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Wellingtons Over the Target
Photo 1 is an air to air image of a Wellington IV.
Photo 2 is a Wellington landing at night.
Photo 3 is a vertical aerial photograph with two Wellingtons. No detail is visible on the ground due to cloud and anti-aircraft fire.
Photo 4 is a…
Photo 2 is a Wellington landing at night.
Photo 3 is a vertical aerial photograph with two Wellingtons. No detail is visible on the ground due to cloud and anti-aircraft fire.
Photo 4 is a…
Chart of North West France
A navigational chart of North West France with planned routes marked.
There is also a photograph of a pilot in a Wellington cockpit.
There is also a photograph of a pilot in a Wellington cockpit.
Proposal for Mieczysław Stachiewicz to receive Virtuti Militari
The Polish language proposal is for Mieczysław Stachiewicz to receive Poland's highest military award, the Virtuti Militari. It details his 25 operations, including the first 1000 bomber operation, on Cologne. There is also a list of medals awarded…
Batiuszka Cywiński przy Wellingtonie
Item 1 is an annotated chart for an operation to Cologne. There are areas highlighted in red around major cities.
Item 2 is a photograph of a Wellington framed by the entrance to the hangar.
Item 3 is a photograph of Batiuszka Cywiński standing…
Item 2 is a photograph of a Wellington framed by the entrance to the hangar.
Item 3 is a photograph of Batiuszka Cywiński standing…
Odpowiedz na depesze z Polski
Item 1 is a telegram from Poland asking about Mieczysław Stachiewicz and Rabek Jan, describing them as in aviation. There is a handwritten comment in Polish.
Item 2 is a sketch map of an operation to Hamburg. It covers a route across Holland with…
Item 2 is a sketch map of an operation to Hamburg. It covers a route across Holland with…
Interview with Douglas "Jim" James
Douglas (Jim) James was born in India and returned to England when he was nine. After leaving school, he joined the RAF as an air gunner, forging his father’s signature on the application. Jim carried out 29 operations with 460 Squadron, flying in…
Interview with John Tait
John Tait was prompted to join the Royal Air Force, as he was American by birth and therefore he had to report to the police station once a month because he was considered an ‘alien’. He was a wireless operator and gunner, flying in Ansons,…
Interview with Edward Allan McDonald
Allan McDonald was born in Hull and worked as an apprentice electrician before joining the Air Force. He passed the exams to become aircrew and trained as an air gunner. During training, his aircraft crash landed and he was soaked in petrol. He flew…
Interview with Peter Swallow
Peter Swallow was born in Sheffield in 1929, one of three children. He recalls hearing Mr Chamberlain’s declaration of war broadcast as a schoolchild. His father, a plumber, volunteered as a member of the Local Defence Volunteers, eventually…
Interview with Reg Payne. Two
Reg Payne was born in Kettering in 1923. He left school at the age of fourteen and just before he was eighteen he volunteered to join the RAF. He did his basic training at Blackpool learning Morse Code in the tram sheds. From there he did his…
Interview with Colin Lloyd
Colin Lloyd was born in 1933 in Torksey, Lincolnshire. He recalls hearing Mr. Chamberlain’s broadcast on Sunday 3rd September 1939. His father got a job in 1942 at the gravel pits near Whisby and they moved to that area. Colin describes being close…
Interview with Robert William Maggs
Robert Maggs lived in London until his family were bombed out and moved to the seaside. He joined the local Air Training Corps and later volunteered for the RAF and trained as a gunner. During training his plane crashed and he was left trapped. He…
Interview with Dorothy Lusby
Dorothy’s was born in Cleethorpes, her father served in the Army during the First World War. They moved to Grimsby at the outbreak of the war, when she was turning 13 years old. She recalls the bombings and having to stay in an Anderson air raid…
Interview with Betty May Pearson
Her brother-in-law William Mollison Walton, after training to be a pilot in Canada, was based at RAF Swinderby with 97 Squadron. In 1944 his aircraft was attacked and he baled out. He spent two days on a small island where he buried his parachute,…
Interview with Coby Van Riel
Coby Van Riel was aged about six when the Germans invaded Holland. She lived in a fishing port area of The Hague, where her father had numerous jobs to make ends meet in the difficult days before the war and her mother ran a chemist shop. She…
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 Pat Rumfitt
Pat Rumfitt was born in 1927 and experienced a privileged upbringing living in Kent as an only child before the war. She describes the resilient attitude to bombing in Bromley, walking to their flooded Anderson Shelter in her dressing gown and…
Interview with Pat Harrison
Pat Harrison was born in Lincoln and was the only girl of four children. Her father joined the Royal Air Force after serving as an air raid warden. Pat remembers the arrival of evacuees in Lincoln and also recalls occasions when bombing resulted in…
Conversation with Hamish Mahaddie
Conversation recorded for the Nanton Lancaster Society.
Hamish Mahaddie, the recruiter for the Pathfinder Force recalls the life of Ian Willoughby Bazalgette VC who plagued him weekly for the opportunity to join the Pathfinders. He had been posted…
Hamish Mahaddie, the recruiter for the Pathfinder Force recalls the life of Ian Willoughby Bazalgette VC who plagued him weekly for the opportunity to join the Pathfinders. He had been posted…
Interview with David Rayner Fox
David Rayner Fox grew up in New Zealand and joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1942. After training, he flew operations as an air gunner with 75 Squadron from RAF Mepal. During one operation his pilot, Dave Moriarty, was terribly injured when…
Interview with Ivon Warmington
Ivon Warmington was working for the Post Office in his native Cornwall before he volunteered for the RAF. After pilot training he flew a tour of operations with 166 Squadron from RAF Kirmington. His first operation was to Mailly le Camp where the…
Letter to Dennis Raettig from his mother
Senders address is care of Worms and Company (shipping agents). Asks whether Dennis Raettig has been receiving mail from his father and relates family news. Comments that most women and children have been evacuated. Tells story of two women…
Letter to Dennis Raettig from his mother
Writes about stories of damage to Hull in bombing related by him and other acquaintances. Enquires about other people and relates some family news. Mentions that things are not comfy at her location due to bombing but she wished to stay with her…
Sortie navigation log
Records times and navigational observations. Notes was 51 Squadron, captain W/O Johnson, navigator Sgt Sabloski date 24.3.45.
Sortie navigation log - Rheine
Logs time, course, navigation observation and other navigation data and calculations. No date, signed M Sabloski (Sgt).