Browse Items (1240 total)

  • Tags: military living conditions

EJessel[General][Date]-010001.jpg
Letter of thanks to families for food parcels etc, plus detailed description of Laghuoat prisoner of war camp and surrounding area. Mentions they were allowed out twice week to walk in the desert and obtaining a few items through a local agent.…

Tags: ;

BAllenJHAllenJHv1.pdf
A Short Personal View of a Bit of History (interview with Jim Allen)
'Based at Burn' Introduction by Jim Allen
One More Chalked Up
A Trip to Remember
Sabotage on 578 Squadron at Burn by Joe Dudley
Memories of 578 Squadron at Burn 1944 by Joe…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

YAllenJH179996v1.pdf
A diary recording events during 1944. Includes detailed notes on operations, military life, the weather etc.

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

ABellJ151127.mp3
Joyce Bell grew up in Hertfordshire and joined the Women's Auxiliary Air Force in 1940. She served as a clerk in 1 Group Bomber Command where she met her husband and she travelled with him to Canada where he was posted.

Tags: ; ; ; ; ;

STyrieJSB87636v2.2.pdf
A wartime log kept by Jim Tyrie. He lists his crew on the night they were shot down over Berlin, the construction of tin trays, addresses of co-prisoners, cartoons, London restaurants, newspaper cuttings in German and English and finally more…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

BDudleyCDudleyCv1.pdf
A document written by Jim Allen's navigator. He describes his early training and difficulties when navigating in the UK, Jim Allen's skills, his own behaviour on the aircraft, flying under a bomber shortly before the target, his relief at surviving…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

E[Author]JGreenAW410907-0001.jpg
The letter refers to an erroneous posting then transfer to Waddington. He will be flying Manchesters. He is billeted with an old couple who don't tolerate drinking. He enjoyed seven days of leave in Coventry and surrounding towns.

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

PCrooksGA1601.jpg
George Crooks was an apprentice electrician before volunteering for the Royal Air Force at the age of eighteen. After his training he served as an armourer with 50 Squadron at RAF Swinderby and later RAF Skellingthorpe. He later worked experimenting…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

PBrowningDJ1601.jpg
Don Browning was posted to 463 Squadron at RAF Waddington. On one operation two aircraft collided and Don lost friends he had undertaken training with. On an operation to Calais the weather was very poor and the attack aborted but not all aircraft…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

ABuxtonAG220823.mp3
Alan was born in Parramatta, Sydney, in Australia. After going to the Middle East with the army, he returned to Australia, when Japan entered the war, and transferred to the RAF in November 1942.
Alan was posted to Bradfield Park for training and…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

SJoynerJH1812689v1.pdf
A log book used as a scrap book. The photographs and documents cover his aircrew training from November 1943. It has sergeant's mess subscription cards, photographs, correspondence and cuttings.
Many of the entries are post war and a number refer…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

EValentineJRMValentineUM401020-0001.jpg
Writes of his experiences at Receiving Centre. Includes account of journey back to centre. Says it was good to see her. Continues with description of activities and fellow trainees. Includes humorous account of being sorted by religion.

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ;

EValentineJRMValentineUM401031-0001.jpg
Writes that he misses her and worries about danger to her of bombing. Continues telling of journey to by special train and describes new camp. Covers activities, food and accommodation. Mentions blackout and washing in dark. Continues with detailed…

Tags: ; ; ;

EValentineJRMValentineUM401102-0001.jpg
Thanks her for her letters. Apologises for his awful writing. Describes camp and day to day activities. Covers RAF ranks and badges. Mentions his instructors and training schedule. Concludes with domestic and finance matters as well as general…

Tags: ; ; ;

EValentineJRMValentineUM401106-0001.jpg
Thanks her for letter and cake. Says he is unhappy particularly over rainy weather and polishing boots. Writes of church parade and offending the padre with swearing. Continues with recounting visit to local ladies for afternoon tea. Continues…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ;

EValentineJRMValentineUM401109-0001.jpg
Thanks her for letter and parcel. Mentions poor mail handling, Lists letters received and asks her to number subsequent ones. Mentions financial matters and requests she sends him some items. Mentions he is homesick but not looking forward to next…

Tags: ; ; ;

EValentineJRMValentineUM401111-0001.jpg
Thanks her for parcel but worries over cost to her. Discusses parcel contents. Discusses financial and domestic matters. Describes daily activities, visit to locals for tea and mentions first rifle range firing in poor weather.

Tags: ; ; ;

EValentineJRMValentineUM401115-0001.jpg
Replies to issues raised in her letters. Writes of receiving soap flakes and doing laundry. Happy that RAF allowance is going through. Discuses mail and other domestic matters. Goes on with brief description of daily activities and a hateful new…

Tags: ; ; ;

EValentineJRMValentineUM401117-0001.jpg
Starts with description of punishment duty and reason for it. Writes of possibility of getting compassionate leave due to immanent birth. Goes on to describe daily activities and then provides a very detailed description of local town of Bridgnorth.

Tags: ; ; ; ; ;

EValentineJRMValentineUM401125-0001.jpg
Writes it was wonderful to spend two days with her. Mentions journey back to camp. Describes activities and intensive training for passing out parade. Mentions cook house fatigues, food preparation and free cake. Goes on with more description of…

Tags: ; ; ;

EValentineJRMValentineUM401126-0001.jpg
Writes of very good weather, daily activities and problems with laundry. Exited about next station although they have not been told about it for security reasons. Postscript adds that postings have now been announced but he was not on list and 30…

Tags: ; ; ;

EValentineJRMValentineUM401128-0002.jpg
Post card from John Valentine to his wife informing her that he has sent a parcel. He tells her that he is leaving for Grantham early the following morning and that he will write again when he has a new address. He ends by saying that he is…

Tags: ; ; ;

EValentineJRMValentineUM401130-020001.jpg
Writes describing last day at Bridgnorth and difficult journey to Grantham. Mentions poor food and difficulty finding accommodation on arrival. Describes activities and frustration about no news of future. Accommodation now in married quarters,…

Tags: ; ; ;

EValentineJRMValentineUM401204-0001.jpg
Relates that mail has caught up with him from Bridgnorth. Pleased to get news from home and is getting on with ordering materials for the shelter. Describes excitement of overflight by Ju-88 with air raid warning and sitting in shelter. Describes…

Tags: ; ; ;

EValentineJRMValentineUM401206-0001.jpg
Letter written over at least two days describing his activities, poor accommodation and weather. He was please with parcel and especially a long letter from her with details of all her activities. Mentions delays in mail, financial and domestic…

Tags: ; ; ;

Output Formats

atom, dc-rdf, dcmes-xml, json, omeka-xml, rss2