1
25
17
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/2363/42436/LGosneyG568331v1.2.pdf
000e64029fef9c4c9be87eb68fc0e97b
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Gosney, Geoffrey
Description
An account of the resource
20 items. The collection concerns Flight Lieutenant Geoffrey Gosney (b. 1919, 568331, 54247 Royal Air Force) and contains his log books, service documents, and photographs. He flew operations as a flight engineer with 426, 462 and 428 Squadrons.
The collection was loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Susan Hassell and catalogued by Lynn Corrigan.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2018-04-18
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Gosney, G
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Observer's and air gunner's flying log book for Geoffrey Gosney. One
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Great Britain. Royal Air Force
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-07-12
1942-07-13
1942-07-15
1942-07-16
1942-07-24
1942-07-25
1942-07-28
1942-07-29
1942-08-04
1942-08-05
1942-08-09
1942-08-10
1942-08-13
1942-08-14
1942-08-19
1942-08-20
1942-08-23
1942-08-24
1942-08-29
1942-08-30
1942-09-13
1942-09-14
1942-10-07
1942-10-08
1942-10-12
1942-10-21
1942-10-22
1942-10-29
1942-10-30
1942-11-02
1942-11-03
1942-11-05
1942-11-06
1942-11-07
1942-11-08
1942-11-09
1944-08-09
1944-08-10
1944-08-11
1944-09-26
1944-09-28
1944-09-29
1945-01-06
1945-01-07
1945-02-07
1945-02-08
1945-02-09
1945-02-10
1945-03-21
1945-03-22
1945-03-24
1945-03-25
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
North Africa
Egypt
Egypt--Marsá Maṭrūḥ
Egypt--Halfaya Pass
Egypt--Sallūm
Libya
Libya--Tobruk
Middle East--Palestine
Israel
Israel--Yavneh
France
France--Audinghen
France--Calais
France--Coulonvillers
France--La Pallice
Germany
Germany--Berlin
Germany--Bonn
Germany--Frankfurt am Main
Germany--Goch
Germany--Hanau
Germany--Mönchengladbach
Germany--Münster in Westfalen
Germany--Rheine
Germany--Ruhr (Region)
Germany--Dorsten
Germany--Leverkusen
Germany--Wanne-Eickel
Great Britain
England--Gloucestershire
England--Lincolnshire
England--Wiltshire
England--Yorkshire
Greece
Greece--Maleme
France--Cap Gris Nez
Description
An account of the resource
This log book covers the training, operational and post war flying career of Geoffrey Gosney from 2 July 1942 to 12 July 1951. It includes a cartoon of the 426 Squadron crest. Geoffrey flew 31 operations in two tours of duty, 23 of which were night operations with 10, 227, 426, 428 and 462 Squadrons. Targets in Egypt, Libya, France, Germany and Greece were Calais, Cap Gris Nez, Dorsten, Frankfurt, Goch, Hanau, Leverkusen, Maleme, Marsa Matruh, Mönchengladbach, Münster, Rheine, Sallum, Soda Bay, Tobruk and Wanne-Eickel. Pilots in operations were Squadron Leader Goldston, Sergeant Wyatt, Flight Officer McGregor, Flying Officer Kagna, Wing Commander Burgess, Flight Lieutenant Garratt, Flight Officer Brodie, Pilot Officer Fuller, Wing Commander Black and Flight Lieutenant Davies. During March, April and May Geoffrey’s duty in the Halifax VII is described in his log book as ‘’screening”. In 1946/47 he was involved in the transport of troops and the dropping of paratroopers and the transportation of freight and troops in the Middle East. Back in the UK he took part in a formation fly past over Banbury. In February 1948 his duties are again described as “screening’ in the Halifax but now with ‘Flying Wing’ at Fairford. Geoffrey remained in the Royal Air Force and served in Palestine. He took part in the Berlin Airlift, transporting coal to Berlin. Transferred to RAF Hemswell with 97 Squadron.
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Royal Air Force. Transport Command
Royal Canadian Air Force
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Log book and record book
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One booklet
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
LGosneyG568331v10071
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Conforms To
An established standard to which the described resource conforms.
Pending review
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Lynn Corrigan
10 Squadron
1652 HCU
1664 HCU
227 Squadron
425 Squadron
426 Squadron
428 Squadron
462 Squadron
620 Squadron
97 Squadron
air gunner
Air Gunnery School
aircrew
Battle
bombing
Defiant
forced landing
Halifax
Halifax Mk 1
Halifax Mk 2
Halifax Mk 3
Halifax Mk 5
Halifax Mk 7
Harrow
Heavy Conversion Unit
Lancaster
Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944)
RAF Aqir
RAF Barrow in Furness
RAF Dishforth
RAF Fairford
RAF Hemswell
RAF Lyneham
Stirling
training
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/2363/42428/PGosneyG1811.2.jpg
4aa44274165fb2f334cb7064cbdbc27a
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/2363/42428/PGosneyG1812.2.jpg
6177eb24ad44f7846acac5613f684834
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Gosney, Geoffrey
Description
An account of the resource
20 items. The collection concerns Flight Lieutenant Geoffrey Gosney (b. 1919, 568331, 54247 Royal Air Force) and contains his log books, service documents, and photographs. He flew operations as a flight engineer with 426, 462 and 428 Squadrons.
The collection was loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Susan Hassell and catalogued by Lynn Corrigan.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2018-04-18
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Gosney, G
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Football players
Description
An account of the resource
Ten men in sportswear in a field with trees behind. Five men are sat in a row with five stood behind. The central figure in the front row is holding a football. Nine of the men are wearing matching team kit and the central figure in the back row is wearing a knitted roll neck sweater. Annotated on the reverse '426 engineers December 1944'.
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1944-12
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Photograph
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One b/w photograph
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
PGosneyG1811, PGosneyG1812
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1944-12
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
426 Squadron
aircrew
sport
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1772/31069/MCleggPV[DoB]-150819-04.pdf
f455e2dd94dd4a5af08ae3e4cb11a33d
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1772/31069/MCleggPV[DoB]-150819-04.pdf
f455e2dd94dd4a5af08ae3e4cb11a33d
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Clegg, Peter Vernon. Aldborough Dairy and Cafe
Description
An account of the resource
Collection contains advert for Mudd's choicest butter, details of Aldborough Cafe, photograph, newspaper cuttings and many pages of visitors signatures. an index of visiting Canadian and American airmen, some notes on signatures and details of the death of those signing the book.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2015-07-02
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. Some items have not been published in order to protect the privacy of third parties, to comply with intellectual property regulations, or have been assessed as medium or low priority according to the IBCC Digital Archive collection policy and will therefore be published at a later stage. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collection-policy.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Clegg, PV
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
[underlined] DETAILS OF THE DEATH OF THOSE SIGNING THE BOOK [/UNDERLINED]
[visitors book entry. Page No. 3 – Date of entry January 7th 1942]
Athol Herbert JENNINGS F/S RCAF Killed Aug 28th/42 408 Sqn
[crew and operation details]
408 Sqn – Hampden I – P1244 EQ-Y – Op: Kassel
Sgt A H Jennings Killed
Sgt L G Chaston RCAF Killed
Sgt C H Thompson RAAF Killed
Sgt J W Todd Killed
T/o 2005 Balderton. All are buried in Hannover War Cemetery.
[visitors book entry. Page No. 3 – Date of entry January 7th 1942]
Sydney Clarence CAMP Flt Sgt RCAF Killed Jan 15/42 51 Sqn
[visitors book entry. Page No. 3 – Date of entry January 8th 1942]
Eric John RICHARDS Sgt RAF Killed Jan 15/42 51 Sqn
[crew and operation details]
51 Sqn – Whitley V – Z9424 MH-R – Op: Emden
Sgt E J Richards Killed
Sgt H C Needham pow
F/S S C Camp RCAF Killed
Sgt G S Booth pow
Sgt W D Muirhead pow
Sgt R J White Killed
T/o 1758 Dishforth. Shot down by a night-fighter (Uffz Zipperlein, 4./NJG1) and crashed 2215 between Achtkarspelen and Rottevalle (Friesland) the latter being 4 km N of Drachten, Holland. Those who died are buried in Smallingerland (Rottevalle) Protestant Churchyard.
[page break]
[visitors book entry. Page No. 3 – Date of entry January 8th 1942]
Roderick James CHISHOLM F/S RCAF Killed Jan 6/42 35 Sqn
[crew and operation details]
35 Sqn – Halifax II – R9439 TL-A – Op: Emden
Sgt S E Davies Killed
Sgt H Thomas Killed
P/O T J Taylor RCAF Killed
F/S R L Bradshaw RCAF Killed
F/S R J Chisholm RCAF Killed
Sgt A Squires Killed
T/o 2319 Linton-on-Ouse. Lost without trace. All are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. Sgt Davies hailed from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
[visitors book entry. Page No. 3 – Date of entry January 8th 1942]
Frank OLIVER DFM F/S RAF Killed Sep 30/42 51 Sqn
(No details known) [Squadron with Coastal Command, May - Oct 42]
[visitors book entry. Page No. 3 – Date of entry January 9th 1942]
Douglas FORBES Sgt RAF Killed Mar 8/43 61 Sqn
[crew and operation details]
61 Sqn – Lancaster I – W4903 QR-P – Op: Nürnberg
F/L C A Giles DFC RAAF Killed
P/O K D Babington-Browne Killed
F/O F Richards Killed
P/O B J Gunter Killed
F/S G Mitchell Killed
Sgt E Carr Killed
F/S D Forbes Killed
T/o 1930 Syerston. Believed crashed in the general vicinity of Fürth, a large town just to the NW of Nürnberg. All were buried at Fürth on 10 March, but since the war their bodies have been taken to Durnbach War Cemetery.
[page break]
[visitors book entry. Page No. 3 – Date of entry January 10th 1942]
Jack Vage KERR F/S RAF Killed Oct 16/42 51 Sqn
(No details known) [Sqn with Coastal Command, May - Oct/42]
[visitors book entry. Page No. 3 – Date of entry January 10th 1942]
Frank Lewin LUFF Sgt RAF Killed Aug 12/42 51 Sqn
(No details known) [Sqn with Coastal Command, May - Oct/42]
[visitors book entry. Page No. 3 – Date of entry January 10th 1942]
Norman VINER Sgt. RAF Killed Jan 21st/42 51 Sqn
[crew and operation details]
51 Sqn – Whitley V – Z9311 MH-J– Op: Emden
P/O B Sides Killed
Sgt D A Richards Killed
F/S B L Hart Killed
Sgt N Viner Killed
Sgt J J Clarke Killed
T/o 1734 Dishforth. Lost without trace. All are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
[visitors book entry. Page No. 3 – Date of entry January 13th 1942]
William Moreton JAMES Sgt RAF Killed Jul 12th/42 51 Sqn
(No details known) [Sqn with Coastal Command, May - Oct/ 42]
[page break]
[visitors book entry. Page No. 4 – Date of entry January 23rd 1942]
Stanley WOOLHOUSE W/O RAF Killed Oct 3/43 51 Sqn
[crew and operation details]
51 Sqn – Halifax II – HR728 LK-D – Op: Kassel
F/L W T Irwin Killed
F/O J A Grundy Killed
P/O W J Watson Killed
F/O J J Dawkins Killed
F/O R T Watkinson Killed
W/O S Woolhouse Killed
Sgt J Dixon Killed
Sgt J F Gordon Killed
T/o 1810 Snaith. Crashed at Wietersheim on the E bank of the Weser, 4 km SSW of Petershagen. All are buried in Rheinberg War Cemetery. F/O Grundy was an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects.
[visitors book entry. Page No. 4 – Date of entry 27th January 1942]
Arthur Hugh Steyning BROWN P/O RAAF Killed Oct 16th/42 51 Sqn
(No details known) [Sqn with Coastal Command, May - Oct/42]
[visitors book entry. Page No. 4 – Date of entry 28th January 1942]
Douglas Ronald FREEAR Sgt RAF Killed Apr 10/42 158 Sqn
(No details known)
[page break]
[visitors book entry. Page No. 4 – Date of entry January 28th 1942]
John David William STENHOUSE F/S RAF Killed Mar 1/43 51 Sqn
[visitors book entry. Page No. 4 – Date of entry February 15th 1942]
Ronald Arthur Bertram WILLMOTT P/O RAF Killed Mar 1/43 51 Sqn
[crew and operation details]
51 Sqn – Halifax II – BB223 MH-C – Op: Berlin
F/S J D W Stenhouse Killed
Sgt C Avery Killed
Sgt W Colangelo RCAF Killed
Sgt A Beauchamp Killed
F/S R A B Willmott Killed
Sgt A Howe Killed
F/O J B Duncan Killed
T/o 1830 Snaith. Shot down by a night-fighter (Lt August Geiger, III./NJG1) and crashed 0008 Voorst (Gelderland), 5 km NW of Zutphen, Holland. All are buried in Voorst General Cemetery.
[page break]
[visitors book entry. Page No. 5 – Date of entry February 20th 1942]
Alan Kenneth FARLAM W/O RAAF Killed Aug 14/43 19 OTU
[crew and operation details]
19 OTU – Anson I – N9671 XF-P – Training
W/O A K Farlam RAAF Killed
F/O H H Kirby DFC Killed
Sgt E S A Gray Killed
Sgt F J Pellatt Killed
Sgt R Brown Killed
Sgt K Ashmore Killed
T/o 1435 Kinloss for a navigation training detail. At approximately 1505, the Anson was seen diving, with both engines running at full power, from 4,000 feet and failing to recover before hitting the ground roughly a mile E of Arbroath airfield, Angus. An examination of the wreckage revealed that most of the fabric had peeled away from the starboard wing. All rest in cemeteries scattered across the United Kingdom and it seems likely that the funeral for W/O Farlam of Neutral Bay in New South Wales was arranged by relatives as he is buried in Surrey at Cheam (St. Dunstan) Churchyard, Sutton and Cheam.
[page break]
[visitors book entry. Page No. 5 – Date of entry March 18th 1942]
Edward Maurice TAYLOR Sgt RAF Killed Jun 17/42 24 OTU
[crew and operation details]
24 OTU – Whitley V – BD358 – Training
F/S W T Rushton Killed
P/O L Rowlinson Killed
Sgt G E Hibben Killed
Sgt E M Taylor Killed
Sgt A F Alcock RCAF Killed
Sgt Harris inj.
LAC H G Foot Killed
AC2 J Murray Killed
T/o 1525 Honeybourne for a navigation exercise involving the crew, which was made up of a screened pilot and wireless operator, four trainees and two passengers, in overwater flying. At 1955, the bomber returned to base and was seen, while on the cross-wind leg, to lower the flaps. As it did so, so the nose appeared to rise quite sharply. Immediately, the flaps were retracted and the Whitley continued with its approach but as it turned finals, and the flaps were once again lowered, the nose pitched up and the aircraft stalled, plunging to the ground on the boundary of the airfield, where it burst into flames. Those who died rest in various cemeteries across the United Kingdom. This was the first major accident involving an aircraft from the unit since its formation in mid-March 1942.
[page break]
[visitors book entry. Page No. 6 – Date of entry July 28th 1942
Roderick John HEATHER P/O RCAF Killed Mar 12/43 427 Sqn
(No details known)
[page break]
[visitors book entry. Page No. 7 – Date of entry September 18th 1942]
Thomas Donovan COPELAND F/O RCAF Killed Mar 11/45 434 Sqn
[crew and operation details]
434 Sqn – Lancaster X – KB834 WL-Y – Op: Essen
F/L R J Fern RCAF Killed
P/O W T Jones Killed
F/L A G Rowe DFC RCAF Killed
F/O T D Copeland RCAF Killed
F/O J R Latremouille RCAF Killed
F/O G Scott RCAF Killed
F/O J A H B Marceau RCAF pow
T/o 1138 Croft. Hit by flak and crashed within seconds of completing its bombing run, plunging into the target area. Six bodies were later recovered from Plot B at the Süd-West Friedhof and taken to the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. F/O Marceau RCAF was very badly wounded and was to undergo many years of hospital treatment. Apart from 37 year old P/O Jones, who had served previously with 419 Squadron, the crew were on their second tour of operations.
[page break]
[visitors book entry. Page No. 8 – Date of entry September 19th 1942]
Eric Raymond PRICE F/O RAF Killed Oct 22/43 77 Sqn
[crew and operation details]
77 Sqn – Halifax II – JD121 KN-O – Op: Kassel
F/O J S Barber Killed
Sgt D W Stribley Killed
Sgt R O Hand Killed
F/O E R Price Killed
Sgt I M Smith Killed
Sgt J Pretsell Killed
Sgt H A Weber RCAF Killed
T/o 1802 Elvington. Crashed at Tietelsen, 9 km SE of Brakel. All rest in Hannover War Cemetery.
[visitors book entry. Page No. 8 – Date of entry October 14th 1942]
Peter LANE Killed Jan 18/43 97 Sqn
[crew and operation details]
97 Sqn – Lancaster I – R5575 OF-L – Op: Berlin
Sgt G H Rowson Killed
Sgt P Lane Killed
Sgt J E West Killed
Sgt J Bell Killed
Sgt J C Brittain Killed
Sgt G A Axup Killed
F/S H C Beebe RCAF Killed
T/o 1703 Woodhall Spa. Crashed in the Waddenzee. Sgt Brittain's body was recovered on 9 April and buried a week later in Ulrum General Cemetery. The rest are named on the Runnymede Memorial. At 40, F/S Beebe RCAF was amongst the oldest RCAF airmen to die on operational service with Bomber Command.
[page break]
[visitors book entry. Page No. 8 – Date of entry October 23rd 1942]
Arthur Lawrence FAIRBROTHER Sgt RAF Killed Feb 15/44 77 Sqn
[crew and operation details]
77 Sqn – Halifax V – LK726 KN-O – Op: Berlin
F/O G Bodden Killed
Sgt J L Green Killed
F/S N F W Gooding Killed
Sgt W H Beere Killed
Sgt R C Hall Killed
Sgt J Smith Killed
Sgt A L Fairbrother Killed
T/o 1730 Elvington. Crashed at Buskow, 7 km S of Neuruppin. All were buried at Buskow on 17 February, since when their remains have been exhumed and reinterred in the 1939-1945 War Cemetery at Berlin. Sgt Fairbrother's service number indicates he was accepted for pilot training in the pre-war volunteer reserve.
[visitors book entry. Page No. 8 – Date of entry November 27th 1942]
Derek VOLLANS Sgt RAF Killed Apr 15/43 425 Sqn
[crew and operation details]
425 Sqn – Wellington III – X3763 KW-L – Op: Stuttgart
P/O A T Doucette DFC RCAF Killed
Sgt A Jones Killed
P/O J O L Desroches DFC RCAF Killed
Sgt D Vollans Killed
P/O G P H Ledoux RCAF Killed
F/S P P Trudeau RCAF Killed
T/o 2107 Dishforth. Crashed at Mussey-sur-Marne (Haute Marne), on the W bank of the Marne, 8 km S of Joinville, France. All rest in Mussey-sur-Marne Communal Cemetery.
[page break]
[visitors book entry. Page No. 10 – Date of entry January 17th 1943]
William ("Bill") HENDERSON P/O RCAF Killed Apr 14/45 419 Sqn
[crew and operation details]
419 Sqn – Lancaster X – KB866 VR-M – Op: Kiel
F/S C C Maclaren RCAF Killed
Sgt G A Livingston RCAF Killed
F/O D W Wincott RCAF Killed
F/O C R Loft RCAF Killed
WO1 W Henderson RCAF Killed
F/S E R Wightman RCAF Killed
Sgt G J Jones RCAF Killed
T/o 2022 Middleton St. George similarly tasked. Lost without trace. All are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. At 36, F/S Wightman RCAF was amongst the oldest Canadians killed on bomber operations in 1945.
[page break]
[visitors book entry. Page No. 12 – Date of entry February 21st 1943]
James Henry ("Smudge") EVANS F/S RCAF Killed Aug 10/43 405 Sqn
[crew and operation details]
405 Sqn – Halifax II – HR872 LQ-K – Op: Mannheim
F/L K MacG Gray RCAF Killed
Sgt D A Black RCAF Killed
F/O A J Middleton RCAF Killed
Sgt J H Evans RCAF Killed
Sgt H King Killed
Sgt C W Pickering RCAF Killed
Sgt J Hanna RCAF Killed
T/o 2252 Gransden Lodge. Shot down by a night-fighter (Lt Norbert Pietrek, II./NJG4) crashing 0100 at Awenne (Luxembourg), 9 km NW of St. Hubert, Belgium. All are buried in Florennes Communal Cemetery. F/S Gray RCAF and F/O Middleton RCAF both came from Medicine Hat in Alberta.
[visitors book entry. Page No. 12 – Date of entry February 21st 1943]
William John Ross DAVIES F/S RCAF Killed March 5/43 426 Sqn
[visitors book entry. Page No. 12 – Date of entry February 21st 1943]
Cyril Randolph TRASK P/O RCAF Killed March 5/43 426 Sqn
[crew and operation details]
426 Sqn – Wellington III – BK401 OW-M – Op: Essen
P/O C R Trask RCAF Killed
P/O C E Chapman Killed
Sgt W J R Davies RCAF Killed
SGT N F Paterson RCAF Killed
Sgt G Walen RCAF Killed
Sgt R E Williams RCAF Killed
T/o 1910 Dishforth. Lost without trace. All are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
Note. A reliable private source in Holland indicates this Wellington may have crashed in the IJsselmeer, 10 km E of Amsterdam.
[page break]
[visitors book entry. Page No. 14 – Date of entry April 17th 1943]
Albert Frederick HOPLEY F/S RCAF Killed May 14/43 426 Sqn
[crew and operation details]
426 Sqn – Wellington X – HE697 OW- – Op: Bochum
Sgt J A Thomson RCAF Killed
Sgt A F Hopley RCAF Killed
Sgt J P O Ethier RCAF Killed
Sgt N Hudspith Killed
Sgt T F How Killed
T/o 2334 Dishforth. Shot down by a night-fighter and crashed 0253 near Nederhorst den Berg (Noord Holland), 16 km SE of Amsterdam. All are buried in Amersfoort (Oud Leusden) General Cemetery.
[visitors book entry. Page No. 13 – Date of entry March 31st 1943]
Sidney Leon MURRELL D.F.C. Flt/Lt. RCAF Killed June 22/43 405 Sqn
[crew and operation details]
405 Sqn – Halifax II – JD124 LQ-P – Op: Krefeld
F/L S L Murrell DFC RCAF Killed
Sgt A W Nichols BEM RCAF Killed
P/O F W Hodge RCAF Killed
P/O J H T J Lemieux RCAF Killed
P/O R A Livingston DFC RCAF Killed
F/S E D Rowe RCAF Killed
Sgt R L Robinson RCAF Killed
T/o 2336 Gransden Lodge. Crashed in the vicinity of Mönchengladbach, where all were laid to rest in the Städtfriedhof on 24 June. Sgt Nichols RCAF now lies in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery; the rest have been taken to Rheinberg War Cemetery. F/L Murrell RCAF was a Texan from Gainsville.
[page break]
[visitors book entry. Page No. 16 – Date of entry July 3rd 1943]
John Henry STEVENS Sgt RAF Killed Oct 3/43 44 Sqn
[crew and operation details]
44 Sqn – Lancaster III – ED433 KM-V – Op: Kassel
P/O H G Norton RAAF Killed
Sgt J H Stevens Killed
Sgt S D Stait Killed
Sgt F Thompson pow
Sgt E E Greenfield Killed
Sgt W A Whalley Killed
Sgt R G Martin Killed
T/o 1831 Dunholme Lodge. Crashed in the Söhrewald, 10 km SE of Kassel. Those who died are buried in Hannover War Cemetery.
[visitors book entry. Page No. 15 – Date of entry May 7th 1943]
Donald James ELLIOTT F/O RCAF Killed Jan 1/44 405 Sqn
(No details known)
[page break]
[visitors book entry. Page No. 17 – Date of entry July 16th 1944]
Lloyd William Wesley JONES P/O RCAF Killed Jan 22/44 427 Sqn
[crew and operation details]
427 Sqn – Halifax V – LL139 ZL-D – Op: Magdeburg
S/L D M Arnot DFC RCAF Killed
W/C A N Martin RCAF Killed
P/O R A N Rondelet RCAF Killed
P/O L W W Jones RCAF Killed
F/O W V Thom RCAF pow
P/O R Dawson Killed
P/O L S Gray RCAF Killed
P/O R O Nickerson RCAF Killed
T/o 2000 Leeming. Attacked at 19,500 feet by a night-fighter while clearing the target area. The order to abandon was given, but before the crew could react, the Halifax exploded, throwing clear F/O Thom RCAF. The others are buried in Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery. W/C Martin RCAF was the CO of 424 Squadron and had been attached for operational experience. P/O Rondelet RCAF was a Belgian, born on 21 November 1915 at Seraing in the SE suburbs of Liege.
[visitors book entry. Page No. 17 – Date of entry July 24th 1944]
David Neville COTTON P/O RCAF Killed June 29/44 427 Sqn
[crew and operation details]
427 Sqn – Halifax III – LV938 ZL-A – Op: Metz
WO2 A J King RCAF pow
Sgt H Morgan pow
F/O W A Wilson RCAF pow
P/O W M Pookay RCAF evd
F/S R E Mowbray pow
F/S S K Vallieres RCAF pow
F/S D N Cotton RCAF Killed
T/o 2145 Leeming similarly tasked. Hit by flak and crashed at Juvincourt-et-Damary (Aisne) some 24 km SE of Laon. F/S Cotton RCAF is buried in Juvincourt-et-Damary Churchyard.
[page break]
[visitors book entry. Page No. 18 – Date of entry August 26th 1943]
Nick VENBER P/O RCAF Killed May 1/44 420 Sqn
[crew and operation details]
420 Sqn – Halifax III – LW476 PT-J – Op: Somain
F/L E Northern DFC RCAF Killed
Sgt L S Franklin RCAF Killed
F/O F W Morrison RCAF Killed
WO1 N Venber RCAF Killed
F/S C H Lines Killed
Sgt W H Young RCAF Killed
F/O A H B Hall RCAF Killed
T/o 2115 Tholthorpe to bomb rail installations. Presumed crashed in the sea. F/O Morrison RCAF is buried in Cayeux-sur-Mer Communal Cemetery, F/O Hall RCAF rests at St-Valery-sur-Somme Communal Cemetery, while the other members of crew are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
[page break]
[visitors book entry. Page No. 19 – Date of entry August 27th 1943]
William Edward MARTIN Sgt RCAF Killed Dec 11/43 26 OTU
[crew and operation details]
26 OTU – Wellington III – BK440 – Training
F/S A Merridew Killed
Sgt S Wilson Killed
F/S N Doherty RAAF Killed
Sgt E W Brown Killed
Sgt W E Martin RCAF Killed
Sgt A W Ellis Killed
T/o 0645 Little Horwood for a navigation sortie. Exploded 0800, or thereabouts, and crashed near Park Farm, Hindolveston, 8 miles ESE of Fakenham in Norfolk. Five were taken to Cambridge City Cemetery, while Sgt Brown is buried in Rushden Cemetery. In the years since this tragedy, various items of debris have been recovered from the fields and the more important pieces are now with the Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum at Flixton.
[page break]
[visitors book entry. Page No. 23 – Date of entry January 4th 1944]
James Archibald WILSON Sgt RCAF Killed Jan 21/44 419 Sqn
[crew and operation details]
419 Sqn – Halifax II – JD466 VR-E – Op: Magdeburg
F/L A G Hermitage RCAF Killed
Sgt J A Wilson RCAF Killed
F/S R H Walton RCAF Killed
F/S W B Tobin RCAF Killed
WO2 J B Chess RCAF Killed
Sgt R Shields Killed
Sgt R W Edwards RCAF Killed
T/o 1941 Middleton St. George. Crashed at Borne, where all were buried on 26 January. Since the cessation of hostilities, their bodies have been brought to the 1939-1945 War Cemetery at Berlin.
[visitors book entry. Page No. 23 – Date of entry January 4th 1944]
James Coulter COPELAND P/O RCAF Killed Dec 6/44 429
[visitors book entry. Page No. 23 – Date of entry January 4th 1944]
William Edward Heaton BARTY P/O RAF Killed Dec 6/44 429 Sqn
[visitors book entry. Page No. 23 – Date of entry January 4th 1944]
Stephen Lawrence NOREJKO P/O RCAF Killed Dec 6/44 429 Sqn
429 – Halifax III – MZ900 AL-K – Op: Boulogne
F/O J M Prentice RCAF
F/S F P Platt
F/O T A Wilson RCAF
F/S S L Norejko RCAF
Lt F M McRoberts USAAF
F/S W E H Barty
F/S J C Copeland RCAF inj
T/o 0714 Leeming similarly tasked. Hit by flak which damaged both starboard engines. Unable to maintain height, F/O Prentice RCAF put the bomber into the sea off the French coast. F/O M Lanin RCAF in Halifax III MZ303 AL-R witnessed the ditching and he remained overhead until an ASR Walrus, escorted by two Spitfires, arrived on the scene at 1019. All were picked up, F/S Copeland RCAF being slightly injured. Overladen, the Walrus was eventually met by an HSL which took the crew in Newhaven. P.T.O. [See next entry]
[page break]
[crew and operation details]
429 Sqn – Halifax III – MZ463 AL-J – Op: Osnabruck
F/O J M Prentice RCAF Killed
F/L H D O/Neil RCAF Killed
P/O E S C Clark RCAF Killed
F/O T A Wilson RCAF Killed
P/O L Norejko RCAF Killed
Lt F M McRoberts USAAF Killed
P/O W E H Barty Killed
WO2 J C Copeland RCAF Killed
T/o 1619 Leeming. Lost without trace. The six RCAF members of crew, along with P/O Barty, are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial while Lt McRoberts USAAF is named on his country's memorial to its airmen with no known graves. It will be recalled that six of the crew had been involved in a dramatic ditching incident while operating against Boulogne in September. Apart from F/L O'Neil RCAF, who was flying his first sortie, all were about two-thirds of the way through their tour.
[visitors book entry. Page No. 23 – Date of entry January 7th 1944]
Frederick Peter CAMMAART P/O RCAF Killed Apr 23/44 424 Sqn
[crew and operation details]
424 Sqn – Halifax III – LV780 QB-M – Op: Dusseldorf
WO2 W F Vornbrock RCAF Killed
Sgt L Walters Killed
F/S J S Laird RCAF Killed
WO2 F P Cammaart RCAF Killed
Sgt L Hanson Killed
Sgt J J Renning RCAF Killed
Sgt F P Morrisey RCAF pow
T/o 2230 Skipton-on-Swale. Crashed near Goirle in Noord-Brabant, 4 km S of Tilburg, Holland. Those who died were buried in Goirle Roman Catholic Cemetery, but since 1945 the four RCAF members of crew have been taken to Bergen op Zoom Canadian War Cemetery. Sgt Walters had been born Lionel Cohen and he came from Golders Green in Middlesex.
[page break]
[visitors book entry. Page No. 24 – Date of entry February 1st 1944]
William Henry PARKINSON F/O RCAF Killed May 9/44 432 Sqn
[crew and operation details]
432 Sqn – Halifax III – LW594 QO-G – Op: Haine-St-Pierre
P.O S A Hawkins RCAF Killed
Sgt H Ibbotson Killed
F/O A I Raetzen RCAF pow
Sgt M B O'Leary RCAF pow
F/O W H Parkinson RCAF Killed
Sgt G Hand evd
Sgt R B Haxton RCAF evd
T/o 0130 East Moor similarly tasked. Shot down by a night-fighter (Oblt Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer Stab IV./NJG4) and crashed 0332 at Grand Reng (Hainaut) a small Belgian town on the border with France some 16 km SE of Mons. Those who died lie in Gosselies Communal Cemetery, where all 102 graves are for airmen who died in Bomber Command service between July 1942 and May 1944.
[visitors book entry. Page No. 24 – Date of entry February 3rd 1944]
John Tengate TUNSTALL Sgt RAF Killed Jan 7/45 550 Sqn
[crew and operation details]
550 Sqn – Lancaster I – NG363 BQ-P – Op: Munchen
F/O C J Clarke RCAF Killed
Sgt J T Tunstall Killed
F/S H E Miell RCAF Killed
F/O A L Coldwell RCAF pow
Sgt L O Precieux Killed
F/S F W Bradley RCAF Killed
F/S L A J Gauthier RCAF Killed
T/o 1815 North Killingholme. Those who died rest in Dürnbach War Cemetery. Nineteen year old Sgt Precieux was the son of Jules Henri and Marie Alicia Fanellie Precieux of Phoenix on the island of Mauritius.
[page break]
[visitors book entry. Page No. 25 – Date of entry February 4th 1944]
Stanley Allen HAWKINS F/O RCAF Killed May 9/44 432 Sqn
(See Page 24 et seq. for details with rest of crew)
[visitors book entry. Page No. 25 – Date of entry February 8th 1944]
Douglas Anderson HENDERSON P/O RCAF Killed Feb 21/45 427 Sqn
[crew and operation details]
427 Sqn – Halifax III – NR288 ZL-F – Op: Worms
P/O W R Wilson RCAF pow
Sgt J F W Taylor Killed
F/O L Webster RCAF Killed
WO2 R R Stuart RCAF Killed
F/S D A Henderson RCAF Killed
F/S L O Foisy RCAF Killed
F/S A J McLeod RCAF Killed
T/o 1623 Leeming. Those who lost their lives are buried in Rheinberg War Cemetery.
[page break]
[visitors book entry. Page No. 26 – Date of entry February 18th 1944]
Robert Fitzgerald CONROY F/O RCAF Killed Mar 24/44 429 Sqn
[crew and operation details]
429 Sqn – Wellington X – HE593 AL- – Op: Düsseldorf
F/S R F Conroy RCAF evd
Sgt G A Leitch RCAF Killed
P/O G R Densmore RCAF Killed
F/S G A Nelson RCAF Killed
Sgt J Burns RCAF Killed
T/o 2300 East Moor. Outbound, and while climbing towards 19,000 feet, shot down by a night-fighter. Three are buried in Eindhoven (Woensel) General Cemetery; Sgt Burns RCAF lies in the Canadian War Cemetery at Groesbeek.
[page break]
[visitors book entry. Page No. 27 – Date of entry February 28th 1944]
James Coulter COPELAND P/O RCAF Killed Dec 6/44 429 Sqn
[crew and operation details]
429 Sqn – Halifax III – MZ900 AL-K – Op: Boulogne
F/O J M Prentice RCAF
F/S F P Platt
F/O T A Wilson RCAF
F/S S L Norejko RCAF
Lt F M McRoberts USAAF
F/S W E H Barty
F/S J C Copeland RCAF inj
T/o 0714 Leeming similarly tasked. Hit by flak which damaged both starboard engines. Unable to maintain height, F/O Prentice RCAF put the bomber into the sea off the French coast. F/O M Lanin RCAF in Halifax III MZ303 AL-R witnessed the ditching and he remained overhead until an ASR Walrus, escorted by two Spitfires, arrived on the scene at 1019. All were picked up, F/S Copeland RCAF being slightly injured. Overladen, the Walrus was eventually met by an HSL which took the crew into Newhaven.
(Above F/S also signed the Visitors Book on an earlier page (23) on Jan 4th 1944)
[page break]
[visitors book entry. Page No. 27 – Date of entry February 29th 1944]
Robert Roy CAMPBELL F/O RCAF Killed May 13/44 419 Sqn
[visitors book entry. Page No. 27 – Date of entry February 29th 1944]
Burdel Frank EDWARDS F/O RCAF Killed May 13/44 419 Sqn
[crew and operation details]
419 Sqn – Lancaster X – KB713 VR – Op: Leuven
P/O B F Edwards RCAF Killed
Sgt J R Carruthers Killed
F/O R R Campbell RCAF Killed
P/O P Dewar RCAF Killed
P/O R S Smith RCAF Killed
P/O J A Webber RCAF Killed
P/O H E Oddan RCAF Killed
T/o 2200 Middleton St. George to bomb rail yards. Outbound, crashed and exploded at Reninge (West-Vlaanderen), 10 km SSW from Diksmuider. On 16 May, P/O Smith RCAF was buried in Coxyde Cemetery, the others lie at Adegem Canadian War Cemetery.
Note: P/O Charles SURLES is listed as having been killed the same day as F/O PRITCHARD. He must have been in the same aircraft shown here as he was in Pritchard's crew. He was an American citizen from Louisiana.
[page break]
[visitors book entry. Page No. 33 – Date of entry July 12th 1944]
Gordon Featherstone PRITCHARD F/O RCAF Killed Aug 17/44 420 Sqn
[visitors book entry. Page No. 33 – Date of entry July 12th 1944]
Charles Pittman SURLES P/O RCAF Killed Aug 17/44 420 Sqn
[crew and operation details]
420 Sqn – Halifax III – MZ687 PT-L – Op: Kiel
F/O G F Pritchard RCAF Killed
P/O R H Davis RCAF Killed
Sgt E A J Proud pow
F/O F W Moffit RCAF Killed
F/O D I Block RCAF Killed
WO2 D B H Lorenz RCAF Killed
F/S K G Boucock RCAF Killed
F/O A G Roski RCAF Killed
T/o 2101 Tholthorpe. Crashed in the North Sea from where Sgt Proud was rescued two days later. Of his seven comrades, F/O Moffit RCAF and WO2 Lorenz RCAF are buried in Kiel War Cemetery while the rest have no known graves.
Note: P/O Charles SURLES is listed as having been killed the same day as F/O PRITCHARD. He must have been in the same aircraft shown here, as he was in Pritchard's crew. He was an American citizen from Louisiana.
[page break]
[visitors book entry. Page No. 34 – Date of entry August 11th 1944]
J P ("Benny") BENOIT WO2 RCAF Baled out Aug 3/44 433 Sqn. Survived.
[crew and operation details]
433 Sqn – Halifax III – HX275 BM-S – Op: Bois de Cassan
F/O R H Simpson RCAF
Sgt W Purdie
F/O R Woodhouse RCAF
F/O C M Dandy RCAF inj
WO2 J P Benoit RCAF
Sgt R E Budd RCAF
Sgt O M Brown RCAF
T/o 1031 Skipton-on-Swale similarly tasked. Hit by flak while turning from the target area, F/O Dandy RCAF being slightly wounded. The flying controls were badly damaged and at 1440 the crew baled out, no further injuries being reported.
Note: "Benny" BENOIT from Toronto, calls himself "The Parachute Kid" – for good reason! Where he landed is not known.
[page break]
[visitors book entry. Page No. 37 – Date of entry September 19th 1944]
Thomas Abercromby WILSON F/O RCAF Killed Dec 6/44 429 Sqn
[crew and operation details]
429 Sqn – Halifax III MZ463 AL-J – Op: Osnabruck
F/O J M Prentice RCAF Killed
F/L H D O'Neil RCAF Killed
P/O E S C Clark RCAF Killed
F/O T A Wilson RCAF Killed
P/O S L Norejko RCAF Killed
Lt F M McRoberts USAAF Killed
P/O W E H Barty Killed
WO2 J C Copeland RCAF Killed
T/o 1619 Leeming. Lost without trace. The six RCAF members of crew, along with P/O Barty, are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial while Lt McRoberts USAAF is named on his country's memorial to its airmen with no known graves. It will be recalled that six of the crew had been involved in a dramatic ditching incident while operating against Boulogne in September. Apart from F/L O/Neil RCAF, who was flying his first sortie, all were about two-thirds of the way through their tour.
Note: F/O Wilson was in the same aircraft that included the three other crew members that appear on Page 23 previously (and Page 27)
[page break]
[visitors book entry. Page No. 38 – Date of entry October 25th 1944]
William ("Bill") Gordon McLEOD F/O RCAF Killed Apr 10/45 433 Sqn
[crew and operation details]
433 Sqn – Lancaster I – PB903 BM-F – Op: Leipzig
F/O R J Grisdale RCAF Killed
Sgt W A J Thurston Killed
F/O I B Zierler RCAF Killed
F/O W G McLeod RCAF Killed
F/S J M Hirak RCAF Killed
F/S F G Seeley RCAF Killed
F/S D W Roberts RCAF Killed
T/o 1317 Skipton-on-Swale similarly tasked. Hit by predicted flak just short of the AP. A fire was seen to break out in the starboard inner engine, though the flames were soon quelled. Height was lost, followed by a small explosion which turned the Lancaster onto its back. Diving steeply, the bomber hit the ground and exploded. All are buried in Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery.
[visitors book entry. Page No. 38 – Date of entry October 25th 1944]
Ernest ("Bill") William WATSON F/L RCAF Killed Jan 16/45 420 Sqn
[visitors book entry. Page No. 38 – Date of entry October 25th 1944]
Quan Jil LOUIE F/O RCAF Killed Jan 16th 45 420 Sqn
420 Sqn – Halifax III – NA192 PT-Q – Op: Magdeburg
F/L E W Watson RCAF Killed
Sgt A K Parker Killed
P/O C W Way DFC Killed
F/O Q J Louie FCAF Killed
P/O W J D Partridge RCAF Killed
F/S D J Jacobi RCAF pow
F/S T Lynch RCAF pow
T/o 1846 Tholthorpe. Those who died are buried in Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery. F/O Louie RCAF, for whom no details of his next-of-kin are known, had the unusual Christian names of Quan Jil. P/O Partridge RCAF was the son of the Revd A M Partridge of Napanee, Ontario.
[page break]
[visitors book entry. Page No. 38 – Date of entry October 31st 1944]
Sydney Dolton HEWSON F/O RCAF Killed Dec 28/44 428 Sqn
[visitors book entry. Page No. 38 – Date of entry October 31st 1944]
Robert Allan EBBER F/O RCAF Killed Dec 28/44 428 Sqn
[visitors book entry. Page No. 38 – Date of entry October 31st 1944]
Arthur Allen DIXON F/O RCAF Killed Dec 28/44 428 Sqn
[visitors book entry. Page No. 38 – Date of entry November 2nd 1944]
Albert Thomas LE BLANC F/O RCAF Killed Dec 28/44 428 Sqn
[visitors book entry. Page No. 38 – Date of entry November 2nd 1944]
Keith Oscar McDIVITT F/O RCAF Killed Dec 28/44 428 Sqn
[crew and operation details]
428 Sqn – Lancaster X – KB798 NA-G – Op: Opladen
F/O E W Page RCAF Killed
Sgt G F Owen Killed
F/O S D Hewson RCAF Killed
F/O A A Dixon RCAF Killed
F/O R A Ebber RCAF Killed
F/O K O McDivitt RCAF Killed
F/O A T le Blanc RCAF Killed
T/o 0300 Middleton St. George. All are buried in Rheinberg War Cemetery.
[page break]
[visitors book entry. Page No. 40 – Date of entry December 17th 1944]
John STREET P/O RCAF Killed Mar 2/45 408 Sqn
[crew and operation details]
408 Sqn – Halifax VII – RG472 EQ-T – Op: Koln
F/O H R Sproule RCAF pow
Sgt A D Dennis RCAF pow
F/O J E Moran RCAF pow
F/O V D J Mousseau RCAF pow
F/S J G Paxton RCAF Killed
F/S J Street RCAF Killed
F/S V T Hunt RCAF pow
T/o 0721 Linton-on-Ouse. Homebound, when hit by flak which killed F/S Paxton RCAF and F/S Street RCAF. The other members of crew baled out just moments before their aircraft exploded and fell near Bad Godesberg on the W bank of the Rhine, SE of Bonn. The two airmen who died were first buried at Bad Godesberg, since when their remains have been taken to Belgium and interred in Hotton War Cemetery.
[page break]
[visitors book entry. Page No. 42 – Date of entry January 23rd 1945]
Harold Keith STINSON, D.F.C. Sqd/Ldr. R.C.A.F. Killed Feb 1/45 433 Sqn
[crew and operation details]
433 Sqn – Lancaster I – NG460 BM-A – Op: Ludwigshafen
S/L H K Stinson DFC RCAF Killed
P/O E H Thompson Killed
F/O D J McMillan RCAF Killed
F/O A W Belles RCAF
P/O J T McShane RCAF Killed
P/O R Pierson RCAF Killed
P/O R J Thompson RCAF
T/o 1523 Skipton-on-Swale. Bombed the AP at 1928 from 17,000 feet and was hit by flak. On return the Lancaster entered turbulent weather while in cloud and control was lost, two of the crew managing to bale out from 2,000 feet before their aircraft crashed near Low House, roughly 1,000 yards NW from the town of Driffield, Yorkshire. The four RCAF officers are buried in Harrogate (Stonefall) Cemetery; P/O Thompson rests in Hampstead Cemetery, Cricklewood.
Note. These were the first casualties sustained by 433 Squadron in 1945 and it was also their first Lancaster write off. Three more would be lost before the end of the war, from which not one man survived.
[Source of information: Bill Chorley's 'Bomber Command Losses' Volume 3]
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Details of death of those signing the book
Description
An account of the resource
Listing by page of visitors' book of personnel who had signed and were subsequently killed with details.
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Air Force. Coastal Command
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Nottinghamshire
Germany
Germany--Kassel
England--Yorkshire
Germany--Emden (Lower Saxony)
Germany--Nuremberg
Scotland--Moray
Germany--Berlin
Germany--Essen
England--Worcestershire
England--Durham (County)
England--Lincolnshire
Germany--Stuttgart
Germany--Kiel
Atlantic Ocean--Baltic Sea
Germany--Mannheim
England--Cambridgeshire
Germany--Bochum
Germany--Krefeld
Germany--Magdeburg
France
France--Metz
England--Buckinghamshire
France--Boulogne-sur-Mer
Germany--Osnabrück
Germany--Düsseldorf
Germany--Munich
Belgium
Belgium--Haine-Saint-Pierre
Germany--Worms
Belgium--Louvain
France--L'Isle-Adam
Germany--Leipzig
Germany--Leverkusen
Germany--Cologne
Germany--Ludwigshafen am Rhein
Netherlands--Zutphen
Netherlands
Germany--Ruhr (Region)
France--Mussey-sur-Marne
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-08-28
1942-01-15
1942-06-06
1942-09-30
1942-03-08
1943-05-08
1943-05-09
1942-10-16
1942-08-12
1942-07-12
1943-03-08
1942-10-16
1942-08-12
1942-01-21
1943-10-03
1943-10-03
1942-10-16
1942-04-10
1943-03-01
1943-03-02
1943-08-14
1942-06-17
1943-03-12
1945-03-11
1943-10-22
1943-01-18
1944-02-15
1944-02-16
1943-04-14
1943-04-15
1945-04-13
1945-04-14
1943-08-09
1943-08-10
1943-03-05
1943-03-06
1943-05-13
1943-05-14
1943-06-21
1943-06-22
1943-10-03
1943-10-04
1944-01-01
1944-01-21
1944-01-22
1944-06-28
1944-06-29
1944-04-30
1944-05-01
1943-12-11
1944-01-21
1944-01-22
1944-12-06
1944-09-17
1944-12-06
1944-12-07
1944-04-22
1944-04-23
1944-05-08
1944-05-09
1945-01-07
1945-01-08
1944-05-09
1945-02-21
1945-02-22
1944-03-24
1944-03-25
1944-12-06
1944-05-12
1944-05-13
1944-08-16
1944-08-17
1944-08-03
1944-12-07
1945-04-10
1945-01-16
1945-01-17
1944-12-26
1944-10-31
1944-11-02
1944-12-27
1944-12-28
1945-03-02
1945-02-01
1945-02-02
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Twenty-eight page printed document with handwritten annotation
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Personal research
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
MCleggPV[DoB]-150819-04
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
David Bloomfield
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
PV Clegg
158 Squadron
19 OTU
26 OTU
35 Squadron
405 Squadron
408 Squadron
419 Squadron
420 Squadron
424 Squadron
425 Squadron
426 Squadron
427 Squadron
428 Squadron
429 Squadron
432 Squadron
433 Squadron
434 Squadron
44 Squadron
51 Squadron
550 Squadron
61 Squadron
77 Squadron
97 Squadron
Anson
bombing of Kassel (22/23 October 1943)
Halifax
Hampden
killed in action
Lancaster
Operational Training Unit
RAF Balderton
RAF Croft
RAF Dishforth
RAF Dunholme Lodge
RAF East Moor
RAF Elvington
RAF Gransden Lodge
RAF Honeybourne
RAF Kinloss
RAF Leeming
RAF Linton on Ouse
RAF Little Horwood
RAF Lossiemouth
RAF Middleton St George
RAF North Killingholme
RAF Skipton on Swale
RAF Snaith
RAF Syerston
RAF Tholthorpe
RAF Woodhall Spa
training
Whitley
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1772/31068/MCleggPV[DoB]-150819-03.pdf
b1f4b6901f9ff072f7f2762e2a86f051
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Clegg, Peter Vernon. Aldborough Dairy and Cafe
Description
An account of the resource
Collection contains advert for Mudd's choicest butter, details of Aldborough Cafe, photograph, newspaper cuttings and many pages of visitors signatures. an index of visiting Canadian and American airmen, some notes on signatures and details of the death of those signing the book.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2015-07-02
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
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This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. Some items have not been published in order to protect the privacy of third parties, to comply with intellectual property regulations, or have been assessed as medium or low priority according to the IBCC Digital Archive collection policy and will therefore be published at a later stage. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collection-policy.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Clegg, PV
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
[underlined] INDEX [/underlined]
[underlined] To the Canadian and American Airmen whose names have been signed in the Aldborough Café book. [/underlined]
[page break]
[underlined] Numbers in Index [/underlined]
A 19
B 74
C 52
D 32
E 12
F 22
G 22
H 50
J 20
K 18
L 41
M 85
N 7
O 9
P 31
R 27
S 57
T 17
V 9
W 37
Y 4
[underlined] TOTAL 645* [/underlined]
*Note: This total does not include spouses or relatives of the same name visiting after the war, and thus falls short of the total names per page shown in the opening summary to this Report.
In the A-Z Index, the following indications are used:-
*Killed during the War
X Believed relative of airman killed in war.
[page break]
[underlined] INDEX [/underlined]
[underlined] TO CANADIAN AND AMERICAN AIRMEN [/underlined]
[underlined] A [/underlined]
15 ARSENEAU, M.L. (LAW). Bathurst New Brunswick.
16 ANDERSON, K.B. (Flt/Lt) 112 St Clairns, Toronto.
26 ALETTES, Howard G Kitchener, Ont.
30 AMMON(?), CP Montreal, P.Q.
30 ANDERSON, Kay Grande Prairie, Alberta
33 ARMSTRONG, R.G. Toronto, Ont
33 ABRAMS, G.S. New Brunswick
34 ANDERSON, J.C. Toronto, Ont
35 ANDERSON, L.A. Demaire, Sask.
41 ADAMS, W.E. New Westminster, B.C.
43 ANTHONY, R.J. Hamilton, Ont
43 ANDERSON, A.R. Winnipeg, Manitoba
47 AUCHARME, J.C.A. Montreal, P.Q.
50 ARNOLD, BUD Toronto, Ont
52 ASHDOWN, J.N. Toronto, Ont
74 AINSLIE, CRAIG & HELEN (420 Sqn) Comber Ont.
76 ARSENAULT, MONIQUE Val D’or, P.Q.
76 ARSENAULT, J. ARTHUR Chandler, P.Q.
[page break]
[underlined] B [/underlined]
10 BROWN, J.A. Toronto, Canada
12 BLYTH, R Montreal, Canada
12 BROOKES, G.G. Toronto and Halifax
13 BAXTER, E Toronto, Canada
14 BRUCE, A.H.G. Toronto, Canada
15 BISSENETTE, GEORGE(?) Montreal, Quebec
15 BULMEL, (LAC) Montreal, Quebec
17 BADENACH, W.R. (P/O) Indian Head, Sask.
19 BINNING, R.D. (Sqd Ldr) Wetaskiwin, Alberta
19 BAYNHAM, Doug. Toronto, Ontario
20 BARKER, GEORGE Brandon, Manitoba
21 BOLD, JAMES Waterloo, Quebec
22 BLOTT, RENIE Leader, Sask.
23 BALLANTYNE, B.H. Windsor, Ont.
24 BURK, D’ARCY H. Sudbury, Ont.
26 BERGER, S. (F/L) Ottawa, Ont.
26 BOYD, T.O.R. Toronto, Ont.
27 BRODERICK, K.W. Calgary, Alberta
27 BROWN, R.L. Red Deer, Alberta
27 BIRD, D.J. Toronto, Ont
28 BLACKFORD, A. Toronto, Ont
28 BASTILLE, E. Riviere-du-Loup[?], P.Q.
28 BRISBIN, M.J. Isabella, Manitoba
28 BAMFIELD, JOHN Niagara Falls, Ont.
28 BENNETTS, T.M. Hamilton, Ont.
29 BESSETTE, J.H. (L.A.C.) Edmonton, Alberta.
30 BLOCK, WALLY Waterloo, Ont.
31 BROWNLEE, J.C. Belleville, Ont.
31 BESSONETTE, J.H.H. Montreal, Canada
33 BOULANGER Montmagny, P.Q.
34 BAUDERK, BAXTER Claresholm, Alberta
34 BENOIT, “BENNY” (W/O) “The Parachute Kid”, Toronto, Ont
35 BELL, LESLIE W Portage La Prairie, Manitoba
36 BROUGHTNEY(?), B London, Ont.
36 BASTILLE, E. Riviere-du-Loup, Quebec
39 BAKER, J.W. Preston, Ontario
39 BLATCHLEY, H.H. Ottawa, Ont.
39 BLANCHARD, K.G. Toronto, Ont.
40 BATTY, HOWARD, E. Hamilton, Ont
40 BERGWIN, S.J. Grand Frere, P.Q.
40 BARBEAU, PAUL (P/O) Ottawa, Ont
41 BROLBY, PETER. G. Vancouver, B.C.
41 BAIN, KEN Halifax, Nova Scotia
41 BARNES, CHARLES Winnipeg, Manitoba
[page break]
[underlined] B Cont’d. [/underlined]
43 BLAKELY, ARTHUR N. Montreal, P.Q.
43 BISHOP, V.S. Barrie, Ont.
44 BLENKHORN, ARNOLD Achol, Nova Scotia
45 BRIGGS, C.W. Ottawa, Ont
45 BEAMERHAUF, G. Montreal, P.Q.
46 BUTCHER, J.M. Loughead, Alberta
47 BROWNE, G.D. Lorigne[?], Ont.
48 BALLANTYNE, T.F. (F/O) Toronto, Ont
48 BISHOP, A.A. Calgary, Alberta
49 BURK, D.H. Sudbury, Ont.
49 BEACHELL, L. Winnipeg, Manitoba
51 BIGG, J Regina, Sask
52 BARTHEL, R.D. Galt, Ont.
52 BERRENGER, G Halifax, Nova Scotia
52 BRITTAIN, E.C. Brentford, Ont.
62 BAKER, DUNCAN Waco, Texas, USA
64 BANKS, LEN Vancouver, B.C.
70 BARKER, Mrs & Miss La Jolla[?], Calif, USA
74 ( BAURDAGES, LAURETTE G. 7, Rue Rose de Cidres
74 ( BAURDAGES, PAUL Brisbriand, Quebec.
74 ( BROWN, JOSEPH C. 276, Maplewood Ave
74 ( BROWN, ROSALIND L. Winnipeg, Manitoba
74 x( BEARISTO, DICK 10231 -108 Ave, Grande
74 x( BEARISTO, PHYLLIS Prairie, Alberta
74 BRADLEY, ART & KAY 72 Daleside Cresc. Toronto
75 BOUCHARD, E Anjou, Montreal, P.Q.
75 BAUDRARD, MADELAINE Faurnier. Anjou, P.Q.
75 BARNES, HARRY & ELEANOR Ottawa, Ont.
76 BARBER, P. Toronto, Ont.
76 BOUCLEARE, CAM. Shediac. New Brunswick
[page break]
[underlined] C [/underlined]
3 CUSSE, Olaf A. C.P.N.
3 * CAMP, S.C. Collingwood, Ontario
3 * CHISHOLM, R.J. Vancouver
4 CRAIG, F.J. Vulcan, Alberta
7 * COPELAND, T.[?] D. Dundalk, Ontario
14 CANTIN, A ? (Flt/Sgt) Quebec City
14 CLARKE, N.S. Ft.William, Canada
15 CLARK, T. (Cpl) Vancouver, B.C.
15 CHURCH, G. (LAC) Toronto, Ont.
15 CLARKE, J.A. (LAC) Alberton, Prince Edward Island
16 CAMERON, A.H. Moncton, New Brunswick.
16 CHESS, D. (W/O.) St Catharines, Ont.
16 CLAIRMONT, G. (W/O) Hull, Quebec
17 * COTTON, D. Vancouver, B.C.
17 CLARK, C.S. Woodstock, New Brunswick
18 “CLARK GABLE” Hollywood, California, USA
19 COATES, BABS Regina, Sask.
20 COCHRAN, A.G. (P/O) Leamington, Ontario
22 CHARBONNEAU, G. Ottawa, Ontario
22 CHANDLER. R.E. Toronto, Canada
23 * COPELAND, J.C. Dundalk, Ontario
23 * CAMMAART, F.P. Wallanburg, Ont.
26 * CONROY, R.F. Truro, Nova Scotia
27 COPELAND, J.L. Dundalk, Ont.
27 * CAMPBELL, R.R. (F/O) Regina, and Montreal, P.Q.
30 CAIRNS, J.D. Duncan, B.C.
31 CUNILL, W.R. Dundalk, Ont
31 COROSE, Rocky Lawrence, Mass. USA
32 CHARBONNEAU, L.T. Ft. William, Ont.
33 CRATE, L Prince George, B.C.
34 CABB, A.B. Big Valley, Alberta
35 CLINTON, D.C. Burlington, Ont.
35 COLE, H.J. Toronto, Ont.
36 CORMIER, A.A. Calgary, Alberta
38 CLARK, ANNE (LAW) ___
39 CALANGIS [?], GEORGE Vancouver, B.C.
40 CATO, ROBERT Quebec.
41 COHEN, SYD. Toronto, Ont.
41 CORY, T.R. Windsor, Ont.
43 COTTINGHAM, “SKEETER”, Vancouver, B.C.
44 CROWDER, MORRIS Picayane, Miss. USA.
44 CLAYTON, KEN Kindersley, Sask.
45 CHOFFEC, M.J. Lethbridge, Alberta
48 CHURCH, D.F. Peterboro, Ont
[page break]
[underlined] D [/underlined]
12 DRUCET, Jerry
12 * DAVIES, Bill Halifax, Canada
12 DURHAM, C.G. Drembeller
13 DELISLE, C.M. (P/O) Montreal, P.Q.
15 DUFRESNE, Loui Hudson, Quebec
16 DALLAIRE, R (Flt/Sgt) Montreal, Quebec
16 DESCHINES, M. “ Ottawa, Ont.
23 DINNING, J.B. Edmonton, Alberta.
29 DAWSON, EDNA Vancouver, B.C.
29 DUMATT, W.C. Kitchener, Ont.
31 DAVIS, ROY. J. Porcupine, Ont.
34 DIKE, AL. F. Mt. Albert. Ont.
36 DUNNE, R.H. Toronto, Canada
37 DIXON, “MICKEY” (L.A.W.) Arcula, Sask
37 DOBSON, K.M. Stratford, Ont.
38 * DIXON, A.A. Toronto, Ont
39 DAVIS, H.R. Hamilton, Ont
40 DUPUIS, W. Ottawa
40 DESBIENS, J.J. Chicoutini, P.Q.
40 DE FROSBORS, CHARLES Montreal, P.Q.
40 DUROCHER, M Montreal
42 DAVIS, M.A. Beauhamois, Quebec
43 DOAL, HELEN Almonte, Ont
44 DAY, J.L. Owen Sound, Ont
45 DUROCHER, J.E. Montreal, P.Q.*
45 DOBIN, MEL (F/O) Montreal, P.Q.
47 DAVIGNON, JEANE PAUL St. Jean, P.Q.
48 DOLLINGER, K.C. Port Colborne, Ont.
51 DONOGHUE Peterboro, Ont
62 DUNBAR, JOHN O. Lafayette, Indiana, USA
67 DALES, E.M. Vancouver, B.C.
75 DUNCAN, J.G. Vancouver, B.C.
[page break]
[underlined] C cont’d [/underlined]
48 CHADDER, REG Guelph, Ont.
48 CONNAL, J. (F/O) (433 Sqn) Vancouver, B.C.
49 CHOLETTE, R.V. Westmount, Montreal, P.Q.
52 CARROLL, H.J. Halifax, Nova Scotia
53 CLARK, J.H. (W/Cmd) London, Ont.
70 CARR, MRS PERCY Banning, Calif. USA
75 CORKELL, CLEM (409, 425, 430 Sqns). Heichen, Alberta
76 x CODE, NORA (Sister of F/O J. H. Hudson). Perth, Ont
[page break]
[underlined] E [/underlined]
12 * EVANS, J.H. (“Smudge”) Waterloo, Canada
15 * ELLIOTT, DON (P/O) Springhill, Nova Scotia
16 ELLAR, V.G. (P/O) Kitchener, Ont
21 ELLIOTT, J.A. Prince Albert, Sask
27 * EDWARDS, B.F. (P/O) Bloomington, Minnesota, USA
33 ERRETT, J.A. [indecipherable word], Minnesota, USA
38 * EBER, R.A. Hamilton, Ont.
40 EVANS, TED Toronto, Ont
40 ERICKSON, REG Edmonton, Alberta
46 ESSELTINE, W.C. Tillsonburg, Ont
46 ELLIOTT, W.C. Edam, Sask.
47 EDWARDS, J.B. Killarney, Manitoba
[page break]
[underlined] F [/underlined]
8 FARNUM, Patrick Montreal, P.Q.
8 FARNUM, Ambrose “ “ RCAF
12 FAUQUIER, J.E. Ottawa, Canada
14 FADDEN, LLOYD (Sgt) Seattle, Washington USA
16 FORMIER, J. (Flt/Sgt) Edmunston, New Brunswick
16 FIELD, P.F. (Flt/Lt) Montreal, Canada
19 FLINT, BRYANT. (Cpl) Toronto, Canada
19 FLINT, BUD. Toronto, Canada
21 FRIOT, A.W. (“Barney”) Dryden, Ontario
23 FERGUSSON, ALAN Vancouver, B.C.
29 FRASER, M.A. Montreal, P.Q.
30 FAIRHURST, EDITH Nanaimo, B.C.
39 FOX, A.M. Calgary, Alberta
40 FROUDE, L. M. Montreal, P.Q.
42 FORD, J Rilocone, [?] B.C.
43, 47 FLANA HAN, PAUL L. New Westminster, B.C.
44 FRENCH, SAM Moncton, New Brunswick
48 FOSTER, W.E. London, Ont.
51 FRANZ, H.J. Hellmond, Sask.
52 FAHEY, PHIL Glen Barn, [?] Sask.
62 FITZGERALD, THOMAS Yonkers, New York, USA
75 FRECKLETON, ROY [indecipherable word] Ont.
[page break]
[underlined] G [/underlined]
12 GRAY, Stinky Pine Gulch, B.C.
13 GUYATT, E.C. Sgt Calgary, Alberta
14 GULISTONE, J.R. Windsor, Ont.
15 GILLIES, L.E. P/O Paris, Ontario
16 GANDERTON, VAUGHAN F/Lt Edmonton
23 GREENHALGH, L.B. (F/O) Saskatoun, Sask
24 GOSLING, R. Ft. William, Ont
31 GRAVEL, M.Y. (F/Sgt) Montreal, P.Q.
33 GUILHERIN, P Montreal, P.Q.
36 GRUNDY “BOB” [?] Windsor, Ont.
38 GERMANS(?) J.E. (Sqd/Ldr) Toronto, Ont.
39 GOLDIE, J.K. (F/Lt) Regina, Sask.
41 GILLESPYE, J.H. Dryden, Ont
42 GOTTS, V Keewatin, Ont
43 GIBSON, J. E. Kingston, Ont
47 GALLAGHER, HERMAN Swift Current, Sask
47 GERVAIS, JACQUES Quebec, P.Q.
47 GILLEN, E. W. (Wing/Comdr) St. John, New Brunswick
49 GOW, J. Calgary, Alberta
50 GAMBLES, C. R. Toronto, Ont
18 “GABLE, CLARK” Hollywood, California, USA
[page break]
[underlined] H [/underlined]
6 * HEATHER, R. J Toronto, Canada
9 HOWELL, H. DORIS Toronto, Canada
10 * HENDERSON, BILL Vancouver, Canada
11 HARPER, MARY D. J. Brock, Saskatchewan
12 HENRY, ROY. A. Toronto, Canada
14 * HOPLEY, A. F. Sgt Humber Bay, Ontario
14 HICKS, L. B. (LAW) St John, Newfoundland.
14 HATTON, W.R.R. Toronto, Ont
15 HUTTON, G. S. Toronto, Ont
15 HUGHES-GAMES, A. S. Kelowna, B. C.
17 HARRIS, A. E. Sarnia, Ontario
18 HERRING, G. Toronto, Ontario
18 HARPER, OWEN Winnipeg, Manitoba.
19 HENRY, M. J. Prescott, Ontario
20 HOCKEY, J. ERIC Kentville, Nova Scotia
20 HOLOWCHUK, MILTON E. Kill Winnipeg, Manitoba
21 HERRON, W. G. Toronto, Ontario
22 HAYES, G. B. Chatham, Ontario
22 HINDE, S. H. Vancouver, B. C.
22 HODGKINSON, M. W. St. Catherines, Ont
24 HOLMES, PETER St. Johns, Newfoundland
25 * HAWKINS, STAN A. Toronto, Canada
25 * HENDERSON, D.A. Thorham, [?] Nova Scotia
25 HOPKINS, B. L. (Sqd Ldr) Hamilton, Ont.
26 HURLEY, J. L. Ottawa, Ont.
26 HAMILL, R. C. Victoria, B.C.
27 HYDE, R. V. (F/O) Calgary, Alberta.
28 HERRING, G. P. Toronto, Ont
32 HAWKINS, G. F. Sarnia, Ont.
33 HARICOT, H. Montreal, P.Q.
36 HOWE, “BOB” Brandon, Manitoba
38 * HEWSON, S. D. Hamilton, Ont.
39 HEAP, G. R. Niagara Falls, Ont
39 HOZNESENSKY, H. Abernethy, Sask
40 HARRIS, ALICIA, BETTY Atlee, Virginia, USA
41 HARE, GORDON E. St Catherines, Ont
43 HELLENS, STAN Montreal, Quebec
43 HURLEY(?) J. D. Ottawa, Canada
44 HUNTINGTON, RALPH C. JNR. Washington, USA
44 HUFFMAN, A. D. (F/O) Windsor, Ont
44 HALE, F. J. Harriston, [?] Ont
46 HOLMES, A. C. St. Johns, Newfoundland
48 HAMMER, M. T. New Hamburg, Ont.
[page break]
[underlined] H [/underlined]
48 HILL, H.N. Ft. William, Ont
48 HILL, EUGENE Toronto, Ont.
52 HERRING, GREGG Toronto, Ont.
57 HOPKINS, A.B. Baltimore, Maryland, USA
62 HAYNES, WARREN Wulows, California USA
62 HARMON, RALPH. E Springfield, Mass. USA
62 HARRIS, L.R. (Sgt.) Chicago, Illinois, USA
[page break]
[underlined] I [/underlined]
[underlined] J [/underlined]
1 JUNKER, J. N. Vancouver, B.C.
17 * JONES, L. Toronto, Ontario
18 JOHNSON, GORDON. Staveley, Alberta
21 JOHNSTON, JANE Oakville, Ontario
21 JEFFRIES, FRANCES Success, Sask.
22 JENKINS, A.D. Didsbury, Alberta
32 JACQUES, C.L. (F/O) Showinigan [?] Fall, Ont.
34 JONES, R.L. Toronto, Ont
35 JONES, NEIL Edmonton, Alberta
36 JOHNSTON, LLOYD A. Montreal, Ont.
36 JACKSON, MARY Prescott, Ont
39 JAMIESON, J.A.L. Peterboro’, Ont
40 JERRED, R.B. Moose Jaw, Sask
41 JONES, ROBERT Toronto, Ont
43 JOHNSTON, J. F. St. Thomas, Ont.
50 JONES, R. L. Toronto, Ont
51 JASPERSON, L. C. Halifax, Nova Scotia
58 JOHNSON, LAURENCE J. Boston, Mass, USA
75 ( JOHNSTON, C. K. Waterdown, Ont.
75 ( “ , EVELYN “ “
[page break]
[underlined] K [/underlined]
10 KING, J. VICTOR Weeland, Canada
21 KURSEL Toronto, Canada
22 KELLERMAN, D. F. Bruno [?], Sask.
27 KIPP, E. h. Chilliwock, B. C.
32 KARILL(?) Calgary, Alberta
32 KILBOURNE, A. D. London, Ont.
33 KAEFAS(?) A. Montreal, P.Q.
35 KINGPELBERG, J. (F/O) Mankota, Sask.
36 KLINGENDER, J. W. (LAC) Kitchener, Ont.
36 KELLY, ARTHUR H. Vancouver, B.C.
38 KENNETH, E.F.N. Brandon, Manitoba
42 KINSMAN, E. F. N. Kentville, Nova Scotia
45 KING, B. W. Montreal, P.Q.
45 KING, HELEN Uxbridge, Ont.
46 KELLETT, MURRAY Haliburton, Ont.
46 KERRY, I. G. (F/O 432 Sqn) Port Perry, Ont
48 KENSIT, T. J. (F/Lt 433 Sqn) Brentford, Ont
18[?] KELNER, N. B. N. Cobalt, Ont.
[page break]
[underlined] L [/underlined]
11 LUSTEAD, M. F. (ACW) Regina, Canada.
12 LAGO, Johnny
14 LEGARE, E. Sgt
15 LEITCH, M. L. (LAW) Roderick, Ont.
16 LAMBLY, DOUG. (Sgt) Montreal, Quebec.
16 LAROSIE, G. (Flt/Sgt) Ottawa, Ont.
16 LIGHTWARING, G. O. Toronto, Canada
18 LAROLIE, JACK. Ottawa, Ontario
18 LOCKHART, J. Toronto, Ontario
21 LOGAN, HERBERT Valor, Sask
22 LEWIS, J. M. Sackville, New Brunswick
22 LANE, V. Welland, Ontario
24 LYE, BEVERLY Toronto, Ont.
25 LENIERE, A. J. Melville, Sask.
25 LANGDOWN, H. J. Ingersoll, Ont.
25 LAING, JACK N. Toronto, Ont.
26 LECLERC, NELSON Montreal, Canada
27 LOCK, H. E. New Westminster, B.C.
29 LANDRY, PETER C. Montreal, P.Q.
30 LEITCH, MARGARET Kamloops [?], B.C.
30 LACAILLE, J. P. Grand Lac Magog, P.Q.
32 LESTER, ALLISON E. St John, New Brunswick
36 LARSEN, C. A. Longueirl[?], Quebec
38 * LOUIE, QUAN JIL Vancouver, B.C.
38 * LE BLANC, A. T. Westville, Nova Scotia
39 LEVINE, SAMUEL R Toronto, Ont
40 LEGGE, F. H. Galt, Ont
41 LESTER, SIR ALLISON EDWARD Fairville, New Brunswick
42 LEDINGHAM, H. F. Sudbury, Ont.
42 LEE, NANCY Windermere, B.C.
43, 47 LA PLANTE, J. M. St. Chrysostorne, [?] Quebec.
44 LYELY, GEORGE Cleveland Ohio, USE
44 LAVERS, MILFORD Truro, Nova Scotia
44 LEONARD, CY Toronto, Ont.
46 LEWIS, S. G. Winnipeg, Manitoba
47 LAURIE, J. P. Hamilton, Ont.
48 LEE, J. C. Ottawa, Ont.
52 LAMONT, DON Port Elgin, Ont.
53 LIVINGSTONE, MABEL E. Windsor, Nova Scotia
74 LABELLE, GEORGE C.P.5, Cocagne,
(405, 425 Sqn) New Brunswick
[page break]
[underlined] M [/underlined]
13 * MORRELL, SIDNEY L. P/O Gainsville Texas USA
13 MAYNARD “Bob” Toronto and Hatson, Sask.
14 McDONALD (LAW) Ft. Frances, Ont.
14 McCORMICK, A. J. E. Sgt Fairbanks, Alaska
14 MORRISON, GRANT Sudbury, Ont.
16 MOORE, S. A. (F/O) Niagara Falls, Ont
16 MACLEAN, R. (Sgt) Cap[?] Madeleine, Quebec.
16 McCUMFREY(?) J. P. (P/O) North Bay, Ont.
16 McFADDEN, A. F. Timmins, Ontario
18 McCARTHY, Bill (Flt/Sgt) Ottawa, Ontario.
18 McPHERSON I, (LAC) Oshawa, Ontario
18 MOORE, KEN. (W/O) Ottawa, Ontario
19 * MARTIN, W. E. (Sgt) Calgary, Alberta.
19 McASKILL, EDWARD A. New Westminster, B.C.
20 McMASTER, JOHN. (W/O) Edmonton, Alberta
20 MAULE, JOHN ERIC. Ottawa, Ontario
21 MENARD, J.A.G. (“Ken”) Hall, Quebec (P.Q.)
22 McCAREY, H.P.J. Windsor and Toronto, Ont.
22 MacCAUGHLIN, “Mac” West Sommerville, Mass. USA.
22 MOFFATT, T. B. Winnipeg, Manitoba
23 McROBERTS, F. M. Ft. Worth, Texas. USA.
23 MacMILLAN Toronto, Canada
23 McKENNA, G. A. Oftaira, Ontario
23 McKENZIE, G. (Flt/Sgt) Gline [?], B.C. *
24 MOSS, J. D. G. Edmonton, Alberta *
25 MILLAR, G Brooklyn, New York, USA
25 MacPHERSON, W. B. Truro, Nova Scotia
25 MACAULAY, D. M. Slave Bay, Canada.
25 MacCORMACK, J. J. Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
25 MOFFATT, GEORGE H. H. Montreal, Canada
25 MILNE, GORDON C. Hamilton, Ont.
26 MILES, H. F. Toronto, Ont.
26 McMINNIES, R. E. Blamsoile [?], Ont.
26 MacLEAN, F. W. Winnipeg, Manitoba
28 MASON, J. E. (P/O) Vancouver, B.C.
29 MACLEAN, J. G. Winnipeg, Manitoba
29 MORISON, J. D. (F/O) Edmonton, Alberta
30 MONTY, H. Montreal, P.Q.
30 MacDIARMID, DAVE Ottawa, Ont
31 McGREGOR, GUS (Sgt) Brandon, Manitoba
31 McCULLOCH, J. R. Portago and Prairie, Manitoba.
31 MARCEAU, FERNAND Montmagny [?], P.Q.
32 McNICOL, W. J. Vancouver, B.C.
32 McHANDRY (P/O) Montreal, P.Q.
[page break]
[underlined] M (Contd) [/underlined]
32 MINTO-SWAN, W. J. Vancouver, B.C.
32 MANN, LLOYD. A. Portage la Prairie, Manitoba
33 McCARTHY J. J. Ottawa, Ont
33 McDONALD, A. M. New Hatsford, Nova Scotia
33 MURPHY, R. A. Brunswick, Oklahoma, USA
33 McDONALD, R. W. Toronto, Ont.
34, 38 McKEE, Bill TORONTO, ONT.
34, 38* McLEOD, WILF London, Ont.
35 MARSHALL, ARMAND, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
35 MOSSMAN, L. (F/O) Lunenberg,[?] Nova Scotia
37 McGILLIVRAY, JEAN (Cpl) Montreal, Canada
38 McCLUCKIE, J. Vancouver, B.C.
38 McNABB, H. ROY. Caligary, Alberta
38 * McDIVITT, K.O. Bala, Ont.
40 MAHAFFY, S. L. Winnipeg, Manitoba
40 MARCOTTE, J. L. (F/O, DFC) Montreal,
41 MAXWELL, J. A. Mieland [?], Ont.
41 MARK, TOM Victoria, B.C.
41 MURRAY, PAT Winnipeg, Manitoba
41 MAYNARD, JIMMIE Chatham, Ont
42 MORFORD, SHIRLEY Sarnia, Ont.
43 MAYNARD, T. (Cpl) Chatham, Ont.
43, 46 McCARTHY, W. O. Halifax, Nova Scotia
44 MEADUS, HECTOR. St. John’s, Newfoundland
44 MILLS, JOE Toronto, Ont
45 MOYER, A. P. Guelph, Ont.
46 MacLEAN, J. BEATTIE 3207, Quisnelle Drive, Vancouver, B.C.
46 McLAUGHLIN, HAROLD E. (F/O) (420 Sqn) Grand Falls, New Brunswick.
46 McSWENY, C. N. (A.V-M) Montreal, P.Q.
46 METAYER, C. A. Quebec.
47, 50 MacDONALD, TOM Moose Jaw, Sask.
47 MONTY, GEORGE Rosemount, Montreal
48 MUNDY, G. EARL Montreal, P.Q.
51 McNEAL, H.A.R. Windsor, Ont.
52 MORELAND, BRUCE Ottawa, Ont.
62 MORDON, KERMON W. Perth Amboy [?], New Jersey, USA
62 MAINWARING, H. Toronto, Ont.
74 McCANN, GINNIE Georges Mill, New Hampshire USA
75 MacGREGOR, ARLENE Truro, Nova Scotia
75 McADAM, BILL Minden, Ont.
76 McRAE, IRIS & M. Royal Oak, Michigan, USA
[page break]
[underlined] N [/underlined]
23, 39 * NOREJKO, STEPHEN L. Montreal, Canada.
24 NORUM, MARGOT Simpson, Sask.
26 NACINE, R. G. Maniton, Manitoba
29 NEY, H. Toronto, Ont.
31 NOWAZEK, J. T. Flin Flan, Manitoba
44 NICKOLLS, ROY Ingersoll, Ont
50 NICOLL, P. Naaramata [?], B.C.
[underlined] O [/underlined]
20 ORPEN, R. L. Toronto, Canada
25 O’LEARY, MICHAEL BOIAN Rockcliffe Pk, Ottawa
28 ODLUM, HAL Kelowna, Okanagan Valley, B.C.
28 OLAUSON G. C. Saskatoon, Sask.
32 O’BRIEN, R. W. (F/L) Burlington, Ont.
35 O’REGAN, EDDY (WAAF) _____
48 OEHM, F. W. (P/O) (433 Sqn) Stratford, Ont
75 O’LEARY, LLOYD Richmond Hill, Ont.
76 OLSEN, LAWRENCE & WIN Camrose, Alberta
[page break]
[underlined] P [/underlined]
15 PETTIT, D. O. F/O Edmonton, Camrose, Alberta
18 PARENT, GILLES E. (Sgt) Ste [?] Agathe, Quebec
19 POTHICARY, JACK Armstrong, B.C.
23 * PERRY, BILL (408) Toronto, Ont.
24 * PARKINSON, W. H. Guelph, Ont.
26 PULLMAN, GERALD J. (F/O) Toronto, Ont.
27 PECK, RICHARD Montreal.
28 PORTER, R. M. (F/L) Ottawa, Ont
29 PEIRCE, JUNE Calgary, Alberta
30 PEACHEY, R. L. Prince Rupert, B.C.
32 PATTERSON, H. L. Fredericton [?], New Brunswick
32 PARENT, D. E. (Sgt) Ste. Agathe des Monts, P.Q.
32 PARADIS, Y. M. (Sgt) Montreal, Canada.
33 * PRITCHARD, G. F. Ottawa, Ont.
35 PARKER, D. M. Wellingboro and Toronto
38 PIKE, A. F. Mt. Albert, Ont.
38 PINE, PINKER Port Colborne [?], Ont.
41 PRINCE, R. E. Toronto, Ont.
42 PIERCE, C. H. Riston, Manitoba
43 PETTER, F. J. R. Drumkaller [?], Alberta
43 PERRY, W. B. Winnipeg, Manitoba
43 PELTER, G. A. Cassidy, B.C.
43 PITTS, D. N. Winnipeg, Manitoba
44 PURDUM, JOHN H. Grants Pass, Oregon, USA
45 PROUD, LLOYD Yanham, B.C.
45 POTTER, ALAN Toronto, Ont.
45 PATTERSON, PAT Perth, Ont
47 POULIOT, PAUL Quebec City
51 PATRICK, G. M. Kingston, Ont.
52 PELTZ, S. Montreal, P.Q.
52 PALEN, EDDIE Ottawa, Ont
[page break]
[underlined] P [/underlined]
15 PETTIT, D. O. F/O Edmonton, Camrose, Alberta
18 PARENT, GILLES E. (Sgt) Ste. Agathe. Quebec
19 POTHICARY, JACK. Armstrong, B.C.
23 * PERRY, BILL (408) Toronto, Ont
24 * PARKINSON, W. H. Guelph, Ont.
26 PULLMAN, GERALD J. (F/O) Toronto, Ont.
27 PECK, RICHARD. Montreal
28 PORTER, R. M. (F/L) Ottawa, Ont.
29 PEIRCE, JUNE Calgary, Alberta
30 PEACHEY, R. L. Prince Rupert, B.C.
32 PATTERSON, H. L. Fredericton, New Brunswick
32 PARENT, D. E. (Sgt) Ste. Agathe des Monts, P.Q.
32 PARADIS, Y. M. (Sgt) Montreal, Canada
33 * PRITCHARD, G. F. Ottawa, Ont.
35 PARKER, D. M. Wellingboro and Toronto
38 PIKE, A. F. Mt. Albert, Ont.
38 PINE, PINKER Port Colborne, Ont.
41 PRINCE, R. E. Toronto, Ont
42 PIERCE, C. H. Riston, Manitoba
43 PETTER, F. J. R. Drunkaller, [?] Alberts
43 PERRY, W. B. Winnipeg, Manitoba
43 PELTER, G. A. Cassidy, B.C.
43 PITTS, D. N. Winnipeg, Manitoba
44 PURDUM, JOHN H. Grants Pass, Oregon, U.S.A.
45 PROUD, LLOYD Yanham, B.C.
45 POTTER, ALAN Toronto, Ont
45 PATTERSON, PAT Perth, Ont
47 POULIOT, PAUL Quebec City
51 PATRICK, G. M. Kingston, Ont.
52 PELTZ, S. Montreal, P.Q.
52 PALEN, EDDIE Ottawa, Ont
[page break]
[underlined] R [/underlined]
13 REDMAN, M. Montreal, P.Q.
18 ROFFEY, MIKE (Flt/Sgt) Toronto, Ontario
19 RAINDAHL, MARTIN Horizon, Sask.
19 ROGERS, I. J. Moose Jaw, Sask.
20 RYAN, J. R. Peterboro, Ontario
21 RAE, WILLIAM W. Medecine[?] Hat, Alberta.
21 RAY, N. M. Timmins, Ontario
24 REID, F. M. Montreal, Canada
24 RAETZEN, ALAN. Windsor, Ont.
25 RODOWICK, J. Saskatoon, Sask
27 ROCQUE G. J. (LAC) Lanark, Ont.
30 ROB, CHAUD Bathurst, New Brunswick
30 ROBILLARD, J. C. M. Montreal, P.Q.
33 ROSS, R I. Islet, Canada
35 ROBERTS, STANLEY R. Young, Sask.
39 RICE, A. J. Windsor, Ont
42 RENNIE, G. M. Bathurst, Nova Scotia
42 READ, DOROTHY Meota, Sask.
43 RAWLINGS, JOHN L. Toronto, Canada.
45 REID, C. Montreal, P.Q.
45 READER, LEN Toronto, Ont.
46 RENAUD, J. A. R. (Sgt) Montreal, P.Q.
47 RHEAUME, E Edmonton, Alberta
49 RAWSON, JAKE 53 Adelaide St., E. Toronto
51 RUSSELL, R. J. Calgary, Alberta
75 REGAN, DESMOND San Diego, Calif, USA.
75 RAE, JAMES Calgary, Alberta
[underlined] S [/underlined]
12 STEEN, A. H. (“Howie”) Guelph, Can.
12 SMITHY, H. M. Toronto, Canada
12 SLAMON, G. R. Winnipeg, Canada
15 STRONG, R. J. (P/O) Drake, Sask.
15 SPACKMAN, W. R. Innisfail, Alberta
18 SKINNER, DAVY. (Flt/Sgt) Mount Brydges, Ont
19 SEELEY, M. J. Montreal, P.Q.
20 STEVENSON, D. F. Kingston, Ontario
21 SCHNOTER, DON Vancouver, B.C.
23 SKINNER, DAVE Hamilton, Ont.
23 SAUVE, J. D. (Flt/Sgt) Cornwall, Ont.
24 SECCOMBE, PATRICIA. Toronto, Ont.
25 SCOTT, HUGH B. Hamilton, Ont.
26 SHEPPARD, W. C. Toronto, Ont.
27 SANQUHAR, J. W. Woodstock, Ont.
29 STRINE, C. H. (F/L) Montreal, Canada
29 SHORE, LEONARD, W. D. Portagela, Prairie, Manitoba
30 SUTHER, M. C. Hawarden, Sask.
30 STONE, H. I. Tofield, Alberta
31 SALLOWS, MALCOLM, M. Orillia, Ont.
31 ST. ARNAUD, FRED Port Arthur, Ont.
32 STARK, C. A. Berwick, Ont.
33 * SURLES, CHARLES P Lake Charles, Louisiana, USA
34 SCOTT, R. C. (Sqd/Ldr) Strasbourg, Sask.
34 SORLEY, RONALD M. Toronto, Canada
36 STEWART, FRED. Ottawa, Ont
39 STONEHAM, D. W. Saskatoon, Sask
39 STACKHOUSE, C. L. St. Lambert, Quebec
39 STACEY, A. E. I. Saskatoon, Sask
40 SOLOMON, STANLEY Toronto, Ont
40 * STREET, J. Toronto, Ont
40 ST. AMOUR, ROGER Montreal, P.Q.
41 SULLIVAN, STAN. Saskatoon, Sask
41 SALLOWS, MALCOLM Pincher Creek, Alberta
42 * STINSON, H. K. DFC (Sqd/Ldr) Lindsay, Ont
42 STOPES, M. J. Vancouver, BC.
42 SPENCER, ROSE E. Fairy Glen, Sask
42 STAGG, CONSTANCE E. Ft. William, Ont
42 SIMONS, LILIAN G. Toronto, Ont.
43 SHOLUND, G. A. L. Kimberley, B.C.
44 SENGER, BOB Springfield, Illinois, USA
44 SORGE, ART Winnipeg, Manitoba
44 STUTHARD, JOE Montreal, P.Q.
45 SAVAN, J. W. Toronto, Ont.
[page break]
[underlined] S Contd [/underlined]
45 SMITH “TINY” ___
45 SHORE, LEONARD W. Sudbury, Ont. And Portaga-la-Prairie, Manitoba
45 SARRIS, GEORGE Toronto, Ont.
46 STEVENS, WILF Toronto, Ont.
47 STOBBART, D. R. Kalamagoo[?], Michigan USA and Edmonton, Alberta
48 STRELCHUK, A (F/Lt) (433 Sqn) Winnipeg, Manitoba
49 SAMPSON, A. J. Sydney, Nova Scotia
51 STOCKWELL, G. R. Stratford, Ont.
58 SUNTER, GUERILL E. W. Montreal, P.Q.
59 SAINT-JACQUES, LISE Montreal, P.Q.
75 SWAIN, ROY Montreal, P.Q.
75 SAVOIE, ARMAND & DELORES 209, Rainbow St. Gloucester, Ont.
[page break]
[underlined] T [/underlined]
10 TUCKER, J. F. Waterloo, Canada
12 TANSEY, GORDON Montreal, Canada.
12 TEFEBURNE, ROD Montreal, Quebec
12 * TRASK, C. Meadow Lake, Sask.
14 THIN, L. M. J. (L.A.W.) Qu’ Appelle, Sask.
22 TAPPING, A. J. Winnipeg, Manitoba
28 TASSIGNY, R. Montreal, Ont
30 TUCKER, FRANK. Edmonton, Alberta
31 THORNE, CHARLES B. Toronto, Ont.
31 TREMBLAY, L. P. (F/Sgt) Quebec, Canada.
33 TELMAN (LAW) Ottawa, Ont.
40 TREMBLAY, L. T. Montreal
41 THOMPSON, K. S. Halifax, Nova Scotia
42 THEIS, L. M. Qu’ Appelle, Sask
50 TAIT, A. HORACE Toronto, Ont.
51 TODD, K. Edmonton, Alberta
76 x THRENAULT, EVA Glen Glass, P.Q.
[page break]
[underlined] V [/underlined]
18 * VENBER, NICK Ranaimo, B.C.
27 VILLENEUVE, LOUIS Ottawa, Ont
30 VAUGEL, A L. Winnipeg, Manitoba
31 VOLKMAN, J. J. Dryden, Ont
32 VERRET, GEORGE Quebec, Ont
41 VAILLANEAULT, MYRREL Wakefield, Quebec
45 VERIER, J. A. _____
46 VAN DAELE, G (Flt/Sgt) Norwood, Manitoba
47 VILLENEUVE, V (sqn/Ldr) St Eugene, Ont.
[underlined] W [/underlined]
13 WRIGHT, L. C. Winnipeg, Manitoba
14 WILSON, M. H. (LAW) Regina, Sask.
22 WALLS, R. B. Cardston[?], Alberta
23 * WILSON, J. A. Welland, Ontario
23 WILSON, F. R. Ottawa, Ont.
24 WAKEFIELD, DOROTHY Vancouver, B.C.
25 WADDELL, M. Montreal
27 WINCH, A. Paris, Ont.
29 WYE, J. E. Regina, Sask
29 WURTITE, E. L. Montreal, P.Q.
29 WISMER, IRVINE Kitchener, Ont.
32 WALKER, “HOCK”. (Adj) Port Hope, Ont.
33 WELSH, T. T. Flin Flan, Manitoba
35 WAKEFIELD, T. J. Vancouver, B.C.
35 WALTON, ED. OK Valley, Summerland, B.C.
36 WILLIAMS, LLOYD F. Winnipeg, Manitoba
37 * WILSON, T. A. Welland, Canada
38 * WATSON, BILL Toronto, Ont
38 WUTELE, LORNA Victoria, B.C.
39 WILSON, H. (F/O) Toronto, Ont.
41 WILLIAMS, G[?] J. Lindsey, Ont
42 WATERHOUSE, J. S. Calgary, Alberta
[page break]
[underlined] W Cont’d [/underlined]
43 WILHART, H. L. Edmonton, Alberta
44 WILLIAMS, “MACK” Shabby Bay, Ont.
44 WALKER, HERB C. Paducah[?], Kentucky, USA.
44 WEBB, LEN Teralotton, Ont
46 WORTHINGTON, WM. R. (432 Sqn) Toronto, Ont
46 WICKS, J. Vancouver, B.C.
48 WALKER, H. J. Winnipeg, Manitoba
48 WHITCOMBE, HARRY Toronto, Ont
48 WARD, R.C.H. (F/Lt) Battleford, Sask.
51 WOOLF, R. E. Hill Spring, Alberta
62 WILLIAMS, BILL Madison, Wisconsin, USA
74 WALKER, GEORGE Georges Mills, New Hampshire, USA
74 x WOODWARD, JIM & MILLIE Edmonton, Alberta
74 WADDELL, DICK & BETTY (431 Sqn) UK.
75 WAUGH, J. HARRY Truro[?], Nova Scotia
[page break]
[underlined] Y [/underlined]
4 YARLOTT, M. Stanton, Michigan, USA
21 YOUNG, WILLIAM T. Toronto, Ontario
26 YOUNG, B. Vancouver, B.C.
30 YOUNG, STEW. Stratford, Ont.
[underlined] Z [/underlined]
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Mrs Mudd's café - some notes about the signatures
Description
An account of the resource
Introduces the visitors book started on 30 December 1931 to 13 September 1959. The World War 2 part has 46 pages have a large number of signatures of Canadian airmen. Next a sketch map of RCAF and RAF airfields in North Yorkshire. Account of a visit by the Princess Royal and party in 1941. Follows notes on some of the signatures and casualties. Notes signature of Clark Gable in August 1943
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Twenty-one page handwritten document
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Personal research
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
MCleggPV[DoB]-150819-03
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
British Army
United States Army Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Yorkshire
Germany
Germany--Osnabrück
Germany--Kiel
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
David Bloomfield
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
PV Clegg
405 Squadron
426 Squadron
51 Squadron
57 Squadron
ground personnel
Halifax
killed in action
RAF Dishforth
Women’s Auxiliary Air Force
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1526/29163/PMilesRJ16030006.2.jpg
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https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1526/29163/PMilesRJ16010011.2.jpg
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https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1526/29163/PMilesRJ16040041.2.jpg
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https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1526/29163/PMilesRJ16010009.2.jpg
2fa13ad0cc208c273c03d93a29715b80
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1526/29163/PMilesRJ16010010.2.jpg
1b2b4820de25841268e80bd667d62bb8
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Miles, Reg
Reginald J Miles
R J Miles
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-07-26
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Miles, RJ
Description
An account of the resource
102 items. The collection concerns Reg Miles (1923 - 2022) and contains his audio memoir, log book, photographs and documents. He flew 36 operations with 432 and 420 Squadrons.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by R Miles and catalogued by Barry Hunter.
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
[Photograph]
[page break]
LEFT TO RIGHT.
ENGINEER. REG. MILES. ENGLAND REAR GUNNER DOUG. VAUGHAN,.HALIFAX N.S BOMBADIER. RED. BRIDGEMAN. ONT SKIPPER JIMMY TEASE. MAN MID. U. GUNNER YACK. ONTARIO NAVIGATOR. NICK. NICKLEN B.C WIRELESS OP. BAXER. ANT GROUND CREW. LAC JONES MAN. LAC SMITH – TORONTO LAC MILNE – SASK LAC? [deletion] BERRY TORONTO SGT? [deletion] PARKER B.C
E. – EASY 420 (SNOWY OWL) SQDN 6 GROUP BOMBER COMM[missing letters]
BASED AT THOLTHORPE JULY-AUGUST-SEPT 1944. U.K.
[page break]
[Photograph]
Reg Miles Flight Engineer RAF Doug Vaughan R/Gunner John Bridgeman B/Aimer Jim Tease Pilot Owen Yack M/U Gunner Don Nicklen Navigator Harold Baker W/Operator
420 Squadron Royal Canadian Air Force Stationed at Tholthorpe Yorkshire, Photo taken 19.9.1944 when E Easy was taken off operations after 56 trips and left at Dishforth for training new crews.
Handley Page Halifax Mark 3
4 engine Bomber.
[page break]
[Photograph]
[page break]
[Photograph]
Reg Miles Flight Engineer R.A.F. Margate England Doug Vaughan Rear Gunner R.C.A.F. Halifax N.S. Canada John Bridgeman (Red) R.C.A.F. Bombardier Ont. Canada Jim Tease Pilot (Skipper) R.C.A.F. Man. Canada Owen Yack Mid Upper Gunner R.C.A.F. Ont. Canada Don Nicklen Navigator R.C.A.F. BC. Canada Harold Baker Wireless Operator R.C.A.F. ANT. Canada L.A.C. H. Jones Ground Crew R.C.A.F. Gladstone Man. Canada L.A.C. C.A. Milne Ground Crew R.C.A.F. Chamberlain Sas. Canada L.A.C. J.H. Parker Ground Crew R.C.A.F. Chilliwack, B.C. Canada L.A.C. J.A. Smith Ground Crew R.C.A.F. Toronto Ontario Canada Sgt. B. Berry Ground Crew Chief R.C.A.F. Toronto Ontario Canada
HANDLEY PAGE HALIFAX MARK III WITH FOUR BRISTOL HERCULES RADIAL ENGINES, BUILD NO LW416 DELIVERED DECEMBER 1943 TO 424 RCAF TIGER SQDN CODE LETTER “L” NOSE ART “LONG SHOT LOU”
APRIL 1944 TRANSFERRED TO 426 RCAF THUNDERBIRD SQDN NO OPERATIONS
JUNE 1944 TRANSFERRED TO 420 RCAF SNOWY OWL SQDN AT THOLTHORPE YORKSHIRE, NEW NOSE AND TAIL ART PAINTED BY LAC SMITH.
JIM TEASE FIRST FLEW HER ON 21st JUNE 1944 AND LAST ON 19th SEPTEMBER WHEN HE AND HIS AIRCREW DELIVERED HER TO DISHFORTH 1659 H.C.U. BEING RETIRED FROM ACTIVE SERVICE AFTER 56 OPERATIONAL TRIPS.
“E” EASY ”TAKE YOUR TIME I’M EASY” WAS WRITTEN OFF AND SCRAPPED ON 16th JULY 1945. REG MILES AUGUST 6 2003.
[page break]
[Photograph]
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Halifax 'Beryle'
Description
An account of the resource
A Halifax nose with 12 airmen perched on top. Each man is identified by name, trade, air force and home town.
The nose art is a cartoon of a woman, painted 'Tak Yer Time I'm Easy'. 56 bombs are painted on. Under the cockpit is 'Beryle'.
There is a long caption with the history of the aircraft written by Reg Miles in 6 August 2003.
There are three copies without the annotations.
A third copy is cropped and has slightly different annotations.
Included is a note with each man's name.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2003-08-06
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Three b/w photographs and one handwritten note
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Photograph
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
PMilesRJ16010009, PMilesRJ16010010, PMilesRJ16010011, PMilesRJ16030006, PMilesRJ16010024, PMilesRJ16040041
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Royal Canadian Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Margate
Canada
Manitoba
Saskatchewan
British Columbia--Chilliwack
Ontario--Toronto
Nova Scotia--Halifax
Ontario
Nova Scotia
England--Kent
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
David Bloomfield
Angela Gaffney
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
2003-08-06
1659 HCU
420 Squadron
424 Squadron
426 Squadron
6 Group
Halifax
Halifax Mk 3
Heavy Conversion Unit
nose art
RAF Dishforth
RAF Tholthorpe
training
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1400/27143/SJonesHB1866363v10046.1.pdf
f819a48ae9c636456c8e85f2b51cca9e
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Jones, Hugh Brenton
H B Jones
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-01-11
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Jones, HB
Description
An account of the resource
17 items. The collection concerns Flight Sergeant Hugh Brenton Jones (1925 - 1944, 1866363 Royal Air Force) and contains documents and photographs. He flew operations as an air gunner with 51 Squadron and was killed 18 December 1944. <br /><br />The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Rea Camus and catalogued by Barry Hunter. <br /><br />Additional information on Hugh Brenton Jones is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/214965/">IBCC Losses Database.</a>
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
[inserted] EVIDENCE OF COLLISION [/inserted]
[underlined] HALIFAX 111 NP934 [/underlined]
[underlined] AIR27/493 [/underlined] No. 51 SQUADRON ORBs January-December 1944
Halifax 111 NP934MH-V (F/O D N Twilley) took off from Snaith at 02.58 to attack the primary target. Nothing has been heard of this aircraft since the time of taking off and it is reporteed [sic] missing.
F/O B M Twilley Reported missing from operations.
[underlined] NOTE:- [/underlined] Information received from 2nd TAF. via H.Q.B.C. the effect that this aircraft was found in a woods at position 0.5099 South of Charlerot (sic). Two persons identified (F/O Twilley and E/O Cassini). The crew of eight killed.
[underlined] CONCLUSION from the above information
4 GROUP [/underlined]
1. Halifax 111 LV818 F (F/L G W Body) 10 Squadron
This aircraft was not heard of since taking off. Is this the aircrew lost in the battle area by unknown cause?
2. Halifax 111 NP934 MH-V (F/O B M Twilley) 51 Squadron
This aircraft found in woods South of Charlerot (sic). This is therefore one of the aircraft lost in Belgium by unknown cause.
3. Halifax 111 NR248 is not recorded in 51 Squadron’s ORBs
Halifax 111 NA294 MH-A (W/O W A Bates) 51 Squadron
This aircraft was seen to dive at full throttle and blow up in mid air at position E8923 (east of Koblenz – what was it doing this far east?). Is this the aircraft outstanding?
4. Halifax 111 NR239 J (F/O W L Lynd) 158 Squadron
This aircraft made a crash landing near Brussels. This is therefore the unknown Halifax from 158 Squadron and the other aircraft lost Belgium by unknown cause.
One therefore needs to try and find out more information on the following aircraft:-
Halifax 111 LV818-F and Halifax 111 NA294 MH-A
Are these the aircraft that are recorded as outstanding and lost in the battle area?
Is the aircraft from 578 Squadron that crashed AOT the same as that wrecked in a taxying accident?
What has happened to the aircraft outstanding?
[page break]
[underlined] HALIFAX 11 NR118 U [/underlined]
[underlined] AIR27/1865 [/underlined] No. 434 Squadron ORBs with Appendices June 1943-June 1945
On return all aircraft were diverted due to weather conditions at base (Croft). All aircraft returned safely to base later on in the afternoon with the exception of aircraft “U” NR118 with pilot Can. J21853 F/L J M Parrott who became airborne at 02.50 hrs and has sin [sic] not been heard from.
Halifax “U” NR118 (F/L Parrott) took off from Croft at 02.50 since then nothing has been heard from it.
[underlined] AIR28/176 [/underlined] Stations: Croft ORBs August 1943-June 1945
“X” of 434 Squadron claim one ME 109 shot down and destroyed.
We regret to report the following aircraft missing “U” of 434 Squadron.
[underlined] AIR14/3470 [/underlined] Bomber Command Aircraft Losses K Reports No. 6 Group Nos 1-1[missing number] December 1944-March 1945
Report No. 6G/h Report on Aircrew landing on allied occupied Territory
Squadron: 434 Station: Croft
Aircraft: Halifax 111 (sic) NR 118 U
This report is based on the story of the sole survivor (P/O Herbert Browne (RCAF) No. J90827) of the crash who is still very shaken and nervous as a result of his experience. His recolloction [sic] of events, times and places is not very clear and there may be some inaccuracies.
Shortly after having set course and while flying down England at 8[missing numbers] feet the pilot (F/Lt J Parrott) remarked that he wasn’t feeling well but was well enough to carry on. The aircraft climbed over the channel to the briefed hight [sic] of 17,000 feet. The crew kept asking [missing word] pilot if he was alright. He claimed he was but the crew noticed the aircraft was weaving as though he was unable to hold it steady. The air bomber (F/S A Kurtzhals) left his position and set [sic] beside the pilot so he could help him if necessary.
The aircraft was still weaving but they carried on and according to the Navigator (F/O S Pearce) were only three minutes late.
Weather was clear, visibility good, no ground defences and no enemy fighters were seen.
The Wireless Operator (P/O H Browne) went off the intercom, in order to listern [sic] in on the Group Broadcast (6.30 hrs (by this time they should have been over Duisburg)). Suddenly the Navigator jumped to his feet and folded his seat back, the wireless operator immediately took off his helmet and reached for his parachute, and at almost the same time the aircraft noised [sic] straight up and then fell over on one wing. Browne does not know why Pearce left his seat or why the aircraft nosed vertically up. Browne remembers no more from this point until he recovered consciousness falling free through the air. After pulling the ripcord he lost consciousness again. He recovered consciousness hanging from his parachute in a tree. It was still dark. After walking some time he came to a quarry, and finding himself in Belgium he was taken to a small town. Browne was then taken to Charleroi which was a long drive from the small town.
[page break]
[underlined] REPORT ON AIRCREW LANDING IN ALLIED OCCUPIED TERRITORY. [/underlined]
Squadron – 434 Station – Croft (64 Base)
Letter – U A/C No. – NR118
Type – Halifax
Mark – III
Date – 17/18th December 1944
Target – Duisburg
Pilot – Parrott, J. F/Lt J.21253 4 Ops. Killed in crash.
Nav. – Pearce, S. F/O J.27503 4 Ops. Killed in crash.
W/Op. – Browne, H. P/O J.90827 10 Ops. Injured. Now in U.K.
F/Eng. – Janzen, L. Sgt R.98704 4 Ops. Killed in crash.
A/B. – Kurtzhals, A. F/S R.110453 4 Ops. Killed in crash.
M/U/G. – Divitcoff, A. F/S R.209473 4 Ops. Killed in crash.
R/G. – Olafson, G. F/S R.192540 4 Ops. Killed in crash.
[underlined] Interrogator’s Comments [/underlined]
This report is based on the story of the sole survivor of the crash who is still very shakon [sic] and nervous as a result of his experiences. His recolloction [sic] of events, times and places is not very clear and there may be some inaccuracies.
[underlined] Surname [/underlined] – Browne [underlined] Number [/underlined] – J.90827
[underlined] Christian Names [/underlined] – Herbert [underlined] Nationality [/underlined] – Canadian
R.A.F. (R.C.A.F.)
Shortly after having sot [sic] course and while flying down England at 8000 feet the Pilot remarked that he wasn’t feeling well, but was well enough to carry on.
The aircraft climbed over the channel to the briefed height of 17,000 foot [sic] and the crew kept asking the Pilot if he was alright. He claimed he was but the crew noticed the aircraft was weaving as though he was unable to hold it steady.
They thought he might be short of oxygon [sic] but a careful check of the oxygen system failed to support this theory. As an added check the Pilot used the oxygen bottles but no improvement could be noted so the A/B left his position and sat beside the Pilot so he could help him, if necessary.
Although the Pilot claimed he wasn’t feeling too badly, the Navigator suggested to him that they should turn back. This the Pilot refused to do and when the Navigator repeated his suggestion the Pilot refused again saying that if he did he would be sent to Sheffield.
The aircraft was still weaving but they carried on and according to the Navigator, were only three minutes late.
Weather was clear, visibility good, no ground defences and no enemy fighters were seen.
At this time the W/Op went off the intercom, in order to listen in on the Group Broadcast (0630 hrs). He was nervous and worried, so kept watching the Navigator who was naturally still on the intercom.
Suddenly the Navigator jumped to his feet and folded his seat back, the W/Op immediately took off his helmet and reached for his parachute, and at almost the same time the aircraft nosod [sic] straight up and then fell over on one wing (not definite whether to port or starboard.) The W/Op states he does not know why the Navigator left his seat or why the aircraft nosed vertically up. Not being on the intercom, he couldn’t hear anything that might have been said, and so, just reacted automatically when the Navigator moved.
The W/Op remembers no more from this point until he recovered consciousness falling free through the air. His head was cut and bleeding and his ‘chute was only clipped on one side. He completed hooking it up, pulled the ripcord and lost consciousness again.
He recovered consciousness again hanging from his parachute in a tree. He somehow got out of his harness and down the tree, losing consciousness again on the ground.
[page break]
[underlined] 2. [/underlined]
When he recovered consciousness this time, it was still dark, so waiting until it became light, he started to hunt for help. His head was covered with blood, trousers badly torn and both boots had evidently come off when his ‘chute opened.
After walking some time he came to a stone or sand quarry, and finding a workman, was able to ask for help, using his phrase card.
From here on things were very hazy, but he dimly recalls being taken into an office, finding out he was in Belgium, that the Belgian police arrived first and later a Doctor who took him into a small town and treated his injuries.
Later the American Military Police arrived and took him to Charleroi in an ambulance. He has no idea where this small town is except that it was a long drive from there to Charleroi.
The next morning an American Army Officer came in to see him. He stated they had found the crashed aircraft and there were six bodies in it. Five were identified by various means but they were unable to identify the sixth. The W/Op asked the names of those identified and then supplied the name of the sixth member of the crew, the M/U/G, F/Sgt. A. Divitcoff.
After a time in different hospitals, Charleroi (one week), Rheims (one week), 170th General Hospital, Le Mans (very doubtful as to the location of this hospital) he was sent to Paris (66 No. Rue du Fauberg, St. Honore) and finally back to England.
[signature]
(M.G. Elloker) Squadron Leader,
Base Intelligence Officer,
No. 64 (R.C.A.F.) Base,
[underlined] ROYAL AIR FORCE. [/underlined]
[page break]
[underlined] AN ENQUIRY INTO THE CRASH OF HALIFAX III NP934 OF 51 SQUADRON ON 18 DECEMBER 1944. [/underlined]
Squadron identification letters of 51 Sqdn. were MH and this particular aircraft’s letter was V, hence MH-V.
Crew – F/O B.M. Twilley (pilot)
Sgt. R. Holden (navigator)
F/O F.W. Cassini (bomb-aimer)
F/Sgt. R. Hall (wireless operator)
Sgt. R.C. Challinor (flight engineer)
F/Sgt. H.B. Jones (air gunner
W/O H.W.J. Hildebrand (air gunner)
This crew was on its 20th operation. On this occasion the aircraft was carrying F/O E.H. Baron, a new pilot on the squadron who was there for experience before operating with his own crew. The target was DUISBURG. Two aircraft from 51 Sqdn. were lost that night. I was the only survivor of the other aircraft, MH-A, and I undertook this enquiry on behalf of Mrs. R. CAMUS, the sister of F/Sgt. Jones, who was only 4 at the time of her brother’s death. My own aircraft was attacked and set on fire by a Junkers 88 flown by Leutnant [sic] Walcher soon after the bombs had been dropped on Duisburg.
MH-V took off from Snaith at 0258, and I see from my own diary that MH-A took off at 0300, so we were next off after F/O Twilley.
On an earlier raid on ESSEN the bomb-load consisted of one 2000 pound high-explosive bomb and 12 SBC’s (Small bomb Containers) each containing 90 4 pound incendiary bombs, and the load on this occasion was probably much the same.
The route to the target was Base-Reading-Brighton – across the Channel to France and Belgium – then NE. towards Duisburg. The Bombe [sic] – Command report of this operation states that 523 aircraft were despatched and 8 were lost. Amongst details given it states that “two collided and crashed over Charleroi.”
Information that I have gathered from various sources leads me to believe that the two aircraft were MH-V from Snaith
[page break]
and NR118 from 434 Squadron at Croft. There was one survivor from NR118, P/O H. Browne, the wireless operator, who came down by parachute into territory held by British forces. His de-briefing report should be studied, as it gives a good idea of what actually happened
The crash occurred at 0610 on 18 December, and as the time on target was about 0600 it would appear that both aircraft had bombed and were on their way home.
As you see from the report, the pilot of NR118, Flt. Lt. Parrett [sic] was in some distress, having complained early in the flight of feeling unwell, which caused much worry to the rest of the crew, and they were understandably nervous. It seems to me that either Flt. Lt. Parrett [sic] had a sudden attack of whatever was troubling him, possible appendicitis, or his nerve gave way under stress, and he was barely in control of the aircraft. Seeing another Halifax on a collision course, he pulled up [deleted] [indecipherable letter] [/deleted] sharply stalled, fell over onto one wing, and plunged down. A consideration of the facts that I have gathered leads me to say that this is the only likely explanation of the incident. I cannot see how the wireless-operator was the only one to get free – the navigator would have been the first to go (which is why I was the only one to get out of our aircraft), then the bomb-aimer then the wireless-operator third.
The details concerning F/O Twilley’s crew came to me by courtesy of Eddy Daivier, whose letter is enclosed, as the aircraft concerned crashed in the vicinity of where he lives.
Henry Wagner
[page break]
[underlined] FINDINGS FROM LOST AIRCRAFT ON THE DUISBURG TARGET ON 17/18 DECEMBER 1[missing numbers] [/underlined]
[underlined] AIR14/2791 BOMBER COMMAND and AIRCRAFT LOSSES K REPORTS MISSING AIRCRAFT RERISTER [sic] 1943-1945
Records 4 missing aircraft from 4 Group
5 missing aircraft from 6 Gtoup [sic]
Namely
4 GROUP
10 Sqn. Halifax 111 LV818
[inserted] X [/inserted] 51 Sqn. Halifax 111 NP934
51 Sqn. Halifax 111 NR248
158 Sqn. Halifax
6 GROUP
424 Sqn.
426 Sqn. Halifax V11 LW209
432 Sqn. Halifax V11 NP699 O
432 Sqn. Halifax V11 NP701 G
434 Sqn. Halifax 11 NR118 U
These are borne out in the following records:-
[underlined] AIR14/3457 [/underlined] BOMBER COMMAND REPORTS ON OPERATIONAL SORTIES
September-December 1944
4 Group (1/10, 2/51, 1/158)
6 Group (1/424, 1/426, 2/432, 1/434)
[underlined] AIR25/94 [/underlined] GROUPS: No. 4 BOMBER GROUP ORBs January-December 1944
8 aircraft failed to start
14 aircraft Abortive not over enemy territory
1/10, 1/51 Missing (A/P G)
1/51, 1/578 Crashed AOT (A/P H, A/P G)
1 aircraft Outstanding (A/P/H)
[underlined] AIR24/303 [/underlined] COMMANDS: BOMBER COMMAND INTELLIGENCE REPORTS ON OPERATIONS
APPENDICES December 1944
Records 9 losses and goes on to say 3 aircraft are missing.
[underlined] Aircraft Destroyed [/underlined] 3 were lost only 2 of these losses were observed. I was caused by fighter over the Ruhr and another by target flak. But 6 other aircraft were wrecked beyond repair. 2 collided and crashed over CHARLEROI. 2 crashed in Belgium and a third in the battle area, and one was wrecked in a taxying accident. This force was heavily engaged by fighters. They were intercepted over the target after the first 10 minutes of their rather prolonged attack and were effectively attacked on the NW leg out of the Rhur at least 5 Gruppen of fighters were up against them. However, only 9 aircraft were lost with another 1 wrecked beyond repair. No returning aircraft was seriously damaged by enemy action on this night.
[underlined] A Chart shows [/underlined]
4 Group missing 1 + 3”
6 Group Missing 1 + = 1 + 2
Key: “ = 1 a/c Battle area Unknown cause
2 a/c Belgium Unknown cause
= = 1 a/c near Rheims Collision
1 a/c Charleroi Collision
This is borne out by the following records:-
[page break]
[underlined] The crash of Halifax H C U ZK-EB 205 (Zulu king) 15th April 1944 [underlined]
S H J Pearce survives plane crash 15th April 1944, five aircrew killed plus three civilians. House demolished. (archive picture) and archive documents of the crash.
John Tynski (survivor) gives his fascinating account of the accident. See Letter. (Tynski now lives in Nova Scotia Canada. (archive pictures of John Tynski at Dishforth Yorkshire) +enlistment photos of the other crew members.
Tynski and Pearce taken to the military hospital North Allerton Yorkshire, (archive documents gives a full account of the injuries.)
Henry Powell (English) flight engineer taken to his home town of Balham/Streatham where he is now buried.
Canadian crew buried at the Stone fall cemetery Harrogate (archive photograph)
Civilians, Mr and Mrs Stone taken to Thirsk mortuary. (listed on website for civilians killed during the war).
Mr McNulty (Irish farm labourer) also killed when he happened to be passing after a night out down the local pub.
Engines from the bomber blocks LNER railway line, causing long delays.
[underlined] S H J Pearce killed 18th December, 1944 [/underlined]
After recovering from his injuries Harry Pearce reports for duty with the 434 Bluenose Squadron Croft, Yorkshire.
Pearce teams up with his new crew (archive photograph crew in front of Halifax, “Pubwash” Missions included [underlined] Julich [/underlined] 16/11/44 [underlined] Munster [/underlined] 18/11/44 [underlined] Castrop Rauxel [/underlined] 21/11/44 [underlined] Neuss [/underlined] 2711/44. [sic] (archive documents of those missions)
Final Mission, Duisberg 18th December 1944. Combined forces of 523 aircraft.
T/O Croft Yorkshire 02.50 crashed Pesche, Belgium at approx 6.15 am (one survivor Herbert Brown Wireless operator) See statement
American army denies any knowledge of other crashed aircraft (see Brown’s statement).
Bodies taken to “Les Fosses” buried at approx 4 pm the same day. (archive documents)
Bodies re-interred to Leopoldsburg Commonwealth cemetery Belgium 1947.
Herbert Brown survivor gives his statement of events. (archive document)
Air Ministry asked to supply information to the cause of the crash, by concerned relative (archive document)
Air Ministry responds with a watered down version of event’s [sic] (archive documents)
Air Ministry holds back vital information as to the cause of the crash.
Four aircraft of 434 432 10 & 51 squadrons have crashed in unexplained circumstances. 28 men killed.
One of those killed only 18 years old. [inserted] X [/inserted]
Of those bodies recovered, they were also re-interred to the Leopoldburg Commonwealth cemetery Belgium, where they all occupy a corner of the cemetery including Harry Pearce’s crew.
All aircraft crashed over allied territory, with no reports of engagement either from the ground or enemy aircraft.
Civilian, French, (old lady) blown out of bed by the explosion, suffers a heart attack and dies when she discovers the severed hand of an airman on the floor that was blown through the window (archive document)
Body of Douglas Mole, (10 sqdrn) Found 1948 after being discovered in woodland. His son David only one week old in when his father was killed. (archive Document)
David Mole now lives Darlington County Durham with his wife Ann.
Max Krakovsky pilot (432 sqdrn) survives. Changes his name to Carson after the war.
[page break]
Remains of airman found beside engine when dug-up 1953 (thought to be those of Zadorozny 432 sqdrn (archive photograph of zadorozny
Jean Bodart (witness) describes the scene of devastation at the crash site. Bombs strewn around, the body of one of the aircrew laying in road, engines almost buried. (letter written July 2003)
Engines, still lay buried at the crash site today.
All relatives of the crew traced,
Memorial took place 8th May 2003, in attendance relatives of the pilot and air gunners sister.
Pearce’s brother to visit crash site in 2004 with the possibility of Harry Pearce’s daughter (1 year old in 1944).
Wreckage of the aircraft collected 2003 from the crash site. Including live ammunition
Aircraft crashed three kilometres from the historic site of Adolf Hitlers headquarters at Bruly .de Pesche.
[underlined] interesting facts about 434 bluenose Squadron [/underlined]
434 Squadron bluenose was formed in Halifax Nova Scotia, many of its recruits came from a seafaring background.
Squadron was named after the famous “Bluenose schooner” as depicted on Canadian 10 cent coin. Its name originated a as a [sic] derogatory term used to describe Nova Scotian’s as Bluenose. for the colour of their noses, due to the cold Canadian winters.
Propellor spinners painted bright blue as a personal mark of the bluenose Squadron, this was to the annoyance of the Air Ministry who referred to them as those upstart colonials.
Lord Haw-Haw a German propagandists and traitor, said of the Bluenose Squadron, after a particularly successful raid:
“The RCAF had gathered together in this single squadron- the Bluenose- the worst pirates, thugs, murderers and brigands from the prisons of Canada
Lord Haw Haw was hanged for treason after the war.
The 434 Squadron suffered particularly heavy losses during the war, the numbers 13 seemed to play a part in their bad luck. 434, the 13th Squadron formed, when the first man reported for duty on the 13th day.
Harry Pearce and crew documented in Alan Todds book “Pilgrimages of grace” as the last Halifax loss from “Croft” of WW2.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Halifax III - Evidence of Collision
Description
An account of the resource
A report on what happened to Halifax NP934. Information collated from operational record books, RAF reports, Herbert Browne's report (sole survivor of NR118 crash), Henry Wagner's report, analysis of the losses on the night of 17/18 December and SHJ Pearce's accidents on 15 April 1944 and 18 December 1944.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Seven printed and two handwritten sheets
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Memoir
Text. Personal research
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
SJonesHB1866363v10046, SJonesHB1866363v10047, SJonesHB1866363v10048, SJonesHB1866363v10049, SJonesHB1866363v10050, SJonesHB1866363v10051, SJonesHB1866363v10052, SJonesHB1866363v10055, SJonesHB1866363v10056
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Royal Canadian Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Belgium--Charleroi
Germany--Koblenz
Germany--Duisburg
Germany--Essen
Germany--Jülich
Germany--Castrop-Rauxel
Germany--Neuss
Belgium--Leopoldsburg
Germany--Münster in Westfalen
Germany
Belgium
Germany--Ruhr (Region)
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1944-12-18
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Tricia Marshall
10 Squadron
158 Squadron
4 Group
424 Squadron
426 Squadron
432 Squadron
434 Squadron
51 Squadron
578 Squadron
6 Group
aircrew
bale out
bomb aimer
crash
flight engineer
Halifax
Halifax Mk 3
Ju 88
killed in action
Me 109
mid-air collision
navigator
pilot
RAF Croft
RAF Snaith
wireless operator
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1620/24900/PCothliffKB15090052.1.jpg
3472167290ab46e76c9ff99b8333c07d
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Cothliff, Ken. Folder 1509
Description
An account of the resource
62 items. The collection contains photographs.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Ken Cothliff and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Publisher
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IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. Some items have not been published in order to protect the privacy of third parties, to comply with intellectual property regulations, or have been assessed as medium or low priority according to the IBCC Digital Archive collection policy and will therefore be published at a later stage. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collection-policy.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Cothliff, K
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Five Airmen and a Lancaster
Description
An account of the resource
Five airmen at the rear of a Lancaster, DS830, 'OW-S', It is annotated 'PL28585'.
Format
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One b/w photograph
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Photograph
Identifier
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PCothliffKB15090052
Coverage
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Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Royal Canadian Air Force
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
426 Squadron
aircrew
ground crew
ground personnel
Lancaster
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1620/24899/PCothliffKB15090051.1.jpg
447e6dff329b472f8a15d2bd9f74c504
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Cothliff, Ken. Folder 1509
Description
An account of the resource
62 items. The collection contains photographs.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Ken Cothliff and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. Some items have not been published in order to protect the privacy of third parties, to comply with intellectual property regulations, or have been assessed as medium or low priority according to the IBCC Digital Archive collection policy and will therefore be published at a later stage. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collection-policy.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Cothliff, K
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Eight Airmen and a Lancaster Mk 2
Wing Commander Bill Swetman and crew
Description
An account of the resource
Seven airmen dressed in flying kit with an eighth airman, a pilot. They are standing in a row in front of a Lancaster.
Fourth left is Wing Commander Bill Swetman.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One b/w photograph
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Photograph
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
PCothliffKB15090051
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Royal Canadian Air Force
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Robert Langham
426 Squadron
aircrew
Lancaster
Lancaster Mk 2
pilot
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1620/24879/PCothliffKB15090017.2.jpg
b0172afe5eb7a081621e44748e3cd3a3
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Cothliff, Ken. Folder 1509
Description
An account of the resource
62 items. The collection contains photographs.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Ken Cothliff and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. Some items have not been published in order to protect the privacy of third parties, to comply with intellectual property regulations, or have been assessed as medium or low priority according to the IBCC Digital Archive collection policy and will therefore be published at a later stage. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collection-policy.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Cothliff, K
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Three Airmen at a Mid-Upper Turret
Description
An account of the resource
Three airmen on top of a Lancaster examining the mid-upper gun turret. The turret has been damaged as has the side of the aircraft, DS686 'OW-D'.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One b/w photograph
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Photograph
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
PCothliffKB15090017
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Royal Canadian Air Force
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
426 Squadron
aircrew
ground crew
ground personnel
Lancaster
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1620/24871/PCothliffKB15090009.2.jpg
7096a2f8efad178e33e8038d9704ab28
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Cothliff, Ken. Folder 1509
Description
An account of the resource
62 items. The collection contains photographs.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Ken Cothliff and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. Some items have not been published in order to protect the privacy of third parties, to comply with intellectual property regulations, or have been assessed as medium or low priority according to the IBCC Digital Archive collection policy and will therefore be published at a later stage. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collection-policy.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Cothliff, K
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Halifax in the Snow
Description
An account of the resource
A rear/starboard view of a Lancaster on a snowy taxiway, with its engines running. It is annotated 'Halifax at Linton 426/Sqd'.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One b/w photograph
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Photograph
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
PCothliffKB15090009
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Royal Canadian Air Force
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Yorkshire
426 Squadron
Halifax
RAF Linton on Ouse
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1620/24870/PCothliffKB15090008.2.jpg
de09678b35fc5e25262e78d77dbea3e6
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1620/24870/PCothliffKB15090079.2.jpg
69fd5f44cbefeec9bb13ab4092f63da7
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Cothliff, Ken. Folder 1509
Description
An account of the resource
62 items. The collection contains photographs.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Ken Cothliff and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. Some items have not been published in order to protect the privacy of third parties, to comply with intellectual property regulations, or have been assessed as medium or low priority according to the IBCC Digital Archive collection policy and will therefore be published at a later stage. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collection-policy.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Cothliff, K
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Halifax
Description
An account of the resource
A port side view of a Halifax, 'OW-M' on dispersal. In front is a Nissen hut and a tractor is in the distance. The image is annotated 'PL43473' and 'UK20572'.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Two b/w photographs
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Photograph
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
PCothliffKB15090008,
PCothliffKB15090079
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Royal Canadian Air Force
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
426 Squadron
Halifax
Nissen hut
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/501/22571/MCurnockRM1815605-171114-018.2.pdf
016c5b36e006bb2bf9b025c8d8d14b3a
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Curnock, Richard
Richard Murdock Curnock
R M Curnock
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Curnock, RM
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-04-18
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Description
An account of the resource
92 items. An oral history interview with Warrant Officer Richard Curnock (1924, 1915605 Royal Air Force), his log book, letters, photographs and prisoner of war magazines. He flew operations with 425 Squadron before being shot down and becoming a prisoner of war.
The collection has been licenced to the IBCC Digital Archive by Richard Curnock and catalogued by Barry Hunter.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Ex-RCAF The Camp Jan 1990
Description
An account of the resource
News-sheet of the ex-Air Force POW Association. This edition covers POW's in Perpetuity, the Red Cross, a new memorial at Plymouth Hoe, Geoof Taylor -author, advance notice of a reunion in Vancouver, lost members, ex-POW histories, Obituaries, a message from the President, Gen from around the circuit and photographs from the 1989 Ottawa reunion.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
The RAF ex-POW Association
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1990-01
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
16 printed sheets
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
MCurnockRM1815605-171114-018
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Plymouth
France--Dieppe
Canada
British Columbia--Vancouver
Ontario--Ottawa
Germany--Koblenz
Germany--Dresden
Germany--Leipzig
Germany--Luckenwalde
Ontario--Toronto
Alberta--Edmonton
Belgium
France--Fresnes (Val-de-Marne)
France--Saint-Nazaire
Alberta--Hinton
Germany--Berlin
England--Cambridge
England--Oxford
England--Southampton
Germany--Cologne
France--Le Havre
Germany--Hamburg
Germany--Lübeck
Manitoba--Brandon
Switzerland--Geneva
United States--Mason-Dixon Line
England--Skipton
France--Falaise
Manitoba--Winnipeg
Germany--Essen
Virginia--Norfolk
Italy--Sicily
Italy--Calabria
Italy--Naples
Italy--Florence
Austria--Spittal an der Drau
Poland--Toruń
Poland--Gdańsk
Germany--Frankfurt am Main
Europe--Elbe River
Germany--Osnabrück
Germany--Bad Fallingbostel
France--Bordeaux (Nouvelle-Aquitaine)
Germany--Mühlberg (Bad Liebenwerda)
Italy
Poland
France
Virginia
Ontario
Alberta
Germany
Austria
Switzerland
United States
Germany--Ruhr (Region)
England--Cambridgeshire
England--Devon
England--Hampshire
England--Yorkshire
England--Oxfordshire
Manitoba
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
10 Squadron
214 Squadron
4 Group
40 Squadron
405 Squadron
408 Squadron
415 Squadron
419 Squadron
420 Squadron
424 Squadron
425 Squadron
426 Squadron
427 Squadron
428 Squadron
429 Squadron
431 Squadron
432 Squadron
433 Squadron
434 Squadron
6 Group
air gunner
aircrew
B-17
bale out
Beaufighter
Bennett, Donald Clifford Tyndall (1910-1986)
bomb aimer
Caterpillar Club
Conspicuous Gallantry Medal
crash
Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Service Order
Dulag Luft
escaping
Goering, Hermann (1893-1946)
Halifax
Hitler, Adolf (1889-1945)
Hurricane
Lancaster
Me 110
memorial
Military Cross
navigator
Operational Training Unit
P-51
Pathfinders
prisoner of war
RAF Alconbury
RAF Biggin Hill
RAF Digby
RAF Hendon
RAF St Eval
Red Cross
Spitfire
Stalag 3A
Stalag Luft 3
Stalag Luft 4
Stirling
strafing
training
Typhoon
Victoria Cross
Wellington
Whitley
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1279/17555/PPearceAT16040015.1.jpg
24c00bdb631725d556a09c882dd0ff23
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Pearce, Arthur
A T Pearce
Description
An account of the resource
140 items. The collection concerns Warrant Officer Arthur Pearce (1874945 Royal Air Force) He served as an air gunner with 12, 170 and 156 (Pathfinder) Squadrons and completed a 44 operations. After the war, on 35 Squadron he took part in the June 1946 Victory flypast over London and a goodwill visit to the United States. It contains his diaries, memorabilia and photographs.
The collection also contains an album concerning his post war activity with the Goodwill tour of the United States.
The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Steve Allan and catalogued by Nigel Huckins
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2015-12-17
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Pearce, AT
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Lancaster
Description
An account of the resource
Side view of Lancaster Mk 2 DS689 on ground facing left. Cartoon nose art with five bomb symbols underneath. Aircraft letter S. Man visible in cockpit and legs of a man standing far side by ladder are visible.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One b/w photograph
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Photograph
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
PPearceAT16040015
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
426 Squadron
aircrew
Lancaster
Lancaster Mk 2
nose art
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/547/11783/PWynneH1825.1.jpg
2695d69ffdc319eadc27dd83dd8e46ac
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/547/11783/AWynneH-AtkinsonG180508.2.mp3
2f104dfd844ef6b76a21ae95d8ac858f
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Wynne, Helga
Description
An account of the resource
10 items. Includes family photographs and two oral history interviews with Helga Wynne (b. 1926) who reminisces her childhood in Kiel, the death of her future fiancé when the train he was travelling on was bombed, and her coming over to Great Britain in 1948.
The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Helga Wynne and catalogued by Barry Hunter.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2018-08-02
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Wynne, H
Transcribed audio recording
A resource consisting primarily of recorded human voice.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
HH: This is Heather Hughes for the International Bomber Command Centre Digital Archive and I am in [ buzz] Flixborough with Helga Wynne and Gordon Atkinson, and it is the 8th of May 2018. Did I get all of that right? I think so.
HW: Yeah.
HH: Helga, thank you so much for agreeing to tell your story to us.
HW: Yeah. You’re welcome.
HH: Because I think it’s a remarkable story. So, if we could start with your very very early life. Would you like to tell us where you were born and when and something about your family?
HW: Yeah. I was born on the 10 7 ‘26 in Germany. In Kiel, and we lived right in centre in town. We lived about four or five years and then my father went to outskirts from Kiel and built a house. So that is where my life really began. In there. So —
HH: So, was your dad, what was, what profession was your dad?
HW: So my, my father in his younger days he was a sailor and he joined when he was fourteen years of age.
GA: On sailing ships that, wasn’t it?
HW: On the, yeah.
HH: On sailing ships.
HW: Yeah. And he never went back. That was in Danzig. It, it called —
HH: Gdansk.
GA: Gdansk.
HW: Gdansk. Yeah. In Poland.
HH: In Poland. Now. Nowadays Poland. Yes.
HW: But when he was born it belonged to Germany so that made him a German. So after that he got married and like I said already he built his own house. There were twelve children of us. Nine girls and three boys and I’m the ninth in the line.
HH: And in terms of the three girls, the boys and the girls where are you in the whole —
HW: Yeah. That was a big house what he built.
HH: And, and were you the youngest altogether?
GA: No. You were number nine didn’t you say?
HH: Or just the youngest girl?
HW: I more or less was one of the youngest one.
HH: Ok.
HW: The fourth youngest. Yeah.
HH: Ok.
HW: And of course, I had no brothers in the war because one brother who was deaf and dumb so they didn’t take him, and the other two were too young so, but I had all brother in laws in the war and several of them of course they got killed. And one day in my younger day I was in the kitchen with my mother and all of a sudden the door ripped open and the Nazis came in. So, we were frightened to death. We wondered what it was all about and they wanted to see my father. And so, my mother said, ‘Alright. He’s out.’ He was a shipbuilder. Told them where he was and they went and fetched him. So, they came back and he had to show the certificate that he was born in, in Danzig. What they called Gdansk but when he was born it belonged to Germany so that made him German so they were satisfied. They saluted and went out and took my father back. But I must say when first Hitler came in we were very poor. You know, at that time my father was out of work at that time but they looked after us. They brought us food. They brought us coal. And that’s how he got that job. So, he had his good points even if he had his bad ones. So, of course when I was fourteen I had to start working and I went on the farm. And all, all young girls before they started profession they had to go on the farm or they had to go and live with a family to see what life is all about, what they’re going to do when they get older and I chose to go on the farm.
HH: Was that, was that a long way from where you lived, Helga?
HW: Yeah. Yeah. That’s right. Yeah. And of course, I had a bad accident there. I was, we were going to feed the cows and it was a loft and go in the loft to get the straw down for the cows and while I was running over it I, it, I walked over a bale of straw and that covered the, the loft like and I didn’t know. Of course, I fell through, landed on my back and if it wasn’t for the bale of straw I could have been dead but that actually saved my life in a way so —
HH: So, did you land on a bale of straw?
HW: Yeah. Yeah. But I still damaged my spine and that.
HH: And did you have medical attention?
HW: Yeah. And I was in hospital for a few weeks and I was in a plastic jacket for six months. Of course, when I got over all this problem I started, I went to, went to Kiel, in town to a Children’s Hospital as a student. And of course, one day we had a what do you call it — ?
GA: Air raid do you mean?
HW: Yeah. Air raid. Yeah.
GA: You’re jumping forward now.
HW: And we were all sheltering in a cellar. Well, it wasn’t really a cellar. It was halfway above the ground and halfway under but the Children’s Hospital, they all had children in there under the age of fifteen. And they all more or less scarlet fever, measles and things like that. It was a private hospital.
HH: And that was in Kiel.
HW: Yeah. That was in Kiel. And —
HH: Ok. So, when did you start working in the hospital? Was it before the war?
HW: During the war.
HH: So, you started work there —
HW: Yeah.
HH: During the war.
HW: Yeah. Yeah. That’s right. Yeah, and of course they first they throw phosphor bombs like. All the building was on fire and I was on fire duty like but they wouldn’t let me go up to do anything because we knew the next lot of bombers was coming in with the heavy bombs. So, anyhow, we got all set looking after the children, the bombs dropped in and I got buried. So, luckily in the next room there was two students and they managed to got me out.
HH: They managed to get you out.
HW: Yeah. But next to me was one of the doctors and they couldn’t get her out.
HH: They didn’t make it.
HW: No. The burning steps came on falling. Falling on her. Anyhow, after when I got all over that I met —
HH: Now, when you say when I you got all over that did that take you a while to recover?
HW: Well, it did. Yeah. Yeah. I’ve been —
HH: So were you, did you have —
HW: Off sick and that. Yeah. Yeah.
HH: You were. Ok. Yeah.
HW: And then I met my late fiancé.
GA: That’s jumping quite a bit.
HW: Yeah. And —
GA: After the, after the —
HW: Yeah —
GA: Bullets had stopped flying when she met Harold. You know what I mean? It’d be after 1945.
HH: Yeah.
GA: Yeah.
HH: But, but you first, you, you had met somebody who was in the German Navy.
GA: Yeah.
HH: Is that right?
GA: You missed that out.
HW: Yeah.
GA: You missed that.
HW: Ok.
GA: Going to Westphalia.
HH: So, tell me about your fiancé.
HW: This is what I get to now. I met him and he was, he was on the ship called Prinz Eugen and it got bombed badly so all his mates got legs and arms off and he said that was too terrible to see so he decide to go to a submarine. He said, ‘I’ll either be killed or be alive.’ So, this is what happened.
HH: How did you meet him, Helga?
HW: He was in Kiel. In, in his—
GA: Kiel was a Naval base.
HW: Yeah. A Navy base. Yeah.
GA: They met —
HW: Training younger sailors like. Anyhow, I got, after a time I was three months pregnant so we decide to get married but it was very difficult, the war being still very heavy. So I went to Westphalia, near the Dutch border to his parents and that’s when we was going to get married. He came on a short leave, only for two days to get married and go back but while we were on the train together it got attacked by a plane during the night. I think it was American plane. Just one among and it fired machine guns.
HH: At the train.
HW: Yeah. And of course, we stood so close together how I didn’t get hit I don’t know. It just ripped my coat and the bullet went into him and killed him. So, two days later we should have been married but it didn’t come off. And anyhow —
HH: Yeah. That must have been really difficult for you.
HW: It was very very hard. Yeah.
HH: How did you cope?
HW: You do when you’re young don’t you? And you know you had to. Life goes on, doesn’t it?
GA: Did you, you stayed with his mother in law at that time, did you? Just after that tragedy.
HW: Did what?
HH: Did you carry —
GA: Did you stay with, with your mother in law?
HW: Yeah
HH: Did you carry on staying with his parents?
HW: Yeah. I had to because the war was really, they was all coming in in Holland and that and, in fact they came in Holland and then on the Rhine and that was near the Rhine where his parents lived. Of course, he got, he got buried there where his parents is because that’s where he got died. And the war finished there in March. Well, it was still going on in Kiel so I couldn’t get back home. So, I went back after the, you know everything was settled in June. I came back. Of course, I had a baby by then and no father to look after it. So, but his parents were quite well off. So —
HH: And did they, did they, did they look after you and the baby?
HW: Yeah. And he’s still there. We’re in touch. He keeps coming to see us. He’s married over there like.
HH: And what’s his name?
HW: Willy, after his father.
HH: His father’s name was Willy as well, was it?
HW: Yeah. Wilhelm. Yeah.
HH: Yeah.
HW: And I’ve, one of my brother in laws he was on the Scharnhorst so he, he got killed of course.
HH: Yeah.
HW: And another one he was only six weeks on the mine sweeper and they run on the mine and he got killed. And another brother in law he was in Hamburg visiting like, my sister and the bombing was going on and he got buried somewhere but nobody ever found him.
HH: So, that must have been just terrible for, that your, for —
HW: Yeah.
HH: For the parents —
HW: Yeah.
HH: Who lost all of those sons.
HW: Yeah. Yeah. Well, you see, they are brother in laws but not my own —
HH: Yeah.
HW: Brothers you see.
HH: Yeah. Yeah.
HW: And then my other one —
HH: How did your parents cope with that?
HW: They, they never spoke about that.
HH: They just didn’t speak about it.
HW: No. No.
HH: They probably just couldn’t.
HW: No. This is it. Yeah.
GA: Did your, did your mother drove a tram didn’t she? Didn’t your mother drive a tram?
HW: Yeah. My —
HH: During the war your mum —
HW: Yeah. She was a tram driver in Hamburg.
GA: Was your, was your younger sister set in the foot —
HW: Yeah.
GA: The footwell of the tram.
HW: She had one of my younger sister. She was only a year old. She used to sit her in a corner while she was driving a tram. Of course, it wouldn’t be allowed today.
HH: No. But what else could you do then?
HW: Yeah. That’s true. Yeah. You see. To earn a living, isn’t it? You have to help.
HH: Gosh.
GA: Your father was working in the Krupps ship building yards.
HW: Yeah. Of course, that all got bombed badly and so on but —
HH: Did your father survive?
HW: Oh yeah. My parents survived the war because, but he died I think a few years after the war from cancer like and my mother lived twenty years after that on, on her own.
HH: Gosh.
HW: Of course, she sold the house then and went to finish within a home like.
HW: When I met my late husband that was in 1947.
HH: And where was that?
HW: And that, he was a paramedic in Kiel. And we’d been out to a dance and that’s how we met. It was a few months later we got engaged. And then 1948 he brought me over to England and we got married and I think I was one of the first girls in Scunthorpe who got married to an Englishmen because crowds of people come to watch us.
HH: Gosh.
HW: Because I was German, you see. Yeah.
GA: That was at Burton Church, wasn’t it?
HW: Yeah.
HH: And that was at Burton Church.
HW: I got married in the Burton Church and the buses even stopped and looked and took photographs and it was —
HH: So, it was quite a celebrity wedding.
HW: It must have been. Yeah. And I couldn’t figure why but I realised later that I was more or less one of the first one in Scunthorpe who got married to an Englishman.
HH: Gosh.
HW: Anyhow, we got, I got three sons.
HH: You had three sons together.
HW: With Harold. Yeah.
HW: And of course, he, he died in 2000. He had cancer. I nursed him in bed for nine weeks. It was hard but I looked after him ‘til he died.
HH: And how did you find, how was it from your point of view as a German woman coming to live in, in Britain at that time?
HW: Well, when you’re young and in love you don’t see anything different. You’re just happy. I’ve never really been homesick. I’ve been very happy. I had a happy marriage.
HH: But you were made welcome, were you?
HW: Yes. His parents, yeah made me very very welcome. I couldn’t have been looked after any better. They thought the world of me.
HH: And where did they live? Your parents in law.
HW: They lived at Thealby. Not far from here.
GA: About three, four miles, you know?
HW: Yeah. Yeah. They really replaced my own parents. They did. Yeah. Because they never had any girls I was the only girl in the family so of course I would be welcome.
GA: They met your mum and dad, didn’t they? Did Harold’s dad, didn’t, did Harold’s mother or was it just his dad, yeah his dad went to Germany?
HW: Yeah.
HH: Did the families meet?
GA: Yes.
HW: Yes. Yes. I, we went to Germany. Twice we took parent in laws with us and my father in law enjoyed it so much he went on his own with a friend and stayed with my sister.
HH: Fantastic.
HW: And really enjoyed it. Yes.
HH: Brilliant.
HW: Of course, we went nearly every other year with the children like. So —
HH: To keep in touch with your family.
HW: Yeah. Yeah. So, they were in touch. And then with my late, with my eldest son of course they met him and they’ve been over here quite a few times.
HH: Have they?
HW: Yeah. And they still come. Yeah. They are coming again next month.
HH: Lovely.
HW: Yeah. And of course, then a year and a half ago I broke my leg.
HH: Oh.
HW: And of course, it put me back a bit in the wheelchair like. And Gordon looks after me like with doing our best what we can. Several, I broke my ankle. Got a pin in it. I broke my arm while I’ve been here. I broke my big toe. So, I’ve had quite a few breaks, haven’t I? Yeah. I had my eyes done. Cataracts. And now they’ve found out that I’ve got what do you call them? Floaters.
HH: Oh, those are horrible.
HW: Yeah.
HH: I’ve had those.
GA: Yeah.
HW: And they won’t operate because they said after they do it it wouldn’t do any good.
HH: No.
HW: So therefore —
HH: You just have to wait.
HW: Yeah. I’m gradually going blind now. Yeah. Because it’s really getting bad.
HH: Well, you know what my mother says? Old age is not for the faint hearted.
GA: It is. Indeed, it’s not.
HW: That’s right. And I have to use my magnifying glass for everything now.
HH: Yeah.
HW: But I —
HH: Tell me a little bit about your life between 1948. I mean your husband worked where?
HW: Yeah.
HH: Harold.
HW: He worked, he worked at the steelworks.
HH: In Scunthorpe.
HW: Yeah.
HW: He was, in the army he was in the medic.
GA: A medic. The Royal Medical Corps.
HH: So, so did —
HW: Yeah —
HH: Did he, he was demobbed was he?
GA: Yeah.
HW: Yeah. He was demobbed and then he sent for me.
GA: It was basically National Service he did, wasn’t it?
HW: Yeah.
HH: Oh, National Service.
HW: Just for two years.
HH: Ok.
GA: Just after the war you see.
HH: Just after the war.
GA: ‘47 48.
HH: Right.
GA: Something like that.
HW: And course —
HH: So, then he, he finished his National Service.
HW: Yeah.
HH: And then, and then went to work. Met —
HW: Yeah.
HH: Met you, married, you got married and then he was in the steel works.
HW: He was in the medic in the, in the Army like. He could, he could have carried on because they wanted him in Scunthorpe but the wages I’m afraid wasn’t very good.
HH: No.
HW: And the steelworks it was better.
HH: Much better.
HW: So he went to the steelworks.
HH: And you?
HW: As a smelter.
HH: What did you do when he was away at the steel mill? Looking after children?
HW: Yeah. This is, well I was only here a year when we had the eldest son like.
HH: And that was, what year was your oldest son born?
HW: We got married ’48. He was born —
HH: ’49.
HW: ’50. Yeah.
HH: Oh, ’50.
HW: No.
HH: ’50.
HW: ’50, yeah. Yeah.
HH: And the other ones? What years were they born?
HW: Two years later. Well, I’m afraid I lost him six months ago. He passed.
GA: 12th of August last year, wasn’t it? When he died.
HW: Yeah. He passed away. He had lung cancer and, yeah, I’m afraid.
HH: And that was the middle son.
HW: Yeah. That was the middle one.
HH: And then the youngest one?
HW: The eldest one lives in Wales.
HH: In Wales.
HW: Yeah. I’m afraid it isn’t very good news there because he’s got cancer in his throat.
HH: Whereabouts in Wales do they live?
GA: Near Swansea.
HH: Ok. South Wales.
GA: South Wales.
HW: Yeah.
HH: So it’s quite a long way away.
HW: Yeah. Yeah.
GA: Oh, a long way. Yeah.
HW: It is. Yeah. Well, he came about two weeks ago.
GA: Yeah.
HW: Didn’t he? They keep coming up like but of course it’s a long way. I mean he’s got three children and they’ve all got family. So I’m a great grandmother to six others.
HH: Six. Six times a great granny.
GA: Yeah.
HH: That’s wonderful.
HW: Yeah. Three. Three times grandmother.
HH: That’s wonderful.
HW: Yeah.
HH: So, you, you have a very large family.
HW: Yeah. Oh, yes and they come regularly to see us. Yes. Yes.
HH: That’s great.
HW: It is. Yeah.
HH: Yeah. Yeah.
HW: But they all live apart. Nobody near us like. They live in Goole and oh one lives in [unclear] doesn’t he?
GA: Yeah.
HW: The other one in Hull.
GA: Katie. She’s in Hull.
HW: Yeah.
HH: Yeah. That’s, that’s, that’s families today.
GA: Yeah. Yeah.
HW: Yeah.
HH: I mean it is remarkable I think that you have been so settled here for so long in the same house.
HW: Yeah.
GA: To work.
HH: Sixty seven years.
GA: Ever since you’ve been here you’ve always worked on the farm doing the potato picking and —
HW: I always worked on the farm.
HH: So, you went back to farm work which is how you started.
HW: Yeah. Yeah.
GA: Yeah.
HW: Yeah. In, whatever children went to school I went on the farm to work. I used to drive the tractor.
HH: Fantastic.
GA: Every farm had a team of ladies out of the village that did the potato riddling. Picking —
HH: Amazing.
GA: Sugar beet and things like that.
HW: Yeah.
GA: And that’s what you —
HH: That’s quite hard work.
GA: Oh yeah.
HW: Yeah. But I was tractor driving so it was easier. And I even saved a little boy’s life.
HH: How come?
HW: Well, they had a swimming pool there on the, on the farm like and while I was coming —
GA: It was —
HW: Back with the tractor these little kiddies come running and said one of the boys fell in water. So of course, I jumped off the tractor and run straight to the pond and there was a big sheet over the top and I said he couldn’t be in there but then we ripped the sheet off. The foreman and I ripped it off and luckily right in front of me he come up and he was all blue and that. Unconscious.
HH: Well, that’s where your nursing experience —
HW: Yeah.
HH: Would have been really helpful.
HW: Yeah. It did. I gave him the kiss of life and brought him around. We wrapped him up in blankets and somebody rang ambulance up. Of course, I had to get home and get changed because I was soaking.
HH: Wet.
HW: Yeah. Yeah. That was something. Anyhow, a few years later I met the mother and I asked how the little boy was going on. She said he was going on fine but he had a lot of ear complaint.
HH: Oh.
HW: Yes.
HH: Yeah. But he was alive and well.
HW: But he was alive. Yeah.
HH: Yeah.
HW: Yes.
HH: Yeah.
HW: Yes. It was at the time the front page, wasn’t it?
GA: I think it was. Yeah.
HW: Yeah.
GA: Yeah.
HW: Yeah. The foreman —
HH: So, when did you stop working on tractors then Helga?
HW: I was, I was nearly seventy when I still went potato picking, wasn’t I?
GA: You used to help me. Yeah.
HW: Not picking but on the machines sorting them. I was nearly seventy and I was still on the farm helping. I enjoyed it. It was outing, plus extra pocket money as well.
HH: Yeah.
HW: Yeah.
HH: Yeah. You’ve had a very eventful life.
HW: Yeah. I presume I had.
HH: Yeah.
HW: But I enjoyed it whatever.
HH: And do you still keep in touch? Have you got any of your siblings still alive?
HW: I’m afraid all my sisters and brothers all died. I’m the only one left.
HH: Oh, so you’re the last one.
HW: Yeah. One went —
HH: Gosh.
HW: One went to Australia. That’s the youngest one and the others all stayed in Germany. One was married to a Greek but she came back to Kiel with her husband and family. But they’ve all passed away I’m afraid.
HH: Gosh.
HW: So, I’m the only one left.
HH: Well, that’s remarkable.
GA: You’ve one or two nieces and nephews that you still —
HW: I’ve got quite a lot of few nephews and nieces.
HH: And you still, you still keep in touch with them.
HW: One or —
GA: One or two of them anyway. Yeah.
HW: One or two.
GA: Yeah.
HW: Because there’s so many I could not keep up writing to them all.
HH: Yeah. Yeah.
HW: Yeah.
HH: Yeah. Yeah.
HW: And if you’re on telephone it becomes quite expensive, doesn’t it? To ring them.
HH: Indeed it does. Especially because you’ve got your own large family too.
HW: Yeah. Well, this is it. Yeah.
HH: Yeah.
HW: Yeah. I’ve got my own family over here so they come first.
HH: Yeah. Yeah. Do they know your stories? Does your family know your stories? All these stories?
GA: Yeah.
HW: Well, they would do, wouldn’t they? Yeah.
GA: Yeah.
HW: But —
HH: So you’ve talked to them about your life.
HW: Yeah.
GA: Briefly.
HW: Yeah.
GA: Given them bits and pieces over the years.
HW: Yeah.
HH: Yeah.
HW: That’s it. Yes.
HH: Yeah. It is a remarkable life.
HW: I did. Yeah.
HH: Yeah.
HW: But it’s like I said I enjoyed the good so you had to take it bad if it comes
HH: Yeah. But you lived through some very difficult times in the world.
HW: Yeah. Well, that was during the war that was hard. When, when I met my late husband we were actually nearly starving because that week I met him we was a whole week never had nothing to eat at all. And I went to see him where he was in the hospital like and I just collapsed so —
HH: Because of hunger.
HW: They said, yeah, he said, he went to his mates and said, ‘I don’t know what’s the matter with the girl. She collapsed.’ So, he said, ‘I’ll tell you what’s the matter. They’re starving.’ ‘No. No. No. She would have told me.’ He said, ‘They wouldn’t,’ he says, ‘They’re too proud.’ So of course, he got one of the cooks to give me some dinner.
HH: And that helped.
HW: And, yeah it did. Yeah. And after that he did Black Market with cigarettes and soap and different things.
HH: To get food for you and your family.
HW: Yeah, because I lived with my sister. She lost her husband and she had three little children so we were all in the same boat. So, he looked, brought food for them as well which is —
HH: Yeah.
HW: Was very very nice.
HH: So, what, what did you think of, what did you think of Britain when you first arrived?
HW: I couldn’t find much different really. No. Because I mean people had their own houses and garden the same like they have in Germany.
HH: Could you already speak English?
HW: Not a lot. No. Harold, he spoke very good English and I learned, I learned it rather quickly because you’ve got to.
HH: So, did he speak German?
HW: He spoke German. Yes. Yes, and —
HH: So, that’s how you communicated.
HW: Yeah. Because I lived with mother in law and it was hard sometimes. She used to say, ‘Set table.’ Told me fetch some plates. Of course, I brought no end of things in. ‘No. No. Plate.’ You know. Eventually you got to —
GA: She taught you English money didn’t she and how to shop? Sent you into the shop.
HW: Yeah.
GA: And stood back, you know. Didn’t she?
HW: She, I had to go shopping on my own like. And when I couldn’t tell them what I wanted I used to point. And I wanted some cotton in the market once and I knew how much it was because I quickly learned about the English money. I thought well I have to learn that quick. Of course, when I got my cotton that lady gave me short change. So, I come out and I said to mother in law, ‘This is not right,’ I said, ‘I should have —' so and so. So, the following week the same happened again. So, mother in law told, told that lady then so she said why didn’t she tell me? And the same when we went in, in one of the shops, in the chemist, I wanted something and I said to mother in law, ‘What do I say?’ And she told me in English what I had to say. Of course, I went in and could I have so and so. And they all looked and said, ‘What did you say?’ So, they made me repeat it again. Of course, I changed my tune and they still didn’t understand so I had to repeat it again. So, I came out and told mother in law. I said, ‘They don’t understand what I said.’ So, she said, ‘What did you say?’ So I told her. Well, she said, ‘They should have understood that. Come on I’ll go in with you.’ So, she went in with me and explained. Why? They said, ‘Oh, she had such a lovely accent we liked to hear it.’
HH: So, they were just making you say it over and over again.
HW: Yeah. Anyhow, I didn’t mind after that but I thought at first well shall I ever learn the language?
HH: Yeah.
HW: But —
HH: Do you ever get the chance to speak German now?
HW: Yes. Yeah. When they ring up from Germany of course I speak English and at odd times, the odd word you forget but it, naturally it comes back. Your mother language always comes back, doesn’t it?
HH: I think so.
HW: Yeah.
HH: Yeah.
HW: Same when I write a letter. You know, I can write without any problem.
HH: Yeah. It’s amazing. Yeah. And Gordon now you’ve got an interesting connection with that part of the war as well with your uncle.
GA: Yeah.
HW: Was it an uncle? So tell us about your —
GA: My mum’s —
HW: Tell us about your —
GA: My mum’s cousin it was.
HW: Oh, it was your mum’s cousin.
GA: Cousin’s sons it would be. Yeah.
HH: So, tell us a little bit about that.
GA: Well, it was I think about 1913 or so that my mother’s cousins sold up in Scunthorpe, Ashby and lived with my mother’s parents and such like for a, and such a time and they sailed from Liverpool, I think it was Liverpool on the Empress of Ireland and emigrated to Canada. And this was only sort of a year or two years after the Titanic disaster and it was six months before they got to find out for definite but the Empress of Ireland sank in the Gulf of St Lawrence and, but it turned out that my mother’s cousin had landed in Canada. I don’t know whether it was Toronto, Quebec or where it was but, and the Empress of Ireland had smashed in to a coal ship in the Gulf of St Lawrence and sunk with about hundreds of lives on it. But it was six months before they found out and that was the start of these three lads that came over during the war you see. Because I think Leslie who died in the air crash would be twenty four when, when he died so that would have put him, you know born you know, I haven’t work out the exact numbers out but you know, 19 —
HH: Yeah.
GA: ’15, something like that wouldn’t they? And there was Leslie, Hughie and Frank. Two came as soldiers in the Canadian forces and Hughie was in the Canadian Air Force.
HH: Air Force.
GA: And —
HH: And he was at Linton on Ouse.
GA: Linton on Ouse where he flew from. Yeah. I’ve got, I’ve written off to Cranwell to get his full record but it’ll be another few weeks before we, we receive those, I think but —
HH: So, you learned all of this from your visit to the IBCC. You didn’t know.
GA: I knew. I knew, my mother knew he’d flown from, she thought it was an airfield somewhere near Newcastle.
HH: Yeah.
GA: You know.
HH: North.
GA: Because all this east coast is, is just littered —
HH: Yeah.
GA: With bomber airfields, isn’t it? If you know what I mean. And to the best of her knowledge he’d flown out there. She didn’t know whether it was a Lancaster or, it turned out it was a Halifax. And I still haven’t found out what he was but we thought he was a rear gunner but we don’t know for certain. We’ll probably get that clarified when we get the Cranwell details back but, and presumed lost in the North Sea and that’s all she ever knew. And she said, ‘I would like to know where he —’ you know. And I’ve never been able to find out or ever gone in to such detail. And then when we went to this Canwick Hill, you know, the bomber thing there the lady helped us there find it on the computer and we saw it on the thing.
HH: On the wall.
GA: On the wall and everything and got more detail and then got all that detail printed off.
HH: That’s great. So, his name was Arthur Leslie Horton.
GA: Arthur Leslie Horton. Yeah. And he was in the Thunderbird Squadron I think, wasn’t he? At Linton on Ouse.
HW: It is a lovely place, isn’t it?
GA: Yeah.
HH: Did you enjoy your visit?
HW: Yeah. We went to the, what was it?
GA: Where the video and all that is.
HW: Yeah.
GA: That was —
HW: Well, that brought memories back to me.
HH: Well —
GA: You know, when we saw all these you know on the ceiling. On the —
HH: The thing is that, you know one of the things that we were trying to do in that exhibition was to tell the story from both sides.
HW: Yeah.
GA: Yeah.
HW: This is it.
HH: As a way of achieving some measure of reconciliation. But listening to your story Helga you are, your family and your own story is a story of —
HW: Yeah.
HH: Reconciliation in and of itself.
HW: It don’t matter —
HH: You know, you are a walking model of reconciliation.
HW: It doesn’t matter what country you come from they all got mothers haven’t they? And we’re all born the same way.
HH: I think that’s the important thing is that too often people are made out to be heroes or villains but actually they are humans.
GA: Yeah.
HW: Yeah.
HH: And we all have human emotions, don’t we?
HW: This is it. Yeah.
HH: And we all have, feel pain.
HW: It’s just different nationalities, isn’t it? That’s all it is.
HH: Yeah.
GA: The ordinary, you know the ordinary soldiers on either side they would shake hands with one another, wouldn’t they? Didn’t, didn’t your mother have a friend who had how many sons killed?
HW: Yeah. My mother’s friend had eleven children. She had, no twelve, she had one girl and eleven boys and they all went in the Army and got killed bar one. And the one what was life was deaf and dumb and all the others got killed. And when I went over with my late husband she took me to see her and she hugged my husband and said, ‘You can’t help the war.’
HH: Yeah.
HW: ‘You are like us,’ she said.
HH: Yeah.
HW: And I really felt that. That she really welcomed him.
HH: Yeah. Which is —
HW: My father actually didn’t want me to come to England because leaving home and all that but when we came over and back and forward he was quite happy to see I was happy and —
HH: That’s good.
HW: And particularly when he met the parent in laws as well.
HH: Which is great.
HW: Yeah.
HH: Yeah. And you were a friend of Helga’s late husband, Harold.
GA: Yeah. Yeah, Harold was —
HH: Did you work together?
GA: Yeah. We helped one, yeah we both had country pursuits in common. He was a rabbit trapper, you know. In the war rabbits was the diet of most people you know with having ration books. Rabbits weren’t on that. He worked as a rabbit catcher very early. I mean his —
HW: Well, your parents and Harold’s parents were —
GA: Yeah. Yeah.
HW: Friends, weren’t they?
HH: Oh gosh.
GA: Harold’s, Harold’s grandmother lived next door but one down the village. You know, just a cottage just across the road. So, we’ve known them all, well you as well haven’t we, ever since that time and that.
HW: Yeah. They all lived down the —
HH: A long time.
HW: Yeah.
GA: Being on the farm and that, Harold had long weekends off and he used to come over and stay over with me didn’t you and such like because it was, I’ve enjoyed working on the farm. I’ve been on the same farm ever since 1960 if you know what I mean.
HH: Gosh.
GA: And it’s been a way of life and you worked fifty, sixty hours a week and such like and you’re quite happy to do it.
HH: And what, and what jobs have you done on the farm Gordon?
GA: Well, we’ve had pigs, cattle, sheep. We’ve had all sorts of livestock and, and the arable work. I’ve done all that you see. And Helga’s helped like when we were doing like we used to have to chop sugar beet out and Helga has helped me doing that haven’t you?
HW: And looked after the —
GA: And Harold’s helped me in the garden.
HW: On the —
GA: And such like. He loved gardening and he helped me there sort of thing. We helped one another.
HH: Well, you’ve still got a beautiful garden.
GA: We’ve tried our best to keep it a bit nice, yeah.
HH: It’s so pretty.
GA: Yeah. Yeah.
HH: It’s so pretty. To come in and see such a pretty garden.
GA: Yeah. It’s just coming to the end of the bulbs and that. It’s next, the next couple of three weeks and it all gets changed to summer bedding and such like.
HH: Yeah.
GA: Yeah.
HH: Yeah.
GA: Yeah.
HH: So, you are still working on the farm?
GA: Only a few hours a week sort of thing. Just go and —
HH: But still you are.
GA: Trim the grass and things like that. Yeah. Yeah.
HH: And how far away is the farm?
GA: Just down the, in the village there. Yeah. Oh, it’s been a way of life but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed doing. I did what I wanted to do all my life sort of thing.
HH: Yeah. Yeah.
GA: But when we was, you know when that photograph was taken and that we used to stand out there and see these thousand bombers going out.
HH: You remember that.
GA: I remember them all coming up there because I should be, I should be five when Leslie visited us. I remember him clear as anything playing ball with me in the back garden and such like. And you don’t realise all the things that’s going on but, but you used to see these bombers going. I think they used to come up from Suffolk, Norfolk and go out over the Humber with a fighter. You know, squadrons of fighters.
HH: They probably used the Humber for navigation.
GA: Yeah.
HH: Yeah.
GA: And then you used to see them coming back in the morning. Some with only one or two engines going and things like that. Limping home and that. And obviously we didn’t know how bad it was but we never realised how many didn’t come home and that.
HH: Yeah. Yeah. Losses. Terrible losses on both sides really.
GA: There was, wasn’t there? Yeah. Yeah.
HW: When they came over Kiel we used to watch them come over like and we used to shoot at them but when they got a bit close we had to go in the cellar quick.
HH: And you had, you had warnings did you with sirens?
HW: Yeah. We did. Yeah. About half an hour before time. Of course, we had shelters to go in to.
HH: What were the shelters like?
HW: They wasn’t bad at all. Mind you we had no bombs near the common but in the hospital where I was when they dropped three bombs there, just the three hospitals, they dropped three bombs there and there was a big shelter only five minutes away from there and they reckoned it just rocked but nothing, you know, got disturbed.
HH: In the shelter.
HW: So, they must have been pretty strong. Yeah.
HH: Yeah. Because I’ve seen pictures of some of the shelters in Germany that were quite tall. So, were these underground ones that you are talking about?
HW: No. They were on top or they were underground as well and on the top?
HH: And they were. Oh, ok.
HW: Yeah. High underneath as well.
HH: Ok. So, they went down underground.
HW: Yeah.
HH: And they were up.
HW: Yes, there was a few —
HH: I understand.
HW: A few hundred people in them. Maybe a thousand or so. Yeah. Yeah. They were very strong. Yeah. Some of them in Hamburg are still there. They managed to get windows in and I don’t know what they are using them for. Flats or what. I’ve no, no idea.
HH: Goodness.
HW: It’s amazing, yeah.
HH: So when was the last time you visited Germany?
GA: When we went on that cruise wasn’t it?
HW: Yeah. Yeah, about —
GA: We went, well Harold died in 2000, didn’t he?
HW: Yeah.
GA: We’ve been here. We’ve been on several cruises and there was one, we’ve been out to the Baltic. We did the Baltic and one calling places was Warnemunde, wasn’t it?
HW: Yeah.
GA: And you got in touch with some of your, well Willy and that and also Herta’s son.
HW: Yeah.
GA: And such like. How many of us was there at —
HW: Twenty three.
GA: Twenty three of them. Not, you know about an hour’s car drive from Warnemunde. We met at one of her niece, her great —
HW: My nephew’s house.
GA: Nephew’s house.
HH: That’s wonderful.
GA: And about twenty three of her relations were there and that.
HW: For a day like.
GA: And then they took us back to our cruise ship that was docked there.
HW: And we had a day outing and we’d chosen to see my nephew. Well, all the other of the cruise ship went to see Berlin but I wasn’t interested in going to Berlin.
HH: You wanted to see your family.
HW: Yeah. Well, that’s it. Yeah.
HH: Fantastic.
HW: Yeah. We had altogether ten cruises, didn’t we?
GA: I think. Yeah. We have done between us. Yeah. So —
HW: So, we had a good life after all.
HH: And the next cruise?
GA: No. I think we’ve —
HW: No. I’m afraid I won’t be managing anymore. I’ve got a heart problem as well so I’ve got to be very careful now what I do.
HH: Well, it’s wonderful that you were, you went as far as the IBCC.
HW: Yeah.
HH: So that’s jolly good.
HW: Yeah.
HH: Yeah.
HW: Yeah.
HH: And I’m glad you enjoyed your visit.
HW: Well, we did. We enjoyed —
GA: It was very —
HW: What we’d done. Yeah.
GA: Yeah. Really good. Yeah. Took your, not your grandson’s wife and your great grandson, didn’t we?
HW: Yeah.
GA: Have you got a picture of them there? Where was them pictures that you took? I don’t know where they are now but —
HW: Which was them?
GA: When Luke and Liz were there.
HH: You, you all went together, did you?
GA: Yeah. Yeah.
HH: What did they think of it?
GA: Oh, they was really thrilled with it, weren’t they? Yeah. I don’t know if I’ve got that —
HH: Oh, well, that’s wonderful. Well, thank you very much for talking to, to us, both of you, Helga and Gordon. Thank you for sharing all of these stories with us. They, they are remarkable and we feel very privileged to have them for our archive. Thank you.
HW: Yeah. Thank you. That’s all.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Interview with Helga Wynne and Gordon Atkinson
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Heather Hughes
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2018-05-08
Rights
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This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Type
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Sound
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
AWynneH-AtkinsonG180508, PWynneH1825
Format
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00:47:51 audio recording
Language
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eng
Coverage
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Civilian
Wehrmacht. Kriegsmarine
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
British Army
Description
An account of the resource
Helga (00:00-34:00) was born in Kiel in 1926. Her father was a sailor, who then worked at Krupp shipbuilding yard; her mother was a tram driver during the war. None of her brothers were called up, either because of age or disability. Mentions Hitler and daily life in pre-war Germany. While working on a farm she injured her back, was hospitalised, and then worked at a children hospital in Kiel which was bombed. Helga then met a Kriegsmarine serviceman and were going to get married. The train they were travelling on was attacked by an allied airplane which killed him but spared Helga. In 1947 Helga met Harold, a Royal Medical Corps paramedic who served in Kiel. They resettled in England and got married at Burton in 1948, an event which stirred much curiosity. Helga was welcomed by Harold’s family in Fieldby, and they also met Helga’s family in Germany. Harold worked at Scunthorpe steel works; she worked on a farm until retiring at 70. Harold passed away in 2000. Helga elaborates on the meaning of reconciliation, recalls the difficulties learning English and the reaction of villagers at her ‘lovely accent’.
Gordon (34:00-47:51) discusses family members emigrating to Canada and returning during the war. One served at 426 Squadron at RAF Linton on Ouse, a rear gunner on a Halifax who was lost in the North Sea. Gordon discusses his friendship with Harold and recollects seeing Bomber Command aircraft flying out and coming back during the war.
Spatial Coverage
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Germany
Germany--Kiel
Great Britain
England--Yorkshire
England--Lincolnshire
Canada
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Graham Emmet
Julie Williams
Carolyn Emery
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1945
426 Squadron
air gunner
aircrew
bombing
childhood in wartime
ditching
Halifax
love and romance
perception of bombing war
RAF Linton on Ouse
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1105/11564/PRoseHP1801.1.jpg
ad6f5f49ca330c1caf60a4e83c743b08
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1105/11564/ARoseHP180222.2.mp3
2c049fdb339502cf5b435f4fb4b0f6cc
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Rose, Hayden Philip
H P Rose
Description
An account of the resource
An oral history interview with Flight Lieutenant Philip Rose (b. 1924, 1654274, 185661 Royal Air Force). He flew operations a flight engineer with 426 Squadron before being shot down and becoming a prisoner of war.
The collection was catalogued by IBCC Digital Archive staff.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2018-02-22
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Rose, HP
Transcribed audio recording
A resource consisting primarily of recorded human voice.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
GR: Right. This is Gary Rushbrooke for the IBCC on the 22nd of February 2018 and I am with Flight Lieutenant Philip Rose at his house in York. Philip, just when was you born sir? What was, what was your birthdate?
HPR: My birthday is the 27th of July 1924.
GR: 1924. And did you, we’re in York, did you, was you born in York? Did you grow up around —
HPR: No. I was born in, in South Wales.
GR: Oh right.
HPR: And joined the RAF in 1943.
GR: 1943. Yeah.
HPR: PNB. Which is pilot, navigator, bomb aimer system. I then remustered to flight engineer. Then went to St Athans to be trained.
GR: Yes.
HPR: Completed my, my training there. Then I was waiting for a crew so they sent me to [pause] where was it? I’m trying to think of the name of the place. Anyway, I was sent there for two weeks. Oh, Isle of Sheppey.
GR: Oh yeah. Yeah.
HPR: Unfortunately, a terrible place to go because that was where the people who were, decided they had a lack of moral fibre and they were stripped of their, of their brevets and what have you.
GR: That’s where they went. Yeah. If they’d been lack of moral fibre. Coming away from their base.
HPR: That’s right. They were out to the Isle of Sheppey. Then they were, you know they would be marched out.
GR: So they had people training there as well?
HPR: They, I don’t know whether they, no. I wasn’t.
GR: No.
HPR: I was only waiting for, for a crew.
GR: But even so you’re waiting there.
HPR: Yeah.
GR: And you’re seeing these people.
HPR: Absolutely.
GR: And we won’t come to that.
HPR: Yeah. So, you know they were stripped. They just said, ‘You’re not, you’ve been found guilty of lack of moral fibre and the sentence is that you will be stripped down to AC2s again.’ So they just used to pin their stripes on them, tear them off, tear their beret off and say —
GR: Yeah.
HPR: That’s it. You’re back to, back to the cookhouse sort of thing. So that was that. I was there. Then a crew arrived from Canada. My crew. We met up then at Riccall. The Heavy Conversion Unit.
GR: Heavy Conversion Unit.
HPR: At Riccall.
GR: At Riccall. Yeah.
HPR: Did our six weeks training there on Halifaxes.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: And then joined the squadron. 426 Squadron at Linton On Ouse.
GR: At Linton. Yeah.
HPR: So we did twenty one trips. We were shot down on the twenty first.
GR: Oh right.
HPR: Trip to, as I say to Wanne Einkel.
GR: So, before we come to that we’ll backtrack a little bit. Mum and dad. Did you have any brothers and sisters?
HPR: I’ve got, I’ve got brothers. I’ve got two brothers and two sisters. I did have.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: They’re all dead now. My one brother —
GR: Was you, where was you in the pecking order? Older brother. Younger brother.
HPR: I was the, I was the youngest.
GR: You were the youngest. Yeah.
HPR: I was the youngest. The rest of them were —
GR: Yeah.
HPR: All older than me.
GR: So, schooling was in South Wales.
HPR: Yes. School was in South Wales. I went to the Rhondda County Grammar School. Matriculated from there.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: And that was and then went in. Had a bit of [pause] went to work with a, in a factory for a while.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: And then three of us who were, we were all working in the factory decided to go and join the RAF. So we went to Penarth which was in South Wales.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: Which was the attestation centre, and joined up. And that’s how I started off. And then we got posted to first of all to St John’s Wood.
GR: Yes.
HPR: In London.
GR: So you joined up in 19 —
HPR: 1943.
GR: 1943. Oh, so 19 — yeah.
HPR: Yeah.
GR: What work was you doing in the factory? Bearing in mind the war would have been on.
HPR: Technical. Technical work.
GR: Just yeah.
HPR: Yeah.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: Yeah. Administration work.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: So it was a company called Simmonds were making special things for the Air Force rather. For the RAF.
GR: Oh right.
HPR: So —
GR: And were, daft question because obviously you were if there were three of you in that factory.
HPR: Yeah.
GR: And even though the factory was doing things for the —
HPR: That’s right.
GR: War work. The RAF.
HPR: You were allowed to volunteer then.
GR: That’s right.
HPR: Yeah.
GR: We all volunteered.
HPR: Yes.
GR: And each of them, one of them became a pilot, one of them became a navigator and I became an engineer.
HPR: Right.
GR: And did the other two survive?
HPR: As far as I know. Yeah, they survived.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: I don’t know where they, what’s happened to them now of course.
GR: Yeah. Yeah.
HPR: They’re just gone.
GR: But at the time. Yeah.
HPR: Their own sweet way, sort of thing.
GR: So at the time, yeah you were in the factory. You decided right —
HPR: Yeah.
GR: We’ve all got to join up and join the RAF.
HPR: That’s it. So we all went to Penarth and joined up at the same time. The same day.
GR: Same day. You all went together.
HPR: That’s it.
GR: Oh. wonderful.
HPR: Got through, got the [artist?] did all the usual work that they do, you know. Maths, English and all the rest of it.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: And they said, ‘Oh, you’re ok.’ They said to me, they give you a recording when you’re doing that and they play the earphones on and said, ‘Why do you want to be a pilot? Why don’t you be a wireless operator?’ And I said the one thing I didn’t want to be was a wireless operator. They said, ‘Why not?’ ‘Well, you’ve just had a recording with, you had this dit dit dit da da da. And just say are they the same or are they different?’ He said, ‘You had an eighty seven percent on it so you must be good.’ I said, ‘I just did it. I’ve forgotten about it,’ you know. ‘It all went queer and I just said yes. Oh, that’s, yes. No. Yes. Yes. No. And it just happened to be but — ’ I said, ‘No. I don’t want to be that.’ So they said, ‘Right. PNB.’ And then off to London.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: To St John’s Wood.
GR: Was you, was there any gap in between? So once you joined up they didn’t still —
HPR: Oh yes. There was about, they give us a small badge to say that you are RAF Reserve.
GR: Yes.
HPR: About two months.
GR: Yeah. Because there’s some veterans I spoke to said, ‘Oh, yeah they sent us home and we were waiting six months.’
HPR: Yeah.
GR: And we were waiting nine months.
HPR: I waited about two months.
GR: That’s not bad.
HPR: And they gave me a little badge to say that, you know you’re in the RAF.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: Virtually. But we’re waiting.
GR: Yes.
HPR: So if anybody said, ‘Why the hell aren’t you —
GR: Yeah.
HPR: In the army.’ Or, ‘Why aren’t you —
GR: Because you’re walking around in —
HPR: Yeah.
GR: Yeah. Nobody bringing you a white feather or anything like that.
HPR: That’s it.
GR: So, yeah. So, you were, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, yeah. What did you think of St John’s Wood?
HPR: A tremendous place to be but I can remember the one thing about it was the fact that you had all your inoculations, vaccinations virtually at the same time, you know. Outside going up the fire, fire steps of these flats we were in and then being injected in both arms.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: And that was it sort of thing. Then we were doing all sorts of things. You know, maths, English and all the rest of it and they said they decided I would be an engineer rather than a pilot. So that was it.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: Then I was posted down to, as I said to St Athan. I did my training there. Then joined the, the crew eventually. Having been to see the poor people being stripped of their, their —
GR: Just I find it a strange place.
HPR: Yeah.
GR: To send somebody.
HPR: To send somebody. Absolutely. But it was not only myself. It was quite a few.
GR: No. Yeah. But, yeah any of you to be there and think what’s going off here?
HPR: That’s right, because I got pretty friendly with one chap who had been strapped. His name was Brotherton I think if my memory serves me and he was, flying. He was a wireless operator and he said that he’d had enough. He’d been, he’d flown for about twenty, twenty sorties.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: And they said he was lack of moral fibre. He said, ‘I’m quite prepared to go up and fly on flying boats or anything else,’ but he said, ‘I’m not on there anymore.’ So he said, ‘I’ve had enough.’ They shot him. Anyway, they stripped him.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: And he went. I don’t know. He was very good. But I remember he was a very good pianist and he used to entertain people while he was there, you know. On the piano and what have you.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: And in the NAAFI.
GR: I presume you knew what were going off.
HPR: Yeah.
GR: What did you think?
HPR: Well, I thought, you know I was really sorry for them because these guys they were obviously, you know not a hundred percent in themselves. You could tell that. They were sort of shadow of themselves almost.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: But you said, well you know, ‘It can’t happen to me.’
GR: No.
HPR: We hoped. And that was it.
GR: Yeah. Because obviously, yeah you’re speaking to somebody who has done twenty missions.
HPR: Yeah.
GR: And this is something you’re going to go and do.
HPR: Yeah.
GR: And then you’re listening to him and —
HPR: Yes. Lack of moral fibre and that’s it.
GR: Yeah. We’d have different words for it these days but —
HPR: Yeah.
GR: I’m interrupting. So, yeah. So after that you, how did you meet the crew because obviously when it was like all British crews —
HPR: Yeah.
GR: They used to put you all together in a room and you’d walk around.
HPR: That’s right. Well, we —
GR: Talk to people and —
HPR: We were put in a place called, a manor which is just north of York here. We had a room there. Aldwark Manor.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: Aldwark Manor was where we were billeted. We met up there actually. We, and we spent a few days together talking about things and we all seemed to be gelling out ok. And then we were posted down to Riccall.
GR: Right.
HPR: To Heavy Conversion Unit.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: Then we went back to Aldwark Manor because that’s where we were going to be billeted when we were flying from Linton On Ouse.
GR: Right.
HPR: So that —
GR: So was you given to the crew?
HPR: Yeah.
GR: Or did the crew approach?
HPR: Yeah.
GR: So you just, you were given a crew.
HPR: That’s right. Oh yes.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: Well, we were, I was introduced to the crew.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: And they, they really vetted me.
GR: Right.
HPR: Rather than me vet them.
GR: Yeah. Yeah.
HPR: And they said, ‘Well,’ you know, ‘You seem a good guy, you know, seen what you’re doing and all the rest of it.’ And we got on remarkably well together as a crew, you know. Excellent.
GR: I think you told me the wireless operator was —
HPR: Yeah.
GR: Also British.
HPR: The wireless operator. That’s right. But he’d already joined them.
GR: Right.
HPR: Prior to me going there. He [pause] his name was Twyneham. So, he was from London and he was, he was working in the City somewhere in London before he came, and he went back to that after the war. I can remember. The rest of them came from, most of them, all of them came from all of them came from Canada. The wireless operator was, he was British. The mid-upper gunner was from Saskatchewan. He came from a wheat farming community there. His family were farmers. Johnny de Luca was working for the government in Toronto. Bob, the navigator he was in business in Toronto. And the, the bomb aimer was from Montreal. He was French Canadian. He was the joker in the pack if there ever was a joker. He was quite a, quite a character. So that’s how the crew was formulated.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: And as you say we then started down at Riccall. Having finished there started on 426 Squadron at —
GR: Linton.
HPR: At Linton on Ouse.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: That’s the [pause] saying the, the [pause] That’s where he, is the —
GR: Oh right.
HPR: That’s, that’s the skipper’s [pause] skippers burial. I wasn’t there unfortunately. I was away on holiday.
GR: Right. Yeah. We’re just looking at a photograph. Is this, is this in Holland?
HPR: It’s Holland.
GR: Yeah. He’s buried in Holland, is he?
HPR: Yeah.
GR: So, what was your first operation? So obviously you got to Linton.
HPR: The first, first operation we did was in Metz.
GR: Right.
HPR: We bombed Metz. It was the first operation we did, and we did a series of operations from all over.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: From St Nazaire.
GR: Any thoughts on the first op? As in —
HPR: Well, yes.
GR: Not apprehensive but —
HPR: That was interesting.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: Because that first op we were late in returning. We didn’t see any particular flak or anything but we had a lot of reports when we came back that a lot of them had had a fairly hectic time.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: But we were fortunate. We were a couple of minutes late sort of thing getting back and we didn’t really see a lot of it. But we saw the latter end of it but we weren’t worried about it ourselves.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: So that was it.
GR: So, yeah. It went well. Yeah. And that was it. You were in the system.
HPR: We were absolutely in the system. Exactly.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: And then —
GR: And this would have been the summer of 1944.
HPR: That’s it. Yeah. And then we carried on then right through.
GR: Can you remember when your first operation was? Would it have been —
HPR: I can’t remember exactly the date.
GR: May. June.
HPR: June it would be.
GR: June.
HPR: It would be June. Definitely. Yes.
GR: So did you do some of the what they called the Normandy bombing runs?
HPR: Yes. Oh, yes.
GR: Yeah. Yeah.
HPR: St Nazaire.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: All those sort of places.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: We did all those bombing runs.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: D-Day. You know.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: So then after that as I say we eventually landed up in this, at Wanne Einkel, in —
GR: This was about, this was about your twentieth mission.
HPR: Twenty, this was the twenty first.
GR: Twenty first.
HPR: Twenty first mission.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: And that, as I say we did the bombing run. We were hit. The —
GR: Hit by flak.
HPR: The flak, yeah. Oh yes. It was predictive, predictive flak actually because you could tell because we were on a fifteen thousand feet.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: And flying straight and ready for the bombing run. I shouted, you know, ‘Bomb doors open,’ and away. Bob said, ‘Bombs gone away.’ You know.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: That was it. We turned off then having as we were turning we got hit. The outer, port outer engine was hit. I feathered the engine. Put the fire out but we were hit by flak again. The skipper was hit in the leg. The bomb aimer was hit. His nose. He broke his nose. And then there was the, we got it, the aircraft back as far as Dordrecht in Holland.
GR: In Holland. Yeah.
HPR: And we were going to bale out as I said. We. The first out was the rear gunner who said, ‘Keep it straight and level so I can get my ‘chute.’ His ‘chute was in, was obviously not on his, in his turret.
GR: No.
HPR: It was outside his turret.
GR: He had to come back to the fuselage to get it, doesn’t he?
HPR: He come back. Yeah. He come back.
GR: Yes.
HPR: Pick up his chute, put his chute on and dived out. Mid-upper, the mid-upper gunner was the second. Bob, the navigator went. Then Twyneham the wireless operator and then Bill, the bomb aimer went. And I was the last out. I helped to get the skipper back to the rear of the plane. Put a hand on the handle of his chute.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: Said, ‘Off you go,’ and kicked him out.
GR: Yeah. You pushed the pilot.
HPR: I followed him out.
GR: You pushed the pilot out.
HPR: Yeah.
GR: Then you were the last one out.
HPR: I followed him out. The aircraft was losing height all the time and it crashed just outside Dordrecht. We found out eventually that a part of it they found is now in a museum or was in a museum in Dordrecht. Which was the wing of the aircraft was in there. And I was, I landed on the outside, on the outskirts of, of Dordrecht. Eventually met up. I met the bomb aimer, the navigator and the air gunner. Rear Gunner. All together. They marched us into Dordrecht.
GR: Was you picked up straight away?
HPR: We were. Yes, I rather funnily enough the chap that picked me up spoke perfect English. He said, ‘Good afternoon,’ and I was bloody flabbergasted as you can well imagine. But he was telling me he’d been working for a German shipping company in Liverpool before the war.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: He was a corporal in the German army.
GR: Oh right.
HPR: And he’d worked in this, for a German shipping company in Liverpool docks. So they marched me, ‘Raus [unclear] they said. Well, there was, well we knew that the bomb, we were told that the pilot had had his legs blown off and he was dead when they reached the ground. But there were two others who were missing. That was, one was Twyneham and the mid-upper gunner was Ken Dugdale. The last report we had there was somebody had landed on the church at Dordrecht and had been hit by rifle fire. We eventually found out that that was in fact Ken Dugdale.
GR: Right.
HPR: He was put into hospital in Dordrecht at the time. Eventually they picked up Twyneham in a field outside Dordrecht. They’d brought him in and then we were all put in, into the local jail at Dordrecht in Holland. And eventually the, we were shipped from there by a rickety old bus to Frankfurt on Main.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: And there we were held in the, the German headquarters there and interrogated by two officers. One who purported to be, had worked, also been educated at Oxford. So he reckoned. By the way we never found out whether he was. Spoke perfect English.
GR: How was you treated in between?
HPR: That’s right.
GR: In between, ended up in the local jail.
HPR: Yeah.
GR: To get into Frankfurt. Were you treated well?
HPR: No. No.
GR: No.
HPR: We got nothing really. All we had was a slice of bread.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: Black bread and a cup of soup.
GR: But you weren’t mistreated.
HPR: No. We weren’t mistreated.
GR: No. No.
HPR: No. We were just [pause] except when we were, we were so tired we were told by the guards to get up and —
GR: Yeah.
HPR: Prodded with rifles but nothing —
GR: Nothing. Yeah.
HPR: Particularly untoward. But none the less it was a bit scary.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: Then as I say we were taken by —
GR: Because by that time in 1944.
HPR: Yeah.
GR: I know of certain bomber crews.
HPR: Yeah.
GR: American and British that were murdered basically. They were you know if they were captured by some of the civilians.
HPR: Yeah.
GR: Especially if they were near the places they’d bombed.
HPR: Yeah.
GR: Then the, and the authorities used to turn a blind eye. That’s why I was asking if —
HPR: Yeah. Well, the biggest problem we still had our parachutes with us. They still, we had to carry our parachutes where ever we went.
GR: So you stood out like.
HPR: We’d stand out. That’s right. When we got to Frankfurt then we got a little bit of flak from the local people.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: Because we had to march up to get to get to the railway station in Frankfurt and we got a bit of flak from the people there. They were spitting at us and telling us this, that and the other, you know. Terror fliegers. So, eventually we got to the German headquarters at Frankfurt. We were interrogated there as I said. Then we were moved on from there and eventually landed up in a place called Dulag Luft.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: Which was just outside Frankfurt. And we were there for quite a while. Then eventually from there we were shipped out to —
GR: Luft 7.
HPR: Poland.
GR: Yes.
HPR: That was at Stalag Luft 7.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: In Bankau near Breslau.
GR: So, that would be around about October time, wouldn’t it?
HPR: That was.
GR: Shot down in September.
HPR: Yeah.
GR: October.
HPR: That’s right,
GR: Yeah. October. November. I was going to say how was prison life but I presume you weren’t in the prison camp long because did they then start, as the Russians were advancing did they take you out on what became known as the Long March.
HPR: Yeah. What happened was we were in there. Stalag Luft. That’s [pause] the first camp we went to. That’s a map of the —
GR: Oh, right. Thank you. Yes. Stalag Luft 7.
HPR: Yeah.
GR: Bankau, Silesia.
HPR: The first camp we went to was a temporary camp because that hadn’t been completed. We were in just little huts.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: Which were only about seven foot high and about, you know twenty four foot long. Then we went to that camp eventually when it was completed. And it was said that nobody would ever escape. Escape from there sort of thing. But nobody did. We didn’t. We were there until —
GR: Because in your own mind was you aware the war was coming to a close?
HPR: Well, yes. We were. We were getting reply. Reports from UK. We had two guys. One who was shot down the first day of the war.
GR: Right.
HPR: And he was a wireless operator and he was a very clever lad. He managed to get, he’d got a phone. A telephone, telephone wires and eventually managed to get a radio signal and he was, he was giving us reports.
GR: Reports. Yeah.
HPR: Virtually every day of what was happening during the war. He was an excellent guy. The padre was there also who was a nice, a very nice chap. I’ve still got the bible that he gave me there, and I’ve carried that everywhere. I’ll just show it to you.
GR: Show me. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
HPR: I’ll get it for you.
GR: Yeah. And I’ll just pause the —
[recording paused]
GR: So we’re just looking at a Holy Bible that was presented to Philip by the —
HPR: He was the padre.
GR: The padre. Victor —
HPR: He was acting padre. He was —
GR: Victor [Coops.]
HPR: Yeah. He became, he became a full time vicar afterwards.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: After the war.
GR: Yeah. So the Holy Bible with a stamp inside it that says Stalug Luft 7. Incredible. So, so when was you taken out the camp and put on the Long March?
HPR: Yes.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: That was on the —
[pause]
GR: It would be January time.
HPR: 17th of January.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: 17th of January and I was on that Long March twenty one days or thereabouts.
GR: For about, so for about three weeks. Where did you end up then, Philip?
HPR: We ended up eventually at Luckenwalde.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: Which was [pause] the camp number was camp three and we were there then. There were fifty four thousand in that camp which was really required to keep about ten or twelve thousand.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: So we had no, no beds. No nothing. Just palliases. Wooden —
GR: Straw beds yeah.
HPR: Well, yeah.
GR: I presume, I presume you was in, because you were shot down in September.
HPR: Yeah.
GR: You was in quite reasonable physical condition.
HPR: Yeah.
GR: Unlike some of the chaps who had been there three or four years. Were they —
HPR: That’s right.
GR: Were they —
HPR: Yeah.
GR: Thinner? And —
HPR: Well we, I, we’d all lost weight obviously on the march.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: Because we had very little food.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: It was only a question of a cup of soup a day. A slice of bread a day. Maybe one spoonful of sugar or whatever.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: One cup of coffee which was horrible. Ersaz coffee made of acorns.
GR: Acorns.
HPR: That’s right. And I lost, my weight came to around six stone twelve when I came home.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: So, I was about eleven stone when I, when I, when I got shot down.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: And we, not only myself but everybody else.
GR: Yeah. So in a period of seven or eight months.
HPR: Were in the same situation.
GR: Yeah. It’s a very big weight loss.
HPR: Very little food.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: We were at this camp for, as I say there were fifty four thousand of them there. Russians, Poles, Germans, err Russians, Poles, Czechoslovakians all sorts of nationalities.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: The Russian’s camp itself was separate from, from the main camp. Then eventually as I said the Russians overran us in, when was it? May.
GR: Yes. End of April.
HPR: End of April.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: That’s right.
GR: It was the Russians who took over the camp wasn’t it?
HPR: The Russians —
GR: Yeah.
HPR: Took over the camp completely. Then we heard that the Americans were on the other side of the Elbe.
GR: Yes.
HPR: They were advancing. We got word to them to say where we were. They eventually brought trucks up. Fifty trucks to take all the, all the American and the British prisoners out of the —
GR: Out.
HPR: Out of the camp. The Russians refused and as we were moving on they fired us over the tops and with rifles, they said, ‘Nobody leaves this camp until we get an exchange of prisoners.’ Fifty four thousand prisoners in exchange for all these other prisoners that you’ve got. The Russians were, the Russians in the Russian side of the camp were released by the Russians and told, ‘There’s a rifle. Off you go. Kill as many Germans as you can.’ And outside the camp was one gun post which had six German army guys there. They went out and they said, ‘Bring back proof that you’ve killed them.’ They brought back six heads.
GR: God.
HPR: And said, ‘There we are. We’ve killed them.’
GR: Yeah.
HPR: For ourselves we tried to get on but as I said they told us we can’t get. So we were in that camp now until well I didn’t get home until June.
GR: So, how did you eventually get out the camp? Was it —
HPR: We eventually —
GR: The Russians just let you go or —
HPR: Eventually they transferred so many prisoners in exchange.
GR: Right.
HPR: They transferred them over on the Elbe.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: The Germans and the Russians and they allowed us to leave. We then, they then took us from there back into Frankfurt, then on to, I flew then from, they took us down to Holland and we flew back home to Tangmere.
GR: Tangmere.
HPR: In Sussex.
GR: What aircraft did you fly back on?
HPR: Dakotas.
GR: Dakotas.
HPR: That’s right.
GR: I know they were using Lancasters, Dakotas and American B17s, so —
HPR: That’s right. Yeah. Dakotas.
GR: You got a Dakota.
HPR: Flew on Dakotas back to Tangmere and the first time we, the first meal I had, I will always remember was fish and chips in Tangmere. That was the blessing.
GR: Yes.
HPR: While we were in, in Holland with the Americans we were fed with very good food obviously. With bacon and eggs and —
GR: Yeah.
HPR: And pineapples and goodness knows what. Excellent I must say. Then we eventually came home. I had a slight bit of flak in my left leg which had played up a bit. It was still weeping and what have you. They decided that first of all they were going to put me into hospital. There was, I said I didn’t, I wanted to go home first if I could because I had no, I had no knowledge of whether my family were alive or whether they were dead or what happened because only one, they only had one letter from me after I became a prisoner of war to say that I was a prisoner of war. To confirm that. But no other mail had got through. So eventually they let me home with details of what had happened to be given to my doctor and he treated me. Then after three weeks I went back to Cosford Hospital. They looked at it and said it was ok, it was fine. I could go back on leave. I had another three weeks leave. They were trying to treat us because we were undernourished. The only way they could give us extra rations was by giving us rations that were normally used for WAAF’s pregnancies. That was double rations.
GR: Double rations.
HPR: And so I was having two lots of bacon, two lot of meat, two lots of beef —
GR: Yeah.
HPR: Two lots of butter etcetera etcetera to build up. So eventually I then got posted back to Cosford. I did a course there. I stayed in the RAF.
GR: Yeah. Were you back, when you came back from prisoner of war camp —
HPR: Ah huh.
GR: Did you learn then that all the others had come back with you? So the rest of the crew apart your pilot did they come back at the same time?
HPR: Oh yeah. They all came back.
GR: Did they, were they in the same camp by the way?
HPR: They came back virtually at the same time.
GR: Oh right.
HPR: But were disbanded into the RCAF.
GR: Oh course. They would have been sent back to Canada, wouldn’t they?
HPR: That’s right.
GR: Yes.
HPR: They went back to Canada.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: And then, as I said I came back home here. As I say they all went back to their jobs except Bill Sloane went back to Montreal, but then he went on to America. He decided to go down to America. We lost all trace of him. The rest of them we, we kept in touch with for a while. Bob Walters died of, he had cancer. He died about ten years ago. The next one who died was [pause] Ken. Ken Dugdale. Mid-upper gunner. He died of cancer in Saskatchewan. Twyneham stayed. He was alive until four years ago. He died in London. Who else was there? Bob as I said. Bill Sloane went on to America so we —
GR: Yeah. Lost track of him.
HPR: Lost all trace of him. There was myself still here. And Johnny de Luca.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: Obviously of Italian parentage.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: He died two years ago.
GR: Two years ago.
HPR: He had a blood disorder.
GR: Oh dear.
HPR: Which they couldn’t cure.
GR: Did you stay in the RAF?
HPR: I stayed in the RAF until 1948.
GR: Oh, ’48. Right.
HPR: Went back to Cosford. I went to training to do a equipment officer’s job. I did it at Cosford for a while. Then they came along and said, ‘Right. We’re sending you on a bomb disposal course.’
GR: [laughs] What a thing to do.
HPR: So they sent me on a bomb disposal course and I was then employed getting rid of phosgene and mustard gases by firing them with sten guns. Blowing them up. Burning them.
GR: What a way to do it.
HPR: Yeah. So then they said, ‘Right. We’re getting you posted now to a place called Cottam, which is just outside Driffield.’
GR: Yes.
HPR: And that was a bomb disposal unit. They had bombs. Two hundred, four hundred pound bombs all over the place there. So we had to, well we was selling these to Iraq and Iran. We were repainting them and sending them off after the war to Iraq and Iran. So I was in charge of this unit there and eventually I applied for a permanent commission. They offered me a short service commission of four years. And I said no. This is ’48 and I said, ‘No. I’d rather it’s either a full commission or I’m out.’ So then, it was then I came out.
GR: Right.
HPR: 1948. Although, if I’d stayed in the guys who also applied for, for a short service eventually got a full —
GR: Yeah.
HPR: Commission because they were short of officers in the 1950s. So, I came out. Then got a job in one of the utilities with is the Electricity Boards.
GR: Back in Wales.
HPR: Back. No. First of all in Yorkshire.
GR: Right.
HPR: In Driffield.
GR: So you decided to stay in —
HPR: In, well in Hull really.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: And then I transferred from there back to Wales.
GR: Right.
HPR: And I got a job with the Electricity Board in Wales. From there, I stayed with them for about three years and a guy came along and offered me a job with a company, an American company called Kelvinator making refrigerators. So I joined them as a sales rep. Left then after about three years. Got a job with Phillips Electrical who were forming a new group for white goods. So I became an area manager for them and eventually left them after seventeen years. They headhunted from another company called MK which made electrical switches and sockets. Became a sales manager from then. Then they asked me to go to South Africa. So I went to South Africa for two and a half years to, as a marketing manager and eventually marketing director for them in South Africa.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: Sold the company in South Africa which they wanted me to do. Came home and then retired.
GR: Right.
HPR: Then somebody came along and said, ‘I’ve got a job for you.’ I said I didn’t really want a job. ‘Oh, we’ve got a job.’ So I went to work then for the government on marking, checking marking of GCSE exams.
GR: Oh right. Yeah.
HPR: In Harrogate.
GR: Yeah. So you was living up in this area by then.
HPR: Yeah. Finished up. I finished up here.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: Became the, as I said I have a house in, before I came here I had a house in Askham Richard.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: And do you know, so before that we had a house down in, I worked for, when I worked for Phillips I worked in London with them.
GR: Yeah.
HPR: At, so I had a house in Horsham for three years.
GR: So you moved around a bit.
HPR: So I’ve been around a bit.
GR: A wonderful life. Yeah. Very very good. So how are we doing? Yeah.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Interview with Hayden Philip Rose
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Gary Rushbrooke
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2018-02-22
Rights
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This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Type
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Sound
Identifier
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ARoseHP180222, PRoseHP1801
Format
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00:41:20 audio recording
Language
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eng
Coverage
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Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Spatial Coverage
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Great Britain
England--Yorkshire
Netherlands
Netherlands--Dordrecht
Germany
Poland
South Africa
Germany--Frankfurt am Main
Poland--Tychowo
Description
An account of the resource
Hayden Philip Rose was born on the 27th of July 1924. After leaving school he worked in the Simmonds factory office before joining the RAF in 1943, training as an engineer. His brothers also joined, becoming a pilot and a navigator. Upon meeting his crew at RAF Aldwark Manor they were posted to RAF Riccall where they trained on Halifaxes, before joining 426 Squadron at RAF Linton-on-Ouse.
On their 20th operation, they were hit by anti-aircraft fire upon which they bailed out near Dordrecht, and the pilot was killed in action. The crew were then held at German headquarters in Frankfurt for interrogation and eventually sent to Stalag Luft 7. He reports that when the Russians reached the camp they gave them rifles to kill as many Germans as they could. They took back six heads to prove that they had killed them.
He flew back in June 1945. After three weeks leave, he completed further training before being posted to RAF Cottam, where he stayed until 1948. Rose recounts his life after demobilisation, including working in South Africa and keeping in touch with his crew.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Sue Smith
Tilly Foster
Julie Williams
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1943
1945-06
1948
Conforms To
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Pending revision of OH transcription
426 Squadron
aircrew
anti-aircraft fire
bale out
bombing
Dulag Luft
faith
flight engineer
Halifax
Heavy Conversion Unit
prisoner of war
RAF Linton on Ouse
RAF Riccall
RAF Tangmere
shot down
Stalag Luft 7
the long march
training
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/671/10077/AAn01137-170710.1.mp3
5891ad598147a2d8741af4ff73476bab
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
An01137
Description
An account of the resource
An oral history interview with an anonymous member of Bomber Command ground personnel. He served as an electrician at RAF Topcliffe and RAF Dishforth.
The collection was catalogued by IBCC Digital Archive staff.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-07-10
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
An01137
Transcribed audio recording
A resource consisting primarily of recorded human voice.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
SC: So, if I do the introduction. I’m with Mr [redacted] sorry [redacted] I’ve got that — I’ve got that wrong right from the beginning.
Other: That’s a good start that is.
SC: I do apologise. That’s —
Other: Don’t worry.
SC: It was, it was wrong on the email that I got. But —
Anon: Oh.
SC: So we’ve corrected that. I’m here at your home at [redacted] and it is the 10th of July, I think today at 10am. And you were a of member of, you were a ground crew electrician.
Anon: Yes.
SC: I believe. So, if you want to start with your earliest memories of contact.
Anon: Well, my first contact with Bomber Command was when I was in the Air Training Corps at Scarborough. I, I was 313 Squadron. I was in that from the beginning of it and, in 1941, I think. And we went on a week’s camp to Driffield. RAF Driffield. And there were two squadrons there. If I remember rightly there was Blenheims, Bristol Blenheims and Handley Page Hampdens. And they, whilst we were there in May it was the first thousand bomber raid. I think it was on Cologne. And that was the first one that Harris put out as more or less I would have said a PR —
SC: Yeah.
Anon: Exercise. But as far as I know they all came back. And whilst we were there also, that was with Bomber Command. But also it was the first time I went in the air. That was in an Airspeed Oxford. A trainer.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: And that was interesting from the point of view we flew over Scarborough which was my home town. And the pilot quickly came back from the sea because there was a convoy there. He said to us after, he said, ‘I came back inland quickly because,’ he said, ‘They start shooting at anything these days.’ [laughs] So, and that was the first introduction into the Air Force proper. And then at seventeen and a half I tried to get into the Fleet Air Arm as a pilot but I’m only five foot two now. I don’t think I was much less than that then. The first thing they do is sit you on the floor with your back to the wall and there’s a white line. If your feet don’t reach that white line then my chances of being a pilot were [pause] Anyway, they offered me to come in as a telegraphist air gunner or an observer. No. They said, ‘What are you going to do?’ This is a lieutenant commander. He played up with me because I was trying to shuffle [laughs] to get my feet to reach the white line. But yeah, I said, ‘Oh. I’ll try the Air Force.’ And I went to Hull, to the centre there. Recruiting Centre. And a flight sergeant interviewed me. He says, ‘Well, you’ll never make pilot. You’re far too small.’ He says, ‘But I see you’re an apprentice electrician.’ He says, ‘Well, you’re in a reserved occupation.’ I said, ‘Yes. But I’ve got permission to break my apprenticeship and join up as long as it’s aircrew or submarines.’ He says, ‘Well,’ he says, ‘Come in as aircrew. But you’re an apprentice electrician,’ he says, ‘Why don’t you come in as an electrician and then re-muster when you’re tall enough and become a pilot.’
SC: Yeah.
Anon: So, I didn’t take any talking into it. That’s what happened. Well, I never was tall enough. I’m still only five foot two [laughs] Anyway, the outcome was that I went to Hull and then got a railway ticket from there down to Cardington on my eighteenth birthday actually. Handy because they wouldn’t let me in before then. And I got my King’s Shilling I think it was then and fitted out. Kitted out. And then went to Blackpool for six weeks square bashing and, well you learned to use a rifle and throw a grenade and that sort of thing.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: And didn’t have to be taught drill although I had to do it. And get your hair cut several times.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: But went from, after six weeks there went to RAF Henlow which was in two halves as an operational station there and a training centre for electricians. And I was there for four and a half months and then you get a weeks’ leave. But before you go on leave you’re given a form to fill in. ‘If,’ that’s a big word, ‘If you had the choice where would you wish to serve?’ So I put three months at RAF Driffield then anywhere overseas. Well [laughs] I never got out of Yorkshire. I went to RAF Topcliffe which was used by the Royal Canadian Air Force. 424 Squadron. And that was on Wellingtons which, rather amusing in a way because at the training school at Henlow the sergeant who took us for bomb gear, he says, ‘Well, I’m supposed to have three days on Wellingtons but,’ he says, ‘You’ll never see one.’ So, he says, ‘All I’ll tell you is it’s an unusual connection. Unusual things for connecting to the bomb release.’ So there was five, a five pin plug. He says, ‘And I’ll tell you something now so that you’ll never forget the rotation. The order of connecting it,’ he says. From the lip, the little pin thing that sticks up. ‘Going clockwise,’ he says, ‘It’s red, yellow, blue, green, white or white green. But,’ he says, ‘I’ll tell you how you’ll never forget it’, he says, ‘Now, I’ve have to modify this because we’ve got WRNS coming err WAAFs coming through,’ he says, ‘But it’s — Rub Your Belly With Grease.’ [laughs] You can still, even now, seventy, well seventy odd years isn’t it? More than that now. You just don’t forget.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: But that was just amusing in a way.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: Because you’d got to Wellingtons and that was all there was for 424 Squadron and you’d never been taught anything about them so you’re there with [laughs] they’ve given you a manual and you’re having to read from it —
SC: Yeah.
Anon: As you worked. But they moved then [pause] well, we went to Linton on Ouse and then back again to [pause] Linton on Ouse back to —
SC: You’ve got Skipton is the next one.
Anon: No.
SC: Oh sorry. Back. Yeah.
Anon: I’ve got to read from this thing. ATC, Blackpool, Henlow, Topcliffe, Linton Ouse. It was Skipton on Swale but that didn’t come in that order.
SC: Right.
Anon: My memories. Although I’ve got all the places I was stationed at I haven’t got them in the right order.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: Went back, and still on Wellingtons. And then 424 were going to be posted to North Africa and this was in ’43. And we went, we were kitted out with a whole new squadron of Wellingtons in tropical paintwork.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: Very light sandy colour. And we worked for, well I worked for thirty two hours without any break.
SC: Gosh.
Anon: Except for meals. Bringing the aircraft which were brand new up to scratch and that was when the first Gee was put in. That was the electronic stuff. Although we, the electricians only put the supply there.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: But the machine itself, the screen was covered up in a shroud so as we’d no idea what it was we were putting in the supply there for.
SC: Right. Yeah.
Anon: For — but anyway the outcome was that we were — got all those done. Then they sent us to — it was Dishforth where that was done.
SC: Right.
Anon: And then they sent us up to Catterick airfield where they kitted us out for Africa. We got all the gear and gave us the injections. Then decided that the English ground crew weren’t going.
SC: Ah.
Anon: So [laughs] then, I think I went to Skipton on Swale I think it was. And it was Halifaxes. No. Tholthorpe.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: Halifaxes. 425 Squadron. French Canadians. And it, they were Halifaxes and they weren’t very — how can I put it? They weren’t electrically well fit out.
SC: Right.
Anon: It struck me afterwards that the electrical stuff was an afterthought. See —
SC: Gosh.
Anon: The difference between that and the Lancasters that come on later was where you’ve got the main panel all the conduits coming in, in the Halifax there was one screw connection in front of another one. So if you wanted the back one you had to undo the front one to get to it. Umpteen wires in these air conduits. Plastic things. But in the Lancaster they were staggered so that you could do the one you wanted.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: A nightmare as an electrician on the Halifaxes. A pleasure on Lancasters.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: But then, oh I finished up in that squadron, 425 maintaining the link flight simulator thing. Nothing like the simulators of today but they actually got in it. A little laid out thing like an aircraft cockpit. And it was operated by pneumatics and electric and on the port side of the [pause] Just down the side there was a lever you could operate to regulate the turbulence.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: And you could nearly make yourself sick. [laughs]
SC: Gosh.
Anon: I know. But you used to have fun with that. It wasn’t used much by the pilots funnily enough. That was the French Canadians. So it was a sort of a lazy time that. A bit on the boring side. But posted then back to Linton on Ouse where I think it was 426 Squadron then and they were Lancasters and they were lovely aircraft to work on. Seven miles of wiring I believe and used to, for the DI, Daily Inspections there used to be two electricians and one went around the outside while the other one was inside operating the switches to put the various things on.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: The landing lights. The wing lights and the tail lights that you going around seeing if they work. And then the chap that’s outside gets in and does the rear turret. Checking the gun solenoids and the lighting. And the, the lighting on the gun sight.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: But also the one outside checks the micro switches on the landing gear.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: And the chap up in the cockpit makes sure that the lights, the green or red lights operate as they should.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: And the [pause] there was a plug for an external accumulator. Trolley acc as they are called. But you only used that for when they’re trying the engines out. Now, the engine fitters were the bane of our lives because if you weren’t around they would sneakily run the engines up without having put the trolley acc in and they were running your internal batteries down.
SC: Right.
Anon: So, if [pause] if the battery was flat when you came to do an inspection you had to change the batteries.
SC: Oh.
Anon: And that was a heavy job. You had to trail to the battery room. Get a transport. That wasn’t always easy either. Sometimes you had to push them on a trolley all the way back to the aircraft.
SC: All the way back.
Anon: Another thing about the aircraft which might sound amusing now but if you’d any soldering to do there was nothing like electric soldering irons of course.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: You had what they called a mox iron, M O X, and it was a white tablet. Quite a large one that burned like fury. And it had, well to me a whacking big soldering iron, the old one with the wooden handle.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: And a big chunk of copper at the end of it.
SC: At the end of it.
Anon: And you put that over the flame you’d got but you had to be fifty yards away from the aircraft. And you had to run like made after it got to the heat. When the flames died down it run like mad. You got a hot iron and get in to the Lancaster and run up to the fuselage to get to where the batteries are because the lugs occasionally needed replacing. But that was — oh, I’d better say where I’ve been. That’s the easiest way I think. We got to Henlow, Topcliffe, Linton on Ouse, Skipton on Swale, Sutton on Forest, Tholthorpe, Dishforth, Catterick, Linton on Ouse again, Lindholme. Ah, this was when I finished at the Canadians but whilst I was with the Canadians the discipline was far slacker than in the RAF. Whilst I was at East Moor the, occasionally they had what they called a backers up course for ground crew. It was [pause] well earlier on when the RAF regiment weren’t as prominent. The, you’re doing the protection of the airfield really but you’re taught how to use a rifle again and bayonet and what was it? Throw a grenade.
SC: Throw a grenade. Yeah.
Anon: That sort of thing.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: And unarmed combat.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: And really infantry work. And you had this to do for a week which we all detested. We were supposed to be craftsmen. Anyway, the outcome was that whilst the last day of our week a Halifax unfortunately crashed in our area. And I have the impression that whichever the area it crashed in the nearest airfield had the job of guarding the wreck that crashed. And unfortunately, although all the crew except the pilot got out the pilot stayed in and he was burned. And horrible really. But the backing up course that week was only about, if I remember rightly about eight or ten of you. You were given the job of guarding the crash.
SC: Yes.
Anon: And you were fitted you up with sandwiches and food for the night sort of thing and a bell tent and some slept but there was always one on guard. When it came to my turn it was the middle of the night and and then it was bitterly cold. And I got inside the back end of the Halifax to get out of the cold. While I’m in there I heard something moving. And so I got out and still listened and still could hear walking. So, ‘Halt. Who goes there?’ Frightened to death [laughs] The rifle and — and got no reply. ‘Halt and be recognised.’ Mooooo moooo [laughs] A cow in the next field. But but that only lasted, you had to stay there until they cleared the crash and we were there a few days actually. And, but you get seventy two hours leave after that weeks’ training.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: I’m all togged up, best blues and just walking towards the main gate when from the office, SWO’s office, the SWO, Station Warrant Officer that is —
SC: Yeah.
Anon: Shouts, ‘Airman.’ Beckoned to me of course. Says, ‘I want you as an escort.’ ‘I’m going on leave, sir.’ ‘Not until you’ve been on this.’
SC: An escort.
Anon: And it was escort for a couple of Canadian airmen that had been caught in Thirsk with their caps off. And the Redcaps, RAF police had caught them and reported them. And anyway that’s, ‘Escort and accused, quick march. Caps off.’ And you’re there in front of the Wing Co. And this is the Wing Co who I said how good he was. He, ‘Read the charge out, SWO.’ And this, ‘Whilst on active duty,’ and the date and so on, ‘The airmen seen without their caps on going from the Red Lion to the Black Bull at Thirsk.’ ‘Anything to say?’ — CO. ‘No sir, but actually we were going from the Black Bull to the Red Lion.’ ‘Case dismissed. Incorrect evidence’. You should have seen that station warrant officer’s face. He was an RAF — a lot of the admin staff were RAF. I missed my train but [laughs] it was worth it to see his face.
SC: It was worth it. Yeah.
Anon: But that’s just amusing. But that was with 426 if I remember rightly. 432 that, aye. Thurlby I think his name was. Wing co. But he used to have parties in the mess for the morale and that. Thought the world of him, everybody. But then I went back finally whilst I was with the RAF, RCAF. Went back to Linton on Ouse and 432 were there with Lancasters. And one of my old friends was an air gunner. Flight sergeant air gunner, Freddie Frith and I was talking to him the night before he took off and of course we’d been pals back in Scarborough and lived in the same street actually. And —
SC: Gosh.
Anon: Played football and cricket and that sort of thing as lads. And he never came back. And he was the one I was telling you about. That unknown grave. And he’s at Runnymede. The Memorial there. But went then, went back to the RAF proper. Talk about bringing you down to earth. You had to have your buttons cleaned and really be professional I suppose.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: But it was very relaxed on the Canadian side. But back there and this wasn’t an operational squadron. The first time I hadn’t been on an operational squadron and it was [pause] well to us it was stricter than the rest had been on the ops. But we, I was there almost a year and there you had the job of, well apart from looking after Lancasters you did the battery charging. And they also had the airfield runway lights to keep and check and for that you had to have transport. Well, one day it was my turn to do this. We did it in turns and when I went for transport the one that was available they says, ‘Have you got a licence?’ I says. ‘Only one for civvy street. I haven’t had one—’ ‘Oh, well if you’ve one for civvy street you must be able to drive.’ He says, ‘That’s the only car available,’ and it was the CO’s Humber.
SC: Oh gosh.
Anon: I’d never been in a posh car like that before. And I got it on the runway up to ninety miles an hour [laughs]
SC: Wow.
Anon: I really, really enjoyed that but —
SC: Yeah.
Anon: Then of course you had to go back slowly to make sure all the lights were on.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: On the — but that was [pause] that was by 1945 now. And I may be right [pause] yes it would be. Anyway, the oh the other thing we had to do which I mentioned earlier to you was at Metheringham we had a lighthouse to let planes know where they were. Those that had lost their way and didn’t know where they were. This flashing talked from the parent station which was Lindholme, by telephone. It told to put the aerial lighthouse on and it flashed two Morse letters which the aircrew all recognised as where it was. A bit like a lighthouse at sea flashing.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: Certain letters. But that was an amusing that was. Being young and silly in those days. It was the middle of summer this time I’m thinking of. We used to go out before the, well the aircraft weren’t going out really ‘til dark time so during the day we went into the nearby town. I can’t think of the name of it now. It wouldn’t be Scunthorpe would it? Anyway, and on a pushbike.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: Which I’d biked from the airfield on and I finished up that night with my bike on top of a haystack. Stuck. So [laughs] Young and silly. But when the phone went you had to get out there and get that flashing light going. That shows. And there’s a motor mechanic, a corporal general duties chap in charge of you and yourself, an electrician and you had a caravan. And it was a change from being on the airfield.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: And the farmer or his wife used to keep you well fed as well.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: But that was the end of the RAF. I was at Lindholme which is now a prison. Raise a few eyebrows when you say, ‘Oh, I’ve been in Lindholme.’ [laughs] But anyway, I was there when VE day came. And shortly after that there was a notice went up asking for volunteers for the Fleet Air Arm for going out to see the Japs off.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: That finished my RAF lot. But I did volunteer for the Fleet Air Arm and went there as an electrician. Well, for two minutes at, I think it was RAF Warrington but it was a mixed camp. Half the camp was Air Force, the other half Navy and you were kitted out when you got to the other side of the camp. You were, for two minutes — a minute to twelve and a minute after twelve you were a civilian. You’d been discharged from the Air Force.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: But hadn’t been accepted into the Navy. And then you, you were kitted out on the Naval side. And they’d pipe in the morning dress of the day. And but number, you were given [number 9?] now, I forget. But they — nobody had a clue how to dress. You stood on your beds trying to look out these Nissen hut’s window to see what other people were wearing.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: But from there you went to transit camp which was at the HMS Daedalus II. Daedalus III rather. The shore base. And you just got kitted there waiting to go somewhere but they get all sorts of things. And don’t let anybody tell them Nelson’s dead. He’s not.
SC: Right.
Anon: The air force, went and got at Melksham. This was an RAF base but it was Navy training for American electric switches which are different to our RAF wiring. We had two wire system. They had one wire and earth. And what, you were given the month on that. But two weeks of that were trying to learn what all the initials were because everything’s done by initials in the Navy.
SC: Right.
Anon: We were always in trouble with the master at arms for various things. Two of us, I was one of them walking across what we called the parade ground and somebody bawled out to us, and we were, ‘At the double,’ because we had started walking towards him. It turned out he was the master at arms and he wanted to know why we were walking across the quarter deck instead of doubling. And this is the sort of thing.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: And I think the Navy was about fifty years behind the Air Force but it was still enjoyable. But whilst I was on that course they dropped the atom bombs and they didn’t know what to do with us. They — I finished up instead of hoping to have got overseas as my original intention had always been was, I was posted up to Scotland. To Royal Naval Air Station Dunino. And I was on Fairey Barracudas.
SC: Gosh.
Anon: Which were torpedo bombers and they’re like toys compared to Lancasters.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: But all we were doing was getting them up to front line state to be flown down to — I think it was Speke in Lancaster. Lancashire. Where they were dumped. Scrapped.
SC: Right.
Anon: But they wouldn’t let us, them go if there was anything wrong at all.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: But, I don’t think [pause] I hope I haven’t wasted your time.
SC: No. Gosh, no. No. It’s been a fascinating journey.
Other: That was the first time I’ve heard it.
Anon: The very first time.
Other: Thank you.
SC: Oh gosh.
Anon: The very first time I realised how ignorant I was, was I was still eighteen. First time on night duty at Topcliffe. Wellingtons. And you were underneath the Wellington because you’ve got trolley acc lead plugged in.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: And they start the engines up. They start the port, port one up first and flames shoot out of the exhaust.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: I’d never seen one at night. I saw flames and I shouted up through the hatch, which is the hatch where they went in up the ladder. Baled out at height. I shouted, ‘You’re on fire.’ It wasn’t on fire at all just the [laughs] Fortunately because of the engine noise he couldn’t hear me so —
SC: Yeah.
Anon: But you learn as you go along.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: In that case. And how on earth we won the war.
Other: You must be dry after all that. You’ve got it. Would you like some pineapple juice?
SC: I’d love. Yes, please.
Anon: But I — no, I enjoyed it.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: And I’ll be honest here. I’d have stayed in the Navy. In the Fleet Air Arm. But my mother was a widow.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: My father died when I was twelve and I went back more or less to support her but —
SC: Yeah.
Anon: But on the demob leave that’s when I met Jean.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: And we’ve been married just over seventy years now.
SC: Oh gosh. Congratulations.
Anon: Thank you.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: Commiserations I think you said [laughs]
SC: You said that. Not me [laughs] Thank you very much.
Other: Right.
Anon: I don’t think I’ve been much use to you. What I’ve said.
SC: Oh, it has been. It has been a tremendous valuable story. I’ll switch this off now.
Anon: The worst thing I think I had to do was change an alternator in the middle of the night. Well, I say it was the middle of the night. It was pitch dark.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: And it was snowing. And it was out on the airfield. It wasn’t in the hangar. And I stood on the engine stand there. Your fingers, you could hardly feel them.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: And you’d wires to connect.
SC: Yeah.
Anon: And bolts to, well the fitters I suppose were supposed to do that but you weren’t going to get a fitter out of the Nissen hut to come and —
SC: Yeah.
Anon: Do something you could do yourself. Put the nuts and bolts to hold it in place. But —
SC: It must have been really difficult.
Anon: But I managed to go through the lot and never get charged.
SC: That’s good. That’s an achievement.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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Interview with an anonymous interviewee (An01137)
Creator
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Steve Cooke
Publisher
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IBCC Digital Archive
Date
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2017-07-10
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This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Type
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Sound
Identifier
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AAn01137-170710
Format
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00:38:15 audio recording
Language
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eng
Coverage
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Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Navy
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Yorkshire
Description
An account of the resource
Anon, from Scarborough was keen to join the Fleet Air Arm as a pilot. Disappointed that he didn’t meet the height requirement he joined the RAF and began training as an electrician. His aim was to travel abroad with the service but to his disappointment he never left Yorkshire. His first posting was with 424 Squadron. The squadron was kitted out to transfer to North Africa and although they prepared the aircraft for the journey the British ground crew didn’t make the move and he was posted to 425 Squadron. Among his duties other than the electrical work was to provide guard duty for crash sites and he was also called on as an escort to airmen who were accused of misdemeanours. On the squadron he met a childhood friend from Scarborough who was an air gunner. He was killed on operations. He volunteered to transfer to the Fleet Air Arm and joined that service until he was demobbed.
Contributor
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Julie Williams
Carolyn Emery
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1941
1943
1945
424 Squadron
425 Squadron
426 Squadron
432 Squadron
ground personnel
Halifax
Lancaster
memorial
military discipline
military ethos
military service conditions
RAF Dishforth
RAF Linton on Ouse
RAF Skipton on Swale
RAF Tholthorpe
RAF Topcliffe
training
Wellington
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/306/3463/AMooreR160727.1.mp3
6916342becb8f2ec899823178f5b9e73
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Moore, Raymond
R Moore
Description
An account of the resource
One oral history interview with Raymond Moore (1609170 and 179383 Royal Air Force).
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-07-27
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
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Moore, R
Transcribed audio recording
A resource consisting primarily of recorded human voice.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
IL: Ian Locker. I’m interviewing Ray Moore at his home in Sowerby, Thirsk. Right, so Ray, um, tell us a little bit about your early life.
RM: Early life — where, where from?
IL: From you, you, you were born in Sussex?
RM: Yes.
IL: Tell us a little bit about your family and how, how you came to join the RAF.
RM: Well, I’ll only repeat what I said.
IL: Absolutely.
RM: Exactly what — again, I wasn’t thrilled by the war. I remember it very distinctly because my father and two brothers — my two brothers were in the — they called it the —
Sarah: Home Guard? No?
RM: Well, my father got — had been recalled for the covers [?] in other words, he’d done about fourteen years’ service in India and then he went to, he was posted to Gallipoli. He was wounded in 1915 and came back to England and he was in hospital, hospital in Esher, in Esher. That’s in Surrey and that’s where he me my mother but that was just at the beginning. And then he went in the Territorials. They joined in 1938 so they were the first up and the last picture, the last thing I remember of them, I was — they were all at home this particular day, and the last thing I remember I went into the dining room and they were all stood with their arms around one other. It was very moving, was that. And, um, then — so that passed and you didn’t — there was no reality to it even then. And then on the Sunday morning at 11 o’clock on — when Chamberlain said — it still didn’t ring a bell. I still wasn’t — it, it didn’t mean anything. I remember that Sunday morning and hearing Chamberlain and my mother was sat weeping, as they did in them days I suppose, I don’t know, but she was, I remember she was, she was crying and I thought, ‘Well, it’s a war.’ You know and, and honestly at that age, and I was fifteen, at that age you didn’t, you didn’t say, ‘Oh, there’s a war.’ It’s Hitler. It’s Germany. It’s Nazi Germany and I didn’t believe it. I couldn’t believe that we were at war but my father and brothers had already gone but it didn’t ring a bell until about, let’s see that’s 1940. I’m trying to think of the dates. In 1941 there were three of them gone and in 1941 my, er, brother that was older than me — no. A sister that was older than me, Joan, she decided to join the WAAFS. Because at some period of time, you know, women had to sign on as well and she was eligible. She was about twenty-two, twenty-three and so she was the next one to go and to me it was, ‘Ta-ta Joan.’ You know, that was — and then life set again. You started to — some of the things that happened. Because we never had a daily paper because I think the Daily Herald was on the go in those days and so, um, and being a mixed family of, of politics — my father was a conservative and my brothers when they came out, two of them had turned and flying the red flag. That was hilarious was that after the war. But — and so, er, and then it went on and then a brother went and I sort of looked round and instead of eleven of us sat down at that, in that, you know — and it was a fairly big dining room Sarah, wasn’t it? And the dining table, instead of there on a Sunday it was suddenly, suddenly empty and that was when it struck me that something was wrong and that was the time when I really thought about joining up but the age was eighteen and I was damn sure I wasn’t going in the Army or the Navy and I, I’d made up my mind. But as I say there was something by the Government that if you had — you know, there were a lot of big families but if you had so many in that were in the Services you, you were exempt and I should have been exempt. And that rattled my mother more than anything and so that was, you know, I joined up like and that’s when it started. All of it started. I have to admit I was leaving home and the Army didn’t appeal to me in as much as that I’d lost brothers and sisters and my father were all in the services. Because we had a good family life.
Sarah: None of them were killed.
RM: Never lost one of them, no.
IL: Remarkable isn’t it. So had you left school?
RM: Oh, I’d left school.
IL: So did you leave school at fifteen or —
RM: Fourteen.
IL: Right. So, so were you working on the family farm? Or —
RM: No, no, no. I did that, er, I did —
Sarah: What was your first job?
RM: First job, riding a bicycle, pushing — I worked for a butcher, just delivering, just an ordinary menial job. And that was the first, yeah, that was the first year and going to work then nine to five. [cough] I’m trying to think how old I was as well. And about a year or it might have been —
IL: I’m going to move that a little bit nearer to you.
RM: Sorry.
IL: No, it’s OK. [unclear]
RM: It might have been, um, [unclear] I think with there being, when the war was on, 1939, and there was, er, Joan was at home and Frank and so there were those at home so really I hadn’t much care, no idea. I was a good scholar as well. I was a good scholar, even if I say myself.
Sarah: And that’s where your engineering background —
RM: It was. It was really because, um, when I was in, when I joined up, and I was mixing with engines and airframes and things it seemed to — it was something that I wanted to do, wasn’t it? And to come top of the class at the end of thirty-six weeks I thought it was pretty good going. Anyway, er, fifteen and I got to know one or two. I, in that respect I was a bit of a loner, in respect of mixing and things like that and not bothering to look for the future, and I say I couldn’t have cared less and my father was in the Army so he couldn’t boot my backside and tell me to get a job. There, was there and then I went to a Jim Feasts [?]. I even remember his name and they were a greengrocers and all I was doing there was delivering green groceries, groceries and whatever you’re talking about. No, it was greengrocery wasn’t it? That was Jim Feast and that was awful but I suppose I was mixing with different people and Worthing’s a very snobbish place, you know.
IL: I’ve been.
RM: Pardon?
IL: I’ve been.
RM: Oh, you know Worthing.
IL: Not well.
RM: I finished there. I shouldn’t be — and then I worked for Jim Feast until, well, I think he told me to beggar off and, um, they were menial things, weren’t they? And then across The Broadway there was, they called them Fletchers [sound of aircraft]. Now that can go down. They called them Fletchers, the butcher, and so I was riding around then. And I became very friendly with a chap and he was the same as I was. We were the same age and doing the same jobs, riding around and delivering errands, and he said to me one day, he said — and it was time to come up when we were coming up to seventeen and then around that area and he said, ‘By the way.’ He said, ‘I’m going to join, I’m going to join the Navy.’ He said, ‘What do you think?’ I said, ‘I wouldn’t join the Navy if you paid me.’ I said, I said, ‘I don’t want to go.’ He said, ‘Oh, I’m going to join the Navy.’ And just up here they call it Teville Road. He said, ‘Up here are the Naval Cadets.’ But it’s ridiculous isn’t it? Because when he said Naval Cadets I thought to myself, ‘What do you do?’ He said, ‘Well, we learn the Morse code and with your arms and hands.’ And I thought — ‘And march and do things like that.’ And bearing in mind there was also a junior Air Cadets but I didn’t even think about the Air Cadets because — and then he was telling me, he said, ‘Why don’t you come up?’ I said, ‘I don’t want to join the Navy.’ He said, ‘Oh, come on.’ He said, ‘It will just be a bit of fun.’ So, I said, ‘Oh, right.’ So, I went up this particular time and went into this hall and I saw these, er, do you know what I mean? There was all these things to learn the Morse code, with di, di, di, da, dat. And I looked at them and I thought — because a friend of mine had joined the air crew and he’d gone as a wireless op and I thought, ‘That’s not a bad thing. There’s a place here I can learn the Morse code and be one in front.’ So, he said — anyway, I thought it would be interesting, sat down and they had about six in a line. I sat down and I got interested, listening to it, and I thought, ‘This will do.’ But this mate of mine, he kept saying, ‘Join.’ He wanted me to join the Naval Cadets and I didn’t want to join and that was when really that I made up my mind. That was about the time that I’d gone down to the recruiting office to join the, to join the Air Force and that was really at the beginning where I made up my mind that I wanted to be air crew and that, that was the last job I think, driving around. They called him Fletcher, that butcher, and that’s, that’s all I did but I think if my dad had been home he would have pushed me because, as I say, I was fairly good, I was fairly good at school. I was. I can wrap anything up, you know, and it seems a shame really. You know, I don’t I mean that I was wasted or anything like that but I know that had I’d gone on I would have gone on to Worthing High School but nothing appealed to me. There was a war on and honestly, that’s the honest truth, there was nothing appealed to me. Nothing at all appealed to me in — accept when it came for the service time to join the Services. That’s all it was.
IL: OK. So when you joined you were seventeen but there was problems because you had to have your mother’s permission I understand.
RM: That’s right.
IL: So, what happened?
RM: What happened?
IL: Yeah. What happened?
RM: Well, I did tell you.
Sarah: But you’re being recorded now dad.
RM: Oh, I see. Oh, well. Well, we didn’t fall out of course not. You can look at that. That’s my family. Oh well, we had a few words of course but nothing, there was nothing dramatic. There was nothing dramatic about it because my mother was a loving woman wasn’t she? I mean, it was her family, her life, but to — but I don’t think even to this day, looking back, that she ever thought that, um, it would come to me signing up. I don’t think she ever thought that I would join up until I left and I got on the train from West Worthing to Victoria. I mean, to be out of, to get out, to go out of Worthing was when I played football. I used to play schoolboy international, um, yeah, I played schoolboy international. We lost —
Sarah: Where did you do your final?
RM: West Ham. No, we didn’t play. We got knocked out, Sarah. West Ham beat us in the semis at — where? What’s the name of their ground?
IL: Upton Park.
RM: Yes. That’s it and it was an absolute sensation because to play schoolboy international was actually a very good thing because when you ran on the pitch and there was six thousand boys there and we ran on the pitch at Upton Park and these boys — you get six thousand boys, six thousand boys there and I can understand — it was absolutely wonderful. Anyway I was thirteen at the time. But going on to where, talking about my mother, it was, it was very disturbing but on, not from my point of view because I knew what I was going to do. It was something. It was something. There was a blooming war on but the papers and you could hear them give the news out. It, it didn’t strike me as being anything. All I wanted to do then was be in the Air Force and to fly. That was my only ambition was to fly and I failed the first time. What did they call it? I failed. I put in for a pilot and I failed as a pilot. I wasn’t good enough. I wasn’t just good enough. That was all there was to it. I know that looking back. I think if I’d genned up on it a bit more and waited maybe a couple of months.
Sarah: How did they sort out who was going to be a flight engineer and who was going to be a wireless operator?
RM: By what I had to do. By what you had to do. And you talk about square pegs and round holes, Sarah, and that was what you had to do. I went up to, ah, North London. It’s where they, where the Lord’s Cricket Ground is, somewhere up there, and you go before the — oh, I forgot to tell you that. That’s what happened when I was called up, before I was called up rather, that’s what happened, and you sit down. You go into this classroom and that as well, I had a medical, of course. I mustn’t miss that out, of course you did, and you sat down and it was sort of noughts and crosses, you know. I can’t remember a lot, but you sat down and with a — now I’ve got to just try and think. Anyway I failed as a pilot and so the next best thing —
IL: But at this time you were still only seventeen? This was —
RM: Pardon?
IL: This was between signing up and being called up you had this, like, kind of selection.
RM: That’s right, exactly. I’d forgotten, yeah, of course I did. And as far as I think now I was just put down as air crew. I can’t seem to think that I was classified then because as an air gunner — I knew I wasn’t going to be an air gunner because the air gunners were in and out. They had a six month course. They were up in — they had a very short course, did an air gunner, a rear gunner and a mid-upper gunner. They had a very short — you know, it was awful really. They just learned how to shoot and they put them in, put them in a bomber. And honestly, it was as simple as that.
IL: You also, you also had this thing with your mother, um, she had to sign something, I understand?
RM: Oh yes, yes. She did, oh yeah. Well, I got this paper from — I went down to the recruiting office — and I thought — there again, I knew nothing about it. And I thought you could just sign on the line and they took you but when they came to the ages bit, um, it struck me as not being right, but you, you could not get into the Services. You could get in [emphasis] into the Services, before you were eighteen, but not flying. You could not get into air crew unless you signed up. That’s what it was with me anyway. And to get her to — she just said, ‘You’re not going.’ And that was it. And in practice she’d made her mind up that I wasn’t going to join the aircrew. But my mother then at that time I don’t really think that she knew what air crew was. Honestly I do. I believe that. She didn’t know what air crew was in that respect.
IL: So, how did you get round your mum not signing?
RM: Um, oh, oh well, I waited for a bit, oh yeah, when she wouldn’t sign it. I mean, she was my mother and what could I do? I can’t, even in those days, I mean, well, in those days you had to do what your mother and father said, as far as I was concerned anyway, and she was, um, she was up in arms. I knew she held it — she sort of realised that I’d made my mind up. That’s, that’s what it was all about. And I wanted to, I wanted to join and I she — I can’t tell you what the paper was. It was a sheet of paper with — that you had to sign and I, I forged her signature. Yeah, I did. I practiced writing Clare Moore and, um, I don’t think to this day that she knew what I’d done except when my papers came. I mean, I don’t think she was aware that, I don’t think she was aware because I didn’t turn round to her and say I’d done it. I wouldn’t have done that. Well, I wouldn’t Sarah. And, er, as I say I took it back to that, down Chapel Road, that recruiting office there and just handed it in and, ‘We’ll let you know.’ Sort of thing.
IL: So, what happened when you eventually got called up and had to leave?
RM: And had to leave?
IL: Had, had to leave home. What did your mum do?
RM: Oh, well, that — well, my sister Dorothy, we were good friends, as brother and sister, and she still does to this day. She thinks I’m marvellous. You know, that sort of, her brother, and, um, well, I packed a little suitcase and all I packed in was probably a razor and whatever, you know, things you need, I suppose. I know at that time my mother was very reluctant to pack anything in. You didn’t need anything. You just had, I just had this little case and I guess she packed in soap, a flannel and things like that. That’s all there was, you know. Said, ‘Cheerio.’ And she said, ‘You can beggar off home.’ I remember that. And then when I got to the bottom of the road I looked back. Waving. And I got on a train and went to Victoria, Victoria across to — no, the RTO met us at, um, at Victoria Station. You went into the, what they called, the RTO, that’s the Railroad Transport Offices, the RTO, and I went in there and told them, like, and they took us by coach then to Cardington. And from Cardington — was there two days. That was awful really at Cardington because there were thou— there seemed hundreds, hundreds of airmen milling around in civvies, you know, and it was a funny carry on and it really surprised me, in as much as, over the Tannoy (they had a Tannoy) and it was like a homing thing and it called out on, on the microphone, ‘Is there a,’ and I’ll never forget this, ‘Is there a Raymond Moore here?’ And amongst all the hubbub, you know, I didn’t take a lot of notice and I hadn’t met anybody but I heard it again and again and I thought, ‘That’s me.’ Anyway, er, I found out where it was coming from and what it was — I can’t explain to you how they found out — but what it was somebody more knowledgeable than me and up to date and what it was you could go to and find, there was a list of some sort you, you could go and find and look down this list, like, anybody from Worthing? With their names on it and my name was on it and what — and they called in — oh, I can’t think of it. No good, can’t think, and what happened was, he called in. He was calling, ‘Raymond Moore.’ And I found him and found him and of course he came up and he said, ‘Oh, good. Thank God. There’s somebody here from Worthing.’ And he was a horror. I never liked him because, well, because it weren’t so much — I’d met him through the football and he came from a school called Sussex Road and I came from St Andrews and so there was a bit of competition of the boys from St Andrews and the boys from Sussex Road and I never liked him. And he said, oh, he said, ‘Oh, what school?’ I said, ‘I was at St Andrews.’ And, you know, St Andrews was a bit of a snobbish school. Well, it was a bit of a snobbish school, it was honestly. St Andrews it was. We thought we were a cut above Sussex Road and it was true and, um, but I didn’t want to be with him somehow and I sort of edged away from him and I never met him again. He was posted somewhere else you see. I was posted to Skegness to do — I was there about eight weeks — square bashing and that was good. There again, it was something new wasn’t it, you know? Marching up and down. I even remember the corporal’s name, Corporal Passant, P A S S A N T, Corporal Passant. And we were billeted in houses on the seafront. It was marvellous, weren’t it? Home from home. And he was a very nice corporal, marched us up and down then and I then — we was just thrilled. We didn’t — there was no rifle drill or anything like that. We just had to learn. Well, I knew how to march but he was a professional and he taught us how to march properly. I’ll tell you this instance. I don’t know whether it matters, whether it goes on there or not, but it’s an incident and it struck me because, being brought up Church of England and fairly religious, church parade on a Sunday morning. There was a great big, seemed to me dozens of us, and each one was a platoon with thirty two men in and so this corporal then, as it come down the line, and you had to stand to attention but he’d call out then, ‘Fall out all Roman, fall out all Roman Catholics and Jews and other denominations.’ [slight laugh] Honestly, that’s the gospel truth, as true as I sit here. So I’m stood there and I thought — and of course, all those that were Roman Catholics and Jews and other denominations (what the other denomination was would be Methodist I suppose or something like that) and I’m stood there like and one or two — I saw one or two — falling out and I thought, ‘What’s goes on here?’ I thought there was only one religion, or two at the most. That would be Roman Catholics and Church of England.’ And that’s the honest truth. That’s how, that’s how I was educated, although that the school I went to, St Andrews, they called it a higher — there’s a name for it.
Sarah: Church School? Or a —
RM: Yes, they called it — and it was high church. It was between Roman Catholic and Jews [?]. It was in between but that didn’t make any difference to religion but you know what puzzled me? Every Sunday morning that corporal used to say — and it was a common thing and it caught on. Suddenly all the Church of England suddenly became Roman Catholics or Jews, whatever. It was a peculiar carry on and that is the truth.
Sarah: So they could fall out.
IL: Yes. So, they didn’t have to go to church parade?
RM: Yeah and they just wandered off and that, that is true that, and from — of course when I finished at square bashing I was sent to Cosford and that was eighteen months’ course on engines and that was hard. That was really hard. That was a hard course because when you’re — it’s like, taking maths. If you take maths at school it’s hard if you don’t concentrate and, taking the course on Merlin engines and Hercules engines, it struck me as being — seeing a massive engine there — and you had to learn the theory of it. I knew nothing. I didn’t even know what it looked like and to be thrown into something like that it was hard and I had to work hard if I wanted to — I did. I worked very hard, very, very hard.
IL: So, was that classroom and practical based?
RM: Yes, it was. It’s true. The practice, I was absolutely useless. Even now, right throughout my married life, and I was married for sixty-six years, and I’m telling you, I couldn’t knock a nail in without hitting my thumb. Now, it’s a standing joke in the family. Sarah knows. Don’t you Sarah?
Sarah: My mum was very good at decorating.
RM: The girls decorated and the lads. I could never ever learn anything in the house. It didn’t matter. Now, I don’t, I think it wasn’t, I think I lacked the knowledge of even knocking a nail in. I could never and of course my wife was the opposite. She was marvellous, you know. She had to be.
IL: I have a similar arrangement. [slight laugh]
Sarah: Very capable, was my mum.
RM: Yes, she was. And then from Cosford, I did eighteen weeks there and was posted to Halton, which was, it was the — from going from a lower form of AC1, AC2, LAC you went up then a bit higher because at Halton you had to finish off what you did at Cosford, you know, you know what I mean? It was a bit higher class if you got through and Halton’s in Buckinghamshire and Halton was the sound, it was the grounding for the regular Air Force. RAF Halton it was and that was nice there. We got marched about to a band there. They had their own band. Marched up for our dinners, from classrooms, marched back down again. It was quite good actually.
IL: How long were you there for?
RM: How long? So that was eighteen weeks, so four and a half months. How long was I? Oh, sixteen weeks.
IL: Right.
RM: Sixteen weeks at Halton, yeah, and that was another grind. It was, because, as I say it was a bit, it was harder.
IL: And did you get any leisure time in these places?
RM: No. It was just — well, only if you put in — well, just as an example was, we were billeted in huts and the — it was quite good really. It kept you on your toes. I was never lazy in doing them things but there was about — how many would there be? About fourteen beds in the hut and every Friday night it was bull [?] night and you had to dust your, all around your bed, and I seemed to get a lot of fluff round my bed [slight laugh] you know and then you had to polish the floor and that [emphasis] was the main thing. And you had to polish the floor because you got marks and the sergeant, the flight sergeant, would come round and he’d come round and look and if your, if your hut was good you got a mark of, I don’t know how they worked it, nine out of ten or something, and so after a couple of months your hut — and you worked hard and polished and all the bull you put in to it, and if you came top of the class you could put in for a weekend pass but they weren’t daft were they? You imagine thirty-six hours. Forty-eight hours from Friday until 23.00 hours on the Sunday night and they called that forty-eight hours. In the meantime — and you had to pay your own fare. So, I was living in Worthing and to get to Wolverhampton you had to do an awful lot. It was awfully quick because when my dad used to come home on leave and my mother would say, in a letter, she’d say your father will be coming on leave on such and such a day and he was billeted not far away up at Balcombe Tunnel [?] and, um, he was — so, I got information then so the idea was then if our hut was up on the list and a lot of them, bearing in mind, they lived farther away than that and so you couldn’t afford it. You couldn’t afford it. Your, your pay, you got three shillings a day or something like that, and so if you wanted to go on a weekend you had to save up to get your train fare. And so I would then write a letter and it was a dodge with me because when I wrote a letter to, to which you just had to write a note, ‘Dear Sir.’ Your commanding officer, ‘Dear Sir, I may request, can I request a pass because my father is coming home?’ It was a, it was a squid [?] wasn’t it? And put it in and to put a letter into the orderly room, ‘Dear Sir.’ I, I used to have it off pat saying that I was, um, how did I put it? Dear, Sir, Dear Sir. Oh, it was, it was a mushy letter and I always used to put in as my father is coming home on leave, and that was it, and because if you had a relative like that, you know what I mean? And so, any, any leave that I got that was the letter that I used to put in to the commanding officer, ‘Dear Sir, please may I put forward an application for a forty-eight hour pass to see my father who’s home on leave.’ And I used to put he’s a sergeant major in the eighth battalion of the Royal Fusiliers or something and I it went off pat, of course you did, and I got a forty-eight hour pass and it was the only time I screwed them [laugh] well, I did, you know. It was that little bit that — it was good was that.
IL: It’s not bad to get some time off.
RM: And then — but after I finished a Halton, that course there, I went down to St Athan and that was my final course and of course that was, that was a hard one there because for six weeks or eight weeks you had to write down the theory. It got down to the theory part of flying, the theory of flight, your engine power, and you didn’t even know what you were going to fly actually in them days. And there was another interesting thing that is worth putting down that I, I came top, or we’ll say I came nearly top. I know I was, I know, but at that time of course I was going to be a flight engineer and that was all there was to it. I was going to fly and that meant to finish it off I was going to be good and I intended, that was what I intended. Anyway, we were waiting, I’d got my tapes and braiding [?] that was good sewed it on and it came through then, we were in the billets one night and a corporal it was, the corporal came round and he said, he read four names out and my name was among them and where, where I was at St Athan, um, he said, he read four names out and he said, ‘Now then.’ He said, ‘This is optional.’ Have you ever heard of a Sunderland Flying Boat? No? Have you?
IL: I have, yes.
RM: Well, you know, well — and four of us were picked out then and this was a bit of excitement and they took us down to the, er, Solent on the Southampton waters to give us a trip in a Sunderland Flying Boat to see whether we liked it or not. And, oh boy that, you know, and to fly for the first time. But they were massive. To me they were massive. To be inside one of these things and they carried a crew of thirteen, you know. And, anyway they ferried us out to this Sunderland and, um, we climbed aboard and all the time, you know, I was very nearly messing myself because of the size of it and going up the ladder to get inside it and it was sort of going — it was a lovely gentle — on the Solent, you know, and I thought, ‘There’s something wrong. I don’t know what I’m doing here.’ And I could have refused. It was just something that being in the first four that it was a little present for those that were doing it and, er, I admit, I must admit I didn’t want to go then. And anyway we get inside and it was massive. I’ll never forget it. I mean, where they cooked they had a stove and everything and where they cooked it was as wide as this was. It was massive inside it. I was lost. I remember sitting there. We didn’t have a harness. They didn’t give us a harness. I was just sitting there and I was looking round. And they started the engines up. They were Hercules, no, no, Pegasus, they were Pegasus 16s and, er, then they started up and we were rolling forward and, do you know? I’m not kidding you, bump, bump, bump, and, and I couldn’t see out. All I could see, like, the pilot was up here but the, the feeling of going on, on the water in this blooming great flying boat. And, er anyway there were four of us there and none of us were very — I think all of us looking a bit green. Anyway, we took off and we just circled Southampton and Portsmouth, down there, and we come into land. Well, coming into land was the same as taking off virtually that was but, of course, if you got used to it like everything else — and we landed, bump, bump, bump, bump, bump. Anyway when we went, they took us back to, um, we got back to St Athan and well, straight away, like, and we had to sort of say in front of those that were in charge of us down there, they had to say then, ‘Did you like it?’ And I said, I remember saying like, I said, ‘Is that what we’ve got to fly on?’ I said, ‘I don’t want to fly.’ Because honestly the take-off and landing on a Sunderland, honestly you could not understand, and when you look at Southampton, you know, when you look at the, look at the water. It all looks lovely and calm, you know, and you think — but by Jove I’ll tell you it did frighten me. Anyway, we got back and then we got back we were posted and posted then up to Yorkshire. That’s the first I saw of it. Posted to Eastmoor and there we landed at York and we got a truck there and there was thirteen of us. Thirteen flight engineers. And that was the hard bit. Do you know, out of those thirteen there was only about four of us finished. That was, that was hard.
IL: So, did you get to know those people?
RM: Well, when we went to the squadron we — well, Eastmoor was where they put all the crews in a hangar and there was a pilot, and he’d have his navigator, and the pilot would walk round and if you liked, er, like, if, if you liked a fella or you saw him and he saw [unclear] the pilot would go up to them and he’d say, ‘Have you got a crew?’ And this is gospel truth. They were — and some of the Canadians of course they knew one another from school, coming from Canada and things, so they weren’t so bad and I — and of course, when I was, went there it was awful. Well, those billets up there, the blankets were wet. We broke a table up to light the fire. It, it was about midnight when we got there from York and we spilt up and there was about six of us into this hut. It was awful. There, there was no fire. The blankets were wet. Anyway, um, it was awful to move in there. Well, in the daytime, as I say, we went into this big hangar where we were crewed up. And I remember I was sat there and I thought, ‘Nobody wants me.’ And it’s true. I was sat on a table. I was just sat there swinging my legs like. I was looking round, and I thought, I was hoping somebody would come up to me and say, ‘Have you got a crew?’ Or something. Anyway, I sat there and I saw them keep disappearing and I felt very lonely and I thought ‘Nobody wants me.’ Anyway, this, this pilot officer comes up to me and he tapped me on the shoulder and he said, ‘Have you got a crew?’ And I thought — I could have embraced him. I said, ‘No, I haven’t.’ He said, ‘Would you like to join my crew?’ I said, ‘Yes, I would.’ Well, he said, ‘I’m Pilot Officer Bryson.’ And he said, ‘Come with me and I’ll introduce you.’ And he introduced me. And I was the last one in the crew and he said, ‘This is Peter Lewinsky, navigator, Alex Trench was the bomb aimer (he was the Yank that did that book), Peter Lewinsky, er, Alex Trench was the bomb aimer, er, Reg Galloway was the wireless operator. Mid-upper gunner was Ralph Revlin [?] and the rear gunner was Harold Bowles.’ And that was how I was introduced to them.
IL: And so were they all, were they all, were they all British or —
RM: No, they were Canadian.
IL: They were all Canadian? Were you the only non-Canadian?
RM: Yes.
IL: Right.
RM: Yeah, they, they sort of — well, I was the youngest in the crew. The rest were twenty-one. The navigator was twenty-five and the wireless op was twenty-five. They were two of the eldest. The rest of them were twenty-one and I was just nineteen but they, they were marvellous really. They very nearly fostered me, you know. It was true. It was. Well, it was marvellous really accept I wasn’t their friend. When we were coming back they all smoked and so, when we were coming back and when I —
Sarah: Do you mean when you were setting out, when you were doing a, a return flight when you dropped bombs? When you say when you were coming back —
RM: Oh, we were coming back from — yeah, well that’s another story. They — what is was I was in charge of the oxygen and I didn’t smoke at the time (I did on occasion) and the skipper didn’t smoke but all the rest of them, it was like being in a factory. When we were flying, when we were — funnily enough they used to shout out. The rear gunner used to shout out and we’d be at eleven thousand feet and I used to take — and so I’d turn the oxygen off at ten thousand feet, you see, but I was in charge. But we’d be coming down, coming back, that was the worst bit because those that smoked needed a fag. That’s all there was so all they needed was a cig and so, we’d be at eleven thousand feet and then it started, the rear gunner, ‘Ray, Ray. How about turning the oxygen off.’ And we’d be at eleven thousand feet and it was the law but a flying law that you didn’t turn the oxygen off until you were down to ten thousand feet. That was the oxygen height, about twelve thousand feet, ten thousand feet, and so I used to turn to the skipper and I used to tap him because he would hear on, you see, and I used to tap him on the shoulder and he just used to sit there and he used to do just this and so I never answered them because, well, it was silly and then you would hear another one and the wireless operator, he was real — he was like a father, and he used to say, a bit subtler, ’Ray.’ [sound of aircraft] You know, and we’d be down then, coming down then, ‘Ray, Raymond, Raymond.’ And more sympathetic, ‘Turn the oxygen off Ray, Raymond. Turn the oxygen off.’ And so I used, used to turn to the skipper and I used tap him on the shoulder, and he was a bugger was old Bryson, the skipper. He was really stuck to it. At ten thousand feet turn the oxygen off, like, and they can — and it was like a furnace in there, you know, the cigarette smoke. They all smoked.
Sarah: Did they not swear at you occasionally?
RM: Oh, oh yeah. Yeah, it come to being not being pleasant, you know, ‘Turn that — turn that oxygen off. Turn.’ And, er, yeah, it was good fun.
IL: So, once you were crewed up you went to Linton?
RM: Yes.
IL: OK. So was this — so what was Linton?
RM: Linton was the — there were two squadrons at Linton: 408 and 426. That’s about it. There was sixteen to a squadron there so there was about thirty, thirty-two, thirty-two bombers all to take off and land.
Sarah: And you used to stay at Beningbrough didn’t you?
RM: Ah, well we were, we were billeted. We weren’t billeted at Linton. We were billeted at Beningham.
Sarah: Beningham.
IL: Oh, Beningham Hall. Very posh.
RM: Ah, well —
Sarah: We went there a couple of years ago didn’t we? Had a re-visit.
RM: Yes. Sarah took me there. There it is, look. That was when we were — yeah, there were six of us there. That was when we were old. 1987.
Sarah: It was a reunion.
RM: And it was a reunion, yes. They came all the way from Canada. 1987 that was. Oh yeah, they came over two or three times didn’t they, Sarah?
IL: So, when you, so you when you moved, when you first went to — so what, what year was it and what, when did you first start operations?
RM: Linton, we were at Linton in the November ‘43. I did my first trip on — to Berlin. That was a Berlin and I did my first trip to Berlin with Flight Lieutenant Brice. I flew spare. One of the — his engineer — on the 28th of January. That was my first trip to Berlin. That was one of the most unpleasant I had because they all the crew were new, weren’t they? And his engineer, he’d gone, you know, LMF. You know what I’m saying?
IL: Yep.
RM: And his engineer was Australian and poor chap he’d gone. He’d done seven trips and he just, he just packed it in, like, and so me, being clever, I had more flying hours in than any other flight engineer, being clever and the CO, Squadron — no, er, Jacobs at that time, said, Wing Commander Jacobs and said (you didn’t have a choice), ‘You’re flying tonight with Flight Lieutenant Brice.’ And that was my first trip.
IL: So, between November and January what were you actually — was this sort of — you were training as a crew?
RM: Yes. Oh, yes. We did a lot of flying. Well, we only flew if weather was on. I mean, between November and December that year, um, we didn’t do a lot of flying. It wasn’t until after Christmas, into January, that we concentrated on flying. Flying — I don’t mean operational because well, we weren’t, just weren’t on the list to operate and then that was January the 28th. That was my first Berlin with a new crew. That was not very pleasant because I was new to the crew. Mind, he give me a good recommendation. He told my skipper that I was a very good flight engineer and that, that meant a lot to me, er, and so, and then a couple of days later, couple of nights later, all the crew went. That was their — it was my second but their first. It was the 30th of January and we all flew as a crew. That was our first and that was another Berlin, another biggie, the big city, and from then on, you know, every other night, whenever they decided to fly us operationally, you know.
IL: So, so how many, how many operations? Was it a tour of thirty or —
RM: Thirty-one. I did thirty one because I put in that — I should have been screened at thirty but the rest of the crew had to do an extra one so I flew, I, I said I would fly the last one. That was to Cannes I think it was. That was —
IL: Did you have any, um, did you have any, um, interesting experiences or narrow escapes when you were over Germany on, on operations?
RM: Did we ever?
IL: Did you have any, um, narrow escapes? Did you have any, anything you’d like to tell us?
RM: Oh, I’d have to look in there because when you — like the first op I did with Flight Lieutenant Brice. We were both strangers to one another but every movement in that cockpit he relied on me. I’m not bragging. Every movement that that pilot had to do to that plane he had to do it through me, operationally, whatever it was. I don’t mean flying. To do appertaining to the air force, aircraft but flying, when we were flying, and you’re cruising along and you have to be prepared, especially when you fly, you get over the coast and you’re flying to France, flying over France. And the first Berlin that we did, I could never understand it because when you went into briefing there was a map that big, and then the CO used to come in, and there was a curtain and he used to pull the curtain, and you knew by the tone of the crew — there’d be all the crews in the briefing room — and you could hear them, ‘Oh, God. Another, another big city.’ You know. And of course, I was still a sprog wasn’t I? Going in with the crew, this new crew, and so when the curtain was drawn back all you heard was the moans, you know, ‘Oh, God. The big city.’ And I was sat there. I remember sitting there with the crew that I was with and they’d had seven operations between them so I was just a sprog but and so — but I knew my job. That’s what I was going to say. I knew my job as a flight engineer. I knew that I knew my job. That’s what I’m trying to say. I did know so that when we were, when we first started up and things like that I knew how to start everything up, I knew what tanks to be on before take-off, I knew what flaps to put down, the undercarriage and everything like that before we took off and, and so all he did was fly. But don’t get me wrong. I don’t mean that with any belittling sense because they were, they were magnificent machines and they needed good men to fly. That’s what I’m saying and they did and that’s how the crew, that’s how, that’s how you, that’s where the camaraderie came from, no doubt about that. And so when we, we taxied round the perimeter and then we were ready for take-off and you had to do pre-flight preparations before he opened the throttle and the take-off the same. He never said a word, didn’t the pilot, because I did everything for him in that respect accept he flew it. He was, he was the man. He flew it and he was a blooming good pilot as well.
Sarah: Were you excited on your first trip?
RM: Pardon?
Sarah: Were you excited on your first trip?
RM: Yes, I was [cough]. Well, there’s not much you can do, you know. We took off and at a thousand feet the pilot would say to the navigator, ‘Can you give me a course?’ That was just first course out and the first course — and what puzzled me was, what I was going to say was, what puzzled me was, looking at the map, I thought, ‘That’s funny. We’re going to Germany. We should be going to Germany.’ And Berlin is, Berlin was down there and I thought, ‘That’s funny. We’re going up here.’ And we flew over Norway and Den— and, and Sweden. That was how we went, up there, went up there like that and across there, and I thought, ‘What the hell are we flying up there? Why can’t we fly straight to Berlin and back again.’ But you’d blooming soon find out why they did it because you avoided all these little — I can show them to you on there, like, um, Bremen, one or two hot spots just, just inside there, all the big German ports there, and they were hot. They could shoot you down like a, you know, if — so the idea was to take us across to Norway and Sweden and you went, we went across like that and we turned, we took a turn to starboard. So, I suppose we’d be flying east, 2.40 or something like that, and then come down to Berlin, come down like that, and bomb Berlin and then another. All the routes are in there, you know, going to and from the target, and — but that first trip, the first excitement I got really that was excitement because you were looking out for fighters weren’t you and things like that. You were, and the fire over Berlin that fascinated you, there’s no doubt about it. You couldn’t, you weren’t supposed to look, you see. All the aircrew, once you got used to it you weren’t, you weren’t, you weren’t forced to, you couldn’t help, you saw this massive area that was alight and you couldn’t — in my blister (there was a blister in the Lanc) and I used to — I was looking down like that and my skipper give me a punch on the shoulder. He said, ‘You don’t really want to be looking down there.’ He said, ‘You ought to be looking up there for fighters.’ And just, just, the fire in the front of us, it could have been — I could never estimate up there how near we were and all of a sudden there was a massive explosion and a Lancaster or Halifax I think, I don’t know what it was, had been blown up in front of us. Now that brought me to realise that I was we were in the middle of the war, you know what I mean? There was nothing on the way and all of a sudden before the target this, this aircraft blew up and I knew, I realised then, you know, that that was war and we lost thirty-five aircraft that night. And so we lost four on the way so when you got back to briefing, um, that was the hardest part, when you got back to briefing. I’m not saying so much on that trip. And then there was a big board up and it said ‘late’ er, whoever it was, name Frank or any, any one of them down there, ‘late’, ‘arrival’, ‘depart’, ‘arrival’ and, and the time to put down and if you knew who your mate, we’d call him, was flying with you you looked for his pilot. His pilot’s name would be on the board, missing, and so you’d wait. If, if one of them, they called him Rodman [?] and he was — Harry Gilbert was his flight engineer and he should never have been flying because this is what happens and when he used, he used to come up to me because we were good friends. And I’d been through a course with him and I’m not saying I wasn’t frightened, it was ridiculous, but when I met him and he come in and his skipper was Flight Lieutenant Rodman and he used to come up to me and he used to say, ‘How are you Ray?’ And he’d light a fag and he was like this and I thought to myself — and he did, he got the chop, after he done about ten, but he was like this and, ‘How are you Ray?’ You know, ‘You alright?’ And I said, ‘For Christ’s sake Harry, give up.’ And I, I used to do, ‘For Christ’s sake.’ I said, ‘I did have a rough trip but I’m here and so are you.’ And it was the only way you could talk to Harry. He should never have flown, never have flown. Every time he come back and he used to make for me in the briefing room and, I mean it wasn’t as I was brave or anything, but I knew him and he was like this. He come from — he was a Lancashire lad, old Harry Gilbert but he was like this, lighting a fag.
IL: So what’s your definition of a rough trip?
RM: A rough trip?
IL: Yeah. A rough trip. What would have happened on a rough trip?
RM: Right. It was called “The Tale of Strong Winds”. I can go right through that with you because it was the worst trip I ever, it was [emphasis] the worst trip that was. I can talk to you right from there until we came back. Berlin, it was the last one, 24th of March 1944, and the take-off time would be in there. It might have been 4 o’clock in the afternoon. [sound of aircraft] Yeah, it would have been about 4 o’clock. It was March so, yeah, so we go to briefing [sound of aircraft] and, as I say, look at the map and hear the groans, big city again, and it’s a long way. It was an eight hour trip there and back and that’s a long time.
Sarah: Eight hours there?
RM: No, eight hours. Oh, no Sarah. There and back. And we took off, and Met, Met hadn’t said anything about anything. It was just an ordinary. We took off and on that route up there, we went over, going over the North Sea, and it was fine but we had a tail wind going over the North Sea and we did nothing. At that time of the year you did often get what they call a, a southern wind. It was like a south wind and the, the way we were taking off on that runway, we had nearly a tail wind. It was north and south runway as we called it and we took off. It was all fine. Settled down. What I noticed was we were going over Norway and Sweden again but that meant to say it was fairly — and we had a nice tail wind and our ground speed was about hundred and fifty which was pretty fast when you’re on climbing power and it was pretty fast was that and I thought, ‘That’s funny.’ And the skipper said to me, he said, ‘Jesus. We’ve got a tail wind.’ Well, the wireless operator had what they called an aerial and you let out an aerial and it gave us the wind. [background noise] It was like a wind sock and it told you the wind and he, he come back and he said, ‘That’s funny.’ He said, ‘The wind was about fifty or sixty.’ Which was a bit above average. When we got up to the top and turned to Norway, turned over to Norway — I mean, they were all, all these clever fellas in the crew, were talking about winds. You know, I wasn’t a bit interested to be honest. All I was only interested in was the aircraft we were flying [loud background noise] and so, you know, the winds increased, the wireless operator called, ‘The winds increased up to eighty.’ And, oh Jeez, you know, I heard them go round, the pilot, it was [emphasis] fast at eighty miles an hour and as we turned round and, and come down to Berlin I heard the navigator shout in that funny language, ‘Jesus Christ.’ The winds had blown on a what they called a reciprocal so that when we’d reached there and all of a sudden — you can see them on the maps — and the wind had blown literally where we were right up in the north there and turned down to Berlin and the wind had blown us, so instead of — and we had a tail wind. We had a tail wind to take-off and a tail wind going down to the target, Berlin. Our, our ground speed was something like three hundred and odd miles an hour. That was what our ground speed was and that, believe you me — and we had that tail wind up our backside — and what had happened was it blew us past Berlin, about fifty miles. We’d no control. And winds, as I heard some of them bragging about winds being a hundred and fifty miles an hour, and I, I think ours was, we recorded about a hundred and twenty-five, hundred and thirty and it blew us straight past Berlin. So, you can imagine, nearly all the bomber force being blown past Berlin and we had to turn round then, in the face of all these aircraft coming down, and we had to turn round then to go back and bomb Berlin. In other words, it, it sounds ridiculous, but that’s what happened and so when we turned round — and we lost seventy-five that night — and so when we turned round and, and air ground speed had dropped down to forty. That’s how heavy the wind was and it was horrendous really, because when you come to think, you turned round and you had a head wind and it was like standing still, and the pilot kept saying to me — now as an engineer I did know that much, that we were flying [ringing sound] we were flying at engine speeds of climbing speeds and, and flying into a wind, so I knew then — and our maximum power, we could only put maximum power on at about twenty-eight fifty revs plus eight and a quarter pounds of boost so we could only put that power on. I knew that and he kept saying to me, ‘We want more power.’ And it’s a wonder he didn’t strike me and I wouldn’t do it because at that power you could only do it for five minutes otherwise you’d have burnt, you’d have burnt — you know what I’m saying and it was elementary that. But — and air ground speed had been reduced to about forty miles an hour but that wasn’t the point doing that job. Can you imagine half the bomber force coming up and half of it coming down? I mean the aircraft, you could see them. You didn’t know what to do. It was horrendous, it really was, and you just stood there, and poor old Brice, the skipper, he just had to fly straight and level unless you saw something coming towards you. To turn round — well, we would have been blown down and so, and us flying back up and we bombed Berlin. Right, we bombed Berlin and glad to get away and we turned — the navigator gave us a course and it would be, well, I’ll make a figure. I think it was about 090, which was west, flying west, and was fine. We turned round and came back. Now, briefing, they said keep away from Roscos, Roscop —
Sarah: Rostock.
RM: Rostock, Rostock and Bremen, which were — we knew you had to miss them on the way out so you had to miss them on the way down. But with all the excitement that had gone on, and it wasn’t the navigator’s fault because all the wind up there, and we got a bit blown a bit off course. But we were cruising along nicely and all of a sudden bang! And they had then, they were clever you know, were Jerry, they knew we were bombing and they had their defences [clears throat] and it was, what they called a ‘blue searchlight’, and it was a master searchlight, and it hit us like that and what had happened was we had drifted to Rostock and Bremen and that nasty bit of an area down in that quarter there, and that searchlight, he cooked us and he hit us, and it was a blue, it was a blue, and within five minutes, maybe less than that, and there was about twenty searchlights coned us like that. Now, it, it was one of those experiences where you couldn’t see, you couldn’t see nothing, you just had to — he was there and all of a sudden he, he started to what we called ‘corkscrew’ and he shoved it, shoved the nose down, of course as he did it, he didn’t tell anybody he was doing it. He was the pilot and he stuck the nose down and, of course, gravity and as he stuck the nose down like that we went down about five thousand feet in a flash and he stuck the nose down. He screwed it round and stuck the nose down. I went straight up. I went straight up and the, and the bombardier, like, in front he was laid down. He was laid on his back and he was laid down and the language because he wondered what was up because he was in mid-air and that was the first time and navigator was cursing. He was on, he had one of those wheelie seats, he could move around in that little bit of space and, of course, he had his knees underneath the, his desk and his papers, er, as I say, as I went up and all of his nav papers and bits of his machinery was, was flying up in the air. The wireless operator was the only one of us who had any sense. Of course, poor rear gun— gunners, you know, were really thrown about because you can imagine what it was like to be thrown about like that and not knowing where you were and, and the audio was over the intercom, bad language and what was happening? And where are we? And that went on. I mean, for a pilot, and we, we both weighed the same. He weighed nine and a half stone and so did I so you imagine he was skinny, he wasn’t very big. Did you ever meet him Sarah?
Sarah: No. I didn’t.
RM: He wasn’t very big. He was about nine stone and he was five seven and a half in height so there was nothing and that was a big aircraft to throw about, something like twenty-two tonnes, even though it was tear [?] weight and, and anyway that was on the way down. On the way back that was when you felt G. Come back up from five thousand feet, pulling up, and he shouted out to me and I was all scattered brained and he shouted out to me, ‘Ray, Ray, Ray. Give us a hand.’ And so I went and got hold of the stick with him and we were like this and put me feet against that to pull. There was two of us pulling, pulled it out, but that wasn’t it. The searchlights were still on us. They would not let go and we were like that and then down the other side. I bet we were like that. He was flying up and down and trying to get loose from them, lose, lose them, and they were there. But they were there, that master searchlight, and it was an awful experience. It was a dreadful, dreadful experience and, anyway, just in the distance our, our rear gunner called out — they’d, what they done was, as we’d been flying and corkscrewing all over they copped onto another Lancaster and you could see it in the distance, this Lancaster. But they, they’d turned, they’d got hold of him. We just managed to get out of that because what happened after that was fighters. As soon as they, as soon as they — what used to happen was they would suddenly stop and so you were in complete darkness and that’s when the fighter boys used to come in. I think it says there we were attacked by fighters and anyway that wasn’t the end of the story. We were just levelled out and, and he grabbed hold of me, did the pilot, and he got hold of my intercom and he pulled out my intercom and he plugged my intercom into his intercom and he said, and he, he stood up and he said, you know, ‘Get into my seat.’ And, er, he sort of half dragged me, plugged it in. Well, as I passed him, as we were passing the seats, I saw him and he looked, even in the light that there was there, the sweat was literally pouring out of him. I never realised and never thinking like what he’d done and he’d been doing this for about twenty minutes, and that’s a lot in a Lancaster, going up and down and trying to — and, and so there I am, I’m sat in the cockpit. Well, bloody Lancaster, halfway across Germany and I’m sat there and the navigator said, ‘Alter course.’ And I just leaned forward and set the compass [cough] the old — and just set it and just set a bit of rudder, that was all, just to turn it on to whatever it was (I’ve forgotten) and flew it and not a sound, nobody spoke, nobody said anything and poor old Brice, he’d literally had it. And there I am, all quiet there, flying along there. Nothing to flying an aircraft, you know, it’s like driving a car up the M1. You just have to just sit there and hope that there’s no fighters and then it occurred to me I thought, ‘Christ what happens if, if we get attacked? What am I going to do? How am I going to corkscrew out of this?’ And Brice was just stood at the side of me and he kept patting me on the shoulder [slight laugh] and I thought, ‘There’s no good patting me on the shoulder if anything happens brother.’ Anyway, we was flying along. We must have been flying for about half an hour and nothing happened and that is — you, you couldn’t believe really, honestly, after all those experiences that I should be allowed to fly and I flew halfway across Germany. We weren’t far off the French coast and that’s how far I — I didn’t fly the thing. It just flew on its own. All I did was steering it. That’s the honest truth but nobody spoke and the only thing that upset me was nobody else in the crew knew what had happened, that I flew that aircraft. I thought he would have mentioned it, that when we sat down at briefing, ‘My flight engineer did this.’ And he never said, he never told none of those crew and from that day to this that I flew that aircraft back except when we were— well, they didn’t know and when we were coming up you know and the navigator, I think it was the navigator at that time, he tapped me on the shoulder and I got out. But I’d flown but that was the worst experience, one of the worst, and we hadn’t see anything really but —
IL: And that was your last —
RM: No, no.
IL: Sorry, I thought you said it was your last, sorry.
RM: No, no, no, no, no, that was Berlin. That was 24th of March and they called that the “Night of the Winds”. We lost seventy-five that night.
IL: My goodness.
Sarah: On, on a little lighter note do I, do I remember something about bomb doors not opening?
RM: No, I can’t — not bomb doors.
Sarah: No?
RM: No. Oh, we were attacked by night fighters, we got hit by flak, attacked by night fighters. That was the things that happened.
Sarah: Did you not have to come back once because you couldn’t drop some bombs? On a lighter note.
RM: Oh, right. This trip was Dortmund. Dortmund – Emms Canal they called it.
Sarah: There. We got it there.
RM: Dortmund, Dortmund Emms Canal. Right, and that was another, that was a hot spot, Dortmund but, um, experience, yes. We got into B-Baker and I started, I started the engines up, routine, er, before we left, before we left — what do you call it? Well, before we left where they were parked, like, we got in. The idea was to start the engines up, rev them up a bit, and I started the, the starboard engine up, one of them, and I just checked them, what they called a mag drop because, er, luckily it had two mag and what you had to do was run them up to a fifteen hundred and switch one of these mag drops. If you got a mag drop over three or four hundred revs there’s something wrong, you got a — anyway, I was testing them and called, I said to the skipper, I said, ‘It’s not right.’ I said, ‘This starboard inner. There’s too big a mag drop.’ And he said, ‘Oh.’ I said, ‘I’ll open it up again.’ Anyway, I reckoned to open it up to clear anything and give it a good boost, like, and, and no, it didn’t work. So, we stopped the engines, called up control, starboard inner US. Fine, we thought. Every— everybody in the crew thought we’re going to have a night off. Come over from control, um, ‘Bryson, Flight Lieutenant, Flying Officer Bryson there’ll be transport. They’re going to take, they’ll take you to C-Charlie.’ Oh, so we’ll have to go after all. Transport comes along. And imagine having to getting in and out of a Lancaster, across the old spar there and it was hard work. You’d have to take off all your, your, um, parachute like and your harness and things like that. So the transport comes, broom, broom, across to C-Charlie and it was cold and it didn’t feel like your aircraft and straight away there’s a bit of, ‘Who did this aircraft belong to?’ ‘Oh. It belongs to —.’ ‘Oh Christ, its cold.’ And you heard them moaning like and as to what each department they got into, they’d say, ‘Oh, it’s a dirty place.’ You know, the gunners were saying. And anyway we get in, starts the engines up, everything’s fine and navigator — and this is navigation equipment I’m going to tell you and it was called GEE and H2S. Anyway, he’s fiddling about and there’s Bryson and I up front giving it some boost to clear the oil and do all this sort of thing before take-off. We hadn’t left dispersal and navigator calls up, ‘Jesus Christ,’ he says. He said, ‘The GEE’s not working and H2S.’ So we sat there waiting. ‘Are you sure?’ ‘Yeah.’ ‘Oh.’ We knew then we were going to have a night off. That was the second aircraft. Not on your Nelly. So, they send somebody over and well, to repair anything like that — they were fantastic machines, you know, you’re able to navigate a lot easier, let’s put it that way, with these machines, like, they were operating. Called up control. We thought for sure we were going to have a night off, um, ‘Flying Officer Bryson within C-Charlie. We’re sending out transport that’s going take you to Z-Zebra.’ So, you can imagine us, like, us and that belonged to Flight Lieutenant Franklin. So, transport comes along. What date was that Sarah? Dortmund?
Sarah: Dortmund? 22nd of Feb ’44.
RM: Feb? February?
Sarah: Oh, It says at the side, ‘abort, ice’.
RM: Right, so, we then had to be carted, miserable, returned to miserable then, the crew, ‘Jesus. What the — what are we doing? We should be in York by now.’ Gets into Z-Zebra, same procedure, and we knew the skipper of this aircraft. He wasn’t flying that night. Get into it. This is the third time and tempers were really flaring because, because they were all taking off. Didn’t wait for us, and so they were all taking off, and so I was following to see if we could get in and Bryson, my skipper, and me we never had a wrong word. I did everything he said. All he had to do was fly. And I mean, that’s the way we were. You had to work like that. And anyway, everything was fine and we starts off, and by that time we had to get a move on. It was half an hour since the rest of them had gone and that was bad. That was bad. That was really bad because you wanted to be with the main group, you see. You get over Germany and there’s one of you, you’ve had it. You’ve had it. There’s no doubt about that. [sound of aircraft] Anyway, we took off and we had to get a move on. There was a front, what they called a ‘front’, moving over the North Sea and I was giving him all the power that we could and we weren’t climbing, we were climbing about a hundred and sixty, I suppose, hundred and seventy or something, and the old Hercules engines there, they powered us up there. We were climbing and this front. We got a, what was it? A QDM or QFE saying this front was in and we had to climb above it because it was, excuse me, we was up at ten thousand feet and we had to climb above it. It was forty miles into the North Sea and he knew, did the skipper that I wasn’t going to push it anymore, because there’s always something at the other end of it, in my opinion. That’s how I worked it out. If we’d had pushed it we would have gone up to maximum power and it wouldn’t have done the engines any good. And we were trying to climb and all of a sudden I looked out and there was ice on the main plane like this and you could hear it, the props, straining again the plane, you know, and I looked out and I thought, ‘Oh dear.’ I really thought that we’d had it because we were struggling to move and I, I think our air speed, our air speed [emphasis] had been reduced to hundred and thirty, hundred and forty, and stalling was about ninety, ninety-five, something like that, and — but we plodded on and he called up did Bryson and he said, ‘Well, what are we going to do fellas? Are we going to turn back or are we going to press on, press on regardless?’ And all of a sudden as he said that the old Lanc give, gave a lurch because the ice on the, on the main plane, I’m not kidding, it was about six inches. It was that thick and we could never — we were struggling and all of a sudden it gave a lurch and he had the common sense did Bryson (well, he was a good pilot) and he, he all of a sudden, he stuffed the nose down and give it some starboard twists and we were going straight down. And all, then all of a sudden, as we got down a bit normal, like we were going down, and our air speed is about three hundred and fifty I think going down, but we were at ten thousand feet, eleven thousand feet, and, as I say, stuck the nose down and we just had to hope and all of a sudden as we hit warmer air, warm, warmer air, it flew off and it was a marvellous sight to see, because it flew off the plane did the ice and rubbish, you know, and also you couldn’t see because all the windows had, had, er, snowed-up. We couldn’t see out, couldn’t see where we going, and — but fortunately I had a little bit of knowledge and I remembered that in all those — never had to experience it — and there was a little what they called an alca— what did it contain? That fluid that we used to, they put in engines to stop them — coolant.
IL: Anti-freeze?
RM: Pardon?
IL: Anti-freeze.
RM: Anti-freeze.
IL: Ethylene glycol.
RM: And I was fiddling down as we were going down and I was fiddling down, around. It was down near his bloody rudder, and I remember I said, ‘Get your leg out of the way.’ Because it wasn’t a pump like that and what had happened was if you released the spring it pumped as it came up, not as you went down, and all of a sudden it cleared. The windows went just like that and it cleared but it didn’t make any difference. We were going down and then it started and then of course the weight. We had — it will tell you in there how much, how many bombs we, what we had and we’d have about fourteen thousand pounds of bombs on going straight down. I think we had a cookie that night. It will tell you there somewhere Sarah. Dortmund. Look down the left hand side.
Sarah: Yeah. I’ve got Dortmund there.
RM: And look across. No.
Sarah: I’m not sure. You know where to look. I don’t, dad.
RM: Well, here look. Where’s Dortmund?
Sarah: There.
RM: Right.
Sarah: There.
RM: Right, here look. What number is it? Seventeen.
Sarah: Yeah. Oh, there. Sorry, I’m with you.
RM: Eleven one hundred pounders and five five hundreds. And that’s a lot of bombs.
IL: A big load, yeah.
RM: That’s a lot of bombs. We could carry fifteen one thousand pounders, eight thousand pounders, twelve, twenty-two. Anyway, he says, as we were going down, he called out to the — he said to the bomb aimer, he said, ‘I’m opening the bomb doors.’ Talking to the bomb aimer, he said, ‘Trench. Drop the, drop the bombs.’ Now, protocol. You weren’t allowed to drop your bombs less than forty miles out to sea in the North Sea. Now that was law [emphasis]. That was what they told you to do and you had to be forty miles. Well, can you imagine? We’re out in the North Sea and I remember he called up and he said to the navigator, ‘Where are we nav?’ Or something like that and the navigator says, ‘How the bloody hell do I know if we’re forty miles out to sea.’ Because we’d gone through all this procedure and he called out to the bomb aimer, ‘Trench, I’m opening the bomb doors.’ And when he — well, that’s what I must have said to you Sarah about the bomb doors and he, he selected the bomb doors to be opened and they, with all the frost and they jammed and we were still going down you see and, and he kept pumping up and he said to me, ‘What do I do Ray?’ I said, ‘I haven’t a clue. I have nothing to do with the bomb doors.’ And he’s here, this side like, and all of a sudden they opened and we were going down and that was a nasty [emphasis] experience because you didn’t know what was going to happen. You were hoping then, and a wing and a prayer, and all of a sudden the bomb doors opened. You felt them jar because of the drag and all of a sudden we slowed down a bit, down to — I don’t know and old Trench called out, ‘Bombs gone.’ And we dropped all those [slight laugh] dropped all those bombs into the North Sea and that was a great relief. And so, back to base. When we got back to base, instead of taking us back to briefing, there was no debriefing, and instead the CO told us that he had to see the CO did the skipper so we drove round in this, er, in the wagon. We were inside the wagon and he stopped outside flight control, where the skipper was, where the CO was, and you wouldn’t believe it but our skipper got a rocket because we, we’d, um —
Sarah: You returned safely but you’d not done —
IL: Jettisoned.
Sarah: You’d not done your job.
RM: What did we call it? You wrote it out.
IL: Aborted.
Sarah: Aborted.
RM: Aborted, yes, and we’d aborted, and he got a right rocket did our skipper. He should have done this. He should have done that. And we couldn’t fly. You were literally came to a standstill. I mean, I was up there with him and it was impossible. You know, I really thought we’d had it. When I looked out and saw I really did. I thought — and you know he give it up as a bad job because you, he couldn’t do anything. There was no control. We were just flying forward, like, as slow as we could possibly could and fancy, and so out of spite, and if you look in there, out of spite the following night they sent us to Stuttgart and that, that was another eight hours and we always said he’d taken it out on us, the skipper, because we’d gone, we’d aborted, and that was an awful experience. There’d be, there’d be another one. There were lots of things that happened. I dare say, apart from three or four, you know, do you want me to go on talking? Because I could tell you of an experience, it wouldn’t take long, but of an experience more spiritual.
IL: Please.
RM: It’s interesting but it’s something, this, I’d done twenty-eight trips and that was coming to the end of it, this tour, and I’d done twenty-eight, and we were all a happy crew except this particular morning. I was always the first up in Beningbrough Hall. I was always the first up. There was only one wash basin, out of all those men there, wasn’t there Sarah? There was, well, there may have been more like but there was one on our floor and I was always first up. I was one of those who was embarrassed because I only shaved about twice a week [laugh] I did and so I was always first there and washed and this particular morning, and this is true, this particular morning I woke up and I laid there and it was always half past seven and I laid there and laid there and old Bowles, the rear gunner, he always followed me and he came over and he’d been to the ablutions, ablutions and he come and stood by the bed and he said, ‘Come on Ray.’ He said, ‘What’s up?’ And I looked up at him and said, ‘Oh, I’m alright.’ He said, ‘Well, what’s up?’ I said, ‘Nothing.’ And he said, ‘Oh.’ In between times, the while crew was billeted in this one room (they’d lock us in) Beningbrough Hall. And he said, ‘What’s up?’ Anyway, by the time I’d I just closed my eyes and all I wanted to do was — I can’t tell you what it was like. It was awful. I felt awful and I thought, ‘This is it. We’re going to get the chop.’ That’s all that went through my mind. It was — I was so desperate. I thought, ‘We’re, we’re going, we’re going to get the chop.’ And it was 8 o’clock when I got up and I thought — and these buses used to come, you see, and take us to Linton for breakfast to the sergeants’ mess and they came at regular intervals and I remember and I thought, ‘Oh, I feel awful.’ I felt dreadful and I knew that night if we were flying at some time we were going to get the chop. I had that feeling and it was an awful feeling. Anyway they’d all gone and I caught a bus, caught the bus and ended up — and, er, but I couldn’t, I still couldn’t do anything. I didn’t even go to breakfast and I went down to the hangar where the engineers were and I couldn’t, I didn’t seem to want to do anything. All I wanted to do — and I thought, ‘Shall I tell the crew?’ This is true, Ian, it’s true what I’m telling you. I didn’t know whether to tell the crew that not to fly that night. I hadn’t — I wanted to tell them that this was going to be our last trip. That was the feeling I had in me and, oh it must have been getting on, and I thought, ‘I’ll have to get something to eat.’ And I went down to the mess and I had my breakfast and then, from then, I had a walk. I walked, I started to walk to flights and on the way down we passed their chapel (we had a chapel at Linton) and we were going — I’ve got to stop [pause] I had a job. I’ll stop.
Sarah: You want to stop?
RM: Well, it’s a story, so I’ll have to carry on and tell you what happened. I’ll have to carry on.
IL: It’s up to you. I don’t want to make you —
RM: No, no, no. It’s alright. I’ll get over it.
IL: I don’t want to upset you.
RM: No, I’ll get over it. I promise you. I went into church and I said the Lord’s Prayer. It came out and I thought I’d feel better. That’s what I’d done it for, hadn’t I? And I thought I’d feel better and I went back to the, the crewing room, and it was all better then. It did seem better but at the back of my mind there was still this thing and, anyway, the skipper came round and he said, ‘We’re flying tonight.’ And he said, ‘I’ll pick you up Ray.’ As he did every time. He said, ‘I’ll pick you up Ray.’ And he came round with the jeep and, of course, that was what we did every morn— every morning before a flight and we went out to the aircraft and it seemed alright. You know, you run it, I did the checks, you went round and checked everything, and run the engines up, and it was in the back of my mind and it seemed to — it was there and I still I couldn’t tell you why but it was there and, um, anyway — but I still wanted to tell the crew that it was going to be our last one. I had it. Anyway, er, and we got out to flights and we get into the aircraft, and pilot always went first and I followed him, and I was going up the ladder and our old Bowles, he bumped me up the backside going up the ladder. He said, ‘Come on Ray.’ And as I got to the steps my knees gave way and they were trembling, they was literally shaking, and I thought, ‘I’m mad. Why don’t I tell them I’m not going?’ And I thought that, that was there on the twenty-ninth, Sarah. Look on twenty-nine. You’ll see. It was a duff target. I don’t think we lost any of them.
Sarah: Was it Criel?
RM: That’s it. Criel. And, er, he bumped me up the backside. He said, ‘Come on Ray. What’s up?’ And with that I thought, ‘That’s it. Got to go. Got to go now. I’m inside and it’s everything.’ And as, as we were walking up, even the last minute, I was touching things, the old dinghy, the dinghy handle, and I looking round and I knew I’d done it before in the morning and, anyway, we gets off like but all the time I couldn’t — it was there whatever I did, you know. I set the petrol pumps and turned on the right tanks to be on and I had to do something to be — and I remember getting my log, my log, my log card and sort of wanting to do something. Anyway, we took off and everything but I was waiting all the time. I was waiting, waiting for something to happen and anyway we flew out. It was Criel and it was, it was nothing. So we flew out there and I don’t, I don’t think — we didn’t see a fighter, there was hardly any ak-ak fire, I don’t think there was hardly — there was nothing. We turned round and come back and do you know all the time we were coming back I had it in my mind, landing, when we were landing I was waiting [pause] waiting. We landed. Nothing happened and it were really interesting, looking back, it was the best trip I’ve ever been on. I wouldn’t have got back and I thought that I’d been, and what I’m trying to say is had I not been to church, do you understand that?
IL: I do.
RM: Had I not been to church or what would have happened? Was the good Lord on, on our side? But, believe it or not, I would sooner have gone on a trip and been shot at than gone through that experience again. You can’t understand. I couldn’t describe to anybody really and that was on my 29th trip and that was — and I never mentioned it to anybody but I do remember coming out of briefing, um, old, our Bowles, the rear gunner, he put his hand on my shoulder and he said, ‘We done it Ray.’ I don’t think — I think it was about the thirtieth wasn’t it Sarah, Criel?
Sarah: It was your twenty-ninth.
RM: That, that’s what I say, it was the twenty-ninth.
Sarah: How did you feel for your thirtieth then?
RM: Pardon?
Sarah: How did you feel going for your thirtieth?
RM: Nothing.
Sarah: No?
RM: It had gone Sarah. No, no. I was happy as Larry. No, that didn’t even occur to me. All, all of it suddenly when old Bowles came out of the briefing and old Bowles he put his arm on my shoulder and said, ‘You know Ray we done it.’ But what he meant was we were so near to completing and, I mean, one trip there and it says losses and we didn’t lose an aircraft. I mean, it was probably an easy target but that, but that particular time it was awful. It was awful. I had this feeling. But the other thing, of course, you had to have faith. You had to have faith in the rest of your crew and they were a wonderful crew, they really were, and you had to have faith in what they did and, and it was being selfish, thinking of myself, thinking it was me I was worried about and not thinking about them, except I wanted to tell them, and didn’t want to go. I didn’t want to go. And that was awful. I would have been LMF. No I wouldn’t. They wouldn’t chance me going. They would screen me. But it was awful you know, I can’t — so I say, I’d rather go to Berlin any time than go through that experience again. It was dreadful and, I mean, you can think what you like about it.
Sarah: How old were you then?
RM: Twenty, nineteen, nineteen.
Sarah: Nineteen. Wow.
RM: Yeah, I was nineteen Sarah, yeah.
Sarah: I think you had every right to have a wobble in your knees. [slight laugh]
IL: Absolutely. So, you finished your, you finished your thirty, thirty-one in your case, and then you — did you keep in touch with your crew after that?
RM: No. That was another thing, um, because something happened when I was at Lindholme. Here, I’ll tell you who I flew — I flew with Pat Moore, you know, the astronomer.
IL: Oh, right.
RM: Yeah. I was billeted with him.
IL: And where was that?
RM: At Lindholme.
IL: Right.
RM: I’ll have to tell you this. This is, this is the brighter side. I was posted to Lindholme. This was from Transport Command.
IL: Right.
RM: And, er, this is a little bit in between. Patrick Moore, tell ‘em, Patrick Moore posted to, er, Lindholme and we formed — what it was I was at it again. We formed a squadron, 716 Squadron, and we were to fly to Manila to bomb Japan. I never heard such rubbish, rubbish. That was what it was but of course Ray Moore put his name down in the orderly room, oh, I’ll volunteer. Yes, I’ll volunteer. Where’s Milan? Where’s —
Sarah: Manila.
RM: Manila. I didn’t even know where it was. My geography wasn’t that bad but I didn’t know where Manila was. It’s true. So we get posted there and the—
Sarah: A bit south of Worthing?
RM: Pardon?
Sarah: A bit south of Worthing.
RM: yeah. So the jeep drops me off and there was houses at Lindholme and all the pilot officers and flying officers were upstairs and all the flight lieutenants were downstairs. That was snobbery wasn’t it? Honestly, truthfully. That’s how it was. Anyway, I get my kit bag and walking up the stairs, and they were big houses, and the front room, there was two of us in the front room upstairs and two in the back room. Anyway, ‘The one on the left is yours.’ Right, and the door was part open, and I walked in, and there was this chap sat on his bed, and I walked in and I turned round and I said, ‘Oh, hello.’ I was feeling good I suppose and I said, ‘Oh, hello.’ And he, he stood up and he said, um, ‘Flying Officer Patrick Moore.’ And I looked at him and said, ‘Flying Officer Raymond Moore.’ And do you know and he had a quizzical look, you know, his eyebrows.
IL: He was famous for those.
RM: Pardon?
IL: He was famous for those.
RM: Yes, that’s it? Well, he gave me this look and he said, and he thought I was pulling, pulling his leg. I know that when I looked at him and I said, ‘Oh, hello.’ Especially when I said, ‘Flying Officer Raymond Moore.’ And I went and slung my kit bag on my bed. And he stood up and he said, ‘Are you from, areyou Irish?’ I said, ‘No I’m not.’ I thought, ‘I’ve got a queer one here.’ You know. I said, ‘No. My parents came from Norwich, Norfolk.’ ‘Oh. Oh, righto.’ And we came very good friends and we visited him down at the Farthings down at —
Sarah: Billericay.
RM: Pardon?
Sarah: Was it Billericay?
RM: No, no. Down on the south coast, um, down on the south coast, Sarah. That lovely big house. Oh yeah, we visited him and he was, he was quite an eccentric, you know, but —
IL: He did have a bit of a reputation.
RM: He did and, um, he did, but we got on fine, famous, we did really. We went and visited him and he was always angry at me because when he started to talk about astronomy — and all I knew was there was a lot of stars up there, and there was the sun and the moon, and I wasn’t a bit interested. He taught me how to use the, um, what did they call it? Sextant. He taught me how to use that on the road that was, at Lindholme. Hehe showed me how to — and afterwards he was absolutely disgusted because after he’d shown me how to use it and I wasn’t a bit interested and he said to me after he, he’d worked out his shot he called it, after he worked out the shot, I was about a hundred miles off target, and he didn’t like it one bit. And that’s a letter, look, he wrote to me after we’d got, after I’d — I wasn’t really a bit interested in. We had family and family life, that’s all, that’s all I wanted was family life so anything in between. And we finished, we retired at sixty, June 28th it was, and he says, ‘Great to hear from you.’ Now, this is all those years after, this was 1987, but, um, we used to play, Bet and myself and another girl called Joan Walters (she was our bridesmaid) and we used to play a foursome at badminton, and he was a keen sportsman, and we got on well together, and I could have kicked his backside because we were stood outside Flying Control after the war was over and he said to me, well we were talking, and he said — but I still had a year’s service to do and after I finished flying — I packed in flying. I did that for moral reasons. That was another thing. I said, ‘I don’t know I’m going to do.’ He said, ‘I’ll tell you what you should do Raymond.’ He said, ‘Why don’t you go in Flying Control?’ He said, ‘It would suit you down to the ground.’ I said, ‘Flying Control?’ I said, ‘No. I don’t want to be [clears throat] associated with aircraft Pat.’ He said, ‘Well what about as— what about —.’ What do they call weather, you know?
IL: Metrologist.
RM: Metrology. He said, ‘Why don’t you take up metrology?’ I said, ‘I never thought much about it.’ I said, ‘No.’ And I took admin and I became an adjutant, for Christ’s sake, after all that. Worst thing I ever did. They were what I call — I’ll repeat it on there — I called them, ‘Hooray Henrys.’ Because that’s what they were, ground crew, what I considered they were. It was an armaments depot and I’ve never had such twelve miserable months in all my life in the service, with all the fact that I’d been aircrew, I was a — they treated me like dirt. They never even thought — and I’m not — it’s the honest truth. I know where they put me, right at the bottom of the list, and I could have fought them. I know I could in the mess, in the officers’ mess. I could have had many a row with them when they talked about air crew and how they — they snubbed me. I was the only member of the air crew there, you see, and I was the assistant adjutant and I couldn’t have cared less. I lost a lot of interest but, er, but I always said that old Pat Moore, although he was trying to do — and I should have done what he did. I should have gone in Flying Control or, er, he says, ‘It’s great to hear from you.’ You can read it.
IL: I’d love to.
RM: Yes. He did. Yes.
IL: Just, just because I’m conscious of that we actually and I don’t want to tire you out but I would like to hear what, what you were telling me earlier about when you went to Dalton and you had sort of an interesting time leaving Dalton. [slight laugh]
RM: Oh that. Oh yeah. Well, I mean, first and foremost, what I must tell you is, when I was sent there as an instructor, I mean, I remember there with old Scot. He finished a tour. Squadron Leader was his skipper, Hailes [?] I think it was, and but we were, we were like buddy buddies you know all the time we were flying and, you know, what are they called? Those two comedians. They’ve both died. The other one —
Sarah: Morecambe and Wise.
RM: No, the other, one was fat and the other a little chubby fella. They died.
Sarah: Oh Oliver Hardy and —
RM: No, no.
Sarah: No?
RM: No. It’s goodnight to him and it’s goodnight to him.
IL: Oh, the two Ronnies.
RM: Two Ronnies.
IL: Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbet.
RM: Well, Ronnie, the shortest one and he looked, he was his twin brother and he was, he was, um, well, Scottie to me. I called him Scottie, but he was very short and when he wore his cap, when he wore his cap he was only about five foot six and he was, he didn’t look right, you know, somehow. He was thin and didn’t look right and [clears throat] we both got posted to Dalton as instructors. Well, you know, it was a joke, I mean for me to be an instructor and when I went into this hut it was about twenty-eight foot long it was. I remember it distinctly and there were two engines in there and they’d been cut in half and all the component parts had been painted different colours. And anyway when I looked in through the door old scot, old scot, he took the air frames and I took the engines. So he was in another part of the building. But we were sent there to be in charge. They’d been opened up as a depot, you know, for training purposes to teach pilots. The airframe and engine of a Lancaster, that was what it was and we’d both been sent there to be in charge to open it up as a training centre, you know, and I’ll never forget I walked inside the door there and I saw this Lanc there, and this Lanc, you can imagine the size of it. It’s a massive thing like this, and all of its components, like red — I can’t tell you, the different colours they painted it, and all you had to do really, apart from the instructing part, which was a major part, you know, what happened to this and what happened to that but I was good. I knew every part of the engine, er, originally but when it came to standing up there and there was a blackboard at the back there and I thought, ‘This is not for me. This is not for me.’ And I hadn’t a clue and what it meant was that I was saying this, that and the other, blackboard, a bit of this, a bit of that. There were six of them, six pilots. Anyway, I got to know them and I told them exactly I was useless as an instructor. I was useless because — and I couldn’t really have cared less. I’d finished flying. I’d done my bit. Anyway Scottie got on fine. He was a crawler, like. He wanted to be in charge and I couldn’t have cared less. He could have run it for me. They could have promoted him. They did do but — and so that’s how it was and so what happened was there was a bit of friction between us. He wanted to, he wanted to be in charge and if he’d have said to me, you know, if he’d have shook his fists and said to me, ‘I’m going to be in charge.’ I would have said to him, ‘Help yourself.’ Anyway, it started off with me instructing, um, and I wasn’t very good. I wasn’t very good at conveying anything. I knew everything that was there, every part of the engine and what it did but when it came to what I — the theory and what happened — so, of a morning, this was my idea, found out that this little café in Topcliffe, you see, which is — you know where Topcliffe is?
IL: I do.
RM: Right, and up one of the sideways there, where it says no entry coming down, and on the right hand side there in them days there was a little old bicycle shop. And they were a lovely couple. They were elderly and we got to know of it and we all had bikes. Everybody had a bike there and every morning I got to find out and just across, as you went through the gates, just across there, there was a NAAFI wagon, er, for a wad and a cup of tea as they called it, a wad and a cup of tea, and it was just across there and all you had to do was walk across there and it used to be there half past nine every morning but I thought, ‘A cup of tea and a wad.’ It was alright but it didn’t seem — it wasn’t up my street. I was a bit more adventurous. We found out this little café in Topcliffe, you see, so the idea was — there was just four of us (there was a couple of them who didn’t go) — and the idea was to get through the gate and I knew them couple on the gate, those red caps, you know, and they in them days — I wasn’t an official man. I was one of them and so I got to know these. There were two of them and [clears throat] go through the gate, pedal to Topcliffe. True, they used to have it very nearly ready for us, a lovely cup or mug of sweet tea and gobble your old spam sandwich. They were beautiful those spam because that spam used to come from America and it was the best spam I’ve ever tasted. So, anyway, then bike back again and Scottie didn’t like this. It wasn’t to his liking because I should have been instructing, you see, and when it struck 10 o’clock I should have been back there. Well, we only, we had half an hour to get there and half an hour back again. It didn’t seem far to me but we used to be late going or late coming back. It never used to bother me. This particular morning, gets the old bike ready, going out, and all of a sudden Scottie appears and he stood in front of this bike. He, he’s just stood in front of me with, with my bike in and grabbed me and, ‘Morning Scott. Morning Scottie, how are you?’ He said, ‘Mr Moore, Mr Moore.’ He said, ‘I’m forbidding you to go.’ He was only a pilot officer same as me but he was trying to throw rank, and he said, ‘Mr Moore.’ He said, ‘I forbid you to go.’ I looked and said, ‘What?’ He said, ‘I forbid you to go.’ He knew that we were going you see. He said, ‘It isn’t right.’ He said, ‘You’re not. It’s not right.’ He said, ‘You shouldn’t be going out.’ All this stuff and I said, ‘Get out of the way Scottie.’ He said, ‘I forbid you to go.’ So, and all I did was, I had the handle bars, and I was like this with the handle bars, I said, ‘Get out of the way.’ And he was stood there and what happened was he, he sort of, the bike wheel as it was, and he sort of stumbled on his back-side. I wasn’t even bothered. I just said, ‘Come on fellers. We’ll go back to Topcliffe.’ And I get back. I still, well, that’s how it was. Went back in to the instructing part of it and all of a sudden over the Tannoy, ‘Will Flying officer, would pilot officer Moore report to the orderly office at 12 o’clock.’ I thought, ‘What the hell do they want me for?’ And anyway I didn’t bother. I went on like. At 12 o’clock I wandered over to the orderly room just up the road inside the camp and I went in and there were two, two MPs there, red caps ‘Hello.’ I thought what’s up. Anyway, they stood to one side and, er, I never thought any more about it. I went inside and in fact the squadron leader, I knew him, not as a friend but I knew him as, you know, sort of, not so much this but, um, squadron leader and in the mess and anyway when I went inside like he had a stern looking face on and he had all my folders in front of him with all, all my bumph. ‘Now then.’ He said, ‘You’re in real trouble.’ I said, ‘Why? What have I done?’ He said, ‘You struck a fellow officer.’ I said, ‘I didn’t strike anybody.’ He said, ‘Oh, yes you did.’ He said, ‘You were seen by two members of the military police.’ I said, ‘I didn’t strike him.’ I said, ‘I pushed him.’ I said, ‘I pushed him.’ I said, ‘That’s all I did and said ‘Get out of the way.’’ He said, ‘What? What was it all about?’ [cough] ‘What was it all about?’ I said. ‘You must know, Sir, that bicycles were disappearing of a morning and biking up to Topcliffe.’ I said — he said, ‘Well, you must have known you were in the wrong. You were breaking out of camp.’ I thought, ‘Oh dear.’ And I thought what? The first thing that went through my mind was, what would my dad say if I’m, um, if I’m —
Sarah: Discharged.
RM: Discharged. Well, what it meant was I wouldn’t be discharged. They would have stripped me —
Sarah: Well, yeah.
RM: And put me on — anyway he said, ‘What did you think you were doing?’ He said, ‘Look at your record.’ I said, ‘Honestly.’ I said. He said, ‘I believe you.’ You see on record he said you did strike a fellow officer I said, ‘Sire, there’s no, there’s nothing?’ He said, ‘I’m sorry.’ So, I said, ‘What’s the score?’ He said like, ‘I wanted him to go down to see the MO.’ And I thought, you know, ‘What have I done? What have I done?’ All I did was a friendly get out of the way, you know. If I’d — I couldn’t have hit him. He was about two inches shorter. He was only a little chap and a breath of wind like me, he was — and anyway, he said, ‘I want you to go down to the MO.’ And a very friendly chap, a Flight Lewie [?] and I went down to see him and he said, ‘I’ve just had a phone call from the squadron leader CO.’ And he said, he said, ‘What it is, you’re being posted to Brackla.’ I said, ‘Brackla.’ He said, ‘It’s a joke.’ He said, ‘It’s, they call it the ‘demented air crew’ of Brackla.’ And he said, ‘That is where you’re going.’ He said, ‘I’m going to put you on venal barbital.’ And he said, ‘You have to take these. Here’s a packet.’ And I don’t know if it was in a bottle or what it was and he said, ‘I want you to take one of these in the morning.’ And I thought — I couldn’t believe it. I might have been a bit screwy if you know what I mean, finishing ops. I’m not saying I wasn’t — I’m not saying I was perfect or anything like that. I, I was a bit erratic. I do remember that. I remember getting drunk at the Jim Crack in York, you know, and that was after we’d I finished flying, and where I went — years ago Sarah.
Sarah: Betty’s?
RM: It was something Arms.
Sarah: Oh, I don’t know.
RM: And I remember getting drunk there like but —
Sarah: I know you used to go to Betty’s when —
RM: Oh, Betty’s Bar in York. Oh, well. Betty’s dive. Oh, yeah. A few times back —
Sarah: My, how things have changed.
IL: Yeah.
RM: Where what?
IL: I said ‘My. How things have changed.’ It’s not Betty’s dive any more is it?
RM: Oh, no.
Sarah: No. You pay twenty pounds for afternoon tea.
IL: It’s very up market, Betty’s.
RM: When you went downstairs there you couldn’t see above the smoke. But, um, yes.
Sarah: That’s where you scratched your name.
RM: [cough] The — oh, down inside there. If ever you go inside you want to go downstairs and as you just look round the corner there’s mirrors there and all of — my name’s on there.
IL: Oh, I’ll look.
RM: Scratched, scratched with a diamond ring and there there’s book there with all the names that’s on the glass, on the mirrors.
IL: Oh right.
RM: Yeah. And if you want to and actually if you wanted to see it and you, you’re met at the top of the stairs where they queue for their tea and cakes. If you met up the top of the stairs and you met any one of those girls they would take you down there and they — and you say, ‘Excuse me. I don’t want anything to eat. I just want to look at the glass and the mirrors.’ There’s hundreds of them down there and then there’s a little book. There used to be a little book. Yeah, my name’s on there. The whole crew’s on there, yeah.
IL: Fantastic. So —
RM: Anyway, going back to Brackla, demented air crew, and he said — and it, and was a joke but I thought, ‘Oh to hell with it. I’ve finished flying. They can do what they like with me.’ And it didn’t bother me. It honestly didn’t bother me. I didn’t say — I wasn’t belligerent or anything and I accepted it and he said — our billet’s were further down — he said, ‘Be outside your billet.’ And, yeah, in the morning he said — now I could have gone — there was a station at Dalton and he said — this jeep. That was the beauty of it, wasn’t it? ‘This jeep and it will take you to York, like, and from York you change for Edinburgh, Edinburgh to Inverness, Inverness.’ And look at that, look what I did then. I stayed at that big hotel at Inverness. It’s a beautiful hotel, you know, attached to the station and that’s where I spent the night there. It was marvellous and after the war [cough] there was a cheap trip going up to inverness by train and I took my wife there. And I said to Bet, I said, I said, er, ‘We’ll go to Inverness.’ It was a two day or three day trip to Inverness and it was a cheap one or whatever. [background noise] And — oh, it’s her phone and I think she’ll get fed up with it — and I said, ‘We’ll go back up there Bet and it’ll be an experience. We’ll go up all the way up by train and we’ll stay at this hotel.’ Anyway, fair enough, we get up there, carrying our suitcase, I went up to the desk all — I was feeling on top of the world to treat my wife, to go back to recovery, to this spot. [cough] I went up to the desk and I said, ‘I’d like to book a double room for two, three nights.’ Whatever, and she said, ‘Oh right.’ And I said, ‘How much is it?’ She said, ‘It’s a hundred pound a night.’ This was in 1960, 1975. [clears throat] I’d retired but it was one of those retirement things, wasn’t it? You know, to treat my wife and I said, ‘How much?’ She said, ‘A hundred pound a night.’ I said, ‘I was here in 1944.’ I thought I was going to flannel her, you know, try to get a bit out of it, like, try to get it a bit cheaper, and I said, ‘Excuse me.’ I said, ‘Is there? Haven’t you got any?’ I said, ‘I’ve seen brochures. My wife—.’ She said, ‘It’s a hundred pounds a night.’ I can’t mimic, and she said, she says, ‘It’s a hundred pounds a night.’ I said, ‘So, a hundred pound a night.’ So, I said, ‘From Monday to Wednesday.’ She said, ‘It’s a hundred pound a night.’ I said, ‘Forget it.’ I didn’t know what I was saying because we’d, we’d gone up there by train. It was a cheap train ride up there. So we went outside the hotel and, of course, in them days, like, [unclear] there was always a policeman — did you know that? — at a railway station, nine times out of ten. Are you alright Sarah?
Sarah: Yes. I’m fine dad. Yeah.
RM: Have you got to go?
Sarah: No. It’s alright. Don’t worry.
So went outside and there’s this policeman there. He says, ‘Are you alright?’ Nice and friendly. He says, ‘Are you alright?’ I said, ‘No.’ I explained to him what happened. ‘We’ve come up here.’ He said, ‘Oh, [unclear].’ I said, ‘We can’t afford it.’ I guess we could have if we’d pushed it, don’t you?
Sarah: I think you could have, father.
RM: And, er, anyway I went outside and your mum was outside and I said, ‘It’s a hundred.’ She said, ‘We aren’t staying here.’ So, this policeman, he said, ‘Oh, don’t worry.’ And there was a taxi rank outside and this he said, like, ‘Fred, here.’ So this chap come over and he said, ‘I’ve two wanderers here.’ He said, ‘Can you find them digs for the night?’ ‘Oh, aye.’ He said, ‘Get in the car.’ He drove, we went straight round to this, this lady, bed and breakfast. We went in and it was marvellous. Three night’s bed and breakfast. I, I don’t know how much it was but it was marvellous and we had a lovely three days up there and I didn’t have to spend a hundred pound a night. It was a colossal amount. But it is a beautiful hotel, it is honestly, it is a beautiful hotel.
IL: I don’t know if it’s still there actually.
RM: Oh yeah. Oh yeah. I know somebody that — yes it is. And so that was it. That was the hotel I was posted to and I thought it’s be nice to go back. And the following morning there was a jeep. What the devil did they call it that place? It was Brackla. Anyway he knew where to go. It was an RAF jeep and we drove across country and it’s all, all cross country, you know, from Inverness to the other side. I wish I could remember the name. It, it’s fairly popular but, um, that was on the coast and then gets sent to this demented aircrew. It was a joke. I wasn’t, I was no more demented — I might have been, I might have been scratching the door, as I say, I might have been [unclear].
Sarah: Who wouldn’t have been?
RM: I might have been — I was under a psychiatrist when I come out. Pardon?
Sarah: Who wouldn’t have been after that?
RM: What?
Sarah: Scratching the door. I said, ‘Who wouldn’t have been?’
RM: Oh, yes Sarah. Yeah, I realise that.
IL: And all the time and you were there for six months and just sort of —
RM: Oh no, no, no. After I’d seen what was going on and I saw the sergeants’ mess —
IL: Oh, I see. Sorry. I was getting a bit confused, sorry.
Sarah: [unclear] six months.
RM: I tend to go from one thing to another. No, no. I should have gone there for six months. It was a rest camp for demented aircrew. It was very popular. Nobody thought anything about it.
IL: How long were you there for?
RM: No more than two months.
IL: A couple for months.
RM: It might have been — do you what Sarah?
Sarah: You asked to leave didn’t you?
RM: Oh yeah, yeah. I saw the, as I say, I laid in bed and watched the sergeant’s mess burn, watched it burn. Well, I couldn’t understand. I laid in bed and saw these flames and I took no notice until the following day. They burnt it down to the ground. It was burnt to the ground. They were wooden you see.
IL: And all the time you were there you were taking the venal barbital, so did you have to have medical clearance to leave or did you —
RM: Now you’re asking me a question. I would say [clears throat] don’t forget when I went — when you got posted to another station I would say that my medical records would have followed me. That’s what I, I — I shall be honest, I cannot put it to mind. I don’t think, I think I stopped taking them when I got to Ireland. I think I thought what do I — I’m sure I did, I don’t want to take these things any more. I didn’t feel like taking them. That was, that was probably what I thought, you know, but I couldn’t help thinking about them. It was —
IL: Because it would have been an interesting, you know, as a doctor, um, you would think you wouldn’t want people flying who were taking them. But if there was no, if there was no, you know, medical, you know — I think people thought they weren’t particularly — I think people thought they were fairly innocuous drugs in those days, barbiturates.
RM: No. When I came out and we came back to you, we came back to Yo—, we came back to York, came back to Thirsk, came back to live at my mother in laws. Now then —
Sarah: Were you married to my mum then?
RM: Where?
Sarah: When you were in Scotland?
RM: Yeah. Oh no, not during the war.
Sarah: I didn’t think so.
RM: Oh, no, no, no.
Sarah: Then you went to Ireland.
RM: I went to Ireland on Transport Command via — oh gosh, I hated it.
Sarah: But then what, where did you go from Ireland?
RM: I went back on Bomber Command. I told him — well, I won’t tell you about that. That was really truly self-inflicted. Something happened. I went without leave. I buggered off with old Darkie Thorne, my very dear friend, and we went down to Belfast and stayed at the — it wasn’t very — this friend of mine, he got shot down and he walked back, and I met him in Ireland. We were like brothers. We were, and he was a beggar, and he come back and I remember him. And he saw me and we ran to one another. Oh, he said, ‘We’ll have a good time.’ And of course, it was Darkie Thorne and me and it was on the squadron. He said, ‘Look at this.’ And in those days, of course, you got paid in cash and he’d been a prisoner. He had been a prisoner of war and he’d been shot down but he’d was rescued by a French family and he, what we called, walked back. He’d got the caterpillar and it was what we called — he’d walked back. And we met him in Northern Ireland and he said [laugh], and, ‘Look.’ He said, ‘We’re going to spend this.’ I mean he’d been gone about six months and when come back like he’d been to get paid and they didn’t have a bank. You took your money as you were paid and he said, ‘Look. We’re going to have some fun. We’re going to have some fun with this in Belfast.’ And we were, it was about ten miles from Belfast, isn’t it? That international airport?
Sarah: Yeah. Yeah. It will be.
RM: Yeah, and, er, I thought, ‘Well, I daren’t get into any more trouble.’ I’d been de-commissioned once. I’d lost six months seniority with, you know, getting into a bit of trouble like and I said, I thought, ‘I’d better slow down here.’ Anyway, we were snowbound over there. It snowed from — I was over there in the October I suppose and it snowed and snowed and snowed. We didn’t do a lot of flying and so we were grounded. And when you were grounded you were at school. You went to school. And, anyway, it was one of those times when you got — you couldn’t get bored on the squadron but being there with all this snow and this time he come at me and said, ‘Do you fancy a trip down to Dublin?’ And I said, ‘We can’t Darkie. We can’t. We’ll be interned.’ And, he said, ‘I’ll fix it all up.’ He was a wide boy. He was a Cockney [laugh] and his mum and dad and his sister had been killed in an air raid in London so he was one of those. He, he didn’t just hate the Germans, he detested them. He would have shot every one of them if he could have done and that was his attitude. But he was, he was a Cockney, he says, ‘Would you like to go down to Dublin?’ I said, ‘We can’t Darkie.’ I said, ‘We can’t. We’ll be interned.’ He said, ‘Leave it with me.’ He said, ‘I’ve been looking around.’ He said, ‘There’s a second hand shop in Belfast and we’ll get some civvy suits and we’ll have a rag round and I’ll get, I’ll get two passports.’ And he was going on and I said, ‘Forget it.’ I said, ‘I haven’t got a very good name Darkie.’ And he said, ‘Well you’re alright. You’ve got a commission.’ And poor old Darkie hadn’t even got his flight sergeant. He was still a sergeant he said, ‘Oh, don’t worry about that. I’ll fix it up.’ And I wasn’t really keen to go to Dublin because the Irish are a different people and there was a lot of, as you know as I do, the IRA were still floating around at that time. [clears throat] Anyway, time went by [clears throat] he said, ‘I’ve got your suit.’ I said, ‘You’re joking.’ He said, ‘No. I’ve got your suit.’ He says, ‘A nice brown suit.’ [laugh] He said, ‘I’ve got your suit.’ He said, ‘A nice brown suit.’ I said, ‘What about passports?’ ‘I got them.’ He said, ‘Yes. There’s a place in Belfast where I’ve gone.’ I said, ‘You must be joking.’ ‘No.’ He said, ‘Money and I’ve plenty of it.’ And he has I’m not kidding you. He had a roll. And he said, ‘You don’t pay for a thing so don’t question it.’ [unclear] and the snow in them days, it seemed to stay. We seemed to get snow over there from October right through to February and we did. Very rarely we take off and so you seemed to be in the same spot. Anyway, went to Belfast, got on a train, about halfway down — I don’t know how far we were — and the gendarmes got on, whatever you called them, checked out passports. Have you been to Dublin, Sarah?
Sarah: I have.
RM: Have you? You know the big bridge there then and, and the hotel Ma— it has a Canadian name, Ma—
IL: Montreal?
RM: [unclear] So we go, go and stays at this hotel, books in at this hotel. Well, for four days I can hardly remember, honestly, and I’m not a, I was never an alcoholic, but we drank Guinness chasers. That was Guinness and whisky. And we were drunk from — the only thing we thought about was an evening meal and that’s the honest true. We’d have breakfast. Anyway, it comes to about four days and I says, ‘We’ll have to be back.’ The weather seemed to be lifting and I said, ‘We’ll have to be back Darkie.’ ‘No, no, no, no.’ He said, ‘We’re all right.’ And I gave in and said, ‘Just one more night then.’ He said, ‘Yeah. It will be alright. Went back to camp, walks into the camp, first thing, ‘Flying Officer Moore report to the orderly room. I thought, ‘Oh Jesus.’ I said, ‘This is it, Darkie.’ He said, ‘Oh, tell them to — off.’ But I was commissioned and I respected that commission. Don’t get me wrong, I did, I respected it and, anyway, I went down to the orderly room. I thought they were going to put me in irons, honestly. Went before the CO. There again, the old documents come out and he says, ‘I don’t understand it. I’ve been looking at your documents.’ And he said, ‘How do you feel?’ And I thought ‘Christ. I’m not going back to — no way am I ever going back to — no way am I going back to that camp.’ I said, ‘I feel fine.’ And he said, ‘What are you doing?’ And what had happened was, my crew had crewed up and flown to Karachi with Transport Command and he said, ‘Well, your crew went without you. We had to find another flight engineer, didn’t we?’ And I said, ‘Oh.’ You know, I expected it. No good saying I didn’t and he said, ‘I don’t really know.’ He said, ‘But you see we don’t want fellas like you in Transport Command.’ He said, ‘We don’t want officers like you in Transport Command.’ And all of a sudden I thought, ‘Bugger yer.’ And I turned round to him and I said, ‘Well, I’ll tell you something. I don’t want to be in Transport Command.’ And he stood back and I said, ‘I don’t want to be in Transport Command.’ And he got hold of my papers and hit the desk and he said, ‘What do you want to do?’ I said, ‘I want to go back to Bomber Command.’ He said, ‘Idiot.’ I said, ‘I want to go back.’ I said, ‘That’s where the camaraderie is.’ And he said, ‘Right.’ He said, ‘Be outside your billet at eight.’ Again, you know, he said, ‘Be outside your billet.’ And he said, ‘There’ll be a jeep to take you to Belfast.’ He said, ‘You’ll get on a train.’ He said, ‘You’ll get on a train.’ He said, ‘You’re posted to Lindholme.’ So that’s when I got back to Lindholme to Bomber Command.
IL: So, did you fly any more operations from Lindholme?
RM: Not from Lindholme. We were non-operational. Well, we weren’t non-operational because we were flying and we — they flew the backsides off us. I told your mum. She was always playing hell because my wife was a WAAF on the same station and I was courting her, you know, and fortunately I caught her, didn’t it? And what happened was the — as I say I put my name down, 617, 67, 76 Squadron and that was where I went back. And I said to him, I said, ‘I don’t want to be with Transport Command.’ And he stood back, you know, one of those stiff upper lip chaps and he said, ‘Be outside your billet at 8 or 9 o’clock.’ And said, ‘They’ll take you to Belfast Station and you’re posted to Lindholme. Idiot.’ And I just walked out. I didn’t even turn round and salute him. I thought, ‘Beggar yer.’ But it was another experience wasn’t it, you know?
IL: Oh, absolutely.
RM: Yeah, it was. Another court martial. Dear, oh dear, but —
IL: Were you actually court martialled for that?
RM: Pardon?
IL: Were you court martialled for that?
RM: Oh, no, no, no.
IL: No?
RM: Oh, no, no, no. That’s was how, really and truthfully, I’ll be honest with you, I know I got away with it because I’d done thirty-one trips. I was a hero and they knew it. I’d done my bit, hadn’t I? That was it in a nutshell, I can tell you that now. That was why when he turned to me and, you know, he said that, and I knew he meant it, but at that time I thought, ‘Why should I lick his backside and pretend?’ It was no good pretending. I hated Transport Command. I hated it while I was there and for him to turn round to me and tell me he didn’t want my type. He didn’t want my type in Transport Command and I was as good as any of them. In fact, I was better than them because I’d come from Bomber Command.
IL: Absolutely, absolutely. I’m going to switch this off now, Ray.
Dublin Core
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Identifier
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AMooreR160727
Title
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Interview with Raymond Moore
Rights
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This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
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IBCC Digital Archive
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Sound
Language
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eng
Format
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02:49:26 audio recording
Conforms To
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Pending review
Creator
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Ian Locker
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-07-27
Description
An account of the resource
Raymond Moore flew 31 operations as a flight engineer with 408 Squadron. He describes initial training at Skegness and then further training at Cosford, Halton and St Athan. He describes the crewing-up procedure at Eastmoor and describes the accommodation at various RAF stations including Linton, where he was billeted at Beningbrough Hall, and at Lindholme. He also gives vivid accounts of difficult trips, including high winds on a Berlin operation on the 24th of March 1944 and being coned by searchlights in the Rostock and Bremen areas and being thrown about as the pilot did a corkscrew manoeuvre.
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Royal Canadian Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Germany
Great Britain
Atlantic Ocean--Baltic Sea
England--Yorkshire
Germany--Berlin
Germany--Bremen
Germany--Rostock
Wales--Vale of Glamorgan
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Christine Kavanagh
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1943
1944
408 Squadron
426 Squadron
aircrew
bombing
crewing up
faith
fear
flight engineer
lack of moral fibre
military ethos
military living conditions
military service conditions
RAF Brackla
RAF Cosford
RAF East Moor
RAF Halton
RAF Lindholme
RAF Linton on Ouse
RAF St Athan
recruitment
searchlight
sport
training