Browse Items (22 total)
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Interview with Audrey Teasdale
Audrey left school aged 14 and began work as a clerical assistant for a tailoring firm in Leeds, before moving into furniture sales. She was 23 when the war started and was conscripted on 15 December 1942, electing to join the Women's Auxiliary Air…
Interview with Alan George Buxton
Alan was born in Parramatta, Sydney, in Australia. After going to the Middle East with the army, he returned to Australia, when Japan entered the war, and transferred to the RAF in November 1942. Alan was posted to Bradfield Park for training and…
Interview with John Foster Thorp
John Thorp was born and raised in Manchester where he attended North Manchester Grammar School. Aged 17 he joined the Home Guard and when he was 18 he volunteered for the RAF with thoughts of becoming a pilot. While waiting at RAF Heaton Park to…
Interview with Sidney Knott
Sidney Knott was from Leigh-on-Sea and recalls the day, with invasion apparently imminent, that signs were put up on the local shops advising people that they had to be ready to move within an hour and to take only one suitcase with them. Sidney’s…
Interview with Maurice Barrick
Maurice Barrick had always wanted to serve in the Royal Air Force. Upon completion of training, he was posted to Bomber Command 467 Squadron at RAF Waddington. He did four operational flights and two trips flying British prisoners of war from…
Interview with Ron Baker
Ron Baker, originally from Willesden, was in the ATC before joining the RAF and training as a flight mechanic. He was posted to 463 Squadron at RAF Waddington. On one occasion he had to help remove the body of a gunner who had died during the flight.…
Interview with Peter Fitt
Peter was born in Norwich. His father was a head gardener and wanted him to follow that occupation and so refused to let him join the RAF. With the advent of war, the situation changed and Peter volunteered at a recruiting station and, after…
Interview with Harold Kirby. One
Harold Kirby joined the Royal Air Force, encouraged by two friends, but ended up training as a flight mechanic at RAF Halton on medical grounds. Harold became an airframe fitter, volunteered as a flight engineer, passed the physical but was then…
Interview with Jim Wright. Two
John Wright was born in 1932. He was evacuated from West Ham during the war, along with his mother and two brothers. His father joined the Royal Air Force as an Observer Bomb Aimer with 207 Squadron. His aircraft was shot down over Switzerland on…
Interview with Don Southwell
Don Southwell grew up in Australia and worked for RKO Radio Pictures and as an Air Raid Precautions Warden, before volunteering for the Royal Air Force. After training in Australia and Canada, he flew nine operations as a navigator with 463 Squadron…
Interview with Norman George Smith
Norman George Smith grew up in Western Australia. After leaving school he became an assistant in a timber mill workshop before volunteering for the Australian Air Force at the age of 18. He flew operations as a pilot with 463 Squadron from RAF…
Interview with Lachie McBean
Lachie joined the Royal Australian Air Force at 18. He went to the Initial Training School at Bradfield Park and the drill instructor made a lasting impression on him. He was selected as a pilot and Lachie proceeded to the Elementary Flying Training…
Interview with Harold Kirby. Two
Harold Kirby grew up in London and worked in accounts before joining the Royal Air Force. He served as a fitter with 460 Squadron at RAF Binbrook before re-mustering as a flight engineer. He flew two tours of operations with 467, 97 and 156…
Interview with Denis Kelly
Denis joined the Royal Australian Air Force at 18 and married when he enlisted. He wanted to be a pilot but became a wireless operator/air gunner because he lacked depth perception. After Somers, Denis went to Victor Harbour. He then did a radio…
Interview with Angas Hughes
Angas Hughes was born in Australia and served as a bomb aimer with 467 Squadron based at RAF Waddington. He describes initial training in Australia as a reserve and after call-up in 1942. He was transported by ship to Scotland via the USA and Canada.…
Interview with Ernest Cutts
Ernest Cutts was born in Mallee in Victoria and, at the age of 15, he passed the Commonwealth Public Service Exam, joining the Military Post Office as a civilian junior postal officer. Aged 18, he enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force and went…
Interview with Clarence Keith Bruhn
Clarence Keith Bruhn's parents were of German descent. He grew up in Australia and joined the Royal Australian Air Force. After training, he flew operations as a navigator with 463 Squadron. On one operation his aircraft was hit by friendly fire from…
Interview with Herbert Adams
Herbert Adams grew up in New South Wales, Australia and joined the Air Training Corps as soon as it was established. He later joined the Royal Australian Air Force and, after training, he completed a tour of operations as a navigator with 467…
Interview with Elizabeth Eady
Before the war, Liz worked in aeronautical inspection at a factory which made parachutes. She had an interview in Northolt and enlisted in the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force in October 1942. She went to Uxbridge and chose to be a telephonist. After a…
interview with Derrick Allen's family
Derrick Allen was the mid-upper gunner on a Lancaster that crashed near Spa in Belgium. He had been making his way to bale out when the pilot asked him to help the rear gunner who was trapped in his turret. He managed to do this but the plane broke…
Interview with Jim Wright. One
Jim Wright was born in 1932. He was evacuated from West Ham during the Second World War, along with his mother and two brothers. His father joined the Royal Air Force as an Observer Bomb Aimer with 207 Squadron. His aircraft was shot down over…
Interview with Basil Ambrose
Basil Ambrose was born in Reading. He left school at 14 and became an apprentice turner. He joined the Royal Air Force in May 1942 and trained as a turner before transferring to aircrew as a flight engineer. He trained at RAF St Athan and completed…