Michael Jeffries]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Christina Brown]]> Heather Hughes]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Air Force. Transport Command]]> Great Britain]]> England]]> France]]> Wales]]> Atlantic Ocean--Baltic Sea]]> England--Devon]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> France--Normandy]]> Wales--Vale of Glamorgan]]> Scotland--Moray]]> 1944]]> Bill returned to Scotland and converted to bomb aiming. He crewed up at RAF Castle Donington and went to RAF Sandtoft and RAF Hemswell to the Lancaster Finishing School. Bill was transferred to 166 Squadron at RAF Kirmington, flying Lancasters. They then went to RAF Scampton as 153 Squadron. Bill conducted 29 operations and one which was aborted because of engine problems. Bill then trained as an equipment officer, being sent to RAF Strubby. He then demobilised and returned to his job in local government.
The interview discusses relationships between commissioned and non-commissioned crew, Bill’s thoughts on Dresden, Bomber Command and Arthur Harris, and the awarding of medals. ]]>
Bruce Blanche]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Sally Coulter]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> Canada]]> Alberta]]> Ontario]]> Ontario--Toronto]]> Prince Edward Island]]> Québec]]> England--Cornwall (County)]]> England--Harrogate]]> England--Hastings]]> England--Lancashire]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--London]]> England--Manchester]]> England--Northamptonshire]]> England--Redruth]]> England--Sussex]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Scotland--Wigtown]]> Wales--Aberystwyth]]> Germany]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> Germany--Cologne]]> Germany--Dresden]]> Germany--Kassel]]> Germany--Kleve (North Rhine-Westphalia)]]> Germany--Stuttgart]]> Germany--Wanne-Eickel]]> New Brunswick]]> New Brunswick--Moncton]]> United States]]> New York (State)]]> New York (State)--New York]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]>
]]> Adam Purcell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Mal Prissick]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> Australia]]> Atlantic Ocean--Bay of Biscay]]> Atlantic Ocean--English Channel]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Germany--Cologne]]> Germany--Frankfurt am Main]]> Germany--Rüsselsheim]]> Poland--Szczecin]]> France--Chartres]]> France--Gironde Estuary]]> France--Le Havre]]> United States]]> Germany]]> France]]> Poland]]> California--San Francisco]]> California]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> John Bowden]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Peter Adams]]> Mal Prissick]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> United States]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Victoria--Bendigo]]> California--San Francisco]]> United States]]> Victoria]]> California]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> Dan Ellin]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Dawn Studd]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Jean Macartney]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Christine Kavanagh]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Germany]]> Germany--Urft Dam]]> 1940]]> 1941]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> Mike Connock]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Anne-Marie Watson]]> Carolyn Emery]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> India]]> Japan]]> Netherlands]]> Singapore]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Staffordshire]]> England--London]]> Germany--Cologne]]> Germany--Dresden]]> Germany--Essen]]> Germany--Nuremberg]]> India--Pune]]> 1945]]> Jean Macartney]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> Pending OH summary. Allocated S Coulter]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> United States]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Germany--Luckenwalde]]> New York (State)--New York]]> New York (State)]]> Hugh Donnelly]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> Pending OH summary]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Germany--Nuremberg]]> 1944-03-30]]> 1944-03-31]]> 1944-06-05]]> 1944-06-06]]> Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Air Force. Transport Command]]> Australia]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> Yemen (Republic)--Aden]]> Christmas Island]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Germany--Düsseldorf]]> Yemen (Republic)]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> 1938]]> 1940]]> 1941]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> Harry Bartlett]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> Pending OH summary]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Canada]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> 1941]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> Mick Jeffery]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sue Smith]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> Poland]]> South Africa]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Germany--Berlin]]> Germany--Essen]]> Wales--Carmarthen]]> Netherlands]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> 1939]]> 1943-02]]> Mark Hunt]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> England--Derbyshire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Wales--Vale of Glamorgan]]> John discusses Czechoslovakian and Polish aircrew, Jewish personnel, and German-speaking servicemen tasked to listen to German radio communications and disrupt them. He talks about civilian and service life, military ethos, losses, plus personal recollections of Guy Gibson.]]> Julian Maslin]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Carolyn Emery]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> France]]> Germany]]> Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Katie Gilbert]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Polskie Siły Powietrzne]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> Poland]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Germany--Cologne]]> Germany--Essen]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> 1940]]> 1941]]> 1942]]> 1944]]> He did his training at Yatesbury and was there 3 months before moving to 18 Operational Training Unit at Finningley, where he flew Avro Ansons and Vickers Wellingtons. He was not assigned to a crew initially, becoming a spare man to fill in where necessary. He joined Flight Lieutenant John Baxters crew after someone fell ill.
Jeff moved to a Heavy Conversation Unit, flying Handley Page Halifaxes, before moving to a Avro Lancaster finishing school. He was then posted to Scampton for operational duties.
He completed 29 operations before taking part in Operation Manna, dropping food supplies in Holland. He then flew with 100 Squadron on Avro Lincolns taking part in Operation Exodus, bringing soldiers back home.
After the war ended, Jeff returned to his previous employer, the East Midlands Electricity Board where he used his Higher National Certificate to become a qualified Engineer.
]]>
Mike Connock]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Vivienne Tincombe]]> Pending review]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]>
After leaving school at the age of 14, Derek delivered books in and around Doncaster before going down to the Royal Air Force Recruitment Centre in Doncaster and signing up for service after developing a love of aviation after seeing Vimmies and Heyfords.
Derek passed his exams for a pilot, however trained as a wireless operator because of his knowledge of Morse code. When he was crewed up, his team flew in Wellingtons at RAF Finningley, with 18 Operational Training Unit.
Derek then was transferred to a Heavy Conversion Unit at RAF Blyton, where he worked on Halifaxes, before being posted to 625 Squadron at RAF Kelstern, flying on Lancasters.
He completed operations to Essen, Dortmund, Cologne and also targeted the oil refineries. Derek also took part in Operation Manna, dropping supplies in Holland.]]>
Annie Moody]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Vivienne Tincombe]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> Germany--Cologne]]> Germany--Dortmund]]> Germany--Essen]]> Netherlands]]> Germany]]>
Norman went to 101 Squadron and learnt to fly Lancasters, serving as a bomb aimer. He describes his first operation to Mailly-Le-Camp where over 40 Lancasters, out of 350, were lost.
Norman’s aircraft was shot down over Dortmund with the death of five crew members. He was captured, as were the pilot and navigator. After the Frankfurt Interrogation Centre, they went to a camp in Wetzlar. Norman then went to Stalag Luft 7 at Bankau in Silesia, followed by four months in another camp. The Germans evacuated prisoner of war camps in January 1945 following Russian attacks. Norman marched on a “death march” for three weeks in snow to Luckenwalde, a camp with 20-25,000 men.
Norman escaped with the Americans via Hildesheim and Le Havre before returning to Britain. He was posted to RAF Cosford but could only leave when he had regained weight, which took six months. He finished in February 1946 with the rank of warrant officer.]]>
Mick Jeffery]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Canada]]> Nova Scotia]]> Nova Scotia--Halifax]]> France]]> France--Mailly-le-Camp]]> Germany]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> Germany--Dortmund]]> Germany--Luckenwalde]]> 1941]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> 1945-01]]> 1946]]> 1946-02]]>
Frank's first operation was to Kiel where, he tells us, he successfully bombed the Admiral Sheer. He relates several experiences during operations to Germany, including a near miss with falling bombs from another aircraft. Towards the war's end he took part in Operations Manna and Dodge and recalls the VE day celebrations. After the war he remustered as a driving instructor.
In 2012 he went to the unveiling of the Green Park memorial, recalling that the taxi driver would not accept any payment, saying that 'you boys have done enough'.
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Rod Pickles]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Andy Fitter]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Germany]]> South Africa]]> Atlantic Ocean--North Sea]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Germany--Helgoland]]> Germany--Plauen]]> Germany--Kiel]]> Great Britain]]> South Africa]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> 1945-04-09]]> 1945-05-08]]> 2012]]>
John had his commissioning interview on the same day as his wedding and joined 170 Squadron at RAF Hemswell in December 1944 where he carried out eight operations. He describes one of the eight operations to Bottrop when they were hit by anti-aircraft fire but managed to return safely.
John volunteered for the Pathfinders and was posted to 582 Squadron at RAF Little Staughton, flying Lancasters. He explains how they initially acted in a supporter role before progressing to dropping flares and markers.
John took part in Operation Manna in Rotterdam and fetched some prisoners of war from Juvincourt in France. He then went to RAF Dunkeswell where he test flew some Lancasters before returning to RAF Little Staughton from where he was demobbed. He describes the Cook’s tours he did for groundcrew and WAAFs.]]>
Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> England--Devon]]> England--Gloucestershire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Manchester]]> England--Scarborough]]> England--Shropshire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Canada]]> United States]]> New Brunswick]]> New Brunswick--Moncton]]> Germany]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> Germany--Bottrop]]> Netherlands]]> Netherlands--Rotterdam]]>
Geoff describes a couple of incidents relating to Bonn and Duisburg, part of his 24 operations. The last operation was to Heligoland. He carried out three food drops as part of Operation Manna and then had repatriated prisoners of war. He was posted to RAF Valley where they were preparing Canadian-built Lancasters for the Far East. They were scrapped after the atomic bomb. He was demobbed in March 1947. Geoff gives his views on Bomber Command.
]]>
Tina James]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Chris Cann]]> Sally Coulter]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Wales--Vale of Glamorgan]]> Germany]]> Germany--Bonn]]> Germany--Duisburg]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> Germany--Helgoland]]> Netherlands]]> 1943-04]]>
Annie Moody]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Vivienne Tincombe]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Yorkshire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Scotland--Fife]]> Scotland--Crail]]> Germany]]> Germany--Essen]]> Germany--Stuttgart]]> Germany--Emmerich]]> Germany--Freiburg im Breisgau]]> Poland]]> Poland--Police (Województwo Zachodniopomorskie)]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]>
This item was provided, in digital form, by a third-party organisation which used technical specifications and operational protocols that may differ from those used by the IBCC Digital Archive.]]>
IBCC Digital Archive]]> Anne-Marie Watson]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Civilian]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> United States]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Lincoln]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]>
David Meanwell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Carolyn Emery]]> Pending review]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> India]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Germany--Dortmund]]> Wales--Glamorgan]]> Netherlands]]> Netherlands--Wassenaar]]> England--Yorkshire]]> 1943]]> 1944-11-29]]> 1945]]> Susanne Pescott]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Tilly Foster]]> Pending review]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Canada]]> Great Britain]]> Singapore]]> United States]]> England--Cumbria]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Warwickshire]]> 1940]]> 1944]]>