Browse Items (16 total)

  • Tags: Absent Without Leave

BFoskettPFoskettWv10003.pdf
The third chapter of Bill's wartime experiences. (The first two chapters used Bill's words but the third is written by an anonymous friend)

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BFoskettPFoskettWv10001.pdf
The first of three chapters of Bill's wartime service. There is a second copy with handwritten edits.

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Five Group Newsletter, number 20, March 1944. Includes a foreword by the Air Officer Commanding, and features about processes of navigation, signals/radar, photography, gardening, Gee, flying control, H2S, decorations, tactics, flight engineers, war…

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MNealeETH1395951-150731-0210001.jpg
Ted arrived in Portici, south of Naples from training in Palestine. He recalls a trip to Rome driven by Jesse Owens, the Olympic athlete. Afterwards he was transferred to Foggia to join 37 Squadron. There was a shortage of crews and he did not fly…

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BNealeETHNealeETHv05.pdf
Memoirs of Ted Neale (written in a non-contemporary diary), recounting his experiences of an air raid on Woolwich, travelling to South Africa for aircrew training and taking part in bombing operations from Italy. Some anecdotes are repeated. This…

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PTrappSV1602.jpg
Sylvia was born in Mansfield where her father was a miner and her mother had worked at Lawns Mills. She had two brothers and a sister. Sylvia was 15 when she left school to work at the hosiery mills and recalls the German manager being deported. She…

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PHorshamES1602.jpg
Eric Horsham was born in East London in 1923 and, after lkeaving school aged 14 he was a messenger at the Royal Ordnance Factory before working for the railways. In 1937 he joined the Air Training Corps and learned about aircraft maintenance. On his…

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AInstoneTS160407.mp3
Thomas (Stan) Instone was working at a factory making Bristol Hercules engines but volunteered to be aircrew as soon as he was of age. Initially his application was unsuccessful but he persevered and trained as ground crew. He later re-mustered as a…

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AWrightJDFC150608.mp3
James (Jim) was a civil servant before joining the Royal Air Force in May 1941. He carried out two tours on 61, 630 and 97 Squadrons. Although he wanted to be a pilot, there was a shortage of navigators. He was called up to Regents Park and then…

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AWilsonJ161231.mp3
Before the war, Joe was a trainee pharmacist with a love of mathematics. He signed up for the RAF and flew briefly in Tiger Moths, becoming a bomb aimer. He went to 20 Operational Training Unit at RAF Lossiemouth, followed by 1652 Heavy Conversion…

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ATrentKL160112.mp3
Ken grew up in London and joined the Royal Air Force, as a pilot, on his 18th birthday. After exams and interview at RAF Uxbridge, he went to Number 9 Receiving Wing in RAF Torquay and an Initial Training Wing in Stratford-upon-Avon. He then trained…

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PEvansDC1602.jpg
Derek was born on June 20th 1924 in Edlington near Doncaster, volunteering as aircrew at the age of 17. After leaving school at the age of 14, Derek delivered books in and around Doncaster before going down to the Royal Air Force Recruitment Centre…

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ELampreyPGuntonW[Date]-46.pdf
Peter Lamprey writes that he is on ‘jankers’ for being late back from leave and about problems with life in general. He mentions training and then writes colourfully about how he feels about the Royal Air Force and particularly, the medical…

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BWallerTWallerTv1.pdf
Memoir covers early life, joining and training as a Royal Air Force Armourer and his subsequent wartime career. States that he served on 138 Squadron at Royal Air Force Stradishall and describes its Special Operation Executive operations. Goes on to…

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MOHaraHF655736-161121-04.pdf
A note book belonging to Herbert O’Hara containing his notes on Royal Air Force rules and regulations, organisation and management.

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PCoxJ1606.jpg
John Cox grew up in Lincolnshire and worked in banking before he joined the Royal Air Force. After training as a pilot in the United States, he served as an instructor for almost three years. He flew 20 operations as a pilot with 626 Squadron, from…

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