Stationed at RAF Hinaidi, RAF Driffield, RAF Manston, RAF Honington, RAF Bramcote, RAF Bassingbourn, RAF Feltwell, RAF Shallufa. Returned to England post-war staying in the RAF. Aircraft flown were Valentia, Harrow, Wellington, Magister, Lysander, Maryland, Fiat CR42, B26, Harvard, Auster, Proctor, Anson, and Prentice.
He flew 1 propaganda leaflet drop with 11 OTU, 1 day and 21 night operations with 37 Squadron in Europe. Targets were St Omer, Eindhoven, Soest, Osnabruck, Frankfurt, Stockum, Bottrop, Hannover, the Black Forest, Gelsenkirchen, Hamm, Flushing, Bitterfeld, Rotterdam, Mannheim, Leipzig, Kiel, Hamburg, Berlin.
12 day and 18 night operations with 37 Squadron and 257 Wing in the Middle East. Targets were Benina, El Adem, Derna, Berca, Bardia, Tobruk, Benghazi, Rhodes, Brindisi, Halfaya, Marble Arch landing ground, Heraklion, Misurata, Homs, Palermo, Gabes, the Mareth Line, El Hamma, Kourba, Pantelleria, Villa San Giovanni, Vibo Valentia, Adrano, Cape Peloro. Posted to HQ RAF Middle East where carried out 28 day supply dropping operations.
Post war career included postings to Air Division Control Commission Germany, Flying Training Command, 41 Group, 22 Maintenance Unit and RAF Negombo, Sri Lanka.
Log book also contains Form 3921 – Aircrew Qualification Record, a 1949 calendar and Form 2745 Record of Service, Educational and Professional Qualifications.]]>
Great Britain. Royal Air Force]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Nick Cornwell-Smith]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Log book and record book]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> England--Kent]]> England--Norfolk]]> England--Suffolk]]> England--Warwickshire]]> France]]> France--Saint-Omer (Pas-de-Calais)]]> Germany]]> Germany--Berlin]]> Germany--Bitterfeld-Wolfen]]> Germany--Black Forest]]> Germany--Bottrop]]> Germany--Frankfurt am Main]]> Germany--Gelsenkirchen]]> Germany--Hamburg]]> Germany--Hamm (North Rhine-Westphalia)]]> Germany--Hannover]]> Germany--Kiel]]> Germany--Leipzig]]> Germany--Mannheim]]> Germany--Osnabrück]]> Germany--Soest]]> Greece]]> Greece--Ērakleion]]> Greece--Rhodes (Island)]]> Iraq]]> Italy]]> Italy--Adrano]]> Italy--Brindisi]]> Italy--Palermo]]> Italy--Pantelleria Island]]> Italy--Vibo Valentia]]> Italy--Villa San Giovanni]]> Libya]]> Libya--Al Adm]]> Libya--Banghāzī]]> Libya--Bardiyah]]> Libya--Darnah]]> Libya--Miṣrātah]]> Libya--Ra's Lanuf]]> Libya--Tobruk]]> Netherlands]]> Netherlands--Eindhoven]]> Netherlands--Rotterdam]]> Netherlands--Vlissingen]]> Syria]]> Syria--Homs]]> Tunisia]]> Tunisia--Mareth Line]]> Tunisia--Qābis]]> North Africa]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> 1940-08-09]]> 1940-08-10]]> 1940-08-15]]> 1940-08-16]]> 1940-08-17]]> 1940-08-18]]> 1940-08-19]]> 1940-08-20]]> 1940-08-24]]> 1940-08-25]]> 1940-08-26]]> 1940-08-27]]> 1940-08-29]]> 1940-08-30]]> 1940-09-01]]> 1940-09-02]]> 1940-09-04]]> 1940-09-05]]> 1940-09-07]]> 1940-09-08]]> 1940-09-12]]> 1940-09-13]]> 1940-09-14]]> 1940-09-15]]> 1940-09-20]]> 1940-09-21]]> 1940-09-29]]> 1940-09-30]]> 1940-10-02]]> 1940-10-03]]> 1940-10-05]]> 1940-10-08]]> 1940-10-09]]> 1940-10-10]]> 1940-10-11]]> 1940-10-14]]> 1940-10-15]]> 1940-10-16]]> 1940-10-17]]> 1940-10-21]]> 1940-10-22]]> 1940-10-23]]> 1940-10-24]]> 1940-10-25]]> 1940-10-26]]> 1940-12-08]]> 1940-12-10]]> 1940-12-11]]> 1940-12-13]]> 1940-12-14]]> 1940-12-17]]> 1940-12-18]]> 1940-12-20]]> 1940-12-21]]> 1941-01-02]]> 1941-01-05]]> 1941-01-13]]> 1941-01-14]]> 1941-01-20]]> 1941-01-22]]> 1941-02-16]]> 1942-11-07]]> 1942-11-08]]> 1942-11-25]]> 1942-11-26]]> 1942-12-02]]> 1942-12-03]]> 1942-12-22]]> 1942-12-23]]> 1943-01-08]]> 1943-01-16]]> 1943-01-17]]> 1943-02-03]]> 1943-02-04]]> 1943-02-24]]> 1943-02-25]]> 1943-03-17]]> 1943-03-19]]> 1943-03-20]]> 1943-03-25]]> 1943-03-26]]> 1943-04-13]]> 1943-04-14]]> 1943-06-10]]> 1943-06-27]]> 1943-06-28]]> 1943-07-15]]> 1943-07-16]]> 1943-08-01]]> 1943-08-08]]> 1943-08-09]]> 1944-02-29]]> 1944-03-02]]> 1944-03-25]]> 1944-05-05]]> 1944-05-15]]> 1944-05-31]]> 1944-06-01]]> 1944-06-02]]> 1944-06-09]]> 1944-06-10]]> 1944-06-16]]> 1944-06-27]]> 1944-07-03]]> 1944-07-12]]> 1944-07-25]]> 1944-07-27]]> 1944-08-03]]> 1944-08-15]]> 1944-08-17]]> 1944-08-19]]> 1944-08-22]]> 1944-08-25]]> 1944-08-29]]> 1944-09-07]]> 1944-09-12]]> 1944-09-16]]> 1944-10-13]]> 1944-10-21]]>
Peter Lovatt]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Pending text-based transcription]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Memoir]]> Royal Air Force]]> United States]]> Rhode Island--Quonset Point Naval Air Station]]> Bahamas--Nassau]]> New York (State)--New York]]> Bahamas--New Providence Island]]> Great Britain]]> England--Harrogate]]> Scotland--Perth]]> Scotland--Glasgow]]> England--Warrington]]> England--Blackpool]]> Luxembourg]]> France]]> Belgium]]> Netherlands]]> France--Dunkerque]]> England--Dover]]> England--Grantham]]> England--Torquay]]> Wales--Aberystwyth]]> Iceland]]> Greenland]]> Sierra Leone]]> Russia (Federation)--Murmansk]]> Singapore]]> France--Saint-Malo]]> Denmark]]> Sweden]]> Germany--Lübeck]]> Netherlands--Ameland Island]]> England--Grimsby]]> Germany--Helgoland]]> Netherlands--Rotterdam]]> Atlantic Ocean--Bay of Biscay]]> England--Lundy Island]]> Germany--Cologne]]> North Carolina]]> North Carolina--Cape Hatteras]]> Aruba]]> Curaçao]]> Iceland--Reykjavík]]> Greenland--Narsarssuak]]> Canada]]> Québec--Montréal]]> Rhode Island]]> New York (State)--Buffalo]]> Gulf of Mexico]]> Caribbean Sea]]> Virginia]]> Florida--Miami]]> Cuba--Guantánamo Bay Naval Base]]> Puerto Rico--San Juan]]> Cuba]]> Florida--West Palm Beach]]> Cuba--Caimanera]]> India]]> Sierra Leone--Freetown]]> Jamaica]]> Jamaica--Kingston]]> Jamaica--Montego Bay]]> Virginia--Norfolk]]> Washington (D.C.)]]> Newfoundland and Labrador]]> Northern Ireland--Limavady]]> England--Chatham (Kent)]]> Newfoundland and Labrador--Gander]]> Gibraltar]]> England--Leicester]]> Massachusetts--Boston]]> Egypt--Alamayn]]> Algeria--Algiers]]> Algeria--Oran]]> Algeria--Bejaïa]]> Algeria--Annaba]]> Italy--Sicily]]> England--Milton Keynes]]> Germany--Essen]]> England--Dunwich]]> Europe--Scheldt River]]> England--Sizewell]]> Germany--Hamburg]]> England--Kent]]> Germany--Stuttgart]]> England--Crowborough]]> Netherlands--Hague]]> England--Peterborough]]> England--Bristol]]> Germany--Homburg (Saarland)]]> Belgium--Brussels]]> Germany--Bochum]]> Germany--Dortmund-Ems Canal]]> Germany--Wanne-Eickel]]> Belgium--Liège]]> Germany--Frankfurt am Main]]> Germany--Hannover]]> Germany--Aschaffenburg]]> Germany--Castrop-Rauxel]]> Germany--Mittelland Canal]]> Germany--Aachen]]> Germany--Karlsruhe]]> Germany--Neuss]]> Germany--Nuremberg]]> Germany--Duisburg]]> Germany--Hagen (Arnsberg)]]> Germany--Leuna]]> Germany--Osnabrück]]> Germany--Ludwigshafen am Rhein]]> Germany--Ulm]]> Germany--Munich]]> Poland--Szczecin]]> France--Ardennes]]> Germany--Bonn]]> Belgium--Houffalize]]> Germany--Mannheim]]> Germany--Grevenbroich]]> Germany--Dülmen]]> France--Metz]]> Germany--Magdeburg]]> Germany--Zeitz]]> Germany--Gelsenkirchen]]> England--Dungeness]]> Germany--Mainz (Rhineland-Palatinate)]]> Germany--Wiesbaden]]> Germany--Dresden]]> Germany--Leipzig]]> Germany--Koblenz]]> Germany--Chemnitz]]> Germany--Dortmund]]> Germany--Düsseldorf]]> Germany--Münster in Westfalen]]> Germany--Worms]]> Germany--Pforzheim]]> Germany--Darmstadt]]> Europe--Lake Constance]]> Germany--Bergkamen]]> Germany--Dessau (Dessau)]]> Germany--Wesel (North Rhine-Westphalia)]]> France--Aube]]> Germany--Augsburg]]> England--Feltwell]]> England--Croydon]]> Norway--Oslo]]> Sweden--Stockholm]]> Czech Republic--Prague]]> Italy--Florence]]> Portugal--Lisbon]]> Monaco--Monte-Carlo]]> France--Boulogne-sur-Mer]]> Netherlands--Venlo]]> Netherlands--Amsterdam]]> France--Paris]]> France--Lyon]]> France--Digne]]> France--Nevers]]> France--Lille]]> Norway--Ålesund]]> France--Saint-Omer (Pas-de-Calais)]]> France--Bailleul (Nord)]]> Belgium--Ieper]]> Belgium--Mesen]]> France--Cambrai]]> France--Somme]]> France--Arras]]> France--Lens]]> France--Calais]]> Germany--Emden (Lower Saxony)]]> Netherlands--Vlissingen]]> France--Brest]]> France--Lorient]]> France--La Pallice]]> Egypt--Suez]]> Germany--Berlin]]> Yemen (Republic)--Aden]]> Cyprus]]> Turkey--Gallipoli]]> Black Sea--Dardanelles Strait]]> Turkey--İmroz Island]]> Turkey--İzmir]]> Greece--Lesbos (Municipality)]]> Greece--Thasos Island]]> Greece--Chios (Municipality)]]> Greece--Thasos]]> Bulgaria]]> Turkey--Istanbul]]> Europe--Macedonia]]> Greece--Kavala]]> Kenya--Nairobi]]> Africa--Rhodesia and Nyasaland]]> Tanzania]]> Sudan]]> Eritrea]]> Ethiopia]]> Sudan--Kassalā]]> Eritrea--Asmara]]> Yemen (Republic)--Perim Island]]> Ethiopia--Addis Ababa]]> Sudan--Khartoum]]> Ghana--Takoradi]]> Libya--Cyrenaica]]> Libya--Tobruk]]> Egypt--Cairo]]> Iraq]]> Greece--Crete]]> Libya--Tripolitania]]> Tunisia--Mareth Line]]> Libya--Tripoli]]> Tunisia--Qaṣrayn]]> Tunisia--Medenine]]> Italy--Pantelleria Island]]> Malta]]> Italy--Licata]]> Italy--Brindisi]]> Italy--Foggia]]> Italy--Cassino]]> Italy--Sangro River]]> Italy--Termoli]]> Yugoslavia]]> Croatia--Split]]> Croatia--Vis Island]]> Italy--Loreto]]> Italy--Pescara]]> Trinidad and Tobago--Trinidad]]> North America--Saint Lawrence River]]> Newfoundland and Labrador--Happy Valley-Goose Bay]]> Bahamas]]> Florida]]> Italy]]> Poland]]> Massachusetts]]> New York (State)]]> Algeria]]> Tunisia]]> Libya]]> Egypt]]> North Africa]]> Ontario]]> Québec]]> Germany]]> Croatia]]> Czech Republic]]> Ghana]]> Greece]]> Kenya]]> Norway]]> Russia (Federation)]]> Turkey]]> Yemen (Republic)]]> Portugal]]> Trinidad and Tobago]]> North America--Niagara Falls]]> France--Reims]]> Europe--Frisian Islands]]> Germany--Monheim (North Rhine-Westphalia)]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> England--Norfolk]]> England--Suffolk]]> England--Gloucestershire]]> England--Lancashire]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Germany--Oberhausen (Düsseldorf)]]> Greece--Thessalonikē]]> Germany--Herne (Arnsberg)]]> Atlantic Ocean--Kattegat (Baltic Sea)]]> Libya--Banghāzī]]> Russia (Federation)--Arkhangelʹskai︠a︡ oblastʹ]]> Great Britain Miscellaneous Island Dependencies--Jersey]]> Virginia--Hampton Roads (Region)]]> Air Marshal Sir Richard Peck describes large composition and successes of RAF during 1943 whilst underlining the threat still posed by Germany.

Les machines
Maintains Anglo-American aircraft production is four times better than their opponents; combining skills and resources is highly beneficial.

Les hommes
Through the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, men from different countries trained in Canada, with the training spreading out to other countries.

Bomber Command
Main aim is to weaken the enemy’s war potential and open the way for the liberation armies.

Les barrages de la Ruhr
Describes the dawn operation by Lancasters on 17th May 1943, which destroyed the Möhne and Eder dams in the Ruhr Valley, using mines.

10,000 tonnes Hambourg
11 days of raids put Hamburg and its naval port out of action with 70% of the town destroyed or damaged.

Berlin 30,000 tonnes
As the main industrial hub and centre of Nazism, Berlin was one of the RAF’s main targets with many factories destroyed or damaged.

Les éclaireurs
Pathfinder Force, commanded by Air Vice-Marshal Bennett, was created in August 1942. They marked targets with flares to improve bombing accuracy.

Coastal Command
Important role played by aircraft in the Battle of the Atlantic, finding and attacking German submarines, and protecting allied ships.

Fighter Command
After four years, Fighter Command disbanded and split into defence and tactical aviation.

Transport Command
Created in 1943 to transport equipment from American and British production centres to operational bases and bases on the front.

D’El-Alamein en Italie
Campaigns from Africa to Italy have seen the air force and army leaders thinking and acting as one to maximum effect. Grip tightening on German industry.

Les ailes franco-brittaniques
Air Brigade General Martial Valin, commanding the Free French Air Force in Britain, outlines the positive Franco-British relationships and training provided. The Air Force’s different groups are described and how structures were effectively reformed, including in North Africa.

Normandie en Russie
Runs through the activities of the Normandy group on the Russian front during 1943, from training to successful operations. The Russians have shown friendship and esteem.



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Great Britain. Royal Air Force]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Pending text-based transcription. Other languages than English]]> fra]]> Text]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Air Force. Coastal Command]]> Royal Air Force. Fighter Command]]> Royal Navy]]> British Army]]> Royal Air Force. Transport Command]]> Free French Air Force]]> France]]> Germany]]> Canada]]> Ontario--Trenton]]> Germany--Essen]]> Germany--Hamburg]]> Germany--Dortmund]]> Germany--Hannover]]> Germany--Düsseldorf]]> Germany--Frankfurt am Main]]> Germany--Leipzig]]> Germany--Nuremberg]]> Germany--Mannheim]]> Germany--Wuppertal]]> Germany--Peenemünde]]> Germany--Bochum]]> Germany--Mülheim an der Ruhr]]> Germany--Kassel]]> Germany--Elberfeld]]> Germany--Cologne]]> Germany--Duisburg]]> Germany--Augsburg]]> Germany--Berlin]]> Italy]]> Egypt--Alamayn]]> Libya--Tripoli]]> Tunisia--Tunis]]> Italy--Sicily]]> Italy--Pantelleria Island]]> Russia (Federation)]]> Russia (Federation)--Smolensk]]> France--Limoges]]> Tunisia]]> Libya]]> Egypt]]> North Africa]]> Ontario]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]>
IBCC Digital Archive]]> Steve Baldwin]]> eng]]> Text]]> Map]]> Artwork]]> Royal Air Force]]> Albania]]> Yugoslavia]]> Syria]]> Iraq]]> Greece]]> Greece--Rhodes (Island)]]> Greece--Crete]]> Greece--Piraeus]]> Greece--Corinth Canal]]> Italy]]> Libya]]> Libya--Tobruk]]> Libya--Banghāzī]]> Libya--Tripoli]]> Tunisia]]> Tunisia--Mareth Line]]> Tunisia--Qābis]]> Tunisia--Sharīk Peninsula]]> Tunisia--Tunis]]> Italy--Palermo]]> Italy--Pantelleria Island]]> Italy--Syracuse]]> Italy--Messina]]> Italy--Salerno]]> Italy--Anzio]]> Italy--Viterbo]]> Italy--Giulianova]]> Italy--Verona]]> Italy--Turin]]> Italy--Pisa]]> Italy--Livorno]]> Italy--Trieste]]> Italy--Milan]]> Bulgaria]]> Bulgaria--Sofia]]> Hungary]]> Hungary--Budapest]]> Austria]]> Austria--Steyr]]> France]]> France--Valence (Drôme)]]> Germany]]> Germany--Munich]]> Croatia]]> Croatia--Rijeka]]> Romania]]> Romania--Bucharest]]> Romania--Ploiești]]> Danube River]]> North Africa]]> Libya--Martuba]]> Egypt--Fukah]]> Greece--Leros (Municipality)]]> 1940-06]]> 1940]]> 1941]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> 1945-05]]> His pilots on operations were Sergeant Walkden and Captain Lawrie. He is recorded as missing from the last of these operations. Comments on operations include: 'Aircraft holed 24 times. 2 through my turret'.]]> Great Britain. Royal Air Force]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> David Leitch]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Log book and record book]]> Royal Air Force]]> Algeria]]> Canada]]> Croatia]]> Czech Republic]]> France]]> Great Britain]]> Greece]]> Hungary]]> Italy]]> Poland]]> Romania]]> England--Oxfordshire]]> Greece--Crete]]> Italy--Sardinia]]> Italy--Sicily]]> Mediterranean Sea]]> Algeria--Blida]]> Croatia--Rijeka]]> Czech Republic--Pardubice]]> Danube River]]> France--Valence (Drôme)]]> Greece--Ērakleion]]> Hungary--Szombathely]]> Italy--Alghero]]> Italy--Angitola]]> Italy--Battipaglia]]> Italy--Borgo Rizzo]]> Italy--Cagliari]]> Italy--Caltanissetta]]> Italy--Castelvetrano]]> Italy--Catania]]> Italy--Civitavecchia]]> Italy--Decimomannu]]> Italy--Eboli]]> Italy--Elmas]]> Italy--Foggia]]> Italy--Formia]]> Italy--Marsala]]> Italy--Messina]]> Italy--Naples]]> Italy--Olbia]]> Italy--Palermo]]> Italy--Pantelleria Island]]> Italy--Pizzo]]> Italy--Rome]]> Italy--Salerno]]> Italy--Sesto Fiorentino]]> Italy--Taranto]]> Italy--Trieste]]> Italy--Villacidro]]> Italy--Viterbo]]> Poland--Warsaw]]> Québec--Mont-Joli]]> Romania--Bucharest]]> Scotland--Castle Kennedy]]> North Africa]]> Québec]]> Québec--Mont-Joli]]> Danube River]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1943-05-08]]> 1943-05-09]]> 1943-05-11]]> 1943-05-12]]> 1943-05-13]]> 1943-05-14]]> 1943-05-15]]> 1943-05-17]]> 1943-05-18]]> 1943-05-21]]> 1943-05-22]]> 1943-05-23]]> 1943-05-24]]> 1943-05-27]]> 1943-05-28]]> 1943-05-29]]> 1943-05-30]]> 1943-05-31]]> 1943-06-01]]> 1943-06-02]]> 1943-06-06]]> 1943-06-07]]> 1943-06-09]]> 1943-06-19]]> 1943-06-20]]> 1943-06-21]]> 1943-06-22]]> 1943-06-23]]> 1943-06-24]]> 1943-06-25]]> 1943-06-28]]> 1943-06-29]]> 1943-07-02]]> 1943-07-03]]> 1943-07-04]]> 1943-07-05]]> 1943-07-08]]> 1943-07-11]]> 1943-07-12]]> 1943-07-13]]> 1943-07-14]]> 1943-07-15]]> 1943-08-02]]> 1943-08-05]]> 1943-08-06]]> 1943-08-09]]> 1943-08-10]]> 1943-08-11]]> 1943-08-12]]> 1943-08-13]]> 1943-08-14]]> 1943-08-15]]> 1943-08-16]]> 1943-08-18]]> 1943-08-19]]> 1943-08-21]]> 1943-08-22]]> 1943-08-25]]> 1943-08-26]]> 1943-08-27]]> 1943-08-28]]> 1943-08-30]]> 1943-08-31]]> 1943-09-01]]> 1943-09-04]]> 1943-09-05]]> 1943-09-06]]> 1943-09-07]]> 1943-09-08]]> 1943-09-09]]> 1943-09-10]]> 1943-09-11]]> 1944-06-04]]> 1944-06-05]]> 1944-06-26]]> 1944-06-27]]> 1944-07-02]]> 1944-07-03]]> 1944-07-19]]> 1944-07-20]]> 1944-07-21]]> 1944-07-22]]> 1944-07-24]]> 1944-07-25]]> 1944-07-26]]> 1944-07-27]]> 1944-07-30]]> 1944-08-01]]> 1944-08-07]]> 1944-08-08]]> 1944-08-10]]> 1944-08-11]]> 1944-08-13]]> 1944-08-14]]> 1944-08-16]]> 1944-08-17]]> The Times]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> David Bloomfield]]> Steve Baldwin]]> eng]]> Text]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Navy]]> British Army]]> Wehrmacht. Luftwaffe]]> Italy]]> Italy--Pantelleria Island]]> 1942-06]]> Italy--Pantelleria Island]]>
The Earliest Years.
Born in Barnoldswick, then in Yorkshire, now in Lancashire in 1922. His father ran a wireless business until 1926. He describes his years at schools and a move to Norwich. The family then moved to London where he started an apprenticeship as an accountant.

Joining Up.
Cliff left the accountants to work in his father's radio business. Initially he was rejected by the RAF because he wore spectacles. He reapplied and passed various written, oral and medical examinations. Initial training was at Torquay then Newquay. Once training was complete he sailed from Greenock to South Africa.

Southern Rhodesia.
After acclimatisation in South Africa, Cliff and his colleagues were put on a sleeper train to Bulawayo in Southern Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe. Training commenced on Tiger Moths but he was 'scrubbed' or rejected. He was reselected as an air gunner and completed a course in Moffat, also in South Rhodesia. Hospitality in Rhodesia and South Africa was described as generous and excellent.

Postscript.
Cliff describes a run-in with a training corporal who took a dislike to him. Despite faked evidence he proved his points and emerged with a clean record and passed his exams.

Operational Training.
In August 1942 he sailed back to the UK. He was sent to Bournemouth for assessment, then on to RAF Finningley for training then RAF Bircotes for operations. Next was a move to RAF Hixon and its satellite airfield at Seighford. He married Hilda on 1st March 1943 during a week's leave.

Second Time to Africa.
He was then sent to West Kirby, Liverpool to join a ship sailing to Algiers, for further training. Their destination became Blida where they started operations on Tunis and Monserrato airfield. They then moved to a desert strip to the east by 250 kms. From there they continued operations into Italy. Later they moved to Kairouan and continued operations into Italy, mainly Sardinia and Sicily. Each operation is described in great detail.
He has included a letter in Arabic with instructions to take the bearer to British soldiers for a reward. At the end of his tour they sailed back to Greenock.

Screened.
After some leave Cliff's next posting was at Operational Training Unit Desborough where he helped train new gunners. Due to an argument with an officer he was sent to RAF Norton for correctional training. On his return his case was reviewed and the severe reprimand was removed from his record.

Scampton.
Scampton was Cliff's next operational base then Winthorpe for its Heavy Conversion Unit on Stirlings, followed by Syerston on Lancasters then Bardney.

227 Squadron.
Cliff joined 227 squadron at Bardney. Again he covers in detail each operation. His flight was later transferred to Balderton. During this period he was awarded the DFC.

Final Leg.
His squadron was transferred to Gravely at the end of the war. He did a photography course and was transferred to Handforth. There was little work, some unpleasantness and eventually a period of extended leave, a spell at Poynton looking after prisoners then demob.

Back to Civvy Street.
Cliff returned to Whitehaven to revitalise a radio company. He gives great detail about the improvements made. Later he set up a similar enterprise at Maryport. Wired radio services were set to become less popular and financially worthwhile so seeing the writing on the wall he decided to emigrate.

Kenya.
Cliff and family flew to Nairobi, then bus to Kitale where his father was.

Hoteli King George.
Dissatisfied with life on his father's farm, Cliff took a job as a prison officer. He and his family moved to Nairobi. He relates several stories about prisoners and their better qualities but in the end he gets restless and leaves.

Civil Aviation.
Cliff joined the East African Directorate of Civil Aviation in April 1951 as a radio officer. He and his family were relocated to Mbeya, 900 miles from Nairobi. His skills as a radio engineer were well used in this remote location. After 2.5 years the family returned to UK on leave. On his return he was posted to Mwanza, also in Tanganyika. He describes in great detail a royal visit. They left on leave in June 1957 and collected a VW Beetle for transport to Kenya. Their next move was to Entebbe. This was not a happy posting and led to a transfer to Kisumu in Kenya. After three years they transferred to Nairobi to spend more time with their children, who were at boarding school there.

D.C.A. Headquarters.
His role here was Telecomms superintendent. He describes in detail the operations of his section. This was an unsettled period in Kenya with many Europeans returning home.

Dec' 61 on Leave.
Leave was spent at their house in Wales then in May 1962 Cliff returned alone to Nairobi. His family did return later. By this time his father had abandoned his farm and was building radios.

On Leave June 1964.
He bought another house in Wales and spent his leave restoring it. His wife's mother moved in. In November 1964 Cliff returned alone to Nairobi. he left within a year due to the worsening situation.

Job Hunting.
Several electronics firms were approached offering Cliff's services. He attended an interview with Pye who quickly offered him employment.

At Pye Telecommunications.
He found his colleagues unhelpful. A great deal of time was spent on a Turkish quotation that had been in progress for 10 years. A quotation to the Iranian Directorate of Civil Aviation contained complications leading to Cliff revising the quotation. Later there was a complicated installation job at the London Stock Exchange. Eventually Pye pulled out from the bid but a rival company won it, only to be taken over by Pye. At first the system was troubled but after a simple modification it worked perfectly.

Dresden 13-14 February 1945.
A one page description of the bombing of Dresden.

Curriculum Vitae.
Cliff Watson's CV, dated 1976.











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Cliff Watson DFC]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Peter Bradbury]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Memoir]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Huntingdon]]> England--Yorkshire]]> England--Norwich]]> England--London]]> England--Torquay]]> England--Newquay]]> England--Birkenhead]]> Scotland--Greenock]]> Sierra Leone--Freetown]]> South Africa--Durban]]> Zimbabwe--Bulawayo]]> South Africa--Mahikeng]]> Zimbabwe--Harare]]> Singapore]]> South Africa--Cape Town]]> England--Bournemouth]]> France--Paris]]> Algeria--Algiers]]> Algeria--Blida]]> Tunisia--Tunis]]> Italy--Sardinia]]> Italy--Cagliari]]> Tunisia--Bizerte]]> Italy--Monserrato]]> Italy--Decimomannu]]> Italy--Trapani]]> Italy--Palermo]]> Italy--Naples]]> Italy--Rome]]> Italy--Lido di Roma]]> Italy--Tiber River]]> Italy--Alghero]]> Italy--Castelvetrano]]> Italy--Pantelleria Island]]> Tunisia--Sūsah]]> Italy--Syracuse]]> Italy--Messina]]> Italy--Salerno]]> Italy--Bari]]> Italy--Comiso]]> Italy--Crotone]]> Italy--Pomigliano d'Arco]]> Italy--Paola]]> Italy--Battipaglia]]> England--Desborough]]> Norway--Bergen]]> Netherlands--Walcheren]]> Germany--Hamburg]]> Norway--Oslo]]> Belgium--Houffalize]]> Germany--Karlsruhe]]> Germany--Dortmund-Ems Canal]]> Germany--Leipzig]]> Germany--Dortmund]]> Germany--Berchtesgaden]]> England--Whitehaven]]> Kenya]]> England--Yeovil]]> Kenya--Nairobi]]> Kenya--Kitale]]> Tanzania--Mbeya]]> Tanzania--Mwanza]]> Uganda--Entebbe]]> Kenya--Kisumu]]> England--Cambridge]]> Germany--Dresden]]> Germany--Braunschweig]]> Germany--Düsseldorf]]> Zimbabwe--Gweru]]> Zimbabwe]]> South Africa]]> Sierra Leone]]> France]]> Algeria]]> Tunisia]]> Italy]]> Netherlands]]> Germany]]> Norway]]> Poland]]> Belgium]]> Tanzania]]> Uganda]]> Iran]]> North Africa]]> Germany--Nuremberg]]> Iran--Tehran]]> Poland--Police (Województwo Zachodniopomorskie)]]> Netherlands--Vlissingen]]> Germany--Homburg (Saarland)]]> Tunisia--Munastīr]]> Tunisia--Qayrawān]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> England--Cornwall (County)]]> England--Cumberland]]> England--Devon]]> England--Hampshire]]> England--Huntingdonshire]]> England--Norfolk]]> England--Northamptonshire]]> England--Somerset]]> England--Lancashire]]> Italy--Capri Island]]>
Photo 2 is Pantelleria taken from 7000' between Bue Marino e Punta di San Leonardo slightly north east of the town, which is just visible to the right of the image. Caption: '-AI-O-AN.31-1/5-6/43.NT.F8".P4.SGT.RUTHERFORD.PANTELLERIA.7000 --- PN.0126.2x1000.5x500.3x250. G.150']]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Geolocated]]> eng]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Italy--Alghero]]> Italy--Pantelleria Island]]> Italy]]> 1943-05]]> 1943-06]]> 205 Group Royal Air Force]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Steve Baldwin]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Memoir]]> Royal Air Force]]> Albania]]> Austria]]> Austria--Steyr]]> Bulgaria]]> Bulgaria--Sofia]]> Croatia]]> Croatia--Rijeka]]> Danube River]]> France]]> France--Valence (Drôme)]]> Germany]]> Germany--Munich]]> Greece]]> Greece--Corinth Canal]]> Greece--Crete]]> Greece--Piraeus]]> Greece--Rhodes (Island)]]> Hungary]]> Hungary--Budapest]]> Iraq]]> Italy]]> Italy--Anzio]]> Italy--Giulianova]]> Italy--Livorno]]> Italy--Messina]]> Italy--Milan]]> Italy--Palermo]]> Italy--Pantelleria Island]]> Italy--Pisa]]> Italy--Salerno]]> Italy--Syracuse]]> Italy--Trieste]]> Italy--Turin]]> Italy--Verona]]> Italy--Viterbo]]> Libya]]> Libya--Banghāzī]]> Libya--Martuba]]> Libya--Tobruk]]> Libya--Tripoli]]> North Africa]]> Romania]]> Romania--Bucharest]]> Romania--Ploiești]]> Syria]]> Tunisia]]> Tunisia--Mareth Line]]> Tunisia--Qābis]]> Tunisia--Sharīk Peninsula]]> Tunisia--Tunis]]> Egypt--Fukah]]> Greece--Leros (Municipality)]]> 1940]]> 1941]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]>