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Interview with Basil Charles Day
Charles Day lived in Thorpe le Soken until he took up a training position at Blenheim Palace which was Churchill’s childhood home. He recalls seeing Churchill who would welcome visitors to Blenheim for meetings. After volunteering for the RAF…
Interview with Margaret Helen Day
As her father was in the Royal Navy, Margaret attended school in Gibraltar, Portsmouth, and (after her mother’s death) Malta, before returning to Gosport in the UK when she was eleven. In 1939, she was fifteen and working for a company making soft…
Interview with Ken Done
Ken Done served as a wireless operator on Air Sea Rescue. Upon leaving Battersea Grammar School aged 14, he was employed at Chelsea Town Hall as a junior clerk. When the war started, he discovered he was in a reserved occupation and unable to enlist.…
Interview with Steven Ellams
Steve Ellams is the son of a wireless operator who flew in a number of different aircraft. During the war he flew initially in Sunderlands overseas before being posted back to the UK. He started operational flying in Bomber Command with 199 Special…
Letter to Mrs Wilson from Kenneth Francis's father
Written by the father of the wireless operator Sgt Kenneth Francis to the captains wife. Continue to hope for crews survival and writes that they felt honoured that their son was flying with such a courageous pilot as Squadron Leader Wilson.
Interview with John Fisher
John Fisher was born six weeks after his father was killed on an operation over Germany. He became more and more curious about what had happened to his father and finding out more about him and the events leading up to his death as he got older.…
Interview with Charles Flint
Charles Flint was in the Auxiliary Fire Service in London before he joined the RAF. He volunteered and began training as a wireless operator. Part of his training took place at RAF Bishops Court in Ireland where he was advised not to go out in…
Interview with Richard Franklin
Richard Franklin served as a wireless operator and flew 34 operations in Bomber Command over Germany. Describes the only operation on which he risked being killed, when his aircraft was attacked by a German night fighter over Frankfurt. Tells of…
Interview with Andrew Gauld
Born in a Gardeners Cottage, Andrew Gauld joined the Air Training Corps whilst working in the local Post Office, after finishing school. Andrew then joined the Air Force and went into 12 Bomber Squadron and was crewed up with Pilot Officer Stephenson…
Interview with Harry Basil Grant
Harry Grant grew up in Kent but when his sister was widowed after her husband died at Dunkirk he went to Nottingham to be company for her in her grief. While there he took a job in the Post Office. When he was of age he volunteered for the RAF and…
Popular misconceptions prisoners of war Le Kef
![MHartE[Ser#-DoB]-151029-010003.jpg](https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/square_thumbnails/886/10901/MHartE[Ser -DoB]-151029-010003.jpg "MHartE[Ser#-DoB]-151029-010003.jpg")
Pencil sketch of four men playing cards round a table and explanatory note explaining 'sketch by Blenheim wireless operator Sgt E (Ted) Hart (who escaped from Le Kef with Douglas'.
Don Falgate's crew and aircraft
Lancaster in background, seven aircrew in flying clothing standing behind a large bomb on a trolley. On the reverse 'Crew of Lancaster P (Peter) DV229 463 Squadron RAAF Waddington Lincs 1943. Lancaster P (Peter) DV229 lost over Orleans night 10th…
Interview with Laurence Harbutt
Laurie Harbutt was born in Edmonton, London. Before he volunteered he worked as a wireless telegraphist which was a Reserved Occupation. He wanted to join the Navy but because of his occupation his only option was RAF aircrew. He was posted to 77…
Interview with Marian Hollier
Marion Hollier served as a wireless operator in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force from February 1944 to September 1946. Before the war she worked in a construction firm, The George Wimpey Company, which built aerodromes. She learned the Morse code in…
Interview with William Hough
Bill Hough came from a farming background, went to a local grammar school in Northwich and was a member of the Air Training Corps. He joined the RAF in 1943. He describes his initial training at Bridgnorth. Bill then goes into the continuation…
Interview with Ronald Indge
Ronald Indge was a wireless operator on 578 Squadron and became a prisoner of war after his Halifax aircraft was shot down. Ronald Indge was a wireless operator on 578 Squadron and became a prisoner of war after his Halifax aircraft was shot down.…
Interview with Mervyn Jones
Mervyn Jones is a miners son from Wales. His father wanted a different life to that of a miner for his son and the family moved away to Slough where was plenty of work. Mervyn had always had trouble with his ears and so his father assumed he…
Interview with Stella Jones
William Jones was a wireless operator on 218 (Gold Coast) Squadron. He met his future wife Stella in 1946, who recalls the wartime experiences of her late husband. Having just left school at the outbreak of war, William initially worked in an Oxford…
Interview with Geoffrey Lenthall
Geoffrey Lenthall was born in Nottinghamshire but spent most of his youth in Scunthorpe. He happily volunteered for aircrew but found himself working as ground personnel. He eventually trained as a wireless operator and was posted to 9 Squadron. He…
Interview with Robert Lewis
Robert Lewis was hoping to become a teacher before he volunteered for aircrew and began his training as a wireless operator. On returning from an operation one night the navigator lost his nerve and Robert was called upon to send an SOS without which…
Flight Lieutenant J Sutherland and crew
Seven aircrew standing in front of a Lancaster, on the reverse '115 Squadron Witchford, F/L J G Sutherland RAAF and crew. Completed 30 ops. A4-D completed 105 operations.' The crew are listed on a separate note as 'F/O J G Sutherland RAAF pilot, F/S…
Hedley Madgett and crew in front of bomber
Seven aircrew, four standing with two kneeling in front, four are wearing parachute harness, three are wearing flying jackets. They are standing in front of an aircraft's open bomb door. Hedley Madgett is on the left wearing a side cap.
Interview with Norm Maconachie
Norm Maconachie volunteered for aircrew as soon as he was of age having already been a member of the Air Training Corps. While sailing to the UK he was woken at 3am to the sound of the guns on the Aquitania firing on a Focke Wulf Condor which was on…
Letter from Wing Commander Iveson to Mr B C Joseph
The letter refers to Mr Joseph's son, Flight Sergeant David Joseph who is reported as missing in action. A list of his crew is included. The list does not include Sergeant Louis Makens who joined the crew as mid under gunner and became a prisoner of…
Malcolm Staves, 207 Squadron Veteran
Malcolm Staves' life in the RAF, starts with his school reports through his enlistment in 1942. He trained at Bridgnorth then was assigned to 207 Squadron at Spilsby. His colleagues included George Cearns who joined 166 Squadron and Hank Williams who…