Browse Items (96 total)

  • Spatial Coverage is exactly "Scotland--Dumfries and Galloway"

EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420729-0001.jpg
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…

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EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420726-0001.jpg
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…

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EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420710-0001.jpg
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…

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EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420706-0001.jpg
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…

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EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420701-0001.jpg
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…

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EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420627-0001.jpg
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.

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EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420619-0001.jpg
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…

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EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420615-0001.jpg
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.…

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EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420613-0001.jpg
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…

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EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420605-0001.jpg
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,…

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EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420524-0001.jpg
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.…

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EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420521-0001.jpg
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'.…

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EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420515-0001.jpg
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,…

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EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]4208XX-0001.jpg
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…

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EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo][Date]-060001.jpg
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…

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EAkrillWEAkrill[Fam]XXXX20-0001.jpg
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…

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EAkrillWE[Recipient]R-H420705-0001.jpg
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.…

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EAkrillWE[Recipient]M[Date]-010001.jpg
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…

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MSaintTJ1452007-180212-01.pdf
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.…

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PCoxOV2003.jpg
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…

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ELampreyPGuntonW4211190001-01.pdf
Peter Lamprey writes about his journey to and life at Royal Air Force Castle Kennedy, including intensive training and exhaustion.

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ELampreyPGuntonW[Date]-10.pdf
Peter Lamprey writes about his life training in the Royal Air Force including his busy schedule, his gratitude for the stamps and lack of leisure time.

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ELampreyPGuntonW[Date]-09.pdf
Peter Lamprey writes about life in the Royal Air Force while training as an air gunner.

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YStavesME203137v1.pdf
Copy of a day by day diary kept by Malcolm Staves from 26th April 1943 to 6th January 1945. Covers training, lectures, gardening and cleaning tasks. Also covers his social life and home leave.

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BMitchellJEFMitchellJEFv2.pdf
Account of John Mitchell's career in the Royal Air Force from Oct 1934 until November 1957. Writes of his early ambitions to fly, and joining the RAF as a wireless operator. Describes his training and early postings to Worthy Down on Vickers…

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