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John Blair and six sports people
John Blair and six airmen and airwomen in various sportswear, one holding a trophy. Caption: 'John as part of an RAF sports team.'
John Blair and Leo Balderamos
John Blair standing with Leo Balderamos on a tall building with a cityscape in the background.
Caption: 'John Blair (left) and Leo Balderamos of Belize on the Empire State Building, New York, in October 1942'.
Caption: 'John Blair (left) and Leo Balderamos of Belize on the Empire State Building, New York, in October 1942'.
John Blair and colleague
Two airmen in flying gear at the navigator’s station in a Halifax bomber. Caption: 'John (right) and a colleague inside their Halifax Bomber, 1945'.
John Blair and colleague
John Blair (left) with an officer’s cap and a colleague (right) who has the insignia of a flight sergeant visible on his right arm, brevet is partially covered. Caption: 'John and friend – 1945'.
John Blair
Three quarter length portrait photograph of John Blair in fatigue uniform with navigator’s brevet, and officer’s cap, standing between two huts smoking a cigarette. A bicycle is propped up beside one of the huts. Caption at bottom reads: 'John…
John Blair
John Blair as a cadet seated sideways to the camera, caption at bottom reads 'John in a moment of relaxation. Note the “Jamaica” shoulder flash.'
John Blair
John Blair in flying gear and parachute harness inside a bomber, captioned 'John inside bomber'.
John and Margaret Blair's wedding
John Blair and his bride. The groom is wearing Flight Lieutenant’s uniform with navigator’s brevet. The bride is in a white dress with short veil and bouquet. Caption at bottom reads: 'John Jellicoe Blair & Margaret Eileen Kirkham – March 1,…
Jamaican schoolgirl
Young woman in school uniform, she is holding a pair of glasses in her left hand, standing in front of a door. Submitted with caption: 'A typical Jamaican schoolgirl, mid 1940s.'
Jamaican schoolboy
Full-length photograph of M Johnson’s father as a child, with his right foot placed on a low wall. Submitted with caption; 'A typical Jamaican schoolboy (in this case, the author’s father), mid-1940s.'
Interview with Sir Fitzroy Augier
Fitzroy ‘Roy’ Augier was born in Saint Lucia. When Roy was ten, his father owned a shop in the main town of Castries. Roy had a good education and after school went to work at the Post Office. However, his ambition was to go to university to…
Interview with Ray Parke. Two
Ray Parke trained as a flight engineer. During a training flight the pilot wanted to get back to base as soon as possible because he had a date but they were flying a Stirling. The pilot made an error on landing and the wheel stayed in the ditch and…
Interview with Ray Parke. One
Ray Parke worked on the railway before joining the RAF in 1943. Remembers flying forty operations as a flight engineer with 218 Squadron by the time he was twenty. Tells about operations on Essen and the Ruhr. Discusses the Dresden operation, giving…
Interview with Ralph Alfrado Ottey. Two
Ralph Ottey joined the RAF from Jamaica. After the war he returned to Jamaica. However, he had met the woman he was to later marry while based in the UK and returned to the settle here. He settled in Boston and had a long career with a local firm. On…
Interview with Ralph Alfrado Ottey. One
Ralph Ottey was born in Jamaica in 1924. Raised by his grandparents, he describes his education and the family hopes that he would become a teacher. He left school at 16 and a half but was too young to attend teaching college so worked for his uncle…
Interview with Oluwole Hyde. Two
Olu Hyde continues his interview by describing his experience as the son of a Bomber Command veteran.
Interview with Oluwole Hyde
Oluwole Hyde’s father was Adesanya Hyde, who served as a navigator with 640 Squadron. He was badly injured but continued to navigate the aeroplane on operation. It was only when they were over the UK that he accepted the morphine for the pain.…
Interview with Neville Shenbanjo
Neville Shenbanjo was born in 1945, the son of Akin Shenbanjo. Flying Officer Akin Shenbanjo DFC was born in Nigeria and served as a wireless operator / air gunner with 76 Squadron. His crew named their Halifax 'Achtung! The Black Prince' after…
Interview with Mark Johnson
Mark Johnson reminisces about John Blair. He discusses family life in rural Jamaica as a mixed-ethnicity person, highly respected by everyone. He was a qualified teacher, a lawyer, and a farmer. Reminisces other Caribbeans who volunteered and served…
Interview with Maria Domanovszky
Maria Domanovszky (b. 1937) recounts how she threw herself into a swampy ditch when under fire and how she lay down praying and hoping to get back home safely. Describes German soldiers with torn and dirty uniforms escaping from a burning forest.…
Interview with John Cox
John Cox grew up in Lincolnshire and worked in banking before he joined the Royal Air Force. After training as a pilot in the United States, he served as an instructor for almost three years. He flew 20 operations as a pilot with 626 Squadron,from…
Interview with J Ebanks
J Ebanks was from Jamaica and was a navigator in 571 Squadron at RAF Oakington. They carried out a number of operations to Berlin. He also refers to RAF Benson and time spent in Malaya. J Ebanks recounts, with humour, a number of anecdotes from his…
Interview with Irmgard Schulz
Irmgard Schulz (b. 1935) describes how the harbour of Hamburg was a recurring target during the war. Mentions the use of target indicators and radar countermeasures. Explains how she was been told not to pick up anything, for fear it could be…
Interview with Hazel Carby
Hazel Carby discusses her father Carl's early life in Jamaica, his experiences training in Canada and serving as aircrew in the RAF, and how he and his family were treated in London in the post war period.
She also discusses her research into her…
She also discusses her research into her…
Interview with Emmanuel Alexis Elden
Emmanuel Alexis Elden grew up in Jamaica. He joined the Royal Air Force and trained at RAF Hunmanby Moor. He served as an air traffic controller and when he was not on duty he used to enjoy travelling to dances in London. He stayed in the RAF until…