Browse Items (85 total)
- Temporal Coverage starts with "1940-06"
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Some days in the life of a production test pilot
Mentions that he has six log books to cover his flying career. Gives a brief outline of career starting in Poland and then in United Kingdom starting in 1940. After training he became an instructor until volunteering for operations and posting to 300…
The Story of Frank Vivian Gunning
A biography of Vivian, born in Beaminster in 1920. He trained at Aldergrove and served at Bassingbourne, Wattisham, West Raynham, Watton then Wyton. Losses were high. He was shot down near Le Bourget, his two crew members dying with him. Additional…
Interview with Anna Maria Baccolini
Anna Maria Baccolini (b. 1933) recalls the first bombing of Turin, aimed at the Lingotto industrial area. Describes the impressive sight of the city burning and highlights the effects of nearby hits. Remembers the tender gesture of her father who…
Interview with Eraldo Bessone
Eraldo Bessone (b. 1925) describes the bombing of an industrial area close to the Lingotto district in Turin. Remarks that it was completely unexpected and stresses how the population was totally unprepared . Describes his attempt to reach a shelter,…
Interview with Margherita Franco
Margherita Franco (b. 1934) remembers listening to declaration of war on the radio while her father kept working in the garden. Describes her mother preparing a bag with food and other basic necessities and hanging heavy curtains at the windows as…
Ration State for 10/6/40
Fragment of a document referring to personnel and their ration requirements. On reverse ‘7020 GO handed to section by P/O Allitt 9/7/40’. and list with ticks.
National Service (Armed Forces) Act 1939 grade card
Grade card front page contains registration number SPF 20606 and George Bubb's name and address filled in. Date examined on was 29 June 1940. Grade one. At the bottom signatures of chairman of the board and G Bubb. Centre right is stamp of Birmingham…
Personnel travelling in France
Top left in the background a line of trucks parked on the roadside under trees. In the foreground a group of airmen some sitting eating and some standing under trees.
Top right group of four airmen on a river bank or lakeside framed by…
Top right group of four airmen on a river bank or lakeside framed by…
Scenes from France
Top left a convoy of lorries parked on the right side of a tree lined road. In the distance a group of people are gathered round the rear a lorry.
Top right a serviceman standing in the rear of a lorry serving food to a group of six men, some in…
Top right a serviceman standing in the rear of a lorry serving food to a group of six men, some in…
Scenes from France
Top left a horse drawn cart with a woman and children aboard stands by a roadside. A man stands to the right of the rear wheel. In the background trees.
Top right an airman kneeling stroking a baby goat with his right hand and smoking a cigarette.…
Top right an airman kneeling stroking a baby goat with his right hand and smoking a cigarette.…
Scenes from France including Battle aircraft
Across the top four photographs of French countryside. From left to right: Mill of St Martin on the Grand Morin river with trees including three prominent poplars in the background; an open field with trees in the background. In the centre smoke from…
Hampden aircraft and crews
Left page.
Top left - head and shoulders portrait of Sergeant Stephen Dawson wearing tunic with pilot brevet and side cap. Captioned 'Brand new wings, June 40'. Top right - looking down on aircrew wearing flying helmet in the rear gunners position…
Top left - head and shoulders portrait of Sergeant Stephen Dawson wearing tunic with pilot brevet and side cap. Captioned 'Brand new wings, June 40'. Top right - looking down on aircrew wearing flying helmet in the rear gunners position…
Kathleen Croft
A portrait of a woman in Women's Auxiliary Air Force uniform seated on a small table. Her hands are folded in front of her on top of her hat. On the reverse '[undecipherable] Taken at Ely June 1940' and '1-11-6'.
Photograph of Fifteen personnel and identity card for Section Officer J Donaldson
Top - eight members of Women's Auxiliary Air Force and seven Royal Air Force officers in two rows. Seven sitting in front and eight standing behind. All are wearing tunics and peaked hats. Joyce Donaldson is third from the right back row. There is…
Andrew Bain with another soldier and woman
Standing on front steps of a house, men either side of older woman in apron. On the reverse 'June 21st 1940, Cambridge, 101 Mowbray Road, "Back from France", Jackson, Auntie Pollendine, and AB'.
Sgt Edward Nevill's DFM newspaper reports
Six newspaper cuttings referring to the award of a DFM to Edward Nevill and giving details of the conduct which led to the three crew being awarded medals.
Edward Nevill's decorations
A frame containing Edward's five medals, a head and shoulders portrait and a newspaper cutting about his award of a DFM.
Decorations are: Distinguished Flying Medal, 1939-1945 Star, Air Crew Europe Star, Defence Medal and War Medal 1939-1945.
Decorations are: Distinguished Flying Medal, 1939-1945 Star, Air Crew Europe Star, Defence Medal and War Medal 1939-1945.
Five men in a Battle
Account of possibly the last Battle aircraft to escape from France before the country fell to the Germans in June 1940. Tells of the aircraft of 88 Squadron being repaired after being force down at Poitiers. Took of from Fontenoy-Le-Conte near La…
Submarine holds up American Refugee ship: first pictures
Three photographs of passengers on refugee liner Washington after she had been stopped by U-boat. Other headlines: guns are quiet now in no-mans land, Petain's speech stunned France, ambushed pressmen escape.
Britain's hour of destiny
Page 7 - editorial comments with photograph of a Whitley production line. Other headlines: Britain will fight on, munition worker's pay
The British Empire can beat the dictators
Left page: three columns of photographs one each of navy, army and air force with views pf people and equipment all with captions. Centre and right page photographs of Canada, S Africa, India, Australia and New Zealand army personnel. In the centre a…
Battle of Britain: RAF on offensive
Front page - contains Churchill battle of Britain quote.Subsidiary headlines: dictators talk four hours; French general's appeal from London, let all children go to safety. Photograph of evacuated children sitting in row with crowd behind them.
Hitler and Mussolini decide France's fate
Mani article - subsidiary headline: Petain orders fight on, Nazi white flag advance. Report on Hitler and Mussolini meeting when agreed attitude towards French request for armistice. Other headline|: French army of 500000 escapes, France bound by…
We have under arms now in this island over 1250000 men
On the left main article with 7 photographs showing groups of soldiers after disembarkation from Dunkirk, lines of civilians at recruiting stations, soldiers with a dog and a group of sailors. On the right an article - what to do if this country is…
Britain's middle east army: we stand firm
Main article - covers order to middle east army by Lieutenant General Sir Archibald Wavell and Air Chief Marshall Sir Arthur Longmore to fight on and that Egypt had been asked to declare war on Italy. Other headlines: ford to make 6000 air engines,…