Browse Items (2985 total)
Sort by:
Harry Brabin memoir
Harry joined the Royal Australian Air Force on 25 June 1942 as a wireless operator/air gunner and received his initial training in Australia before going to Canada for his trade training.
He sailed on the SS Johan Van Barneve to San Francisco and…
He sailed on the SS Johan Van Barneve to San Francisco and…
Letter to John Taplin from Harry Martin
Harry refers to the London reunion.
The memoir of Sergeant Harry J Whitwell wireless operator / air gunner 50 Squadron RAF
A detailed account of an operation on Friday, 8th October 1943. The crew of Lancaster 'N for Nan' were Pilot PPilot Officer John Charles Peter Taylor from London, Flying Officer Stewart Stubby bomb aimer from Herefordshire, Warrant Officer James…
Interview with Helmut Köhler
Helmut Köhler (b. 1928) recalls his wartime experience as Luftwaffenhelfer. He provides a first-hand account of two attacks on Kassel, the first on the 22 October 1943 and the second in March 1944. He describes his time spent inside the air-raid…
Peter Hazeldene memoir
Peter's RAF service with 57 Squadron is detailed. This was his second tour and he lists his new crew:
Flt Lt J B P 'Tuesday' Spencer, 20 years, Pilot from Greenside, Co Durham
Sgt W D E West, 21 years, Mid Upper Gunner, from Barking, Essex
Sgt H…
Flt Lt J B P 'Tuesday' Spencer, 20 years, Pilot from Greenside, Co Durham
Sgt W D E West, 21 years, Mid Upper Gunner, from Barking, Essex
Sgt H…
Interview with Eddy Smythe. Two
Eddy Smythe reminisces about his father, John Henry Smythe, who was from Sierra Leone and served in Bomber Command during the Second World War. John flew as a navigator until his aircraft was shot down in November 1943. He became a prisoner of war in…
Interview with Eddy Smythe. One
Eddy Smythe’s father, Johnny Smythe was a navigator on a Lancaster. He was originally from Sierra Leonne. On one operation he was injured when anti-aircraft fire damaged the aircraft but they continued to target. One engine had been damaged and so…
Interview with Eddy Smythe. Two
Eddy Smyth’s father was John Smythe. John left Sierra Leone to join the RAF during the Second World War. He was shot down over Germany and spent two years as a prisoner of war. After the war he trained as a barrister and returned to Sierra Leone…
Pilot to Navigator - Where are we?
Henry, volunteered for the RAF and learned to fly Tiger Moths at Brough. He then was transferred to South Africa on a troopship. His flying training came to an end after a poor solo flight. He was retrained as a navigator. On completion of his…
Henry Wagner's life story. Part one
Hand written by Henry, Part 1 covers his early life and time at university. It goes on to cover in some detail his time in the RAF, his time training in South Africa conversion to the Halifax and operations on 51 Squadron. It also covers his time as…
Advice to the Relative of a Man who is Missing
Government advice to grieving relatives
Interview with Brian Hutson
Brian Hutson was a child during the war. He remembers his father, who worked on building airfields and delivering air raid shelters. He also recalls his childhood, sleeping in a shelter and listening to aircraft, air raids, blackouts, playing with…
Letter to Mrs Wareing from air ministry casualty branch
Writes that her husband is also being reported by the IRCC as captured and that her husband is being reclassified as a prisoner of war.
Pilot Officer Scheidhauer - The Forced Landing and "The Great Escape"
![SAnkersonR[Ser#-DoB]v10006.pdf](https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/square_thumbnails/2198/40560/SAnkersonR[Ser -DoB]v10006.jpg "SAnkersonR[Ser#-DoB]v10006.pdf")
A memoir of Bernard Scheidauer who was shot down over France but crashed on Jersey. He was a prisoner at Stalag Luft 3 and was involved in the tunnels used during The Great Escape.
Statement of Ida Bianchi about some Allied servicemen
Ida Bianchi claims she helped some allied prisoners of war, from mid-September 1943 to December 1943. Some of them were in Lavacchioni area.
Statement of Ida Breschi about some Allied servicemen
Ida Breschi claims she helped, from 8 September 1943 to 1 September 1944, some Allied servicemen. She gave them food and clothes. For her efforts, she received a certificate of thankfulness (number 83258-24666).
Statement of Ida Caracchi about some Allied servicemen
Ida Caracchi claims she helped ten Allied servicemen. She and her husband hid them in a house located in an isolated area in the village of Striglianella, near Pistoia, bringing food and clothes. Later, they were recaptured; on 4 August 1944 German…
Statement of Idelinzo Ferri about some Allied servicemen
Idelinzo Ferri claims he helped allied prisoners of war from September 1943 to January 1944. He gave them food and provided shelter in his house. One morning, while his wife was away, she was recaptured by fascist militiamen and German soldiers who…
Note from Iga arranging a meeting
Iga has not been well, having caught a cold. She arranges a meeting with John at the wire between their camps.
From Iga saying goodbye to John
A letter from Iga in which she is sorry at missing her meeting with John due to a medical inspection before her move to another camp. She expresses her hope to meet John in the future and hopes for greater understanding between Poland and Great…
Message to John in prisoner of war camp
A postcard from fellow prisoner of war Iga from her new camp.
From Iga in Stalag IVF
A postcard from Iga to John at her old prisoner of war camp
Prisoner of war post
Addressed to prisoner of war, John, from fellow prisoner, Iga in Stalag VI C.
A letter to John's mother
From Iga, after her liberation from the prisoner of war camp, telling of her friendship with John and asking for news of him.
Statement of Igino Vannini about John Hargreave
Igino Vannini claims he helped for two months English serviceman John Hargreave, giving him food and shelter.