Browse Items (43 total)
- Temporal Coverage is exactly "1942-05-31"
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Letter from John Valentine to the father of his pilot
To Mr Floyd, father of Philip Floyd, mentioning that he was his son's navigator and that he had recently discovered Mr Loyd's address. Expresses concern that he might upset Mr Floyd. Provides description of their last operation on 1000 bomber attack…
Letter from the caterpillar club
Sent to Ursula Valentine stating that they were glad to hear that John Valentine had saved his life with one of their chutes. However, they regret that they would not be able to send a badge until after the war due to supply restrictions.
Letter from Mervyn Adder to his brother Alex
Letter and explanatory note. Comments on Alex's new course and news. Mentions exams he had taken and provided results. Mentions his sister visiting with friend previous Sunday and possible future visits. Mentions recent invasion exercises and…
A memoir of life in the WAAF during the war
Starts with description of feelings and actions beginning of the war. Mother had tried to persuade her to join land army and mentions brief experience and unsuitability for farming. Decided to join the RAF. Details enlistment and initial training…
Letter from Ursula Valentine to her husbands pilot's father
Writes that her husband was the navigator of his son's aircraft when they were reported missing on the Cologne operation. She quotes from a letter from her husband about that it was thanks to his son's magnificent, cool and resourceful actions that…
Operations board
Shows the operations board for an operation by two squadrons to Cologne on 31 May 1942. To the left are listed crew captains with take off and landing times. All have returned to base apart from F/O Johnson who is forth up from the bottom. On the…
Reg Manning's observer's and air gunner's flying log book
The Observer’s and Air Gunner’s Log Book covering the period 15 June 1941 to the 16 August 1963. Manning qualified first as an Air Gunner on the 4 July 1941 and second as a flight engineer on the 1 September 1941. He was commissioned on the 4…
Cologne
Reconnaissance photograph photograph of city centre with major road running top to bottom and railway lines on right side. Captioned in 1956 Memoir between pages 26-27 'Cologne after first 1,000 Bomber raid 1942'. On the reverse 'Cologne, C2550'.
Over 1,000 bomber raid Cologne
Headlined 'Over a 1000 bombers raid Cologne, biggest air attack of war. 2,000 tons of bombs in 90 minutes. Herald of what Germany will receive'. Article includes sections entitled outstanding success, small losses and 107th raid on Cologne.
1000 bomber raid on Cologne
Article 1: with headlines: 'a bomber every six second, enemy defences saturated and success of new plan'. Contains outline of operation. special message to crews from Air Marshall Harris, pilots reports, Group Commander sees for himself and German…
Cologne operation
Article 1: 'Cologne a mass of fires, pilots' impression of war's greatest raid, ground defences baffled by huge bombing effort'. Mentions reprisal attack on Canterbury. Sections headed: "pageant-like smoothness", 'a perfect raid', 'like a beacon',…
'Reaping the whirlwind'
Article 1: Accounts of operations against munition works in Paris, factories in the Ruhr and operations involving over 1000 bombers on Cologne. Goes on with accounts of RAF operations in the Middle East and German communique about Cologne. Article 2:…
1000 bomber raids
How Germany reacts to air attacks. Official counter-measure. Article discusses effect of operation against Cologne. Section on anxious memories mentions that effect casualties on eastern front and air attacks revives first world war saying "Wir…
Account of German witness to crash of John Valentines aircraft
Written by one of Philip Floyd's (pilot of John Valentine's aircraft) brother Michael's children based on conversations with parents. Recounts a letter to a German newspaper from a Werner Gerlach who as a young 15 year old boy witnessed the shooting…
Telegram to Ursula Valentine
Informs her that husband John is missing as result of operations on night of 30/31 May 1942. Note misspelling of Valentine as 'Balantine'.
Letter from Appleby-Frodingham Steel Company to Mabel Pexman
Kenneth's ex employer expressing regret on hearing of his death.
This item was sent to the IBCC Digital Archive already in digital form. No better quality copies are available.
This item was sent to the IBCC Digital Archive already in digital form. No better quality copies are available.
Kenneth Richard Pexman's grave
Wooden cross with the upright marked 'No 10' and the date of death. The cross bar has 'PEXMAN ENGELSCH VLIEGENIER' written across it. The grave is in Schoonselhof cemetery.
Additional information about this item was kindly provided by the…
Additional information about this item was kindly provided by the…
106 Squadron
106 Squadron after returning from the 'Thousand Bomber Raid' in May 30/31 1942, at RAF Coningsby. Wing Commander Guy Gibson can be seen on the front row, and Kenneth James Broderick can be seen standing behind with a pipe. Avro Manchester's can be…