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Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
![EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420512-0001.jpg](https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/square_thumbnails/666/18029/EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420512-0001.jpg "EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420512-0001.jpg")
Bill writes about possible leave - keeps changing. Now on 2-3 hr shifts on the gun post, but also have to get there quickly if there is an air raid warning. Says no air raids recently but saw Me 109 at high level and resulting anti aircraft fire.…
Operations June 1944
A short memoir about operations over France before and after D-day. Includes how he received his award (as a D-Day veteran) of the Légion d'Honneur in Canberra.
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
![EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420510-0001.jpg](https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/square_thumbnails/666/18026/EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420510-0001.jpg "EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420510-0001.jpg")
Writes about measures after bombing attack - half the course to go on leave and other, including his flight, to man gun post. Describes how he and friend Derry rushed to get the first post. They are on a very exposed gun post with a Vickers machine…
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
![EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420507-0001.jpg](https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/square_thumbnails/666/18024/EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420507-0001.jpg "EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420507-0001.jpg")
Writes that he is still alive despite Lord Haw Haw's broadcast of German bombing attacks on Eastbourne. Mentions damage to nearby buildings. Describes attack by Me 109s including machine gunning and dropping bombs - and how they had to hide from the…
Letter from Bill Akrill to his mother
![EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420504-0001.jpg](https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/square_thumbnails/666/18022/EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420504-0001.jpg "EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]420504-0001.jpg")
Writes about exams and passing. Mentions leave possibility and church parade. Speculates over embarkation and writes of being re-equipped. Starts writing about a friend's experience of a bombing attack on Bath but then breaks off. Resumes to write of…
Letter from Bill Akrill to mother and family
![EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]410915-0001.jpg](https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/square_thumbnails/666/17997/EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]410915-0001.jpg "EAkrillWEAkrill[Mo]410915-0001.jpg")
Writes from the Receiving Centre of his billet in a 'rather nice block of flats' near Regents Park and of walking round looking at bomb damage to some old haunts in London.
They go to the zoo for their meals ('lot of monkeys').
Will on be at…
They go to the zoo for their meals ('lot of monkeys').
Will on be at…
William Holmes' Royal Canadian Air Force pilot's flying log book
Royal Canadian Air Force pilots flying log book for W C Holmes, covering the period from 18 August 1942 to 18 May 1945. Detailing his flying training, operations flown and post war flying with 512 squadron and transport command. He was stationed at…
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.
During the war,Hull was only ever referred to as A North-east coast town
Reasons why Hull was not names and summary of the damage done noting that Hull suffered more than any other city including 1200 people killed and 152000 rendered homeless.
Hull city map showing bomb strikes
City map of Hull showing blue black and red marks. Post-it label reads 'Red circle indicates Ron Harrison's grandmother's house featured in his interview'.
One man in his time
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…
Interview with Ron Mayhill
Ron Mayhill was born in Auckland, New Zealand. He joined the Air Training Corp in 1941, automatically entered the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1942, trained as a bomb aimer in Canada, and travelled on the Queen Mary to the UK in 1943. While flying…
Interview with Tommy Knox
Tommy Knox, born in 1924, grew up in northern Glasgow and volunteered at the earliest age of seventeen and one quarter. He then trained in Wales and Devon and flew Stirlings. Tommy was posted to RAF Stradishall for his Heavy Conversion Unit, meeting…
Interview with John Green
John Green was born on the 22nd of September 1921 in Penge, South East London. He registered for the Royal Air Force to prevent being called up by the Army and was drafted in 1942. He was posted to the Isle of Man, where he volunteered as a drogue…
A miraculous escape from certain death in world war 2
An account of operation as Pathfinder against German naval and submarine base at Kiel when his aircraft was shot down by 'Schräge Musik' equipped night-fighter which cause the aircraft to break in two. Describes crew actions during bomb run and…
Ops are on. Maximum effort
A memoir by Joe Harrison of his first operation in 1943. He describes the initial briefing, the events during the bombing run, the damage to their aircraft and his subsequent illness. Includes descriptions of the post-op analysis and good crew…
Aux populations de la France Occupee
Leaflet thanking those in occupied France for their ongoing work in helping to slow down factory production, thus aiding the bombing effort.
Citation for award of Victoria Cross to Flying Officer Leslie Thomas Manser
Relates actions of Manser as captain of Manchester during the first 1,000 bomber operation on Cologne on 30 May 1942. After damage to aircraft Manser persisted in efforts to save aircraft. Once crash was inevitable he ordered his crew to bail out,…
This stone was unlaid at Duisburg by 50 Sqdn
A cartoon with image of destroyed building and large stone with inscription saying: 'This stone was unlaid at Duisburg by 50 Sqdn, followed by names of crew (F/O Calvert, F/Sgt Stevens, Sgt Gray, Sgt Branch, Sgt Austin, Sgt Cruickshank, Sgt Conner)…
This stone was unlaid at Wilhelmshaven by 50 Sqdn
A cartoon with image of destroyed building and large stone with inscription saying: 'This stone was unlaid at Wilhelmshaven by 50 Sqdn, followed by names of crew (F/O Calvert, P/O Sears, Sgt Gray, Sgt Branch, Sgt Austin, Sgt Cruickshank, Sgt Conner)…
This stone was unlaid at Bremen by 50 Sqdn
A cartoon with image of destroyed building and large stone with inscription saying: 'This stone was unlaid at Bremen by 50 Sqdn, followed by names of crew (F/O Calvert, P/O Sears, Sgt Gray, Sgt Branch, Sgt Austin, Sgt Cruickshanks[sic], Sgt Conner)…
This stone was unlaid at Dusseldorf by 50 Sqdn
A cartoon with image of destroyed building and large stone with inscription saying: “This stone was unlaid at Dusseldorf by 50 Sqdn, followed by names of crew (F/O Calvert, P/O Sears, Sgt Gray, Sgt Branch, Sgt Austin, Sgt Cruickshank, Sgt Connor)…
Bremen 4/5 Sept. 1942 50 Squadron
Lancaster dropping bombs annotated with the names of the crew: 'F/O Calvert, F/Sgt Stevens, Sgt Gray, Sgt Branch, Sgt Austin, Sgt Cruickshank, Sgt Connor' on each bomb- captioned 'Bremen 4/5 Sept. 1942 50 Squadron'.
Damage descriptions for post operation photographs
Damage descriptions to go with photographs of Rostock, Genoa, Milan (24 October 1942), Berlin (October 1943 and 8 March 1944) and Munich (24/25 April 1944). Some of the photographs described are not in the collection. Also a description of photograph…
Damage descriptions for post operation photographs
Damage descriptions to go with photographs of Rostock, Genoa, Milan, Munich, Berlin industrial targets and Central Berlin. Also of visit of Southern Rhodesia Premier to 44 Squadron.
Relates to photographs C3518, C3229, C3206, C4375, CH13328,…
Relates to photographs C3518, C3229, C3206, C4375, CH13328,…