Browse Items (101 total)

  • Spatial Coverage is exactly "Wales--Glamorgan"

MWarrenHJ619608-160425-02.pdf
Form 407, RAF Large Note Book, belonging to Harold Warren, and consisting of 90 pages of notes and drawings relative to his training.

LWardHVT1150434v1.pdf
Observer's and air gunners flying log book for Warrant Officer HVT Ward, flight engineer, from 15 September 1942 to 9 September 1945. Detailing his training schedule, operations flown and instructional duties.He was stationed at: RAF St. Athan, RAF…

SBondS-RichardsonAv10014.MP3
Jock begins the interview with joining up and first flying on 201 Squadron, with flying boats from Sullom Voe. He then, briefly, covers training as wireless operator/air gunner. He was posted to 38 Squadron Wellingtons in July 1940 at RAF Marham and…

PMorganA1701.jpg
Alan Morgan was working in a Reserved Occupation as an apprentice toolmaker when he volunteered for air crew with his friend and fellow apprentice. His friend was killed on his first operation. Alan trained as a flight engineer. On one operation the…

PMayBJ1601.jpg
Ben was born in 1925 in Kent and his first job was in the gas works. A member of the Air Transport Command, he was called up in 1944 and, after initial training at RAF Locking, he joined No.4 flight engineers’ course at RAF St Athan for one year.…

ASterryBS-PearsonC180725.mp3
Bernard Sterry and Cecilia Pearson, both born in Hull, talk about their lives as evacuees during the war. Bernard, who was 10 years old when war broke out, was evacuated from Hull to North Lincolnshire until September 1944, when he came back home at…

PHowB1601.jpg
Bernie How was 14 when war was declared and remembers aircrew socialising at his father's pub. He volunteered for the RAF at 17 and trained as a flight engineer on Stirlings. He describes a crash on take-off in a Stirling. He completed 35 operations,…

AHyndC171115.mp3
Colin Hynd joined the RAF in November 1943. Upon completing initial training, he was posted to RAF St Athan, where he trained as a flight engineer. He struggled to bond with his first crew, so instead worked as an instructor, before joining a…

ABaileyCE180424.mp3
Cyril Bailey worked in a garage before he volunteered for the RAF. He considered being a mechanic but was told there were no vacancies and he was encouraged to become a flight engineer. He joined 625 Squadron at RAF Kelstern and became the only…

PPettyD1601.jpg
Doug Petty was born in Shildon, County Durham and was a car maintenance apprentice before joining the Royal Air Force in 1942, as a flight engineer. He completed technical training at RAF St Athan, where he met Betty, his future wife. From there Doug…

PKeyEG1701.jpg
Ted Key was a flight engineer. He was born to a large family in London which he remembers coming down from Norfolk to visit. His father was in the Navy as a chief petty officer and away a lot. Ted was in the air defence cadet corps before he joined…

ABraithwaiteH180421.mp3
Harry Braithwaite was born in Portinscale and went to Keswick School. Harry was spurred on to volunteer when a close friend was killed in action. His father owned a garage and Harry would help him which gave him some mechanical knowledge. After…

AOrmorodJ170207.mp3
John Ormerod left school at 14 and worked in the textile industry before he volunteered for RAF. Initially, he trained as flight mechanic but later re-mustered to be a flight engineer. He talks about synchronising props and the German speaking eighth…

PSymondsKWP2103.jpg
Ken Symonds was in the Air Training Corps when the unit was visited by a flight engineer. This meeting inspired him, along with his cousin, to join the RAF in a ground trade with the expectation of moving on to become a flight engineer. Ken’s…

ASnowballM150626.mp3
Maurice Snowball was born and educated in Sunderland. After school, he served an engineering apprenticeship with a local family firm and was a member of the Home Guard. Maurice was a keen amateur footballer and had hopes of turning professional but,…

PAskewMV1801.jpg
Maurice Askew volunteered for the RAF and began training as a flight engineer. He was posted to 207 Squadron at RAF Spilsby and his first operation was to Berlin. On his last operation his aircraft came under attack. He was knocked unconscious as he…

AJonesPWA171207.mp3
Peter William Arthur Jones (b. 1954) speaks about his father Thomas John Jones DFC (b. 1921, 1640434 and 184141 Royal Air Force). Peter Jones discovered a memoir written by his father, Thomas Jones, a flight engineer, just after he passed away. Peter…

PFreemanR1801.jpg
Ralph Freeman volunteered for the RAF in 1942. He began initial training in March 1943 and, in October, was posted to Manitoba where he qualified as a pilot after training on Cornells and Ansons. Upon returning to Great Britain, Freeman was…

PParkeRG2303.jpg
Ray Parke trained as a flight engineer. During one training flight, the pilot wanted to get back to base as soon as possible because he had a date but they were flying a Stirling. The pilot made an error on landing and the wheel stayed in the ditch…

PBarrettR1703.jpg
Raymond Barnes worked in factories before he joined the RAF. He trained as an engine fitter and was posted to the Mediterranean, the Middle East and the Far East. He was servicing Spitfires for 242 Squadron and then Dakotas for 267 Squadron. He was…

PFisherT1701.jpg
Thomas Fisher initially trained as a fitter in the RAF. When the Air Ministry announced that flight engineers were needed from the ranks of the ground mechanics he volunteered for training. The CO was surprised that he volunteered and asked him if it…

PChubbWF1814.jpg
Bill Chubb had several challenges in his early life, including the death of his father when Bill was 12. After various jobs, he joined the RAF as a flight engineer. He became part of a Canadian crew, despite some objection! Bill tells many tales of…
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