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Interview with Roy Monk
Roy Monk remembers days spent in the air raid shelters as a schoolboy during the war. After the war he wanted to be a policeman before he was called to National Service. After training to be a mechanic he was posted to RAF Upwood. Then he was posted…
54 MU RAF Repair and Salvage (43 Group)
A document listing the activities of the Maintenance Unit Repair and Salvage unit. It describes the recovery of damaged aircraft which could be rebuilt and returned to service. The make up of the team is described.
Stan Shaw's Experience with Comms. Flight
A detailed description of three flights undertaken in 1947 . Stan flew on 53 trips as a flight engineer. He names some of his colleagues and mentions they never had a crash between March 46 and March 47.
Training as a flight engineer on Lancasters
Stanley Archer’s account of his training as one of the first flight engineers for Lancaster operations in 1942. First he attended an air gunnery course then transferred to 97 squadron at RAF Woodhall Spa. He comments on a daylight operation on…
Interview with Stanley Shaw
Stanley Shaw was born in 1926 in Derby and, having left school at Easter 1940, he worked in a garage looking after fuel for the nearby camp at Spondon. He saw some soldiers who had returned from Dunkirk, who were reporting to their headquarters.…
Interview with Syd Cooper. Two
Sidney Cooper was born in Blackpool and speaks about his early life there. He joined the Royal Air Force in 1941. He first served as an engine fitter in Fighter Command before remustering as aircrew. He flew operations as a flight engineer with 427…
Interview with Harry Hodgson
Harry Hodgson was ground crew during the war. He was based with 10 Squadron, working on Halifax Bombers at RAF Melbourne. Harry said it was a very busy time patching up the holes from both anti-aircraft fire and bullets on the Halifax. He remembers…
My life in the Royal Air Force Bomber Command
Writes of early life and mentions beginning of the war and volunteering for the air force in January 1940. Continues with account of initial training and mustering as an airframe mechanic and subsequent technical training. Describes first posting to…
My life in the Royal Air Force Bomber Command
Includes several b/w photographs of people and aircraft. Writes of early life and mentions beginning of the war and volunteering for the air force in January 1940. Continues with account of initial training and mustering as an airframe mechanic and…
Trevor Saint diary/memoir
Diary from joining the RAF in may 1941, through training as groundcrew and then volunteered for aircrew and eventually trained as air gunner and posting to 514 Squadron. Describes operations while on the squadron and notes details and losses.…
Letter from Terry Ford to Bob Moore
A letter to Bob Moore from Terry Ford about 75 Squadron. He describes how his crew was the only completely non-New Zealanders, a disposal of a long delay bomb in the North Sea, the loyalty of his ground crew, the station Commander and his failed…
The Aircraftman
The cover of a magazine for The Technical Training School, St. Thomas, Ontario.
The cover shows a stylised airman holding up a twin engined aircraft.
The cover shows a stylised airman holding up a twin engined aircraft.
Interview with Harold Kirby. Two
Harold Kirby grew up in London and worked in an accounts department before joining the Royal Air Force. He served as a fitter with 460 Squadron at RAF Binbrook before remustering as a flight engineer. He flew two tours of operations with 467, 97 and…
Interview with Ronald Davis
Ronald Davis grew up in the East End and worked in London as a solicitor’s office boy. He joined the RAF and trained as a fitter airframe. He was saddened when the pilot of the aircraft he services did not return from operation because they had got…
Interview with George Rogers
Summary: George Rogers joined the RAF in 1930 at 16 as an aircraft mechanic. He talks about the build up to war, rationing and the fall of France. George was sent to India with the Royal Navy. Holidays and relaxation are discussed with stories from…
Procedures and Life of an Air Gunner with a Lancaster Squadron
![MBrookerWH[Ser#-DoB]-180402-04.Pdf](https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/square_thumbnails/1272/17692/MBrookerWH[Ser -DoB]-180402-04.jpg "MBrookerWH[Ser#-DoB]-180402-04.Pdf")
William Brooker's service. His crew was transferred from Swinderby Heavy Conversion Unit to 463 Squadron at RAF Waddington.
He names the crew and describes their roles, including the ground crews, details the activities before an operation, and…
He names the crew and describes their roles, including the ground crews, details the activities before an operation, and…
Bits and Pieces from a Long Career
Covers the period from joining as a Halton Apprentice in September 1932 for training as an Aircraft Fitter. Through the completion of his training and posting to 16 squadron, before being transferred to Egypt in 1937 and on to Iraq with No 4 Flying…
51 Squadron, 4 Group, RAF Bomber Command
A detailed account of William's service in 51 Squadron including copies of the squadron's operational record books.
Ferdinand II being serviced
Two identical photographs of Halifax Ferdinand II being serviced. In the top left corner one ground crew is standing at the top of a ladder looking at the nose of the aircraft. The nose has nose art of a cartoon character of a bull and the title…
Bombing up Lancaster S-Sugar
Side view of Lancaster R5868, being bombed up. In the foreground three trolleys full of bombs. Aircraft is under maintenance with two airmen on the wings and one in the pilot’s seat. Symbols indicating numerous operations on nose of aircraft. Four…
George Bubb and memorabilia
At the top, a photograph of George Bubb in battledress uniform standing in a field with low hedge in the background. In the middle a red dog tag and aircraftsman rank badge. At the bottom red and green dog tags, leading aircraftsman and lance…
Ground crew and aircrew of 'J' 44 Squadron
Top is photograph of 13 ground crew and aircrew in two rows. Front row has five non commissioned officers and one officer in the centre sitting on a trolley. All apart from right hand man are aircrew. All are wearing tunic or battledress. At the…
George Bubb with ground crew at RAF Spilsby
Five airmen, three sitting on ground, are in front; two are kneeling behind. All are wearing battledress. In the background parts of two buildings. Caption 'Grandpa with ground crew, Spilsby 1945'; on the reverse of one photograph 'Spilsby 1945'.
Aircrew and ground personnel with a Lancaster
Aircrew and ground crew stand in front of and on a Lancaster, which has the letter 'S', a cartoon of walking person on the port nose plus a bomb log of 24 operations, three of which are ice-cream cones. There is also a beer tankard. Some crew sit on…
Repairs to Manchester
Three ground crew at work on Manchester L7477, QR-N. Repairs are being made to the starboard side where there is battle damage and two men are working on panels under the wing. The bomb bay doors have been removed. A ladder is propped against the…