Browse Items (795 total)

  • Tags: ground crew

PLancasterJ1501.jpg
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.…

PStockerEE1601.jpg
Ted joined the air force in January 1938 as an apprentice at RAF Halton. This was accelerated because of the war, and he was posted to RAF Boscombe Down.
Although he wanted to be a pilot, Ted’s skills were needed as a flight engineer. He was…

PLoganF1501.jpg
Fred joined the Royal Air Force in Sheffield on 4th December 1940 and was accepted as a direct entry fitter. He went to the training school in Hednesford, where he was taught about engines, and was then posted on Stirlings to 7 Squadron. From RAF…

PMarchantT1501.jpg
Tom Marchant had always wanted to fly and at eighteen joined the RAF as a Wireless Operator Air Gunner but was remustered as Flight Engineer after his initial postings to Warrington and Squires Gate Airfield, Blackpool. He describes his very first…

PMillerP1501.jpg
Peter was called up in November 1943 and after basic training was sent to RAF Halton to be trained as a flight mechanic. Whilst there he had several dangerous incidents during small arms training.
Initially posted to 527 Squadron, which was …

PMonkR1501.jpg
Roy Monk remembers days spent in the air raid shelters as a schoolboy during the war. After the war he wanted to be a policeman before he was called to National Service. After training to be a mechanic he was posted to RAF Upwood. Then he was posted…

PPageTJ1606.jpg
Thomas Page grew up in a farming family before joining the Royal Air Force in 1940, training as a flight mechanic. He was initially posted to 257 Squadron (Hurricanes) but soon went to Gloucester to train as a fitter from where he was posted to 71…

PSeaggerA1612.jpg
Before the war, Alan was an electrical apprentice. He joined the RAF and was posted to RAF Binbrook before being posted overseas. He was at RAF Shallufa for a time and was placed with No. 37 Squadron, who moved to Egypt. There were troops of…

PPopeKMJ18010012.jpg
Technical certificate authorising Flight Sergeant Kenneth Pope to refuel and carry out daily inspections on Lancasters, their airframes and their Merlin engines.

PBunceFSG1607.jpg
14 airmen standing and kneeling in front of a Lancaster with nose art indicating 29 operations completed.

On the reverse: '115 Squadron, RAF Witchford, Sid Bunce' and 'Sid X'.

PPopeKMJ18010034.jpg
Five photographs, three head and shoulders portraits of Kenneth Pope, one right side, one from front one looking half right, in jacket, shirt and tie captioned 'Sgt Pope',
Kenneth Pope and an airman in flying clothing with a trolley accumulator and…

PPopeKMJ18010037.jpg
Kenneth Pope's crew in uniform with four members of their ground staff, one with a cigarette. With Lancaster PO-Y in background. Captioned ' The crew and ground staff', 'Darcy Vic Bill Bill Ken Jim Jack'.

PPopeKMJ18010038.jpg
Kenneth Pope's crew with three members of their ground crew. The given names of the air crew are hand written above the photograph: 'Ken Darcy Jack Bill Jim Bill Vic'. Lancaster PO-Y in the background. A ground crew member walks along the port wing,…

PPopeKMJ18010042.jpg
Three informal photographs, the first captioned '4 of the crew and 2 ground staff', shows the six, in uniform standing in front of the centre section of a Lancaster. The second captioned 'Some of the crew and ground staff', shows eight individuals,…

PBakerR1602.jpg
Ron Baker, originally from Willesden was in the ATC before joining the RAF and trained as a flight mechanic. He was posted to 463 Squadron at Waddington. On one occasion he had to help to remove the body of a gunner who had died during the flight. He…

PBarnesR1701.jpg
Robert Barnes was working in a Reserved Occupation and so knew the only way he could join the RAF was to volunteer for aircrew. Before he volunteered he was also a member of the ARP and Home Guard. Robert trained as a flight engineer and was posted…

EGortonHGortonLCM440920-02.pdf
He writes of meeting the ground crew and of a new aircraft coming to the Flight.

PBarrettR1703.jpg
Raymond Barnes worked in factories before he joined the RAF. He trained as an engine fitter. He was posted to the Mediterranean, the Middle East and the Far East. He was servicing Spitfires for 242 Squadron and then Dakotas for 267 Squadron. He was…

PClachersV1802.jpg
Vera Clachers volunteered for the WAAF for the experience and the adventure. She was selected for training as an electrician and was trained at RAF Melksham. She was posted to RAF North Coates. At first she was given the poorest jobs but then began…

PYoungP1601.jpg
Patricia’s family lived in a 500 year old thatched cottage in Waddington. There was a bakery in the grounds, which had been started by her grandparents. Patricia’s father joined the Royal Flying Corp and one of her earliest memories was of him…

PDexterKI1714.jpg
Seven aircrew in flying suits and Mae West carrying parachutes walking line abreast away from a Lancaster. There are three men working on the starboard outer engine, three working on the starboard inner engine and one cleaning the nose turret.

PCoultonWA1607.jpg
Wedding group of three men and three women. The groom is in Royal Air Force uniform, the bride and bridesmaid are holding floral bouquets. The two non-uniformed men and the woman at the far left are all wearing flowers in their lapel.

PCoultonWA16010002.jpg
Titled ‘Our Wedding 1st December 1945’. William Coulton is in uniform tunic. The bride is wearing a hat, dark suit and skirt and is carrying a floral bouquet.
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