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From Hackney lad to air bomber
Written by his nephew, a narrative of Reg's early life, his participation in student exchanges in Germany, joining the Royal Air force, training, life on the station and the crash in which he died, together with air gunners Sergeant Leslie Johnson…
Interview with James Swaffield
James Swaffield was born and grew up in West London and flew as a navigator in the RAF. He discusses with the interviewer his life before, during and after the war. Highlights include: remembering his father, who served during the First World War and…
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 Rachel and John Gill
Peter Hazeldene joined the RAF from Wales when he saw a poster to see the world from a different perspective. He trained as a wireless operator and during training suspected a couple of incidents of sabotage on the base. Peter was posted to 106…
Interview with Gilbert Gray
Gilbert Gray grew up in Dunfermline, joining the Air Training Corps before enlisting in the Royal Air Force as a flight engineer in 1940, aged 18 years. He trained at RAF St Athan in Wales, graduated as a sergeant and was posted onto Lancasters. He…
Interview with John Usher about Bob Burns
Bob Burns trained as a navigator and was posted to 106 Squadron at RAF Metheringham. His aircraft came under attack from a night fighter and the centrifugal force pinned the crew down and making an escape impossible.
Suddenly the aircraft broke in…
Suddenly the aircraft broke in…
Bob Smith's Memoirs
Bob's memoirs from his early training until he became operational.
Interview with John Harrison
John Harrison grew up in Yorkshire and worked in the Civil Service before joining the Royal Air Force at 18. After training, he flew operations as a mid-upper gunner with 106 Squadron from RAF Metheringham before being shot down over Leipzig and…
Interview with William Bullock
William Bullock was born in Marshfield in Gloucestershire in September 1916 and joined the Royal Air Force as an apprentice in 1932. He was posted to Egypt for training - after serving in the Middle East he joined Bomber Command as an engineer. After…
Interview with Eric Brown
Eric left school at 14 and worked in a bakery and then in accountancy. Aged 17 he volunteered for aircrew and trained as a flight engineer. He became a pathfinder and carried out operations to Hamburg, Karlsruhe, and Dortmund, flying from RAF…
Report on Sergeant James Canniff’s Death
Reports that following Canniff’s death he was buried in Grave 34 in the English section of the Military Cemetery at Westduin. His was buried next to two comrades, Sergeant Johnson in Grave 33 and Sergeant Collingwood in Grave 35.
Admiral Shyte-Awk
Top - photograph of an airman in the cockpit of a Lancaster. On the fuselage below nose art of duck with peaked cap walking down road with sign to Berlin. Row of bomb symbols underneath.
Below - explanation that Admiral Shyte-Awk was the aircraft…
Below - explanation that Admiral Shyte-Awk was the aircraft…