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Interview with Ronald Marlow
Ronald Marlow went to Middleton Council School, then worked at Forgrove Engineering. He joined the Air Training Corps, volunteered for the Royal Air Force training in London at St Johns Wood. He became an air gunner ad flew Wellingtons, followed by a…
Interview with Edward Allan McDonald
Allan McDonald was born in Hull and worked as an apprentice electrician before joining the Air Force. He passed the exams to become aircrew and trained as an air gunner. During training, his aircraft crash landed and he was soaked in petrol. He flew…
Interview with Reg Payne. One
Reg Payne was born in Kettering, he left school at fourteen and worked for the British Legion. He volunteered for the RAF when he was seventeen and a half and trained as a wireless operator and air gunner. He describes his training learning Morse…
Interview with Arthur Emlyn Williams
Arthur Emlyn Williams talks about his life before volunteering and what lead him up to volunteering. His parents were upset about his decision to join the RAF. In September 1943, he was accepted for training as an air-gunner. He started his first…
Interview with Arthur Emlyn Williams
Arthur Emlyn Williams was working as a pump operator at the mines, before he volunteered for the RAF. His mother hid his first recruitment letter. He trained at Lord’s Cricket Ground, and Number 2 Air-Gunnery school at Inverness, on Ansons. He…
Interview with Audrey Hazel Baker
Audrey Baker had been married to Gordon, her Bomber Command pilot husband for two years when he was killed in action. Gordon had been serving with 50 Squadron. She immediately joined the WAAF as a driver and was posted to Balloon Command. She drove…
Interview with Robert Barnes. One
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…
Interview with Robert Barnes. Two
Robert Barnes, as flight engineer had to deal with an emergency on one flight when during the process of changing the fuel tanks the aircraft went into a steep dive.
Interview with Eric Coling
Eric Coling’s father died when Eric was a child which left his mother to cope on her own economically. Eric and his sister were sent to live in an orphanage but their mother was able to visit monthly. When Eric left the orphanage he began working…
50 Squadron Badge
Squadron crest for 50 Squadron
Airmen on a bomb trolley
Sixteen airmen, mostly wearing tunic, in three rows sitting and standing on a bomb trolley. Background left a building and trees behind. On the reverse '22.4.42, 50 Sqdn Armoury. Skellingthorpe'. Albert Cluett is second row second from the right.
Lancaster parked in dispersal
Front quarter view of Lancaster parked with bomb doors open. On the nose 'G' and many rows of bomb symbols. Background left a 4000 lb bomb on trolley. On the reverse '50 Sqd Skellingthorpe, G + 1 x 4000 lb bomb. AVC. Doddington Road end'.
Lancaster on dispersal
Rear quarter view of Lancaster 'VN-P' parked on hard-standing with three rows of bombs in the foreground. On the reverse '50 Sqd Skellingthorpe, about D Day, Yanky [sic] 1000 lb bomb GP, English 500 ", AVC, ND991, 50 Sqd - Flt Refuelling - BDU - 22…
50 Squadron armourers
Forty-one airmen in four rows in front of a building. All are wearing tunics and most side caps. Albert Cluett is in the back row, first on the left. On the reverse '50 Sqd Armourers, Skellingthorpe'.
50 Squadron armourers
Forty-two airmen, wearing tunic and side caps, in four rows. Front row including a warrant officer and a sergeant are sitting on chairs, the second row are standing and the rear two rows standing on benches. Albert Cluett is third row, first on the…
Large group of armourers in front of corrugated iron building
A large group of airmen in a variety of dress in front of a corrugated iron building with a number of windows. On the reverse 'Skelly 43, 50-61 Sqns armourers + bom [sic] dump'.
50 Squadron armoury personnel
Eleven airmen mostly wearing tunic and side cap with others in overalls standing and squatting in three rows in a yard. To the right the rear wheel of a trolley, in the background a fence and trees. On the reverse '50 Sqdn Armoury, 22.4.42,…
Warrant Officer Edwards standing in front of building
Warrant Officer Edwards, wearing tunic and side cap, standing in front of a building with windows. In the background bomb racks are leaning against a building. On the reverse 'W.O. Edwards, W, i/c 50 Sqd on [sic] Armoury, Skellingthorpe, 17-4-42,…
Lancaster parked on grass
Rear quarter view of starboard side of Lancaster 'VN-T' parked on grass with covers on landing gear. On the reverse 'AVC, 50 Sqd Skellingthorpe, R5546, April 42 - Lost 31-3-44'.
Lancaster in field
Rear quarter view of starboard side of Lancaster parked in a field. In the foreground a road, a wooden fence and a tree on the right. In the background a hedge and trees. On the reverse '50 Sqd Skellingthorpe, R5546 Lost 31-3-44, after repair,…
Lancaster on dispersal
Front quarter view of port side of a Lancaster with bomb doors open. On the nose 'G' and several rows of bomb symbols. The main wheels have covers and there is a trolley accumulator by the port wheel. On the reverse 'ED588 50 Sqd Skellingthorpe,…
Lancaster on dispersal
View of the front fuselage and port inboard engine of a Lancaster. The bomb doors are open and the main wheels covered. On the nose 'G' and 72 bomb symbols in seven rows. In the background bottom left another Lancaster.
Airmen by the window of a hut
Two airmen, the left hand one with crossed arms and both wearing tunic, by the open window of a hut. On the reverse '(11), 50 Sqdn Swinderby, (Ching) Harry Corbourn + Me, after alnight [sic] call out'.
Flying Officer Leslie Thomas Manser, Victoria Cross
Head and shoulders portrait of Leslie Thomas Manser wearing tunic and peaked cap. Captioned 'F/O Leslie Thomas Manser, V.C. RAFVR (Deceased), No 50 Sqdn. - Avro Manchester --- Cologne (mass raid) --- May 30, 1942'.
50 Squadron crest
50 Squadron crest