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Interview with Desmond O'Connell
Desmond O’Connell was born in London in 1919. He followed in his brother’s footsteps by joining the Royal Air Force Voluntary Reserve in 1939. He went to Cambridge to commence pilot training but half the contingent were transferred to become…
Interview with George Anderson
George Anderson was born in County Durham and worked in a grocery shop before he joined the Royal Air Force in 1943. He flew operations as a wireless operator at the end of the war, with 101 Squadron from RAF Ludford Magna. In 1959 George and his…
Silk escape map
Colour silk map of northern Europe covering Germany up to 13 degrees east as well as Holland, and parts of Belgium and France.
Derrick Allen physical fitness test record card
States physical fitness rating and swimming test for Derrick Allen.
Derrick Allen invitation to investiture
Two telegrams requesting that Flight Sergeant Derrick Allen attend investiture with further instruction to follow. On the reverse of first 'P.D.C Cardington message received 1880966 Sgt Allen'. On the reverse of the second 'Offiver Commanding P.D.C…
Christmas Card
Royal Air Force Waddington Christmas card with Royal Air Force badge on the front. Signed from Derrick
Air gunner course notes
Covers air gunners course including sighting, gun ranges, characteristics of machine guns, bullet patterns, harmonisation, firing techniques, use of tracer rounds and gun turret hydraulics. Front Cover captioned '1880966, AQC Allen, Class No 0, Hut…
Derrick Allen's service and release book
Gives service dates and character statement.
Letters to Derrick Allen from the Caterpillar Club
First letter is a reply to Derrick Allen acknowledging his request to join the Caterpillar Club, welcoming him to the club and asking for further confirmatory information. It also states his club pin will be sent as soon as it is available. The…
Hand drawn maps of crash site
The first map shows the area of Vieux-Pre near Spa in Belgium and shows the locations of the main crash site, victim bodies, debris and supposed area of parachuter [sic]. The second map shows profile of supposed area of fall.
Trajectoire supposee du Lancater DV396B Du 467 Sqaudron Royal Austrailian Air Force
1:20,000 map showing the area to the west of Spa, Belgium with the possible track of Derrick Allen's Lancaster to the crash site near Vieux Pre marked in red. It is annotated with an arrow to Dusseldorf at the top and with figures 1 to 5. Captioned…
467 Squadron RAAF Avro Lancaster sequence of landing
1:20,000 map of the area to the west of Spa, Belgium showing possible track of aircraft to crash site with parachutes indicating where each crew member bailed out and the location of bodies of crew who did not survive. Annotated with arrow to…
Derrick Allen apprenticeship documents
Three documents, the first is Ministry of Labour interrupted apprenticeship paperwork, the second is Derrick Allen's registration as a carpenter and joiner apprentice and the third is the completion certificate of his apprenticeship with on the…
Interview with Basil Ambrose
Basil Ambrose was born in Reading. He left school at fourteen and became an apprentice turner. He joined the Royal Air Force in May 1942 and trained as a turner before transferring to aircrew as a flight engineer. He trained at RAF St Athan, and…
Les Rutherford's prisoner of war diary
Prisoner of war diary of Les Rutherford, captured the 20 December 1943 and then detained at Stalag Luft 3 (Belaria). It consists mostly of sketches and cartoons but also information on camp life, photographs and German newspaper cuttings. The diary…
English airman's grave
A wooden cross in a cemetery bears the inscription 'S. Englishe Flieger. Namen unbekannt'. Trees are visible in the foreground.
Len Whiteley presents Fanfare
Programme of musical entertainment with signatures of the artists.
The Pilgrimage of an English airman who in 1944 came down in the Spa region
Recounts that Derrick Allen contacted a M Rudi Simon who lived in Tongess, Belgium through the Association of Veterans. M Simon was researching aircraft brought down in the local area. Derrick Allen had stated that he would like to visit the where…
Derrick Allen Royal Air Force identity card
ID card number 392759 made out for Sergeant Derrick John Allen.
Derrick Allen Ministry of Labour and National Service form
Requests that Derrick Allen takes up employment as a carpenter.
Donald Briggs' log book
Donald Briggs served as a flight engineer with 156 Squadron Pathfinders flying Lancasters from RAF Upwood between 27 May 1944 and 31 March 1945. The incomplete log book includes 62 daylight and night time operations to French, German, Dutch and…
IJmuiden
Vertical aerial photograph of a bombed harbour area near the the Visserhaven. The majority is damaged buildings.
Wilhelmshaven docks
Oblique aerial photograph of a square dock area with several naval vessels. There are dry docks at the top. The majority of the workshop are undamaged. It is captioned 'Wilhemshaven' [sic].
Essen, Krupps
Vertical aerial photograph of bombed workshops. It is captioned 'Essen (Krupps)'. Majority of buildings shown are damaged or severely damaged, many are entirely without roofs. One smaller building to upper centre with a clerestory roof appears…
The city of Kleve in February 1945
Oblique aerial of a damaged city. In the centre is a river and a low hill. In the distance are undamaged buildings. Captioned 'The city of Kleve in February 1945'.