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Interview with Norman Neilson
Norman Neilson was an apprentice engineer at St Rollox Locomotive Works when he volunteered. He had originally wanted to join the Navy but joined the RAF because the only way he could be released from his position was to volunteer for aircrew. His…
Interview with William Neilson
William Neilson grew up in Edinburgh. After training as a pilot in Canada and the United States he served as a staff pilot at Number 1 Air Armament School RAF Manby. He discusses low level bombing practice. He was demobbed in 1946 and became a civil…
Interview with Douglas Frank Newham
Douglas Newham enjoyed his career as a navigator. Over his career he saw the development of technology in his chosen field. He and his crew spent some of their time as part of North West African Strategic Air Force. Following time as an instructor at…
Interview with Gerard Norwood
Gerard’s father died when he was very young and was so raised by his mother and his stepfather, who he and his brother disliked. He was working at an engineering factory when the war broke out and continued until 1942, at which point most of his…
Interview with Ken Oatley
Initially too young to enlist at the outbreak of war, Ken Oatley served in the Home Guard until he was able to enlist in October 1940, when after initial training he undertook pilot training. After basic flying training he went onto Canada training…
Interview with John Alan Ottewell
John Ottewell was a member of the Air Defence Cadet Corps and volunteered for the RAF when he was eighteen. While undertaking initial training he was present when a Fw 190 attacked the town of Babbacombe. He took part in the clean-up at the church…
Interview with Taff Owen
Aneurin ‘Taff’ Owen was born neat Dolgellau, near Penmaenpool in Wales, and joined the Royal Air Force at the age of 18 in 1942. Taff was a farmer’s son and as such was put into a reserved occupation, so some of the areas of the Royal Air Force…
Interview with Merv Owen
Merv Owen was a school boy during the war. He recalls two aircraft crashes in and around Welton in Lincolnshire, a Lancaster and a Ju 88.
Interview with Evelyn Paine
Two of Evelyn Paine’s three brothers joined the RAF. She discusses the service of her brothers Philip Jenkinson and Peter Raeburn Jenkinson. Philip Jenkinson trained as an air gunner. He was was shot down on his tenth operation and after evading…
Raid Assessments
Five 'raid assessments' carried out at RAF Spilsby. Detail of problems encountered in each operation. Final sheet is an extract from Operations Record Book by three different Lancasters.
Interview with Frederick Arthur Bowman
Frederick Bowman was born in Sydney in 1924. He was a member of the Air Training Corps, and when he was eighteen he joined the Air Force. He went to Kingaroy for basic training, and did his wireless course at Maryborough, and Evans Head for bombing…
Ian Archer Wynn diary
Diary commences on joining Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 3 October 1940 and training at Babbacombe, Newquay and passing out as an aircraft fitter. Posting to RAF Kenley 6 January 1942 and association with fighter pilots Bluey Truscott, Paddy…
Target Wesel
List of aircraft, Captain, sorties, bomb load, departure and arrival times and remarks. Officer commanding S/L Belasco, bomb load, fuel load and tonnage underneath.
On the second sheet a complete aircrew list of each aircraft.
On a third sheet is…
On the second sheet a complete aircrew list of each aircraft.
On a third sheet is…
Malcom Staves and his crew
Top is of seven airmen sitting on a grassy bank. On the reverse ' Spilsby May 1945.
Ron Taffy Eric
Ian Me Jim
Ron.'
Middle is of six airmen sitting on the grass in front of a tent. On the reverse 'Ingoldmells 'Rest' Camp.
September…
Ron Taffy Eric
Ian Me Jim
Ron.'
Middle is of six airmen sitting on the grass in front of a tent. On the reverse 'Ingoldmells 'Rest' Camp.
September…
Lancasters in flight over RAF College Cranwell
An air-to-air view of three Lancasters 'EM-F', 'EM-A' and 'EM-C' flying in a V- formation over RAF College Cranwell and countryside. On the reverse 'Dad's Lancaster (centre A)'.
This photograph was taken before Malcom Staves joined 207 Squadron.
This photograph was taken before Malcom Staves joined 207 Squadron.
Two Lancasters in flight
Air-to-air view of two Lancasters photographed from a third, flying above cloud.
Six airmen
Six airmen standing at the rear of a Lancaster coded 'AA'.
Lancasters and aircrew
Top is a group of airmen in front of a Lancaster. Captioned '207 Squadron (Aircrews and Ground Staff) At Stradishall, Suffolk. February 1947'.
Bottom is the rear of an air-to air view of a Lancaster captioned 'Lancaster EM-A in which we flew on…
Bottom is the rear of an air-to air view of a Lancaster captioned 'Lancaster EM-A in which we flew on…
A carpenter's bungalow with a military past
![MPettsHN[Ser#-DoB]-150414-01.jpg](https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/square_thumbnails/1018/11475/MPettsHN[Ser -DoB]-150414-01.jpg "MPettsHN[Ser#-DoB]-150414-01.jpg")
Relates that Petts family lived in the bungalow during The Second World War. Mentions that two brothers of family were killed in action. Flight Sergeant John Russel Petts of 138 Squadron was killed on operations in Whitley V on 28 December 1941. His…
John Hudson
An airman wearing tunic sitting on steps in front of a door to a brick building. Caption 'Sergeant John Botterill Forge Hudson, 1457262, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve'. He was gunner in Ian Wynn's Lancaster.
Ian Archer Wynn memorial book
An album book containing: 1. Photographs of Ian Wynn, his family and his first crew captain. 2. A history of his first captain. 3. Letter of sympathy and memorial scroll. 4. A diary of events from joining the air force up to first operation fully…
Details operation to Dusseldorf 25/26 May 1943
This was the operation on which Ian Wynn's aircraft was lost. Captain was Squadron Leader P R Turgel. Item contains: 1. A list of crews on the operation. 2. Map of routes to target. 3. Luftwaffe night fighter combat claims for 25/26 May 1943. 4.…
Interview with Eric Parker
Eric was born in 1924 in West Derby, Liverpool and volunteered for the Royal Air Force at the age of 17 and a half, finally being called up in January 1942, when he became a navigator/bomb aimer on Lancasters. After completing his training in Canada,…
Interview with Ray Parke. One
Ray Parke worked on the railway before joining the RAF in 1943. Remembers flying forty operations as a flight engineer with 218 Squadron by the time he was twenty. Tells about operations on Essen and the Ruhr. Discusses the Dresden operation, giving…
Interview with Geoff Payne
Geoff Payne has his first experience of the Royal Air Force with the Air Training Corps, at RAF Wyton in Cambridgeshire, where he had one of his first experiences of military humour. He joined in 1943 at the age of 17 and a half hoping to become a…