Browse Items (222 total)

  • Tags: fear

ATyrellLR150929.mp3
Leonard Ralph Tyrell mentions always being keen on aircraft since he was a boy. He was sent to RAF Syerston near Nottingham for Lancaster Finishing School, and then an advanced flying unit near Wolverhampton, before heading to number 17 OTU at RAF…

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AWadmoreGVE171227.mp3
Gwendolen Wadmore was born in London in 1922, and lived there throughout the Second World War. Her early memories are marching with the Girl Guides. She left school at 14 and began work in a tailor’s shop; at the start of the war she was employed…

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PWagnerHW1701.jpg
Henry Wolfe Wagner was born in Ireland. The family moved to England when he was young and settled near Reading. Henry attended Reading University for two years joining the University Air Squadron. He then volunteered for the RAF and began training as…

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PWatsonJ1501.jpg
John Robert Watson joined RAF Bomber Command in 1943, volunteering after he witnessed his next-door neighbour's house being destroyed by a bomb. Against his father's wishes, John joined Bomber Command initially as a wireless operator, before…

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PWilsonJS1601.jpg
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…

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BStoreyDPStoreyDPv1.pdf
A memoir of David Storey's service from 27 May 1943 to April 1944. He describes his 32 completed operations as a navigator on Halifaxes and including details of incidents and aircraft losses.

This item was provided, in digital form, by a…

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MAllenJH179996-160512-020001.jpg
An account of Jim Allen's life from 1941 to 1997. He details meeting his future wife and their intermittent courtship. There is great detail about his social life and relationship with his future wife. There are two pages of photographs:
First page:…

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BAllenJHAllenJHv1.pdf
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…

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BDudleyCDudleyCv1.pdf
A document written by Jim Allen's navigator. He describes his early training and difficulties when navigating in the UK, Jim Allen's skills, his own behaviour on the aircraft, flying under a bomber shortly before the target, his relief at surviving…

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MNealeETH1395951-150731-0020001.jpg
Ted Neale describes the aircrew and circumstances leading to their baling out near Nereto, Tortoreto, Italy. Some of the crew were captured, but Ted was sheltered by local people. He met up with an English army corporal and travelled by boat to…

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BRoomCARoomCAv1.pdf
A diary of the forced march undertaken by prisoners of war 6 February 1945 to 26 April 1945

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ELumsdenM-MBainA430710-0001.jpg
Letter in which Andrew describes life on the squadron, including the comradeship of his crew and appreciation of Isabel. Includes envelope.

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MHorshamES1869854-170105-01.pdf
A poem about a bombing operation

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BGriffinDAJGriffinDAJv1.pdf
Writes of his last operation in a Halifax when his aircraft was shot down and exploded killing all the other members of the crew. Describes journey to camp and being in Frankfurt while it is under bombing attack. Continues with description of life as…

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BDonaldsonDWDonaldsonDWv10001.jpg
Service history of David Donaldson including postings, promotions and awards.

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YGeachDG1394781v5.pdf
Fifth and final diary kept by David Geach chronicling his time training and on operations. He writes about his return from Canada on the Queen Elizabeth then his training in England which began with arriving at the Posting Centre in Pannal Ash,…

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EValentineJRMValentineUM401231-0001.jpg
Writes that big attack on London is on his mind along with shared recollections of a big fire when the bombing first started. Comments that he is likely to remain at his current location until March/April and asks if she would consider moving to join…

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EValentineJRMValentineUM420602-0001.jpg
First letter as a prisoner of war. Asks her to let him know how long she was in suspense with him missing before he was reported as prisoner. Writes of conditions in camp. Describes how pilot stayed with aircraft and allowed the rest of the crew to…

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EValentineUMValentineJRM420619-0001.jpg
Her first letter to John since she heard that we was a prisoner of war. She describes the time when he was missing and the reactions of friends to the good news. Suggests starting a game of chess and asks him to tell her what he wants her to send…

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EValentineUMValentineJRM430419-0001.jpg
Reports arrival of his letters and a postcard. Comments on his description of bailing out of his aircraft and looks forward to the end of the war but says not much hope this year. Glad he is receiving a few more parcels mentions some of the senders.…

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PHarrisonEW1903.jpg
Eric William Harrison joined the RAF in 1943 and trained as a flight engineer at RAF Locking, RAF St Athan, and RAF Chedburgh, where he flew Stirlings and recollects that they were a terrifying aircraft compared to Lancasters. Harrison formed a crew…

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BCahirFSCahirFSv1.pdf
Memoirs of Jim Cahir who served with 466 Squadron RAAF. He writes about being shot down near Frankfurt on Main on the night of 20/21 December 1943 and subsequently being captured and imprisoned in Stalag IVB in Muhleberg. He stayed there until the…

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STyrieJSB87636v2.2.pdf
A wartime log kept by Jim Tyrie. He lists his crew on the night they were shot down over Berlin, the construction of tin trays, addresses of co-prisoners, cartoons, London restaurants, newspaper cuttings in German and English and finally more…

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MCurnockRM1815605-171114-013.pdf
The News Sheet of the Canadian Prisoner of War Relatives Association. This edition covers Victory in Europe, the death of President Roosevelt, the liberation of Canadian POWs, assembly centres for released POWs, the seizure of German POW records,…

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BBarrettRBarrettRv1-part1of2.pdf
Raymond spent his time in the R.A.F. overseas, this lengthy memoir covers the period July 1943 until August 1946. He served in the Middle and Far East and Italy. He was an Engine Mechanic/Fitter and this is his story. The memoir has maps of his…

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