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Peggy's identity book
The discharge volunteers identity book belonging to Peggy. Provides personal details and notes that she is entitled to 'demobilisation privileges'.
Peggy's marriage certificate
Marriage details for Lieutenant Nora Muriel King and Flight Sergeant Denis John Browne.
Permission to travel independently and by motor-cycle
Arthur Standivan's permission to ride one of the unit's motor-cycles.
54 MU RAF Repair and Salvage (43 Group)
A document listing the activities of the Maintenance Unit Repair and Salvage unit. It describes the recovery of damaged aircraft which could be rebuilt and returned to service. The make up of the team is described.
Stan Shaw's Experience with Comms. Flight
A detailed description of three flights undertaken in 1947 . Stan flew on 53 trips as a flight engineer. He names some of his colleagues and mentions they never had a crash between March 46 and March 47.
Stan Shaw's Memoir notes
A page from Stan's memoirs starting with the airship R101, Cobham's Flying Circus, Air Training Corps, glimpses of his service activities then ending with the 54 Maintenance Unit.
Repair & Salvage
A brief description of Stan's time at 54 Maintenance Unit.
Training as a flight engineer on Lancasters
Stanley Archer’s account of his training as one of the first flight engineers for Lancaster operations in 1942. First he attended an air gunnery course then transferred to 97 squadron at RAF Woodhall Spa. He comments on a daylight operation on…
Dick Rooke's Inoculation Certificate
RAF Form 1657A issued to Dick for Yellow Fever.
Interview with Wanda Szuwalska
Wanda Szuwalska was 16 years old when Germany invaded Poland. The family was deported to Siberia by the Russian army. They travelled for several weeks to the Arkhangelsk region, where Wanda then worked as a logger. When war intensified between Russia…
Interview with an anonymous interviewee (An01137)
Anon, from Scarborough was keen to join the Fleet Air Arm as a pilot. Disappointed that he didn’t meet the height requirement, he joined the RAF and began training as an electrician. His aim was to travel abroad with the service but, to his…
Interview with John Albert Taplin
John volunteered to join the RAF in 1940 wanting to become aircrew as a wireless operator as he had an interest in early radios. While awaiting his aircrew application to be processed he did his initial training at Blackpool and then onto RAF…
Interview with Syd Cooper. Two
Sidney Cooper was born in Blackpool and speaks about his early life there. He joined the Royal Air Force in 1941. He first served as an engine fitter in Fighter Command before remustering as aircrew. He flew operations as a flight engineer with 427…
Interview with John 'Snogger' Watkins
John Watkins was working in retail in Rotherham and in 1939 he joined 218 Squadron ATC. He joined the RAF in February 1942 at RAF Cardington, and did his initial training at Blackpool. In December 1942 he did his wireless training at RAF Yatesbury.…
Interview with Cyril Gosling
Cyril Gosling trained as an armourer at Kirby in Blackpool and was first posted to 49 Squadron where he worked on the guns and turrets. As part of his role he would go on flights in the bombers to check the guns accuracy by firing at drogues. On…
Interview with Harry Hodgson
Harry Hodgson was ground crew during the war. He was based with 10 Squadron, working on Halifax Bombers at RAF Melbourne. Harry said it was a very busy time patching up the holes from both anti-aircraft fire and bullets on the Halifax. He remembers…
Interview with Carolyn Pritchard
Carolyns father, Arthur, joined the Royal Air Force on his 18th birthday. Following his training as a flight engineer, was posted to RAF Winthorpe. He was allocated to a crew consisting entirely of Australians. In February 1944 the crew were posted…
The lucky crew
Memoir including photographs of the crew and aircraft. Thomas Jones was a flight engineer on Stirling and Lancaster and completed 64 operations on two tours. Describes early life, joining the RAF, selection and training., crewing up and first posting…
My life in the Royal Air Force Bomber Command
Writes of early life and mentions beginning of the war and volunteering for the air force in January 1940. Continues with account of initial training and mustering as an airframe mechanic and subsequent technical training. Describes first posting to…
Trevor Saint diary/memoir
Diary from joining the RAF in may 1941, through training as groundcrew and then volunteered for aircrew and eventually trained as air gunner and posting to 514 Squadron. Describes operations while on the squadron and notes details and losses.…
Letter from Terry Ford to his parents
![EFordTAFord[Fam]451019-0001.jpg](https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/square_thumbnails/1376/23821/EFordTAFord[Fam]451019-0001.jpg "EFordTAFord[Fam]451019-0001.jpg")
Terry Ford writes home telling his social and service life. He mentions flights to Rabat, Morocco and Calcutta, India.
A Rather Strange Time
Terry Ford's wartime experiences written and read to Avon Talking Magazine for the Blind.
Folie Franchise
A programme for a drama performed at the No 4 Instructors' School (EVT)
The Kriegie June 1988
News sheet with details of the Southampton reunion in 1987, Recco Report -stories about ex-POWs, Obituaries, members reports, KLB Club for prisoners from Buchenwald and a flight in a Blenheim.
The Kriegie March 1992
News-sheet of the ex-POW Association. Articles detail the Warwick Reunion in 1991, a Barbecue for ex-POWs in Hampshire, stories about individuals and obituaries.