Browse Items (82 total)

  • Tags: air sea rescue

PLatimerJF1903.jpg
James Ferguson Latimer was born in Edinburgh. His family emigrated to Canada when he was young but moved back to Scotland in 1939. He recalls witnessing a German U-boat torpedo a ship as they sailed back home. Latimer joined the air force and…

ACookJ150709.mp3
Jack Cook was born in Mexborough. He left school at 14 and went to work at a Gentlemen’s Outfitters. At 16 he worked on the footplate for LNER. At the age of 18 he volunteered for aircrew and trained as a wireless operator/air gunner; joined 100…

ARossiterHC150913.mp3
Harry Rossiter grew up in East London but his family moved to Essex which gave Harry a “ringside view” of the Battle of Britain. He volunteered as a bicycle messenger and tried to join the Royal Navy as a telegraphist. He was encouraged to join…

AGriffithsG[Date]-01.mp3
George served as a wireless operator on Air Sea Rescue launches.

WhittleG.jpg
Squadron Leader Geoffrey Whittle was born in London. After leaving school at fourteen he became an apprentice printer in the family business. He volunteered for the Royal Air Force on the outbreak of the Second World War and trained as a navigator.…

ABoutcherFL180318.mp3
Frank Boutcher worked as a junior clerk for Southend Borough Council before the war. He wanted to join the Royal Navy but they only required able seamen on a long commission, so he joined the RAF instead to train as an engine fitter. After passing…

AStandenFC170218.mp3
Frank Standen always wanted to fly. He volunteered for the RAF hoping to become a pilot. Sadly, an eye defect was detected. He volunteered for motorboat crew and took part in air sea rescues. On one occasion he was involved in rescuing the crew of a…

PBeasleyDG1727.jpg
At the start of the war, Doug Beasley left school at 16 to start work. Initially a member of the Air Training Corps, he was sent for aircrew selection when he became 18. There was a 12-month wait to enlist as a pilot, so he opted to become a flight…

AMeacockC[Date]-01.mp3
Charles Meacock saw an advertisement for motorboat crew in a newspaper and decided this was the role for him. He had been a Sea Cadet on the Thames for many years and loved life on the water. He had to wait for some time before he received his…

Frost, Bob.jpg
Bob Frost recounts experiencing the London Blitz as a member of the Auxiliary Fire Service. He volunteered for the Royal Air Force and trained at the Air Gunnery School at Evanton, Scotland. He was then posted to the Operational Training Unit at RAF…

ABiltonW[Date]-01.mp3
Bill Bilton served as Motorboat Crew in the Mediterranean.

ATompsonA160125.mp3
Anthony Tompson worked as an engineer for the Post Office before he volunteered for the Air Force. While training as a pilot in Canada it was discovered he had a difficulty with perception and he trained instead as a navigator. On return to the Great…

PHuntleyR17010001.jpg
Side view of an RAF high speed launch number 2641.

This item was provided, in digital form, by a third-party organisation which used technical specifications and operational protocols that may differ from those used by the IBCC Digital Archive.

PHuntleyR17010002.jpg
Side view of an RAF high speed launch number 2641.

This item was provided, in digital form, by a third-party organisation which used technical specifications and operational protocols that may differ from those used by the IBCC Digital Archive.

BGardnerM-ManuelRWickhamHWv1.pdf
Recalls Harry's joining the RAF and describes his initial, then basic and advanced aircrew training. Follows move to operational training unit, and joining 102 Squadron flying Whitley. Mentions operations to Berlin, Stettin and Duisburg. Converted to…

BBrabinHWBrabinHWv1.pdf
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…

BGriffithsGGriffithsGv1.pdf
Discusses his training and service with Air Sea Rescue in Great Britain and Malta

PLambAM17010024.jpg
Four airmen standing in snow at the nose of a Lancaster, captioned '44 Sqdn KM-H Snow science 46/47 Wyton 15 Sqdn Gunners Stand by Air Sea Rescue'.

MCothliffKB[Ser#-DoB]-151020-120002.pdf
A logbook covering the period 7th October to 26th November 1943 (73 pages)

MCothliffKB[Ser#-DoB]-151020-120001.pdf
Log covering the following periods -
29th August to 6th October 1943 (71 pages)

Movements of aircraft at Tholthorpe.

LSmithEW174520v2.pdf
Pilot’s flying log book for Warrant Officer Ernest Smith, from 3 April 1943 to 29 June 1944, recording operations and instructional duties. He served at RAF Hixon, RAF Blyton, RAF Grimsby (Waltham), RAF Binbrook, RAF Wickenby, RAF Bircotes, RAF…

PCommissoP1601.jpg
An emergency red light, designed to be attached to a life jacket to allow the wearer to be located at night. The light assembly appears to be complete and has signs of wear to the black painted components.

One image shows the item fully assembled.…

SKeelingRV82689v10049.jpg
Left page: top, left and centre views of a lifeboat being dropped from a Warwick with parachutes attached.
Bottom, a lifeboat, with sails erected on the sea.
Right page; views of a lifeboat falling towards the sea with parachutes attached.
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