Browse Items (673 total)

  • Tags: Pathfinders

S102SqnRAF19170809v30004.jpg
Detailed operation order from group to 102, 77, 10, 158, 466, 640, 76, 78, 51 and 578 Squadrons with numbers of aircraft required. Target "Whitebait". Gives detailed instructions, routes, bomb loads, wave orders, fuel loads, window carriage, route…

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PProbynEA17010037.jpg
Two 83 Squadron Events.
The first is a Thanksgiving at Lincoln Minster and the second is a Dedication at Coningsby.

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MDexterKI127249-170830-19.jpg
Details of attack on Cologne sent by Arthur Bank, brother-in-law to Keith Dexter's mother. Details number of aircraft involved and some details of attack and weather.Arthur Bank was the Intelligence Officer at RAF Foulsham.One Ju-88 claimed probably…

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MEdwardsAE2202190-161024-02.pdf
Lists 42 operations with dates, targets, aircraft, fuel, bomb loads, times and accounts of sortie for each one. Mentions Pathfinder marking, occasional air sickness, Master Bomber, number of aircraft lost on some operations, damage to aircraft on a…

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PPalmerRAM17010006.jpg
Photograph of a head and shoulders painting of a Royal Air Force officer wearing tunic with pilot's brevet, medal ribbons including Victoria Cross, Distinguished Flying Cross and bar, pathfinder badge, and peaked cap. Captioned 'Painted by Arnold…

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YPearceAT1874945v4.pdf
Memorandum items addresses of friends and acquaintances, mentions many days/evenings out and what sort of time he had in Belfast, Lincoln, Gainsborough and many others. Mentions various journeys and postings, lists birthdays. Jots down daily…

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BWittyARWittyARv1.pdf
History of wartime experiences of Ronald Witty. Starts with schooling and early employment in Hull, just before the war. Mentions German bombing of Hull and volunteering for the RAF. Describes training in London and Torquay before departing on a…

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Complete history of the aircraft from 1942 to placement in RAF Museum. Delivered to 83 Squadron at RAF Scampton. Lists all flights with crews and provides details of operations and other sorties. First operation was on 8/9 July 1942. Was founder…

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PPalmerRAM17010031.jpg
Left - certificate from secretary of state for air stating name of Acting Flight Lieutenant R.A.M. Palmer was mentioned in despatches. Right - letter to Robert Palmer stating that he had been awarded his Pathfinder badge.

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BGambleATGambleATv1.pdf
Part 1. "By the Seat of his Pants". Covers from Alan Gamble's years as a schoolboy in Worthing in the late 1930's, up to joining the RAF in 1943, where he trained as a wireless operator in Blackpool. He joined 620 Squadron, which was equipped mainly…

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PLeicesterD1601.jpg
David was called up in August 1941 and went to the Initial Training School at Victor Harbor. Elementary Flying Training School followed, and he was posted to Parafield, flying Tiger Moths. He then went to the Service Flying Training School at Point…

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ACanningsDP150811.mp3
Percy Cannings was born in Stedham, near Midhurst, West Sussex and joined the Royal Air Force at the age of 18, reporting for duty in 1943. Percy served with 100 and 97 Squadrons as a mid upper gunner on Lancasters. He tells of his two brothers who…

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AHughesWH151021.mp3
Harry Hughes volunteered for the Royal Air Force in 1940 and trained in America, where he was washed out as a pilot and then retrained as a navigator in Canada, flying Ansons and Wellingtons. In 1942, he converted to Halifaxes and flew operations…

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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…

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EAdj35SqnRAFEylesCW441118-0001.jpg
Letter encloses certificate for permanent award of the pathfinder force badge awarded on completion of his tour. Certificate signed by Air Vice Marshall D C T Bennett.

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SCookeH115312v10021.jpg
Left: Letter to Horace confirming his qualification for the award of the Path Finder Force badge. Advising that he is entitled to wear it as long as he remains in the Pathfinder force unless he has further written authority.

Right: A head and…

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MLazenbyHJ652033-171010-02.jpg
A framed certificate awarding HJ Lazenby the Path Finder Badge.

This item was sent to the IBCC Digital Archive already in digital form. No better quality copies are available.

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BMcInnesAMcInnesAv1.pdf
An autobiography of Alan's time as a prisoner of war. He talks about his training with his, mainly, Australian crew. He describes the night they were shot down over Germany. He describes their capture, mistreatment and interrogations at various…

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YLambAM1827673v10001.jpg
An unofficial diary kept by Alexander from March 21st, 1945 to May 2nd 1945.

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PLucasWE1501.jpg
W E (Bill) Lucas joined the Royal Air Force in 1940, where he trained as a fighter pilot flying Miles Magisters and Miles Masters, before being posted to RAF Lossiemouth and moving into Bomber Command where he flew the Vickers Wellington 1C. He flew…

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PStockerEE1601.jpg
Ted joined the Royal Air Force in January 1938 and went to RAF Halton. He became a fitter at RAF Boscombe Down, experiencing many aircraft. He did an air gunners’ course and became a flight engineer on Halifaxes. Ted’s first operation was to…

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PStockerEE1601.jpg
Edward Ernest Stocker (Ted) began his service with the RAF as a flight engineer on Halifaxes. He came to the attention of his Commanding Officer on his second operation when, before departure, he warned that they were carrying insufficient fuel to…

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AYoungF160720.mp3
Fred Young volunteered for the Royal Air Force at 17 and flew operations as a flight engineer with 57 Squadron from RAF East Kirkby. He recounts his experiences on several operations including Berlin, Magdeburg, Leipzig, Essen, Munich, Dresden, and…

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AHubermanA160329.mp3
Alfred Huberman volunteered for the RAF when he was 18 and trained as an air gunner. He describes the training and emphasises how physically hard it was. He flew 31 operations in Lancasters, from RAF Elsham Wolds. These included operations over the…

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BBarffAColingEFv1.pdf
Time in the RAF including selection as an observer, enrolment at Lord's Cricket Ground, navigational dead reckoning and meteorology training in Eastbourne and Paignton. Time spent on navigational sorties in Grahamstown, South Africa in Ansons and…

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