Browse Items (1151 total)
- Tags: military service conditions
Sort by:
Letter from Kenneth Gill to his family
Writes about recent Christmas and says a little about life and training work on his camp. Listens to aircraft taking off and comments that unlike operations crews usually come back. Asks for news of friend. Comments that recent news was good and…
Letter from Kenneth Gill to his family
Writes that he is back in England after five days in Ireland. Thanks them for book and catches up with family news. Mentions war news and talk of invasion but presumes it would not be before he stared his second tour. Talks of American hospitality on…
Letter from Kenneth Gill to his parents
Writes of recent visit from his brother. Mentions a little of recent flying. Catches up with news of correspondence. Hopes to get a posting to Scampton as he is tired of Syerston. Moans about pilots air force and mentions no more duties detailed.
Letter from Kenneth Gill to his parents
Writes about poor weather and that he thought summer was over. Comments on plans for upcoming leave with wife Vera and son Derek. Sets maths puzzle with diagram for his father that he has been trying to solve.
Letter from Kenneth Gill to his wife
Thanks her for recent letter. Writes that he was now doing daylight operations during which he felt safe as they were well protected. Catches up with family news and gossip. Hopes he might manage to get home. Mentions he was out celebrating but did…
Letter from Kenneth Gill to his parents
Writes about poor weather and having to do snow clearing. Had not done any more operations and comments on Russian's war progress. Catches up with family news.
Letter card from Kenneth Gill to his parents
Catches up with friends/family news. Mentions he would be home in March. Compares British and Italian work rates on snow clearing. Continues with family gossip,
Letter card from Kenneth Gill to his parents
Reports he arrived back safely. Comments that he was now one trip behind his crew. Catches up with family gossip.
Letter card from Kenneth Gill to his parents
Reports that he arrived back safely and that he had had a good leave. Catches up with family news and gossip.
Letter from Kenneth Gill to his parents
Writes of poor weather but getting a little flying done. Writes that he had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and tells of subsequent activity in the mess. Notes that there was nothing yet for rest of crew and that his flying officer status…
Letter from Kenneth Gill to his parents
Writes of possibility of returning to his old squadron. Catches up with news of friends and family. Comments on recent snow and the work it caused them. Mentions coupons he sent to his father. Writes about calculating his total mileage by land and…
Letter from Kenneth Gill to his parents
Writes about trying to book somewhere in Scarborough for his next leave and outlines his plans for it. Mentions some places in France that his father used to talk about which were now in the news again. Catches up with family news.
Letter from Kenneth Gill to his parents
Writes after recently arriving at new station. Comments on weather. Writes about his crew, pilot from New Zealand, engineer and wireless operator from London, bomb aimer from Derby and gunners from Hull and Preston. Comments that none of his old crew…
Letter from Kenneth Gill to his parents
Writes that he had now recovered from illness and had recently done a seven mile route march. Catches up with news of friends and family and researching Navy matters. Continues with family gossip which reminded him of books he had read and comments…
Letter from Kenneth Gill to his parents
Complains about lack of action at his new station. Catches up with family news and mentions sending photographs of crew on return from Tirpitz operation to his wife. Writes about son Derek. Mentions getting second class navigator certificate.
Part of a letter from Kenneth Gill to his parents
First page only. Mention recent operation to e-boat pens which was reported in newspapers. Mentions a friend's accident.
Letter from Kenneth Gill to his parents
Comments that Christmas was over and weather had precluded operations. Writes about Christmas meal and other activities. Mentions boxing day activities. Continues with comment planned dining in night to say farewell to Wing Commander Tait. Catches up…
Letter from Kenneth Gill to his parents
Writes about a bombing operation on new year. Mentions speaking to a railway signalman whose daughter possibly taught his younger brother. Writes of other family acquaintances. Continues with other family news and gossip. Catches up with other news…
Letter to L V Rosser from Ken Higgins
Catches up with news after recent meeting and thanks him for posting on letters. Writes about cost of sending his bicycle by train and explains why it is essential in his current location. Catches up with gossip and his activities and flying.…
Memoir notes - Cranwell
Describes arrival at Cranwell in a cold December. Describes accommodation in detail. Goes on with mention of living conditions and description of camp and facilities. Continues with descriptions of daily activities, classrooms, instructors and…
Memoir notes - Bawtry and Grimsby
Describes farewell concert at undisclosed location and closure of chapter of authors introduction to service life. Goes on to write of arrival at Bawtry Hall with friend Dorothy at new location with description of accommodation and cleaning…
Memoir notes
Describes posting to, journey to and arrival at Bawtry Hall. Goes on to describe accommodation and living conditions. Continues with description of duties including cleaning ablutions and lecture rooms. Goes on with description of life and…
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…
Tags: 100 Squadron; 214 Squadron; B-17; B-24; entertainment; ground personnel; Lancaster; military discipline; military living conditions; military service conditions; Mosquito; Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944); RAF Bawtry; RAF Church Fenton; RAF Compton Bassett; RAF Cranwell; RAF Grimsby; RAF Innsworth; RAF Oulton; RAF Sculthorpe; RAF Swannington; sanitation; Stirling; training; Women’s Auxiliary Air Force
Keith Campbell's prisoner of war diary
Diary kept by Keith Campbell 24 July 1944 to February 1945 describing being shot down, evading and capture and life as a prisoner of war. Some entries talk about operations. Ends with the forced march away from the Russians. Note on front - 'original…
Letter from Dec Dexter to Phyllis
Letter from Cadet Dexter to Phyl giving his new address at initial training wing, Babbacombe, Devon. Describes his hasty preparations, before leaving home, items left behind to be sent on, concerns of the welfare of another female friend, standards…