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Leonard William Fairbank's service history
Detailing Leonard's birth in Biggleswade, his training history, squadrons served with and aircraft flown in and continued service following 1945. Completed by Leonard's daughter Jean Carter and her husband Clive.
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. At the end of the war, he flew operations from RAF Ludford Magna, as a wireless operator with 101 Squadron. In 1959 George and his…
Interview with John "Jack" Brown
Jack Brown was born, and spent his early life, in Australia, leaving school at 14 and doing odd jobs before joining the civil service and then the RAF. He talks about his initial training before travelling to England and joining 69 Squadron. Jack…
Interview with James Calman
Jim was born in New Zealand but grew up in Australia. He enlisted in Woolloomooloo under the Empire Air Training Scheme. He was sent to the Initial Training School in Somers and then went to the Elementary Flying Training School, training on Tiger…
Interview with Ken Macdonald
Ken had been in the Air Training Corps and enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force in 1942. He went to No. 2 Initial Training School at Bradfield Park and then to Marborough where he chose to be a wireless operator/air gunner. They flew on Wackett…
Interview with Sinclair Nutting
Clair was born in Radisson, Canada and joined the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) in December 1940. He flew 45 operations. He enlisted at Saskatoon and trained at Brandon. Guard duty in Saskatoon followed before Calgary for wireless training. He was…
Interview with Lawrence Penn
Lawrence Penn grew up in Australia and worked as a bank clerk before he volunteered for the Air Force. He flew 40 operations as a pilot with 226 Squadron. After the war he had his own air taxi company and also flew for Qantas.
Interview with Peter Watson
Peter Watson was born in South Wales and joined the Royal Air Force in 1943. He wanted to be a pilot but there was a surplus of pilots so he became an air gunner. He crewed-up and flew with 101 Squadron initially, a special duties squadron, and he…
Interview with Peter Scoley
Peter Scoley was born on a farm which became RAF Metheringham during the war. After the war Peter and his wife were fundamental in creating a museum on the site.
Peter spent most of his life in and around farming near RAF Metheringham, which he…
Peter spent most of his life in and around farming near RAF Metheringham, which he…
Interview with Ian Petrie
Ian Petrie found himself struggling to find employment in recession hit New Zealand when he saw the advertisement to fly with the RNZAF. He couldn’t contemplate the thrill of flight at a time when opportunity for such travel was rare. He was…
Interview with June Pauline Brandon
June Brandon was born in India, returning to England when her father died. She joined the WAAF and went into the Photographic Section, loading cameras on Spitfires then carrying out development of the films. She served at several RAF stations,…
Interview with Ernest Davenport
Ernest Davenport was born in Tattenhall, Cheshire in 1923. He joined the Local Defence Volunteers in 1940 and after witnessing the bombing of Merseyside he decided to join the RAF as a pilot. He was accepted into the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve…
Interview with Reg Dunbar
Reg Dunbar enlisted for the RAF in Liverpool and it was suggested that he join as a wireless operator. He went to RAF Cardington initially and then to Yatesbury for training. He also trained as an air gunner, and after training was posted to 37…
Interview with Michael and Ann Akrill
Michael and Ann Akrill talk about their uncle, William Akrill. He grew up in Lincolnshire, and studied art in London and under the tutelage of Robert Kiddey. He considered becoming a contentious objector, but volunteered for the RAF and after…
Armaments Course
Notes kept by JH Bird on Armaments
Bombing Patter Notes
Notes kept by JH Bird during his training.
Six chapters of wartime memories
A Short Personal View of a Bit of History (interview with Jim Allen)
'Based at Burn' Introduction by Jim Allen
One More Chalked Up
A Trip to Remember
Sabotage on 578 Squadron at Burn by Joe Dudley
Memories of 578 Squadron at Burn 1944 by Joe…
'Based at Burn' Introduction by Jim Allen
One More Chalked Up
A Trip to Remember
Sabotage on 578 Squadron at Burn by Joe Dudley
Memories of 578 Squadron at Burn 1944 by Joe…
Jim Allen's 1944 Diary
A diary recording events during 1944. Includes detailed notes on operations, military life, the weather etc.
Letter to Mrs Cahir from Jim Cahir
Letter from Warrant Officer Cahir to his mother and brothers. He writes about his capture in Germany after his aircraft was shot down on December 20th 1943 and subsequent capture. He goes on to describe the conditions he was kept in at Stalag IVB…
Lest We Forget
Details of the night Jim Cahir and crew were shot down. The surviving crew remember the pilot struggling with the controls to allow the others to escape. Patrick Edwards, the pilot did not survive. It was not until February 2004 that the survivors…
Letter to Mary Egan from Jim Cahir
Letter from Jim Cahir to his friend Mary Egan detailing his plane being shot down, his capture and his time in a prisoner of war camp.
Interview with Rosemary Dorricott
Rosemary Dorricott is the widow of Leonard William Dorricott DFM. During the war years she was a young child in Skegness. She was six years old when war broke out. She recalls the air raids on the town and the rationing and blackouts that became a…
James A Penny’s pilots flying log book
Pilots flying log book for James A Penny, covering the period from 10 November 1941 to 23 November 1943 when he was shot down over Berlin. He was stationed at AAC Souther Field, RCAF North Battleford, RAF Shawbury, RAF Sleap, RAF Blyton, RAF Upwood…
Jim Taylor's RAF Memoirs 1932-1939
An autobiography of Jim Taylor's time in the RAF before the war. He spent time training with Oliver Bell, who is recorded in the memoir.