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Form for purchasing handkerchiefs
An uncompleted form authorising the bearer to purchase handkerchiefs.
Ted Neale Bedding Issue Card
Recording the bedding issued to Ted Neale
Pilot in front of Petwood Hotel
A pilot wearing battledress with pilot's brevet stands with hands in his pockets in the snow in front of a two story Tudor style building with gabled windows. On the reverse '617 Sqdn Petwood Hotel (our Mess) 1943/4, AF197'.
Three tents in the desert
Three ridge rents arranged in a line in a flat sandy desert.
Keith Thompson diary 1945
Covering all of 1945, Keith Thompson was a navigator on 1659 Conversion Unit at RAF Topcliffe flying Halifax III on his rest tour, having finished his first tour in May 1944. In February posted to 199 squadron, RAF North Creake flying operations on…
Keith Thompson's diary for 1944
Keith Thompson was a navigator on operations with 101 Squadron, at RAF Ludford Magna flying Lancasters at the start of 1944. He completed his first tour on 31st May, was at 28 OTU from 17th June to 23 July, then 30 OTU as a staff navigator at RAF…
Letter to Leonard Cheshire
From RAF Coningsby concerning 617 squadron working parades. Concludes with discussion on extensions to airmens' passes.
Keith Thompson's diary from July 1943 to January 1944
Keith Thompson was a sergeant navigator under training at the start of this period at 28 OTU at RAF Castle Donington, then on to a holding unit for a month. After that on to 1662 CU at RAF Blyton flying the Lancaster, until 7 November when he was…
Keith Thompson's diary July 1942 to July 1943
During this period Keith was under training in Canada and then in England from June 1943 on 28 OTU at RAF Wymswold.
Letter to Leonard Cheshire from officer of 4 Group
Thanks him for the party
Woman and dogs at Petwood hotel
A member of the Woman's Auxiliary Air Force kneeling in snow with two dogs either side of her. In the background a two story building with gabled windows. Reported as Leonard Cheshire's poodle Simon (on the right) with Kitty McQuillan WAAF (later…
Interview with Thomas Edward Noton
Thomas Edward Noton was born in Greenwich on the 4th of April 1923. Upon leaving school he began a toolmaking apprenticeship, however, before finishing the course, Noton decided to join the Royal Air Force at the age of eighteen. He explains why he…
Thanksgiving address for the life of Arthur Norman Hollis OBE, DFC
Thanksgiving eulogy for the life and times of Arthur Hollis OBE, DFC of Bomber Command which covers his childhood successes whilst at Dulwich College, his subsequent enlistment into the RAF in 1941, and his pilot training in Florida and the UK. It…
Memoir by Arthur Hollis
Second page has colour photograph of Arthur Hollis, wearing blazer with medals, standing in a field at an event. Narrative covers early life in Hornchurch and Carshalton including schooling and hospital admissions. Writes of Dulwich College studies…
Tom Whitehead's Wartime log for British prisoners
Belonging to Sergeant Tom Whitehead, B.P.O.W. 1051, Stalag Luft 6. Contains newspaper cutting with news of Tom Whitehead as prisoner of war. Main dates of events and locations from shoot down to liberation. Includes a poem 'Joe', cartoon, diet sheet,…
Interview with Sheila Wilmet
Sheila Wilmet grew up in Liverpool and was fifteen when war was declared. She describes the devastation of bombing in 1941, spending nights in an Anderson shelter, and navigating unexploded bombs during her commute. She volunteered after viewing a…
Interview with Andrew Barron. Three
Andrew said that during leisure time the crew drank, sang silly songs but didn’t really socialise much. He recalled an occasion when the Germans sent in about 200 night fighters infiltrating the main force on its ways home. They shot down a B-17…
Interview with Len Harper
Len Harper registered for the air force in April 1939, influenced by the positive experience of his brother, who had joined in January. Upon completing training at the Wireless Training School, RAF Yatesbury, he was posted to RAF Wittering, where he…
Interview with Pauline Alexander
During the war, Pauline's siblings Bernard, Guy, Robert and Peter served in the air force and army, her mother volunteered for the Red Cross, and her father volunteered as an air raid warden. Inspired by her brothers, Alexander joined Women’s…
Three men in swimming trunks
Three men wearing swimming trunks with towels round necks standing in line in front of a hut with open door and window. The man in the middle is wearing a wide-brimmed hat.
Ben Openshaw in doorway of hut
A man wearing shorts, shirt and flying helmet standing with bottle in hand and camera round neck in a doorway. On the reverse of one photograph: 'No, not drunk' and '40 Honiton Rd, Welling, Kent'.
Man in swimming trunks and hat
Ben Openshaw standing outside, by an open hut door wearing swimming trunks with a wide-brimmed hat and towel round his neck.
Group of five airmen
Five men wearing shorts and shirts standing in the open. Four are pointing to the man in the middle who is tipping his hat. In the background are grass-roofed huts and trees.
Airman with rifle
Almost full-length portrait. One colour and two b/w prints of same photograph of Ben Openshaw standing wearing tunic and side cap with grounded rifle in his right hand. In the background left and rear are single storey huts. On the reverse of one of…
Group of airmen bowing
A group of airmen kneeling on the ground in front of a figure dressed up in sheets. Another figure stands alongside, dressed up in a towel and sheet headdress. In the background are grass roofed huts. On the reverse of the b/w photograph 'My subjects…