Browse Items (383 total)

  • Temporal Coverage is exactly "1940"

PGrimesS1502.jpg
Sydney Grimes grew up near Southend and joined the RAF as a wireless operator in 1940. He flew a total of 41 operations - 24 operations with 106 Squadron and 17 operations with 617 Squadron. He then served on 9 Squadron at RAF Bardney for 2 months…

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MGreenAW104402-160919-02.pdf
A biography of Alan Green with personal photographs and headlines. It covers his training in Canada and UK. First squadron was 218 at Marham flying Wellingtons as a navigator, then Stirlings. He flew 22 operations and was shot down by friendly fire.…

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ATaplinJA880609.mp3
John volunteered to join the RAF in 1940 wanting to become aircrew as a wireless operator as he had an interest in early radios. While awaiting his aircrew application to be processed he did his initial training at Blackpool and then onto RAF…

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PRobsonJ1601.jpg
Jack spent a year in the Local Defence Volunteers before he was called up in 1941. He joined the Royal Army Ordnance Corps and became a radar mechanic. He trained in Glasgow on radio for five months and a further two months in Bury on Searchlight…

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PSzuwalskaW1510.jpg
Wanda Szuwalska was sixteen years old when Germany invaded Poland. The family was deported to Siberia by the Russian army. They travelled for several weeks to the Arkhangelsk region where Wanda then worked as a logger. When war intensified between…

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MRedgraveHC743047-160216-010001.jpg
A licence issued to Harry Redgrave

AWrightJDFC150608.mp3
Jim was a civil servant before joining the Royal Air Force in May 1941. He carried out two tours on 61, 630 and 97 Squadrons. Although he wanted to be a pilot, there was a shortage of navigators. He was called up to Regents Park and then posted to…

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MHitchcockJS740899-170926-07.pdf
A laundry book used by John whilst at Bassingbourn.

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BBarryCGBarryCGv1.pdf
Starts with description of feelings and actions beginning of the war. Mother had tried to persuade her to join land army and mentions brief experience and unsuitability for farming. Decided to join the RAF. Details enlistment and initial training…

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PBakerAH1801.jpg
Audrey Baker had been married to Gordon, her Bomber Command pilot husband for two years when he was killed in action. Gordon had been serving with 50 Squadron. She immediately joined the WAAF as a driver and was posted to Balloon Command. She drove…

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AKemleyHJS171031.mp3
Upon joining the RAF in 1940, Bob Kemley trained as a navigator and completed 34 operations on Halifaxes, Wellingtons, and Lancasters. He joined 427 Squadron based at RAF Leeming, before moving to 432 Squadron as a navigation officer. On his final…

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PHaynesER1701.jpg
Eric Haynes and his friends volunteered for the RAF together days after the declaration of war. He wanted to enlist as a photographer but was encouraged instead towards the role of RAF police. Later he saw a notice inviting recruits to remuster to…

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PCulpinBW1801.jpg
Bob Culpin worked for the civil service before joining the RAF in 1941. He was posted to Alabama for pilot training but was remustered and instead, completed a navigation course in Miami. When he returned to Great Britain, Culpin formed a…

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SGillK1438901v10002-0001.jpg
Head and shoulders portrait of a young man wearing civilian jacket and tie. On the reverse '1940'

MLeavissED1818433-151116-380001.jpg
Produced by 'Registration Research', it uses information from the squadron's operational record books. It records the major operations, gives periodic reviews, lists the changes in Officer Commanding and records events in the Squadron's history.

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ADavisR[Date]-01.mp3
Ron Davis talks of his joining the RAF and early training at Cardington, Bournemouth and Halton. He trained as a fitter and was posted to RAF Scampton on Hampdens with 49 Squadron. Ron tells many stories of life as groundcrew at RAF Scampton…

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BCleggPVLangAGv10003.pdf
One of three friends at RAF Warboys along with Peter Isaacson and Lighton Verdon Roe. Notes that Lang did 19 operations with 150 Squadron, 3 while on Operational Training Unit and 28 on 156 Squadron before his aircraft blew up over a target and he…

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MAnsellHT1893553-160730-04.pdf
A record of Henry Ansell's time at Plaistow Secondary School, West Ham from 15th September 1936 to 25th July 1940. Includes marks for each subject, attendance, height and weight.

SLambertBrownP19330417v10002.jpg
A letter written by the Commodore Superintendent Piers Keane Kekewich to the Admiralty, detailing the various reports on the the Malta Dockyard during the war.

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BCleggPVWilsonDv1.pdf
Biography of Squadron Leader David James Baikie Wilson, DSO, DFC and Bar (1917 - 1947). He flew operations as a pilot with 214, 196 and 617 Squadrons before becoming Head of Aerodynamic Development and Testing, and Test-Pilot at A V Roe & Co Ltd.…

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MCleggPV[DoB]-150701-01.pdf
A history of the Avro Repair Organisation at Bracebridge Heath. Aircraft with Category B damage were disassembled and taken to Bracebridge for repair. Contractor’s Working Parties repaired Category A damaged aircraft on their station using spares…

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BStevensonPDStevensonPDv1.pdf
Peter Stevenson's account of his service in the Officer Training Corps at Grantham and later in the Air Training Corps. Tells of his life in Grantham and the effect of the war on the town. Also his involvement post war in museums and projects to…

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ABendzkoHW180328.mp3
Hans-Walter Bendzko reminisces about his wartime experiences as a young boy in Berlin, before being evacuated. Describes his time at Wannsee, being properly looked after while surviving one of the Berlin bombings. Mentions incendiaries falling into a…

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MHattersleyCR40699-160506-030001.pdf
A service diary written by Peter Hattersley covering the period from November 1930 to 24 September 1948.Initially he served in the Royal Engineers but in February 1936 he joined the RAF. It covers his training and operations including a newspaper…

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BThickettPSaundersEJv10004.jpg
Two printed sheets with six photographs.
The text describes his early training then transfer to Canada learning on Ansons in the snow.
Photo 1 is Sam standing in the snow outside a hut.
Photo 2 is a ship.
Photo 3 is Sam and friend leaning on an…

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