Browse Items (106 total)
- Tags: lack of moral fibre
Ted Neales' memoir
Interview with Roddy MacKenzie
They Refused to Fly
A second article titled 'Norton Camp, Sheffield' is about a punishment camp where the writer was sent after cycling…
G Cruickshank Memoir
Tags: 44 Squadron; 50 Squadron; 617 Squadron; 630 Squadron; air gunner; Air Gunnery School; aircrew; bombing; Bombing of Augsburg (17 April 1942); bombing of Cologne (30/31 May 1942); Cheshire, Geoffrey Leonard (1917-1992); crash; Distinguished Flying Medal; Gibson, Guy Penrose (1918-1944); Harris, Arthur Travers (1892-1984); lack of moral fibre; Lancaster; Manchester; military living conditions; military service conditions; mine laying; RAF Abingdon; RAF East Kirkby; RAF Evanton; RAF Swinderby; RAF Westcott; training
Interview with John Green
Tags: 100 Squadron; 12 Squadron; 1667 HCU; 30 OTU; air gunner; aircrew; bomb disposal; bombing; bombing of Helgoland (18 April 1945); Halifax; Heavy Conversion Unit; Ju 88; lack of moral fibre; Lancaster; Lancaster Finishing School; military service conditions; Operation Manna (29 Apr – 8 May 1945); Operational Training Unit; perception of bombing war; RAF Grimsby; RAF Hemswell; RAF Hixon; RAF Sandtoft; RAF Wickenby; recruitment; Schräge Musik; shot down; training; Wellington
Just Another Tailend Charlie
The Earliest Years.
Born in Barnoldswick, then in Yorkshire, now in Lancashire in 1922. His father ran a wireless business until 1926. He describes his years at schools and a move to…
Tags: 109 Squadron; 142 Squadron; 150 Squadron; 1661 HCU; 227 Squadron; 25 OTU; 30 OTU; 5 Group; 617 Squadron; 84 OTU; 9 Squadron; air gunner; Air Gunnery School; aircrew; Albemarle; Anson; anti-aircraft fire; B-17; B-24; Beaufighter; bomb aimer; bombing; bombing of Dresden (13 - 15 February 1945); C-47; Defiant; Distinguished Flying Cross; Distinguished Flying Medal; ditching; FIDO; flight engineer; Flying Training School; Gee; ground personnel; Halifax; Harvard; Heavy Conversion Unit; Hudson; Hurricane; Initial Training Wing; Ju 87; Ju 88; lack of moral fibre; Lancaster; mess; military discipline; Morse-keyed wireless telegraphy; Mosquito; navigator; Operational Training Unit; Oxford; Pathfinders; prisoner of war; RAF Balderton; RAF Bardney; RAF Bawtry; RAF Catfoss; RAF Desborough; RAF Eastleigh; RAF Farnborough; RAF Finningley; RAF Graveley; RAF Greenock; RAF Hemswell; RAF Hixon; RAF Holme-on-Spalding Moor; RAF Milltown; RAF Norton; RAF Scampton; RAF Seighford; RAF Strubby; RAF Syerston; RAF Waddington; RAF Wick; RAF Winthorpe; RAF Wyton; searchlight; Spitfire; sport; Stirling; Sunderland; Tiger force; Tiger Moth; training; Wellington; wireless operator / air gunner; Women’s Auxiliary Air Force
Interview with Eric William Harrison
Tags: 1653 HCU; 195 Squadron; aircrew; bomb struck; bombing; fear; flight engineer; Heavy Conversion Unit; lack of moral fibre; Lancaster; Lancaster Finishing School; military discipline; perception of bombing war; RAF Chedburgh; RAF Driffield; RAF Feltwell; RAF Hullavington; RAF Kirkham; RAF Little Rissington; RAF Locking; RAF Manby; RAF St Athan; RAF Wratting Common; Stirling; training
Interview with Jeff Mackay
Letter and transcript of telephone interview
Tags: 15 Squadron; 3 Group; 622 Squadron; aircrew; anti-aircraft fire; bombing; bombing of Nuremberg (30 / 31 March 1944); bombing of the Normandy coastal batteries (5/6 June 1944); control caravan; crewing up; fear; flight engineer; forced landing; H2S; Heavy Conversion Unit; Ju 88; lack of moral fibre; Lancaster; Master Bomber; Me 110; military discipline; military service conditions; mine laying; Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944); RAF Mildenhall; RAF St Athan; RAF Woodbridge; Scarecrow; searchlight; service vehicle; Stirling; superstition; training; V-1; V-2; V-weapon; Window
Letter from M Wells to Mr Chandler
Tags: lack of moral fibre
Officers advanced training school - airmen aircrew
Stardust
Water under the bridge
Tags: 115 Squadron; 12 OTU; 149 Squadron; 15 Squadron; 214 Squadron; 3 Group; 620 Squadron; 622 Squadron; 9 Squadron; Advanced Flying Unit; air gunner; Air Gunnery School; Air Transport Auxiliary; aircrew; Anson; B-17; B-24; bale out; bombing; bombing of Hamburg (24-31 July 1943); bombing of Nuremberg (30 / 31 March 1944); Botha; C-47; coping mechanism; crewing up; debriefing; Defiant; Do 217; Dominie; Dulag Luft; evading; fuelling; Fw 190; Gee; gremlin; ground personnel; Halifax; intelligence officer; lack of moral fibre; Lancaster; Lancaster Finishing School; Me 109; Me 110; meteorological officer; military discipline; military living conditions; military service conditions; mine laying; Morse-keyed wireless telegraphy; Operation Exodus (1945); Operational Training Unit; P-51; Pathfinders; petrol bowser; prisoner of war; Proctor; promotion; RAF Barrow in Furness; RAF Cardington; RAF Chedburgh; RAF Chipping Warden; RAF Feltwell; RAF Llandwrog; RAF Marham; RAF Mildenhall; RAF Penrhos; RAF Stradishall; RAF Tangmere; RAF Turweston; RAF Waterbeach; RAF Yatesbury; recruitment; Red Cross; Schräge Musik; searchlight; service vehicle; Stirling; strafing; tractor; training; Wellington; Window; wireless operator
An Airmans Tale
Chapter 1. Under Training.
Having been assessed in Birmingham Geoff sets off to London in August 1942 for training, at Lords. Initial training was at Bridlington then gunnery school at…
Tags: 115 Squadron; 12 OTU; 1651 HCU; 1678 HCU; 514 Squadron; 75 Squadron; 90 Squadron; air gunner; Air Gunnery School; aircrew; Anson; anti-aircraft fire; bale out; bomb aimer; bombing; Cheshire, Geoffrey Leonard (1917-1992); Churchill, Winston (1874-1965); crewing up; escaping; evading; flight engineer; ground personnel; Harris, Arthur Travers (1892-1984); Harvard; Heavy Conversion Unit; Initial Training Wing; Ju 88; lack of moral fibre; Lancaster; Lancaster Mk 2; Lancaster Mk 3; Martinet; Me 109; Me 110; Me 410; Meteor; Mosquito; navigator; Navy, Army and Air Force Institute; Nissen hut; Operational Training Unit; Oxford; Pathfinders; pilot; prisoner of war; RAF Andreas; RAF Brackla; RAF Bridgnorth; RAF Bridlington; RAF Chipping Warden; RAF Coningsby; RAF Cosford; RAF Downham Market; RAF East Kirkby; RAF Feltwell; RAF Foulsham; RAF Halfpenny Green; RAF Hornchurch; RAF Jurby; RAF Little Rissington; RAF Mepal; RAF Newmarket; RAF South Cerney; RAF Stradishall; RAF Ternhill; RAF Waterbeach; RAF Witchford; RAF Wratting Common; searchlight; Spitfire; Stirling; target indicator; the long march; Tiger force; training; V-1; V-weapon; Wellington; wireless operator; Women’s Auxiliary Air Force
The memoir of Eric William Scott
Tags: 142 Squadron; 37 Squadron; aircrew; bale out; bomb aimer; Caterpillar Club; Dulag Luft; Flying Training School; Harvard; lack of moral fibre; love and romance; mine laying; navigator; Operational Training Unit; pilot; prisoner of war; RAF Cardington; RAF Cosford; RAF Moreton in the Marsh; RAF Watchfield; RCAF Moncton; recruitment; Red Cross; searchlight; shot down; Stalag 357; Stalag 3A; Stalag Luft 4; Stalag Luft 6; Stalag Luft 7; Stearman; the long march; Tiger Moth; training; Wellington
War Memoir - George Bilton
Tags: 427 Squadron; 428 Squadron; 434 Squadron; 6 Group; aerial photograph; Air Raid Precautions; aircrew; anti-aircraft fire; bomb aimer; bombing; C-47; civil defence; Cook’s tour; crewing up; flight engineer; Halifax; Heavy Conversion Unit; lack of moral fibre; Lancaster; military discipline; military ethos; military living conditions; military service conditions; mine laying; Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944); Pathfinders; RAF Bruntingthorpe; RAF Croft; RAF Harwell; RAF Middleton St George; RAF St Athan; RAF Thorney Island; RAF Topcliffe; RAF Warboys; RAF Woodbridge; target indicator; target photograph; training; V-2; V-weapon; Wellington; Window; wireless operator / air gunner
Three airmen
General Memories
He describes training in London, Bridlington, Morpeth and Wymeswold. Later training as a crew was at Castle Donington, Lindholme and Hemswell. He describes in detail his crew, aircraft and operations.…
Tags: 12 Squadron; 626 Squadron; air gunner; aircrew; anti-aircraft fire; bomb aimer; Churchill, Winston (1874-1965); crewing up; escaping; flight engineer; Halifax; Harris, Arthur Travers (1892-1984); Heavy Conversion Unit; Initial Training Wing; lack of moral fibre; Lancaster; Lancaster Finishing School; Martinet; Me 262; military ethos; navigator; Operational Training Unit; pilot; RAF Brackla; RAF Bridlington; RAF Castle Donington; RAF Hemswell; RAF Kirkham; RAF Lindholme; RAF Morpeth; RAF Tilstock; RAF Wickenby; RAF Woodbridge; RAF Wymeswold; searchlight; superstition; target indicator; training; V-1; V-weapon; Wellington; wireless operator
A year in the Life
Tags: 12 Squadron; 1656 HCU; 18 OTU; 460 Squadron; 625 Squadron; 626 Squadron; Advanced Flying Unit; air gunner; aircrew; anti-aircraft fire; B-17; B-24; bomb aimer; bombing; bombing of the Pas de Calais V-1 sites (24/25 June 1944); Distinguished Flying Cross; entertainment; evading; FIDO; Gee; H2S; Halifax; Heavy Conversion Unit; incendiary device; Ju 88; killed in action; lack of moral fibre; Lancaster; Lancaster Finishing School; Me 110; mine laying; Mosquito; navigator; Nissen hut; Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944); Oboe; Operational Training Unit; P-51; Pathfinders; Photographic Reconnaissance Unit; pilot; prisoner of war; RAF Binbrook; RAF Blyton; RAF Boscombe Down; RAF Cardington; RAF Dumfries; RAF Dunholme Lodge; RAF Finningley; RAF Hemswell; RAF hospital Rauceby; RAF Kelstern; RAF Lindholme; RAF Manby; RAF Manston; RAF Methwold; RAF Wickenby; RAF Wigtown; RAF Woodbridge; searchlight; Spitfire; tactical support for Normandy troops; target indicator; training; V-1; V-2; V-weapon; Wellington; Window; wireless operator
Bomber Command and Notes of Some of My Experiences During 1941-1945
Tags: 102 Squadron; 4 Group; 617 Squadron; 77 Squadron; air gunner; Air Observers School; aircrew; Anson; anti-aircraft fire; bale out; Bismarck; bomb aimer; bomb trolley; bombing; bombing of Dresden (13 - 15 February 1945); Churchill, Winston (1874-1965); crewing up; Distinguished Flying Cross; Distinguished Flying Medal; entertainment; Flying Training School; Gee; ground personnel; H2S; Halifax; Halifax Mk 2; Halifax Mk 3; Harris, Arthur Travers (1892-1984); Heavy Conversion Unit; Hitler, Adolf (1889-1945); Initial Training Wing; intelligence officer; killed in action; lack of moral fibre; Lancaster; Me 110; memorial; mid-air collision; military living conditions; military service conditions; mine laying; missing in action; navigator; Nissen hut; Oboe; Operational Training Unit; Pathfinders; perception of bombing war; pilot; prisoner of war; RAF Driffield; RAF Elvington; RAF Full Sutton; RAF Hartford Bridge; RAF Jurby; RAF Kinloss; RAF Lossiemouth; RAF Melbourne; RAF Pocklington; RAF Rufforth; RAF Syerston; RAF Torquay; Schräge Musik; service vehicle; Stalin, Joseph (1878-1953); Stearman; target indicator; Tiger Moth; training; V-1; V-2; V-weapon; Wellington; Whitley; Window; wireless operator
Interview with Monty Felton
Tags: 10 Squadron; aircrew; Anson; B-17; bombing; briefing; coping mechanism; crewing up; debriefing; Distinguished Flying Cross; entertainment; Gee; Halifax; Initial Training Wing; lack of moral fibre; military living conditions; military service conditions; navigator; Oxford; perception of bombing war; RAF Bishops Court; RAF Carnaby; RAF Halfpenny Green; RAF Kinloss; RAF Melbourne; RAF Rufforth; RAF Torquay; RAF Uxbridge; training; Whitley; Window
Memories of Past Times
Tags: 90 Squadron; air gunner; aircrew; anti-aircraft fire; B-17; bale out; bomb aimer; bombing; bombing of Dresden (13 - 15 February 1945); C-47; Caterpillar Club; flight engineer; lack of moral fibre; Lancaster; Lancaster Mk 3; Me 110; military service conditions; mine laying; missing in action; Pathfinders; prisoner of war; RAF Oakington; RAF Upwood; RAF Warboys; sport; Stalag Luft 1; Stalag Luft 6; Stirling; the long march; Tiger Moth; V-1; V-2; V-weapon; Whitley
Letter from Frank Claydon to Evelyn
The Years up to the Outbreak of the Second World War and How it Affected Me
Tags: 10 Squadron; 4 Group; air gunner; Air Gunnery School; aircrew; Anson; B-24; Blenheim; bomb aimer; bombing; Botha; Chamberlain, Neville (1869-1940); Churchill, Winston (1874-1965); crewing up; ditching; Dominie; Dulag Luft; flight engineer; George VI, King of Great Britain (1895-1952); Halifax; Halifax Mk 1; Harris, Arthur Travers (1892-1984); Heavy Conversion Unit; Hitler, Adolf (1889-1945); Ju 88; lack of moral fibre; Lancaster; Lysander; Me 109; Me 110; Morse-keyed wireless telegraphy; navigator; Operational Training Unit; Oxford; pilot; prisoner of war; Proctor; RAF Barrow in Furness; RAF Hendon; RAF Lossiemouth; RAF Madley; RAF Marston Moor; RAF Melbourne; RAF Padgate; RAF Wittering; RAF Yatesbury; Red Cross; Roosevelt, Franklin Delano (1882-1945); Spitfire; Stalag Luft 1; Stalag Luft 4; Stalag Luft 6; Stalin, Joseph (1878-1953); Stirling; the long march; training; Typhoon; Wallis, Barnes Neville (1887-1979); Wellington; Whitley; wireless operator / air gunner
Bill Foskett Biography Chapter One
There is a second copy with handwritten edits.