Browse Items (1139 total)
Sort by:
Letter from John Valentine to his wife Ursula
Number 18 date 5.3.43 [sic]. Reports letters arrived one having taken four months. Now has all the letters she has sent. Glad to hear all the news. Writes he is still in the dark about her factory job and requests information. Is fully occupied with…
Letter from John Valentine to his wife Ursula
Number 21. He writes of his life and occurrences in prisoner of war camp. He mentions attending a camp concert, new arrivals at the camp, overcrowding, bad weather, monotonous existence and visit by brother of Dutch room mate. Says he is looking…
Postcard from John Valentine to his wife Ursula
Number 22. Reports arrival of parcels and asks her to send thanks. Attended concert three times out of five showings. Played rugby and scored try. Will be 31 tomorrow.
Letter from John Valentine to his wife Ursula
Number 30. Writes that reprisals for minor offences have increased affecting sport, theatre, news sheets, increased number of parades and worse relations with camp guards. Notes that recently arrived concert pianist has left for another camp. No…
Postcard from John Valentine to his wife Ursula
Number 43. Mentions near completion of a year, dance band show, upcoming music exams and his health.
John Shipman's 1946 RAF Diary
John's day by day record of his work at RAF Maipur. It covers the RAF 'strike' and his return to the UK
John Shipman's 1943 Diary
Intermittent record of John's time at RAF West Kirby then Blackpool for training. He covers the sail from Liverpool to Durban, then India, first Bombay then train to Karachi. Once established at RAF Mauripur he records his daily work and…
Letter from John Taplin to his Mother
He has not been busy. They went to the YMCA at Holme on Spalding. He has been to see a film, Flying Fortress and Murder Ring.
Interview with Joan Watson
Joan Watson went to Bracebridge School and then worked at Ruddock’s of Lincoln as a printer. Joan discusses evacuees, the bombing war, home font (local men doing fire watching at work), and social life in wartime: dancing, cinema and gatherings.…
Interview with James Mulhall. One
James was born in Gorton, attended Catholic schools, and became an apprentice plumber. In November 1942 he joined the Royal Air Force. He then trained as a mechanic at RAF St Athan before being posted to RAF Henlow to assemble Hurricanes. He then…
Kenneth Gill 1942 Diary
Starts with account of movements in RAF for 1941. Continues lwith entries for daily activities. Embarks Greenock, Leaves Milford Haven on 8 January for voyage across Atlantic and describes voyage to Canada. Arrives Moncton 20 January describes daily…
One WAAF's war
Commences with call up and journey to Innsworth camp. Describes accommodation, activities and compatriots in detail. Continues with very detailed description of training and activities at Compton Bassett. After a farewell concert was posted to Bawtry…
Letter from Dec Dexter to Phyllis Dexter
Apologises over unannounced visit home the catches up with family and friend news. Mentions he is exploring local countryside by bicycle and had attended a concert in Stafford. Mentions flying in 'Wimpey' and that crew is well on bail out drill.
Keith Dexter diary. One
Day by day diary recording events from his joining the Air Force in April 1941 up until 8 November 1942. Covers time at 1 Initial Training Wing and No 1 Elementary Flying School at Hatfield including interview with the British Broadcasting…
Keith Dexter diary. Two
Day by day diary covering events from November 1942 to June 1943. Describes flying at Little Rissington and illness over Christmas 1942 which delayed posting. Eventually posted in January 1943 to 30 Operational Training Unit. Describes events at…
Keith Thompson diary 1945
Covering all of 1945, Keith Thompson was a navigator on 1659 Conversion Unit at RAF Topcliffe flying Halifax III on his rest tour, having finished his first tour in May 1944. In February posted to 199 squadron, RAF North Creake flying operations on…
Keith Thompson's diary for 1944
Keith Thompson was a navigator on operations with 101 Squadron, at RAF Ludford Magna flying Lancasters at the start of 1944. He completed his first tour on 31st May, was at 28 OTU from 17th June to 23 July, then 30 OTU as a staff navigator at RAF…
Keith Thompson's diary from July 1943 to January 1944
Keith Thompson was a sergeant navigator under training at the start of this period at 28 OTU at RAF Castle Donington, then on to a holding unit for a month. After that on to 1662 CU at RAF Blyton flying the Lancaster, until 7 November when he was…
Keith Thompson's diary July 1942 to July 1943
During this period Keith was under training in Canada and then in England from June 1943 on 28 OTU at RAF Wymswold.
Keith Thompson's diary December 1941 to July 1942
During this period Keith Thompson did his basic RAF training in England then left for Canada to undertake his flying training.
Foreword to Ley Kenyon's Artwork
Kenneth MacKintosh describes the camp theatre and its many productions. He praises Ley Kenyon's drawings. All this was interrupted by the start of the Long March.
A year in the Life
Ken Brind's autobiography detailing his tour of operations.
H Jack Lazenby DFC
Harold Jack Lazenby's autobiography.
Final Re-Union Dinner
A programme for the event being held at the Royal Hotel, Leicester. It includes the menu, the list of speakers and space for autographs.
Len Whiteley presents Fanfare
Programme of musical entertainment with signatures of the artists.