Browse Items (4469 total)

  • Tags: bombing

AWhiteKWJ170807.mp3
Kenneth White trained as an air gunner. He was not sent to an Operational Training Unit but was sent straight to a squadron at RAF Oulton. He flew in B-17s with a special operator on board. On one occasion during an air test there was a fire on…

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Born in Peterborough, Eileen Widdowson’s father died when she was quite young, which resulted in the family moving to Grantham. With the East Coast main railway line and also a munitions factory, Grantham was a regular target for the Luftwaffe.…

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David Wilkie was born in Edinburgh. He volunteered for the RAF and began training as a flight engineer. While training at St Athan he met his future wife, Kathleen. He was posted to 432 Squadron with a Canadian crew. He witnessed the gathering of the…

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Erik Wilkin worked on the railways before he joined the RAF. Initially he wanted to be a pilot but it would be a significant wait for training. He trained as an air gunner and was posted to 115 Squadron. On one occasion his aircraft made an emergency…

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Norman Wilkins was born in West Norwood. At the age of 14 he joined the Air Training Corps and became a member of Brighton and Hove Air Cadets 176 Squadron. He then joined the University Air Squadron at Oxford, with fees being paid by the Royal Air…

AWilliamsonKA180115.mp3
Sir Keith Alec Williamson was born in in Leytonstone, Essex. Early education was at Bancroft’s School until bombs fell across the school. He was then sent to a grammar school in Market Harborough where he joined the Air Training Corps. On leaving…

AWilliamsRS180115.mp3
Roland Spencer Williams was born in Christchurch, New Zealand. Wanting to get involved in the war he joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1942. After initial training in New Zealand, as an air gunner, he sailed on the SS Nieuw Amsterdam to San…

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Gabi Wilson grew up in Berlin and was a schoolgirl in 1939. She discusses one brother training as an interpreter and another brother returning from Russian prisoner of war camps. She worked as an apprentice at a publisher firm. She met her husband,…

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James Stanley Wilson remembers serving as a flight engineer on 626 Squadron during the war. Tells of his baptism of fire on his first operation to Berlin, when his aircraft was targeted by enemy fighters. Mentions marking targets on D-Day. Talks…

AWrightE180422.mp3
Eric Wright in lived in Rotherham at the start of the war. As a school child he says that he did not really understand the implications of it. The family moved to Nottingham and he describes life there, with the air raids and sheltering under the…

AWrightR180326.mp3
Robin was born in Norwich on 16th June 1937. His father was in the Royal Air Force in Manchester, and then in Thetford Forest where the Merlin engines were stored. He finished his service at RAF Marham. Robin spoke about his school days. He…

AWyldeHJ161218.mp3
Herbert James Wylde was working in local government in Glasgow before he volunteered for aircrew training with the RAF. He started pilot training and had gone solo when he was sent to Canada to continue training. While there he began training as a…

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Helga (00:00-34:00) was born in Kiel in 1926. Her father was a sailor, who then worked at Krupp shipbuilding yard; her mother was a tram driver during the war. None of her brothers were called up, either because of age or disability. She mentions…

AZettlES180426.mp3
Elizabeth Zettl was born in Croydon. Her father was a stockbroker and she had a sister who was ten years younger. At ten Liz went to school in Hillcotte in Eastbourne until she was 18. She went to college for six months to train as a secretary and…

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He starts by catching up with domestic and family/acquaintance matters. He goes on to write of an operation to Lorient, although it was bad for french civilians and that he is looking forward to leave.

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Writes of mail and mentions an operation to Wilhelmshaven.

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Writes of operation to Nuremberg and interview for his commission with Group Captain Hughie Edwards.

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He writes about his bombing operation to Nuremberg and that they had to fly back from Germany on only three engines. Mentions that he has been put in charge of flight engineers on the station. Catches up with family news.

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He writes that he was at Hamburg last night and that they are not operating from from Wickenby that night and that will help him sleep. Catches up with news of children.

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Mentions sorry to hear some bad news and then writes that he had flown to Munich and it was a “wizard” show.

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Writes of operational schedule and recent operation to Stuttgart. Mentions leave has been put back. Catches up with family news. Writes he is feeling miserable and meeting skipper's family. Writes that he has 11 operations to do.

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He writes about flying to St. Nazaire. He is not flying tonight and is going to RAF Binbrook. He misses his wife and mentions that they have been married for six years. Catches up with family news.

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Ian writes that he bombed St Nazaire the previous evening. He received a parcel containing sea stockings and hopes to get some for his rear gunner. Catches up with family news.

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He writes about him bombing Kiel the previous night and that he has applied for leave.
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