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Interview with Carolyn Pritchard
Carolyns father, Arthur, joined the Royal Air Force on his 18th birthday. Following his training as a flight engineer, was posted to RAF Winthorpe. He was allocated to a crew consisting entirely of Australians. In February 1944 the crew were posted…
Interview with Raymond Race
Raymond Race was born in a family working in the textile industry and joined the RAF in 1943, serving on the metropolitan communications squadron. Tells about his family’s military service: his father joined the Royal Field Artillery; his eldest…
Interview with Jill Saunders
Jill Saunders’s father Frank Simon was born in Salford in 1917. He served an apprenticeship as a fitter before joining A.V. Roe. He had joined the RAF volunteer reserve but as he was in a reserved occupation, he was only called up in 1944. He…
Interview with Henry Leslie Shackleton
Henry Shackleton listened to Chamberlain’s speech on the radio and hoped to be a Spitfire pilot. He began his training and was selected as a flying instructor and was posted to Canada. On his return to the UK he was posted to his operational…
Interview with Lester Simms
Lester tells of his tough, early childhood and his first experience of seeing a Heinkel bomber flying over his home in Surrey, to attack the Brooklands Aircraft Factory. He tells of how he worked in the experimental department of Hawker Aircraft…
H R Woodard's operations with 104 Squadron
Brief account of H R Woodard's operations with 104 Squadron from the first on 13 September 1944 until the last on 4 February 1945. Includes reference to misspelling of his surname and names of his regular aircrew. Final operation with LP 549 was to…
Interview with George Thomson. Two
George Thomson was a navigator with 15 Squadron based at RAF Mildenhall. On their nineteenth operation they came under attack and had to bale out of the aircraft. The pilot and mid-upper gunner both died. When he landed he saw a parachute stuck in a…
Interview with Percival Trotman
Applying for RAF Bomber Command in May 1940, Percival Trotman was called up in September 1940, training as a pilot at RAF Towyn in Aberystwyth. Being present at Coventry when the town was bombed, he recalls deciding that the Germans deserved to have…
Interview with Kenneth William Trueman
Kenneth William Trueman volunteered for the RAF and was called up in 1941. After training in South Africa, he served as a navigator with 640 Squadron and speaks of his preference for the Gee navigation aid rather than H2S. His operations included…
Interview with Elizabeth Anne Tyler
Elizabeth Anne Tyler talks about her family’s farmland, its history and when it was purchased by the Air Force for the construction of RAF North Luffenham. Mentions various episodes of wartime life around Edith Weston, as reported by family members…
Robert Stott casualty letter
Casualty confirmation letter to Robert Stott's wife, confirming his death and giving the place of burial.
Letter from Robert Stott's wife, Agnes to Mr Blandford
Letter to Pilot Officer Blandford's father, thanking him for his letter, celebrating the fact that his son had survived and sharing the news that Robert and other crew members had died.
Letters between Robert Stott's wife, Agnes and Mr Blandford
Five letters from Agnes Stott to Mr Blandford, a fellow crew member's father, and one to Mr Blandford from a fellow crew member (Pilot Officer G G Whittle) who did not fly with them on their last operation.
Henry William Redgrave, In Memoriam card
A memoriam card printed on the death of Henry Redgrave's father giving the place of his burial.
The Care and Marking of War Graves
A document describing the activities of the Imperial War Graves Commission.
Letter from the Imperial War Graves Commission
Imperial War Graves Commission are asking Jessie Redgrave to complete a form requesting additional information regarding Harry Redgrave's headstone.
Sergeant Harry Redgrave's headstone
Harry Redgrave's grave marked with a standard headstone.
Sergeant Harry Redgrave's grave
A cross marking the grave of Sergeant Harry Redgrave in a churchyard.
Jessie Redgrave at Sergeant Harry Redgrave's grave
Jessie Redgrave is kneeling by the cross marking her husband Harry Redgrave's grave in a churchyard.
Wellington memories
Memories of an early operational sortie for Ted Neale. An hour into the flight the cover of the photoflash spinner had come off. This could have caused the flash to ignite in the aircraft and brought it down.
To Isabel from Air Ministry re Andrew's grave cross
Covering letter and photograph of Andrew's temporary cross. Letter informs Isabel that the temporary cross will be replaced a permanent stone by the Imperial War Graves Commission in due course. Envelope included.
To Isabel Bain from British Red Cross Society
Letter from British Red Cross Society informing Isabel of the location of Andrew's grave at Doberitz, near Berlin.
To Isabel from Air Ministry
Reporting that Andrew Bain had been re-buried in British Military Cemetery Berlin (Heerstrasse), Grave 13, Row K, Plot 4.
To Isabel Bain from the British Red Cross Society
Letter states that Warrant Officer Fear, Andrew's captain was buried at Doberitz (near Berlin) and it is likely that Andrew would also be buried there. When there is official confirmation, either they or the Air Ministry will send it to her.
To Isabel Bain from Air Ministry
Gives location of Andrew's grave in the Garrison Cemetery, Doberitz, near Berlin.