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Interview with Victor Stapley
Victor Stapley was born in Ilford in Essex, where he was fond of playing cricket. He left school at fifteen and worked at a tobacco company. He then became a shipping manager, a job which involved shipping spaces whilst not having any telephones in…
Interview with Violet Bishop
Violet Bishop’s two brothers both volunteered for the RAF. One trained as a bomb aimer and the other as ground crew. Both survived the war. They wrote to each other throughout the war. She was very proud when her brother accompanied her to a dance…
Interview with Vivian David Williams
Vivian joined the Royal Air Force in July 1938 as a flight mechanic and served for seven and a half years. After square drills at RAF Uxbridge and a course at RAF Manston, he did a basic engineering course at RAF Henlow. After six months at RAF St…
Interview with Wanda Szuwalska
Wanda Szuwalska was 16 years old when Germany invaded Poland. The family was deported to Siberia by the Russian army. They travelled for several weeks to the Arkhangelsk region, where Wanda then worked as a logger. When war intensified between Russia…
Interview with Wanda Szuwalska
Wanda Szuwalska was born on a farm in Poland and was deported to Russia by train at the start of the Second World War. She talks of the journey to Russia, the time she and her family spent there, then coming to England and becoming a WAAF. Wanda…
Interview with Wilf Keyte
Wilf Keyte joined the RAF in 1937 and was based with maintenance units. He was posted to Scampton and Henlow where he worked with the Queen Bee missile unit. He was then posted in charge of stores to the Orkneys and then RAF Swinderby. Wilf was then…
Interview with William Arthur Coulton
William Coulton was born in Derbyshire and worked as an errand boy for the Co-Op until he joined the Royal Air Force in 1943, aged 18. He trained as a flight mechanic and was posted to 115 Squadron at RAF Witchford where he worked on Lancasters. He…
Interview with William Bryan
William Bryan reminisces being hit by a German fighter and anti-aircraft fire while mine laying the Kiel Bay. The rest of the tour was a reasonably quiet time, consisting mainly of operations in the run-up of the Normandy campaign. Describes bombing…
Interview with William Bullock
William Bullock was born in Marshfield in Gloucestershire in September 1916 and joined the Royal Air Force as an apprentice in 1932. He was posted to Egypt for training - after serving in the Middle East he joined Bomber Command as an engineer. After…
Interview with William Joseph Longhurst
William Longhurst served as an engine mechanic through the Second World War. He was a member of the Hackney Wick Air Defence Cadet Corps before volunteering to enlist in the RAF after his seventeenth birthday. Following basic training at Skegness,…
Interview with William Taylor
William Taylor joined the Royal Air Force in 1942 as ground crew. He remustered as an air gunner and flew operations with 103 Squadron from RAF Elsham Wolds, flying Lancasters. His Aircraft was attacked and shot down by a night fighter in July 1944.…
Interview with Winifred Barker
Winifred Barker grew up in Yorkshire and worked in an office before she volunteered for the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. She served as a clerk at RAF Oakley, an operational training unit.
Irene Amy Burkitt and WAAFs
Album page, short birth certificate and baptismal card for Irene Amy Burkitt.
Also three photographs of WAAFs - one head and shoulders, one of a group of five, the third is a formal course photograph during training. Posed in three rows in front…
Also three photographs of WAAFs - one head and shoulders, one of a group of five, the third is a formal course photograph during training. Posed in three rows in front…
Isabel
Portrait, upper torso in WAAF uniform. Written on the reverse 'Wigtown, 31/1/43'. On added post-it note 'Isabella Dougall nee Aitchison'.
Isabel and Andrew
Portrait of Isabel and Andrew, upper torso, both in uniform, Andrew with sergeant's stripes and observer brevet. Written on reverse 'copy 3 pc gent only' and reference number. Printed on reverse: 'The State Studios, 581 London Road, Glasgow. S E',…
Isabel Dougall with seven other WAAFs
Eight WAAFs, in uniform standing in a row on a town street (two photographs).
First photograph: on reverse on post-it 'Isabella Dougall nee Aitcheson on right'. Another copy of the same photograph: on reverse, the girls christian names are listed…
First photograph: on reverse on post-it 'Isabella Dougall nee Aitcheson on right'. Another copy of the same photograph: on reverse, the girls christian names are listed…
Italy
Album page, five photographs, first is of Jack with another SNCO, urban street scene in background, captioned 'Rome 1945'. Reverse captioned 'Rome May 1945, Darling, as I was when peace was declared in Europe, yours as always Jack xxx'.
Second is…
Second is…
Italy
Two photographs, first is of Jack seated with another individual, wooden building in background, reverse captioned 'Brindisi, Italy March 1945'.
Second is of Jack and nine other individuals, captioned 'March 1945, promoted Sergeant, Brindisi'.
Second is of Jack and nine other individuals, captioned 'March 1945, promoted Sergeant, Brindisi'.
Itinerary
![YCrawfordJ[Ser#-DoB]v3.jpg](https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/square_thumbnails/1918/45665/YCrawfordJ[Ser -DoB]v3.jpg "YCrawfordJ[Ser#-DoB]v3.jpg")
First entries of Jack's journal describing his time as ground staff, refuelling and starting aircraft, taking, and passing the aircrew entrance exams and waiting to sail.
This item was sent to the IBCC Digital Archive already in digital form. No…
This item was sent to the IBCC Digital Archive already in digital form. No…
J for Jonny are in disgrace
Two verse poem about the antics of crew of J for Jonny.
Jack and his mother
Four photographs, first head of young woman, reverse captioned Mrs Culkin and an undecipherable address.
Second is of a sailor, upper torso, studio background,
Third is of woman wheeling a pram with a park background.
Fourth is formal portrait…
Second is of a sailor, upper torso, studio background,
Third is of woman wheeling a pram with a park background.
Fourth is formal portrait…
Jack at Brindisi
Jack with ten airmen in overalls, Halifax tail turret as background, reverse captioned '1944 Brindisi, Self & ground crew'.
Jack Crawford's trip book
![YCrawfordJ[Ser#-DoB]v1.pdf](https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/square_thumbnails/1918/45594/YCrawfordJ[Ser -DoB]v1.jpg "YCrawfordJ[Ser#-DoB]v1.pdf")
Covering the period 3 December 1941 to 1945 it details Jack's initial training, sailing from New Zealand to Canada and subsequent train journey, visiting a fox farm, canoeing, taking exams and getting the results and trips in the snow. Qualifying as…
Jack Culkin at RAF Halton
Formal course photograph of Jacks entry, 17 apprentices in three rows, rifles with fixed bayonets, brick built building in background. The reverse captioned 'Centre front row, R.A.F. Halton 38th entry, Early 1940'.
Jack Hayley and crew
At the top a half length portrait of three aircrew officers in tunic with aircrew brevet and peaked caps. Captioned 'Frank Bryer- Navigator, Jack Captain, Alec Taylor mid-upper gunner'. Below a group of air and ground crew stand in front of a…