Browse Items (502 total)

  • Spatial Coverage is exactly "England--Suffolk"

PJonesMH1601.jpg
Mervyn Jones is a miners son from Wales. His father wanted a different life to that of a miner for his son and the family moved away to Slough where was plenty of work. Mervyn had always had trouble with his ears and so his father assumed he…

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AJonesS180704.mp3
William Jones was a wireless operator on 218 (Gold Coast) Squadron. He met his future wife Stella in 1946, who recalls the wartime experiences of her late husband. Having just left school at the outbreak of war, William initially worked in an Oxford…

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PLambAM1509.jpg
Alexander Lamb left school in Edinburgh and became a messenger for the War Department. He then took a clerical post with the Department before reaching the age to volunteer for the RAF. He trained as an air gunner and was posted to RAF Mildenhall…

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PLambJ1702.jpg
James Lamb volunteered for the RAF on the first day of the Second World War. He trained as an aircraft technician and was posted to 75 New Zealand Squadron where he worked on Wellington bombers. He was then posted to 11 Squadron in Burma where he…

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PMaggsRW1602.jpg
Robert Maggs lived in London until his family were bombed out and moved to the seaside. He joined the local Air Training Corps and later volunteered for the RAF and trained as a gunner. During training his plane crashed and he was left trapped. He…

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PLeedhamHJL1801.jpg
Bob Leedham was a flight engineer who carried out twenty-one operations on Stirlings. At the outbreak of war Bob was an apprentice motor mechanic, and along with other apprentices, was left to operate the garage when all the engineers were called up.…

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A summary of Liz Humphrey's service history from January 1942 to 1946. Her service activity included serving in 970 Balloon Squadron, 30 Operational Training Unit at RAF Hixon, 12 Squadron at Wickenby, 1657 Conversion Unit at RAF Stradishall and 1654…

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A programme for the revue 'Let's Go Mad' presented by The Station Revue Company at RAF Boscombe Down.

Also included are a pass out and an invitation to a dance at RAF Stradishall.

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The RAF Greetings Card has no message.
The Deficiencies of Kit form.
A chit authorising Liz Humphrey's use of a bicycle.

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A travel document issued to Liz Humphrey when she was posted to RAF Stradishall.

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EStavesMEStaves[GF-GM]400712-0001.jpg
A letter to Malcolm from his Grandparents. A lot of domestic news but also congratulates Malcolm on his promotion.

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PMakensL1701.jpg
Louis Makens worked as a farm worker before the war but volunteered for aircrew. He discusses his training on Wellingtons and operations flying Stirlings with 196 Squadron including a crash landing, and glider towing. His Halifax was shot down 18/19…

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AMearsCE170921.mp3
Charles left school with no formal qualifications and was undertaking further education when the Second World War commenced. Being too young to enlist, he joined the Air Defence Cadet Corps and - upon reaching 18 - he eventually was able to join. He…

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AMorganVT170908.mp3
Vernon Morgan, from Cardiff, joined the civil service working at the Royal Ordnance Factory, volunteering for the RAF in 1941. After pilot training in South Africa he returned to several different roles: CO of a satellite aerodrome, pilot for…

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AMulhallJE160823.mp3
James was born in Gorton, attended Catholic schools, and became an apprentice plumber. In November 1942 he joined the Royal Air Force. He then trained as a mechanic at RAF St Athan before being posted to RAF Henlow to assemble Hurricanes. He then…

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PStavesME16020013.jpg
Top is a group of airmen in front of a Lancaster. Captioned '207 Squadron (Aircrews and Ground Staff) At Stradishall, Suffolk. February 1947'.
Bottom is the rear of an air-to air view of a Lancaster captioned 'Lancaster EM-A in which we flew on…

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AParkeRG161019.mp3
Ray Parke worked on the railway before joining the RAF in 1943. Remembers flying forty operations as a flight engineer with 218 Squadron by the time he was twenty. Tells about operations on Essen and the Ruhr. Discusses the Dresden operation, giving…

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PPayneG1702.jpg
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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APriestR160720.mp3
Ron Priest worked in accountancy before the war and then served as a rear gunner, flying twenty five operations with 149 Squadron from RAF Lakenheath all on Stirlings. Describes his training in England, Canada and the United States, under the…

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ARogersLC160822.mp3
Lawrence Rogers joined the Royal Air Force at 17, and trained to become a wireless operator. He served with 218 Squadron at RAF Woolfox Lodge and then with 75 Squadron, flying in both Ansons and Lancasters, He eventually completed 32 operations with…

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PRushtonG1802.jpg
Geoff Rushton worked as a bank clerk before he volunteered for the Air Force. He trained as a navigator in Canada and after crewing up flew 20 operations with 15 Squadron from RAF Mildenhall. He and his crew were then posted to 186 Squadron at RAF…

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EGiddingsRH[Recipient]4704210001.jpg
A reference written by Malcolm Staves' Signals Leader, 207 Squadron praising his work and character.

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PSmithEJ1801.jpg
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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PSmithLeachGP1801.jpg
George was born in Chelmsford, Essex. He then moved to Clacton-on-Sea where he went to school before going to a seminary catholic college. When war broke out, he and two other boys aged 15 or 16 ran away from college and went to Ipswich to join the…

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Writes while sunbathing on the beach. Describes life in Newquay mentioning numbers of evacuated children and some aspects of his training. Engages in banter and relates some events. Talks about their car and speculates over his future moves.…

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