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Interview with Geoffrey Conacher
Geoffrey Conacher grew up in Australia and after a few months in the army he joined the Royal Australian Air Force in 1942. After training he flew 14 operations as a pilot with 622 Squadron. His aircraft was shot down and he bailed out over liberated…
Interview with Charles Henry Clarke. Three
Charles Clarke volunteered for the Royal Air Force when he was seventeen years old and flew operations as a bomb aimer with 619 Squadron from RAF Woodhall Spa. His aircraft was shot down on his 18th operation and he became a prisoner of war. He was…
Interview with Gerald John Castleton
Gerald John Castleton was born in Southsea. He worked in demolition until he joined the Royal Air Force. He flew operations as a flight engineer but was shot down and became a prisoner of war.
Interview with Keith Campbell. Two
Keith Campbell grew up in New South Wales and joined the Royal Australian Air Force when he was old enough. He flew 35 operations as a bomb aimer with 466 Squadron from RAF Leconfield and RAF Driffield when, on their thirty first operation another…
Interview with Keith Campbell. One
Keith Campbell grew up in New South Wales and joined the Royal Australian Air Force when he was old enough. He flew 35 operations as a bomb aimer with 466 Squadron from RAF Leconfield and RAF Driffield before being shot down. He became a prisoner of…
Interview with Francis Shamus "Jim" Cahir
Jim Cahir grew up in Australia. He originally joined the army but later was transferred to the Royal Australian Air Force. He flew operations as a mid upper gunner with 466 Squadron. His aircraft was shot down and he became a prisoner of war. after…
Interview with Clarence Keith Bruhn
Clarence Keith Bruhn's parents were of German descent. He grew up in Australia and joined the Royal Australian Air Force. After training, he flew operations as a navigator with 463 Squadron. On one operation his aircraft was hit by friendly fire from…
Interview with Harvey Hayward Bawden
Harvey Bawden, from Bendigo, Victoria, Australia, volunteered for the Royal Australian Air Force in 1942 at the age of 18. After initial training school and assessment as an air gunner, he was shipped to England via the United States. After crewing…
Interview with Stephen Granville Bacon
Stephen joined the Royal Air Force in Kingston upon Hull. He wanted to be a pilot but became a mid-air gunner instead. He started at RAF Dalcross where he trained on Boulton Paul Defiant aircraft and went to 12 Squadron at Wickenby on Lancasters.…
Wallet, photograph and story
John Casey's wallet salvaged from a Stirling that he bailed out of near Normanton-on-Trent while training on 29 July 1944. Photograph of Rose who was an Irish woman who lived in the same digs as John Casey in Birmingham in 1941.
Derrick Allen's flying log book for navigators, air bombers, air gunners, flight engineers
Navigator’s, air bomber’s, air gunner’s and flight engineer’s flying log book for Flight Sergeant Derrick Allen air gunner, covering the period from 11 February 1944 to 25 April 1945. Detailing training and operations flown. He was stationed…
interview with Derrick Allen's family
Derrick Allen was the mid-upper gunner on a Lancaster that crashed near Spa in Belgium. He had been making his way to bale out when the pilot asked him to help the rear gunner who was trapped in his turret. He managed to do this but the plane broke…
Accounts of actions leading to award of Conspicuous Gallantry medal and other congratulatory material
At the top a postagram congratulating Derrick Allen on his award of Conspicuous Gallantry Medal signed A T Harris. Six newspaper cuttings giving various accounts of actions in releasing rear gunner from jammed turret while Lancaster dives out of…
Derrick Allen citation for Conspicuous Gallantry Medal
Account of night 2 November 1944. Sergeant Allen's Lancaster was attacked by night fighter after successful attack on Dusseldorf. Allen opened fire twice and damaged fighter but the Lancaster was badly damaged. Whilst Lancaster was in uncontrolled…
The last flight of Lancaster DV396(B)
Derrick Allen's account of being shot down 2/3 November 1944. After a successful attack on Dusseldorf, the Lancaster was severely damaged by a night fighter. Goes on to describe battle with FW 190 and and order to abandon aircraft. Before bailing…
Interview with John and Vera Casey
Before the war, John Casey worked for Vickers Armstrong. He joined the Royal Air Force and completed his training as a warrant officer at RAF Padgate. He learned how to fly Stirling aircraft at RAF Wigsley, Wellington aircraft at RAF Bruntingthorpe…
Interview with Bob Frost. One
Bob Frost recounts experiencing the London Blitz as a member of the Auxiliary Fire Service. He volunteered for the Royal Air Force and trained at the Air Gunnery School at RAF Evanton, Scotland. He was then posted to the Operational Training Unit at…
Ron Carr's Bale-out
![MCarrR[Ser#-DoB]-150527-01.pdf](https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/square_thumbnails/165/2249/MCarrR[Ser -DoB]-150527-01.jpg "MCarrR[Ser#-DoB]-150527-01.pdf")
The report describes how Ron Carr and his crew baled out over Switzerland after their aircraft was badly damaged by anti-aircraft fire en route to Augsburg. He was arrested but eventually transported back to the UK via Paris, Madrid and Gibraltar.
The Pilgrimage of an English airman who in 1944 came down in the Spa region
Recounts that Derrick Allen contacted a M Rudi Simon who lived in Tongess, Belgium through the Association of Veterans. M Simon was researching aircraft brought down in the local area. Derrick Allen had stated that he would like to visit the where…
467 Squadron RAAF Avro Lancaster sequence of landing
1:20,000 map of the area to the west of Spa, Belgium showing possible track of aircraft to crash site with parachutes indicating where each crew member bailed out and the location of bodies of crew who did not survive. Annotated with arrow to…
Hand drawn maps of crash site
The first map shows the area of Vieux-Pre near Spa in Belgium and shows the locations of the main crash site, victim bodies, debris and supposed area of parachuter [sic]. The second map shows profile of supposed area of fall.
Letters to Derrick Allen from the Caterpillar Club
First letter is a reply to Derrick Allen acknowledging his request to join the Caterpillar Club, welcoming him to the club and asking for further confirmatory information. It also states his club pin will be sent as soon as it is available. The…
Interview with Ron Hemsworth
Ron joined the Royal Air Force in January 1941. Initially a wireless operator/air gunner, he failed morse code at Blackpool. He was posted to RAF Swinderby and worked in the stores and flying control. Air gunnery school followed at RAF Bridlington…
Ron Hemsworth's aircrew
Second from the left is Flight Engineer Al Hawley, who jumped without his parachute, third is Les Thicke, who was in Stalag Luft 6 with Ron Hemsworth, fourth is Air Gunner Ron Hemsworth, extreme right is George Testal who was a fellow prisoner of…