Browse Items (96 total)
- Spatial Coverage is exactly "Scotland--Dumfries and Galloway"
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Letter from Peter Lamprey to W Gunton
Peter Lamprey writes about his journey to and life at Royal Air Force Castle Kennedy, including intensive training and exhaustion.
Interview with Owen Cox
Owen Cox went to a grammar school in York and joined the Home Guard when the war started. At 18 he joined the Royal Air Force, although his parents were not keen. His initial trade was ground wireless operator (Morse), waiting to attend a gunnery…
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.…
Tags: 514 Squadron; air gunner; aircrew; bombing of Nuremberg (30 / 31 March 1944); bombing of the Le Havre E-boat pens (14/15 June 1944); ground crew; ground personnel; Hurricane; Initial Training Wing; Lancaster; Lancaster Finishing School; Lancaster Mk 1; Lancaster Mk 2; Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944); RAF Brackla; RAF Cardington; RAF Feltwell; RAF Halton; RAF Henlow; RAF Stradishall; RAF Swinderby; RAF Ternhill; RAF Waterbeach; RAF West Freugh; Stirling; tactical support for Normandy troops; training; V-2; V-weapon; Women’s Auxiliary Air Force
Letter from Bill Akrill to Mary
Writes from 'The Freugh, nr Stranraer'. Catches up with post and thanks for sending letters and parcels. Catches up with news of family and acquaintances, Writes of gardening and speculates about leave. He is disappointed that the RAF will not…
Tags: RAF West Freugh; training
Letter from Bill Akrill to Ros and Harry
Comments on photographs recently sent and catches up with family news.
Bill describes his mounting flying hours during air navigation training and the imminent start of bombing training. He can’t wait to be doing it for real on operations.…
Bill describes his mounting flying hours during air navigation training and the imminent start of bombing training. He can’t wait to be doing it for real on operations.…
Letter from Bill Akrill to family
Bill writes about his forthcoming leave (shorter than he hoped) and how he will have to return to Scotland before being posted to the Operational Training Unit. Was hoping to arrive home with his Sergeant's stripes and brevets on his greatcoat and…
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Last letter before leaving West Freugh. Writes about potential choice next courses as navigator or bomb aimer. Chooses navigator course at Upper Heyford. Considered navigator as harder job. Catches up with news and writes in pencil at the end that he…
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Writes of insect bite and catches up with family news.
Excited that cadets now have own mess and, although not popular with the ground crew, aircrew need a special diet. Food is now much better and describes meals. Writes of flight up to near…
Excited that cadets now have own mess and, although not popular with the ground crew, aircrew need a special diet. Food is now much better and describes meals. Writes of flight up to near…
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Bill describes his new location in Scotland as a desolate place, comparing it unfavourably with his previous stations: 'posh hotels, fashionable seaside resorts, country mansions'. Stranraer is about 12 miles away. Mentions that there are Ansons,…
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Bill writes that he is happier with location and work will be interesting. Little chance of long leaves. Would like to get his bike up there, so he can go on 'good rides' around the local countryside. Mentions Stranraer as a 'dismal sort of place'.…
Letter from Bill Akrill to his aunt
Bill mentions that he was disappointed not to go overseas for training but that his mother would be pleased he is staying for home training. Writes of enjoying Eastbourne but is now at new completely different type of location at West Freugh.…
Letter from Bill Akrill to Mary
Bill writes about the hot weather which has caught him out. His diet could be more varied (Mary has mentioned tomatoes) and there could be more food. He queued for an hour to get a seat at the only cafe in Stranraer.
In answer to her questions,…
In answer to her questions,…
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Thanks her for parcel with food. Complains about food and mentions passing of summer. Mentions doing night flying and sleeping all day and that he was allowed to fly on trip from Holyhead to Mull of Galloway, not as much fun as Tiger Moth. Says he is…
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Writes that his bicycle has arrived and has a good ride and it is now locked it up. Describes in some detail the local countryside and type of farming. Mentions flying to Western Isles and Ireland and had fun with Lysander used as gunnery target.…
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Bill describes how his flying hours are going and (they are really 'navigating' most of the time, if the pilot co-operates) how they will be going on to reconnaissance flights and aerial photography next. Reassures his mother that it is safe for him…
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Catches up with news of family and friends. Mentions dairy farming in local area. Describes photo reconnaissance work and other flying activity. Talks of journey home on next leave. Writes of bad news on Libya and good news on RAF bombing operations.
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Bill opens with finance matters (it is pay day) and that he is doing the same old routine flying over north-western Scotland, Northern Ireland, northern England and Wales. Would like to fly nearer Lincoln (home) occasionally. Now on bombing course…
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Bill catches up with domestics, family and friends news. Describes station parade of 2000 men. Now devoting one afternoon a week to station defence. Mentions Winston Churchill and A Sinclair passing through Stanraer. Mentions American in local area…
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Bill is delighted to receive his mother's parcel and letter, and especially the home-made fruit pies which reminded him strongly of home. He includes a cartoon of him eating one with a house and farm behind him. States that the entire station has…
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Bill writes of the dreadful journey back to West Freugh after leave. Nearly had to report sick due to wasp sting on hand which had swelled up badly. Feels better for leave but seemed to go really quickly and journey back terrible. Catches up on news…
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
It is pay day, so Bill is sending money home and asking his mother to send his comb and diary which he left there.
Now senior course so lots of cross country flights. Dropped his first bombs, which he describes in some detail. Continuing with…
Now senior course so lots of cross country flights. Dropped his first bombs, which he describes in some detail. Continuing with…
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Bill thanks her for her parcel and letter. Shocked by story of bombs jettisoned by friendly aircraft but shouldn't judge until know the facts. Worried about Lancaster base being so close to home ('Those Lancasters and the drome are a menace').…
Letter from Bill Akrill to his aunt
Catches up with news and apologises for not visiting while on leave.
Bill says he enjoyed his last leave, although he mentions that the nearby aerodrome is expanding and aircraft going overhead. He did, however, managed to get a trip in an…
Bill says he enjoyed his last leave, although he mentions that the nearby aerodrome is expanding and aircraft going overhead. He did, however, managed to get a trip in an…
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother and Mary
Bill catches up with family news and comments on the wet weather. States food is now better, although not as when first improved. Catches up with more news of farm and friends as well as family fund-raising for dinghies. Outlines what they do for…
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
Bill hopes harvest is going well and complains about food in the camp.
He gives a vivid description of dinghy drill, which was very funny to watch, but got on well with his own swimming and went on to Girvan where he describes what they did on…
He gives a vivid description of dinghy drill, which was very funny to watch, but got on well with his own swimming and went on to Girvan where he describes what they did on…