Browse Items (341 total)
- Temporal Coverage starts with "1945-05"
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Interview with John Louis Goldby
John Goldby was born in Kent but the family moved to London the year after. He was inspired to join the RAF when a schoolfriend joined and became a Spitfire pilot. John believes that it was a mid-air collision with a night fighter that led to his…
Interview with Raymond George Goss
Raymond Goss lived on the family farm at Westcott before, during and after the construction and occupation of RAF Westcott as 11 Operational Training Unit. One evening a Lancaster collided with a Wellington on the field and both exploded. The Goss…
Interview with Nora Hailey
Nora Hailey was born in Portsmouth, and then the family moved to Eastney. Before the German bombing she was evacuated to her Auntie’s in Worthing. After a few weeks nothing happened so they went back to Portsmouth. When the bombing began she and…
Interview with Raymond Isherwood
Raymond Isherwood grew up in Watford and when at the grammar school he joined the Air Training Corps. His first job was at a government laboratory, which was a reserved occupation except for air crew. As he had always been interested in aircraft…
Interview with Jack Kenneth Lyon
Jack Lyon was a navigator/ bomb aimer and a prisoner of war for almost four years. Born in 1918, he was employed with the London Gas Company as a bookkeeper until August 1939 when he transferred to Shell. At the outbreak of the war, Shell closed…
Interview with Taff Owen
Aneurin ‘Taff’ Owen was born neat Dolgellau, near Penmaenpool in Wales, and joined the Royal Air Force at the age of 18 in 1942. Taff was a farmer’s son and as such was put into a reserved occupation, so some of the areas of the Royal Air Force…
Five groups of airmen
Top left is of five airmen in front of a tent. On the reverse 'Ingoldmells Rest Camp
September, 1945'.
Top centre is of six airmen sitting on a grassy bank. On the reverse
'Spilsby, May 1945.
Ian Ron
Taffy Eric
Me Jim
Ron'
Top right 3 is…
September, 1945'.
Top centre is of six airmen sitting on a grassy bank. On the reverse
'Spilsby, May 1945.
Ian Ron
Taffy Eric
Me Jim
Ron'
Top right 3 is…
Interview with Gerald Rich
Gerald’s father, Wilfred, joined the Royal Air Force in January 1920 and stayed until about 1927 training as an aircraft fitter. He re-joined in June 1940 at RAF Cardington. In 1944, upon completion of training, he went to No. 1 Air Gunnery School…
207 Squadron Pilots May 1945
24 airmen arranged in three rows and captioned '207 Sqdn. Pilots May 1945.' On the reverse '406 Malcolm Staves'.
Interview with Francis Neville Selwood
Francis Neville Selwood of Invercargill, New Zealand was fascinated with aeroplanes in his youth and lived near an airfield where he could go and watch the aircraft. He was keen to volunteer as a pilot but an early rugby injury made that impossible.…
Interview with Brian Robert Southwell
Brian Robert Southwell was born in Sydney and lived during the Depression which saw him have to set aside his interest in aircraft in order to secure a steady wage with an office job. He spent eighteen months making a model aircraft with the support…
Interview with Archie Weir
Archie was born in Ayreshire. He was about 17 when he joined, then went to South Africa to train as a bomb aimer. In February 1943 Archie worked on Halifax Mk 2 before being transferred to Lancaster finishing school at RAF Syerston. In November…
Interview with Roland Spencer Williams
Roland Spencer Williams was born in Christchurch, New Zealand. Wanting to get involved in the war he joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1942. After initial training in New Zealand, as an air gunner, he sailed on the SS Nieuw Amsterdam to San…
Interview with Elizabeth Zettl
Elizabeth Zettl was born in Croydon. Her father was a stockbroker and she had a sister who was ten years younger. At ten Liz went to school in Hillcotte in Eastbourne until she was 18. She went to college for six months to train as a secretary and…
Letter to David Donaldson from Harold Gordon
From Squadron Leader Harold Gordon thanking David for sending 192 Squadron crest. Notes it was a pleasure working with 192 Squadron from Air Ministry and Group as well as serving on the squadron.
Letter to 'Winnie' Churchill from F P Grant
Writes that he has left the air force and starts new job with customs and excise shortly. Comment on his future and life in Canada. States he has not seen anyone from the squadron but has had a letter from ex colleague.
David Donaldson's pilot's flying log book. One
Pilots flying log book for David W Donaldson. This is a newly bound compilation of 3 log books covering the period from 12 March 1938 to 19 September 1945. Detailing his flying training, operations flown, Instructor duties and special duties flying.…
An account of Operation Manna
An account of events leading up to, and during Operation Manna, plus personal involvement. Page contains head and shoulders photograph of Jeff Brown, in uniform, showing an air gunners brevet and sergeants stripes.
VE Day Lancaster crash
Account of Jeff Brown witnessing Lancaster NN806 crash on take-off on VE Day. Includes a photograph of 13 air and ground crew of 576 Squadron, under their aircraft, including Jeff Brown.
Letter to David Donaldson from F Daubney
From F C Daubney at Air Ministry thanking David for the squadron crest which reminds him of his association with 192 Squadron. Goes on to lavish praise on the squadron for its wartime role and thanks him on behalf of all who came into contact with…
Letter from David Donaldson to Wing Commander R K Budge
As addressee has close association with the squadron, notes enclosure of photograph of squadron crest.
Letter from David Donaldson to Mrs F Butler
Mentions that her husband had a close association with the squadron and he is sending her a photograph of new squadron crest to give to her husband when he returns from India.
Letter from David Donaldson to F C Daubney
As Group Captain Daubney has had close association with the squadron, he is enclosing photograph of new squadron crest.
Letter from David Donaldson to Squadron Leader H G Jordan
As addressee had close association with the squadron, David is sending him a photograph of new squadron crest.
192 Squadron
A large number of Royal Air Force personnel in four rows in front of a Halifiax and a row on top of the wings. David Donaldson is in the middle of the front row just to the left of a goat. On the reverse '192 Squadron, B Flight, May? 1945'. The goat…