Browse Items (3115 total)

  • Tags: pilot

PPettsHN1501.jpg
Seven aircrew wearing tunics, three in front and four behind. Neville Petts is identified as back row second from right wearing observer brevet. John Hudson is front row left wearing air gunner brevet.
Additional information about this item was…

Tags: ; ; ; ;

PThomasWK1601.jpg
Ken changed from the Merchant Navy to the Royal Air Force. He became a flight mechanic but after night school, decided to apply for aircrew. Ken went to the Air Crew Receiving Centre at St John’s Wood. He proceeded to No 4 Initial Training Wing at…

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

BBlacklockGBBlacklockGBv1.pdf
From his youth to the award of his DFC by the King.

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

AHookingsE151024.mp3
Eric Hookings joined the RAF and served as ground crew at RAF Newton before training as a pilot in America. He was posted to RAF Bruntingthorpe, flying Wellingtons, Stirlings and Lancasters with 619 Squadron. During an operation an Me 110 shot down…

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

ASimmsL160807.mp3
Lester tells of his tough, early childhood and his first experience of seeing a Heinkel bomber flying over his home in Surrey, to attack the Brooklands Aircraft Factory. He tells of how he worked in the experimental department of Hawker Aircraft…

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

SRAFIngham19410620v010004.jpg
Andrezej Jerziorski's wartime memories. Andrezej Jerziorski was born in Poland but after he and his father were evacuated from France, he managed to join the RAF and flew in Coastal Command during the war, stationed as far apart as Scotland and…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

BCopemanGCopemanGv1.pdf
An operation undertaken to attack Wesseling, near Cologne. The aircraft suffered engine and fuel line damage and ditched in the North Sea. The crew survived the ditching and were rescued by a launch.

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

BPayneGPayneGv1.pdf
Geoff Payne's autobiography divided into five chapters.

Chapter 1. Under Training.
Having been assessed in Birmingham Geoff sets off to London in August 1942 for training, at Lords. Initial training was at Bridlington then gunnery school at…

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

MTowersG2205169-151002-04.jpg
Recollections and thoughts by Geoff Towers about his service with 158 Squadron, he was a rear gunner and flew in the Halifax, he flew 40 operations. He lists his crew, Bill Sharp Pilot, Mick Miller Bomb Aimer, John Sessions Navigator, Georg Fairless…

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

PSparkesW17010020.jpg
Left - extract from "Raider" by Allen Jones [sic]. Extract from book gives account of Ned Sparkes aircraft during operation including description of attack by Junker 188 which hit a fuel tank which exploded and subsequent spin, regain control and…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

BRobinsonGWRobinsonGWv1.pdf
An account of an operation to Duisburg.

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

BWhittleGGWhittleGGv1.pdf
A brief memoir of Geoffrey Whittle's wartime service. His training started in March 1942 in Scotland. One year later he converted to Wellingtons, then Lancasters at RAF Lindholme. He was then posted to RAF Ludford Magna. On his 15th operation over…

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

BWhittleGGWhittleGGv3.pdf
An incomplete memoir written by Geoffrey Whittle starting at age 16. At age 18 he volunteered for aircrew duties and trained at RAF West Freugh. He converted to Wellingtons then Lancasters and moved to RAF Ludford Magna in June 1943. Over Hanover…

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

NGilbertAC161013-01.jpg
A newspaper cutting referring to an attack on Berlin. Peter Twinn and Alec Gilbert have been quoted with comments on the cold and the fires in Berlin.

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

MKeelingGW2217141-151002-01.pdf
A number of stories, recollections and events remembered by George who was part of the ground crew on the squadron. It also includes press coverage and a programme from an amateur dramatics production Georg appeared in post war.
There is also a…

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

MKellettR[Ser#-DoB]-191219-03.jpg
The letter congratulates Richard and his team for the successful flight to Australia.

Tags: ; ;

MGorfunckleN1260360-170801-030001.jpg
An account of the crash written by the pilot, George Thom. The report includes part of a police report.

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

E[Author]GTOwenHW570116.pdf
A letter referring to the night of the crash and George's subsequent escape via Switzerland. He was caught while trying to get to Spain and sent to Paris. After the war he worked for the post office in Calgary.

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

PToombsSE15100022.jpg
George Toombs’ crew of N for Nan, 460 Squadron, RAF Binbrook, dated 1944. On the reverse ‘460 Squadron Binbrook
Australian crew of N for Nan
Navigator A K Ward
Pilot P K Lester
Radio/op A S Robb
Bomb/ Aimer T V Ierry
Upper gunner…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

ABeechingJB180118.mp3
John Beeching was born in London and joined the RAF in 1941. His initial training was in Canada. After several escapades John joined 169 Squadron as a night fighter pilot and worked in electronic countermeasures as well as training crews in air…

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

ABrumwellR180630.mp3
Ralph Brumwell volunteered for the RAF Voluntary Reserve in 1939. When war was declared he was immediately called up and was posted to 218 Squadron at RAF Marham. Returning from an operation they were shot down by an intruder Junkers 88. On landing…

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

ACunninghamAB171104.mp3
Bruce Cunningham was born in New Zealand. After initial training as a pilot he was posted to RAF Wescott Operational Training Unit and flew operations with 514 Squadron at RAF Waterbeach. His first operation was over Berlin. On one operation they…

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

ADareI180704.mp3
Iris was born in a village outside Newcastle. At the beginning of 1940 she went to Gosforth to join the Royal Air Force. Iris liked the idea of uniformed service more than the option of becoming a nurse. She was then sent to Swansea for about 18…

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

EWilsonTGPridmoreM440426-0001.jpg
A postcard to Mrs Pridmore from Pilot Officer Graham Wilson, a prisoner of war. He talks of the weather and missing being in England.

Tags: ; ; ; ;

MRaettigDW1136657-160623-21.pdf
Provides notes for information of candidates including age limits, nationality, education, flying experience, classes ineligible, selection and medical, period of engagement, rank, liabilities, foreign powers, discharge, training, financial, travel,…

Tags: ; ; ; ;

Output Formats

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