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Interview with Gordon Mellor. Three
Gordon Mellor grew up in London and hoped to become a quantity surveyor when he was called up. He volunteered for the Air Force and trained as a navigator in Canada. On his return to the UK he and his crew were posted to 103 Squadron at Elsham Wolds.…
Interview with Gordon Mellor. Two
Gordon Mellor grew up in London and was interested in aviation. He volunteered for the Air Force and trained as a navigator in Canada. On his return to the UK he and his crew were posted to 103 Squadron at Elsham Wolds and his first operation was the…
Interview with Jack Marshall
Jack went to New Zealand in 1937 and became a steward in a gentleman’s club in Napier, where he stayed two years until the war broke out. He joined the Royal Air Force and went to England where he did train at RAF Uxbridge to become an air gunner.…
Interview with Jack Wakefield
Jack Wakefield grew up in New Zealand and volunteered for the Air Force and the Army. He trained as an air gunner on Defiants before being posted to 75 Squadron at RAF Feltwell where he completed a tour on Wellingtons, flying operations to locations…
Interview with Jean Smith
When war broke out, Jean was working in the Ministry of Aircraft Production. She joined the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force in 1942 and did two months’ training at Innsworth camp. Jean was posted to 27 Operational Training Unit at RAF Lichfield as…
Interview with Jo Lancaster. One
After leaving school, Jo Lancaster was an aircraft apprentice with Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft Company in Coventry. After volunteering for the Air Force, he trained as a pilot and completed a tour on Wellingtons with 40 Squadron from RAF Alconbury.…
Interview with Jo Lancaster. Two
Jo Lancaster grew up in Cumbria and joined the Air Force as soon as he was able. After training as a pilot he flew a tour of operations with 40 Squadron from RAF Alconbury. He then became an instructor before his second tour flying Lancasters with 12…
Interview with John Louis Goldby
John Goldby was born in Kent but the family moved to London the year after. He was inspired to join the RAF when a schoolfriend joined and became a Spitfire pilot. John believes that it was a mid-air collision with a night fighter that led to his…
Interview with Mieczysław Stachiewicz
Mieczysław describes his military training from his Polish secondary school before volunteering for the Polish Air Force. He was evacuated to Warsaw but the railway lines were cut by the Germans. His squadron reassembled on the Romanian border…
Interview with Percival Trotman
Applying for RAF Bomber Command in May 1940, Percival Trotman was called up in September 1940, training as a pilot at RAF Towyn in Aberystwyth. Being present at Coventry when the town was bombed, he recalls deciding that the Germans deserved to have…
Interview with Reg Dunbar
Reg Dunbar enlisted for the RAF in Liverpool and it was suggested that he join as a wireless operator. He went to RAF Cardington initially and then to Yatesbury for training. He also trained as an air gunner, and after training was posted to 37…
Inventory of letters
List of 9 letters
James Inward's observer's and air gunner's flying log book
Observer's and air gunner's flying log book for James Inward covering the period 21 February 1942 to 30 September 1944. Details training and operations flown. He served at RAF Middleton St George, RAF Fayid, RAF Riccall and RAF Burn. Aircraft flown…
JE Hanson flying log book
Flying log book for J E Hanson, wireless operator/air gunner, covering the period from 3 January 1939 to 1 October 1942. Detailing his flying training and operations flown. He was stationed at RAF Finnningley, RAF Upper Heyford, RAF Lindholme, RAF…
Jo Lancaster’s pilots flying log book. One
Pilots flying log book for J O Lancaster covering the period from 6 July 1937 to 15 September 1943. Detailing his flying training, operations flown and instructor duties. He was stationed at RAF Sywell, RAF Ansty, RAF Desford, RAF Sealand, RAF…
John and Ursula Valentine
Provides dates and family history from their engagement to after the war including John's time as prisoner of war and in hospital after his return. Lists letters and dates and provides locations of where they were written.
John Louis Goldby Biography
A biography covering John's training and service in the RAF.
John Valentine's observers and air gunners flying log book
Air observers and navigators flying log book for John Valentine covering the period from 20 September 1941 to 30 May 1942. Detailing his flying training and operations flown. He was stationed at RAF Prestwick, RAF Jurby, RAF Upper Heyford and RAF…
Keith Thiele - Royal New Zealand Air Force pilot's flying log book
Pilots flying log book for Keith F Thiele, covering the period from 20 January 1941 to 18 February 1946. Detailing his flying training, operations flown and instructor duties including his conversion to single seat fighters with operations over…
Kenneth Richard Pexman missing in action
Regret letter to Mabel Pexman advising no further news.
This item was sent to the IBCC Digital Archive already in digital form. No better quality copies are available.
This item was sent to the IBCC Digital Archive already in digital form. No better quality copies are available.
Leonard William Fairbanks' Observer' and Air Gunner's Flying Log Book
Leonard William Fairbanks' log book covering two tours from 3 January 1941 to 15 April 1945, detailing his training schedule and operations flown. Training was undertaken at Air Gunnery School at RAF Stormy Down, 25 OTU RAF Finningley, 25 OTU RAF…
Letter from John Valentine to the father of his pilot
To Mr Floyd, father of Philip Floyd, mentioning that he was his son's navigator and that he had recently discovered Mr Loyd's address. Expresses concern that he might upset Mr Floyd. Provides description of their last operation on 1000 bomber attack…
Letter from Ministry of Defence to G Marshall
To Kenneth's brother in law regarding aircraft crash. Provides details of his grave and surviving crew members; Sergeant S A Langton, pilot; Sergeant T G Welsh, observer; Sergeant J Haworth, wireless operator and air gunner and Sergeant J Johnson,…
Letter from Ursula Valentine to her husbands pilot's father
Writes that her husband was the navigator of his son's aircraft when they were reported missing on the Cologne operation. She quotes from a letter from her husband about that it was thanks to his son's magnificent, cool and resourceful actions that…
Letter to L V Rosser from Jonny Meredith
Mentions lucky trip to Cologne and subsequent DFC. Mentions seeing Rosser in a bus queue in Oxford but missed meeting up. Writes a little about his operation to Cologne (flown as an Operational Training Unit crew) where he was engaged by fighter…