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Interview with Tino Luparia
Tino Luparia (b. 1930) chronicles the first daylight bombing of Turin which was aimed at the SPA industries, which was then a defence contractor. He describes the effects of a massive, unexploded bomb which pierced all floors of a building and…
Interview with Pietro Cosma
Pietro Cosma (b. 1927) remembers the bombings of Milan and recollects two wartime incidents: the execution of a man in front of his home and Benito Mussolini’s corpse on public display in Piazzale Loreto. He describes wartime hardships: losses;…
Day raid on Danzig. U-boat yards bombed. 1,700 miles through storms
Newspaper cutting from The Times about a day bombing on Danzig and Flensburg.
Interview with Paolo Racugno
Paolo Racugno (b. 1917), recollects the February 1943 Cagliari bombing. He mentions scenes of destruction with wounded civilians and describes how he used his coat to protect two girls from falling debris.
A-Able aircrew
Seven aircrew leaving a Lancaster 'A’, parked on a dispersal with bomb doors open following a daylight operation to Duisburg 14 October 1944. All aircrew are wearing life vests, carrying crew bags and helmets; two wearing Sidcot suits, two with…
Das war Hamburg
Propaganda leaflet featuring an aerial vertical photograph of Hamburg after a Royal Air Force operation. Buildings are either completely destroyed or gutted, light falling through the gaping windows. Text describes fronts closing in, the Royal Air…
Träume und Tatsachen
The leaflet provides an overview of the strategic situation around mid-1943 pointing out that the tide has turned in favour of the allied, victory is inevitable and fighting futile. Provides evidence of the overwhelming superiority of the allies on…
History of RAF Hemswell
Outlines the history of RAF Hemswell starting from its origin as RAF Harpswell in 1918 until peacetime operations in the the 50s. The station was equipped with Ansons, then Blenheims. Part of No 3 Group, 61 and 144 Squadrons. Changed to No 5 Group,…
Petition for award
Petition for the award of Distinguished Flying Cross to Pilot Officer William Frank Tudhope and Distinguished Flying Medal to Sergeant Lewis Smith Belton. Provides details about the operation on Wilhelmshaven, damage by anti-aircraft fire, then the…
Father receives son’s D.F.M. King's award to missing airman
S Belton received a Distinguished Flying Medal for his son Sergeant Spencer Lewis Belton. He was educated at Southend High School, worked in a bank and on his father’s farm.
R.A.F. Heroes. Bombed target with crippled 'plane
Pilot describes the events of the operation, damage to wing, propeller, tail wheel and rudders. Proceeded to target and dropped bomb load.
Pilot gets D.F.C. and gunner D.F.M.
Details of awards of Distinguished Flying Crosses and Distinguished Flying Medals to aircrew.
Hail these heroes of Empire. Eleven new awards to men of the R.A.F.
Distinguished Flying Crosses and Distinguished Flying Medals issued to aircrew with details on the operation undertaken.
Hero of 21 RAF raids gets DFC
Distinguished Flying Crosses and Distinguished Flying Medals issued to aircrew, with details on the operations.
From: The People, 4 August 1940, p. 6.
From: The People, 4 August 1940, p. 6.
Honour for Southend airman
Details of the award of Distinguished Flying Medal to Sergeant Spencer Lewis Belton
Oil fires R.A.F planes
Details of operations on oil tanks at Rotterdam and on Wilhelmshaven.
No 9 course air gunners
Group portrait of 14 aircrew all with air gunner’s brevets formally arranged in three ranks, five seated, the rest standing. The man in the middle of the front row is wearing a peaked cap while the rest are in side caps. The group is in grass yard…
Jack Wilkinson
Head and shoulders portrait of Sergeant Jack Wilkinson, wearing a side cap and an air gunner brevet, looking at the camera. On the reverse ‘Sgt. Jack Wilkinson. 49 Squadron, Scampton. missing bombing operations Essen night [deleted] February…
40 airmen
Group portrait of 40 airmen, formally arranged in three rows in front of huts. 14 are seated, the rest standing; all wearing side caps, some greatcoats. Two men in the back row are looking towards each other, the left hand of whom has been marked…
Flight Lieutenant Roger Alfred Calvert – 152814
Biography of Roger Calvert detailing his training as navigator in Canada and the United Kingdom and his operational career flying Mosquito aircraft on night intruder operations. The account includes brief details of two significant events, losing…
This stone was unlaid at Wilhelmshaven by 97 Sqdn
Cartoons of Hitler and Goering standing by stone with message. Goering is holding a candle in a candle holder. The light reveals a message ‘ This stone was unlaid at Wilhelmshaven by 97 Sqdn W/O Cullinane, F/Sgt Quinn, P/O Ballantyne, Sgt Archer,…
97 Squadron operation honours, Turin 28/29 November 1942
Drawing of Lancaster dropping seven bombs. Each bomb has a crew member's name – Sgt Lennox, F/Sgt Quinn, Sgt Ketley, Sgt Archer, Sgt Jordan, Sgt Martin, Sgt Page. Captioned ‘Turin – 28/29 Nov 42 97 Squadron’.
97 Squadron operation honours, Milan, 14/15 February 1943
The aircraft is dropping bombs, there is a depiction of an explosion over a river with docks. In the distance searchlights are focused on a target. There is some anti-aircraft fire. The names of the crew are written on the card – 'Sgt Lennox, Sgt…
Modane crowded good yards
At the top, article notes importance of Modane station and marshalling yards, recendly bombed by the Royal Air Force, as close to Mont Ceris tunnel and important resupply route to Italy. At the bottom a picture showing railway marshalling yards in a…
Chemical works Cologne
Oblique aerial photograph of river valley with roads, railways and at bottom left, a open area of water. At lower right one road runs from middle left to bottom centre which splits into three from two junctions. Railway line runs along road and…