Covers joining the RAF at age 19 and training at Blackpool, Yatesbury as radio operator and subsequently at Martlesham and Bridgnorth. Crewing up at RAF Upper Heyford while on OTU flying Wellington. This was followed by four engine training on Stirling then Lancaster before posting to 630 Squadron at RAF East Kirkby. Describes operations mentioning types of target, losses, attack by Ju-88. Continues with account of daylight operation to Caen and later Paris. Describes operation to Stuttgart in July 1944 when they were attacked by night fighter and badly damaged as well as he being injured. After aborting the operation fire forced them to bale out. Continues with account of his injuries, capture, transfer to and experiences at POW hospital near Nancy. Describes liberation by American forces and being flown back to England and then to RAF Hospital. Concludes with account of 15 month hospital treatment, discharge from the RAF, membership of the Guinea Pig Club and trying to trace members of his crew in the mid 1980s. At the end photographs of Arthur Woolf, of him in hospital and of the French family who helped him after he was shot down and injured.]]>
A S Woolf]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Babs Nichols]]> eng]]> Text]]> Photograph]]> Text. Memoir]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> United States Army]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lancashire]]> England--Blackpool]]> England--Shropshire]]> England--Suffolk]]> Scotland--Dumfries and Galloway]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Germany]]> Germany--Cologne]]> France]]> France--Caen]]> France--Paris]]> Germany--Stuttgart]]> France]]> France--Nancy]]> France--Verdun]]> England--Berkshire]]> England--Reading]]> France--Meurthe-et-Moselle]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> 1944-07-24]]> 1944-07-25]]> 1941]]> 1944-11]]>

Part 2, "No Problem Sport".Covers Alan Gamble's short flying history over France in 1945 before being shot down, and his experiences as a POW in southern Germany and subsequent liberation. The manuscript of Part 2 appears to be complete except for one or more pages missing about two thirds of the way through. This is at the beginning or the end of a fragment bound by metal clips, and could easily have become detached as the outside pages of some fragments' in Part 3 were also lost. It is therefore possible that only one page is missing.

Part 3. "Nil Desperandum".Covers Alan Gamble's post war experiences up to about 1963. This has not been read.

The manuscript of Part 3 is missing pages 24-86, 120 and 170, the latter two being the outside pages of bound fragments. (Page numbering here has assisted in reconstruction).

Additional information about this item was kindly provided by the donor.





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A T Gamble]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Peter Bradbury]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Memoir]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Wehrmacht]]> Wehrmacht. Luftwaffe]]> Great Britain]]> England--Bedfordshire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Skegness]]> England--Suffolk]]> England--Lancashire]]> England--Blackpool]]> England--Wiltshire]]> England--Norfolk]]> Wales--Gwynedd]]> Wales--Porthmadog]]> England--Cumbria]]> England--Barrow-in-Furness]]> England--Oxfordshire]]> Germany]]> Germany--Krefeld]]> Atlantic Ocean--Bay of Biscay]]> Germany--Gelsenkirchen]]> Germany--Cologne]]> Germany--North Friesland Region]]> Atlantic Ocean--North Sea]]> Germany--Hamburg]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> Germany--Nuremberg]]> Italy]]> Italy--Turin]]> Germany--Peenemünde]]> Germany--Berlin]]> France]]> France--Modane]]> Germany--Kassel]]> Germany--Düsseldorf]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> Jordan]]> Jordan--Amman]]> 1943-06-13]]> 1943-06-17]]> 1943-06-22]]> 1943-07-03]]> 1943-07-24]]> 1943-08-10]]> 1943-08-12]]> 1943-08-17]]> 1943-08-27]]> 1943-08-31]]> 1943-10-03]]> 1943-11-03]]> 1945-01]]> 1945-02-03]]> 1945-02-07]]>
There were some delays as Bomber Command had surplus aircrew. He spent some leave through the Lady Ryder Scheme and went to RAF Padgate. He was sent to RAF Fairoaks and witnessed V2 flying bombs before returning to RAF Padgate. Colin was sent to RAF West Freugh and did dead reckoning navigation. His next destination was 27 Operational Training Unit in Lichfield. Colin describes how they crewed up. He was introduced to the Gee radio navigation system and Wellingtons. He went to a Heavy Conversion Unit at RAF Lindholme and encountered Lancasters and H2S.
Colin discusses his impressions of England and his activities. He also outlines how he carried out his role as a navigator.
They transferred to 460 Squadron at RAF Binbrook and started operations in March 1945. Colin describes some of their seven operations, which involved damage to the aircraft on a trip to Saarbrücken; being caught in the searchlights at Potsdam; cancellation mid-route of their trip to Bremen. On 25 April 1945, they flew in the second wave to Berchtesgaden and were hit, losing all but one engine. Some of the crew baled out but the pilot crash-landed the aircraft with the rear gunner because of a missing parachute. Colin was taken to Stalag Luft 7 at Moosburg. They were freed on 29 April 1945 by the American 14th Division, although it took some time to return to England and ultimately Australia.
Colin gives his views on the treatment of Bomber Command and the politics involved.
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Adam Purcell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Sally Coulter]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Staffordshire]]> England--Surrey]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Scotland--Wigtownshire]]> Germany]]> Germany--Saarbrücken]]> Germany--Potsdam]]> Germany--Berchtesgaden]]> Germany--Moosburg an der Isar]]> Germany--Ingolstadt]]> Poland]]> Poland--Opole (Voivodeship)]]> 1943]]> 1943-03]]> 1944]]> 1944-02]]> 1945-04-25]]> 1945-04-29]]>
Adam Sutch]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Vivienne Tincombe]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--London]]> England--Yorkshire]]> England--Scarborough]]> South Africa]]> Germany]]> Germany--Dresden]]> 1945]]> Air Commodore Henry Probert]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> David Bloomfield]]> eng]]> Text]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> Netherlands]]> 1995]]> Air Marshall Sir Ralph Sorley]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Pending text-based transcription]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Memoir]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Navy]]> Great Britain]]> England--Felixstowe]]> England--Eastbourne (East Sussex)]]> England--Calshot]]> England--Bembridge]]> Atlantic Ocean--Spithead Channel]]> England--Cowes]]> England--Stroud]]> Scotland--Montrose]]> England--Sunbury]]> England--London]]> Monaco]]> Egypt--Cairo]]> Iraq--Baghdad]]> England--Felixstowe]]> England--Aldeburgh]]> Iraq]]> Middle East--Kurdistan]]> Middle East--Palestine]]> Jordan]]> Iran]]> Middle East--Euphrates River]]> Syria]]> Yemen (Republic)--Aden]]> Singapore]]> Australia]]> Borneo]]> China--Hong Kong]]> England--Kent]]> United States]]> New York (State)--New York]]> France--Paris]]> Nigeria]]> South Africa--Cape Town]]> Yugoslavia]]> Norway]]> Portugal]]> Spain]]> Denmark]]> Japan]]> Belgium]]> Argentina]]> Austria]]> Brazil]]> Canada]]> Chile]]> Greece]]> China]]> Lithuania]]> Estonia]]> England--Weybridge]]> Scotland--Island of Arran]]> England--Kingston upon Thames]]> France--Dunkerque]]> England--Hatfield (Hertfordshire)]]> Newfoundland and Labrador]]> New Brunswick]]> Maine]]> Maine--Presque Isle]]> Washington (D.C.)]]> Massachusetts--Boston]]> Pennsylvania--Philadelphia]]> Maryland--Baltimore]]> Washington (D.C.)--Anacostia]]> Tennessee--Nashville]]> Arkansas--Little Rock]]> Texas--Dallas]]> Texas--Fort Worth]]> Texas--Midland]]> Arizona--Tucson]]> California--Burbank (Los Angeles County)]]> California--Palm Springs]]> California--Los Angeles]]> California--Beverly Hills]]> California--San Diego]]> Arizona--Winslow]]> New Mexico--Albuquerque]]> Kansas--Wichita]]> Missouri--Saint Louis]]> Ohio--Dayton]]> New York (State)--Buffalo]]> Ontario--Toronto]]> Québec--Montréal]]> Newfoundland and Labrador--Gander]]> Netherlands--Eindhoven]]> Germany--Rheine]]> Germany--Osnabrück]]> India]]> Switzerland--Zurich]]> Lebanon--Beirut]]> Pakistan--Karachi]]> India--Kolkata]]> Singapore]]> Indonesia--Jakarta]]> Australia]]> Northern Territory--Darwin]]> New South Wales--Sydney]]> South Australia--Woomera]]> South Australia--Adelaide]]> Victoria--Melbourne]]> Sri Lanka--Colombo]]> Spain--Madrid]]> South Africa--Johannesburg]]> Kenya--Nairobi]]> Sudan--Khartoum]]> Greece--Athens]]> Italy--Rome]]> Zambia--Lusaka]]> Zambia--Ndola]]> Zambia--Mbala]]> Heathrow Airport (London, England)]]> Turkey--Istanbul]]> France--Nice]]> Utah--Salt Lake City]]> Italy--Genoa]]> Atlantic Ocean--Firth of Clyde]]> Italy]]> France]]> Arizona]]> Arkansas]]> California]]> Kansas]]> Maryland]]> Massachusetts]]> Missouri]]> New Mexico]]> New York (State)]]> Ohio]]> Tennessee]]> Texas]]> Utah]]> New South Wales]]> South Australia]]> Victoria]]> Northern Territory]]> Egypt]]> Sudan]]> North Africa]]> Ontario]]> Québec]]> Germany]]> Indonesia]]> Iraq]]> Kenya]]> Lebanon]]> Netherlands]]> South Africa]]> Switzerland]]> Pakistan]]> Sri Lanka]]> Turkey]]> Yemen (Republic)]]> Czech Republic]]> Slovakia]]> England--Gloucestershire]]> England--Hampshire]]> England--Herefordshire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Suffolk]]> England--Surrey]]> England--Sussex]]> England--Great Yarmouth]]> He describes their capture, mistreatment and interrogations at various locations. After interrogations at Dulag Luft they were sent to a transit camp in Frankfurt then on by train to Heydekrug, Stalag Luft VI. Although their camp section was new it was cramped and basic. He describes camp life in detail. As the Russians got closer they were sent by train to an Army camp at Thorn. He read a copy of NCO education in the camp. These courses were extremely popular and supported by text books sent from the UK. Exams were sat and papers sent to the UK for marking. At Thorn they marched to Stammlager 357 but not for long. They then marched back to the railway and were sent to Fallingbostel. He describes the rail journey in detail, then in greater detail he describes camp life.
Later he was moved to an officer's camp at Eichstadt. This turned out to be an Army camp which refused them and they were sent to Sagan. He stayed there for a short time then was moved to Stalag Luft 3, then 111A. As the Russians neared they moved again. After a couple of days waiting in trucks they returned to their camp. The railway system was breaking down as the end of the war neared.
After the Russians reached them they were allowed out of the camp but still remained billeted there. He writes about his impressions of the Russians.
His journey home was delayed by rain that did not allow aircraft to fly.
His story ends with his retelling of the night his aircraft was shot down, his night in Brussels and his return to England.]]>
Alan McInnes]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Pending text-based transcription]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Memoir]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Germany--Berlin]]> Germany--Magdeburg]]> Australia]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lichfield]]> Poland--Szczecin]]> Germany--Bremen]]> Germany--Stendal]]> Switzerland]]> Germany--Frankfurt am Main]]> Lithuania--Šilutė]]> Poland]]> Italy]]> Canada]]> United States]]> Poland--Szczecin]]> Poland--Toruń]]> Greece]]> Greece--Crete]]> Poland--Vistula River]]> England--Staverton (Northamptonshire)]]> Germany--Bad Fallingbostel]]> Poland--Żagań]]> Poland--Bydgoszcz]]> Poland--Poznań]]> Germany--Pasewalk]]> Germany--Neubrandenburg]]> Germany--Stavenhagen]]> Germany--Malchin (Landkreis)]]> Germany--Güstrow]]> Germany--Hamburg]]> Germany--Lübeck]]> Germany--Eichstätt]]> Germany--Munich]]> Germany--Kassel]]> Germany--Eisenach]]> Germany--Fürth (Bavaria)]]> Germany--Treuchtlingen]]> Germany--Ingolstadt]]> Germany--Regensburg]]> Germany--Leipzig]]> Germany--Plauen]]> Poland--Wrocław]]> New South Wales--Sydney]]> Victoria--Melbourne]]> New South Wales]]> India--Jammu and Kashmir]]> China]]> England--London]]> Germany--Elbe]]> Germany--Potsdam]]> Germany--Jüterbog]]> Ukraine--Odesa]]> Germany--Dresden]]> Germany--Halle an der Saale]]> Belgium--Brussels]]> England--Brighton]]> Germany--Nuremberg]]> Germany--Hannover]]> Ukraine]]> Germany--Luckenwalde]]> Poland--Poznań]]> Germany]]> Germany--Hof (Hof)]]> 1944-01-21]]>
Alastair Montgomery]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Andy Shaw]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Canada]]> Nova Scotia]]> Nova Scotia--Halifax]]> United States]]> Florida]]> Florida--Pensacola]]> England--Devon]]> England--Yorkshire]]> England--Gloucestershire]]> England--Harrogate]]> North Africa]]> Egypt]]> Egypt--Cairo]]> Italy]]> Italy--Brindisi]]> Ireland]]> Florida]]> Great Britain]]> Andrew Sadler]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Hugh Donnelly]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Air Force. Transport Command]]> Canada]]> East Asia]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> ]]> Anna Hoyles]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sue Smith]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Transport Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--London]]> India--Kolkata]]> India]]> Egypt]]> Egypt--Cairo]]> Africa]]> Canada]]> North Africa]]> 1945-05-08]]> Annie Moody]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Richard Bracknall]]> Pending review]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> France]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> United States]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Florida--Lake Okeechobee]]> Germany--Berlin]]> Germany--Leipzig]]> Germany--Munich]]> France--Bordeaux (Nouvelle-Aquitaine)]]> Florida]]> 1940]]> 1941]]> 1942]]> 1944]]>
Tom Wilson came from an academic family in New Zealand. He studied engineering and worked on radar before volunteering for the Air Force. He flew 13 operations as a navigator before his aircraft was shot down and he became a prisoner of war. He met his wife at a lecture.

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Annie Moody]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Yvonne Walker]]> Pending review]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Civilian]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> New Zealand]]> Poland]]> England--London]]> Germany--Berlin]]> Germany--Cologne]]> Germany--Dortmund]]> Germany--Frankfurt am Main]]> Germany--Nuremberg]]> Poland--Żagań]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> 1939]]> 1945]]> 1946]]>
Arthur Spencer]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Joy Reynard]]> David Bloomfield]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Memoir]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Air Force. Transport Command]]> Great Britain]]> Italy]]> United States]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Bosnia and Herzegovina]]> Bosnia and Herzegovina--Sarajevo]]> Croatia]]> Croatia--Zagreb]]> Hungary]]> Hungary--Székesfehérvár]]> North Africa]]> South Africa--Mahikeng]]> South Africa]]> B Openshaw]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Mike Connock]]> Cara Walmsley]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Training material]]> Text. Service material]]> Text. Log book and record book]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Berkshire]]> England--Buckinghamshire]]> England--Cumbria]]> Bosnia and Herzegovina]]> Bosnia and Herzegovina--Sarajevo]]> Bosnia and Herzegovina--Tuzla]]> Croatia]]> Croatia--Zagreb]]> Hungary]]> Hungary--Szombathely]]> Israel]]> Israel--Ramlah]]> Italy]]> Italy--Foggia]]> Italy--Latisana]]> Italy--Susegana]]> Italy--Trieste]]> Italy--Vicenza]]> Kenya]]> Kenya--Nairobi]]> Montenegro]]> Montenegro--Kolašin Region]]> Montenegro--Podgorica]]> Serbia]]> Serbia--Novi Pazar]]> Slovenia]]> Slovenia--Cerkno]]> Slovenia--Črnomelj]]> Zimbabwe]]> Zimbabwe--Gweru]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> 1946]]> Bill Lanning]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Pending text-based transcription]]> eng]]> Text]]> Photograph]]> Text. Memoir]]> Text. Personal research]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Canadian Air Force]]> Germany]]> Germany--Cologne]]> Great Britain]]> England--Huntingdonshire]]> England--Kent]]> Germany--Osnabrück]]> Germany--Homberg (Kassel)]]> France]]> France--Morbecque]]> France--Le Havre]]> France--Calais]]> Atlantic Ocean--English Channel]]> Germany--Duisburg]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> 1944-12-23]]> Brian Wright]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> France]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> Norway]]> South Africa]]> Arctic Ocean--North Pole]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Germany--Berlin]]> Scotland--Montrose]]> 1939]]> 1940]]> 1941]]> 1942]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> 1946]]> Cathy Brearley]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Jim Sheach]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Air Force. Transport Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Yorkshire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> England--Oxfordshire]]> South Africa]]> South Africa--East London]]> Germany]]> Germany--Osnabrück]]> India]]> 1945-06]]> Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Christine Kavanagh]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> British Army]]> Great Britain]]> England--Liverpool]]> England--Sussex]]> England--Lancashire]]> 1941]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> Canada]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> Pending OH summary]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Transport Command]]> Royal Air Force. Fighter Command]]> Africa]]> Egypt]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> England--Buckinghamshire]]> England--Kent]]> Germany--Berlin]]> 1939]]> 1940]]> 1948]]> Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> England--Wiltshire]]> England--London]]> 1940]]> 1941]]> 1943]]> 1945]]> 1947]]> Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Adalberto Di Corato]]> Carolyn Emery]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Air Force. Transport Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Scotland--Perth and Kinross]]> England--London]]> Canada]]> Manitoba]]> Manitoba--Portage la Prairie]]> Germany]]> Germany--Nuremberg]]> France]]> France--Mailly-le-Camp]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Burma]]> Burma--Rangoon]]> France]]> France--Corsica]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Skegness]]> Scotland--Gourock]]> Wales--Glamorgan]]> North Africa]]> Algeria]]> Algeria--Algiers]]> Egypt]]> India]]> India--Imphāl]]> Syria]]> Syria--Aleppo]]> Italy]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945-02-02]]> 1945-08-15]]> 1946-08-19]]> RAF Harrogate and RAF Llandwrog on Ansons, were followed by Wellingtons at an Operational Training Unit at RAF Moreton in the Marsh. Maurice crewed up with Australians and trained on Gee navigation. He eventually moved to the 1654 Heavy Conversion Unit at RAF Wigsley on Lancasters. The war finished before going on operations.
Maurice went to Leicester East on C-47 where he did a course on pannier dropping and glider towing (Hadrian gliders). He went from Lyneham to Karchi, stopping off in Sardinia. Maurice was stationed at Mauripur. He travelled to Calcutta and Chittagong, then Rangoon and 194 Squadron at Mingaladon airport. They did airline work in the Far East, ferrying VIPs, including Compton Mackenzie. Navigation was with Eureka and dead reckoning. He finished at Hong Kong where Maurice married. Demobilisation was in August 1947.
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Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Sally Coulter]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Burma]]> Canada]]> China]]> Great Britain]]> India]]> Burma--Rangoon]]> China--Hong Kong]]> England--Northampton]]> England--Scarborough]]> India--Kolkata]]> England--Northamptonshire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Canada]]> Manitoba]]> Manitoba--Rivers]]> 1943]]> 1945]]>
Chris Johnson]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Carolyn Emery]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> India]]> United States]]> Oklahoma]]> England--Yorkshire]]> 1942]]>