräge Musik against the bombers; how search lights in the Ruhr operated, the use of H2S and how the master bomber controlled the rest of the formation.
At the end of his tour Eric remustered and was posted at RAF Jurby as airfield controller. From there he went to RAF Topcliffe and was demobbed in January 1947. Eric went back to the railways for ten years before working in local government. He retired in 1978, moving to Cornwall. While at RAF Pocklington he dated Cora noting that her parents made feel like a son. But he then ended the relationship because, with his own life in such jeopardy, he thought it was unfair on her. After the war he married Ellen, who he had met when starting his first job with the railways.]]>
Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Andy Fitter]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--London]]> England--Bedfordshire]]> England--Devon]]> England--Suffolk]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Great Britain Miscellaneous Island Dependencies--Isle of Man]]> Wales]]> Wales--Vale of Glamorgan]]> France]]> France--Ardennes]]> France--Caen]]> France--Pas-de-Calais]]> France--Nieppe Forest]]> Germany]]> Germany--Essen]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> Atlantic Ocean]]> Atlantic Ocean--Baltic Sea]]> Denmark]]> Denmark--Bornholm]]> 1923]]> 1937]]> 1939]]> 1940]]> 1944-01]]> 1944-02]]> 1944-07-25]]> 1944-09]]> 1945]]> 1946-05-25]]> 1947-01-02]]> 1957]]> 1974]]> 1975]]> 1976]]> 1977]]> 1978]]> 1981]]>
Vivian was demobbed in January 1946. After the war, he worked for a year on Five Maintenance Unit at RAF Kemble.
]]>
Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Sally Coulter]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Fighter Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Bedfordshire]]> England--Cheshire]]> England--Cornwall (County)]]> England--Essex]]> England--Gloucestershire]]> England--Kent]]> England--Lancashire]]> England--Blackpool]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Norfolk]]> England--Shropshire]]> England--Staffordshire]]> England--Suffolk]]> England--Wiltshire]]> England--Wirral Peninsula]]> Great Britain Miscellaneous Island Dependencies--Guernsey]]> Great Britain Miscellaneous Island Dependencies--Channel Islands]]> Wales--Vale of Glamorgan]]> 1938-07]]> 1939]]> 1940]]> 1941]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> 1946]]>
Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> William Evans]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> England--Suffolk]]> England--Wiltshire]]> Atlantic Ocean--North Sea]]> North Africa]]> Egypt]]> Persian Gulf Region]]> 1938]]> 1939]]> 1940]]> 1941]]> 1939-12-14]]> Chris Johnson]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Ian Whapplington]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> England--Norfolk]]> England--Suffolk]]> Germany--Kamen]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> 1941]]> 1944]]> Chris Johnson]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Tilly Foster]]> Anne-Marie Watson]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Croydon]]> England--Suffolk]]> France]]> France--Lorient]]> Germany]]> Germany--Berlin]]> Germany--Duisburg]]> Germany--Düsseldorf]]> Germany--Kiel]]> Germany--Peenemünde]]> Germany--Stuttgart]]> Poland]]> Poland--Szczecin]]> Netherlands]]> Atlantic Ocean--Baltic Sea]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> 1939]]> 1940-07-10]]> 1940-08-15]]> 1940-12-25]]> 1941]]> 1942]]> 1943-06-27]]> 1943-08-17]]> 1943-08-23]]> 1943-08-29]]> 1943-09-23]]> 1944]]> 1945-08]]> 1946]]> 1947-05]]>
Part 1. Bob Panton was a child during the war. One day as his father was coming towards their house Bob saw three Dornier 17 come into view. Then out of the sun came six Spitfires and a battle started in front of him. Bob saw the Dorniers shot down and rushed to the crash site with his friend to see the site. Of the surviving German aircrew one was taken to the local cottage hospital where he spat in the face of the nurse. Bob’s brother was a rear gunner in a Wellington and was traumatised when the Perspex in his turret was shot away around him. Bob joined the ATC at the earliest opportunity before joining the RAF proper and training to be a pilot. He took part in the Berlin Airlift.

Part 2. Bob Panton was fascinated with aircraft ever since a friend of his brother gave him a taxi ride on his Avro 504k. After his wartime experiences in his childhood Bob joined the RAF and trained as a pilot. He took part in the Berlin Airlift. In later years Bob became a guide showing visitors around the aircraft of the museum and hearing their own stories and experiences. ]]>
Claire Bennett]]> This Interview was recorded by Aviation Heritage Lincolnshire.]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> Pending OH summary]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Civilian]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Suffolk]]> Germany--Berlin]]>
Claire Monk]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Anne-Marie Watson]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> South Africa]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--London]]> England--Suffolk]]> Wales--Cardiff]]> 1941]]> 1944]]> 1946]]> On his return, he went to Harrogate and was then posted to RAF Dumfries where he did a specialised bomb dropping course for Pathfinders. Frederick crewed up at RAF Chipping Warden and trained on Wellingtons. He did one operation, dropping leaflets over France.
Frederick then went onto Stirlings at RAF Chedburgh before Lancasters at the Lancaster Finishing School at RAF Feltwell. He carried out several operations with 218 Squadron at RAF Methwold. Frederick then moved with his captain to RAF Mildenhall when the latter was promoted. He carried out several operations on major cities. Frederick was appointed as bombing leader for 15 Squadron as well as the squadron adjutant.
Frederick was chosen to accompany Arthur Harris, flying with Charles Calder as a co-navigator. The crew were all section leaders. Frederick describes Harris’s personality and the leadership challenges he faced, expressing his sympathy and respect. Having refuelled in the south of France, they went through Africa and on to South America and the United States, arriving in Washington on VJ Day.
Frederick signed on for another six months and went to RAF Marham in the experimental unit for Manna before leaving the RAF.]]>
Clare Bennett]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Cornwall (County)]]> England--Manchester]]> England--Norfolk]]> England--Northamptonshire]]> England--Suffolk]]> England--Wiltshire]]> Scotland--Dumfries and Galloway]]> United States]]> Washington (D.C.)]]> Canada]]> France]]> 1941]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> 1945-08-14]]>
Colleen Baines]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sue Smith]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Personal research]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Germany]]> Ireland]]> England--Mousehole]]> Australia]]> New South Wales--Sydney]]> New South Wales--Maroubra]]> New South Wales--Kingsford Smith]]> Great Britain]]> England--Bournemouth]]> England--Ealing]]> England--Whitley Bay]]> England--Reading]]> England--Birmingham]]> England--Winchester]]> England--Anstey (Leicestershire)]]> New South Wales--Guyra]]> Germany--Berlin]]> Canada]]> Ontario--Toronto]]> Italy]]> England--Sevenoaks]]> Germany--Frankfurt am Main]]> Germany--Leipzig]]> England--London]]> Germany--Magdeburg]]> England--Runnymede]]> England--West Malling]]> England--Mutford]]> England--Blaby]]> England--Newark (Nottinghamshire)]]> New South Wales]]> Ontario]]> England--Berkshire]]> England--Hampshire]]> England--Kent]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Middlesex]]> England--Northumberland]]> England--Suffolk]]> England--Yorkshire]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> England--Surrey]]> England--Warwickshire]]> England--Barnsley (South Yorkshire)]]> 1944-01-27]]> The second asks Doreen to verify her date of birth.]]> Commanding Officer, RAF Lakenheath]]> Great Britain. Air Ministry]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> David Bloomfield]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Civilian]]> Royal Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> England--London]]> England--Suffolk]]> 1943-09-07]]> 1943-12-08]]> Commanding Officer, RAF Mildenhall]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> David Bloomfield]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Civilian]]> Royal Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> England--London]]> England--Suffolk]]> 1943-09-30]]> Commanding Officer, RAF Mildenhall]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> David Bloomfield]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Royal Air Force]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> England--London]]> England--Suffolk]]> 1943-10-19]]> 1943-10-23]]> The second letter refers to a parcel of clothing belonging to Doreen's husband.]]> Commanding Officer, RAF Mildenhall]]> Commanding Officer, RAF Lakenheath]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> David Bloomfield]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Civilian]]> Royal Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> England--London]]> England--Suffolk]]> 1943-11]]> Committee of Adjustments officer RAF Stradishall]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> David Bloomfield]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Civilian]]> Royal Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> England--Suffolk]]> Ireland]]> Ireland--Dublin]]> 1943-06-30]]> D Cameron]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> David Bloomfield]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Memoir]]> Civilian]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Sussex]]> England--Brighton]]> England--Buckinghamshire]]> England--High Wycombe]]> United States]]> Florida--Lakeland]]> Georgia--Macon]]> Alabama--Dothan]]> England--Gloucestershire]]> England--Buckinghamshire]]> England--Suffolk]]> England--Northamptonshire]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> Germany]]> Germany--Schweinfurt]]> Germany--Düsseldorf]]> Germany--Duisburg]]> France]]> France--Normandy]]> England--Norfolk]]> France--Le Havre]]> Florida]]> Alabama]]> Georgia]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> 1942-03-23]]> 1942-05-10]]> 1942-08-11]]> 1943-05-21]]> 1944-01-05]]> 1944-01-25]]> 1943-10-04]]> 1944-01-30]]> 1944-02-15]]> 1944-02-24]]> 1944-02-25]]> 1944-04-14]]> 1944-06-05]]> 1944-06-06]]> 1944-06-14]]> 1944-06-15]]> D Donaldson]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Frances Grundy]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Royal Air Force]]> Civilian]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Norfolk]]> Scotland--Ross and Cromarty]]> England--Oxfordshire]]> England--Berkshire]]> England--Suffolk]]> England--Hertfordshire]]> England--Lincoln]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> 1945-03-31]]> 1939]]> 1940]]> 1941]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> Dan Ellin]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Suffolk]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> Dan Ellin]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Anne-Marie Watson]]> Pending review]]> Pending OH summary]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Civilian]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> Poland]]> England--London]]> England--Suffolk]]> Poland--Żagań]]> 1945]]> David Boldy]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Karl Williams]]> eng]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Text]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> England--Ipswich]]> England--Colchester]]> England--Felixstowe]]> England--Essex]]> England--Suffolk]]> 1939-07]]> 1941]]> David Donaldson]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Steve Baldwin]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Memoir]]> Civilian]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Hampshire]]> England--Hamble-le-Rice]]> Scotland--Easter Ross]]> England--Oxfordshire]]> England--Berkshire]]> England--Suffolk]]> England--Norfolk]]> England--Exning]]> England--Ely]]> England--Huntingdonshire]]> England--London]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> 1934]]> 1937]]> 1938]]> 1939]]> 1940]]> 1941]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> David Kavanagh]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Carolyn Emery]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> Atlantic Ocean--English Channel]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> England--Norfolk]]> England--Suffolk]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Germany--Plauen]]> Wales--Glamorgan]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> In October 1944 Jack was posted to 189 Squadron at RAF Fulbeck. His first three trips were aborted. He carried out 24 operations and two semi-operational trips (leaflets dropping and a diversion to confuse German radar). Several operations were to railway marshalling yards in Germany. He also describes an operation to Gdynia in Poland and the Dresden operation and its rationale.
Jack discusses the main duties of the wireless operator, his experience of ‘scarecrows’ and the difficulty of flying at night in close proximity to other aircraft.
When the war ended, Jack became warrant officer and was stationed at RAF Woodbridge, working on flying control tower signals. He left the RAF in April 1946 and returned to his job as trainee chartered accountant.]]>
David Kavanagh]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> Iraq]]> England--Blackpool]]> England--Buckinghamshire]]> England--Herefordshire]]> England--Lancashire]]> England--Northamptonshire]]> England--Warwickshire]]> England--Wiltshire]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> England--Suffolk]]> Germany]]> Poland]]> Poland--Gdynia]]> 1944-10]]> 1945-02]]> 1940-09]]> 1943-12]]> 1946-03]]>