Browse Items (57 total)

  • Temporal Coverage starts with "1939-09"

EKendrickAFDonaldsonDW451008.jpg
Notes that Acting Wing Commander David Donaldson D.S.O and bar, D.F.C, R.A.F.V.R was mobilised on 3 September 1939 until 1st October 1945.

ETurnerAJTurnerKW390901-0001.jpg
Writes that he is happy that she and Penny are safe. He states he is ready for anything. Prays that she will be protected from the terrors of war. Concludes by saying that if anything should happen, tell the children he was one of the first to go.

BMannAMannAv5.pdf
Starts with early life and interest in aviation, including photographs of pre WW2 aircraft seen at Croydon airport. Recollects going to last open day at RAF Biggin Hill. Continues account of events of lead up to and start of the war. Writes a little…

EHarriesDTurnerKW[Date]-010001.jpg
Notification that Flight Sergeant A J Turner was killed in action on operations in the Wilhelmshafen area on 4 September 1939.

PStangryciukBlackJ1701.jpg
Jan Black Stangryciuk was born in Poland but his family emigrated to Argentina in 1934. He volunteered to travel to England to join the Royal Air Force in 1939. He recounts his journey, why he made this decision and how he joined the RAF. He was…

PJeziorskiAFK1705.jpg
Andrzej Jeziorski was born in Poland and, when war broke out, fled to Britain, where he flew as a pilot with 304 Squadron. Remembers the 1st of September 1939. Talks about his father, a Navy officer who served in the First World War. Mentions his…

EBoldyDABoldyAD390905-0001.jpg
Letter from David Boldy to his father about losing his father’s dog, Prince; applying to the Royal Air Force; and leaving the farm to move back to London as war looks inevitable. He comments that the city is calm and will send some photos of…

EDonaldsonDDonaldson[Mo]390902-0001.jpg
Letter saying he has arrived safely but is not happy about the prospect of war.

AMaxwellMI190904.mp3
Margaret was almost twelve years old at the outbreak of World War Two and living in Romford, Essex. She remembers the announcement made by Neville Chamberlain on the radio on September 3rd 1939. Margaret recounts being issued with a gas mask and how…

SLambertBrownP19330417v10003.pdf
When Italy entered the war in 1940, air raids were conducted over key military targets and peaked during the first half of 1942. Attacks ceased altogether by 1943 once Italy had surrendered. The various dockyards maintained efforts to keep ships in…

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EDonaldsonFIDonaldsonDW390905-0001.jpg
Letter from his mother written just after war was declared.. She is sorry that war has interrupted his studies. She describes how it has affected her and the domestic staff she employs in her house. Catches up with family news. Additional information…

EFieldFRJohns390906.jpg
Letter to George Shephard John's mother from Florence R Field. The letter informs Mrs Johns that George has arrived and reassures George's mother to not worry.

SRAFIngham19410620v090001-Audio.mp3
Wanda Szuwalska was born on a farm in Poland and was deported to Russia by train at the start of the Second World War. She talks of the journey to Russia, the time she and her family spent there, then coming to England and becoming a WAAF. Wanda…

EJohnsGSJohnsHJ-F390915-0001.jpg
A letter from George Shephard Johns sent to his mother and father, Harold Johns and Florence Shephard. George thanks his parents for their letter he received and lets them know he will be starting school and needs some books. He also tells his…

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A telegram to all RAF units stating 'War has broken out with Germany only'.

ERAFVolResO'ConnellDA390906-0003.jpg
Telegram to Desmond O’Connell from the Royal Air Force with instructions to report via a specific train at London King’s Cross.

LMitchellJEF550261v1.pdf
L Mitchell’s air gunner’s flying log book covering the period from 1 July 1936 to 17 September 1941. Detailing his flying training and operations flown as air gunner. He was stationed at Upper Heyford, Driffield, Boscombe Down and Linton-on-Ouse…

LForthHO19200321v1.pdf
Pilots flying log book one for H O Forth, covering the period from 7 March 1938 to 15 September 1940. Detailing his flying training and operations flown. He was stationed at RAF Desford, RAF Shawbury, RAF Manston, RAF Boscombe Down, Auberive France,…

ESaundersHWTurnerKW400131.jpg
Letter informing her that her late husband was buried in section D, grave no, 268 in Wilhelmshaven cemetery on 13 September 1939.

PAtkinsonC1801.jpg
Colin Atkinson was 12 at the outbreak of war and grew up in Lincolnshire. His father was a Lieutenant Colonel in the army. He worked as a trainee reporter for the local paper and served as a messenger for civil defence; his post was on the Castle…

MMitchellJEF550261-160125-010001.jpg
Flight Sergeant wireless operator on 58 Squadron at RAF Linton-on-Ouze flying Whitley III. First operation to Ruhr to drop leaflets and crash landed in France on the way back. Other operations were convoy patrol and bombing in France, Netherlands,…

MMitchellJEF550261-160125-020001.jpg
John Mitchell describes events during his first operation to drop leaflets on the Rhur. After engine failure they force crash landed in a field in France. They were gathered by French Gendarmes and flown back to England three days later. In addition…

MMitchellJEF550261-160125-030001.jpg
Notes describing first leaflet sortie, problems with starboard engine, forced landing and activities in France and return to England. Then moves on to 207 Squadron and lists operations and flying after finishing second tour and post war.

SNolanJF150621v10045.jpg
Argues that his seniority for redundancy should be dated back to 3 September 1939 (not 9 March 1942) as he served earlier during the war and war in receipt of disability pension.
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