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Interview with Lacey Peter Webb
Lacey Peter Webb remembers his role as a flight engineer in the Royal Air Force during the war and flying thirty operations on Halifaxes and two on Lancasters. Retraces his training in various stations, among them St John’s Wood, where he was…
Interview with Jack Webster
Jack Webster applied to join the RAF in December 1942 and attended a selection board at RAF Cardington, and was eventually called up in June 1943. After initial training he went to 4 Radio School at RAF Madley passing out from there with eighteen…
Interview with Archie Weir
Archie was born in Ayreshire. He was about 17 when he joined, then went to South Africa to train as a bomb aimer. In February 1943 Archie worked on Halifax Mk 2 before being transferred to Lancaster finishing school at RAF Syerston. In November…
Interview with Jim Weston. One
Jim Weston joined the Royal Air Force because he wanted to become a radio mechanic. While training at RAF Blackpool as air gunner wireless operator, he re-mustered as a pilot. He remembers being posted to 23 Squadron at RAF Little Snoring, where he…
Interview with Kenneth White
Kenneth White trained as an air gunner. He was not sent to an Operational Training Unit but was sent straight to a squadron at RAF Oulton. He flew in B-17s with a special operator on board. On one occasion during an air test there was a fire on…
Interview with David Wilkie
David Wilkie was born in Edinburgh. He volunteered for the RAF and began training as a flight engineer. While training at St Athan he met his future wife, Kathleen. He was posted to 432 Squadron with a Canadian crew. He witnessed the gathering of the…
Interview with Norman Edward Wilkins
Norman Wilkins was born in West Norwood. At the age of 14 he joined the Air Training Corps and became a member of Brighton and Hove Air Cadets 176 Squadron. He then joined the University Air Squadron at Oxford, with fees being paid by the Royal Air…
Interview with Keith Alec Williamson
Sir Keith Alec Williamson was born in in Leytonstone, Essex. Early education was at Bancroft’s School until bombs fell across the school. He was then sent to a grammar school in Market Harborough where he joined the Air Training Corps. On leaving…
Interview with Roland Spencer Williams
Roland Spencer Williams was born in Christchurch, New Zealand. Wanting to get involved in the war he joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1942. After initial training in New Zealand, as an air gunner, he sailed on the SS Nieuw Amsterdam to San…
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 James Stanley Wilson
James Stanley Wilson remembers serving as a flight engineer on 626 Squadron during the war. Tells of his baptism of fire on his first operation to Berlin, when his aircraft was targeted by enemy fighters. Mentions marking targets on D-Day. Talks…
Interview with Herbert James Wylde
Herbert James Wylde was working in local government in Glasgow before he volunteered for aircrew training with the RAF. He started pilot training and had gone solo when he was sent to Canada to continue training. While there he began training as a…
Letter from Ian Wynn to his wife
Writes about mail issues and requests she does not worry about him flying. Mentions his captain has been posted away and he hopes to get the previous one back. Catches up with acquaintance and family news and mentions pay.
Letter from Ian Wynn to his wife
Writes of flying including cross country and over Doncaster and Gainsborough as well as scaring farmers ploughing with horses.
Letter from Ian Wynn to his wife
Writes about weather and about their aircraft. Looking forward to leave and talks about car and allowances and is enclosing newspaper cutting about the latter.
Aircrew trainee and qualified signaller
Two head and shoulders portraits of aircrew: a trainee on the left, an airman with a signaller brevet on the right.
If you can't take a joke...
A detailed account of Ken Thomas's life from his early years at school, through his ground crew technical training followed by his aircrew training, operational tour, short post war service and his civilian career, he revised the account in 2005.
Michael Beetham's pilot's flying log book. One
![LBeethamMJ[Ser#-DoB]v1.pdf](https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/square_thumbnails/704/11815/LBeethamMJ[Ser -DoB]v1.jpg "LBeethamMJ[Ser#-DoB]v1.pdf")
Pilots flying log book one for Michael James Beetham, covering the period from 2 March 1942 to 17 November 1945. Detailing his flying training. Operations flown, instructor duties and post war squadron duties. He was stationed at RAF Perth, USAAC…
Letter from Ian Wynn to his wife
Writes about exams and that he probably could get a commission. Comments on the course he is doing and the quality of the food. Catches up with family and acquaintance news.
Ernest Smith's pilot’s flying log book. One
Pilot’s flying log book for Flight Sergeant Ernest Smith from 11 February 1939 to 31 March 1943, detailing his pilot training and 20 operations with 144 Squadron on the following targets in Belgium, France and Germany: Aachen, Antwerp, Brest,…
Les Arrowsmith’s flying log book for navigators, air bombers, air gunners and flight engineers
Warrant Officer Les Arrowsmith’s flying log book for navigators, air bombers, air gunners and flight engineers, from 28 January 1946 to 18 July 1950. Mainly records his training and various postings in the Far East as navigator within Transport…
RAF Cranwell and Hawker Harts
Cutting 1 is an aerial view of RAF Cranwell, the RAF's Officer training college.
Cutting 2 is a photograph of a line of Hawker Harts captioned 'Britain's Air Force is growing rapidly under the Government's two-year expansion programme announced…
Cutting 2 is a photograph of a line of Hawker Harts captioned 'Britain's Air Force is growing rapidly under the Government's two-year expansion programme announced…
28 airmen
A group of 28 trainee airmen arranged in three rows in front of an Anson. Caption reads 'AL. 53 - 13 May 43'.
David and the RAF
![[1]DAVID AND THE RAF2 (2).pdf](https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/square_thumbnails/1213/11929/[1]DAVID AND THE RAF2 [2].jpg "[1]DAVID AND THE RAF2 (2).pdf")
Account of Wing Commander David Donaldson's RAF career from his early interest in flying and joining the Royal Air Force volunteer reserve in 1934, call up in 1939 and operational tours on 149 Squadron, 57 Squadron, flight commander 156 Squadron…
Corporal Victor Azzaro
Half-length portrait of Corporal Vic Azzaro, wearing a cap with a training flash. On the reverse is a photographer's mark '50981/349'.