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Interview with Ted Stocker. Two
Edward Ernest Stocker (Ted) began his service with the RAF as a flight engineer on Halifaxes. He came to the attention of his Commanding Officer on his second operation when, before departure, he warned that they were carrying insufficient fuel to…
Interview with Ted Stocker. Three
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…
Although he wanted to be a pilot, Ted’s skills were needed as a flight engineer. He was…
Interview with Ted Stocker. One
Ted joined the Royal Air Force in January 1938. He went to RAF Halton and became a fitter at RAF Boscombe Down, experiencing many aircraft. He did an air gunners’ course and became a flight engineer on Halifaxes. Ted explains why flight engineers…
Interview with Syd Grimes
Sydney Grimes grew up near Southend and joined the RAF as a wireless operator in 1940. He flew a total of 41 operations - 24 with 106 Squadron and 17 with 617 Squadron. He then served on 9 Squadron at RAF Bardney for 2 months and, subsequently, with…
Interview with Mary Ward. Two
Mary Ward joined the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force in 1940. She served, briefly, at RAF Driffield but mostly at RAF Linton on Ouse. She trained as a cook before being moved to duties as a map officer, where she prepared maps for briefings and…
Interview with Mary Ward. One
Mary Ward grew up in Bloxham. She joined the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force in 1940 and was posted to RAF Driffield, on general duties in the officers’ mess. She describes a German daylight attack on RAF Driffield on the 15 August 1940 and the…
Interview with Mary Stopes-Roe
Discusses her father’s designs work and remembers both skipping stones on a river during holidays with her father and catapulting marbles over a washtub in their garden. She goes on to discuss the Eder Möhne and Sorpe operation, the bouncing bomb…
Interview with Les Munro
John Leslie Munro was born in the area of Gisborne, New Zealand. He only completed two years of secondary education because of the economic slump and, in 1936, began work on a sheep ranch and then a mixed farm. On the outbreak of the Second World…
Interview with Johnny Johnson. Two
George ‘Johnny’ Johnson was born in rural Lincolnshire. As a child he won a scholarship to Lord Wandsworth’s Agricultural College in Hampshire. At the outbreak of the Second World War, he volunteered for the Royal Air Force, and was selected…
Interview with John Richard Bell
John Bell completed 50 operations as a bomb aimer with 617 Squadron before becoming an instructor.
Interview with John Derek "Bill" Bailey. Two
Part two of the interview with Derek Bailey, a bomb aimer with 103 and 166 Squadrons.
Towards the end of the war, Derek did various bomber instructor courses and became a bombing instructor at RAF Lossiemouth on Wellingtons for Free French aircrew…
Towards the end of the war, Derek did various bomber instructor courses and became a bombing instructor at RAF Lossiemouth on Wellingtons for Free French aircrew…
Interview with John Derek "Bill" Bailey. One
Derek was in the Air Training Corps before enlisting at 18. He was given deferred service, eventually reporting to the Air Crew Reception Centre at Lord’s Cricket Ground. He proceeded to Ludlow and an Initial Training Wing at Paignton. Derek was…
Interview with John Bell
John Bell completed a tour as a bomb aimer with 619 Squadron. The crew decided they would like to continue flying and so volunteered to join 617 Squadron. They were interviewed by Wing Commander Leonard Cheshire and accepted on to the squadron. When…
Interview with Jeff Gray
Jeff Gray was a farm labourer in Aberdeenshire when he volunteered for the Royal Air Force. He trained to fly in Texas and completed 30 operations as a pilot with 61 Squadron. After leaving the RAF he worked for BOAC flying Yorks and VC10s.
Interview with Jan Black
Jan Stangrycuik (Black) was born and raised in Poland. When he was a teenager, his family emigrated to Argentina for a better life. When the British Embassy called for volunteers to join the war effort, Jan answered the call and sailed, with seven…
Interview with Douglas Robinson
Douglas was in the Local Defence Volunteers before joining the Royal Air Force as a pilot. After Babbacombe, he did initial training at Scarborough and then in Rhodesia. Initial flight training in Harare on Tiger Moths was followed by service…
Interview with David Jackson
David Jackson tells of his father, Norman Jackson VC, born in Ealing, London in 1919 and who worked in an engineering company when the war broke out. After initially trying to join the navy, he then joined the RAF and classified as a fitter on…
Interview with Arthur Poore
Arthur joined the Royal Air Force at the age of 19 when war started in 1939, and completed a navigation course, which lasted six weeks. When the School of Navigation in Cheshire was expanded, Arthur became staff pilot, flying from mid Cheshire across…
Interview with Alfred Huberman
Alfred Huberman volunteered for the RAF when he was 18 and trained as an air gunner. He describes the training and emphasises how physically hard it was. He flew 31 operations in Lancasters, from RAF Elsham Wolds. These included operations over the…
Imperial War Museum Display
Display of log books, flying helmet and photo of Leonard Cheshire. On the reverse 'Imperial War Museum Display, MH17149'. Additional information about this item was kindly provided by the donor.
Group of men with a surveying instrument and a 1936 Morris Commercial command car
On the right, three young men stand round a object on a tripod being instructed by a man in uniform with peaked cap. To the left a 1936 Morris Commercial command car M 354360 B with a young man sitting in rear seat being spoken to by a man in uniform…
Gordon Cruickshank life on squadrons 1940-1944
Mentions time as a balloon operator at Felixstowe and then training as an air gunner. First tour on 50 Squadron RAF Swinderby on Manchesters, but had to wait for aircraft to arrive as squadron still flying Hampden when he arrived later transferred to…
Gnome Rhone works, Limoges
Inclined aerial photograph showing a line of buildings with flare bloom on bottom edge and a smaller one top centre, On the reverse '139 Neg 1, Rhone Gnome Wks Limoges, 8.2.44, 617, W/C Cheshire DSO, DFC, W/C Cheshire marking target, mirror camera'.
Gnome Rhone works Limoges
A sequence of three inclined aerial photographs showing a group of buildings with a large flare bloom above them. Cheshire's aircraft is moving towards the top of the images with final image just showing flare. On the reverse '[..] 4086B'
Gnome Rhone works Limoges
Inclined aerial photograph showing completely dark image with fire centre right. There are a few spots of light around the fire. On the reverse 'Neg 1 Cam 1, 139, run 3, Night attack on Gnome Rhone Wks, Limoges, Date 8.2.44, Sqdn 617, W/C Cheshire…