Alan was posted to Bradfield Park for training and then to No. 2 Air Observers’ School in Edmonton, Canada. He was given a commission as a pilot officer and went to the Advanced Flying Unit at RAF Wigtown in Scotland, followed by the Operational Training Unit at RAF Lichfield. Alan describes the process of crewing up. He trained on Wellingtons and then went to the Heavy Conversion Unit at RAF Winthorpe. Alan describes the night they had to parachute from their Stirling after a trip to the coast of Holland.
After Lancaster Finishing School, Alan was posted to 617 Squadron where the Commanding Officer was J B “Willie” Tait. His first operation in November 1944 was to bomb the Urft Dam in Germany but it was too cloudy to release the 12,000 lb Tallboy bomb on board. A second attempt was also unsuccessful. Alan then refers to two operations in the Netherlands where U-boat pens were bombed. Bergen was another operation. On 25 April 1945, their target was Berchtesgaden, their last operation leading a Main Force Group of 400 aircraft.

Alan then went to 467 Squadron at RAF Metheringham. After the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, they were no longer required to go to Okanawa. Alan returned to Australia in February 1946 and joined Shell company in Sidney. ]]>
John Horsburgh]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Julie Williams]]> Carolyn Emery]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> Canada]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> Netherlands]]> Norway]]> Queensland]]> Alberta--Edmonton]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> Germany--Berchtesgaden]]> Norway--Bergen]]> Queensland--Brisbane]]> 1942]]> 1943-11-03]]> 1944-01]]> 1944-09-24]]> 1944-11]]> 1945-04-25]]> 1946-02]]>

This item was sent to the IBCC Digital Archive already in digital form: no better quality copies are available.]]>
R Davies]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Carolyn Emery]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Dorset]]> England--Buckinghamshire]]> England--Bedfordshire]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> England--Bournemouth]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Hampshire]]> 1940]]> 1941]]> 1942]]> 1945]]>
Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Peter Schulze]]> Steph Jackson]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> Italy]]> Norway]]> Poland]]> South Africa]]> Netherlands]]> Tunisia--Qayrawān]]> Zimbabwe]]> Atlantic Ocean--Baltic Sea]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> Netherlands--Walcheren]]> Norway--Bergen]]> Poland--Police (Województwo Zachodniopomorskie)]]> North Africa]]> Tunisia]]> 1943]]> 1944-10-28]]> Adam Purcell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Ian Whapplington]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Australia]]> Victoria]]> Victoria--Melbourne]]> New South Wales]]> New South Wales--Narrandera]]> New South Wales--Sydney]]> Great Britain]]> England--Brighton]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> England--Sussex]]> Wales--Haverfordwest]]> Wales--Milford Haven]]> Wales--Pembrokeshire]]> France]]> France--Cherbourg]]> South Africa]]> South Africa--Durban]]> Victoria--Point Cook]]> Victoria]]> England--Gloucestershire]]> New South Wales--Wagga Wagga]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> Recruited as an engine fitter he trained at St. Athans and then volunteered for flying duties as it was a quick promotion. Because of his engineering background his flight engineering training was reduced to two weeks
He was then posted to RAF Swinderby to fly the Manchester and then to 97 squadron, which became a Pathfinder squadron, at RAF Woodhall Spa alongside 617 Squadron. In May 1943 the squadron moved to RAF Bourne and he was promoted to warrant officer. Henry was happy to stay as an NCO and did not welcome more responsibility.
After his first tour he was rested for six months as a senior instructor at 1661 HCU unit at RAF Winthorpe flying the Stirling. He compares flying the Lancaster and Stirling in some detail.
He returned to operational flying and recalls bombing La Spezia and landing in North Africa where his aircraft went u/s but he repaired it himself in order to return home.
Henry remembers that there were no great celebrations on VE day and he was demobbed in February 1946.
After a period in civilian life, Henry re-enlisted in the RAF in September 1948 as a corporal fitter and was posted to Malaya and Singapore. He left the RAF again in 1952 and then worked for Rolls Royce for 26 years, working on Merlin engines.
]]>
Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Anne-Marie Watson]]> Terry Holmes]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> Wales--Vale of Glamorgan]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Italy]]> Italy--La Spezia]]> North Africa]]> Singapore]]> Malaya]]> 1940]]> 1942]]> 1943-05-19]]> 1943-05]]> 1940-04]]> 1946-02]]> 1948-09]]> 1952]]>
Susanne Pescott]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Ian Whapplington]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Second generation]]> France]]> Great Britain]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> France--Paris]]> 1944-02]]> 1944-05-07]]> 1944-08]]> Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Peter Schulze]]> Pending review]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Second generation]]> Canada]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> Poland]]> Atlantic Ocean--North Sea]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Germany--Barth]]> Germany--Bremerhaven]]> Germany--Dortmund-Ems Canal]]> Poland--Żagań]]> Prince Edward Island]]> 1943]]> 1944-11-14]]> 1945]]> Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Ian Whapplington]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> England--Wiltshire]]> Northern Ireland--Down (County)]]> Germany]]> Germany--Dresden]]> Great Britain]]> Atlantic Ocean--Irish Sea]]> Poland]]> Poland--Gdynia]]> Italy]]> 1943-04-05]]> 1945-12]]> Mick Jeffery]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Pending review]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> In October 1944 Jack was posted to 189 Squadron at RAF Fulbeck. His first three trips were aborted. He carried out 24 operations and two semi-operational trips (leaflets dropping and a diversion to confuse German radar). Several operations were to railway marshalling yards in Germany. He also describes an operation to Gdynia in Poland and the Dresden operation and its rationale.
Jack discusses the main duties of the wireless operator, his experience of ‘scarecrows’ and the difficulty of flying at night in close proximity to other aircraft.
When the war ended, Jack became warrant officer and was stationed at RAF Woodbridge, working on flying control tower signals. He left the RAF in April 1946 and returned to his job as trainee chartered accountant.]]>
David Kavanagh]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> Iraq]]> England--Blackpool]]> England--Buckinghamshire]]> England--Herefordshire]]> England--Lancashire]]> England--Northamptonshire]]> England--Warwickshire]]> England--Wiltshire]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> England--Suffolk]]> Germany]]> Poland]]> Poland--Gdynia]]> 1944-10]]> 1945-02]]> 1940-09]]> 1943-12]]> 1946-03]]>
Mike Connock]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Belgium]]> France]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Germany--Mittelland Canal]]> France--Juvincourt-et-Damary]]> 1940]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> Adam Sutch]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Katie Gilbert]]> Pending review]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> Wales--Swansea]]> 1943-02]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> David Meanwell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Pending review]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> Pending OH summary]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Belgium]]> France]]> Great Britain]]> Belgium--Brussels]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Northamptonshire]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Wales--Bridgend]]> 1940]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> Nigel Moore]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Pending review]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> France]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Wales--Vale of Glamorgan]]> 1942]]> Upon his call up, he was trained as a Flight Engineer Air Frames where he passed in the top third of his class. He became a Group One Tradesman, Fitter 2A. He was posted to Calshot and then spent time working at Cowley Motor Works, manufacturing spars for the fuselage of Lancasters before being recalled and sent to Scampton.
He served with 49 Bomber Squadron before taking a Flight Engineers course and working on Merlin engines at Rolls Royce Works in Derby.
Alex was transferred to 9 Squadron at Bardney where he completed 10 operations, including 3 to Hamburg, then helped form 514 Squadron where he flew on missions to Berlin, and completed 14 operations. He became an instructor at No. 31 LFS at Feltwell, before returning to Operations at 149 Squadron in Methwold.
149 Squadron were involved in the Dresden operation and did 2 trips in Operation Manna, dropping supplies to Rotterdam and The Hague.
Alex had various other postings and completed 35 years’ service in the Royal Air Force, retiring at the age of 65.
]]>
Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Vivienne Tincombe]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]>
Tells of his spell of guard duty on board a troop ship, and losing one of the people he was showing around.
William was based at 1661 Heavy Conversion Unit at Winthorpe, then No. 5 Lancaster Finishing School in Syerston, and then on 49 Squadron, as a rear gunner on Lancasters.
He flew a variety of aircraft, including Wellingtons with the Operational Training Unity, Avro Ansons on an Air Gunner course, Avro Lancasters and the American B24 Liberator at Kola Airfield.
He tells of his experiences after he and his crew went to India in 1944, after his skipper was posted there and flying operations to Rangoon and Burma.
William tells of how Lancasters fly at night, his bombing raid on a tanker and his encounter with a Mosquito which did not give any identification. He also tells of his crash and the death of his skipper.
William was demobbed in February 1947, and after the war worked for local water authorities until they were incorporated into Severn Trent. He retired just before his 65th birthday.
]]>
Mark Hunt]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Vivienne Tincombe]]> Pending review]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]>
Adam Sutch]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> Pending OH summary]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> Italy]]> South Africa]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> Jean Macartney]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Dawn Studd]]> Pending review]]> Pending OH summary]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> After a holding station in Padgate, Alan went to Brighton. En route, he witnessed the devastating effects of war in London. He saw some V-1s in Brighton. He did a commando course in the North East before going to RAF Llandwrog, an Advanced Flying Unit. He learnt Gee and H2S navigation systems. Alan was posted to No. 17 Operational Training Unit on Wellingtons. Because of illness, he had to crew up a second time. The satellite station was at RAF Silverstone. Alan recounts some of his activities on leave.
Alan was posted to the 1661 Heavy Conversion Unit at RAF Winthorpe where he first encountered Lancasters. A flight engineer was added to their crew.
Alan discusses the large losses of Bomber Command and also Australians.
He details a “bullseye” exercise to London when the radio malfunctioned and Alan had to navigate by dead reckoning. A few days later, they had to abort an attack on the Ruhr. They were almost hit from below on their return journey.
When Germany surrendered, the Australians were sent to RAF Worksop. Alan spent VE Day in London. After the atomic bomb on Japan, Alan briefly found a job in London before sailing back to Australia.
]]>
Adam Purcell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Sally Coulter]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> England--Buckinghamshire]]> England--Northamptonshire]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> England--London]]> Wales--Gwynedd]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> Canada]]> Alberta]]> Alberta--Edmonton]]>
Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> South African Air Force]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> South Africa]]> Atlantic Ocean--Baltic Sea]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Germany--Berlin]]> Germany--Nuremberg]]> Germany--Kiel]]> 1944-05-03]]> 1944-05-04]]> Jean Macartney]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Jackie Simpson]]> Vivienne Tincombe]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> Great Britain]]> California--San Francisco]]> United States]]> Panama--Panama Canal]]> California]]> Panama]]> Peter and Sandra Jones]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Janet McGreevy]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Canada]]> Cyprus]]> Great Britain]]> United States]]> Yemen (Republic)--Aden]]> England--Gloucestershire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> England--Rutland]]> Germany--Berlin]]> Yemen (Republic)]]> Germany]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> Andrew Sadler]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Jackie Simpson]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> France--Mailly-le-Camp]]> Germany--Berlin]]> Germany--Dresden]]> Germany--Essen]]> Germany--Leipzig]]> Germany--Magdeburg]]> Germany--Munich]]> France]]> Germany]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]>