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Interview with Frank Tolley
Frank Tolley was born in 1921 in Tipton and left school at fourteen to work as an errand boy for a grocer. He joined the Royal Air Force at nineteen as a ground gunner, and was in at the inception of the Royal Air Force Regiment. After eighteen…
Interview with Colin Wood
Colin Wood grew up in Sheffield and worked as a plumber until he volunteered for the RAF. He trained in Canada and flew operations as a navigator with 106 Squadron from RAF Metheringham. On arrival at the station his pilot and three others made their…
Loss of Lancaster ED 427
The loss of Lancaster Mk 3 of 49 Squadron over Pilsen the 17th April 1943
Before the big raid
Newspaper cutting showing a group of airmen in front of three aircrew buses. Captioned ‘Bomber crews about to start by motor-coach for their airfield and the smashing attack on the great Skoda armament works at Pilsen, in…
Interview with Syd Grimes
Sydney Grimes grew up near Southend and joined the RAF as a wireless operator in 1940. He flew a total of 41 operations - 24 with 106 Squadron and 17 with 617 Squadron. He then served on 9 Squadron at RAF Bardney for 2 months and, subsequently, with…
Interview with David Fraser
David Fraser enlisted in the Royal Air Force in 1939 and was trained as a mechanic. He remustered as soon as he was able and flew four operations as an air gunner with 115 Squadron before his aircraft was shot down over Hamburg, in May 1941. He spent…
12 airmen waving off a Lancaster
A group of 12 airmen waving off Lancaster U. They have their backs to the camera. On the reverse 'F/O Roberts F/S Pidding F/S Smale F/S Briggs F/S Rosario. Sgt Bewon Sgt Davies being waved off by members of 576 Sqdn when taking off on 1000 bomber…
Interview with Charles Frederick Green
Charles Frederick Green was born in Peckham, London, in 1921. On leaving school, he began an apprenticeship with a printing company, acting part-time as a police courier, before becoming an Air Raid Precaution warden. He then volunteered for the…
Roy Briggs' flying log book for navigators, air bombers, air gunners and flight engineers
Navigators, air bombers, air gunners and flight engineers flying log book for Roy Briggs. The log book covers the period 30 December 1942 to 17 March 1947. Roy Briggs trained as a wireless operator in Great Britain. He flew four night time and…
Interview with Mary Ward. One
Mary Ward grew up in Bloxham. She joined the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force in 1940 and was posted to RAF Driffield, on general duties in the officers’ mess. She describes a German daylight attack on RAF Driffield on the 15 August 1940 and the…
Interview with Reg Freeth
Reg Freeth grew up in Wales and worked for the Civil Service in the Labour Exchange before he volunteered for the Royal Air Force. He trained as an observer in South Africa and flew operations served as a bomb aimer with 61 Squadron from RAF…
Reg Freeth's South African Air Force observers or air gunners log book
South African Air Force observers or air gunners log book for Warrant Officer Reg Freeth, bomb aimer, covering the period from 7 February 1942 to 8 October 1945. Detailing his flying training, operations and Instructor duties. He was stationed at…
Sydney Grimes' observer's and air gunner's flying log book
Royal Air Force observer's and air gunner's flying log book for Sydney Grimes, wireless operator, covering the period from 2 July 1942 to 22 August 1945. Detailing training, operations flown, instructional duties and post war flying. He was stationed…
Interview with John Firth
John was called up at 18 and went to Padgate. He did a flight mechanics course at RAF Locking, followed by a Maintenance Unit at RAF Colerne. He was posted to a flight engineers’ course at RAF St Athan. John joined up with his crew at RAF Wigsley…
John Firth's navigator's, air bomber's and air gunner's flying log book
Navigator's, air bomber's and air gunner's flying log book for Sergeant John Firth from 31 March 1944 to 7 August 1944. Detailing training and operations flown. Served at RAF Wigsley, RAF Syerston, RAF Skellingthorpe. Aircraft flown were Stirling and…
Operations boards
Photograph 1 is of the operations board for 76 Squadron.
Photograph 2 is of the operations board for 78 Squadron 30 May 1942.
They are captioned: 'Operations Board, Target Cologne Germany, June 1942. 76 Squadron, 78 Squadron, Halifax A/C. R.A.F.…
Photograph 2 is of the operations board for 78 Squadron 30 May 1942.
They are captioned: 'Operations Board, Target Cologne Germany, June 1942. 76 Squadron, 78 Squadron, Halifax A/C. R.A.F.…
Daylight attack on Brest docks
Two vertical aerial photographs of the docks at Brest. The upper photographs shows some of the bombs being dropped. Captioned: 'Daylight raid on Docks, Breast [sic] France. R.A.F. Middleton St George, Yorkshire. Bomber Command, 4 Group. Halifax A/C.…
Berlin and Brest
Photograph 1 shows a railway running left to right through an urban area. Captioned '1. J.D.S. 382.X.12782.76.N/T.7/8 -8-41 F.8. ➝'.
Photograph 2 shows a mostly rural area, much obscured by anti-aircraft fire and light flare. Captioned 'T.K.A.…
Photograph 2 shows a mostly rural area, much obscured by anti-aircraft fire and light flare. Captioned 'T.K.A.…
Bombing of docks and factories in France
Photograph 1 is an air-to-air photograph of a Boston in flight, taken from above and to the front.
Photograph 2 is a vertical photograph of docks and coastline with Cherbourg behind. Captioned 'D.E.107 15-9-42.F8➝'
Photograph 3 and 4 are aerial…
Photograph 2 is a vertical photograph of docks and coastline with Cherbourg behind. Captioned 'D.E.107 15-9-42.F8➝'
Photograph 3 and 4 are aerial…
Low level bombing over Orleans
Photograph 1 is a vertical aerial photograph of a transformer and switching station at Orleans. Most of it is obscured by bomb explosions and smoke. A wide road runs diagonally across the image. Captioned 'R1.342F 3 OCT 43//…
88 and 226 Squadron aerial photographs
Photograph 1 and 2 are sequential vertical aerial photographs of the marshalling yards at Arras. They are partly obscured by smoke. They are numbered 5018 and 5017 and captioned 'RS 636 88 30.APR44//D14" → 10,000'Z'. Captioned: '30 April 1944,…
Colombelles steel works, Arnhem, and Breskens fort
Photograph 1 is of a vertical of Colombelles steel works marshalling yard. Much of the ground is obscured by cloud and bomb explosions. There is a Boston with invasion stripes in the top half of the image. It is annotated '5018 F342 134 22 Jun 44…
Cologne 15 August 1945
Photograph 1 is a low level oblique photograph of the cathedral.
Photograph 2 is a low level oblique photograph of a church, a bridge and the river Rhine.
Photograph 3 and 5 are low level oblique photographs of the main railway station.
Photograph…
Photograph 2 is a low level oblique photograph of a church, a bridge and the river Rhine.
Photograph 3 and 5 are low level oblique photographs of the main railway station.
Photograph…
Bomb damaged German cities
Photograph 1 is a street scene of damaged building with a girl cycling. Captioned 'Krefield, [sic] Germany 5 Aug 1945.'
Photograph 2 is a low level oblique photograph of a badly damaged city. In the distance are port cranes.
Photograph 3 and 5 are…
Photograph 2 is a low level oblique photograph of a badly damaged city. In the distance are port cranes.
Photograph 3 and 5 are…
Bomb damage to Emmerich, Cologne and Weser
Photographs 1, 3 and 5 show damage to buildings on the riverside.
Photograph 2 is a low level oblique photograph of Cologne, with bomb damaged Hohenzollern Bridge.
Photograph 4 is a low level oblique photograph of Wesel with bomb damaged…
Photograph 2 is a low level oblique photograph of Cologne, with bomb damaged Hohenzollern Bridge.
Photograph 4 is a low level oblique photograph of Wesel with bomb damaged…