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Interview with Rosemary Dorricott
Rosemary Dorricott is the widow of Leonard William Dorricott DFM. During the war years she was a young child in Skegness. She was six years old when war broke out. She recalls the air raids on the town and the rationing and blackouts that became a…
Interview with Frances Anne Cooper
Frances Cooper spent her early life in Uganda before settling with her parents in England where she attended school, then joined the WAAF. She recalls the small village where she lived during the war, the arrival of Americans and prisoners of war, as…
Interview with Frank Colenso
Frank Colenso grew up in Cornwall and, at the outbreak of the war, was working for a local newspaper. He recalls the return of injured survivors from Dunkirk into Falmouth Bay. He joined the local defence volunteers following the bombing of Falmouth…
Interview with David Brewster
David Brewster grew up in Alford, and has memories of watching the Luftwaffe bombing convoys at sea, a dog fight and watching bombers take off from RAF Strubby and RAF East Kirkby.
Interview with Dr Marjorie Birch
Dr Marjorie Birch was born and grew up in London. She was evacuated with her younger sister when war was declared. She later trained as a medical student in London. She describes her accommodation opposite Kings Cross Station and the bombing. She…
Interview with John Battison
John Battison was a teenager in Skegness during the war and remembers the town being used to train Royal Air Force personnel. He describes hundreds of bombers gathering overhead before setting off on an operation. After the war he joined the Royal…
Interview with Philip Bates
Philip volunteered for the Royal Air Force air force in May 1940. After a short time in Blackpool, he was posted to RAF Cosford where he volunteered for training as a flight mechanic, then fitter. At 86 Squadron, Coastal Command, flying Beauford…
Interview with a survivor of the bombing of Berlin
She tells of her life in Berlin before, during and after the war. She lived with her mother in a block of flats close to the home of her grandparents. Her father died when she was nine years old. During the war she collected shrapnel as souvenirs…
Interview with Harold Beech. Two
Harold Beech could see the activity of several airfields and witnessed stricken aircraft flying back to stations near his home. He also witnessed a crash and describes how he hid in a Lancaster, with the help of the engineer who was billeted with his…
Interview with Harold Beech. One
Harold Beech was born in Middle Rasen, Lincolnshire. He was six when war was declared and saw the construction of many airfields near his home. As a schoolboy, he also watched aircraft being transported on the back of Queen Marys. The family housed a…
Derrick Allen lay-off reference
Good character reference for Derrick Allen after being laid off due to lack of work for company in wartime.
Interview with John and Vera Casey
Before the war, John Casey worked for Vickers Armstrong. He joined the Royal Air Force and completed his training as a warrant officer at RAF Padgate. He learned how to fly Stirling aircraft at RAF Wigsley, Wellington aircraft at RAF Bruntingthorpe…
Interview with Irene Howard
Irene Howard grew up in Salford and describes her life there before the war. During the war she worked in a factory and as a firewatcher, before being called up. She served as an Air Raid Precaution Warden. She describes being bombed at home, trapped…
Interview with Betty Bascombe
Betty grew up in Cardiff and worked in the Royal Ordinance factory. Her first husband, Ron joined the Royal Air Force as a flight engineer. She talks about receiving the telegram, stating that Ron was missing and later finding out that he had been…
Interview with Hubert Draegert
Hubert Draegert remembers his wartime experiences, first in Berlin and then as an evacuee at his uncle’s farm near Wroclaw. He mentions the bombing of the Berlin State Opera and the repeated efforts made to rebuild the gutted building. He remembers…
Interview with Richard Suchenwirth
Richard Suchenwirth recalls his wartime memories as a Flakhelfer in Pasing, a district of Munich. He tells of his father who was the author of three books on the Luftwaffe, the founder of the Austrian Nazi Party, a political orator and initial…
Interview with Enrica Mariani
Enrica Mariani recollects her wartime experiences in Milan: her brother dying of bronchitis after spending too much time in the shelter and her father working in an armaments factory; the aggressive fascist militiamen and the long hours she spent in…
Ron Jones and his bride
Sergeant Ron Jones in Royal Air Force uniform, standing beside his bride, Elizabeth. She is wearing a bride's dress and is carrying a floral bouquet. 26/1/44 is handwritten on the top right corner.
Mary Brophy at Middle Rasen
Mary Brophy, in summer dress, is sitting on a brick wall; behind the wall is a hedge and tree in full foliage and in front of the wall a grass verge. Mary Brophy remained in the village after the war to go to grammar school. Captioned 'Mary Brophy.…
Reminiscence and memories of Mrs E J Bascombe
Flight Engineer Ron Jones 61 Squadron, killed in action 25 April 1944. Details of his early life and service career. Some information how he met his wife, then their brief marriage. Initially he was declared missing but on January 1945 he was…
Home Guard on parade
Group of home guardsmen on parade in three ranks. In front are two officers with peaked caps and one with greatcoat. Guard of honour of three men, two flankers with shouldered rifles stand in front of front rank. Bob Carter's father is right hand man…
17 auxiliary firemen with fire pump
17 auxiliary firemen standing in a group behind and to the sides of a fire pump which has large bore hoses on the front and coiled hoses on the rear. All firemen are in uniform tunic with belts and peaked hats. In the background a brick wall. Pump is…
20 auxiliary firemen
Group portrait of 20 auxiliary firemen in three rows all in uniform with peaked hats. Front row of eight are sitting on chairs, second row of seven standing and back row of five standing on hidden support. Bob Carter is left hand man in back row. In…
They were a fine body of men
Photograph shows a group of home guard men on parade on a road in front of several stone buildings. At the front are two officers behind are three rows of men in uniform with side caps. Three men stand in front of the first row, the two outside men…
Escape to happiness for Frank and Kathleen.
Flight Sergeant Frank Waters is reunited with his wife Kathleen at a secret location on 21 March 1945 after he had been released from prisoner of war camp by advancing Russian forces. Recently married, Kathleen Waters had been lodging with the Carter…