Browse Items (19 total)

  • Tags: RAF Bottesford
  • Type is exactly "Sound"

AWilmetS190504.mp3
Sheila Wilmet grew up in Liverpool and was 15 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…

AWebsterJK161004.mp3
Jack Webster applied to join the RAF in December 1942, attended a selection board at RAF Cardington, and was eventually called up in June 1943. After initial training, he went to 4 Radio School at RAF Madley passing out from there with 18 words per…

PMortensenJC1803.jpg
Born on 27 December 1924 in Aigburth Liverpool, James was 15 when war broke out in Europe. He intended to join as a pilot, navigator, bomber aimer in 1943 but, due to shorter waiting list and training time, he trained to become a wireless operator at…

PTrappSV1602.jpg
Sylvia was born in Mansfield where her father was a miner and her mother had worked at Lawns Mills. She had two brothers and a sister. Sylvia was 15 when she left school to work at the hosiery mills and recalls the German manager being deported. She…

ASquiresJW180407.mp3
John was living and working on a farm when he left school aged 14. The family of five lived in a two-bedroom cottage and John remembered hearing a plane crashing near Westborough one evening, all but one of the crew being killed. The children were…

PFraserDK1608.jpg
Sylvia tells of her father's pre-war charabanc business and the pub he ran during the war. She also mentions her work in a factory in Grantham and the occasion when a suspected spy took his own life, when he was arrested. One day an airman and his…

AKnottS151001.mp3
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…

AGouldWP180619.mp3
William Gould joined the Air Defence Cadet Corps at his Grammar School in Stoke on Trent. After selection to join the RAF as a wireless operator/air gunner he went to RAF Eastchurch to re-muster as a flight engineer, and from there, did his training…

PFreemanR1801.jpg
Ralph Freeman volunteered for the RAF in 1942. He began initial training in March 1943 and, in October, was posted to Manitoba where he qualified as a pilot after training on Cornells and Ansons. Upon returning to Great Britain, Freeman was…

ADavisAW180116.mp3
Alan Davis joined the RNZAF towards the end of the war, training in Canada as a wireless operator and air gunner. He returned to the UK and, after conversion to Lancasters, was posted to 75 New Zealand Squadron. Alan tells of his training, crew…

ABorthwickS180306.mp3
Sidney enlisted on 4th January 1944 at the Air Crew Reception Centre, Lord’s cricket ground. He was accepted, despite having a tumour on his left arm. Sidney was a rear gunner on Lancasters. After training at Blackpool, he served at RAF…

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Peter Stevenson was born in Grantham and joined the Air League of the British Empire, as well as the Air Defence Cadet Corps, The Officer’s Training Corps and the Public School’s Air Cadet Wing. He rose through the cadet ranks and embarked on…

PFraserDK1607.jpg
Donald Fraser grew up in Fifeshire, and worked in forestry until he volunteered into the RAF in 1942, aged 18. He trained as a flight engineer and completed a tour of operations with 101 Squadron. He recalls operations to Berlin; being hit by…

AFittP150519.mp3
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…

AGreenKS150713.mp3
Kenneth Green was born on the 17 January 1922 at Pleasley, near Mansfield and worked with the Carlton Auxillary Fire Service, before joining the Royal Air Force at the age of 20. Being unable to fly due to eye problems, he trained as an engineer and…

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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…

ADownesS160806.mp3
Steve had been part of the Air Training Corps and enlisted for the Royal Australian Air Force. From Bradfield Park in Sydney, he went to RAAF Parkes on Wacketts, for basic wireless operator training and RAAF Sale for gunnery training. He sailed to…

PBrownJ1721.jpg
Jeff left school at 15 and became an electrician. Being keen on aircraft he joined the Air Training Corps and volunteered for the RAF when aged 17 to prevent him being randomly sent into the mining industry. Deferred until he was 18, he was initially…

AAllenRM160809.mp3
Richard Murray Allen was born in Queensland, Australia. He joined the Air Training Corps and later volunteered for the Royal Australian Air Force on his 18th birthday. He trained as a wireless operator in Australia, before being posted to England,…
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