1
25
44
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/2559/43586/SLambertBrownP19330417v10009.2.pdf
3b873664b4f9c9724a4cf5b381ef9ed5
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Lambert-Brown, Peter
P Lambert-Brown
Description
An account of the resource
12 items. The collection concerns Peter Lambert-Brown (b. 1933 Royal Navy). A collection of documents compiled for the Admiralty detailing the bombing of the Royal Navy Dockyards in Malta. The collection covers the siege of Malta and includes the various vessels and docks that were damaged, and the repairs that were undertaken carried out.
The collection was donated to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Jacqueline Sherman and catalogued by Benjamin Turner.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2023-05-12
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
LambertBrown, P
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Appendix VI- Table of Raids
Description
An account of the resource
Each page documents a table of attacks on the docks of Malta. The air raids detailed in the table record the raid number, number of casualties, damage (both place and extent) and damage to ships and equipment.
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1940
1940-06
1940-09
1941-01
1941-03
1941-04
1941-05
1941-07
1941-08
1941-10
1941-11
1941-12
1942-01
1942-02
1942-03
1942-04
1942-05
1942-06
1942-07
1942-10
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Malta
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Navy
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
25 page typewritten report
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
SLambertBrownP19330417v10009
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
bombing
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/2559/43583/SLambertBrownP19330417v10007-0005.2.pdf
f308292e04cdae73bfb6c8c10148c936
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Lambert-Brown, Peter
P Lambert-Brown
Description
An account of the resource
12 items. The collection concerns Peter Lambert-Brown (b. 1933 Royal Navy). A collection of documents compiled for the Admiralty detailing the bombing of the Royal Navy Dockyards in Malta. The collection covers the siege of Malta and includes the various vessels and docks that were damaged, and the repairs that were undertaken carried out.
The collection was donated to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Jacqueline Sherman and catalogued by Benjamin Turner.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2023-05-12
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
LambertBrown, P
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Appendix V(e) Selection from Lists of Articles Manufactured by Constructive Department. H.M. Dockyard. Malta for Army, Air Force and Civil Government Since June 1940
Description
An account of the resource
A list detailing items intended for use by the armed forces manufactured in the dockyards of Malta. The list also details the number of each individual article manufactured since June 1940.
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1940
1940-06
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Malta
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Navy
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
4 page typewritten report
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
SLambertBrownP19330417v10007-0005
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/2142/36936/SHitchcockJS740899v10001.1.jpg
f0cf56d329e498d675cf8b8124162974
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/2142/36936/SHitchcockJS740899v10002.1.jpg
b95cc5236aff1a2a1b0f846ff88233b1
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/2142/36936/SHitchcockJS740899v10003.1.jpg
1784d23420cb7f41ab66dabaff81eab4
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/2142/36936/SHitchcockJS740899v10004.1.jpg
69912507281afc6a302d1e08f146bc01
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/2142/36936/SHitchcockJS740899v10005.1.jpg
86dc8700bbc3f1a587d53e63dc4ce705
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/2142/36936/SHitchcockJS740899v10006.1.jpg
d8f341191f45d50b852f8bba7e793ab0
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Hitchcock, John Samuel. Course Photos
Description
An account of the resource
18 items. Photographs and items from his training in North Africa.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-09-26
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Achive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Hitchcock, JS
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Sleeping Out Passes
Description
An account of the resource
Six passes allowing John to leave his unit overnight.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
No 11 Operational Training Unit
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Bassingbourn
England--Grantham
England--Herefordshire
England--Lincolnshire
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Six printed sheets with handwritten annotations
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
SHitchcockJS740899v10001, SHitchcockJS740899v10002, SHitchcockJS740899v10003, SHitchcockJS740899v10004, SHitchcockJS740899v10005, SHitchcockJS740899v10006
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1940-04
1940-06
1940-07
11 OTU
aircrew
Operational Training Unit
training
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1826/33147/MScottEW188329-170406-05.2.jpg
8d339628d989d4029271af63a73ee7c5
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Scott, Eric William
E W Scott
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-04-06
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Scott, EW
Description
An account of the resource
139 items. The collection concerns Flying Officer Eric Scott (1425952, 188329 Royal Air Force) and contains his log books, a memoir, correspondence, documents, newspaper cuttings, a flying course handbook and photographs. He flew operations in North Africa as a bomb aimer with 142 Squadron and then after an instructional tour in Palestine started a second tour on 37 Squadron in Italy where he was shot down and finished the war as a prisoner. <br /><br />The collection includes three albums.<br /><a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/show/2040"><span>Album 1</span></a> <span>Photographs of Jerusalem, Bethlehem. Tel Aviv, Haifa and friends.</span><br /><a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/show/2041">Album 2</a> <span>Photographs taken during training in the United States and England and during his service in North Africa and Italy.<br /><a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/show/2046">Album 3</a> Correspondence, newspaper cuttings, documents and the last issue of the Prisoner of war Journal.<br /></span><br /><br />The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Jacqui Holman and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
205 GROUP ROYAL AIR FORCE
[map]
ALBANIA
JUGOSLAVIA
BULGARIA
SYRIA
IRAQ
RHODES
CRETE
PIRAEUS
CORINTH
LEROS
DABA
CAPUZZO
FUKA
HALFAYA
EL ADEM
MARTUBA
TOBRUK
BENGHAZI
TRIPOLI
MARETH
GABES
CAPE BON
TUNIS
JUNE 1940
PALERMO
PANTELLARIA
SYRACUSE
MESSINA
ANZIO
VITERBO
GUILIANOVA
VERONA
TURIN
PISA
LEGHORN
TRIESTE
MILAN
SOFIA
BUDAPEST
STEYR
VALENCE
MUNICH
FIUME
BUCHAREST
PLOESTI
DANUBE
MAY 1945
[indecipherable name] A.B. Read.
In the 1939 – 1945 World War 205 Group provided the only mobile force of heavy night bombers in the Mediterranean theatre. During the North African and Italian campaigns the Wellingtons, Halifaxes and Liberators of the Group operating as a tactical force, attacked communications and concentrations of Rommel’s Afrika Korps and of the Italian armies during their advance to the Quattara Depression, the Battle of El Alamein and during their retreat until their final capitulation in Tunisia. Without respite they operated against Kesselring’s army during the invasions of Sicily, Italy and the South of France. As a strategical force their targets – ports, airfields, marshalling yards, oil refineries and factories – ranged over the Mediterranean area and Europe. Aid was given to patriots in France, supplies and arms were dropped to Partizans in the Balkans and to the patriots in Warsaw. The Danube was mined persistently. Shining courage is the epitaph of those who died.
We will remember them.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
205 Group Royal Air Force Battle Honours
Description
An account of the resource
Map showing Mediterranean Sea and surrounding countries. Provides a history of of the group who provided the only mobile force of heavy bombers in the Mediterranean theatre. Wellington, Halifax and B-24 acted as a tactical force attacking communications and Italian and German forces throughout the North African campaign. Continued to support operations in Sicily, Italy, The Balkans and South of France. On the sides the locations of many of the targets attacked by the groups aircraft.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One page coloured map and printed text
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Map
Artwork
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
MScottEW188329-170406-05
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Albania
Yugoslavia
Syria
Iraq
Greece
Greece--Rhodes (Island)
Greece--Crete
Greece--Piraeus
Greece--Corinth Canal
Italy
Libya
Libya--Tobruk
Libya--Banghāzī
Libya--Tripoli
Tunisia
Tunisia--Mareth Line
Tunisia--Qābis
Tunisia--Sharīk Peninsula
Tunisia--Tunis
Italy--Palermo
Italy--Pantelleria Island
Italy--Syracuse
Italy--Messina
Italy--Salerno
Italy--Anzio
Italy--Viterbo
Italy--Giulianova
Italy--Verona
Italy--Turin
Italy--Pisa
Italy--Livorno
Italy--Trieste
Italy--Milan
Bulgaria
Bulgaria--Sofia
Hungary
Hungary--Budapest
Austria
Austria--Steyr
France
France--Valence (Drôme)
Germany
Germany--Munich
Croatia
Croatia--Rijeka
Romania
Romania--Bucharest
Romania--Ploiești
Danube River
North Africa
Libya--Martuba
Egypt--Fukah
Greece--Leros (Municipality)
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1940-06
1940
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
1945-05
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Steve Baldwin
B-24
bombing
Halifax
Warsaw airlift (4 August - 28 September 1944)
Wellington
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1791/32504/BWierTWierTv2.1.pdf
f0e6428e65135d636a2fba38be8f4cde
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Wier, Tadeusz
T Wier
Tadeusz Wierzbowski
T Wierzbowski
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-01-22
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Wier, T
Description
An account of the resource
24 items. The collection concerns Tadeusz Wier (b.1920) and contains his log books, memoirs, photographs and documents. He flew operations as a pilot with 300 Squadron.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Michael Wier-Wierzbowski and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Requires
A related resource that is required by the described resource to support its function, delivery, or coherence.
Tadeusz Wierzbowski grew up on a farm near Zgierz, Poland. He learned to fly at the training school at Deblin and escaped from the Nazi and Russian invasions in 1939. He travelled through Romania to the Black Sea, and was in France when the Nazis invaded. He eventually arrived in Liverpool on the Andura Star in June 1940.
He flew as an instructor, training others to fly for three years, before he was posted into combat with 300 Squadron. He flew 25 operations as a Lancaster pilot from RAF Faldingworth including bombing Hitler’s Eagle’s nest at Berchtesgaden.
Tadeusz was a test pilot after the war and shortened his name to Wier to make it easier for air traffic control officers. Over his career, he flew over 40 different aircraft types from Polish RWD 8 trainers to Vampire jets.
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
[underlined] Some Days In The Life of a Production Test Pilot [/underlined]
It is usual for the memory to become somewhat vague with the advancing yeas. Certain facts are definitely well remembered, although dates when things happened will not be precise unless recorded in an official document.
I am using my Pilots Flying Log Book to confirm some dates or periods of my Service as well as locations when odd problems occurred during my days of flying as a Production Test Pilot. To be accurate, I have six log books, five completed and bound in one volume and the sixth almost filled in and ending with my last flight as captain of the aircraft when I flew in an Anson on the 25 September 1959, from Aldergrove to Ballykelly and returning to Aldergrove, Northern Ireland.
My flying career started in Poland in 1938 with glider pilot courses, then service in the Polish Air Force and flying training in Deblin, home of the Officer Cadets Flying Training School. After the Polish September Campaign, I, like most of the Polish Air Force personnel, passed through Rumania, Syria, France, eventually landing in Liverpool, England, at the end of June 1940.
My Pilots Flying Log Book starts with a refresher course at Hucknall, Notts, the first flight taking place on the 12 May 1941 in a Magister aircraft. After a week, posting to No 8 SFTS, Montrose, Scotland. Very soon after obtaining my "Pilots Wings" I became a Pilot Instructor first in Weston Zoyland, Somerset, and then serving with 25 (P)EFTS in Hucknall where I stayed until July 1944.
There is no doubt that I was very lucky to get the next posting to No 18 Operational Training Unit to fly Wellington aircraft, followed by Heavy Conversion Unit to four-engined Halifaxes and Lancasters with final posting to No 300 Polish Bomber Squadron at Faldingworth in Lincolnshire for Christmas 1944 and the last few months of the war.
[page break]
2.
My last flight there took place on the 7 June 1946 in a Lancaster practicing formation flying. When I left Faldingworth I had 1992 hours flown on 12 types of aircraft in England as well as the hours flown in Poland on RWD 8 and PWS 26.
I spent the next two years on administrative duties and then in October 1948 I had the good fortune to be granted Commission in the Royal Air Force, General Duties Branch with the rank of Flight Lieutenant. Again Pilots Refresher Flying Course in Finningley flying Oxford and Wellington aircraft. Two months of further training at Aston Down, and then a posting to No 4 Ferry Pool, Hawarden, near Chester where I stayed for over three years. While with No 4 Ferry Pool, I was qualified to fly on all types of aircraft, that is to say, single, twin, four-engined and also all the jet aircraft then in service. This experience gave me an opportunity to fly a couple of first delivery aeroplanes and I have in mind the Canberra and the Shackleton aircraft. I flew the first Canberra B2 from English Electric airfield at Warton, Lancashire, to RAF Binbrook, Lincolnshire on the 1 August 1951. No brass band or flowers at Binbrook, but the Station Commander came out to meet and have a look at the aircraft. I have flown the Shackleton for the first time at Woodford, near Manchester, (home of A.V. Roe Aircraft Company) on the 27 March 1951 and delivered the aircraft to the Maintenance Unit at Llandow few days later. As a matter of fact, about a year later, I attended a Canberra Conversion Course organized at 231 OCU Bassingbourn and on checking my Log Book-the Instructor discovered that I had more hours flown on the type than he had.
RAF Hawarden where I was stationed was fairly busy with few lodger Units and a branch of De Havilland factory in one corner of the airfield. One of the Units was No 48 Maintenance Unit to which I was eventually transferred in September 1952 for duties as a Unit Test Pilot.
[page break]
3.
I would like to add that No 4 Ferry Pool and No 48 Maintenance Unit belonged to No 41 Group of Maintenance Command, which were operating at RAF Andover. The Ferry Pool had Royal Air Force pilots, navigators and flight engineers, but the care of the Unit aircraft was carried out entirely by civilian personnel. Similarly, No 48 M.U. had a few Royal Air Force Officers such as the Commanding Officer, Chief Technical Officer, Equipment and Supply Officer and the Unit Test Pilot. Most of the senior technical posts were manned by civilian ex-service Officers. This applied to all the Maintenance Units with which I was involved as a Ferry Pilot and later as a Test Pilot. Most of them were lodger Units on large RAF stations and situated as a rule in the west of the country. They usually received aircraft straight from the manufacturers for checks and modifications and some from operating Units for major servicing. The aircraft, after testing, were then ferried to the Squadrons for operational use or disposal as directed by the Air Ministry.
The Test Pilot would usually have a Flight Test Schedule for each type of aircraft which involved a complete sequence such as all ground and pre-flight checks, take off and in the case of jet aircraft, maximum power climb to top altitude (45,000, 48,000 feet), high speed run to the limiting Mach Number and in the case of transsonic [sic] aeroplanes dive through the sound barrier (Swift and Javelin). After descent to lower altitude stalling, feathering and restarting or stopping and relighting of engines on multi-engined aircraft, checks of controls, instruments and special installations such as anti-G, auto-pilot and so on.
One of the checks on fighter aircraft was inverted flight to confirm that the fuel negative-G trap worked as long as was prescribed in Pilots Notes for the type, that the seat (or ejection seat) and harness were secure and to check that there were no loose articles in the cockpit.
[page break]
4.
To keep the cockpit clean, a very powerful industrial vacuum cleaner was used before the test flight so that, normally, the aircraft were quite clean. However, occasionally, bits and pieces would be dislodged in inverted flight and sometimes even a lost "ownerless" tool. It was easy to spot items like that because they would collect on the inside of the canopy and could be retrieved without any problem. In September 1953 I was testing a Venom aircraft at Shawbury and when carrying out the inverted flight check I would fly at about 5,000 feet and airspeed 300 knots. On this occasion I was just north of Wellington and few seconds after turning the Venom over I heard a loud bang and then a lot of wind noise. Nearly all of double-skinned Perspex canopy was shattered and my immediate action was to close the throttle and roll the aircraft back to level flight. I slowed down to about 160 knots, called Air Traffic Control at Shawbury informing them that my canopy was damaged and asked for permission to land as soon as possible. I was not far from the airfield and after a normal approach landed safely. I managed to taxi to dispersal and after getting out I saw that the drogue gun of the ejection seat fired when I turned the aircraft over, deploying the drogue-chute itself which remained attached to the seat. I was glad that I landed straight away because the metal rod which is fired to pull the drogue out was flapping about the top of the elevator in flight. (The Venom was a twin-boom aircraft).
If I remember rightly, the rod was at least a foot long and over half an inch in diameter. Quite a deadly weapon!
Very shortly after getting back to my office and writing my report, I was informed of the cause of the incident. It. appeared that the slight movement of the seat along the seat ejection rail caused the drogue gun to fire because the activating cable attached to the floor did not have sufficient play. The result was that all the Venoms were grounded immediately for the necessary check to be carried out.
[page break]
5.
No 27 Maintenance Unit at Shawbury had a variety of aircraft for testing such as Devon, Hornet, Mosquito, Venom and Vampire. I have tested a few of the lighter or early marks of the Mosquito (3 & 6) but most of the ones there were the heavy types marks 35 & 36. All of the Mosquitoes required lot of attention when flying on one engine and had a fairly high critical speed, that is to say, a speed below which aircraft goes out of control at a maximum power setting of the unfeathered engine with landing gear and flaps down. For this reason, single engine landing on a Mosquito had a committal height below which it was not possible to abandon the approach and overshoot safely. It was about 600 feet, usually end of base leg on the approach. Such height was required to raise the undercarriage and flaps, (quite a slow process!) whilst maintaining control of the aeroplane for a successful climb-out.
I was actually caught out in such situation during the test of one of the Mosquito aircraft. I completed the airtest and was approaching to land when the fire warning light came on one of the engines. As I was well below committal height, I had to continue the approach and land with the engine on fire and the propeller only partly feathered. I eventually stopped on the runway where the Fire Crews managed to put out the fire. The affected engine was badly damaged, but I was lucky to survive the incident.
In contrast to the Mosquito, the de Havilland Hornet aircraft was an absolute joy to fly. It was very light in comparison with the Mosquito, very fast and had two engines with the propellers rotating in the opposite directions, the left propeller turning clockwise and the right propeller anti-clockwise. One could bang the throttles wide open, say for take off and, if there was no wind, the aircraft would be of [sic] the ground in no time. Raising of the undercarriage and flaps on the Hornet was also very quick and feathering and unfeathering of the propellers equally fast.
[page break]
6.
I mention these facts because earlier, when I was at Hawarden, I saw a very surprising bit of flying. One of the de Havilland Test Pilots flying a Hornet dived towards the airfield and passed low and nearly between the hangars with both the aircraft propellers feathered! It would be hard for me to believe that such a manoeuvre could be carried out but I definitely have seen it done with my own eyes and later met and talked to the pilot involved. When I started testing the Hornet, I realized that such a risky stunt could indeed be done if one had the nerve and a great deal of faith in the electric batteries and the rest of the aircraft gear.
Talking about derring-do deeds. Just after the war I was flying in a Lancaster at about 10,000 feet near Woodford in Cheshire when I saw another Lancaster some distance away do a nice slow roll. Ever since then I have been puzzled what the other pilot had done about the Elsan toilet near the tail of the aeroplane!
My stay at Shawbury was a kind of temporary attachment because when a vacancy occurred at Hawarden I applied for and got posted to No 48 M.U. again for Unit Test Pilot duties. My family still lived on the Wirral, near Ellesmere Port and the posting saved me having to live in the Officers Mess at Shawbury and travelling home at weekends.
Few weeks before my return to Hawarden I had-another mishap again in a Venom aircraft. Normal take off and climb in a north-westerly direction through some layered cloud. I must have been approaching Wrexham when at about 12,000 feet the engine of the Venom suddenly stopped. I slowed down to a comfortable gliding speed and turned back towards Shawbury bearing in mind that there were disused airfields between me and home base. I informed Air Traffic Control about my predicament and tried few times to relight the engine, unfortunately without success, and all the time descending through the cloud layers. I think the cloud base near the airfield was at the time about 4,000 feet.
[page break]
7.
I managed to make a reasonable approach to the runway in use at Shawbury. I delayed lowering the undercarriage and flaps so that I could reach the airfield comfortably, hoping that the hydraulic pressure in the accumulator would be enough to carry out this task. Alas, this did not happen and even though I used the hydraulic hand pump, the undercarriage remained unlocked. I decided at the last minute to crash land on the grass alongside the runway because the aircraft was heavy and near enough full of fuel. I finished well up the airfield with the aircraft on its belly and the Crash Fire Trucks and the ambulance on the scene within seconds. Fortunately, the aircraft did not catch fire and I managed to get out safely remembering even to place the ejection seat safety pin back in position. I was then bundled in the ambulance and taken to Station Sick Quarters. I seemed to have survived the crash pretty well apart from sore stomach where the buckles of the parachute and cockpit harness straps positioned more or less one on top of the other dug in during the rapid deceleration of the crashing aircraft. However, after Medical Officer's examination I was allowed to go back to the Officers Mess and have my late lunch. It must have been over an hour later when the Unit Production Officer (civilian) came in the Mess and showed me a collection of small ball bearings in a match box and said that the drive shaft of the high pressure fuel pump had sheared at the bearing and caused subsequent flame-out of the engine. These facts prevented me from relighting the engine and caused the forced landing.
I feel that I ought to explain a little more accurately how the air tests of aircraft and particularly of jets were carried out. As I said before, a Test Pilot had a schedule to adhere to which meant carrying out all the required tests as well as making notes of behaviour of the engine and noting revolutions, jet pipe temperature, oil pressure and recording any observed snags. These readings had to be
[page break]
8.
written every 5,000 feet or so and this kept the pilot very busy because, say on a Swift aircraft, one could get to 40,000 feet in about 4 minutes.
To make such notes, I had an aluminium pad with a stop watch at the top and sort of two rollers which would carry pre-printed calibrated paper and on which one could make-the necessary notes using pen attached to the pad. I would glance occasionally down in the cockpit to make such notes. One day, I remember climbing out westwards over Wales in a Venom and at over 20,000 feet I wrote something on the pad, raised my head, looked up, and there was I going nearly straight through the middle of a loose formation of about half a dozen American, four-engined B 47 bomber aircraft steaming in the opposite direction. They were the ones with very thin, swept-back, "flapping "wings, probably heading to some airfield in East Anglia. Very frightening experience! I usually kept a very good lookout when flying but this time I did not notice the approaching formation. Mind you, this happened in the very early fifties, no regional Air Traffic Control and not too many aeroplanes in-the sky, especially over Wales and high up. And the weather when the near-miss happened was very good.
I usually tried to fly test the aircraft when the weather was reasonable because one never knew what to expect Sometimes it was necessary to come down fairly quickly or when the radio failed, a hole in the cloud was always handy to be used in an emergency. When I was checked out for my "Master Green" Instrument Rating which allowed me to fly in any weather and authorize my own flights, the examiner, a certain "Taff" Jones (Welsh!) said to me:- 'Tad, you are getting this rating not because you know how to fly using only instruments, but that you are certain to know when not to fly!". As if I would ever compete with the birds who were walking because of bad weather!
[page break]
9.
I must recount another incident to support my cautious approach to flight testing. The incident gave me a rather unnerving experience and I will try and explain why this was so. Actually, nothing really dangerous happened because it occurred when the weather was very good.
I was flying an elderly edition of Vampire jet aircraft on which the gyroscopic flight instruments were driven by a suction pump, a common and nearly universal system in those days. To be precise, the instrument gyroscopes were driven by a jet of air entering the evacuated casing and impinging on the shaped rim of the gyro. When the gyroscopes reached their full operating speed of, if I remember rightly, 8,000 -10,000 RPM, the flight instruments such as Direction Indicator, Artificial Horizon and the Turn Indicator worked very well. but not so when the suction failed completely which it did in the case I am describing.
To show that there was a useful suction, a small gauge was installed in the cockpit, usually tucked away and not very noticeable. Now, when the suction fails completely, the gyros continue spinning but are slowing down very, very slowly and eventually settle down to a kind of zero position and the instruments affected do not show any aircraft turns or changes of position in relation to the horizon. It would actually seem that you were flying straight and level even if the aircraft was in a dive, upside down, turning or whatever. And, because slowing down of gyros takes a very long time, the calamity, sort of, creeps up on you and the pilot may not be aware that anything is amiss unless he notices that the suction indicator is showing zero and realizes that the gyro instruments may be giving wrong information. The pilot would still have the pressure instruments working properly but they show only airspeed, height and whether the aircraft is climbing or descending. Naturally, the situation I am describing would occur if the aircraft was completely in cloud and the flight was conducted with sole reference to flight instruments. Not a very happy situation to be in!
[page break]
10.
I remember on Lancasters we had two suction pumps, one for each side of the aircraft, and a selection cock so that if you lost the operating engine on one side, one could change over to the other working side. There would be no such help on single engine aircraft. I guess this type of fault would also explain some fatal bad weather crashes which happened occasionally in those far off days.
Anyway, this kind of fault was overcome very soon after by introduction on newer aeroplanes of electrically driven gyros operating flight instruments. These were extremely reliable and I have not experienced any such problems in my later flying.
I think that I ought to mention the fact that I was awarded the Air Force Cross in 1955 New Years Honours List and received the decoration from the hands of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, during an Investiture at the Buckingham Palace in February of that year. Unforgettable experience! I felt that lot of that honour belonged also to people on the ground who prepared and serviced the aircraft as well as the Commanding officer and Unit Officers of No 48 MU who were always most supporting.
I remained with no 48 MU until July 1956 when I was posted to No 23 Maintenance Unit at Aldergrove in Northern Ireland. Again, 23 MU was a lodger Unit on the station with Coastal Command and Weather Reporting Squadrons. Fairly busy airfield and with a variety of aircraft to test, such as Anson, Lincoln, York, Shackleton, Swift, Canberra and Javelin. Whilst listing the aircraft, I would like to add that I put down types only and they include most of the marks of the particular type. For instance, if one takes Meteor aircraft, there would be Mark 3 & 4 Fighters, Mark 7 Trainer, Mark 8 Fighter with ejection seat, Mark 9 Phot.Rec. Mk 11 Night Fighter and so on. Each slightly different, but they were all Meteors. Similarly with Canberras;- B2 Bomb., PR3 Ph.Rec., 4 Trainer, B6 Bomb., 7 Ph.Rec., B(I)8 Interdict, - few differences but basically the same Canberras.
[page break]
11.
The new marks of aircraft would sometimes have more powerful engines, ejection seats, or other improvements such as, for instance, on Shackleton Mk 3, nose wheel, wing tip tanks, toe pedal brakes and sound-proofed cabin.
As a matter of fact, the new aircraft types were much more reliable because of improved methods of construction necessary for the higher performance required, better and stronger materials used for durability and wear - everything much safer altogether. Very occasionally some problem or mishap would arise but they were very few and could usually be attributed to a single component that failed its task.
The oldest type of aircraft at 23 MU were the Ansons, the design dated from early 1930s and still used for aircrew training or carrying of passengers. I remember testing one when the exhaust manifold came nearly loose of the engine with consequent racket from the cylinders and then the other engine started losing the revolutions and power. I was on the other side of Lough Neagh from Aldergrove, but eventually I made it back to the airfield and dispersal. When later the cowling was taken off of the underpowered engine, a large split was discovered in one of the cylinder heads. I think, I was fortunate that the affected engine did not catch fire or I might have been faced with flopping on the water or maybe even a long swim.
I had no special problems with the Canberras or Javelins A funny thing happened when we started getting the B(I)8 Canberras because some were to be modified at Aldergrove for a special task. I remember being shown a "Top Secret" signal by the Commanding Officer and Chief Technical Officer on the matter of "toss bombing" and I was asked if I knew anything about it. I do not remember exactly what was in the signal, but I was able to tell them that I read a very comprehensive article on the subject of "toss bombing" a week or two ago in the periodical "Discovery" freely available in the Officers Mess. And that was that.
[page break]
12.
One or two happenings with Swift aircraft. While on an initial test with one I was climbing to 48,000 feet with everything working fine, when just over 42,000 feet, very suddenly, the cabin pressure normally maintained at 27,000 feet at high altitudes, dropped with the needle of the cabin altimeter steadily going up past the height I was flying at and approaching 55-56,000 feet. My reaction was to close the throttle and more or less dive straight down to a more comfortable height. It did not take long to reach lower altitude and I now think that the overshoot of the cabin altimeter might have been caused by the inertia of the indicator needle going past the actual height of the aircraft or just the sudden rush of air out of the cabin reducing the pressure further. As the air pressure above 35,000 feet is only a fifth of that at ground level or as little as one tenth at over 50,000 feet, it was sensible to come down quickly.
Again on the Swift, on another occasion the canopy just blew off when I was climbing out and at about 4-5,000 feet over Lough Neagh. I was glad in a way, that it happened over the water because it was a large and very heavy lump of metal and perspex which would have caused serious damage if it had hit anything on the ground.
The flying controls on the Swift were power-operated, that is to say hydraulic pump supplied the power to move the ailerons and the elevator. (The rudder was manually operated). The aircraft could actually be flown with power switched off and this was achieved by a couple of levers, one for the ailerons and one for the elevator, the procedure tested during the initial test of the aircraft. There was also a warning-horn which sounded if the hydraulic pressure failed. I would like to add that the Swift was a strongly built aircraft and heavy overall, but because of power controls quite manoeuvrable with a very fast rate of roll.
[page break]
13.
Should the hydraulic power supply to the flying controls fail, one had to be pretty quick and disengage the operating levers, otherwise the system would jam up and the aeroplane become unflyable. I did have a case of hydraulic failure on one occasion but I managed to cope with the rest of the flight in manual. Naturally enough, when in manual, the controls are very hard to operate and I think it took me nearly half the County of Antrim to carry out a circuit and landing. Just one of those things.
Looking back over the years now, I must admit that most of the test flying which I carried out gave me a lot of satisfaction. Sometimes you would see wonderful sights when flying, at other times the aircraft behaved very well even when damaged for some reason, thus saving my skin on quite a few occasions. I always had the best support from my Commanding Officers and all the Unit personnel and received lot of kindness from the Group and Command authorities.
I remember one occasion when I was testing a Venom aircraft from No 48 MU at Hawarden. Beautiful, clear day and when I was about 40,000 feet over Liverpool, the time of the day nearly midday, and looking south I could see all of England and the south coast because the sun was reflecting of the sea water in the Channel. I could distinctly see Portland Bill which, when I calculated the distance later, was 3 degrees of latitude south or over 200 miles away. It doesn't seem much these days but in early nineteen fifties there wouldn't have been many people to have seen such a sight. It was a fantastic life?
Reflecting again on some of the happenings during my life in those days, I feel it is pertinent to mention the following brief incident.
My son was born in February 1952 while I was stationed at Hawarden, near Chester. At the time we lived in Whitby, near Ellesmere Port, Wirral. Our house wasn't very far from the RAF Station, Hooton Park, which was then used by an Auxiliary Air Squadron equipped with Meteor jet aircraft. These machines were flying around quite a lot and sometime [sic]
[page break]
14.
fairly low so that Michael became very familiar with the sight and sound of these aeroplanes when he was 2 or 3 years old. Well, one day, we were waiting at the traffic lights on the road passing the end of the runway at Hawarden where I was actually stationed. As it happened, an old Anson (twin-engined, propeller driven aircraft), was coming in to land and passed in front of us very low, throttled back and with the propellers turning slowly. I still remember the remark, which greatly astonished Michael made:- “Look Daddy, an aeroplane with windmills on!".
This happened just over fifty years since Wilbur and Orville Wright first left the ground in a flying machine!
I guess that is all.
List of types of aircraft which I have flown as a pilot:-
Training in Poland:- RWD 8, PWS 26 & 16.
In the Royal Air Force:-
Single-engined (piston);
Auster, Balliol, Chipmunk, Harvard, Henley, Hurricane, Lysander, Magister, Martinet, Master, Prentice, Proctor, Spitfire, Tempest, Tiger Moth, Tutor.
Twin-engined (piston);
Anson, Beaufighter, Brigand, Dakota, Devon, Dominie, Hornet, Mosquito, Oxford, Valetta, Varsity, Wellington.
Four-engined (piston);
Halifax, Hastings, Lancaster, Lincoln, Shackleton, York.
Jet aircraft;
Swift, Vampire, Venom (single)
Canberra, Javelin, Meteor (twin)
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Some days in the life of a production test pilot
Description
An account of the resource
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 Squadron at RAF Faldingworth. In 1948 he was granted a commission in the RAF and after retraining as pilot he was posted to No 4 ferry pool at Hawarden near Chester where he was qualified to fly many types. Describes the set up of ferry unit and flying Shackleton and Canberra on delivery flights. Continues with account as unit test pilot on 48 Maintenance Unit and describes many incidents and experiences. He goes on to 27 Maintenance unit at RAF Shawbury and describes incidents with Mosquito aircraft and other incidents including on a variety of jet aircraft. Eventually moves to No 23 Maintenance Unit at RAF Aldergrove in Northern Ireland again flying a variety of jet aircraft.
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Poland
Great Britain
England--Nottingham
Scotland--Angus
Scotland--Montrose
England--Hucknall
England--Somerset
England--Bridgwater
Poland--Dęblin (Warsaw)
Wales--Flintshire
England--Shropshire
Great Britain
England--Nottinghamshire
Northern Ireland--Antrim (County)
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
T Wier
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Fourteen page printed document
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Memoir
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
BWierTWierTv2
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1940-06
1944-07
1946-06-07
1948-10
1951-03-27
1953-09
1956-07
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Peter Bradbury
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
18 OTU
300 Squadron
aircrew
Flying Training School
Halifax
Lancaster
Magister
Meteor
Mosquito
Operational Training Unit
Oxford
pilot
RAF Faldingworth
RAF Finningley
RAF Hawarden
RAF Shawbury
Shackleton
training
Wellington
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1319/31716/MGrundyL19230310-05.1.jpg
e092858b8ba7a1a482dd783cffe3ab9c
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Grundy, Lillian
L Grundy
Description
An account of the resource
15 items. An oral history interview with Lillian Grundy (b. 1923), and documents, including correspondence from a prisoner of war and photographs. She worked in an Avro factory during the war.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Lillian Grundy and catalogued by Trevor Hardcastle.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2019-09-28
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Grundy, L
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
[sketch]
Camarades!
Telle est la situation!
En tout cas, la guerre, est finie pour vous!
Vos chefs vont s’enfuir par avion.
A bas les armes!
British Soldiers!
Look at this map: it gives tour true situation!
Your troops are entirely surrounded –
stop fighting!
Put down your arms!
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Dunkirk leaflet
Description
An account of the resource
Map of northern France showing surrounded pocket with their backs to the French coast, in French and English suggesting that as they are surrounded they should surrender.
This item was sent to the IBCC Digital Archive already in digital form. No better quality copies are available.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One b/w leaflet
Language
A language of the resource
eng
fra
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Physical object
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
MGrundyL19230310-05
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
British Army
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
France
France--Dunkerque
Atlantic Ocean--English Channel
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1940-05
1940-06
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
David Bloomfield
Steve Baldwin
propaganda
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1490/27550/MMitchellJEF550261-160125-030001.1.jpg
14df1250d92fd230bea92ad8124b70cf
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1490/27550/MMitchellJEF550261-160125-030002.1.jpg
79c14e11c5aa169331fd6f262837d4a5
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1490/27550/MMitchellJEF550261-160125-030003.1.jpg
c2d88b94b82941079edb67f9696dd770
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1490/27550/MMitchellJEF550261-160125-030004.1.jpg
ba3224402309fb67dc848be56b22a2b0
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1490/27550/MMitchellJEF550261-160125-030005.1.jpg
a4c4142663d1c29bad111a72b77c4a1a
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1490/27550/MMitchellJEF550261-160125-030006.1.jpg
8df3e6d1e657235fd41db22ec96f3971
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1490/27550/MMitchellJEF550261-160125-030007.1.jpg
a2cd6a2eacea7b392b328ebf0e27bfc1
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Mitchell, Mitch
John Ernest Francis Mitchell
J E F Mitchell
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-02-27
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Mitchell, JEF
Description
An account of the resource
59 items. Flight Lieutenant John Ernest Francis 'Mitch' Mitchell. Joined the RAF as a boy entrant in 1934 and trained as a wireless operator. Flew on Vickers Virginia, Handley Page Heyford and Whitley before the war. Completed an operational tour on Whitley 1939-41. After being rested he flew a second tour of operations as a wireless operator with 207 Squadron before retraining as a pilot post war. Collection contains his flying logbooks, memoires of his air force career and first operations, lists of his operations, correspondence and photographs.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by C A Wood and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
[John Mitchell - notes for memoire]
1.
Describe first raid of war 3rd Sept 1939. Leaflets.
Loaded up A/C day before. Work Out details flight & route.
YORK across North Sea & DENMARK. Turn in via KIEL CANAL. OVER GERMANY TURN SOUTH INTO RHUR [sic] HEIGHT 12,000 SEARCH LIGHTS IN VIEW NO SIGN OF FIGHTERS
*LEAFLETS OUT* STARBOARD ENGINE OVERHEATING THROTTLE BACK TO COOL CHECK RADIATORS RAN FOR ½ HOUR AT LOWER TEMP LATER INCREASED AGAIN WENT ON RISING – HAD TO BE STOPPED INCREASE POWER OF PORT.
*PARACHUTE ON*
ONE HOUR TEMP RISING DANGEROUSLY HIGH – DECIDED BALE OUT OR FORCE LAND [deleted]ENGINE HAD TO BE STOPPED[/deleted] OR USED TO LAND
[page break]
2.
GROUND MIST – GETTING LIGHT USED LAST OF ENGINE POWER FOR LANDING BEFORE GOING ON FIRE.
FRENCH GATHERED ROUND A/C GERMAN LEAFLETS SCATTERED PITCH FORKS STICKS STONES CARTED OFF TO GATHERED UP BY ARMY. POLICE HOUSED IN OLD BARN – STRAW DOCUMENTS SECURITY 3 DAYS LATER DH116 FLY LONDON FLYING BOOTS NO HAT LIFT ON MOTOR CYCLE ISSUED RAIL WARRANT BACK TO BASE
[page break]
3.
1) FIRST RAID OF WAR 3 SEPT 1939
2) ENGINE FAILURE FORCED LANDING AMIEN[sic]
3) RETURN BOAC 2 DAYS LATER
4) CONVOY PATROLS WEST OF FRANCE
5) 1940 MINE LAYING CHANNEL KEIL CANAL
6) APRIL NORWAY (PAGE 1) STAVANGER
7) APRIL NORWAY OSLO
8) MAY HOLLAND & GERMANY DESCRIBE PREPARATION FOR RAID
9) JUNE [underlined] ITALY[/underlined] – TURIN ENGINE ICING UP 8 HOURS LIGHTNING – [indecipherable word] OF ICE ST ELMO FIRE PARACHUTES ON
10) JUNE FRANCE 3 – 5 HOURS RECALLED FORCE LANDED GERMANY 6 HOURS TRAINING SCOTLAND
[page break]
4.
11) TO 207 SQUADRON
APRIL 43 DUSSELDORF BOCHUM
JUNE FREIDRICKSHAVER [sic] 9.45 LANDED BLIDA N/AFRICA
JUNE BLIDA TO BASE VIA SPEZIA BOMBS
26 JUNE GELSENKIRKEN [sic] SHOT UP FORCED LANDED COLTISHALL
JUNE 43 BERLIN LEIPZIG GLADBACH [sic]
AUGUST SEPT OCT NOV INVASION PORTS
DEC 43 PARIS FRANCE ANTWERP VISITED SUB PENS
FEB 44 BERLIN LEIPZIG
MARCH SUB PENS “V” SITES
JUNE 45 RHUR[sic] MUNSTER DUSSELDORF
AUG 45 NORTH LUFFENHAM TRAINING
NOV 46 POSTED 91 GROUP MORTON HALL 5 GROUP
5.
9 AUG 48 TO TERNHILL
20 AUG 53 TO 202 SQUADRON ALDERGROVE HASTINGS AIRCRAFT
26 AUG TESTING FOR RUSSIAN ATOM BOMB CLOUDS CAPTAIN FAILURE FORCED LANDED
NOV 53 MARITIME TRAINING ST MAWGAN LANCASTERS
JAN 54 220 SQUADRON ST EVAL SHACKLETON
MAR 54 236 OUT KINLOSS SHACKLETON
JUNE 54 224 SQUADRON GIBRALTAR SHACKLETON
FEB 55 GIBRALTAR EXERCISE FORCED LANDED MALTA
[page break]
6.
10 FEB 55 GIBRALTAR FORCED LAND IN MALTA
16 AUG 55 GIB TO EL ADAM – ENGINE 1 U/S 5.06
18 AUG 55 EL ADAM MAURIPUR
19 AUG 55 MAURIPUR NEGOMBO
6 SEPT NEGOMBO POONA 5.30
8 SEPT POONA MAURIPUR 3.00
9 SEPT MAURIPUR HABBANIYA [sic] 6.30
10 SEPT HABBANIYA[sic] – IDRIS 7.45
11 SEPT IDRIS – GIBRALTAR 6.30
11 DEC 55 MADEIRA – AZORES EXERCISE TWO A/C MISSING AFTER HEARING RADIO
14 MAY 56 FLYING IN SUNDERLAND FROM PEMBROKE DOCK TO GIBRALTAR
15 OCT 56 AT LUQA MALTA HYDRAULIC FAILURE
15 NOV 56 S/L FLOOD LANDING GIB WIPED TAIL WHEEL ON RUNWAY THRESHOLD
OCT 57 POSTED VAMPIRE TRAINING WORKSOP
[page break]
7.
1954 ALGERIA EARTHQUAKE
1955 SUEZ UPSET
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
John Mitchell - notes for memoire
Description
An account of the resource
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.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
J E F Mitchell
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Seven page handwritten document
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Memoir
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
MMitchellJEF550261-160125-03
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Germany
Germany--Kiel Canal
Norway
Norway--Stavanger
Norway--Oslo
Netherlands
Italy
Italy--Turin
Germany--Düsseldorf
Germany--Bochum
Germany--Friedrichshafen
Algeria
Algeria--Blida
Italy
Italy--La Spezia
Germany--Gelsenkirchen
Germany--Berlin
Germany--Leipzig
France
France--Paris
Belgium
Belgium--Antwerp
Germany--Münster in Westfalen
North Africa
Germany--Ruhr (Region)
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1939-09-03
1940
1940-04
1940-05
1940-06
1943-04
1943-06
1943-08
1943-09
1943-10
1943-11
1943-12
1944-02
1944-03
1945-06
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
David Bloomfield
207 Squadron
bombing
forced landing
mine laying
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1385/25518/SBakerDA19210428v20001-0001.2.jpg
bfceeda30964d216ccdf3aec48cc0031
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1385/25518/SBakerDA19210428v20001-0002.2.jpg
f306fb84e29bc1e4905d1be0c630c445
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1385/25518/SBakerDA19210428v20001-0003.2.jpg
dcd7d0024e66108d15658728fb7f6993
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1385/25518/SBakerDA19210428v20001-0004.2.jpg
cb45864444b63f56abcdf1b5bf48ec60
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1385/25518/SBakerDA19210428v20001-0005.2.jpg
7258d331d4e7afc5c9301f75f98d11b5
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1385/25518/SBakerDA19210428v20001-0006.2.jpg
69aa32c250c5560a6b53cb49da0b532f
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Baker, Donald Arthur
D A Baker
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2018-11-13
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Baker, DA
Description
An account of the resource
187 items. Donald Arthur Baker (b. 1921) travelled from Southern Rhodesia to England in 1940 to join the Royal Air Force. Trained as a pilot in 1941 he was operational with 144 Squadron at RAF North Luffenham flying Hampdens. He was shot down on 5 November 1941 and remained a prisoner of war mostly in Stalag Luft 3 until 1945. He return to farm in Southern Rhodesia after the war. The collection contains letters to his mother throughout the war as well as other correspondence and documents including his prisoner of war log with photographs and notes.
The collection was loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by June Baker Maree and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Access Rights
Information about who can access the resource or an indication of its security status. Access Rights may include information regarding access or restrictions based on privacy, security, or other policies.
Permission granted for commercial projects
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
A DIARY OF DAD’S WAR TIME STORY TAKEN FROM LETTERS WHICH HE WROTE TO HIS MOTHER IN RHODESIA.
The letters were always addressed “My Dearest Mother” and signed off “Your loving son, Donald” We don’t really know why the letters were not addressed to both his father and mother. The letters were written on a fairly regular basis, every one or two weeks, and in addition to that he “wired” home regularly as the letters took between 6 weeks and two months to reach home. Once Dad was in the POW camp the news was mundane and occasionally censored. My impressions from the letters were his strong mindedness to become a pilot, get his wings and be a part of the real action in the war. He never mentioned what happened on the night of the 5th November when his plane was shot down, and anything about his rescue, capture and interrogation. Once the war was over he very seldom spoke about this time in his life, but I want to fill in the gaps, and piece together information to complete the story.
JUNE 1940
The first letter written to his mother was on the 8th June 1940 using Rhodesian Railway’s letterhead, from the Chief Accountant’s Office in Bulawayo. Dad was then just 19 years old. Obviously there had been talk of the war but not much serious thought given to it as he mainly wrote about his sport which at the time was “rugger” second league, and due to an ankle injury he had to give it a rest for 3 weeks. Dad’s social life was also the topic of conversation, having been to a cabaret, the first he’d been to for a long time and he enjoyed it as his partner was a bit of allright. [sic] Being a member of the Bulawayo Young Peoples club also provided some form of social life. And then his place of abode also cropped up “Shifted into the Sussex Hotel at the end of the last month. It is allright [sic] so far, but will soon tire of it I expect. My roommate has a wireless so we are quite comfortable. The room wasn’t exactly built last year” And then, as if an afterthought after he’d closed off, he told his mother that he had received his Certificate of Registration.
The next letter was undated, and starts off by apologising to his mother who was obviously worried about him, the reason being that Dad had forgotten to post the previous letter. Tobacco was fetching good prices that year in Rhodesia.
Talk of the war is now an important topic in the letter and the beginnings of his political interests starting to bud. “Yes things definitely seem to have taken a bad turn for us overseas. However, I reckon it will serve to make the British nation wake up as we seem to have felt before that we couldn’t help winning just because we are in the right. However I guess the Germans will have to put all they’ve got and a bit more if they reckon on conquering Britain in a month or two. Fancy France capitulating under the terms imposed by Hitler. However, I suppose they would only have been wiped out completely. I have been caught for part-time training. I only wish they would call me for the air force as I can’t imagine that I am helping by paying the occasional pensioner. A woman could do the job [underlined] nearly [/underlined] as well.” Douglas Legg, who had joined the RAF, was probably an influence in Dad’s life as he paid Dad a visit and said he was having the time of his life in Salisbury.
Work at the office was getting busy; the war increased the amount of work he had to do.
But still there other things he needed to tell his mother. This girl he used to write to in Nyasaland had written saying she was passing through on her way to the falls with her parents. “Well, they came last Thursday and stayed at the Grand. Apparently the girl became “society” after she left Umtali. She is only 17 but anyone would think she was 27 what with earrings, lipstick and rouge. The “old man”, a hang of a pompous guy of course had to have some drinks. In my best tone I said a shandy, but you can imagine my surprise when this kid says “gin & mixed”. I just pole-vaulted out of the door and was sick the next day. I was just out of my element.”
Lastly, it did not look like he would make it home for the Rhodes & Founders weekend because of the training scheme that had been implemented and public holidays were part of the deal.
[page break]
The letter that followed was written in pencil, undated, still using the RR letterhead. Granny had been down to visit Phyllis in Chipinga. The weekend following was R & F and it was just an impossibility to get home for that. One chap had seen the magistrate, adjutant and Colonel to get off but they weren’t having it. The General Manager had written and said Dad was being called up on the first July or soon afterwards. Dad had written to the RAF to request that he is drafted with recruits going overseas and he needed to train his replacement at work. “I am teaching a new woman to do my job so am pretty busy. It’s a hang of a job because she is new to the work and every little thing has to be explained an [sic] I am not by any means an eloquent orator”
Jack had written to Dad and also wanted his company for the R & F weekend but that was not going to happen.
Letter no. 4 dated the 13th July, marked the commencement of his military career. Written on plain paper, in pencil, the envelope marked “On Active Service” and posted from the No. 2 training Centre, Bulawayo meant that he was “doing his stuff”. His call up number was No. 778186. He had to report on Friday 12th July to the RAF and he was preparing to be sent either to England or Canada for training. “There is a big crowd of us in camp. I am n [sic] the second draft and we leave not long after the first, which is said to be leaving next Wednesday. We are said to be following them about 1 week afterwards but of course this is not in the least official but everyone says the same so I guess there must be something in it.” Dad was so hoping to go home for a visit first, he needed to bring his kit home and sort out one or two things like his insurance policy and money matters. He was bored in the camp as they did very little, only about 2 hrs drill a day and the rest of the day they just loafed. Issy and Horace were both in the camp with him. Granny had sent him £1 and about which he had to say the following “It will be more useful than ever now, as it is bitterly cold here especially sleeping on the ground. However it’s for a good cause and the fellows are pretty happy.” (I think Harold Wilson needed to be reminded of that when he betrayed the very men who fought so gallantly for England in the War.) Dad was so glad it was the RAF and thought it would be No 1 if he could have been sent to Canada as he never knew when he would see that country otherwise.
This was the last letter written from home soil, before sailing by ship approximately the 28th July 1940. There are no details about which port he sailed from or his voyage over, except that he had posted a letter from Cape Verde to granny, but that is not with the collection of letters that I have. I would like to find out some more information on the journey to the port and whether or not he saw his family before leaving.
JOURNEY TO ENGLAND BY SHIP AS A RECRUIT FOR THE RAF
The address on the next letter dated 26th August 1940, reads as follows: DA Baker, RAF no. 778186, Rhodesian Air Contingent, C/o The High Commissioner for S. Rhodesia, Rhodesia House, 429 Strand, London WC2. Dad was stationed at Bridgenorth, Sulop, [sic] Shropshire. He had probably been off ill as he started the letter saying he was feeling fit again though he had not really got his voice back. (Probably picked up flu whilst travelling on the crowded ship.) “I haven’t started on any Air Force work yet. We are just doing marching and a spot of musketry now and again. We were all injected against Typhoid and Tetanus or something like that last Saturday. However apart from a fairly stiff arm it did not affect me at all. We were given 48 hours Light Duty after it so had quite a loaf. We all had to go for a shoot today. The distance was 25 yards and we were given 25 shots to blaze into the target. The chaps here reckoned the Rhodesians could shoot well enough so they did not take our scores. Consequently the fellows were shooting the props and knocking the targets down.” Dad had been to Wolverhampton but found things expensive, rationing made some things difficult to find. Cigarettes (decent ones) were 1/6 for 20 but Dad obviously had a good stock of them as he had bought 500 on the boat for 12/6. The beer in England was not to their liking.
“People here are very hospitable to Colonials and make us very much at home. The fellows in camp are not so keen on us as they reckon we are rather a “tough” and ungentlemanly crew. Of course
[page break]
there is a general feeling of sort of superiority having come 7000 miles and all that sort of thing. We are all looking forward to getting to our squadrons as this camp is getting on our nerves because actually it is only a camp to instil discipline and all we seem to do is march, spit and polish and clean up our knives and forks and plates, but we are getting used to the last part as we had that on the boat” … “Must get my wings on my chest or some badge as I really couldn’t just stay down on the ground and polish plugs …
We were all very proud of the uniforms the first day, but there are so many men in kit that it has worn off.”
The planes flying overhead at night and air raid sirens seemed to keep everyone awake at night. Dad started to make contact with relatives, Uncle Jim and the rest of them up there in Scotland and was planning on a visit. Family news cropped up in the letter as Harry and Betty were married and his best wishes were bestowed on them.
The next letter was not dated, but presumably written a week or so after the last approximately the 1st September 1940. Written on blue writing paper with ink pen. Dad still had not received any of his mother’s letters since leaving Rhodesia. He had received mail from Aunt Ella and Aunt Bess (Somerset). “They seem to think I am one big hero coming all this way to join the Air Force and all that sort of stuff. We are supposed to be leaving this camp anytime from now to go to a training school. We hear the Germans every night, supposed to be raiding the Midlands towns and they all seem to pass pretty near here. Am getting quite used to being “droned” to sleep” “Had a bit of fun in a bus the other day. A pal and I were speaking Afrikaans and we heard everyone saying we must be Polish. You can imagine their surprise when we spoke to the conductor in perfectly good English. When they heard we were Rhodesian, they didn’t half make a fuss of us. Everyone here seems to think that colonials are just the cats pyjamas, in particular the girls.”
Still no news from the relatives up north, but expecting to hear from them soon.
We are supposed to be leaving this camp anytime from now to go to a training school. A lot of Rhodesian have already left for their respective centres and am also keen to start on something new as we do nothing but drill here from morn till night. We hear the Germans every night, supposed to be raiding the Midlands towns and they all seem to pass pretty near here. Am getting quite used to being “droned” to sleep” Air Raid sirens still an annoyance, but also such a dismal sound. The All Clear sounded a lot better. They knew when German planes flew overhead because they had did not have [sic] a steady roar “but comes in intervals”. Bombs had been dropped fairly close by at 3 am one morning and some people were killed. For entertainment the lads when [sic] into Wolverhampton to watch a “bio” and a bus ride but because of they had to be in at 9.30 and the bus ride was an hour to get back, their night life was severely curtailed.
On the 9th September Dad wrote that he was pleased to have had some mail from home at long last. He had begun to think that there was no more British merchant Navy, the letter took so long! Dad was thrilled to have been accepted as a pilot but was waiting in anticipation for the Medical Test, which was to follow in two days time. “I sincerely hope I pass (Medical) as I am looking forward immensely to get a crack at these bally Nazis that we hear every night. It is most annoying to lie in bed and just listen to them and not be able to do anything about it. However will just have to put up with that for another five months and then maybe I’ll get a chance to do something as a pilots course takes at least that long … The Empire relies on me to turn the tide”
It was obvious from his letters by now that Dad wanted to be part of the action and did not enjoy doing things like foot drill on the square every day. Only the aircrews were left in the camp, all the Rhodesians having been drafted to various stations. The weather was now beginning to get pretty cold; winter was just around the corner.
The next letter was written on the 16th September 1940 on blue stationary, still stationed at Bridgnorth. He was very pleased to tell his mother that he passed his Medical for a pilot and was now waiting to be posted for training. Good news – 175 Germans down yesterday. The weather had changed since his last
[page break]
letter, drizzle and cold. On a social visit to Wolverhampton the sirens went off at 8. pm but the dance they were at continued, despite the raid. “We left at about 10 pm and so tried to get lodgings and we walked that town till 2 am without success. In desperation we went to an air raid shelter and managed to get an hours sleep till 6 o’clock. We then found an hotel that we knew about but couldn’t find it in the “black out” and lost ourselves in the effort. However we took a bed at 6 am and breakfast at 2 pm. What a night as it was cold and raining and nobody seems to be able to direct one to anywhere decent. Saw a 6 weeks old Chronicle today. Big headlines about Rhodesian Air Contingent arriving in Britain. Must have caused quite a consternation when we left at the dead of night. Yes, I heard you shout” (I wonder if that meant granny was at the station to see them off?)
On Thursday the 26th September 1940, using the official Air Force letterhead but still using the Rhodesia House address in London Dad wrote “I suppose by now Harry will be back from his honeymoon” Dad had managed to get to Somerset to see his relatives. He went by train, changing at Birmingham and a few other places before arriving at Castle Cary. He surprised everyone by arriving unannounced. He wrote about Aunt Bess, Uncle Jack, Dan, Bruce, Bert Baker, visiting Wyke house, people in Millbourne Port. “I had a jolly fine weekend and really enjoyed it.” The weather was getting increasingly colder in Bridgnorth. (That was quite a journey there and back considering Dad had to change trains quite often, catch a bus and walk a fair distance without having any directions from the relatives, and being new to England.)
On Friday 9th October 1940 Dad wrote from his new base, in Paignton near Torquay. “It is very lovely down here, as the scenery is so wonderful. Most of the air Force here is billeted in Hotels as it used to be a very popular seaside resort in peacetime. There are four of us in my room (all Rhodesians) and it is not too bad as we have plenty of fresh air with a big window overlooking the sea.” However the next day they were leaving for a 3 week Maths course at another camp nearby. Thereafter there would be a 5 weeks Navigation Course, 8 weeks at Elementary Flying School, 8 weeks at Advanced Training School, altogether six months of hard work before seeing any action. If Dad failed any of the exams then his future career as a pilot would come to an end, leaving them with the option of gunner or observer, so naturally Dad was very keen to pass. “The atmosphere at a Pilots Training School is much different to the last place I was at as generally speaking the fellows are pretty “high class” and the Officers and M.C.O’s [sic] are the very best they can find, and cadets are treated more or less like gentlemen again.”
[underlined] November 19th 1940. [/underlined] With the postal service taking some 6 weeks to 2 months to reach Rhodesia, Dad wrote to wish every one a happy and prosperous New Year at home. He was anticipating spending Christmas with one of the relatives.
“Am just continuing on the same old course which should be finished at the end of this week as we have started on the various exams. We were issued with flying kit the other day and believe me it is really lovely stuff and warm as anything.”
Being mid-winter and Dad did not tend to go out much, apart from a dance which was rather overcrowded so he went home early. Also the black out didn’t make it easy to get around after dark. With exams coming up Dad chose to a spot of swotting instead. [sic]
Letter dated 15th December 1940 on official RAF letterhead, pale blue with envelope to match and 6 ha’penny stamps arrived in Inyazura on the 18th February 1941. (By then the news was so out of date it must have been frustrating for the family keeping up with Dad’s news.) Dad was saddened by the news of Harry Roberts. “I am very sorry indeed to hear such sad news and it is terribly hard luck on Phyllis. However as you say Phyllis has courage and I’m sure she’ll bear up and get over it but nevertheless it must have been an awful shock to her.”
In the meantime Dad had some leave and visited relatives in Scotland for the first time. He stayed with the Tullochs, relatives on his mother’s side, went to see Uncle Jim’s school where he more or less took the salute. Babs Tulloch, his cousin was studying at medical school so he did not see much of her, but
[page break]
they managed to Jack Buchanan at the Kings Theatre. [sic] His Uncle Jim Dunn gave him a lecture of about two hours on religion which he was in the habit of doing but Dad “took his dose like a lamb as he didn’t think he was in a position to argue about such things”. He also visited an Auntie Isobel who was busy in the shop. Then he also met with Bella Stephenson, and Aunt Nellie, Bella Strachan and her husband. Dad had not forgotten his sister and sent her a telegram of condolences from Glasgow. The trip up to Glasgow was not that easy, the train service was not good because of the air raids and it took from Friday afternoon until Sunday afternoon at 4.30 to arrive. He was exhausted as he had not slept much on the train on the Friday night and then stopped over at a B&B in Carlisle that cost him 6d. The journey back was equally as long and tedious and caused him to be one day late so he was in a spot of trouble. In the meantime the training in Paignton was progressing, all necessary exams passed and just waiting to be posted to an EFTS. and Dad had been promoted to Leading Aircraftsman. The pay went up from 2/- to 5/6 per day. The rest of the letter concerned money matters and his insurance policy and an offer of money for Phyllis. It was a very newsy letter, extra long to make up for the week he lost.
Letter dated the 29th December 1940 described his Christmas in Paignton where there was a lot doing and which he enjoyed. There was a dance in Torquay, which they left late and had to get a taxi home. A very benevolent family had three of them for Christmas midday dinner, which seemed strange to him. He and his roommate visited this family a number of times as they enjoyed the warmth and peaceful atmosphere away from the barracks. Over the Christmas period he went to a couple of dances which he enjoyed thoroughly. (I think his time in Paignton was the happiest for him.)
1941
5th January 1941. Saw snow for the first time, some six inches of snow on the hills and around and bitterly cold weather. On a route march into the hills the fellows participated in some snow fights which resulted in some facial injuries because the snow was frozen. All the ponds were frozen up and walking quite dangerous, worst of all is doing PT outside in a vest and shorts “which nearly kills us” Still in Paignton in seems, [sic] expecting to leave for E.F.T.S. soon near Hull once the weather clears up a little.
New Years eve was a big success, went to a local dance. Otherwise not much news, just a mention of some friends of Dad’s from Rhodesia and what they doing [sic] in the Air Force.
On 14th January, Dad wrote that he had been posted to 4 E.F.TS. flying school in Brough, fairly near Hull. Kept very busy, lots of lectures and then studying. Lectures all morning and then flying the in the afternoon, [sic] weather permitting. The students had to average well over 60% on all subjects in order to pass
“Up to now have done 2 and a half hours which is all dual, just learning the various manoevers [sic] etc. but the instructor is always there to check up and show you how it should be done. It is just fine flying around. We have a very nice lounge and separate writing room nicely furnished. We have tablecloths again, cups and saucers instead of mugs and last but not least by a long way … we have butter, jam and sugar on the table. There is also a mess where we can get beer and soft drinks so generally speaking we are living like gentlemen. We sleep out every second night in an old Sunday school building so that in the event of a lot of air raids we can get a decent nights sleep, but nothing has happened so far”.
Usual address “Some where in England” 24th January 1941. Due to good old English weather no flying for nearly a week. Dad had to placate Granny, she was worried and not heard from Dad for so long. The reason being that mail from the UK 2nd – 22nd November had gone missing, which is hardly surprising consider [sic] there was a war going on.
“We are trying to learn all sorts of things to become pilots and it seems to me as if being able to fly a plane is about the least important thing. This navigation is still a bit of a myth to me as there are such an awful lot of things to do and work out before starting on a flight. It is such a common thing to hear about a bomber going to the other end of Germany and back that it seems childs [sic] play, but I’m thinking they are pretty smart.” Doesn’t that sound just like Dad!
[page break]
Very welcome post received from his mother, and a letter from Harry which took Dad about an hour to decipher! The sea voyage did not have a good effect on the chocolate so Dad asked his mother not to send anymore, cigarettes yes!
Sunday 2nd February 1941. The usual discussion about letters received and sent, the miserable weather and lack of flying. Examinations passed but more to come, lectures from 8.30 – 5.30. Sunday’s in England not much happening and “must be just about the sleepiest thing imaginable”.
12th February 1941. Not much to report other than a bit of flying and about ready to go solo, weather permitting. So far Dad had done 8 hrs flying, but needed to get in 42 hours flying before moved to next base for more advanced training. Some correspondence exchanged between Dad and Babs Tulloch, who had sent Dad a pair of woollen knitted gloves.
Socially not much happening, the closest place is Hull but the bus costs a bit too much. However they did get to see a bio: Erol Flynn “The Sea Hawk” and then went to an enjoyable dance in the evening.
18th February 1941 Dad keeping fit, received a couple of newspapers dated 27th December and 3rd January, so a bit out of date by then. Douglas Leggo getting married. No letters from his mother in five weeks which was cause for concern and also had no news about Buster. Still busy with exams, very little flying because of the weather, so not much news.
24th February 1941 Two letters had arrived, and about 4 newspapers so news from home was very welcome. Busters kids had whooping cough at the festive season. Final exams finished, just waiting for results. Lots of flying when the weather is good, and recently had some sunshine. Not much news, pretty much the same thing done every day.
10th March 1941 Still at Brough and ground instruction now completed. Up until then Dad had only flown 25 hours in 8 weeks. Letters received from Mrs. Bartons niece, Babs Tulloch but still so few letters coming through from Inyazura. Dad wanted snaps of Charlton, Harry;s [sic] honeymoon.
And then a big money mix-up:
“Do you remember that time I was hard up and cabled home for money. Well you cabled £11.10.0 but the post office at Paignton made a mistake and sent me only 10/- which at the time seemed rather strange, but I couldn’t do anything about it. However they discovered it about 2 months later (that was honest of them) and have duly paid over the remaining £11 with much apology.”
(This letter took a whole two months to get to IY)
Posted from Cary Hill House, Castle Cary, Bath Sunday 30th March On 10 days leave, so visited relatives.
“Arrived here last night and meant to make it an unheralded visit but I had a telegram waiting for me when I arrived to say that leave had been extended from 2nd April to 9th April. When my leave is over I have to report to my new station, which is about 40 miles north of London. I believe it si [sic] quite a nice place so I hope I shall enjoy it there. Actually I was quite sorry to leave Brough as we had grand crowd of fellows there and we had a good time”
The letters written in April must have gone astray, 11th May 1941 was the date of the next letter. First solo cross country was [deleted] from here [/deleted] [inserted] across [/inserted] to Worcester then north of Shresbury, [sic] passed right over the old camp at Bridgnorth. The next cross country was a bit of an adventure, having got lost near Salisbury, and after flying around in circles for about an hour they had to make an emergency landing to refuel. Started night flying on the 10th May, only started at 3 am because of an air raid. There had been a tragedy the previous week when the instructor and another pupil cam [sic] into land with its navigation lights on. the Germans spotted it and shot at it. They had to crash land and the pilot and instructor were wounded
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Donald Baker's war time story taken from letters which he wrote to his mother in Rhodesia
Description
An account of the resource
Stars in June 1940 based on letters written to his mother. Tells of life in Rhodesia before being called up and travelling to England, Discusses war as well as work and social life and initial training in Rhodesia. Goes on to describe a little of journey by ship and the life in England including bombing. Mentions RAF basic training camps in August 1940. Mentions medical for pilot and starting training (maths an navigation courses). Goes on leave to Scotland and describes Christmas. January 1941 sent for elementary flying training which is completed about March 1941. Account finishes in may 1941 with mention getting lost and emergency landing.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Six page printed document
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Memoir
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
SBakerDA19210428v20001
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Civilian
Royal Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe--Harare
Zimbabwe--Bulawayo
Great Britain
England--London
England--Shropshire
England--Bridgnorth
England--Staffordshire
England--Wolverhampton
England--Devon
England--Paignton
England--Yorkshire
England--Hull
England--Somerset
England--Castle Cary
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1940-06
1940-07
1940-08
1940-09
1940-10
1940-11
1940-12
1941-01
1941-02
1941-03
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Tricia Marshall
RAF Bridgnorth
RAF Paignton
training
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/163/22401/PBanksP15020033.2.jpg
b4dadc5ecc1aacb8c06ef4849ab819ec
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Banks, Peter. Album two
Description
An account of the resource
The album contains a varied collection of photographs taken whilst based at RAF Feltwell from 1937 onwards. There are aerial views of Windsor and Buckingham Palace, Harrow aircraft, plus social and service events. Post-war he was transferred to Singapore via India and Burma. The album reflects his social life with occasional photograph of his service activities at RAF Seletar. His return to UK via Bombay at the time of Indian independence is recorded, followed by scenic shots round Wick in Scotland. Finally there are some photographs of Angkor Thom in Cambodia. It also contains pages from newspapers dated 18 and 19 June 1940. <br /><br />Return to the <a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/show/140">main collection</a>.
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. Some items have not been published in order to protect the privacy of third parties, to comply with intellectual property regulations, or have been assessed as medium or low priority according to the IBCC Digital Archive collection policy and will therefore be published at a later stage. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collection-policy.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One photograph album
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
PBanksP1501
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Britain's middle east army: we stand firm
Description
An account of the resource
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, naval base fire, Canadian troops on Iceland and RAF again bomb Ruhr oil stores.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Daily Sketch
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1940-06-19
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One newspaper page
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Photograph
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
PBanksP15020033
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Civilian
British Army
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Iceland
Egypt
Germany
Germany--Gelsenkirchen
Germany--Ruhr (Region)
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1940-06
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
bombing
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/163/22396/PBanksP15020027.2.jpg
dbe897b0e0486e6f6a17839239551360
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/163/22396/PBanksP15020028.2.jpg
77574522224de09f57116133107834dc
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Banks, Peter. Album two
Description
An account of the resource
The album contains a varied collection of photographs taken whilst based at RAF Feltwell from 1937 onwards. There are aerial views of Windsor and Buckingham Palace, Harrow aircraft, plus social and service events. Post-war he was transferred to Singapore via India and Burma. The album reflects his social life with occasional photograph of his service activities at RAF Seletar. His return to UK via Bombay at the time of Indian independence is recorded, followed by scenic shots round Wick in Scotland. Finally there are some photographs of Angkor Thom in Cambodia. It also contains pages from newspapers dated 18 and 19 June 1940. <br /><br />Return to the <a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/show/140">main collection</a>.
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. Some items have not been published in order to protect the privacy of third parties, to comply with intellectual property regulations, or have been assessed as medium or low priority according to the IBCC Digital Archive collection policy and will therefore be published at a later stage. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collection-policy.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One photograph album
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
PBanksP1501
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
We have under arms now in this island over 1250000 men
Description
An account of the resource
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 invaded. Contains advice to citizens about German invaders and contains 5 photographs of people conducting various activities, hiding food, checking any orders are true, hiding your bicycle, watch for suspicious persons and padres under fitness training.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Daily Sketch
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1940-06-19
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Two newspaper pages
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Photograph
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
PBanksP15020027, PBanksP15020028
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Civilian
British Army
Royal Air Force
Royal Navy
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1940-06
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
animal
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/163/22391/PBanksP15020022.2.jpg
805a50b1acdb3de8dfee3f7b3e6efe98
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Banks, Peter. Album two
Description
An account of the resource
The album contains a varied collection of photographs taken whilst based at RAF Feltwell from 1937 onwards. There are aerial views of Windsor and Buckingham Palace, Harrow aircraft, plus social and service events. Post-war he was transferred to Singapore via India and Burma. The album reflects his social life with occasional photograph of his service activities at RAF Seletar. His return to UK via Bombay at the time of Indian independence is recorded, followed by scenic shots round Wick in Scotland. Finally there are some photographs of Angkor Thom in Cambodia. It also contains pages from newspapers dated 18 and 19 June 1940. <br /><br />Return to the <a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/show/140">main collection</a>.
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. Some items have not been published in order to protect the privacy of third parties, to comply with intellectual property regulations, or have been assessed as medium or low priority according to the IBCC Digital Archive collection policy and will therefore be published at a later stage. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collection-policy.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One photograph album
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
PBanksP1501
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Hitler and Mussolini decide France's fate
Description
An account of the resource
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 pledge to us. Paris BEF and RAF back, Italian u-boats in Atlantic?. Photograph of Gracie Fields wearing side cap with Canadian military force personnel headlined now our Gracie is Canada's Gracie.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Daily Sketch
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1940-06-19
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One newspaper page
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Photograph
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
PBanksP15020022
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
France
Germany
Germany--Munich
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1940-06
Hitler, Adolf (1889-1945)
Mussolini, Benito (1883-1945)
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/163/22389/PBanksP15020020.1.jpg
19d7ac2abc2d20771798ab14d71d02a8
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Banks, Peter. Album two
Description
An account of the resource
The album contains a varied collection of photographs taken whilst based at RAF Feltwell from 1937 onwards. There are aerial views of Windsor and Buckingham Palace, Harrow aircraft, plus social and service events. Post-war he was transferred to Singapore via India and Burma. The album reflects his social life with occasional photograph of his service activities at RAF Seletar. His return to UK via Bombay at the time of Indian independence is recorded, followed by scenic shots round Wick in Scotland. Finally there are some photographs of Angkor Thom in Cambodia. It also contains pages from newspapers dated 18 and 19 June 1940. <br /><br />Return to the <a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/show/140">main collection</a>.
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. Some items have not been published in order to protect the privacy of third parties, to comply with intellectual property regulations, or have been assessed as medium or low priority according to the IBCC Digital Archive collection policy and will therefore be published at a later stage. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collection-policy.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One photograph album
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
PBanksP1501
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Battle of Britain: RAF on offensive
Description
An account of the resource
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.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Daily Sketch
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1940-06-19
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One newspaper page
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Photograph
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
PBanksP15020020
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Civilian
Royal Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1940-06
childhood in wartime
Churchill, Winston (1874-1965)
evacuation
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/163/22382/PBanksP15020014.1.jpg
c011fc297578d3af89a632d6bfea7173
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Banks, Peter. Album two
Description
An account of the resource
The album contains a varied collection of photographs taken whilst based at RAF Feltwell from 1937 onwards. There are aerial views of Windsor and Buckingham Palace, Harrow aircraft, plus social and service events. Post-war he was transferred to Singapore via India and Burma. The album reflects his social life with occasional photograph of his service activities at RAF Seletar. His return to UK via Bombay at the time of Indian independence is recorded, followed by scenic shots round Wick in Scotland. Finally there are some photographs of Angkor Thom in Cambodia. It also contains pages from newspapers dated 18 and 19 June 1940. <br /><br />Return to the <a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/show/140">main collection</a>.
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. Some items have not been published in order to protect the privacy of third parties, to comply with intellectual property regulations, or have been assessed as medium or low priority according to the IBCC Digital Archive collection policy and will therefore be published at a later stage. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collection-policy.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One photograph album
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
PBanksP1501
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
I Saved My Baby From the Nazis by Robert Henrey
"In these sorrowful hours," says Marshal Petain in his broken-hearted statement to the French nation, "I think of the unhappy refugees who in utter distress flee along the roads."
For the last three days I, too, have been a refugee. A week ago I left London to rescue my wife and my one-year-old son from the Germans as Nazi tanks scorched across the Normandy pasture fields bringing their savage hordes hourly nearer our 16th century farmhouse.
This farm, where my son was born last summer, nestles in the [photograph] My son and his mother photographed on arrival in London. [/photograph] rich land above Deauville, where they make Camembert cheese and where the cream and butter are supposed to be the best in the world.
From the fields where my cattle grazed so peacefully I could see, across the mouth of the Seine, the once noble city of Le Havre, where the ocean greyhound Normandie used to slip before the war so gracefully to her moorings
Waves of 'Planes
It was with foreboding that one evening last week I jumped out of the car that brought me to the gates of my farm. The little half-timbered house built in the days when the English still held Calais lies in the middle of a six-acre field planted every ten yards with cider apple trees.
At right angles to my house was that of my farmer, which I built for him with thatched roof to harmonise with the cattle sheds that form the rest of the wing. In front is the well with its thatched dome, on top of which grow multicoloured irises.
Half way down the field I saw my wife running towards me. She had left our little son in his pram, and led me into the house where dinner was simmering on the stove.
Five minutes later the drone of an aeroplane could be heard.
It circled twice over our house and then made towards Le Havre. Soon twenty more arrived and did the same thing.
Child Massacre
Five minutes later we watched these aeroplanes drop their bombs over the city. They arrived in waves of twenty, burning, bombarding and machine-gunning for four solid hours every night.
The Nazis were aiming not only at the utter destruction of Le Havre, but also at our own boys, who behaved like the heroes they are although so few have returned to tell the tale.
As we walked sorrowfully back to the house a woman with a baby in her arms asked us the way to a certain farm. She said she had come from Rouen by foot, and that the Nazis had entered the city at 10 o'clock that morning.
Two Nazi tanks had thundered down the main street of Rouen just as Mass was about to start. They had galloped 70 miles ahead of the nearest German infantry, and entered the city by surprise, firing at both pavements as they rumbled through the streets.
But when the tanks reach the bridge across the river (where the cafes are always packed at this hour of the morning) the French blew the bridge up, sending both tanks and twenty French motor-cars into the water below.
Then another bridge was blown up, and then the aerial bridge.
When my wife and I heard about Rouen, we decided to leave. But could we get a car? The only train from Paris that morning had been machine-gunned by Nazi airmen and cut in half. Scores had been killed.
We walked down to the village of Villers-sur-Mer. It was pitch black and air-raid wardens were whistling in front of windows where the slightest crack of light could be seen. Everybody who had a car had gone except the doctor and the nurse who was expecting four maternity cases during the next few hours.
Bombs All Around
We walked up again while forty Nazi 'planes whirred above our heads to continue the bombing of Le Havre.
The next morning we put our house spick and span. I helped my wife make the beds and myself made up the cot. I did not want a speck of dust to remain on the furniture. My mother-in-law had laid the table for lunch. "Let the fire die down," I said. "I don't think we'll need it."
I walked down to the village where the notary told me that the Germans might be expected at any time. They had broken across the Seine after machine-gunning all the refugees on the ferries. A friend offered to drive my little family to the other side of Caen. I came up again and said to my wife, "We are leaving immediately."
She understood. We took nothing but the baby's pram and a little lamp to heat his meals during the journey. I said good-bye to the house which represented all my dreams, all my savings, and picked a rose in the garden. We never looked back.
Now the Germans will be eating the meal we had prepared. They will be tearing the sheets from my baby's cot, driving their bayonets through the little things that had been in my family for five generations. All my books were there, all I loved, all I cared for. My cattle would have been grazing in the fields when they arrived - I hope they fed my rabbits.
Chased Round Trees
The Germans pursued us all along the roads. Their aeroplanes would arrive, and flying only a few hundred feet high would machine-gun and bomb the caravan until three hundred cars would be ablaze, and most of their occupants killed.
Some that had escaped the first slaughter would run into the woods only to be chased round the trees by the Nazi airmen. But half an hour later the dead would be laid out by the roadside, the burned cars left to their fate, and the refugees behind would press forward to hope and the west coast.
The Tommies said that each time they arrived in a village the people ran for their lives, knowing that within half an hour of the arrival of our troops the Nazis would bomb them.
The last trains from Paris took 40 hours on the journey, were bombarded half a dozen times and women held on to the outside handles because there was no room inside the compartments. Cattle trucks were crowded with half-stifled children.
[advertisements for Craven 'A' and Samona]
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
I saved my baby from the Nazis
Description
An account of the resource
Newspaper page from Daily Sketch with account of a father who went to Normandy in France to rescue his wife and one year old son. Describes bombing of Le Havre and German advance. Goes on to mention aircraft machine gunning refugee columns.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Robert Henrey
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Daily Sketch
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One newspaper page
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
PBanksP15020014
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Civilian
Wehrmacht. Luftwaffe
Wehrmacht
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
France
France--Deauville
France--Le Havre
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1940-06
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Sue Smith
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1940-06-18
displaced person
strafing
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/163/22379/PBanksP15020011.1.jpg
0dc10efdae2983234238520930372150
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/163/22379/PBanksP15020012.1.jpg
b4656ee3546434d64deb98d9c648e6d7
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Banks, Peter. Album two
Description
An account of the resource
The album contains a varied collection of photographs taken whilst based at RAF Feltwell from 1937 onwards. There are aerial views of Windsor and Buckingham Palace, Harrow aircraft, plus social and service events. Post-war he was transferred to Singapore via India and Burma. The album reflects his social life with occasional photograph of his service activities at RAF Seletar. His return to UK via Bombay at the time of Indian independence is recorded, followed by scenic shots round Wick in Scotland. Finally there are some photographs of Angkor Thom in Cambodia. It also contains pages from newspapers dated 18 and 19 June 1940. <br /><br />Return to the <a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/show/140">main collection</a>.
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. Some items have not been published in order to protect the privacy of third parties, to comply with intellectual property regulations, or have been assessed as medium or low priority according to the IBCC Digital Archive collection policy and will therefore be published at a later stage. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collection-policy.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One photograph album
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
PBanksP1501
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
The British Empire can beat the dictators
Description
An account of the resource
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 map showing countries of British Empire.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Daily Sketch
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1940-06-18
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Two newspaper pages
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Photograph
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
PBanksP15020011, PBanksP15020012
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
Canada
South Africa
India
Australia
New Zealand
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Navy
British Army
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1940-06
Blenheim
Defiant
Sunderland
training
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/163/22374/PBanksP15020008.2.jpg
93a1bc67c0c98541a23d91a3d5221f42
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Banks, Peter. Album two
Description
An account of the resource
The album contains a varied collection of photographs taken whilst based at RAF Feltwell from 1937 onwards. There are aerial views of Windsor and Buckingham Palace, Harrow aircraft, plus social and service events. Post-war he was transferred to Singapore via India and Burma. The album reflects his social life with occasional photograph of his service activities at RAF Seletar. His return to UK via Bombay at the time of Indian independence is recorded, followed by scenic shots round Wick in Scotland. Finally there are some photographs of Angkor Thom in Cambodia. It also contains pages from newspapers dated 18 and 19 June 1940. <br /><br />Return to the <a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/show/140">main collection</a>.
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. Some items have not been published in order to protect the privacy of third parties, to comply with intellectual property regulations, or have been assessed as medium or low priority according to the IBCC Digital Archive collection policy and will therefore be published at a later stage. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collection-policy.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One photograph album
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
PBanksP1501
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Britain's hour of destiny
Description
An account of the resource
Page 7 - editorial comments with photograph of a Whitley production line. Other headlines: Britain will fight on, munition worker's pay
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Daily Sketch
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1940-06-18
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One newspaper page
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Photograph
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
PBanksP15020008
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1940-06
home front
Whitley
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/163/22371/PBanksP15020006.1.jpg
dd97f5853bc9a348766c3d2fb70960df
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Banks, Peter. Album two
Description
An account of the resource
The album contains a varied collection of photographs taken whilst based at RAF Feltwell from 1937 onwards. There are aerial views of Windsor and Buckingham Palace, Harrow aircraft, plus social and service events. Post-war he was transferred to Singapore via India and Burma. The album reflects his social life with occasional photograph of his service activities at RAF Seletar. His return to UK via Bombay at the time of Indian independence is recorded, followed by scenic shots round Wick in Scotland. Finally there are some photographs of Angkor Thom in Cambodia. It also contains pages from newspapers dated 18 and 19 June 1940. <br /><br />Return to the <a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/show/140">main collection</a>.
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. Some items have not been published in order to protect the privacy of third parties, to comply with intellectual property regulations, or have been assessed as medium or low priority according to the IBCC Digital Archive collection policy and will therefore be published at a later stage. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collection-policy.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One photograph album
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
PBanksP1501
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Submarine holds up American Refugee ship: first pictures
Description
An account of the resource
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.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1940-06-18
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One newspaper page
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Photograph
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
PBanksP15020006
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1940-06
displaced person
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/141/22362/PBanksP15010135.2.jpg
9b86ec4812dbc2577f3d76e5be168fca
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Banks, Peter. Album one
Description
An account of the resource
134 items. The album contains pictures taken at RAF Methwold and Feltwell, Battles in France as part of the RAF Advanced Air Striking Force in 1940, 2 Group target photographs, and Venturas and Photographic Reconnaissance Unit Spitfires. There are also a number of aerial photographs of cities and targets in the Ruhr and the Low countries taken at low level during a sightseeing Cooks tour after VE Day. <br /><br />Return to the <a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/show/140">main collection</a>.
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. Some items have not been published in order to protect the privacy of third parties, to comply with intellectual property regulations, or have been assessed as medium or low priority according to the IBCC Digital Archive collection policy and will therefore be published at a later stage. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collection-policy.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One photograph album
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
PBanksP1501
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
[black and white photograph of three airmen in flying gear standing in front of the aircraft Fairey Battle L5360]
FIVE MEN IN A BATTLE
FAIREY Battle L5360 was believed to be the last of its kind to escape from France before that country fell to the German invaders in June 1940. An 88 Squadron (Advanced Air Striking Force) machine, as evidenced by the code letters ‘RH’, it was attacked and forced down at Poitiers, abandoned by its crew, and then hastily repaired by members of the detachment of 212 (Photographic Reconnaissance) Squadron from Heston, serving with the BEF. Bullet holes in the Battle were patched up and one of the wing tips, which had been shot off, was replaced with a bent branch from a tree and some fabric. The damaged starboard flap was locked in the position shown in the photograph and a kitbag slung under the port wing to balance the aircraft in flight.
Prior to take-off from Fontenoy-Le-Conte grass field, near La Rochelle, at 5.30 pm on June 20 1940, the remaining 20 or so ground staff of 212 Squadron cut cards to see which four of them would accompany the pilot, Flt Lt “Tug” Wilson, on the flight to England. The winners were Sgt Walton, Sgt Ward, LAC Cook and LAC Jim Muncie. The Battle normally carried a crew of three, but Wilson decided that if some weight of the aircraft was reduced by discarding, among other items, the three parachutes, five could be carried.
To get the Battle off the grass airfield, Wilson first taxied out to take-off position and got the remaining ground staff to hold the plane by a rope attached to its rudder while he reached full revs. The Battle was then released and after what seemed ages it lifted and cleared the trees at the end of the airfield by a few feet. The flight path to the UK was across country to the left of Cherbourg then right to cross over the Channel Islands. After over two hours flying the Battle banked over the airfield at Jersey and headed for Heston.
Before take-off Wilson had told his passengers that if any enemy aircraft werer [sic] met he would waggle his wings to signal that they were to quickly move as near to the front of the Battle as possible to enable him to make a fast dive. Luckily only a Hurricane was seen. It escorted the Battle for part of the journey across the Channel, and then parted company near the English coast. Heston airfield was reached at about 9.30 pm and the Battle landed with little fuel left in the tanks. “The tarmac in front of the hangar was packed with the rest of the boys waiting to welcome us”, recalls Jim Muncie. “I personally patted the good old earth again when I left the aircraft. I was last out, as my position was just behind the pilot the bomb aimer’s station”.
The photograph, taken by Mr Muncie, shows the Battle in France before the flight to England. Noteworthy are the hurriedly painted 88 Squadron code letters “RH”. Personnel in the picture are (L to R) LAC Cook, Sgt Walton and Sgt Ward. More information about L5360 can be found in Aviator Extraordinary (published some years ago by Chatto and Windus) by Sydney Cotton and Ralph Barker.
L5360 never flew again as it was not worth repairing. The engine was needing repair, plus the fuselage and it was even discovered that the rear gun was jammed and would never have fired a shot. The ground staff of 212 Squadron left behind in France eventually reached Bordeaux, and boarded a ship to arrive safely home in the middle of July.
AUGUST 1975
325
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Five men in a Battle
Description
An account of the resource
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 Rochelle with four of the 20 ground personnel of 212 Squadron and pilot on board. Details names of passengers and pilot. Describes take off and flight back to England. At top is a photograph of the aircraft with three of the passengers. The ground staff left behind eventually got back to England via Bordeaux.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1940-06-20
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One newspaper cutting mounted on an album page
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Photograph
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
PBanksP15010135
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
France
France--Poitiers
France--Bordeaux (Nouvelle-Aquitaine)
Great Britain
England--London
England--Hounslow
England--Middlesex
France--Fontenay
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1940-06
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Tricia Marshall
88 Squadron
Battle
bombing of the Normandy coastal batteries (5/6 June 1944)
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1313/19036/PStachiewiczM17010017.1.jpg
91a1a7a337a4f7c1b1253db332965852
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Stachiewicz, Mieczysław. Album
Description
An account of the resource
58 items. An album of photographs, newspaper clippings and papers relating to Mieczysław Stachiewicz's escape from Poland through Romania, Greece, and France to Great Britain, and his tour of operations as a pilot with 301 Squadron from RAF Hemswell. The album also contains photographs of his friends and family.
These items were digitised by a third-party using technical specifications and operational protocols that may differ from those used by the IBCC Digital Archive.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-01-19
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Stachiewicz, M
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Ewakuacja z Francji, czerwiec 1940. Statek "Arrandora Star". St Jean-de-Luz - Liverpool
Evacuation from France, June 1940. Ship "Arrandora Star". St Jean-de-Luz - Liverpool
Description
An account of the resource
Photo 1 is the ship 'Arandora Star'.
Photo 2 are seagulls and clouds
Photo 3 is some men at the side of the ship as it is cruising along.
Photo 4 is three men in uniform on the ship.
Photo 5 is a building at the side of the river.
Photo 6 is a group of men, one in uniform, standing at the railings of the ship.
Photo 7 is a naval vessel approaching the ship.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1940-06
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Seven b/w photographs from a scrapbook
Language
A language of the resource
pol
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Photograph
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
PStachiewiczM17010017
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Polskie Siły Powietrzne
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
France
Great Britain
Atlantic Ocean
England--Liverpool
France--Saint-Jean-de-Luz
England--Lancashire
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1940-06
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Mieczysław Stachiewicz
aircrew
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1274/18686/PNevillEG1602.2.jpg
72dfee78fd6e4570096beb8a6a2638d3
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Nevill, Edward
Edward Greville Nevill
E G Nevill
Description
An account of the resource
Nine items. Collection concerns Sergeant Edward Nevill DFM and includes correspondence and newspaper reports about the award of Edward Nevill's Distinguished Flying Medal.
The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Guy Nevill and catalogued by Archive staff.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-05-11
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Nevill, EG
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Edward Nevill's decorations
Description
An account of the resource
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.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Medals, photograph and newspaper cutting mounted and framed
Language
A language of the resource
eng
lat
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Physical object
Photograph
Text
Physical object. Decoration
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
PNevillEG1602
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1940-06
air gunner
aircrew
Distinguished Flying Medal
Me 109
observer
pilot
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1274/18684/NNevillG160511-01.2.jpg
fb4bb31505bd5ea2418c7627eee36a74
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Nevill, Edward
Edward Greville Nevill
E G Nevill
Description
An account of the resource
Nine items. Collection concerns Sergeant Edward Nevill DFM and includes correspondence and newspaper reports about the award of Edward Nevill's Distinguished Flying Medal.
The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Guy Nevill and catalogued by Archive staff.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-05-11
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Nevill, EG
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
HOUNSLOW AIRMAN HONOURED
Sgt. E.G. Nevill, D.F.M.
Sergeant E.G. Nevill, of the Royal Air Force, has been awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal for conspicuous service. Not yet 20 years of age, he is the son of Mr. Edwin J. Nevill, of “Keyford,” 79, Cromwell Road, Hounslow, late head postmaster of East Grinstead. Mr. Nevill is a well-known member of the Heston and Isleworth Philanthropic Society.
The British bombers, of which Sergeant Nevill was a member of a crew, were reconnoitring the enemy’s back areas at a height of only 50 feet when three Messerschmitt 109’s were sighted about 150 feet higher. Sergeant Nevill, the rear gunner, holding his fire until the fighters were within close range, replied to each attack with a series of short bursts, while his pilot, taking violent evasive action, skimmed the housetops of villages as he made for the coast.
One Messerschmitt 109, closing to within 300 yards of the bomber’s tail, was caught by a well-directed burst from the rear gun and dived headlong to the ground. At the coast the two remaining enemy machines broke off the engagement and turned back.
¬_
The crew of one British bomber, reconnoitring the enemy’s back areas at a height of only 50ft., sighted three Messerschmitt 19’s [sic] about 150ft. higher.
Held His Fire
The British rear-gunner, holding his fire until the fighters were within close range, replied to each attack with a series of short bursts, while his pilot, taking violent evasive action, skimmed the housetops of villages as he made for the coast.
One Messerschmitt 109, closing to within 300 yards of the bomber’s tail, was caught by a well aimed burst from the rear gun and dived headlong to the ground. At the coast two remaining Messerschmitts broke off the engagement and turned back.
Printed and Published by The Daily [missing letters]
_
Former Frome Postmaster’s Son Honoured
Sergeant E.G. Nevill, of the Royal Air Force, has been awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal for conspicuous service. Not yet 20 years of age, he is the son of Mr. Edwin J. Nevill, of “Keyford,” 79, Cromwell Road, Hounslow, who for five years was head postmaster at Frome. Sergeant Nevill was born in Frome and spent the first five years of his life here. The British bombers, of which Sergeant Nevill was a member of a crew, were reconnoitring the enemy’s back areas at a height of only fifty feet when three Messerschmitt 109’s were sighted about 150 feet higher. Sergeant Nevill, the rear gunner, holding his fire until the fighters were within close range, replied to each attack with a series of short bursts, while his pilot taking violent evasive action, skimmed the housetops of villages as he made for the coast. One Messerschmitt 109, closing to within 300 yards of the bomber’s tail, was caught by a well-directed burst from the rear gun and dived headlong to the ground. At the coast the two remaining enemy machines broke off the engagement and turned back.
_
DISTINGUISHED FLYING MEDAL
NEVILL, 610339, SERGEANT EDWARD GREVILLE.
SPENCER, 580466, SERGEANT ALAN.
In June Flight Lieutenant Batt was the pilot and Sergeants Nevill and Spencer the observer and rear gunner respectively of an aircraft which successfully carried out a single aircraft reconnaissance. Throughout the whole operation the aircraft was flown at a height of less than 200ft., and enemy troop concentrations were located and subsequently attacked. Flight Lieutenant Batt successfully completed the mission in spite of intense anti-aircraft fire, which severely damaged his aircraft. Sergeant Spencer was wounded during the operation, but continued to use his gun, also making valuable visual reconnaissances. Sergeant Nevill, by his skilful handling of his gun, beat off an attack by three Messerschmitt 109s. It is believed that one was destroyed. This crew has taken part in 11 operational flights since May 10, and they have at all times displayed courage and determination in the face of the enemy. Their excellent team work has largely contributed to the success of many of the missions entrusted to them.
_
The crew of another bomber, reconnoitring the enemy’s back areas at a height of only 50 ft. sighted three Messerschmitt 109’s ahead.
The fighters at once dived to the attack, one closing in on either quarter and the third approaching directly from astern.
Pressing home their attacks at short range they then broke away, and while one fighter continued to attack from astern, the remaining two, working as a pair, kept up a series of diving assaults on each quarter in turn.
The British rear-gunner, holding his fire until the fighters were within close range, replied to each attack with a series of short bursts while his pilot skimmed the housetops and scattered villages as he made for the coast.
FLEW BACK
One Messerschmitt was caught by a well-aimed burst from the rear gun, turned over on its back and dived headlong into the ground.
The running fight continued until the coast was reached, when the two remaining Messerschmitts broke off the engagement and turned back.
Immediately the bomber pilot turned his aircraft about and completed his interrupted reconnaissance in full.
_
[underlined] Flew at 200 Feet [/underlined]
Flight-Lieutenant Robert Batt was the pilot, and Sergeants Edward Nevill and Alan Spencer, the observer and air gunner of an aircraft which successfully carried out a single aircraft reconnaissance.
Throughout the whole operation the aircraft was flown at a height of less than 200 feet, and enemy troop concentrations were located and subsequently attacked.
Flight-Lieutenant Batt successfully completed the mission in spite of intense anti-aircraft fire which severely damaged his aircraft. Sergeant Spencer was wounded, but continued to use his gun. Sergeant Nevill, by skilful handling of his gun, beat off an attack by three Messerschmitts. It is believed he destroyed one.
Flight-Lieutenant Batt has been awarded the D.F.C., and Sergeant Nevill and Sergeant Spencer the D.F.M.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Sgt Edward Nevill's DFM newspaper reports
Hounslow Airman Honoured
Description
An account of the resource
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.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Six newspaper cuttings
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
NNevillG160511-01
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Hounslow
England--Middlesex
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1940
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1940-06
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
David Bloomfield
Angela Gaffney
Requires
A related resource that is required by the described resource to support its function, delivery, or coherence.
Workflow A completed
air gunner
aircrew
Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Medal
Me 109
navigator
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1274/18683/EPortalE40Sqn400609.1.jpg
563cf9a883a9ed14984df212f2f71b62
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Nevill, Edward
Edward Greville Nevill
E G Nevill
Description
An account of the resource
Nine items. Collection concerns Sergeant Edward Nevill DFM and includes correspondence and newspaper reports about the award of Edward Nevill's Distinguished Flying Medal.
The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Guy Nevill and catalogued by Archive staff.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-05-11
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Nevill, EG
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Telegram to Edward Nevill
Description
An account of the resource
A telegram sent to Edward Nevill from Bomber Command Headquarters congratulating him on receiving a DFM.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1940-06-09
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One typewritten sheet
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EPortalCAirMin400609
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1940-06
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Great Britain. Royal Air Force
40 Squadron
aircrew
Distinguished Flying Medal
Portal, Charles (1893-1971)
RAF Wyton
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1274/18682/EPortalCAirMin400610.2.jpg
2a1be51dcc569657abbc21c2229fe39b
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Nevill, Edward
Edward Greville Nevill
E G Nevill
Description
An account of the resource
Nine items. Collection concerns Sergeant Edward Nevill DFM and includes correspondence and newspaper reports about the award of Edward Nevill's Distinguished Flying Medal.
The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Guy Nevill and catalogued by Archive staff.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-05-11
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Nevill, EG
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
HEADQUARTERS,
BOMBER COMMAND,
ROYAL AIR FORCE,
c/o G.P.O.,
HIGH WYCOMBE
BUCKS.
[underlined] SECRET [/underlined]
Reference: - BC/S.23191/P. 10th June, 1940
[underlined] Grant of Decorations and Medals during the War – Immediate Awards [/underlined]
Sir,
I have the honour to refer to Air Ministry letter S.58915/S.7. (d). dated 24th February, 1940, and to forward herewith the attached proformas in respect of the Immediate Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross to 39055 Acting Flight Lieutenant Robert Hector BATT, and the Distinguished Flying Medal to 580466 Sergeant Allan SPENCER and 610339 Sergeant Edward Greville NEVILL all of No. 40 Squadron, R.A.F. Station, Wyton.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
[signature]
Air Marshall,
Commander-in-Chief,
[underlined] BOMBER COMMAND.[/underlined]
The Under Secretary of State,
Air Ministry (S.7. (d) ),
Adastral House
[underlined] Kingsway, W.C.2. [/underlined]
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Letter awarding DFM to Edward Nevill
Description
An account of the resource
A letter from Air Marshall, Bomber Command HQ to Edward Nevill, Robert Batt and Allan Spencer awarding them DFC and DFMs .
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1940-06-10
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One typewritten sheet
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EPortalCAirMin400610
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1940-06
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Great Britain. Royal Air Force. Bomber Command Headquarters
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
David Bloomfield
40 Squadron
aircrew
Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Medal
Portal, Charles (1893-1971)
RAF Wyton
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1274/18680/MNevillEG610339-160511-020001.2.jpg
d6b095dce49953335833259ab3a2d7b8
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1274/18680/MNevillEG610339-160511-020002.2.jpg
5588b0f0eef205bde5797ea0e3f99916
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1274/18680/MNevillEG610339-160511-020003.2.jpg
dc7631a6f07b40aac40a14eb3e0aa322
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1274/18680/MNevillEG610339-160511-020004.2.jpg
943c63de0a26a8aaef360c7ced79d1b6
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Nevill, Edward
Edward Greville Nevill
E G Nevill
Description
An account of the resource
Nine items. Collection concerns Sergeant Edward Nevill DFM and includes correspondence and newspaper reports about the award of Edward Nevill's Distinguished Flying Medal.
The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Guy Nevill and catalogued by Archive staff.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-05-11
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Nevill, EG
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
[inserted] D726 [/inserted]
[underlined] SECRET BY TELEPRINTER. [/underlined]
To: Headquarters, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 Groups.
From: Headquarters, Bomber Command.
[underlined] BOMBER COMMAND INTELLIGENCE REPORT NO. 652. [/underlined]
6 Jun.
[underlined] Situation Report as at 1000 hrs. 6 Jun. [/underlined]
Abbeville – Amiens. The following line held by Allies Estres, Grattepanche,, Baccual, Ailly Wood, Saissemont, Hallencourt, Behen, Valines, Acheux, Hautebut.
Reye vicinity. Apart from Chalnes – Hattencourt pocket, most of original position held. Allette situation confused. Enemy reported to have reached Vezaponin.
Rethel – Neufchatel. Nothing to report.
Between Sedan and Rhine strong enemy at Puttelange.
[signature]
[underlined] Duty Intelligence Officer. [/underlined]
T. of O. 1730 hrs.
[underlined] Distribution: [/underlined] (not to be teleprinted)
C. in. C. 1.
Narrative Officer 1.
French Mission 1.
File 1.
[page break]
[inserted] D728 [/inserted]
[underlined] SECRET BY TELEPRINTER. [/underlined]
To: Headquarters, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 Groups.
From: Headquarters, Bomber Command.
[underlined] BOMBER COMMAND INTELLIGENCE REPORT NO. 654. [/underlined]
6 Jun.
[underlined] Situation Report as at 1300 hrs. 6 Jun. [/underlined]
In the Abbeville area enemy pressure is increasing and a concentration of AFV’s has been reported in rear of the line.
Night reconnaissance revealed much activity between St. Quentin and Peronne.
The Allied line now runs as follows: Pontoise – Blerancourt – Crecy – Au-Mont and along waterway Ailette Canal to Rive Aisne.
[signature]
[underlined] Duty Intelligence Officer. [/underlined]
T. of O. 2120 hrs.
[underlined] Distribution: [/underlined]
C. in. C. 1.
Narrative Officer 2. [symbol]
French Mission 1.
File 1.
[page break]
[inserted] D723 [/inserted]
[underlined] SECRET BY TELEPRINTER [/underlined]
To: Headquarters, No. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 Groups.
From: Headquarters, Bomber Command.
[underlined] BOMBER COMMAND INTELLIGENCE REPORT NO. 649 [/underlined]
6 June
[underlined] Enemy ground activity. [/underlined]
Hurricane aircraft reconnoitring 5 June reported inactivity all roads St. Pol, Doullens, Heudin, railway station St. Pol appeared serviceable with rolling stock in it and railway stations Doullens and Mosdin have not been bombed. Barrage Balloon seen ten miles north west of Amiens.
[underlined] G.A.F. Air Transport [/underlined]
Photographs taken of Guise-Villers aerodrome 1200 hrs 5 June shows ten large and eighteen small aircraft. Pilot reported considerable activity and several large aircraft landing while he was over aerodrome.
Sheet 116. 0954.
Considerable transport activity continues also to Brussels, St. Quentin, Amsterdam, and from Wiesbaden area to Charleville and Philippeville, the two latter places being probably supply depots.
[underlined] G.A.F. Bombing Operations [/underlined]
Attacks on south west and south east Paris were renewed night 4.5 June. On 4 June six possibly seven Long Range Bomber Geschwaders were identified operating probably considerable more were actually employed.
[signature]
Flight Lieutenant.
[underlined] Duty Intelligence Officer. [/underlined]
T. of O. 0330 hrs.
[underlined] Distribution: [/underlined]
C. in C ……..1
Narrative Off.… 2 [symbol]
French Mission … 1
File …….. 1
[page break]
[inserted] D724 [/inserted]
[underlined] SECRET BY TELEPRINTER. [/underlined]
To: Headquarters, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 Groups.
From: headquarters, Bomber Command.
[underlined] BOMBER COMMAND INTELLIGENCE REPORT NO. 650. [/underlined]
6 Jun.
[underlined] Situation Report at 6 Jun. [/underlined]
0500 hrs. 51st Division now holding general line Hocquincourt – Lineux – Bethen – Acheux – Valines – Bourseville – Hautebut. Line intact.
0100 hrs. Abbeville area (1) Ochancourt and Franleu captured. (2) Bettencourt – crossed Somme between Picquiny and Ailly. (3) French hold line Guignenicour – Vers – Dury – Cettenchy. (4) Enemy tanks on Amiens – Montdidier and Peronne – Roye roads. (5) Chauny – no change.
French attacked column on Libons – Chaulnes road.
[underlined] Enemy Air Activity. [/underlined]
Rouen attacked continuously between 1845 hrs – 1950 hrs. Objectives Setteville Station and Rou – Ray camp. Dive bombing attacks; one aircraft brought down. Boos aerodrome attacked by large formation of Bombers and fighters. Aerodrome not damaged. Seven enemy aircraft brought down.
[underlined] Enemy Rail Activity. [/underlined]
Most important railheads appear to be Libramont, Hirson, Carignan. Considerable rail activity Trier – Luxembourg – Arlen – Neufchateau – Jennelle – South of Marcque – Namir, Aachen – Vise, Aachen – Maastricht.
[underlined] Duty Intelligence Officer. [/underlined]
T. of O. 1255 hrs.
[signature]
[underlined] Distribution: [/underlined]
C. in. C 1. [symbol]
Narrative Officer 2.
French Mission 1.
File 1.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Four Bomber Command Intelligence Reports
Description
An account of the resource
All marked 'Secret'. They are dated 6th June and give situation reports about the Allied lines and enemy ground, air and rail activity.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1940-06-06
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Four typewritten sheets
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
MNevillEG610339-160511-020001,
MNevillEG610339-160511-020002,
MNevillEG610339-160511-020003,
MNevillEG610339-160511-020004
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Wehrmacht
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
France
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1940-06
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Great Britain. Royal Air Force
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Tricia Marshall
bombing
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1230/15932/ERedgraveHCRedgraveJMXX0605-0001.2.jpg
b31ea125f4a678aa962a3b17ad4814a1
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1230/15932/ERedgraveHCRedgraveJMXX0605-0002.2.jpg
162f8dd10b18bf81321311b91893af33
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Redgrave, Henry Cecil
H C Redgrave
Description
An account of the resource
187 items. The collection concerns Henry Cecil Redgrave (743047, Royal Air Force) and contains his decorations, letters and photographs. He flew operations as a bomb aimer with 207 Squadron from RAF Waddington. He was killed 13/14 March 1941. <br /><br />The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Pam Isaac and catalogued by Barry Hunter.<br /><br /><span>Additional information on Henry Cecil Redgrave is available via the </span><a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/119457/">IBCC Losses Database</a><span>.</span>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2015-10-02
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Redgrave, HC
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
Hut D1
R.A.F. Station
Warmwell
Nr. Dorchester
Wed 5 June
Dear Jessie,
Thank you so much for your long letter of today and I am ever so glad to find expressed a much happier tone and to hear you are comfortably settled. As you will have heard by now there is no place near hear [sic] you can stop at and you had better find out if you can stay with Nellie and Harold for some time. I hope you can as I think you would be happy with folks you know and who love us all
You say Mum may be going down to Uncle Ernie and later to Joyce so it appears that she is settled for some weeks and as it will be company for Joyce who will be living on her own its not so bad for either of them. I was terribly sorry to hear of Millies [sic] loss and hope she will be philosophic about it and hope for better luck another time. Has she any plans after leaving Tilbury? If not will she be able to live you [sic] and the folks at Teddington. Maybe she will be able to go with you when you move.
It seems the corporation are doing us well over the electricity account but I think the water company have a cheek wanting half rates while nothing is being used.
[page break]
Have you payed [sic] the A.R. anything for this month and if not how are you fixed for cash.
So much for questions and answers perhaps you would like to know how we spend our days here. Up at quarter six and P.T. at quarter to seven till quarters past. P.T. this morning consisted of a cross country run and back for breakfast and on parade at ten past eight. Lectures start at eight fifteen with half an hours [sic] drill at quarter to ten and a break until half past then another two hours lectures until twelve thirty. Just one hour for dinner and back at half past one for three hours [corrected] continuous [/corrected] lectures and one hour for tea. At half past five we are back again to do one hours buzzing. We are simply rushed through and yesterday had to learn all the parts and the action of a Vickers Gas Operated Gun and today a Lewis. Tomorrow we go down to the range for ground machine gun work which should be more interesting I think and we start flying next week. For gunnery we are using some power operated turrets. Quite a busy day don’t you think.
Write and answer all my questions and I shall know how to go on.
Give my love to all and kisses for you and Pamela.
Your loving husband
Harry xxxx
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
To Jessie from Harry Redgrave
Description
An account of the resource
A letter from Harry Redgrave to his wife Jessie from RAF Warmwell. He discusses their family and money matters and then describes a typical day's training.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Harry Redgrave
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1940-06-05
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Two handwritten sheets
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
ERedgraveHCRedgraveJMXX0605-0001,
ERedgraveHCRedgraveJMXX0605-0002
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Civilian
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Dorset
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1940-06
air gunner
aircrew
RAF Warmwell
training
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1230/15900/ERedgraveHCRedgraveJM400609-0001.2.jpg
ab1f2c95b89126c1af30983e021b64a9
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1230/15900/ERedgraveHCRedgraveJM400609-0002.2.jpg
6fe928d9988d9655a98375106e347cfe
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1230/15900/ERedgraveHCRedgraveJM400609-0003.2.jpg
74421fde16bafd0fa223640c63e6cbac
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Redgrave, Henry Cecil
H C Redgrave
Description
An account of the resource
187 items. The collection concerns Henry Cecil Redgrave (743047, Royal Air Force) and contains his decorations, letters and photographs. He flew operations as a bomb aimer with 207 Squadron from RAF Waddington. He was killed 13/14 March 1941. <br /><br />The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Pam Isaac and catalogued by Barry Hunter.<br /><br /><span>Additional information on Henry Cecil Redgrave is available via the </span><a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/119457/">IBCC Losses Database</a><span>.</span>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2015-10-02
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Redgrave, HC
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
[postage stamp]
[post mark]
[inserted] [mathematical calculation] [/inserted]
Mrs H.C. Redgrave
c/o Mrs Peck
89 Hampton Road
Hampton Hill
Mdx. [Middlesex]
[page break]
[inserted] [mathematical calculation] [/inserted]
Hut D,
R.A.F Station
Warmwell
Nr. Dorchester
Sun. Jun 9.
Dear Jessie,
Thanks for your letter of Friday and I must say you are trying hard to find a place down near me but you know all those places you [smudged] mention [/smudged] are, apart from Weymouth and Dorchester, quite small [smudged] places [/smudged] of just a few houses a church and pub, and as all these places cater for holiday makers their prices would be pretty stiff. The best thing you can do is to see if you can stay with Nellie until I leave here and go to a station where there is some chance of staying put.
You remember Horace Moody well his wife and little girl are at Minehead in Somerset for the summer and he has suggested his wife should look around and see if she can find a place for you and Pam. She is living down there with her sister and her sisters [smudged] baby, [/smudged] and Horace thought it would be nice if you all lived together. I am afraid you would find the place rather lonely and with little opportunity of seeing me but it would be safe and you would be with girls of the same age and children for Pam to play with. Let me know what you think of it.
Yesterday afternoon we had a swimming parade
[page break]
and two lorry loads of us went down to Lulworth and had [deleted] I [/deleted] a grand swim in most beautiful surroundings. We had to climb down the cliffs into a sandy cove where there was hardly anybody about and we were able to change into our gym shorts and vests after our swim. Last night, having very little money for fare, immediately after supper 6.30. Reg. Taylor and Butch Sadler who you met when you came up to the mill [inserted] and I [/inserted] started to walk to Dorchester about six miles hoping to get a lift. After about half a mile I stopped a car and we were taken right into the town where we strolled around had a couple of drinks and got back to the station and got singles to Moreton 6d. On the way back from the station to the camp I saw a gloworm. [sic] Have you ever seen one. [sic] They are wonderful and I would never believe they could make so much light. When I got back to the hut there was one on my tunic and in the darkness of the hut it was like a lamp on me. Today or rather this afternoon I am going to hitchhike to Weymouth and have a swim and sunbathe on the beach. Wish you were with me though. When this war is all over darling we will have lots of happy times together again. Give my love to all
From you ever loving
Harry xxxx
P.S. Please write me a good long letter next time darling.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
To Jessie from Harry Redgrave
Description
An account of the resource
A letter and envelope from Harry Redgrave to Jessie. Harry writes about life at RAF Warmwell including the men being taken to Lulworth Cove for swimming, hitch hiking into Dorchester and suggesting Jessie could move to Minehead.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Harry Redgrave
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1940-06-09
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Two handwritten sheets and an envelope
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
ERedgraveHCRedgraveJM400609-0001,
ERedgraveHCRedgraveJM400609-0002,
ERedgraveHCRedgraveJM400609-0003
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Civilian
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Dorset
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1940-06
aircrew
RAF Warmwell
training