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Six airmen standing by a RAF Comet
Six airmen in uniform standing next to mobile steps in front of a De Haviland Comet with the words 'Royal Air Force Transport Command' along its side. Submitted with caption; 'John Blair & crew with their Comet aircraft, 1960s'.
Hockey team
Team of 13 girls dressed in sportswear and holding hockey sticks, submitted with caption; 'A typical Jamaican female school girl's Hockey Team in 1945 close to the spot where Canadian soldier Tom Forsyth was warned off watching girl's hockey…
27 airmen and an Anson
A group of 24 cadets and three officers arranged in three rows in front of an Anson. Submitted with caption; 'John Blair (left of photo) during his training in Canada, 1942'.
John Blair DFC
Black and white full-length portrait photograph of John Blair wearing civilian clothes with medals on his left breast, in front of a large, white building with portico. There are various people behind him: one is dressed in the uniform of a British…
Blair family members visit the seaside, St Elizabeth
Eight members of the Blair family in a stationary rowing boat, three seated. Submitted with caption 'Blair family members visit the seaside, St Elizabeth, Jamaica, 1930s'.
Arthur Young
Head and shoulders portrait of Arthur in uniform with sergeant's stripes and Air Gunner's brevet. Submitted with caption: 'Arthur Young. Born in Cardiff he was killed in the crash of the "Salford Lancaster" on 30 July 1944, returning from an…
Family group
A family group with twelve members and a rabbit. One man is in uniform. One boy has his arm in a sling.
Part of M.T Section Cardington
Four members of Women’s Auxiliary Air Force sitting on the running board of a car. In front sitting on the ground are four airmen. In the background are houses. On the reverse 'M.T Section Cardington - Part Of, back row, Lynn Clark, - "Spooky"…
Flight Lieutenant Strachan's crew
Four airmen standing, two squatting and one kneeling. One with the spotted toy mascot. Behind is an aircraft. They are wearing Mae Wests and parachutes. Leonard Dorricott is standing on the left and Flight Lieutenant Strachan is standing on the…
Flight Lieutenant Strachan's crew
Seven airmen in two rows. The front row is kneeling and four men at the back are standing. They are dressed in lifejackets and parachutes. Leonard Dorricott is first on the left. One man is kneeling and holding a spotted toy leopard. The pilot, Billy…
Flight Lieutenant Strachan's crew
Seven airmen standing in front of a Lancaster. They are wearing lifejackets and parachutes. One man is holding a toy leopard. Leonard Dorricott is second left. On the reverse of one photograph 'April 1945 Taffy Morgan Bomb Aimer LWD Nav Bill Lund…
We meet again
Billy Strachan, Lancaster pilot, is standing by the nose of a Lancaster 'F'. Caption mentions his interest in ethnic minorities who flew in Bomber Command.
Airmen inspected by Sir Archibald Sinclair, Secretary of State for Air
Photograph 1 is of a group of French airmen being inspected, captioned 'Rt Hon Sir Archibald, Secretary of State for Air.'
Photograph 2 is of a group of French airmen standing at attention.
Photograph 3 is of a group of French airmen being…
Photograph 2 is of a group of French airmen standing at attention.
Photograph 3 is of a group of French airmen being…
Group portrait at Eastbourne Navigation School
William Barfoot is featured among a group portrait of 55 trainees at Eastbourne Navigation School, Eastbourne College, some standing, some sitting; five men in the centre of the seated row wear observer brevets and two of these are officers, one a…
Interview with Maria Domanovszky
Maria Domanovszky (b. 1937) recounts how she threw herself into a swampy ditch when under fire and how she lay down praying and hoping to get back home safely. Describes German soldiers with torn and dirty uniforms escaping from a burning forest.…
Interview with Carla Fantini
After leaving school, Carla Fantini started working as telegraph operator, which she found a gratifying and thoroughly enjoyable occupation. She describes the bombing war in Milan, stressing widespread destruction and ravaging fires. Reminisces…
Interview with Adriana Ventriglia
Adriana Ventriglia remembers the bombings of Milan. She provides details about her evacuee life in the Lodi countryside and describes how her father was injured in a train strafing. Mentions her early life in a mixed family, the impact on…
Interview with Danny Walker
Wilberforce Emmanuel Walker, known as Danny, was born in Jamaica and he joined the Royal Air Force in June 1944.
After becoming a Junior Clerk at the Post Office in Jamaica, Danny arrived in England in 1944 was based in Filey in Yorkshire, where he…
After becoming a Junior Clerk at the Post Office in Jamaica, Danny arrived in England in 1944 was based in Filey in Yorkshire, where he…
Interview with Irmgard Schulz
Irmgard Schulz (b. 1935) describes how the harbour of Hamburg was a recurring target during the war. Mentions the use of target indicators and radar countermeasures. Explains how she was been told not to pick up anything, for fear it could be…
The Story of Flight Lieutenant John J Blair, DFC
![MBlairJJ[Ser#-DoB]-160509-01.pdf](https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/square_thumbnails/711/17279/MBlairJJ[Ser -DoB]-160509-01.jpg "MBlairJJ[Ser#-DoB]-160509-01.pdf")
A 52 page document detailing the history of John Blair's RAF service from 1942 to 1963, and his childhood in Jamaica. Introductory note says it was based on a taped interview with John Blair by his nephew in 1997.
John was born in 1919 to a poor…
John was born in 1919 to a poor…
1944/47 WAAF Life and After
Margaret Cuthill's account of her time in the WAAF. At the age of 17 she volunteered for the WAAF and was enrolled as a teleprinter operator. She was sent to Wilmslow for training. After four weeks of drill and physical exercise she was posted to…
Interview with D Jones
D Jones was born in the parish of Manchester, Jamaica. He volunteered for the RAF and went on the SS Cuba to the United States, crossing the Atlantic to Liverpool in June 1944. He went to a former Butlins holiday camp in Filey - there, as ground…
Interview with J Ebanks
J Ebanks was from Jamaica and was a navigator in 571 Squadron at RAF Oakington. They carried out a number of operations to Berlin. He also refers to RAF Benson and time spent in Malaya. J Ebanks recounts, with humour, a number of anecdotes from his…
The Awful End of Astro
An explanation of the end of astro-navigation on board bomber aircraft in addition to GEE navigation. Navigators were required to carry sextants and take three astro readings every hour. One night the wrong astro-projector settings were supplied and…
Interview with Emmanuel Alexis Elden
Emmanuel Alexis Elden grew up in Jamaica. He joined the Royal Air Force and trained at RAF Hunmanby Moor. He served as an air traffic controller and, when he was not on duty, he used to enjoy travelling to dances in London. He stayed in the RAF until…