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Interview with Pat and Frank Harris
Pat Harris’ brother John ‘Jack’ Harris joined the RAF straight from school as an apprentice. During the war he volunteered for aircrew and trained as a navigator. He was reported missing when Pat was serving in the Wrens. His death was finally…
Interview with Pauline Alexander
During the war, Pauline's siblings Bernard, Guy, Robert and Peter served in the air force and army, her mother volunteered for the Red Cross, and her father volunteered as an air raid warden. Inspired by her brothers, Alexander joined Women’s…
Interview with Peter Jones
Peter William Arthur Jones (b. 1954) speaks about his father Thomas John Jones DFC (b. 1921, 1640434 and 184141 Royal Air Force). Peter Jones discovered a memoir written by his father, Thomas Jones, a flight engineer, just after he passed away. Peter…
Interview with Priscilla Henwood
Priscilla was encouraged by a friend’s father to join the 600 Squadron in anticipation of the war. She was called up and was based at Finsbury Barracks, involved in recruitment. Priscilla also worked on the telephone exchange at Clerkenwell.
In…
In…
Interview with Richard Curnock
Richard Curnock was born in Grantham and joined the Royal Air Force in 1941.He achieved the rank of warrant officer and served in 425 Squadron. Richard tells of how he followed his two older brothers into the services, and his time serving in the Air…
Interview with Rusty Waughman. Two
Russell (Rusty) Waughman was born in Shotley Bridge, County Durham. Due to serious poor health as a child his education was interrupted. He describes his training with the Empire Training School in Canada. He was posted to 101 Squadron which was a…
Interview with Sheila Wilmet
Sheila Wilmet grew up in Liverpool and was fifteen when war was declared. She describes the devastation of bombing in 1941, spending nights in an Anderson shelter, and navigating unexploded bombs during her commute. She volunteered after viewing a…
Interview with Sylvia Trapp
Sylvia was born in Mansfield where her father was a miner and her mother had worked at Lawns Mills. She had two brothers and a sister. Sylvia was 15 when she left school to work at the hosiery mills and recalls the German manager being deported. She…
Interview with Ted Mawdsley
Ted grew up in Essex. Before the war he worked for the Marconi Wireless and Telegraph Company. He joined the Royal Air Force in 1940 and became an instrument mechanic. He was posted to RAF Elsham Wolds in 1942 and overseas the following year. After…
Interview with Tom Coles
Tom Coles was born in Watford and signed up for the Royal Air Force at the age of 18. He went to Canada for training, a period saddened by the loss of his sister who was in the Women’s Auxilliary Air Force. Tom flew Manchesters, then went to 158…
Interview with Vera Chard
Vera was born in the Myrtha Tydfil area of Wales. Vera went to the grammar school at Chepstow before getting work in the cashier’s office at the Royal Navy Propellant Factory. After joining the Women's Auxilliary Air Force, Vera was posted to…
Interview with Vera Clachers
Vera Clachers volunteered for the WAAF for the experience and the adventure. She was selected for training as an electrician and was trained at RAF Melksham. She was posted to RAF North Coates. At first she was given the poorest jobs but then began…
Interview with Vera Willis
Vera Willis volunteered for the Women's Auxiliary Air Force because she wanted to be a driver. Her driving career in the RAF involved driving driving aircrew to dispersal.This content is available as embedded video:
Interview with Vera Willis
Vera Willis nee Tomlinson volunteered for the Women's Auxiliary Air Force because she wanted to be a driver. Her driving career in the RAF involved driving long distances as well as driving aircrew to dispersal. Some crew gave her letters for…
Interview with Wanda Szuwalska
Wanda Szuwalska was 16 years old when Germany invaded Poland. The family was deported to Siberia by the Russian army. They travelled for several weeks to the Arkhangelsk region, where Wanda then worked as a logger. When war intensified between Russia…
Interview with Wanda Szuwalska
Wanda Szuwalska was born on a farm in Poland and was deported to Russia by train at the start of the Second World War. She talks of the journey to Russia, the time she and her family spent there, then coming to England and becoming a WAAF. Wanda…
Interview with William Arthur Coulton
William Coulton was born in Derbyshire and worked as an errand boy for the Co-Op until he joined the Royal Air Force in 1943, aged 18. He trained as a flight mechanic and was posted to 115 Squadron at RAF Witchford where he worked on Lancasters. He…
Interview with William Joseph Longhurst
William Longhurst served as an engine mechanic through the Second World War. He was a member of the Hackney Wick Air Defence Cadet Corps before volunteering to enlist in the RAF after his seventeenth birthday. Following basic training at Skegness,…
Interview with Winifred Barker
Winifred Barker grew up in Yorkshire and worked in an office before she volunteered for the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. She served as a clerk at RAF Oakley, an operational training unit.
Irene Amy Burkitt and WAAFs
Album page, short birth certificate and baptismal card for Irene Amy Burkitt.
Also three photographs of WAAFs - one head and shoulders, one of a group of five, the third is a formal course photograph during training. Posed in three rows in front…
Also three photographs of WAAFs - one head and shoulders, one of a group of five, the third is a formal course photograph during training. Posed in three rows in front…
Isabel
Portrait, upper torso in WAAF uniform. Written on the reverse 'Wigtown, 31/1/43'. On added post-it note 'Isabella Dougall nee Aitchison'.
Isabel and Andrew
Portrait of Isabel and Andrew, upper torso, both in uniform, Andrew with sergeant's stripes and observer brevet. Written on reverse 'copy 3 pc gent only' and reference number. Printed on reverse: 'The State Studios, 581 London Road, Glasgow. S E',…
Isabel Dougall with seven other WAAFs
Eight WAAFs, in uniform standing in a row on a town street (two photographs).
First photograph: on reverse on post-it 'Isabella Dougall nee Aitcheson on right'. Another copy of the same photograph: on reverse, the girls christian names are listed…
First photograph: on reverse on post-it 'Isabella Dougall nee Aitcheson on right'. Another copy of the same photograph: on reverse, the girls christian names are listed…
Jack with aircrew and family
From top left,
A group of 13 uniformed airmen arranged in two rows outside an open window in a tile fronted building. Seven standing all with half caps and six seated in front, including two officers. The individuals are annotated, from the top…
A group of 13 uniformed airmen arranged in two rows outside an open window in a tile fronted building. Seven standing all with half caps and six seated in front, including two officers. The individuals are annotated, from the top…
Jane Waterhouse
Head and shoulders portrait of Leading Aircraftswoman Jane Waterhouse (later Carrington) in uniform.