Browse Items (380 total)
- Temporal Coverage starts with "1939"
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Interview with Robert Woodhouse
Robert Woodhouse was living in Pembroke Dock when the bombing of the town began. The family relocated to Cardiff when they lost their home in the bombing. In Cardiff Robert joined the Air Training Corps. He had a cousin who had already joined the RAF…
Interview with Colin Atkinson and Jean McEwan
Colin Atkinson was 12 at the outbreak of war and grew up in Lincolnshire. His father was a Lieutenant Colonel in the army. He worked as a trainee reporter for the local paper and served as a messenger for civil defence; his post was on the Castle…
Interview with Brian Hutson
Brian Hutson was a child during the war. He remembers his father, who worked on building airfields and delivering air raid shelters. He remembers his childhood, sleeping in a shelter and listening to aircraft, air raids, blackouts, playing with…
Letter from Ian Hay to his grandmother
Written while at Uxbridge after he was attested and issued uniform and expected to be posted on soon. Describes the camp, pay and speculates of future leave.
Letter from Ian Hay to his grandmother
Written from RAF North Coates. Describes camp location and aerodrome. Points out that location is closest in country to Germany. Describes air raid shelter and accommodation. Mentions E.N.S.A. concert.
Letter from Ian Hay to his grandmother
Describes a little of his daily activities including a display of 15 types of aircraft they might see in the local area. Describes some of his guard duties. Writes that he has been posted with all wireless operators to Yatesbury. Describes expected…
Letter from Ian Hay to his grandmother
Written from RAF Yatesbury. Describes getting flu and his journey from North Coates to Yatesbury. Describes camp and facilities. Mentions that he has 6 days Christmas leave.
Interview with Kenneth Angus
Kenneth Angus lived in Hull, and was 12 when war was declared. He discusses life on a farm after being evacuated, the bombing of Hull and his brother Harry Angus, who was killed flying as a wireless operator / air gunner with 44 Squadron from RAF…
Interview with Ken Marshall
Ken Marshall, grew up in Barton on Humber and enrolled with the ATC before joining the University Air Squadron at Durham University. On one occasion he saw an aircraft on fire at RAF Elsham Wolds and although the crew was rescued it was a reminder of…
Interview with Raymond Race
Raymond Race was born in a family working in the textile industry and joined the RAF in 1943, serving on the metropolitan communications squadron. Tells about his family’s military service: his father joined the Royal Field Artillery; his eldest…
104 (B) Squadron Group Photograph
A squadron photograph taken at Bassingbourn in May 1939. Four rows of airmen and ground crew positioned in front of a Blenheim.
Seeding the Storm
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…
John Mitchell - list of operations 1939-1940
Flight Sergeant wireless operator on 58 Squadron at RAF Linton-on-Ouze flying Whitley III. First operation to Ruhr to drop leaflets and crash landed in France on the way back. Other operations were convoy patrol and bombing in France, Netherlands,…
First Operation
John Mitchell describes events during his first operation to drop leaflets on the Rhur. After engine failure they force crash landed in a field in France. They were gathered by French Gendarmes and flown back to England three days later. In addition…
John Mitchell - notes for memoire
Notes describing first leaflet sortie, problems with starboard engine, forced landing and activities in France and return to England. Then moves on to 207 Squadron and lists operations and flying after finishing second tour and post war.
List of locations
List of places and dates where Frank Nolan studied or worked. Of note were placements at Vickers Armstrong at Squires Gate, A V Roe at Chadderton and various ministry of aircraft production aeronautical inspection directorate locations.
Letter from Frank Nolan to T G Green, A.I.D Office at A V Roe
Argues that his seniority for redundancy should be dated back to 3 September 1939 (not 9 March 1942) as he served earlier during the war and war in receipt of disability pension.
Frank Nolan history
Dates of main events of life of J F Nolan including birth, education, army service 1939-1941, then Air Ministry AID in various locations including Vickers Armstrong and A V Roe.
Letter from Jack Hay to 'Auntie'
Complains about speed of mail and passes on new address and mentions mail received. Catches up with family news and gossip.
Letter from Jack Hay to 'Auntie'
Thanks her for parcel with cigarettes and tobacco. Writes a little about his circumstances and comments on mail received. Catches up with news of family and friends who was joining up.
Letter from Jack Hay to 'Auntie'
Acknowledges receipt of letters and parcel. Writes that he believes Ian had better enlist in the RAFVR and mentions medical issues. Catches up with other news.
Letter from Jack Hay to 'Auntie'
Catches up with family news and speculates over future of son Ian and what help he might find for him. Comments on his current circumstances and possibility of leave, Complains about finances and state of pay Mentions journey to a hospital 25 miles…
Letter from Jack Hay to 'Auntie'
Acknowledges letters and thanks her for parcel with tobacco. Mentions receiving a letter frim colleague about varieties of RAFVR and how they worked. Mentions French interpreter, his pay and other matters discussed about filming. Continues with…
Jack's life and service up to 1942
A memoir by Jack of his life before and service in the R.A.F. up to 1942. Has his comments on postings and events up to 1942.
Interview with Bill Ballantyne
Bill Ballantyne was in his first year at Cambridge University and a member of the Air Squadron when war was declared out in 1939. Upon joining the air force, he was posted to South Africa, where he trained as a pilot on Tiger Moths. He joined 267…