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Order of the day to members of the civil defence (general) services
Notes demobilisation of civil defence services. Relates history of civil defence forces and notes that participants should be proud of service and take many memories, Thanks to all.
Letter to all members of civil defence messenger service
![EJacksonD[General]450529.jpg](https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/square_thumbnails/867/17951/EJacksonD[General]450529.jpg "EJacksonD[General]450529.jpg")
Written as civil defence duties finished. Thanks for loyal support. Notes final parade on 10 June 1945.
1943 Diary
Mentions anniversary of death of Uncle George December 1942. Daily activities for January and some of February and sporadic entries after that. Writes of going to pictures and walks. Contains some telephone numbers and addresses of friends.
Interview with Pauline Alexander
During the war, Pauline's siblings Bernard, Guy, Robert and Peter served in the air force and army, her mother volunteered for the Red Cross, and her father volunteered as an air raid warden. Inspired by her brothers, Alexander joined Women’s…
Interview with Don Sutherland. One
Don’s father was Scottish and his mother came from the west coast of England. They moved to Coventry, where Don was born. When he was eight, they moved to Newcastle-on-Tyne, where his father worked in armaments. Don left school at 15 and half and…
Interview with Sheila Wilmet
Sheila Wilmet grew up in Liverpool and was fifteen when war was declared. She describes the devastation of bombing in 1941, spending nights in an Anderson shelter, and navigating unexploded bombs during her commute. She volunteered after viewing a…
Tom Wharmby
Tom Wharmby was born at Walkden, North Manchester. Mentions hobbies, schooling at St Johns School, Bolton Commercial and Worsley Technical School, his wedding and an accounting job at Cooper and Cooper. Details his military career with the Home Guard…
A Hollis Home Guard
Full length portrait of a corporal wearing battledress and a tin helmet. He has a gas mask holder on his chest and a rifle slung on his shoulder. In the background a two storey house with windows and part of door. On the reverse 'A H Home Guard'.
A Hollis Home Guard
Full length portrait of a man wearing battledress with corporal stripes, also with side cap and sword. In the background a house with windows and part of door. On the reverse 'A Hollis, Home Guard'.
Boy and bomb-site
Bomb-site with young man sitting in foreground with his head in his hands.
Celebratory letter from King George
Letter from King George to all school-children, celebrating and sharing the victory of the allied nations. It is headed with the Royal Standard, in colour. On the reverse a list of 60 important war dates.
Interview with Elsie Davis
Elsie Davis was raised in Balham by her mother after her father died when she was a child. She worked in a factory and then at the start of the war she went to work on the buses as a conductress because it was a Reserved Occupation. She witnessed…
What a place to be, whilst there was a war on
Ted Neale's account of when he was 18 at the Woolwich Arsenal. He tells of a bombing attack at the factory, which started just as they were leaving at 5pm.
Harry and Jessie Redgrave's home
A view of Harry and Jessie's bungalow 'Redwood' in Southend.
Jessie Redgrave's 1939 diary
A diary kept by Jessie Redgrave during 1939 with detailed daily entries on her life.
To Jessie from Harry Redgrave
A letter and envelope from Harry Redgrave to Jessie. Harry writes about life in the RAF whilst based in Dumfries. He writes that they are all bored, the weather is awful and tells about an eventful trip to the cinema.
To Jessie from Harry Redgrave
A letter and envelope from Harry Redgrave to his wife Jessie. Harry writes about life at Redbrae including his medical exam and moving accommodation. He refers to the bombing in Southend and Sheerness and warns Jessie about the danger from shrapnel.
To Jessie from Harry Redgrave
A letter and envelope from Harry Redgrave to his wife Jessie. Harry is studying hard for his exams and putting in flying hours in Fokkers. He replies positively to Jessie's mention of starting to 'Dig for Victory' by growing vegetables and suggests…
To Jessie from Harry Redgrave
A three-page hand-written letter from Harry Redgrave to his wife Jessie. He writes about having to drill in snow, cakes that his comrades managed to acquire and the start of food rationing.
Letter to David Donaldson from his father
Catches up with news and family. Mentions three alarms / sirens and guns and some war news.
Interview with Geoffrey Charles Spencer
Geoffrey Spencer grew up in Birmingham and worked with his father in tool making, carrying out fire watching as a youngster. He joined the Air Force in August 1943, aged 18. After training, he served as a flight mechanic and fitter with 49 Squadron…
Letter from Mrs K Wynn to War Service Grants
![EWynnKGovUK[Date]-0001.jpg](https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/square_thumbnails/1018/11827/EWynnKGovUK[Date]-0001.jpg "EWynnKGovUK[Date]-0001.jpg")
Kathleen Wynn is surprised she has received no grant and lays out what she would expect with two children under 14 years old. Points out that it is unfair for someone who has a husband on active duties to be worse off than another with a husband…
Interview with Elizabeth Zettl
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…
Interview with Robin Wright
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…
Interview with Eric Wright
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…