Browse Items (1151 total)

  • Tags: military service conditions

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Writes about returning from his leave and that he misses her. Catches up with family news.

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Catches up with family news. Writes of new flight and aircrew taking ground crew for a drink in Grimsby along with an amusing incident. Reminisces and thinks about after the war.

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He writes about how he is miserable and missing her. He has been on four operations to Nuremberg, Cologne, St Nazaire and Berlin since he returned from leave. Mentions he has not heard about his commission.

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John Hanks joined the RAF and served as an armourer. Describes his role and his duties. Tells of his posting at Swinderby and East Kirkby. Gives a graphic and vivid account of an aircraft crash at RAF Swinderby. Describes comradeship between ground…

AMooreR160727.mp3
Raymond Moore flew 31 operations as a flight engineer with 408 Squadron. He describes initial training at Skegness and then further training at Cosford, Halton and St Athan. He describes the crewing-up procedure at Eastmoor and describes the…

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Cecil ‘Chick’ Chandler trained as a flight engineer and was posted to 622 Squadron at RAF Mildenhall. On his first flight as the flight engineer the undercarriage failed. He was horrified to find that it was the different mark than he had been…

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Robert Holman was born and brought up in Leeds. He joined the Air Training Corps, enjoying camps at RAF Pocklington. On leaving school at fourteen he went to work in the shoe industry. He then joined the Royal Air Force as an engineer on ground…

APriceSTG151001.mp3
Gwynne Price was living a rural lifestyle until he volunteered for the RAF. His dream was to train as an RAF pilot but since there was a surplus of pilots he chose to train instead as a flight engineer. On operations Gwyn observed the surreal feeling…

ABraithwaiteH180421.mp3
Harry Braithwaite was born in Portinscale and went to Keswick School. Harry’s close friend was killed in action and this spurred him on to volunteer. His father owned a garage and Harry would help him. This gave him some mechanical knowledge and…

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Thanks her for parcel. Not much news. Comments on weather and PT, running in local area. States he was going on Halifax.

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Apologises for delayed reply. Not much news. Announces coming home next Thursday. Very close to end of training.

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Writes that he had not been posted but hoped to go soon. Mentions his activities and new arrivals. Comments on recent university air squadron coming to his location and their duties.

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Catches up with news. Comments on lack of activity, just doing guard duty. Mentions being allowed in the Church Army.

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Writes that had not replied to her letter but it had only just arrived (envelope enclosed showing address changes chasing him around). Comments on his training activities which include swimming and dinghy drill.

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Writes he has not much news. Comments on daily activities. Asks her to let him know what she thinks of the dog and is annoyed it was chosen without them being there.

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Thanks her for letter and parcel. Writes he was on the last lap of training and now on the Halifax Mk 3. Sates letter short as he need to study engines he had not done before.

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Says he was enclosing note paper for her. Ask her opinion on his photograph tinting. Writes of upcoming board and leave, Says he was off to tea in the NAAFI.

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Thanks her for letter and parcel. Was glad she liked photograph. Comments that he had started the real work now. Mud and snow had hardened up but had trouble getting transport to nearest town. Was getting expert and hitchhiking.

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Writes about leave and comments that flying was just a bind, just like sitting in a car and going along but more uncomfortable. Talks about her ambitions of transferring to the navy.

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Asks her not to reply as he might be posted shortly. Writes of his last leave. Short letter as he was off to tea parade.

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Writes that he was home on leave. Apologises for not sending card on her birthday as he had had to force land in Anglesey. Comments on activities at home.

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Thanks her for her letter. Relates story of forced landing in Wales due to engine trouble. Comments on his current camp being good but that they got no days off, just 10 days leave every eight weeks. Had good recent leave,

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Writes that they had now completed 13 [..] trips and he had seen Paris in broad daylight. States that nights operation had been cancelled. The trips he enjoyed were those in support of the Army. Mentions Caen and the beach head. States he felt he was…

EDoughtyJCDoughtyW[Date]-01.pdf
Writes of some of his activities and the antics of his companions during initial training.
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