Browse Items (204 total)
- Collection: Neale, Ted
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The best thing I ever did
Ted Neale's account of his early experience from the age of 17. The factory where he worked burned down in a bombing attack so he volunteered for the RAF. He was posted to Scarborough then Carlisle to train on Tiger Moths. He met a girl called Mary…
Tags: love and romance; shelter; Tiger Moth; training
What a place to be, whilst there was a war on
Ted Neale's account of when he was 18 at the Woolwich Arsenal. He tells of a bombing attack at the factory, which started just as they were leaving at 5pm.
Oil's Well
Discusses in detail an operation to attack the Ploesti oilfields in Romania. At that time he was based in Foggia, Italy. They had an issue with the airframe of the Wellington twisting due to a mismatch in the fuel tanks. On another operation a…
Tags: B-24; bombing; Gee; Halifax; Ju 88; Pathfinders; sanitation; Wellington
Ted Neales' memoir
Memoirs of Ted Neale (written in a non-contemporary diary), recounting his experiences of an air raid on Woolwich, travelling to South Africa for aircrew training and taking part in bombing operations from Italy. Some anecdotes are repeated. This…
Two stories and a letter by Ted Neale
#1 Ted Neale's account of a train trip in South Africa. Ted and his tall friend were attacked in Bloemfontein by a group of six locals.
#2 Designated pilots-navigators or bomb aimers at Heaton Park then sent to Bridgnorth to await a ship to South…
#2 Designated pilots-navigators or bomb aimers at Heaton Park then sent to Bridgnorth to await a ship to South…
Tags: 37 Squadron; aircrew; Anson; bombing; military ethos; navigator; RAF Bridgnorth; training; Wellington
Ted Neale's training and early operational experiences
An account by Ted Neale of his training in South Africa, subsequent further training in Jerusalem, crew selection and transfer to Italy. He relates early experiences on operations - including Shederevo oil refinery - and losing a Wellington to enemy…
Letter from Ted Neale
He refers to feeling 'isolated and diminished' when returning to civilian work. He rejoined the Royal Air Force, but the jobs became more menial and supplies and maintenance were poor. He describes the contrast with some of the operations he took…
Italian war memories
Ted Neale describes the aircrew and circumstances leading to their baling out near Nereto, Tortoreto, Italy. Some of the crew were captured, but Ted was sheltered by local people. He met up with an English army corporal and travelled by boat to…
Tags: 37 Squadron; aircrew; bale out; evading; fear; heirloom; prisoner of war; Stalag Luft 3; Wellington
Wellington memories
Memories of an early operational sortie for Ted Neale. An hour into the flight the cover of the photoflash spinner had come off. This could have caused the flash to ignite in the aircraft and brought it down.
The Algerian Affair and On
Ted Neale's account of his last operation on a Wellington Mk 10. They had to fly to Grotaglie to take soldiers to Athens. He describes how they fitted the 12 men into the aircraft. On reaching Kalamaki, the airfield was being besieged by ELAS…
A Gastronomic Journey (Experience)
Ted Neale's recalls his absence of memory of the food at No 1 Aircrew Reception at Lords Cricket Ground, apart from the fresh milk. He was posted to Scarborough where the food was so bad that they ate fish and chips and flapjacks at a nearby cafe.…
Ted Neale's early war memoirs
Ted Neale describes the start of the war and the end of his schooling. After a couple of jobs, which he left quickly, he moved to the Woolwich Arsenal as an apprentice tool maker. On Saturday 7th September 1940 an air raid destroyed the factory,…
Tags: Air Raid Precautions; bombing; civil defence; shelter
Ted Neale's memories of serving in Italy
Ted arrived in Portici, south of Naples from training in Palestine. He recalls a trip to Rome driven by Jesse Owens, the Olympic athlete. Afterwards he was transferred to Foggia to join 37 Squadron. There was a shortage of crews and he did not fly…
Ted Neale's Navigation Exercise Book
An exercise book kept by Ted Neale with his Navigation notes, as part of his training at 77 Operational Training Unit