Browse Items (586 total)

  • Tags: Pathfinders

ADellFH160520.mp3
Frank Dell’s father was a member of the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War and so it was perhaps inevitable that Frank would share the fascination with aviation and a desire to fly. As a teenager Frank witnessed the aerial battles of the…

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PDavenportE1801.jpg
Ernest Davenport was born in Tattenhall, Cheshire in 1923. He joined the Local Defence Volunteers in 1940 and after witnessing the bombing of Merseyside he decided to join the RAF as a pilot. He was accepted into the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve…

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PCulpinBW1801.jpg
Bob Culpin worked for the civil service before joining the RAF in 1941. He was posted to Alabama for pilot training but was remustered and instead, completed a navigation course in Miami. When he returned to Great Britain, Culpin formed a…

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PGerardJA1801.jpg
Tony lived in South Pool before moving to Liverpool with his job in a bank. He also belonged the Air Training Corps. After about a year he decided to sign up for the Royal Air Force. His assessment and medical were at Liverpool. He was called up to…

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BWarnerJWarnerJv1.pdf
First operation to Montluçon 15 September 1943. Briefed as easy trip with little opposition. Arrived early and waited for Pathfinders, bombed from 8000 ft. Wing Commander Smith missing from operation reported hit by bombs. Operation 2, Mondane 16…

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PHolmesGH1601.jpg
Head and shoulders portrait photograph of George Holmes wearing tunic with wireless operator brevet and peaked cap. On the reverse ’15 Whinney Lane, Ollerton, [....], Russell Bolt'.

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OHolmesGH187788-161021-020001.jpg
A Sortie Record Sheet dated from 19 August 1944 to 17 March 1945. Relating to Pilot Officer George Holmes’ service as a Wireless Operator/Air Gunner with 83 Squadron. The sheet records 16 operations, all of which are recorded as being on Lancaster…

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LHolmesGH1579658v1.pdf
Navigator’s, air bomber’s and air gunner’s flying log book for G H Holmes, covering the period from 7 June 1943 to 23 May 1947. Detailing his flying training and operations flown. He was stationed at RAF Yatesbury, RAF Evanton, RAF Turweston,…

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BPayneRPayneRv2.pdf
An account by Reg Payne of his wartime experiences. Too young to sign up at the start of the war he spent two years in the Home Guard. Training started at age 18 and lasted for two years. He served at RAF Skellingthorpe and his brother served at RAF…

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BPayneRPayneRv1.pdf
A detailed account of Reg Payne's service in the RAF. He starts with a list of 18 RAF bases where he served in his 5 years of service. He was 16 when war was declared but volunteered for the RAF at 17. After tests he was selected for training as a…

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MWhybrowFHT170690-160926-22.jpg
The Obituary describes his service and civilian career from training in the United States to his 105 operations. Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. He met his future wife, Isobel in Blackpool. Served in the Far East and demobbed in 1947.

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EKeepEWhybrowI20050107-0008.jpg
Fred Whybrow in uniform and sitting in a wood.

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ABolesKM180212.mp3
Keith Boles left school at the age of fourteen and took an apprenticeship in engineering. He was called up to the Air Force at the end of 1941 and was in Singapore when the Japanese invaded. He arrived in UK via Australia and Canada and after a…

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BBaileyJDBaileyJDv1.pdf
Bill Bailey's wartime memoirs, from enlistment, training in UK and Canada and detail of each of 31 operation in Bomber Command. After completion of his tour he was transferred to Lossiemouth to train Free French aircrew. After successful progress he…

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AWrigleyA160826.mp3
Alice Wrigley was married to James Wrigley, a wireless operator on Lancasters. She talks about her early life after losing her mother, her marriage to Jim and how war work enabled her to become independent by sorting out somewhere to live whilst he…

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SMathersRW55201v10018.jpg
Item 1 is a newspaper cutting with a photograph of 12 Lancasters over New York. Photograph 1 is a group of airmen seated in tiered rows. It is captioned 'Beer and Hot Dogs at the Pony Races'. Photograph 2 and 3 are four airmen seated at a round table…

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SMathersRW55201v10014.jpg
Item 1 is a newspaper cutting refers to the punctual arrival of 16 Lancasters of 35 Squadron at Mitchel Field, Long Island. It is captioned 'Its a bit of a line, but we were dead on time'. Item 2 is a newspaper cutting 'RAF's New York Welcome' with a…

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SMathersRW55201v10007.jpg
Item 1 is a list of the aircrew from 35 Squadron who took part in the Victory day flypast.
Photograph 1 is 12 Lancasters in formation at the Fly past. It is captioned 'Victory Day Fly Past 8th June 1946'
Item 2 is a newspaper cutting referring to…

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LWrigleyJ1029740v1.pdf
Flying log book for Warrant Officer James Wrigley, wireless operator, covering the period from 17 November 1942 to 30 June 1954. Detailing training, operations and instructor duties. He was stationed at RAF Yatesbury, RAF Pembrey, RAF Whitchurch…

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LRascal-Mascot[Ser#-DoB]v1.pdf
Aircrew Mascots flying log book for Flight Sergeant Rascal, covering the period from 17 November 1942 to 29 March 1945 (pages not all in chronological order). Detailing his flying caeer during training and operations. He was stationed at RAF Kinloss,…

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MBarkerR[Ser#-DoB]-151001-01.pdf
Opens with mention of Bomber Command memorial in Green Park and 55,573 despite killed, moral was high due to belief that winning was vital. Tells story that he was guest at two weddings in 1943 with three other members of Bomber Command and that all…

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MDexterKI127249-170830-19.jpg
Details of attack on Cologne sent by Arthur Bank, brother-in-law to Keith Dexter's mother. Details number of aircraft involved and some details of attack and weather.Arthur Bank was the Intelligence Officer at RAF Foulsham.One Ju-88 claimed probably…

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MDexterKI127249-170830-10.jpg
Ordered 1941 and built by A.V. Roe at Chadderton near Manchester as one of a batch of 620 between November 1943 and June 1943. Twenty of this batch either side of ED 932 (Gibson's aircraft) were modified as type 464 provisioning to enable Barnes…

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EGortonHGortonLCM440217.pdf
He writes of the weather and life at RAF Silverstone.

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EGortonHGortonLCM431221.pdf
He writes of night flying, the chances of returning to operations and his plans for Christmas.

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