Interview with Alma Leedham
Alma Leedham grew up in London and worked for Hawker aircraft on the Hurricane at the start of the war . She later trained as a driver in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. She served at RAF Scampton driving tractors taking bombs to the aircraft. Mentions various episodes of her service life: a flash accidentally blowing up a fully bombed Lancaster and setting fire to other nearby aircraft; delivering post from Scampton to Waddington; meeting her husband, a flight sergeant; her tractor being targeted by a German fighter plane. Describes the relationships between the WAAFs and the ground and aircrews at the base. Remembers the night the Dam Busters went on their operation. Tells of her family life after the war.
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2016-05-14
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01:24:34 audio recording
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Alma Leedham's memoir
Tells of early life in London, joining the Woman's Auxiliary Air Force in 1941 and training as a driver. Relates experiences at RAF Scampton and then with 57 Squadron as a tractor driver pulling bomb trolleys. Subsequently went to East Kirkby. Married Terence Leedham who was an armourer on 57 Squadron in late 1943. Left the Woman's Auxiliary Air Force on expecting her first child. Continues with family history at RAF Scampton and postings to the middle east and Singapore.
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Three page printed document
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Terence Leedham's career
Joined Royal Air Force in 1936 as a Halton apprentice armourer. Promoted to flight sergeant at the beginning of the war he began a long association with 57 Squadron then flying Blenheims as part of British Expeditionary Force in France followed by postings to RAFs Wyton and Lossiemouth. Subsequently served with 57 Squadron on Wellingtons at RAFs Wyton and Feltwell. He then moved to RAF Scampton where the squadron re-equipped with Manchester and then Lancaster. Relates meeting Alma Turner later Mrs Leedham during an ground incident concerning a burning fully loaded Lancaster after which he was mentioned in dispatches. Subsequently served with 9, 227, 49 and 100 Squadrons. Describes postwar career.
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Three page printed document
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Terence Leedham's life
Top left first page - three-quarter length portrait of an airman wearing tunic and side cap. Text notes that he joined Royal Air Force in 1936 as a Halton apprentice armourer. Promoted to flight sergeant at the beginning of the war he began a long association with 57 Squadron then flying Blenheims as part of British Expeditionary Force in France followed by postings to RAFs Wyton and Lossiemouth. Subsequently served with 57 Squadron on Wellingtons at RAF Wyton and RAF Feltwell. He then moved to RAF Scampton where the squadron re-equipped with Manchester and then Lancaster. Relates meeting Alma Turner later Mrs Leedham during an ground incident concerning a burning fully loaded Lancaster after which he was mentioned in dispatches. Page 2 - Left middle a colour three-quarter length wedding portrait of a man wearing tunic next to a woman wearing wedding dress and holding a bouquet of flowers. Right middle a b/w family portrait of a woman in dark dress on the left, a child in the middle and a flight sergeant wearing tunic on the right. Text continues with subsequently served with 9, 227, 49 and 100 Squadrons and describes postwar career. Last page middle under text - full length colour portrait of a woman on left in yellow dress and a man in suit and tie on the right.
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Four page printed document with two b/w and two colour photographs
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