John had his commissioning interview on the same day as his wedding and joined 170 Squadron at RAF Hemswell in December 1944 where he carried out eight operations. He describes one of the eight operations to Bottrop when they were hit by anti-aircraft fire but managed to return safely.
John volunteered for the Pathfinders and was posted to 582 Squadron at RAF Little Staughton, flying Lancasters. He explains how they initially acted in a supporter role before progressing to dropping flares and markers.
John took part in Operation Manna in Rotterdam and fetched some prisoners of war from Juvincourt in France. He then went to RAF Dunkeswell where he test flew some Lancasters before returning to RAF Little Staughton from where he was demobbed. He describes the Cook’s tours he did for groundcrew and WAAFs.]]>
Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> England--Devon]]> England--Gloucestershire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Manchester]]> England--Scarborough]]> England--Shropshire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Canada]]> United States]]> New Brunswick]]> New Brunswick--Moncton]]> Germany]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> Germany--Bottrop]]> Netherlands]]> Netherlands--Rotterdam]]>
Great Britain. Royal Air Force]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Mike Connock]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Log book and record book]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Canada]]> France]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> Italy]]> Netherlands]]> United States]]> Atlantic Ocean--North Sea]]> Alberta--Edmonton]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> England--Devon]]> England--Gloucestershire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Northamptonshire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Florida--Miami]]> France--Guignicourt]]> Germany--Bonn]]> Germany--Bottrop]]> Germany--Bremen]]> Germany--Chemnitz]]> Germany--Dessau (Dessau)]]> Germany--Duisburg]]> Germany--Dülmen]]> Germany--Essen]]> Germany--Halle an der Saale]]> Germany--Hannover]]> Germany--Kamen]]> Germany--Karlsruhe]]> Germany--Kassel]]> Germany--Koblenz]]> Germany--Mannheim]]> Germany--Merseburg]]> Germany--Paderborn]]> Germany--Wiesbaden]]> Italy--Bari]]> Netherlands--Rotterdam]]> Wales--Pembrokeshire]]> Germany--Oberhausen (Düsseldorf)]]> Florida]]> Alberta]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> France--Juvincourt-et-Damary]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> 1946]]> 1944-12-04]]> 1944-12-05]]> 1944-12-22]]> 1944-12-23]]> 1944-12-28]]> 1944-12-29]]> 1945-01-05]]> 1945-01-06]]> 1945-01-14]]> 1945-01-15]]> 1945-01-22]]> 1945-01-23]]> 1945-02-02]]> 1945-02-03]]> 1945-02-04]]> 1945-03-01]]> 1945-03-03]]> 1945-03-04]]> 1945-03-05]]> 1945-03-06]]> 1945-03-07]]> 1945-03-08]]> 1945-03-09]]> 1945-03-11]]> 1945-03-21]]> 1945-03-22]]> 1945-03-24]]> 1945-03-25]]> 1945-03-27]]> 1945-04-04]]> 1945-04-05]]> 1945-05-03]]> 1945-05-15]]> 1945-06-16]]> 1945-06-20]]> 1945-06-30]]> 1945-07-06]]> 1945-08-11]]> 1945-08-13]]> 1945-08-20]]> 1945-08-22]]> 1945-08-27]]> Polyfpoto, Stanmore Middlesex]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> England--London]]> England--Worcestershire]]> England--Barnt Green]]> England--Birmingham]]> England--Warwickshire]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> David Bloomfield]]> Roger Dunsford]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> 1942-06]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Service material]]> Royal Air Force]]> 1946-10-18]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> David Bloomfield]]> Angela Gaffney]]> Verity Garner]]> Oscar Verhoeven]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> England--London]]> 1942]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Physical object]]> United States]]> Oklahoma]]> Oklahoma--Miami]]> Bottom left a sign for Spartan School of Aeronautics in a frame, In the background trees, Page has drawing of skyscrapers top left. Included are individual scans of both photographs.]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Artwork]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> United States]]> Oklahoma]]> Oklahoma--Miami]]> Top right - Single story white building with covered veranda in front. Captioned 'The dining hall'.
Bottom left - two white buildings in distance. The one on the left is single story and has windows, door and flagpole out front. The building on the right is two story and has small windows on both floors. Captioned 'Campus'.
Bottom right - two single story buildings. One on the left going away from camera has a covered porch and windows along length. the second building on the right in the distance at right angle to the first. Captioned 'Barracks and ground school'. Included are individual scans of three photograph.]]>
IBCC Digital Archive]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> United States]]> Oklahoma]]> Oklahoma--Miami]]>
Bottom right - mangled wreckage, probably unidentified aircraft. In the background corrugated wall with window on right. Included are individual scans of both photographs.]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> United States]]> Oklahoma]]> Oklahoma--Miami]]> Top right a man in flying clothes walking out over grass to a distant PTY19A aircraft number 'B2'. Captioned '25 minutes to go'.
Bottom left - full length portrait of a man standing wearing flying suit and helmet. Behind and to the right in the background another man I flying suit with back to camera. Further in the distance a line of PT19A aircraft. Captioned 'Binder'.
Bottom right - rear quarter view of a low wing two seat, single engine training aircraft. Captioned 'PT19A'. Includes are individual scans of all four photographs.]]>
IBCC Digital Archive]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> United States]]> Oklahoma]]> Oklahoma--Miami]]>
IBCC Digital Archive]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> United States]]> Oklahoma]]> Oklahoma--Miami]]> Top right - ten men mostly wearing uniform crowded in the doorway of a building. Man second row left side is wearing United States Army Air Corps cadet pilot uniform. Captioned 'Jack, Tag, Val, Chas, Smudge, Morris, Tate, Walley, Smithy, Chick'.
Bottom left - three men sitting behind a table in a barrack room. In the background centre a door and to te right coats hanging in row on wall. Caption 'Line shooing'.
Bottom right - three-quarter length portrait of a man wearing tunic and peaked cap (United States Army Air Corps cadet pilot uniform). In the background slightly left a man sitting on a chair reading in front of a building. captioned 'Tag'. Included are scans of all four photographs. On the reverse of second photograph 'Tranchant'.]]>
IBCC Digital Archive]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> United States Army Air Force]]> United States]]> Oklahoma]]> Oklahoma--Miami]]>
Top right - three men wearing battledress standing in line in front of a building with tree on the left. captioned '"Just out of bed", Spence, George, Dick'. Bottom left - eleven men, mostly wearing uniform crowded in the doorway of a building. Man on right is sitting on chair reading. Two men are wearing uniform of United States Army Air Corps cadet pilots. Captioned 'The Boys'. Bottom right - five men standing in line, the four on the left are wearing battledress and side caps. The man on the right wears shirt and trousers. Captioned 'Waiting for opening time. Includes scans of all four photographs.]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> United States Army Air Force]]> United States]]> Oklahoma]]> Oklahoma--Miami]]> Top right - man standing wearing flying suit and smoking a cigarette. To the right a bush and to the left a small sign in lawn. In the background a building. Captioned 'Yours truly'.
Bottom left - Four men sitting round a table in a barrack room with door and coats in row on wall in the background. Captioned 'Still line shooting'.
Bottom right - three-quarter length portrait of man wearing battledress. Behind at an angle is a window with interior blinds. Captioned 'Life from a different angle'. Includes scans of all four photographs.]]>
IBCC Digital Archive]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> United States]]> Oklahoma]]> Oklahoma--Miami]]>
Top right - head and shoulders portrait of a man wearing battledress. In the background buildings.
Bottom left - full length portrait of a man wearing battledress with hand in pocket standing in front of a building. Captioned 'Spence'.
Bottom right - man standing on left at side of a street with cars parked on the left, Buildings and cars parked on far side, Captioned 'Miami main street'. Includes scans of all four photographs.]]>
IBCC Digital Archive]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Civilian]]> United States]]> Oklahoma]]> Oklahoma--Miami]]>
IBCC Digital Archive]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> United States]]> Oklahoma]]> Oklahoma--Miami]]> Top right - view of a stream with trees on far bank. Captioned 'Ice at Timber Hill'. Bottom left - three men wearing tunics in a wood. The man in front is carrying a woman. There is another woman visible behind him. Captioned 'I saw her first'.
Bottom right - a lake with trees on far bank. captioned 'more ice'. Includes individual scans of first, third and forth photograph.]]>
IBCC Digital Archive]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Civilian]]> United States]]> Oklahoma]]> Oklahoma--Miami]]>
IBCC Digital Archive]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> United States]]> Oklahoma]]> Oklahoma--Miami]]> Top right - view down the interior of a barrack with wooden posts and beams. In the foreground left part of a desk and chair. Captioned 'Barracks'. Bottom left - a man lying on his side with no shirt and smoking a pipe. Inside a barrack. Captioned 'Stan thinks its warm'.
Bottom right - head an shoulders portrait of man wearing battledress and studying papers. His head rests on his right fist. Caption 'Binding'. Includes individual scans of all four photographs.]]>
IBCC Digital Archive]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> United States]]> Oklahoma]]> Oklahoma--Miami]]>
Top right - line of PT19A from centre right to left in distance. Ground is covered in snow. Caption 'PT's [sic] in the snow'.
Bottom left - view over open snow covered ground with trees. Buildings just visible left and right. Captioned 'View across the square'.
Bottom right - a man standing half hidden behind a high snow bank in front of a building with windows left and right. Captioned 'Off your knees Walker'. Includes individual scans of all four photographs.]]>
IBCC Digital Archive]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> United States]]> Oklahoma]]> Oklahoma--Miami]]>
IBCC Digital Archive]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> United States]]> Oklahoma]]> Oklahoma--Miami]]> Top right - building with covered porch in the background. In the foreground an open are with melting snow. Captioned 'Melting snow'.
Bottom left - a line of AT6As from middle right to the distance on left. Ground has patches of snow. Captioned 'A line of AT6A's [sic]'.
Bottom right - head an shoulders portrait of an airman wearing battledress standing on snow. In the background part of a building with windows. Captioned 'Smudge'. Included are scans of all four photographs.]]>
IBCC Digital Archive]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> United States]]> Oklahoma]]> Oklahoma--Miami]]>
IBCC Digital Archive]]> Geolocated]]> Photograph]]> Civilian]]> Royal Air Force]]> United States]]> Oklahoma]]> Oklahoma--Miami]]> Top right - an aircraft engine without covering panels. Captioned 'PT engine'. Middle - ten men some wearing flying suits and helmets and other s battledress standing and sitting in front of a coach. Captioned 'Ginger, Val, Smudge, Roby, Sim:, Chas, Tate, Mr Spain, Binder, Yake'.
Bottom - eight men some wearing flying jackets and others battledress standing in front of a single story hut with a veranda. Door and windows with bench underneath visible. Captioned 'No 1 stage house'. Included are scans of all four individual photographs.]]>
IBCC Digital Archive]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> United States]]> Oklahoma]]> Oklahoma--Miami]]>