A Leedham]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Steve Baldwin]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Memoir]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> England--London]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Kingston upon Thames]]> England--Surrey]]> 1942-06]]> 1942-09-12]]> There were some delays as Bomber Command had surplus aircrew. He spent some leave through the Lady Ryder Scheme and went to RAF Padgate. He was sent to RAF Fairoaks and witnessed V2 flying bombs before returning to RAF Padgate. Colin was sent to RAF West Freugh and did dead reckoning navigation. His next destination was 27 Operational Training Unit in Lichfield. Colin describes how they crewed up. He was introduced to the Gee radio navigation system and Wellingtons. He went to a Heavy Conversion Unit at RAF Lindholme and encountered Lancasters and H2S.
Colin discusses his impressions of England and his activities. He also outlines how he carried out his role as a navigator.
They transferred to 460 Squadron at RAF Binbrook and started operations in March 1945. Colin describes some of their seven operations, which involved damage to the aircraft on a trip to Saarbrücken; being caught in the searchlights at Potsdam; cancellation mid-route of their trip to Bremen. On 25 April 1945, they flew in the second wave to Berchtesgaden and were hit, losing all but one engine. Some of the crew baled out but the pilot crash-landed the aircraft with the rear gunner because of a missing parachute. Colin was taken to Stalag Luft 7 at Moosburg. They were freed on 29 April 1945 by the American 14th Division, although it took some time to return to England and ultimately Australia.
Colin gives his views on the treatment of Bomber Command and the politics involved.
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Adam Purcell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Sally Coulter]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Staffordshire]]> England--Surrey]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Scotland--Wigtownshire]]> Germany]]> Germany--Saarbrücken]]> Germany--Potsdam]]> Germany--Berchtesgaden]]> Germany--Moosburg an der Isar]]> Germany--Ingolstadt]]> Poland]]> Poland--Opole (Voivodeship)]]> 1943]]> 1943-03]]> 1944]]> 1944-02]]> 1945-04-25]]> 1945-04-29]]>
Air Marshall Sir Ralph Sorley]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Pending text-based transcription]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Memoir]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Navy]]> Great Britain]]> England--Felixstowe]]> England--Eastbourne (East Sussex)]]> England--Calshot]]> England--Bembridge]]> Atlantic Ocean--Spithead Channel]]> England--Cowes]]> England--Stroud]]> Scotland--Montrose]]> England--Sunbury]]> England--London]]> Monaco]]> Egypt--Cairo]]> Iraq--Baghdad]]> England--Felixstowe]]> England--Aldeburgh]]> Iraq]]> Middle East--Kurdistan]]> Middle East--Palestine]]> Jordan]]> Iran]]> Middle East--Euphrates River]]> Syria]]> Yemen (Republic)--Aden]]> Singapore]]> Australia]]> Borneo]]> China--Hong Kong]]> England--Kent]]> United States]]> New York (State)--New York]]> France--Paris]]> Nigeria]]> South Africa--Cape Town]]> Yugoslavia]]> Norway]]> Portugal]]> Spain]]> Denmark]]> Japan]]> Belgium]]> Argentina]]> Austria]]> Brazil]]> Canada]]> Chile]]> Greece]]> China]]> Lithuania]]> Estonia]]> England--Weybridge]]> Scotland--Island of Arran]]> England--Kingston upon Thames]]> France--Dunkerque]]> England--Hatfield (Hertfordshire)]]> Newfoundland and Labrador]]> New Brunswick]]> Maine]]> Maine--Presque Isle]]> Washington (D.C.)]]> Massachusetts--Boston]]> Pennsylvania--Philadelphia]]> Maryland--Baltimore]]> Washington (D.C.)--Anacostia]]> Tennessee--Nashville]]> Arkansas--Little Rock]]> Texas--Dallas]]> Texas--Fort Worth]]> Texas--Midland]]> Arizona--Tucson]]> California--Burbank (Los Angeles County)]]> California--Palm Springs]]> California--Los Angeles]]> California--Beverly Hills]]> California--San Diego]]> Arizona--Winslow]]> New Mexico--Albuquerque]]> Kansas--Wichita]]> Missouri--Saint Louis]]> Ohio--Dayton]]> New York (State)--Buffalo]]> Ontario--Toronto]]> Québec--Montréal]]> Newfoundland and Labrador--Gander]]> Netherlands--Eindhoven]]> Germany--Rheine]]> Germany--Osnabrück]]> India]]> Switzerland--Zurich]]> Lebanon--Beirut]]> Pakistan--Karachi]]> India--Kolkata]]> Singapore]]> Indonesia--Jakarta]]> Australia]]> Northern Territory--Darwin]]> New South Wales--Sydney]]> South Australia--Woomera]]> South Australia--Adelaide]]> Victoria--Melbourne]]> Sri Lanka--Colombo]]> Spain--Madrid]]> South Africa--Johannesburg]]> Kenya--Nairobi]]> Sudan--Khartoum]]> Greece--Athens]]> Italy--Rome]]> Zambia--Lusaka]]> Zambia--Ndola]]> Zambia--Mbala]]> Heathrow Airport (London, England)]]> Turkey--Istanbul]]> France--Nice]]> Utah--Salt Lake City]]> Italy--Genoa]]> Atlantic Ocean--Firth of Clyde]]> Italy]]> France]]> Arizona]]> Arkansas]]> California]]> Kansas]]> Maryland]]> Massachusetts]]> Missouri]]> New Mexico]]> New York (State)]]> Ohio]]> Tennessee]]> Texas]]> Utah]]> New South Wales]]> South Australia]]> Victoria]]> Northern Territory]]> Egypt]]> Sudan]]> North Africa]]> Ontario]]> Québec]]> Germany]]> Indonesia]]> Iraq]]> Kenya]]> Lebanon]]> Netherlands]]> South Africa]]> Switzerland]]> Pakistan]]> Sri Lanka]]> Turkey]]> Yemen (Republic)]]> Czech Republic]]> Slovakia]]> England--Gloucestershire]]> England--Hampshire]]> England--Herefordshire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Suffolk]]> England--Surrey]]> England--Sussex]]> England--Great Yarmouth]]> Airmen's Mess]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sue Smith]]> eng]]> Text]]> Royal Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> England--Gatwick]]> England--Surrey]]> 1944-12-25]]> Australia. Royal Australian Air Force]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Mike Connock]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Log book and record book]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> Canada]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> Atlantic Ocean--North Sea]]> England--Staffordshire]]> England--Surrey]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Germany--Bayreuth]]> Germany--Dortmund]]> Germany--Hagen (Arnsberg)]]> Germany--Helgoland]]> Germany--Homberg (Kassel)]]> Germany--Lübeck]]> Germany--Wuppertal]]> Manitoba--Dauphin]]> Scotland--Banff]]> Scotland--Moray]]> Victoria--Benalla]]> Germany--Wangerooge Island]]> Victoria]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> Germany--Boizenburg]]> Manitoba]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> 1945-03-12]]> 1945-03-13]]> 1945-03-14]]> 1945-03-15]]> 1945-03-16]]> 1945-04-08]]> 1945-04-09]]> 1945-04-11]]> 1945-04-13]]> 1945-04-14]]> 1945-04-18]]> 1945-04-25]]> 1945-07-04]]> 1945-07-09]]> 1945-07-30]]> 1945-08-03]]> B N Wallis]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Frances Grundy]]> Royalty-free permission to publish]]> Cheshire, Leonard. Correspondence]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Royal Air Force]]> Civilian]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Surrey]]> England--Weybridge]]> 1944-04-17]]> B N Wallis]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Claire Monk]]> Royalty-free permission to publish]]> Cheshire, Leonard. Correspondence]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Civilian]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Surrey]]> England--Weybridge]]> 1944-03-23]]> B N Wallis]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Frances Grundy]]> Royalty-free permission to publish]]> Cheshire, Leonard. Correspondence]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Civilian]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Surrey]]> England--Weybridge]]> 1944-04-25]]> B Wallis]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Steve Baldwin]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> England--Surrey]]> England--Weybridge]]> England--Manchester]]> England--Lancashire]]> 1943-05-25]]> 1943-05-27]]> B Wallis]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Steve Baldwin]]> eng]]> Photograph]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> England--Surrey]]> England--Effingham]]> England--Cheshire]]> England--Chester]]> 1976-12-23]]> Canada. Royal Canadian Air Force]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sue Smith]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Royal Canadian Air Force]]> Canada]]> Ontario--Acton]]> Great Britain]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> England--Woking]]> Ontario]]> England--Surrey]]> 1944-12-08]]> Charles Grece]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sue Smith]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Royal Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> England--Dorking]]> England--Manningtree]]> England--Essex]]> England--Surrey]]> 1946-01-01]]> Charterhouse school]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> eng]]> Text]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> England--Surrey]]> England--Godalming]]> 1930-12-01]]> 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]]> Daily Mail Reporter]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sue Smith]]> eng]]> Text]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Germany]]> Germany--Berlin]]> Great Britain]]> Scotland--Glasgow]]> Canada]]> Ontario--Windsor]]> British Columbia--Vancouver]]> England--Surrey]]> England--Kingston upon Thames]]> Ontario]]> 1944-01-31]]> David Donaldson]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Frances Grundy]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> England--Surrey]]> England--Godalming]]> At the outbreak of war, he left the Post Office and was employed building naval vessels at a boat yard on the Thames in Chertsey. It was here that he first heard about RAF Air Sea Rescue, which he successfully enrolled into. Following training at various establishments he was posted to Newhaven on High Speed Launch 190 as a gunner.
Lawrence describes rescue operations: a Spitfire leading them to an airman in a dinghy; a Wellington aircrew rescued close to Le Havre on 17 July 1943; a German wireless operator who baled out from a downed Ju 88 and his parachute being divided amongst the crew, and finally rescuing the United States serviceman T G Giles who baled out of a P-38.
Occasionally they would come across mines that had broken free. These would be guarded until the Navy arrived and detonated them. This would result in the surface being covered in stunned fish which the crew would be able to scoop up.]]>
David Meanwell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Ian Whapplington]]> Anne-Marie Watson]]> Pending review]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> United States Army Air Force]]> Wehrmacht. Luftwaffe]]> British Army]]> Royal Navy]]> Royal Air Force. Coastal Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Chertsey]]> England--Great Yarmouth]]> England--Newhaven]]> England--Bedfordshire]]> Atlantic Ocean--English Channel]]> France]]> France--Le Havre]]> England--Norfolk]]> England--Surrey]]> 1943-07-17]]> 1944-03-16]]>
Denise Boneham]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Anne-Marie Watson]]> Pending review]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Cyprus]]> Egypt]]> Great Britain]]> Libya]]> North Africa]]> Cyprus--Nicosia]]> Egypt--Cairo]]> Egypt--Port Said]]> England--Bedfordshire]]> England--Essex]]> England--Hertfordshire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Surrey]]> Libya--Banghāzī]]> 1945]]> 1947]]> E M Edwards]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Frances Grundy]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Civilian]]> Royal Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> England--Surrey]]> England--Oxshott]]> 1943-05-13]]> E W Hugh White]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Paul Ross]]> eng]]> Text]]> Royal Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> England--Surrey]]> England--Runnymede]]> India]]> India--Kohima]]> England--Surrey]]> 1953]]> Included is a photograph of the damage sustained to the Halifax's wing.
He details his operations mostly over Germany but also France. He refers to Flying Officer Leonard Cheshire being posted to his squadron.
On the last page is a photograph of his crew in front of a Halifax. Each member is identified -

Jimmy Finney Mid Upper Gunner From- Hull.

Eric Horsham Flt Engineer From- Woolwich.

Owen Shirley Navigator From- Carsholton.

Edgar Francis Pilot From- Stoke St Michael.

John Morris Bomb Aimer From- Highgate,London.

Alan Shepherd Wireless Operator From- Ringwood.

Ron Alderton Rear Gunner From- London
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Eric Horsham]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Roger Dunsford]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Memoir]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Torquay]]> Germany--Jülich]]> Germany--Essen]]> Germany--Cologne]]> Netherlands--Eindhoven]]> England--Hull]]> England--Carshalton]]> England--Shepton Mallet]]> England--London]]> England--Ringwood]]> England--London]]> Germany--Duisburg]]> Germany--Osnabrück]]> Germany--Oberhausen (Düsseldorf)]]> England--London]]> Germany]]> Netherlands]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> England--Devon]]> England--Hampshire]]> England--Somerset]]> England--Surrey]]> England--Yorkshire]]> 1944-11-16]]>
F Donaldson]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sue Smith]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> England--Surrey]]> England--Godalming]]> F Turgel]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Civilian]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lancashire]]> England--Warrington]]> England--Surrey]]> England--Surrey]]> England--Cheshire]]> 1943-08-19]]> Frances Donaldson]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Frances Grundy]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> England--Surrey]]> England--Oxshott]]> 1944]]> Frederick Griffin]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sue Smith]]> eng]]> Text]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> Scotland--Glasgow]]> Scotland--Banffshire]]> England--Surrey]]> Canada]]> British Columbia--Vancouver]]> Ontario--Windsor]]> Alberta--Calgary]]> Germany]]> Germany--Berlin]]> Ontario]]> Alberta]]> 1944-05-06]]> 1944-01]]>