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Interview with Rosemary Dorricott
Rosemary Dorricott is the widow of Leonard William Dorricott DFM. During the war years she was a young child in Skegness. She was six years old when war broke out. She recalls the air raids on the town and the rationing and blackouts that became a…
Interview with Dave Fellowes
From Number One Air Gunnery School at RAF Pembry, Dave was posted to Number 30 Operational Training Unit at RAF Hixon on Wellingtons. He crewed up with an Australian pilot who knew his aunt. They went to 1656 Heavy Conversion Unit at RAF Lindholme to…
Interview with Colin Fraser
Colin joined the British Army in December 1941 and, eventually, moved to his preferred Royal Air Force in March 1943. He went to Number 2 Initial Training School at RAAF Bradfield Park in Sydney as a navigator, graduating in February 1944. His first…
Interview with Douglas "Jim" James
Douglas (Jim) James was born in India and returned to England when he was nine. After leaving school, he joined the RAF as an air gunner, forging his father’s signature on the application. Jim carried out 29 operations with 460 Squadron, flying in…
Interview with Alexander Elliott Jenkins
Alex was fostered by the cricketer Bill Woodfull and studied at Melbourne University. He had to go from Somers Camp to defend his decision to join up in 1942. He trained at Benalla and converted onto Wirraways at Deniliquin where he qualified as a…
Interview with Harold Kirby. Two
Harold Kirby grew up in London and worked in accounts before joining the Royal Air Force. He served as a fitter with 460 Squadron at RAF Binbrook before re-mustering as a flight engineer. He flew two tours of operations with 467, 97 and 156…
Interview with Ronald Rodgers
Ronald Rodgers joined the Royal Australian Air Force, aged 17, having previously been in the Air Training Corps. He trained as an air gunner and was posted to 460 Squadron at RAF Binbrook but did not fly operationally. On discharge in 1946 Roy worked…
Interview with Max Spence
Max Spence grew up in Australia and worked in a hardware store before volunteering for the Air Force. He recalls his training in Canada and England, and life on an operational station. He flew 18 operations as a navigator with 460 Squadron.
Interview with Ernest Truman
Ernest Truman completed his initial training in Australia as a navigator before arriving in the UK. He was posted to 460 Squadron at RAF Binbrook. One of his ops was to destroy the oil refinery at Merseburg and he recalls the explosion was so bright…
Interview with Laurie Woods
Flying Officer Laurie Woods DFC was born in Deloraine, Tasmania, in 1922. He grew up in Tasmania, and at the age of 18, despite being in a reserved occupation, he volunteered for Air Crew in the Royal Australian Air Force. Initially training in…
460 Squadron
Photograph 1 is of a Lancaster AR-Z waiting to take off.
Photograph 2 is of 460 Squadron's crest.
Photograph 3 is of a Lancaster in the air, close to the ground.
Photograph 4 is of the pilot in the cockpit of a Lancaster, captioned 'Lancaster…
Photograph 2 is of 460 Squadron's crest.
Photograph 3 is of a Lancaster in the air, close to the ground.
Photograph 4 is of the pilot in the cockpit of a Lancaster, captioned 'Lancaster…
Airfield views
Photograph 1 is of camouflaged brick buildings.
Photograph 2 is of airmen eating at rows of tables in a mess hall.
Photograph 3 is a head and shoulders portrait of an aircrew member on an aircraft.
Photograph 4 is of a man sitting reading in an…
Photograph 2 is of airmen eating at rows of tables in a mess hall.
Photograph 3 is a head and shoulders portrait of an aircrew member on an aircraft.
Photograph 4 is of a man sitting reading in an…
Cap Gris Nez
A daylight target photograph of Cap Gris Nez. Much of the target is obscured by smoke and explosions and the ground is pock marked with craters. On the left middle is a Lancaster. Captioned '6237 Bin 26-9-44 (date) //8" 9000' [arrow] 067° 1204 Cap…
Leonard Dorricott's observer's and air gunner's flying log book
Royal Canadian Air Force observer's and air gunner's flying log book for Sergeant Leonard Dorricott from 27 November 1942 to 21 January 1946. Detailing training schedule, instructional duties and operations flown. Trained in Miami, Florida and served…
460 squadron plaque
A wooden plaque of 460 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force. It has the motto 'Strike and return' and a depiction of a kangaroo and a boomerang.
Flight Lieutenant Bob Henderson and crew members
Three airmen sitting on the grass with a further three lying on it. In the background is a Lancaster. On the reverse 'Me Nav Jimmy Joyce WOP Bob Henderson Pilot (Aussie) Mug F. Eng' and 'Len Dorricott James Joyce Bob Henderson Malcolm Whitehouse…
Reg Mullins and crew inspecting Lancaster's damaged rear turret
Damage to the rear gun turret being checked over by five airmen. The guns and perspex are gone and there are holes in the airframe. On the reverse:
'Left
Engineer
Jock Hendry
WOP …
'Left
Engineer
Jock Hendry
WOP …
Donald Cochrane's memoir
A detailed account of when his Lancaster 'Q', ND392, was attacked by an enemy aircraft. He repeatedly travelled the length of the aircraft to assist the air gunners.
The second part describes an operation when a great number of aircraft were lost…
The second part describes an operation when a great number of aircraft were lost…
Donald Cochrane’s observer's and air gunner's flying log book
Observer's and air gunner's flying log book for Donald Cochrane from 10 January 1944 to 31 August 1944. Detailing training schedule, instructional duties and operations flown. Served at RAF Stradishall, RAF Feltwell, RAF Binbrook and RAF Seighford.…
Interview with Rita Brooks
Rita’s late husband was Flight Lieutenant Edward Brooks DFC, DFM. He was in the Home Guard before enlisting with the Royal Air Force in February 1941, and sometime later went to RAF Uxbridge. Following training at Blackpool, the recruits were…
Notes on aircraft
Brief notes on history of 35 aircraft (Manchester, Lancaster and Lincoln) including those lost, crashed (one that at Bardney), or scrapped. Includes prototype Lincoln as well as Lancaster aircraft sent to Canada, India and for Tiger Force.
Interview with Harold Kirby. One
Harold Kirby joined the Royal Air Force, encouraged by two friends, but ended up training as a flight mechanic at RAF Halton on medical grounds. Harold became an airframe fitter, volunteered as a flight engineer, passed the physical but was then…
The Australian Crew of 'N' for Nan
George Toombs’ crew of N for Nan, 460 Squadron, RAF Binbrook, dated 1944. On the reverse ‘460 Squadron Binbrook
Australian crew of N for Nan
Navigator A K Ward
Pilot P K Lester
Radio/op A S Robb
Bomb/ Aimer T V Ierry
Upper gunner…
Australian crew of N for Nan
Navigator A K Ward
Pilot P K Lester
Radio/op A S Robb
Bomb/ Aimer T V Ierry
Upper gunner…
Ardouval
Vertical aerial photograph of bombing of Ardouval. The bottom half of the image is partially obscured by bomb explosions. Captioned '5656 BIN 25-7-44 //8 14000' [arrow] 125° 0843 Ardouval S 11x1000 4x500 c 30 secs P/O Lester T. 460'.
Bois Desjardins
A vertical aerial photograph identified as Bois Desjardins [Bois des Jardins]. Much of the image is obscured by bright lights. Captioned '5691 BIN. 25/26-7-44 //NT(C) 8" 10.000' [arrow] 070° 0253 Bois Desjardins Y. 18x500. 19 secs. P/O. Lester. V…