1
25
60
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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
Maltby, David John Hatfeild
D J H Maltby
Description
An account of the resource
Seven items. The collection concerns Squadron Leader David John Hatfeild Maltby DSO, DFC (1920 - 1943, 60335 Royal Air Force) and consists of his pilot's flying log book and documents. David Maltby completed a tour operations as a pilot in Hampdens, Manchester and Lancasters with 106 and 97 Squadrons at RAF Coningsby before being posted to 617 Squadron at RAF Scampton. He successfully attacked the Möhne Dam in May 1943. <br /><br />The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by the Maltby Family and catalogued by Barry Hunter.<br /><br />Additional information on David John Hatfeild Maltby is available via the <a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/114788/">IBCC Losses Database</a>.
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
2018-09-20
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
Maltby, DJH
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
Telegram to DJH Maltby from Arthur Harris
Description
An account of the resource
The telegram congratulates him on the award of a DSO.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Commander in Chief, Bomber Command
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1943-05-23
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
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One b/w photocopy
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
EHarrisATMaltbyDJH430523
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
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1943-05-23
617 Squadron
Distinguished Service Order
Eder Möhne and Sorpe operation (16–17 May 1943)
Harris, Arthur Travers (1892-1984)
RAF Scampton
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/787/47003/E[Author]PMaltbyDJH430523.jpg
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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
Maltby, David John Hatfeild
D J H Maltby
Description
An account of the resource
Seven items. The collection concerns Squadron Leader David John Hatfeild Maltby DSO, DFC (1920 - 1943, 60335 Royal Air Force) and consists of his pilot's flying log book and documents. David Maltby completed a tour operations as a pilot in Hampdens, Manchester and Lancasters with 106 and 97 Squadrons at RAF Coningsby before being posted to 617 Squadron at RAF Scampton. He successfully attacked the Möhne Dam in May 1943. <br /><br />The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by the Maltby Family and catalogued by Barry Hunter.<br /><br />Additional information on David John Hatfeild Maltby is available via the <a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/114788/">IBCC Losses Database</a>.
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
2018-09-20
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
Maltby, DJH
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
Telegram to DJH Maltby
Description
An account of the resource
The telegram congratulates him from Coningsby and Woodhall.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Patch
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1943-05-23
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
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One b/w photocopy
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
E[Author]PMaltbyDJH430523
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
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1943-05-23
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Lincolnshire
aircrew
Eder Möhne and Sorpe operation (16–17 May 1943)
pilot
RAF Coningsby
RAF Scampton
RAF Woodhall Spa
-
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https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/787/46997/E[Author]MaltbyDJH430524-0002.jpg
1d33faa169ebfee429b533b7e5407de7
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
Maltby, David John Hatfeild
D J H Maltby
Description
An account of the resource
Seven items. The collection concerns Squadron Leader David John Hatfeild Maltby DSO, DFC (1920 - 1943, 60335 Royal Air Force) and consists of his pilot's flying log book and documents. David Maltby completed a tour operations as a pilot in Hampdens, Manchester and Lancasters with 106 and 97 Squadrons at RAF Coningsby before being posted to 617 Squadron at RAF Scampton. He successfully attacked the Möhne Dam in May 1943. <br /><br />The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by the Maltby Family and catalogued by Barry Hunter.<br /><br />Additional information on David John Hatfeild Maltby is available via the <a href="https://internationalbcc.co.uk/losses/114788/">IBCC Losses Database</a>.
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
2018-09-20
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
Maltby, DJH
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
Telegram to Flight Lieutenant Maltby
Description
An account of the resource
A telegram to DJH Maltby congratulating him on award of DSO.
On the reverse 'Telegram from Guy Gibson VC'.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Guy Gibson
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1943-05-24
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
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Correspondence
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One b/w photocopy
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
E[Author]MaltbyDJH430524-0001, E[Author]MaltbyDJH430524-0002
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
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1943-05-24
617 Squadron
aircrew
Distinguished Service Order
Eder Möhne and Sorpe operation (16–17 May 1943)
Gibson, Guy Penrose (1918-1944)
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1450/43606/MKeelingGW2217141-151002-01.2.pdf
115d4634cc8af3733d01291792ddaae8
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
Keeling, George
G W Keeling
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
2015-10-02
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
Keeling, GW
Description
An account of the resource
One item. The collection concerns George W Keeling and contains 'The Short History of 640 Squadron’, including photographs records and newspaper clippings.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by George Keeling and catalogued by Trevor Hardcastle.
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
A short history of 640 Squadron
Description
An account of the resource
A number of stories, recollections and events remembered by George who was part of the ground crew on the squadron. It also includes press coverage and a programme from an amateur dramatics production Georg appeared in post war.
There is also a copy of the Operational Order for Operation Chastise by 617 Squadron. There are also crew lists, and a copy of the squadron 540 for the operation.
It also has the pages from Flight Sergeant Stalley's Log book for the period July to October 1944. He was the rear gunner on Flight Lieutenant Melrose's crew on No 9 Squadron at Bardney. During this period the squadron attacked the Tirpitz twice, once from Archangel.
There is also the Memories and Reflections of the German civil engineer that was in charge of the rebuilding of the dams damaged in the Dams Operation.
There are two newspaper cuttings from 2005 regarding the military burial of a 640 Squadron crew that had been shot down on the 24 March 1944. One was from The Daily Telegraph from 2 September 2005. There is also a letter George wrote to the Times giving some background to the story.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
George Keeling
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1944-01-07
1945-04-07
1944-03-24
2005-09-02
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Yorkshire
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
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text. Memoir
Text. Personal research
Text
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
57 printed sheets
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
MKeelingGW2217141-151002-01
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.
Conforms To
An established standard to which the described resource conforms.
Pending text-based transcription
4 Group
617 Squadron
640 Squadron
9 Squadron
air gunner
aircrew
bomb aimer
bombing of Cologne (30/31 May 1942)
bombing of the Creil/St Leu d’Esserent V-1 storage areas (4/5 July 1944)
bouncing bomb
debriefing
Eder Möhne and Sorpe operation (16–17 May 1943)
entertainment
final resting place
flight engineer
Gibson, Guy Penrose (1918-1944)
ground crew
ground personnel
Halifax
Halifax Mk 3
love and romance
memorial
navigator
Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944)
nose art
operations room
pilot
RAF Leconfield
RAF Lissett
superstition
tactical support for Normandy troops
Tirpitz
wireless operator
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/2487/42972/PTeasdaleA22020005.2.jpg
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https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/2487/42972/PTeasdaleA22020002.2.jpg
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https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/2487/42972/PTeasdaleA22020004.2.jpg
fdc2b9f034aaa8fb64d3b2a53f94c7a8
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/2487/42972/ATeasdaleA221220.2.mp3
b5a71ed1000342febb67d638c48a5934
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
Teasdale, Audrey
Audrey Pitts
Description
An account of the resource
21 items. An oral history interview with Audrey Teasdale (b. 1923, 2135963 Royal Air Force) and photographs. She served as a WAAF in the officers' mess at RAF Waddington.
The collection was loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Audrey Teasdale and catalogued by Barry Hunter.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2022-12-20
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
Teasdale, A
Transcribed audio recording
A resource consisting primarily of recorded human voice.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
AT: Er, from my own point of view I, you know, after the exam had gone before I got my act together and so none of us really managed a qualification, but we were all very well educated. And my Harry, er my two eldest brothers, they both worked in the Coal Board, as I said, my father was a colliery manager and Fred was in administration with the local authority. My Tom, the middle brother, he finished up as a company secretary for the Coal Board. We did all our study after school, y'know, we did it all off our own bats and erm...
BW: So was it night school that you went to?
AT: Night school and as we progressed, you'll see what I did, y'know but er, so it was night school and it was, y'know, interesting things and, you know, getting on with life generally and we had this encouragement from home and...
BW: You say your Mother was Victorian, she worked in service.
AT: In service yes, yes...
BW: Whereabouts did she work, was it a grand house or something?
AT: Yes, she's worked, yes, cos there's photograph there, I think, with one of the people she was with. Oh no, yeah, yeah. She worked with gentry but she also, at one point, worked at the girls grammar school in Wakefield. Yes but lovely lady.
BW: And what age were you when you left school?
AT: 14.
BW: Which was standard at that time.
AT: Standard, yes. And, do you want to know my occupation from then on?
BW: Yeah, what did you go on to do?
AT: My first occupation, I used to walk to the station, which was a mile away, then get a train to Leeds. And I worked for a firm called Barrens and it was a tailoring firm and I worked in their offices and it all related to production and y'know, what they were using and the sort of stuff that went on to the actual finished product and that sort of thing. So I did clerical work with them and I followed on where I got a job in Wakefield. I worked with a jeweler, a very top shop jewelers, you know, it was Appleyard's, in a terrific arcade, terrific shop. So I went there and then from there I was always sort of in the retail business and I went to work at the Co-op, ha! And I worked in the furnishing department where I was first assistant and I did all the erm, now then, the word, you know when they can't afford to pay...
BW: Debt.
AT: Er, actually making out the agreements for them to sign, you know, when they'd got x number of years to pay it in, y'know, that sort of thing. The name just escapes me.
BW: Repayments?
AT: Er, yeah, it was, it was, y'know, basically the lay out of what they'd bought, the interest to be paid and, and the period that they were going to pay it in. Yes, and that was it, all official and then they made the payments to the [unclear] and I did that and I was first assistant for sales.
01:08:24
BW: How long were you doing that job for?
AT: Oh it was, y’know, it was sort of between the jobs, you know, between that and my service really and er, yeah, and I did sort of clerical work and I actually went into the WAAF from there.
BW: Do you remember where you were, where your family was, when war was declared?
AT: At home. Yes, yes, er my youngest brother, the two boys - the elder brothers, they obviously were in the Coal Board, working in the Coal Board, and of course, were exempt. Fred, the youngest one, was in administration with the local authority and of course, he was conscripted. And he was in the Green Howard Regiment and stationed in Northern Ireland. But he never went abroad. A great brother and we used to, when I was in the WAAF, we used to write to each other and he kept in touch with home, and y’know, we'd always continue, you know, keeping in touch.
BW: So how old were you then when war was dec... when war broke out?
AT: About 23 and it broke out in '39...
BW: So you [unclear].
AT: Yes and then I went to, went to, I was conscripted and then I actually went into the WAAF 15th December 1942.
BW: So, what sort of choice did you have? You mentioned you were conscripted, how did that work, particularly for women because we think of men as being primarily conscripted but...
AT: Yes. I sort of could have gone the fire brigade, which didn't appeal at all [laughs]. Land Army but I think what did it [laughs] I was out one day and I saw this advert [laughs] "Join the WAAF and work with the men who fly", and I thought, 'That's for Audrey' [laughs]. So that's what I did.
BW: OK
AT: And of course, I could have been anything then, I could have been a balloon operator - barrage balloon, doing anything, really. But basically, all my time I was in the officer's mess and my, all my work was generally clerical and y’know, relating to the crews and different things.
BW: So you decided to join the WAAF. Did you, ah, it may be perhaps too detailed but I'm just interested to understand did you have to go into the air force recruitment office to complete that or was it different, did you go in to sign up?
AT: Er, I remember, you made the decision to go and then of course it just took place after that. I remember going down to, I can't remember where it was but I was interviewed and it was discussed and yeah. That's very vague to me but I do remember that.
BW: I was going to ask you about your interview and whether there was a particular test that you sat for example, maths or English or anything like that?
AT: No, no qualifications. Basically it was the things you were interested in.
BW: And how long between you being conscripted did it take for you to actually get into training?
AT: More or less immediately.
BW: Right.
AT: Yes, I remember I, it was, 15th December '42 and I went, I think, to Innesworth in Gloucester, where I was kitted out then that didn't take long and then I came back to Morecambe to do my square bashing and I was there about a fortnight. We lived, I lived in billets in the West End of Morecambe and that was very funny.
BW: How long did you spend there?
AT: Just a fortnight. It was a training and it was so funny because obviously it was winter, it was December, it was icy. We had a flight sergeant who did a thing and I'll be [laughs], quite [unclear] what he said but we couldn't stand up and he said, "What do you want me to do? Whistle the bloody skater's waltz?" [laughs]. And the other thing that was interesting about the square bashing was, they'd horses on the promenade and there was poo all over the place and you were marching away merrily and if you got your foot in that everybody got it from behind. You used to be absolutely blathered sometimes. But, that was quite an experience, the icing and the horse poo [laughter].
BW: And I believe you would have your passing out parade on Morecambe prom, is that right?
AT: Yes, yes...yeah.
BW: And it must have been pretty close to Christmas when you passed out of your fortnight's training.
AT: Yes, yes...yeah.
BW: Or just past.
AT: Yes, yeah. I can't remember that but I do know I went from there to Lindholme, Doncaster. I didn't stay there very long. I don't know, really and there was a lot of army personnel there at that time. And I don't know what the purpose of that. I wasn't there that very long and then I got a posting to Waddington. And when I got to Waddington, my time at Waddington, I was actually with 9 Squadron, which was English, 44 Squadron, which was Rhodesian and 467 and 463 which were Australian and I sort of did my service there. And from the first day, you know, I sort of worked in the officer's mess and I did lots of clerical work relating to that. Occasionally I did waitressing and I always used to get the job of the VIPs who would have a special room and I would serve them. Like Wing Commander Nettleton VC. I met him. And lots of personalities, you know, they came through. You know, met a lot of people.
BW: You mentioned Wing Commander Nettleton.
AT: Yes.
BW: He led, I think, the raid on Augsburg, which was quite a famous raid.
AT; Yes.
BW: What were your recollections of him? Did you meet him often?
AT: Lovely man. And he married a WAAF officer. Yeah and I remember service tea for them when they came, when she came. Yeah, yeah.
BW: So you were on the base, there, at Waddington, in the officer's mess, were you there pretty much all of the time, were all your duties conducted in...?
AT: In the officer's mess, yes. I did, sort of, I used to get the, the battle orders, if you'd like to call them that and I knew the crews, where they were going and they used to get a special meal when they were going on a flight cos it was often a nine hour flight and I used to, you know, make sure that they got their flight [meal], you know. They all passed through the desk and I checked that they were there and that they should get this meal, and what have you and, so that was that and of course, when they came back and...
BW: So, because the orders were going through your desk as an admin clerk, you would probably know where they were going before they did.
AT: Yeah, yeah.
BW: And was it you that put the orders up on the board each night?
AT: No, no. I was just responsible for the crews, the crews that, you know, who was going through. And this was another funny thing, they were so funny, the life they were living and you know, it was a case of eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we, we'd be...they were so, so, you know. And so respectful that it wasn't like it is today, it was, the changes in men's [sic] because they'd so much. I think probably in the early days of the war, when the WAAFs and sort of, army, you know they got the women in, I think probably in the early days they got a lot of the rough but at the time that I was going in, in '42, we got the greatest respect. And they, the crews, knew exactly who was who and what was what and...you understand what I am saying? And, yes, they made an effort. But what I was saying, they were so funny cos, I remember one time, [they were returning] and I was sat at my desk and I looked up at this officer and he smelt beautiful [laughs] and you know, for one moment, I thought, "Anything I can help you with?" and I said, "Have you been flying, Sir?" He says, "No, I've been for a walk in the park!" [laughter]. Yes, so, needless to say, he hadn't but he'd obviously managed to shower and smell beautiful [chuckles].
BW: So, where were you, yourself, billeted?
AT: I were in the Waafery [sic], a beautiful house, I don't know if it's still there, a beautiful old building on the left as you went into the 'drome. Do you know the Waafery? I might have a photograph somewhere.
BW: That was the name of it - The Waafery?
AT: Yes, yeah, yeah. And there was, we used lovely bedrooms and I think I may remember, I was on the ground floor and there was three of us in most bedrooms and, there was a night when someone got through the window on the ground floor - he was obviously looking for a WAAF but [laughs] it wasn't one of us three [laughs]. So, yeah, I lived in there.
BW: So, did you make good friends with the other WAAFs there?
AT: Yes, very good, yes. I've got pictures of them. Yes, really good friendships. And all the staff I worked with, really, because there was the cooking staff and y’know, and everything that went with...and I used to go to some beautiful functions, you know, the officers used to have at The Bulls Head and I mean, the food wasn't a problem, y’know, you got beautiful food and everything and we were just on duty, basically, to see if everything was all going alright.
BW: So it wasn't just your room mates you got on well with, you got on well with the other...
AT: I got on well with the crews and everyone, hmm. Yes, there were, I mean, the English, y’know, were very much the stiff upper lip type and a little bit more serious, 'Yes sir and no sir, three bags full, sir', sort of thing but the, er, Rhodesian and the, y’know, Australian they were so laid back, you know. I mean, we didn't, we couldn't have hair on our shoulders and we were not supposed to fraternise with the officers but, you know, they were so completely different to our officers. Nevertheless, our officers were still very nice.
BW: So, the officer's mess wasn't segregated between squadrons presumably, it was a large - was it a large mess for all of them?
AT: It was a large mess and of course, you had your sergeant's mess and your other ranks, yeah but you know, if I, on my first day arriving back on camp I was in the other rank but I spent my...
BW: So what would a typical day look like?
AT: In what respect?
BW: Well, what would you, would you sort of be up maybe six in the morning and into work for eight or what? And would you spend, say, half the day in the office and the other time at mealtimes on shift? How would it work for you?
AT: No, it wasn’t.. I don't remember it being too specific because you had flights at different times and you know, it varied.
BW: So you were just required to serve meals at particular...?
AT: Times, yeah. And operational meals were separate of course, at a different time of the day but I don't even remember what sort of a shift I worked, you know, the hours I worked or anything. But it was all very normal to me, you know, nothing outrageous.
BW: So it seemed fairly regular hours and then would you have evenings off, most evenings?
AT: Oh yes, yes. Yes, you'd nothing after a meal was served, really. And, of course, at that time I could have been somewhere else, i.e. they weren't all going on operations, yeah.
BW: You mentioned, erm, serving meals to crews who would be out on the night raids, on the missions into Germany and occupied territory, did you ever get to hear what their targets were, did you get a sense of where they were going or was it only when they came back?
AT: Only when they came back, really, yes, yes and you know, it wasn't, that was unpleasant, really because we knew them so well and you know so many went for a burton and, you know their life span wasn't very long, was it? For a, y’know, a newly qualified pilot who would probably be 19 or 20, you know, going on their first ops and lifespan were about a fortnight, wasn't it.
BW: So, when the crew lists were up and there was a raid on for that night, would you be serving them their meal around lunchtime or mid afternoon?
AT: Well the night raids it would be going on, you know, towards you know and have the time to check in, you know, that sort of thing.
BW: Yeah. I was just thinking, because they'd have to allow, you know, you sort of work back from when they would have to be over the target and they've got to go to briefing
AT: Yes and they got to go to briefing, yes, all that, yeah. But, I didn't particularly clock all that because I worked to a timetable.
BW: And when you got the time off on the evenings, what kind of things were you able to do, socially?
AT: There were always something, I mixed with people then and you know, we used to get to dances in the sergeant's mess and there was sport, I used to play tennis and we were always going down to the local pub and celebrating something, y’know, someone had done their first trip or finished a tour of ops or it was somebody's 21st birthday or, y’know, something. We'd a nice social life and we used to go to the villages nearer and we had bikes and we used to cycle to the other villages and go to the village dances and we did a lot of dancing, ha! [chuckling].
BW: Did you get into Lincoln, itself?
AT: Yes. Now, at the weekends, we were allowed to wear civilian clothes and y’know, when we went dancing and there's an officer there in a crew, who, we won [chuckles], we won a jitterbugging competition [unclear]. You know, it was lovely, there was a lovely spirit, lovely. We'd lots of things to do, really.
BW: So who would you socialise more with because you were working in the officer's mess, dances in the sergeant's mess, so would you mix more with officers or with NCOs or with other ranks?
AT: I think I probably mixed more with the officers but I still enjoyed the company of the sergeant's mess so, or the other ranks, if it comes to that. But, Brian Fallon, one of the officers, actually come [sic] and spent a leave at my home in West Yorkshire. You know, I had a lot of contact with them and I suppose I was more inclined to have...but nevertheless, I did, er. I've got a thing there, somewhere, where it was an invitation to the last dance of the 467 Squadron or something like that, you know.
BW: And was Waddington where you stayed throughout your WAAF service?
AT: No, when, oh... nine squadron went to Bardney and the Rhodesian squadron moved on and so the last few years I was with 467 and 463 and er. What was the question there?
BW: Did you stay at Waddington or did you move on elsewhere?
AT: Ah, yeah, I went to, when I left Waddington, cos it was at the end of the war, I went down to Silverstone in Northants and that was, you know, there wasn't a great deal to do. It was almost like a civilian thing because we were preparing to be demobbed. But there again, we had a nice carry on, I remember being introduced to greyhound racing [chuckles], when I was in Silverstone. Now then, what was the name of the place, it begins a 'B'... Anyway, I can't remember it. And we used to go to this, and there was a chappie who worked with the greyhounds and the first race you could guarantee a 'cert' and he used to mark our cards for us [laughter]. I always remember thinking, "Oh, if I had only had just put my wedge on it..." but I didn't, I just put my pittance cos it was so little.
BW: So what did you get paid?
AT: I can't remember, but I do remember, at one point, I got an increase and instead of saluting and saying "963" I said, "Thank you!" [laughs]. I was so delighted! Not very popular! [laughter]
BW: So Silverstone was quite different to being at Waddington. You must have been at Waddington, probably, 18 months - two years, easily?
AT: Two years yes. I spent very little time at Lindholme.
BW: Were there particular raids or events that you remember at Waddington? Because the squadrons took part in them during that time but I wonder if anything came out through the talk with the squadrons or [unclear]
AT: No, no. I remember the experience, various experiences, because I remember seeing the greatest bonfire of my life when I was at Waddington because I was watching them come back and I was stood next to a WAAF officer, she was watching as well and they German, the Messerschmidt followed them back and they strafed the 'drome and they didn't hit a Lancaster bomber but beyond, which offices, was the incendiary dump and they hit that and poosh! You can imagine, the place was lit up, it was amazing. That was an experience. Different things happened, you know.
BW: When people look at photos and some film footage they would see, as the bombers took off, people gathered at the halt point waving them off...
AT: Yes, I personally and others, used to go and walk on the perimeter track and we were living very dangerous cos of the 1000 lb bombs but we used to go and wave them off cos, you know, we knew the crews and where they were going. We used to go onto the perimeter track.
BW: And did you watch them come back?
AT: Well, no, no because that could have been early hours, you know, whatever. Basically, we went to see them off.
BW: And, it might sound a daft question but, were you attached to a particular aircraft, did you recognise particular aircraft or did you just generally go and wave everybody off?
AT: Yes, yes, we knew the crews and different things and, of course, as you'll be aware, Hitler said that no enemy plane would ever fly over the German territory but at Waddington, we reach a hundred trips and I've got some classified photographs of the bombers, y'know and 'S' for Sugar, obviously there'd been more than one crew that did the hundred trips but that particular 'S' for Sugar did the hundredth trip [sic].
BW: Did you ever - you were obviously good friends with the pilots and crew - did you ever get shown around a Lancaster, did you ever get inside one?
AT: Yes, I've been inside one, yes.
BW: Did they ever take you flying on one?
AT: I never took, actually, after the war, the WAAFs, we could go to do a parachute jump and what have you and, it got off the ground and then I think there was an incident and the WAAFs panicked and it stopped. Yes, so we'd that opportunity. But I've obviously been in and I've sat in every seat, I've even been in the bomb aimer's part [chuckles], y'know. So I knew the aircraft very well.
BW: And at the time you were there they were mainly flying Lancasters, did you, did they fly anything else, were there other aircraft that came onto the base that you could go and see?
AT: No. Of course the Spitfire pilots were escorts, you know, for the bombers. A lot of Canadians and Polish people flew the Spitfires but generally, it was strictly Lancasters. I mean, you mentioned the Stirling, you know, I didn't see anything of those. Of course, I was around when there was all the talk about the Dambusters and Barnes Wallis and the bouncing bomb and, I didn't, I actually, I didn't personally meet, I wasn't personally introduced but, Gibson came to the 'drome at one point. So I was around when all this was happening.
BW: So when you heard about the dams raid, what was the atmosphere like, how did you feel when you heard about it?
AT: The Dambusters? Oh it was amazing because there was an awful lot of work went into it, you know, a lot of tests and then for them to actually crack it and flood everything I felt it was amazing. I mean, it was a serious business, I always say it was an experience I wouldn't have liked to have missed but there was a lot of sadness and, you know er and I mean, like its happening in Ukraine now but I mean we flattened Stuttgart and Berlin and y' know, but its all, but that was on targets, wasn't it, it wasn't on civilians but nevertheless, they got involved in it, didn't they? So there were lots of civilians.
BW: Did you hear about these raids when crews came back? What was the atmosphere like in the mess, I mean you'd served some of these guys before they went out. What happened when, you know, the crews perhaps didn't come back?
AT: Well, obviously, there were the sadness, you know, because people had got to...and there's crews, you know and of course, a lot of the...I knew a friend, actually, who flew and, he erm, they got shot down and, for a while I didn't personally get to know whether...anything but I did keep in touch with Peter's parents, he lived in Watford and I remember the number, Bushy Heath, 1428 [laughs]. And it was Peter Kimber and I think, actually they'd a hairdressing business in London and I think, family must still be running that. But for my 21st birthday he bought me a Mason & Pearson hair brush [laughs], which was very expensive for me then. [laughter]. Yeah, erm, no, they'd obviously, they'd, you know, the crews were all gelled together, you know, and, but er... [siren]
BW: Sorry about that. So, yeah, you said the crews were all gelled together.
AT: Yes, yes, and there wasn't a morbid, nothing morbid about it. It was a job, it was a duty and y'know, they got on with it.
BW: Did you...I'm just trying to picture the scene in the mess when the crews come back for their first meal after a raid and obviously you, as catering staff or general staff, you're serving in the mess, you'd be laying the places...
AT: I wouldn't be there when they came in, I'd not necessarily be there but there was no, nothing morbid or...I mean, they weren't throwing a party but y'know, it was a job.
BW; And you'd only find out later, of course, whether...
AT: The crews that had gone missing hadn't got back. You checked in everybody who was coming back, y'know but of course, the others...[unclear].
BW: And you mentioned earlier that fraternising with the aircrew, whether officers or other ranks, wasn't allowed but obviously it went on. Did you or your friends, your friends in particular, end up in serious relationships?
AT: No, no. I had, mine were friendships, y'know, I had some great friendships but, no, I came home and married someone from the village [chuckles]. But, y'know, I enjoyed the time and I had some respect for people and, yeah. I mean Brian Fallon came home but, well, we just, y'know, it was a friendship and we just, I was giving him the opportunity to come and have a civilian life, if you like, at my home.
00:32:38
BW: How did your parents feel about you being in the WAAF and on an operational base?
AT: My Mum was very worried initially but obviously, no objections to the decisions I made. But, obviously, I'd never been away from home, y'know and it was a big thing to do really, wasn't it?
BE: And did you, yourself, get leave, periodically?
AT: Oh yes, yes, it was about every six or eight weeks, leave, yeah, yeah. And yes, y'know, my parents always liked to see me. But my brother, Fred, my youngest brother, the one in Northern Ireland with the Green Howards, he used to write to me and of course he knew everything and the people I were meeting, and what have you and he wrote a letter to my mother and he says, "Mum," he says, "Audrey's life must be mangled something rotten." cos I was always telling him of someone, y'know, a friend, who had gone for a burton, y'know.
BW: And you were talking about Scampton, before we began recording, it had a reputation as a jinx base?
AT: Yes, we used to feel that, the jinx, because, yes, there was always some incident on take-off or something, y'know, we at Waddington always regarded it as a jinx. It was just, just happening there. And of course it was Lancaster bombers then.
BW: And were then any other bases that had a similar reputation or others that had a particularly strong reputation?
AT: No, Scampton was the only name that I remember ever being connected with anything like that, y'know, just felt that there was something...y'know? I never watched anything that weren't always airborne, y'know, they got off and they were away.
BW: And have you ever seen the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight since, have you seen the Lancaster fly, since?
AT: No.
BW: I was just curious if you'd seen it and whether it provoked any particular memories when you saw it fly. But if you've not seen it...
AT: I've only ever seen in parades like, in anything to do with London and armistice and what have you. In fact I, while I've been here, I've got back into art and doing things and for Remembrance Day I did a wall in the dining room and I had the Lancaster bomber and I had poppies coming out of the rear, just for...
BW: And that was just for the painting...
AT: Just for the painting, yes, yeah, yeah. Just for, y'know, for remembering. And we did a lovely wall this time, didn't we, for the armistice.
BW: So, you moved down to Silverstone in Northants, after Waddington and I'm assuming this would be around early '45, cos you said you were demobbed from there.
AT: Yes, it was about August-ish [sic] time, somewhere round about then.
BW: They started flying POWs back from Germany and Continental Europe, did you get to meet any POWs, did you see the Lancasters bringing them back at all?
AT: No, no, I was aware of, y'know, we had prisoners of war, they were actually on the camp, doing jobs, y'know, we had Germans, Italians, erm. I remember those two nationalities specifically, the prisoners were working on the camp.
BW: That's really interesting because I've not heard of that before. I've heard of, obviously, enemy POWs being held in the UK but not that they were working on RAF bases.
AT: Yeah, yeah, well I'm sure I'm right. Yeah.
BW: And what kind of things would they be doing?
AT: Nothing terribly important, they couldn't get themselves into trouble.
BW: Presumably they were just labouring.
AT: General labouring, I'd put it down like that. But I learned a few words of [chuckles] "Bellagambi" [belle gambe] was going round quite a lot.
Ann: Nice legs! [laughter].
AT: Nice legs! [laughter].
BW: That was from the Italian POWs.
AT: The Italians, yes, yeah [chuckles], yeah, yes. No, they were definitely on the camp because I can't imagine where else I'd have met any of them...[chuckling]. Are you learning something, Ann?
Ann: Oh yes, absolutely.
BW: So were you, I'm assuming you must have been at Silverstone when the war ended, when the news came through, what was the atmosphere like at that point?
AT: Well, of course, VE Day, I would be, that was first, wasn't it? And then of course we had Japanese bombing Pearl Harbor, didn't we, and that brought it global and America came into it, didn't it? So that was the latest one to go...wasn't it the latest..?
BW: Well, I was thinking about the end of the war and you mentioned VE Day and then there'd be VJ Day in the August, as you were saying.
AT: Yes.
BW: What was the atmosphere like on the base when the news of the war's end came?
AT: Do you know, I don't remember.
BW: I just wondered if you might have had parties or celebrations or anything...
AT: No... no.
BW: Maybe you had extra leave?
AT: No...no...no.
Ann: Do you need your glasses on, Mum, if you're looking at photos? Your reading glasses?
AT: No, that was Matt O'Leary, an Aussie.
BW: So, we were just looking at that photo of the rear gunner but it's inscribed 'All My Love, Ken' but it's not someone who rings a bell with you?
AT: No, ha! I must have been drunk! [laughter]. I don't think so.
Ann: You have had lucid moments, Mum, about him! [laughter]
AT: I do recognise the face but do y'know, that's someone, he escapes me. I know this gentleman here, this is Terry King.
BW: Terry King?
AT: Terry King, yeah. He's the one where he's lent me his jacket when it was cold. I think he was a navigator [laughs].
BW: You wouldn't happen to know which squadron?
AT: It would be 467 or 463.
BW: OK, but he was definitely an Aussie?
AT: Definitely an Aussie.
Ann: And definitely Terry King? It's just remarkable, isn't it, remembering that, Mum. There was Matt O'Leary as well.
AT: Matt, Matt O'Leary. He's there and I think the big photograph...
BW: Which would be this one of seven aircrew in front of a Lancaster.
AT: [Pauses]. Look at the other two, can we?
Ann: Which one could have tempted you to live in Australia, Mum?, Was it Matt O'Leary, you did mention you could have been living in Australia.
AT: Mmm. I thought I had one of Matt with a crew.
BW: Erm.
Ann: I think you were looking at that one, Mum, excuse me, just let me [unclear] him at bottom right, yeah.
BW: So that's the four guys on the bottom right.
AT: That's him there, look and he's an Aussie. It was one weekend and we were dancing in Lincoln and we won a jitterbutty [sic], it wasn't the one where they threw you over the hedge, y'know, it was clever footwork [laughs].
BW: So was it a village dance?
AT: No, it was in the city centre.
BW: OK. And was it, were there a lot of RAF aircrew taking part?
AT: No, it was civilian and a mixture, yeah, yeah. But we cracked it!
BW: And you came top?
AT: We won it, yes, yeah.
BW: So, just as a general question, how easy was it to learn to dance in those days, because it seems everybody did it as a social activity but where did you learn?
AT: I danced with my three bothers from being that high because there was ten years between myself and the eldest and, you know, we used to go to the village dances and I could always go to village dances cos the others would always bring me home safely. So I've danced all my life, really. I love dancing.
BW: And it just happened that you paired up this particular...
AT: Yes, we were friends, y'know and we'd gone into Lincoln to the dance and, that was it.
BW: It was a spur of the moment thing, presumably.
AT: Not a spur of the moment, we'd intended going into Lincoln, which a lot of us did do.
BW: So this photo shows a Lancaster crew, seven guys in front of a Lancaster.
AT: And do you know, I don't know any names on there, I can't...
BW: No, there's none on the back, it just says.
AT: No, these were classified, I got, y'know, the pictures...
BW: But it says 'The crew of S for Sugar'.
AT: S for Sugar, yeah.
BW: So that, presumably, is the crew with 100 missions...
AT: A thousand... with... the missions, the last crew to crew it, presumably. Y'know, to get the hundred trips. There's one of the photographs, it shows quite clearly, doesn't it, that 'no enemy plane will ever...'
BW: Which is this one, there's a crowd in front of the aircraft.
AT: Yeah, yeah, that's, y'know, obviously, other ranks and whoever else was there.
BW: Do you remember that occasion?
AT: No, no, I wasn't among that but that was the... of course...I got the photographs.
BW: This particular one's a Lancaster being, what they called, 'being bombed up' also is S for Sugar.
AT: Yes, yeah.
BW: Did you ever get to see the crews bombing aircraft up?
AT: No, No.
BW; There are a couple of photos here, with friends, which one is you and who are the others?
AT: That's me, in the middle.
BW; OK. And who...?
AT: Do y'know, their name escapes me, I can't remember.
BW: And this one also shows you but this time you are on the right and there are a couple of names on the back. Do you recall those?
AT: I don't really, no, I don't.
BW: No problem.
AT: It was a long time ago and but, you know, we were friends.
BW: Do you know where they were taken? Were they taken during training or it looks like they might have been taken...
AT: Er, it was at Waddington, it was Waddington, it looks like first post thing.
BW: OK, did you keep in touch with your friends after the war at all?
AT: No, no. No, I y'know, got on with life again [laughs].
BW: And we were talking about the Australian crews earlier and obviously Matt was a good friend who you won the competition with, do you know if he survived the war?
AT: I don't know, no.
BW: OK.
AT: Obviously it'd be sometime in that period, y'know, the period, he was there most of the time I was there. But I don't know...Peter, Kimber, when I rang his Mum, she said, y'know, I sort of asked had she'd heard anything and she said, "I've heard this morning, he's been made a prisoner of war." So, obviously he survived and he would get home. That was another, y'know, just friendship.
BW: But you didn't hear anymore from Peter? You didn't hear where he was or what had happened to him?
AT: No. Nothing at all.
BW: How did you feel when you got the news, were you relieved?
AT: I was so pleased that, at least, he was safe cos he could have been blasted into eternity, couldn't he? Yes, I was very pleased and pleased for his Mum.
BW: were the rest of his crew captured?
AT: The concern was Peter, y'know, I was enquiring about him and she told me she was absolutely delighted, yes.
BW: And you were never tempted to move to Australia, having got to know some of these Australians. Did they ever try and tempt you with them?
AT: No, actually, there was one thing: a lot of them they [were] staunch Roman Catholics. Y'know, I thought it was one thing, leaving your country but also, being Church of England and being brought up in that way. But it didn't really, there was no one who meant that much to me, to do that, cos you've got to love and care to take that step, haven't you? And when I met my husband, that was it and I'd just 15 years of super marriage and y'know, short-lived but I didn't work during that period and, we weren't like ships that passed in the night. So, we'd a good life Ann, hadn't we?
Ann: Yes.
AT: And we just had the one daughter.
BW: You said earlier that you'd left the WAAF in August, around August '45.
AT: Yes.
BW: What happened next? You'd worked and had experience in administration, you'd worked at admin in the WAAF, what happened after you left?
AT: I came back...I think I went back to the Co-op, I had a decent position there. Er, do you know, I don't think I did anything then. And then I met Norman and y'know and the next thing was marriage.
BW: When was that, when did you meet?
AT: Er, well, he lived in the same village and I'd been friends with his sister, y'know, she'd been a good friend for many years. But, suddenly that was it. So, you know, obviously, that was after the war and... What year did I get married, Ann, was it '53?
Ann: 53.
AT: 53. And you were born in 56, weren't you? Yeah. But I never worked once I got married, I never worked. And then, of course, my husband died young, at the age of 39. You've spoken about this, have you, Ann?
Ann: Only briefly.
AT?: Yes, yes. It was tragic really, a minor operation and he got an infection in the hospital and the drug they had used damaged a kidney. And I travelled to Leeds with him from Wakefield, left Ann in the care of the nurses at the hospital and he died between Leeds and Wakefield, er Wakefield and Leeds. And I had to wait ten days for a post mortem, because the coroner wasn't happy but at that time the medical profession were very much round each other and it was brought in 'misadventure'. So that was it. So, about six months after that I hadn't the confidence to pick up a telephone. I was devastated, wasn't I, in a mess and you witnessed it, didn't you, unfortunately. When Norman died, Ann had just turned 12 months at grammar school, obviously very clever and y'know, Norman and I had plans and we saw great things in the future and so, in my mind, I just wanted to bring my daughter up, see her through university and I never had to decide [unclear] beyond her age of 18, when she could manage her money. It was a very sad time.
0:12:09
BW: And you just had that short time between, finishing with the WAAF and working in the Co-op where you went back to and then married life.
AT: Yes, yes, and, so when Norman died I had to get my act together and y'know, go out to work. So the first job I took, I got, was with the county council and it's statistics, erm...sorry, and I worked with the county, the fact that I needed to work and keep a roof over our heads, y'know and money, I wasn't averse to any change or anything I was asked to do, so consequently, over the time, I built up a, y'know, a lot of information about various things and then, I got involved with the director, who used to be appointed as a Guardian ad Litem in care related proceedings at the court either relating to children in care y'know, where there was a conflict of interests and er, and er, children who had probably been placed for adoption, and the putative father, y'know, was objecting. So I worked with the director getting reports to the director, it came to me, did all the documentation and I made sure that the social workers got out and saw every respondent that had the right to be seen and heard, regarding those proceedings. So I'd got that experience with the Guardian ad Litem and then, years later, the social service - they amalgamated the children's department and the county and [they] became Social Services and later, in '75, it's a long way ago, in't it? [The 19]75 Act the local authority said that the, all the...the government said that the Local Authorities had to become adoption agencies. So I had all this knowledge about, already, about adoption so I got all the White Papers from HMSO regarding the adoptions and proceedings and what the government expected and I studied it all and I got an interview for the post on the board of directors and I got the job. And one of the directors said, "I wish I knew as much as Audrey about the Children Act," [laughs]. And that's the sort of thing, I was saying, my brothers and I, that's what we've done, we've progressed but it's been our effort, you know. So that was it and I thoroughly enjoyed it cos it was so interesting, y'know we approved prospective adopters and we accepted children for adoption and lots of babies and some of the mums could only tell, all they knew about the father was, they could only tell you the colour. You know, they'd known these were one night stands and things - all very interesting. And of course we arranged placements and y'know, all the time we never had a problem and we got some really good placements. And then after, it came into force at 18 they could have knowledge of the prospective adopters so I did Section 26 counselling, which meant interviewing the mum because we didn't let anyone turn up on anybody's doorstep saying, "You're my Mum."or anything like that. We made sure that they, the natural mother, was happy with the decision that we were making and all that. I worked with professional people, y'know, solicitors, police and everybody, but thoroughly enjoyed it. And got a nice side of it, going to the pediatricians with babies [chuckles] and I did that till I retired and I could have stayed longer but my grandson was, [to Ann] you were pregnant, and I thought, " Oh, Norman's missed so much and I'm not going to miss these babies so I retired at 64. I had the ability to carry on but I didn't.
BW: And, just to, I suppose, come back to the RAF and Bomber Command, you've been to the IBCC at Lincoln, how do you feel, seeing that?
Ann: That was me.
BW: Oh, I beg your pardon.
AT: What was that?
Ann: You know I went down to the International Bomber Command Centre?
AT: Yes, you went, didn't you, yes. I've not been but I'd love to but I don't think I could make it down there.
Ann: No, they've offered to entertain [you] but no.
AT: Yeah but I've read the book. [to Ann] You got the book, didn't you. And I refresh my memory with it. Yes, yeah, it's very, very impressive, very impressive and it's amazing what they've done with the grounds. I was looking for the Waafery, [laughs] but I guess they've demolished it but it was a beautiful building. There was another nice thing in the village, I don't know the name of it, it was a nice pub, where we went, but there was a man in but it was only like a shed but he used to make jam and lemon curd tarts and we used to go and buy [laughs] them from this man in the village. Lovely time really.
BW: So, knowing about the memorial, how do you feel about there being a memorial to the crews of Bomber Command?
AT: I think it's wonderful, I don't think they should ever be forgotten. No. I think it's wonderful, I love the way they've got the walls with all the names, and the gardens, I think it's beautiful. And I think they deserve remembering, y'know, they've given their lives, and young lives.
BW: Cos, the guys were largely only around the same age as you were at the time, weren't they? The chaps in the RAF, the aircrew, they were only around your age.
AT: They were, yes, yes, very young, yes. That was the sad thing, it was so much in life going, y'know.
BW: Whereas you say, I think you summed it up well, you wouldn't have wanted to have missed the experience...
AT: Oh no, no, not for a moment. And I've often thought about it, haven't I?
Ann: Yeah.
AT: Yeah, I did not [unclear] it's an opportunity I wouldn't have missed. It was really good.
Ann: I think it's affected Mum's outlook on so many things because I think, for my Mum's age group and generation, you've got a very rounded, cosmopolitan attitude towards people of all nationalities and I think that's quite impressive.
AT: Hmm.
BW: And through all the things we've talked about this afternoon, are there any other aspects or recollections that you want to add from your time in the WAAF?
AT: No, I don't think so, I think I've covered it. You know I enjoyed the life, enjoyed the company of the people and the various things. Do you know, I'm 99 [unclear] but not very long ago I was, he was speaking to me on the phone and he said, "Mum, do you ever regret any of the decisions you've made in your life?" and I said "No, and I'd make them all again, all the same." Because, since my husband died I had this tunnel vision and it was family and I wanted to see Ann where, y'know [unclear] but then, you see, grandchildren came and then that was another life line and I've just, I had so much happiness with Ann and the children so I've not really wanted anything else. And strangely enough, when I came to this home and it was my decision but we chatted it over, didn't we, because Ann gave me 24/7 care when I came out of hospital, which was a near death experience and she gave that care and I could see what was happening and I, I mean, I had a good life, born into the right family, met the man I loved, enjoyed 15 good years and y'know, I wanted Ann to enjoy her children so I made the decision to come in here. But when, about the same time I met a man, he was upright and mobile but he'd had an accident, his wife had died and he'd scalded himself and he'd come in for respite care, initially and he was a professor of politics but he was such an interesting man I had a friendship with him while he was here, which was about five or six months, wasn't it Ann?
Ann: Yep.
AT: And it was a nice, good friendly relationship but he died just before Christmas but that was nice, y'see. But that's life, isn't it?
BW: Well, I've no other questions and you've answered everything very thoroughly and clearly so, thank you very much for your time.
AT: Yeah, thank you! Cos you been very tolerant and we haven't interrupted you very much, have we?
BW: Not at all.
[Audrey laughs]
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 Audrey Teasdale
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Brian Wright
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2022-12-20
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
01:12:25 Audio Recording
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
ATeasdaleA221220, PTeasdaleA22020002, PTeasdaleA22020003, PTeasdaleA22020004, PTeasdaleA22020005
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-12-15
1945-08
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Lancashire
England--Lincolnshire
England--Northamptonshire
England--Yorkshire
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
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Sound
Description
An account of the resource
Audrey left school at 14 and began work as a clerical assistant for a tailoring firm in Leeds, then moving into furniture sales.
Audrey was 23 when the war started and was conscripted on 15 December 1942 electing to join the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. After her kitting out at RAF Innesworth she did some basic training at RAF Morecambe, then posted to RAF Lindholme and eventually to RAF Waddington where she worked as an administrator in the officer's mess. At that time there were four squadrons on the station: 9, 44, 463 and 467 Squadrons.
Audrey's duties in the officer's mess included checking the crews against the battle orders to ensure only crews flying that night got the special pre-flight meal and waiting on tables for VIP dinners, including Wing Commander Nettleton VC. She describes her friendships with the other staff and especially with bomber crews, mostly nice and respectful. Audrey and others would gather on the perimeter track to see them off. She and many others were billeted in a beautiful old building, known as "The Waafery”. Audrey describes her busy social life, dancing at many venues and winning jitterbug competitions. Remembers being called ‘belle gambe’ [beautiful legs] by Italian prisoners of war.
Audrey also describes the events of one night when an enemy fighter followed the aircraft home and strafed the airfield, hitting the incendiary dump, which exploded.
After the war, Audrey eventually worked for the local authority’s adoption service after the tragic death of her husband at a young age.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Sally Coulter
Andy Fitter
44 Squadron
463 Squadron
467 Squadron
9 Squadron
animal
bombing
Eder Möhne and Sorpe operation (16–17 May 1943)
entertainment
Gibson, Guy Penrose (1918-1944)
ground personnel
Lancaster
mess
military living conditions
military service conditions
prisoner of war
RAF Lindholme
RAF Morecambe
RAF Silverstone
RAF Waddington
sport
Stirling
strafing
training
Wallis, Barnes Neville (1887-1979)
Women’s Auxiliary Air Force
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/2052/42875/PSouterKP2121.2.jpg
41031634394ac2540b00763414be43b3
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
Souter, Kenneth Place
K P Souter
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2021-07-10
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
Souter, KP
Description
An account of the resource
30 items. An oral history interview with Kenneth Souter (b. 1919, 129001 Royal Air Force), his log books and photographs. He flew operations as a fighter pilot with 73 Squadron in North Africa and as a test pilot. After the war he flew Lancasters during the filming of The Dam Busters film in 1954.
The collection was 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
Dambusters Scene
Description
An account of the resource
Actors Michael Redgrave and Richard Todd playing Barnes Wallis and Guy Gibson having a discussion over a meal in the Mess. From the filming of The Dam Busters film.
It is captioned 'E54.1.PROD.117'.
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Civilian
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Language
A language of the resource
eng
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
PSouterKP2121
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.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1954
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1954
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Lincolnshire
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
aircrew
Eder Möhne and Sorpe operation (16–17 May 1943)
entertainment
Gibson, Guy Penrose (1918-1944)
mess
pilot
Wallis, Barnes Neville (1887-1979)
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/2052/42870/PSouterKP2118.1.jpg
19de5569b142cea8125511cb7d161822
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
Souter, Kenneth Place
K P Souter
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2021-07-10
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
Souter, KP
Description
An account of the resource
30 items. An oral history interview with Kenneth Souter (b. 1919, 129001 Royal Air Force), his log books and photographs. He flew operations as a fighter pilot with 73 Squadron in North Africa and as a test pilot. After the war he flew Lancasters during the filming of The Dam Busters film in 1954.
The collection was 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
Lancaster Banking hard to Starboard
Description
An account of the resource
A Lancaster coded AJ-G, of 617 Squadron, banking hard to Starboard viewed from the air. From the filming of The Dam Busters film, the fuselage has been modified for a mock up Upkeep bomb which it is carrying.
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
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
PSouterKP2118
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.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1954
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1954
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Lincolnshire
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
617 Squadron
bouncing bomb
Eder Möhne and Sorpe operation (16–17 May 1943)
entertainment
Lancaster
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/2052/42857/PSouterKP2109.2.jpg
83ca982e6834d49ac278de047ea936f1
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
Souter, Kenneth Place
K P Souter
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2021-07-10
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
Souter, KP
Description
An account of the resource
30 items. An oral history interview with Kenneth Souter (b. 1919, 129001 Royal Air Force), his log books and photographs. He flew operations as a fighter pilot with 73 Squadron in North Africa and as a test pilot. After the war he flew Lancasters during the filming of The Dam Busters film in 1954.
The collection was 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
Three Lancasters in Flight
Description
An account of the resource
A view of three Lancasters flying low with mocked up Upkeep bombs for the filming of The Dam Busters film. They are flying over a field with a horse in. The photograph is annotated 'E54.1-PUB.156'.
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
Language
A language of the resource
eng
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
PSouterKP2109
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
617 Squadron
animal
bouncing bomb
Eder Möhne and Sorpe operation (16–17 May 1943)
entertainment
Lancaster
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/2052/42819/PSouterKP2102.2.jpg
8e7162d1bb88b7b050c3c598e463b070
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
Souter, Kenneth Place
K P Souter
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2021-07-10
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
Souter, KP
Description
An account of the resource
30 items. An oral history interview with Kenneth Souter (b. 1919, 129001 Royal Air Force), his log books and photographs. He flew operations as a fighter pilot with 73 Squadron in North Africa and as a test pilot. After the war he flew Lancasters during the filming of The Dam Busters film in 1954.
The collection was 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
Lancaster with mocked up Upkeep Bomb
Description
An account of the resource
An air to air photograph of a Lancaster carrying a mocked up Upkeep bomb during the filming of The Dam Busters film.
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
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
PSouterKP2102
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.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1954
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1954
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Lincolnshire
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
617 Squadron
bouncing bomb
Eder Möhne and Sorpe operation (16–17 May 1943)
entertainment
Lancaster
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/2333/42122/PCrossK22010006.2.jpg
bb611b5d18abed62c85f1ce176ea1fde
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/2333/42122/PCrossK22010007.2.jpg
565390ff792362d6cddd1ec9698554f8
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
Cross, Kathleen. Album
Description
An account of the resource
27 items. An album with newspaper cuttings, photographs and postcards covering RAF personnel and establishments in West Malling, Penarth and Peterborough.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2022-05-07
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
Cross, 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
Newspaper cuttings and caricatures
Description
An account of the resource
The first page comprises a page of caricatures annotated with quotations from the individuals pictured, including Wing Commander J Cunningham, Wing Commander Townsend, Warrant Officer Carter, Flight Lieutenant Erlwig, Staff officer Priestley, Flight Lieutenant Rawnsley, Leading Aircraftman Jordan and Joe Thomas.
The second page has Wing Commander Townsend, wearing dark glasses with a colleague and his mascot dog, Kim; a sketch of Wing Commander Townsend drawn by Capitan Cuthbert Orde and Wing Commander Guy Gibson and 18 fellow Dam Buster colleagues having collected their honours from the Queen Consort.
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1941-09
1943-05-16
1943-05-17
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
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
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Artwork
Text
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Page of caricatures and three newspaper cuttings in an album
Conforms To
An established standard to which the described resource conforms.
Pending text-based transcription
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
PCrossK22010006, PCrossK22010007
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.
617 Squadron
aircrew
animal
Eder Möhne and Sorpe operation (16–17 May 1943)
Gibson, Guy Penrose (1918-1944)
Victoria Cross
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1963/41315/BLazenbyHJLazenbyHJv1.2.pdf
35022f62bb4527b9a7da34bd424ec42f
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
Lazenby, Harold Jack
H J Lazenby
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
2017-10-10
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
Lazenby, HJ
Description
An account of the resource
11 items. The collection concerns Warrant Officer Harold Jack Lazenby DFC (b. 1917, 652033 Royal Air Force) and contains his memoir, documents and photographs. He flew operations as a flight engineer with 57, 97 and 7 Squadrons.
The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Daniel, H Jack Lazenby 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
H Jack Lazenby DFC
Description
An account of the resource
Harold Jack Lazenby's autobiography.
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Warrington
England--Wolverhampton
England--Shifnal (Shropshire)
England--London
England--Bampton (Oxfordshire)
England--Witney
England--Oxford
England--Cambridge
France--Paris
England--Portsmouth
England--Oxfordshire
England--Southrop (Oxfordshire)
England--Cirencester
England--Skegness
England--Worcestershire
England--Birmingham
England--Kidderminster
England--Gosport
England--Fareham
England--Southsea
Wales--Margam
Wales--Port Talbot
Wales--Bridgend
Wales--Porthcawl
England--Urmston
England--Stockport
Wales--Cardiff
Wales--Barry
United States
New York (State)--Long Island
Illinois--Chicago
England--Gloucester
Scotland--Kilmarnock
England--Surrey
England--Liverpool
England--Lincolnshire
England--Lincoln
Denmark--Anholt
Poland--Gdańsk
Germany--Berlin
Germany--Essen
Germany--Kiel
Europe--Mont Blanc
Denmark
England--Hull
Czech Republic--Plzeň
Germany--Ruhr (Region)
England--Mablethorpe
Germany--Cologne
Italy--Turin
France--Bordeaux (Nouvelle-Aquitaine)
England--Land's End Peninsula
Italy--San Polo d'Enza
Italy--Genoa
Italy--Milan
Algeria
Algeria--Blida
Algeria--Atlas de Blida Mountains
England--Cambridge
England--Surrey
England--Ramsey (Cambridgeshire)
Germany--Mannheim
Germany--Munich
France--Montluçon
Germany--Darmstadt
Scotland--Elgin
England--York
Scotland--Aberdeen
England--Grimsby
Germany--Saarbrücken
Germany--Zeitz
Germany--Ludwigshafen am Rhein
Germany--Wanne-Eickel
Germany--Gelsenkirchen
Germany--Kleve (North Rhine-Westphalia)
Germany--Chemnitz
Germany--Heide (Schleswig-Holstein)
Germany--Wuppertal
Germany--Homberg (Kassel)
Netherlands--Westerschelde
Germany--Rheine
Germany--Hamburg
Germany--Helgoland
Germany--Bremen
Netherlands--Rotterdam
Belgium
England--Southend-on-Sea
England--Morecambe
England--Kineton
England--Worcester
Germany--Duisburg
Germany--Düsseldorf
Germany--Mülheim an der Ruhr
England--London
Italy--La Spezia
France--Dunkerque
Poland--Szczecin
Poland
Germany--Hannover
Germany--Recklinghausen (Münster)
Netherlands
England--Sheringham
England--Redbridge
France--Saint-Nazaire
Atlantic Ocean--Kattegat (Baltic Sea)
Germany
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
United States Army Air Force
Royal Air Force. Transport Command
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Memoir
Format
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99 printed sheets
Identifier
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BLazenbyHJLazenbyHJv1
Creator
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Lazenby, Harold Jack
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
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IBCC Digital Archive
Conforms To
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Pending text-based transcription
1654 HCU
20 OTU
207 Squadron
4 Group
5 Group
57 Squadron
617 Squadron
7 Squadron
97 Squadron
air gunner
Air Gunnery School
aircrew
anti-aircraft fire
B-17
B-24
Bennett, Donald Clifford Tyndall (1910-1986)
bomb aimer
bombing
bombing of Helgoland (18 April 1945)
briefing
Catalina
Chamberlain, Neville (1869-1940)
crewing up
debriefing
demobilisation
Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Medal
Distinguished Service Order
Eder Möhne and Sorpe operation (16–17 May 1943)
entertainment
flight engineer
flight mechanic
Flying Training School
George VI, King of Great Britain (1895-1952)
Gibson, Guy Penrose (1918-1944)
ground crew
ground personnel
H2S
Halifax
Hampden
hangar
Harris, Arthur Travers (1892-1984)
Harvard
Heavy Conversion Unit
Hudson
Hurricane
Ju 88
killed in action
Lancaster
love and romance
Manchester
Master Bomber
Me 110
Me 262
mechanics engine
mess
military living conditions
military service conditions
mine laying
Mosquito
navigator
Navy, Army and Air Force Institute
Nissen hut
Oboe
Operation Exodus (1945)
Operation Manna (29 Apr – 8 May 1945)
Operational Training Unit
Oxford
Pathfinders
pilot
radar
RAF Barkstone Heath
RAF Bassingbourn
RAF Benson
RAF Bourn
RAF Brize Norton
RAF Colerne
RAF Cosford
RAF Cranwell
RAF Dunkeswell
RAF East Kirkby
RAF Elvington
RAF Fairford
RAF Halton
RAF Lossiemouth
RAF Melton Mowbray
RAF Mepal
RAF Oakington
RAF Padgate
RAF Pershore
RAF Scampton
RAF Silverstone
RAF St Athan
RAF Stormy Down
RAF Swinderby
RAF Talbenny
RAF Tangmere
RAF Upper Heyford
RAF Upwood
RAF Uxbridge
RAF Valley
RAF Warboys
RAF Wigsley
RAF Wing
recruitment
Resistance
Spitfire
sport
Stirling
target indicator
training
V-1
V-2
V-weapon
Victoria Cross
Wellington
Whitley
Window
wireless operator
Women’s Auxiliary Air Force
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1998/38072/MOates1489926-171207-17.1.jpg
cb46a4a423958f2ec6bb6b7168219855
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
Oates, James
J Oates
Publisher
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IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-12-07
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.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Oates, J
Description
An account of the resource
91 items. The collection concerns Warrant Officer James Oates (1489926 Royal Air Force) and contains his log book, documents and photographs. He flew paratrooper drops and glider towing operations as a navigator with 196 Squadron.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Gina E Welsh 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
Guy Gibson's Log Book Extract
Description
An account of the resource
An extract from Guy's logbook for May 1943. It ends on May 16 with 'Awarded VC'.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Great Britain. Royal Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Germany
Germany--Möhne River Dam
Germany--Eder Dam
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
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 photocopied sheet
Identifier
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MOates1489926-171207-17
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1943-05-16
1943-05-17
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.
617 Squadron
Eder Möhne and Sorpe operation (16–17 May 1943)
Gibson, Guy Penrose (1918-1944)
Lancaster
Oxford
RAF Hendon
RAF Manston
Victoria Cross
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1254/36045/PBakerWB16040005.1.jpg
dcec6aa3989d4d0ee6e7c202352985a6
Dublin Core
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Title
A name given to the resource
Baker, William Benjamin
Biff Baker
W B Baker
Description
An account of the resource
45 items. The collection concerns William Benjamin "Biff" Baker DFC (Royal Air Force) and contains his log book, documents art work and and photographs. He flew operations as an air gunner with 115 and 626 Squadrons.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Pamela Baker and catalogued by Nigel Huckins and Peter Adams.
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
2016-11-28
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.
Identifier
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Baker, WB
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
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[photograph]
R.A.F. School of Administration [crest] and Accountancy, Hereford
Vivian of Hereford
No. 25 Elementary Course. Syndicate "V." 28/3/45 to 23/5/45.
P/O. Shaw P/O. Smith P/O. Swetland P/O. Thomson P/O. Wade D.F.C. F/O. Weston, D.F.C.
F/O. Lane’ D.F.C. F/O. Miles, D.F.M. P/O. Minard F/Lt. Oele, D.F.C. F/O. Parkin. D.F.M. F/O. Phillips, D.F.M. F/O. Priest F/O. Russell
P/O. Brotherton F/L. Chattington, D.F.C. P/O Croysdill, D.F.M. F/O. Derham, D.F.M. F/O. Dixon, D.F.C. F/O. Emra F/O. Farnborough
F/O. Fox P/O. Golding, D.F.M.
F/L. Adair F/O. Baker, D.F.C. F/L Gibson W/Cdr. Shepard S/Ldr. Batwell F/O. Bannister F/O. Bragan
[page break]
[painting]
Dublin Core
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Title
A name given to the resource
Course photograph and Lancaster painting
Description
An account of the resource
Top - course photograph of thirty officers wearing tunics or battledress sitting and standing in four rows. Captioned 'No 25 Elementary Course. Syndicate "V", 28/3/45 to 23/5/45', lists name of those on photograph, F/O Baker front row second from left.'.
Bottom - colour painting of three Lancasters with upkeep bombs at low level in "V" formation over water.
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1945-03-28
1945-05-23
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Herefordshire
England--Hereford
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
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Artwork
Photograph
Format
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One b/w photograph and one colour painting mounted on an album page
Identifier
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PBakerWB16040005
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
Sue Smith
617 Squadron
aircrew
arts and crafts
bouncing bomb
Eder Möhne and Sorpe operation (16–17 May 1943)
Lancaster
training
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1901/35228/MRobertsEJH[See -DoB]-170712-02.pdf
b6b0445730de3f22759eebd9263e152b
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
Roberts, E J H
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
2017-07-12
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
Roberts, EJH
Description
An account of the resource
50 items. The collection concerns E J H Roberts DFC (408451 Royal Air Force) and contains maps, documents, news clippings and photographs. He flew operations as a bomb aimer with 61 Squadron.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Carole Grant 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
Nos Aviations
Description
An account of the resource
Victoires de la RAF en 1943
Air Marshal Sir Richard Peck describes large composition and successes of RAF during 1943 whilst underlining the threat still posed by Germany.
Les machines
Maintains Anglo-American aircraft production is four times better than their opponents; combining skills and resources is highly beneficial.
Les hommes
Through the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, men from different countries trained in Canada, with the training spreading out to other countries.
Bomber Command
Main aim is to weaken the enemy’s war potential and open the way for the liberation armies.
Les barrages de la Ruhr
Describes the dawn operation by Lancasters on 17th May 1943, which destroyed the Möhne and Eder dams in the Ruhr Valley, using mines.
10,000 tonnes Hambourg
11 days of raids put Hamburg and its naval port out of action with 70% of the town destroyed or damaged.
Berlin 30,000 tonnes
As the main industrial hub and centre of Nazism, Berlin was one of the RAF’s main targets with many factories destroyed or damaged.
Les éclaireurs
Pathfinder Force, commanded by Air Vice-Marshal Bennett, was created in August 1942. They marked targets with flares to improve bombing accuracy.
Coastal Command
Important role played by aircraft in the Battle of the Atlantic, finding and attacking German submarines, and protecting allied ships.
Fighter Command
After four years, Fighter Command disbanded and split into defence and tactical aviation.
Transport Command
Created in 1943 to transport equipment from American and British production centres to operational bases and bases on the front.
D’El-Alamein en Italie
Campaigns from Africa to Italy have seen the air force and army leaders thinking and acting as one to maximum effect. Grip tightening on German industry.
Les ailes franco-brittaniques
Air Brigade General Martial Valin, commanding the Free French Air Force in Britain, outlines the positive Franco-British relationships and training provided. The Air Force’s different groups are described and how structures were effectively reformed, including in North Africa.
Normandie en Russie
Runs through the activities of the Normandy group on the Russian front during 1943, from training to successful operations. The Russians have shown friendship and esteem.
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
France
Germany
Canada
Ontario--Trenton
Germany--Essen
Germany--Hamburg
Germany--Dortmund
Germany--Hannover
Germany--Düsseldorf
Germany--Frankfurt am Main
Germany--Leipzig
Germany--Nuremberg
Germany--Mannheim
Germany--Wuppertal
Germany--Peenemünde
Germany--Bochum
Germany--Mülheim an der Ruhr
Germany--Kassel
Germany--Elberfeld
Germany--Cologne
Germany--Duisburg
Germany--Augsburg
Germany--Berlin
Italy
Egypt--Alamayn
Libya--Tripoli
Tunisia--Tunis
Italy--Sicily
Italy--Pantelleria Island
Russia (Federation)
Russia (Federation)--Smolensk
France--Limoges
Tunisia
Libya
Egypt
North Africa
Ontario
Germany--Ruhr (Region)
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. Coastal Command
Royal Air Force. Fighter Command
Royal Navy
British Army
Royal Air Force. Transport Command
Free French Air Force
Language
A language of the resource
fra
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
48 sheet booklet
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
MRobertsEJH[See#-DoB]-170712-02
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.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Great Britain. Royal Air Force
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Sally Coulter
Conforms To
An established standard to which the described resource conforms.
Pending text-based transcription. Other languages than English
aerial photograph
aircrew
B-17
B-24
B-25
B-26
Beaufighter
Bennett, Donald Clifford Tyndall (1910-1986)
bombing
Boston
Churchill, Winston (1874-1965)
Eder Möhne and Sorpe operation (16–17 May 1943)
Gibson, Guy Penrose (1918-1944)
Halifax
Hudson
Lancaster
Mosquito
P-51
Pathfinders
pilot
propaganda
reconnaissance photograph
Spitfire
Stirling
Sunderland
target indicator
training
Typhoon
York
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1825/33688/SBrennanJ1210913v20005-00080002.2.pdf
3981f4d147217998372766161aef4c5b
Dublin Core
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Title
A name given to the resource
Brennan, Jack
John Brennan
J Brennan
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
2017-04-05
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
Brennan, J
Description
An account of the resource
Twenty-four items.
The collection concerns Sergeant John Brennan DFM (1210913 Royal Air Force) and contains his log book as well as documents including a Goldfish Club certificate, notes from station and squadron operational record book with details of activities and operations, memoirs, newspaper cuttings and correspondence. In addition, contains operation order and other details for 617 Squadron's attack of German dams on 16/17 May 1943.
He flew operations as a wireless operator with 102 and 35 Squadrons.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by T Noble and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
[underlined] MOST SECRET [/underlined]
COPY NO . . . .
[underlined] NO. 5 GROUP OPERATION ORDER NO. B.976 [/underlined]
APPENDIX ‘A’ – ROUTES AND TIMINGS [stamp] TOP SECRET [/stamp]
APPENDIX ‘B’ – SIGNALS PROCEDURE FOR TARGET DIVERSIONS, ETC
APPENDIX ‘C’ – LIGHT AND MOON TABLES
[underlined] INFORMATION [/underlined].
[underlined] General [/underlined].
1. The inhabitants and industry of the Ruhr rely to a very large extent on the enormously costly water barrage dams in the Ruhr District. Destruction of TARGET X alone would bring about a serious shortage of water for drinking purposes and industrial supplies. This shortage might not be immediately apparent but would certainly take effect in the course of a few months. The additional destruction of one or more of the five major dams in the Ruhr Area would greatly increase the effect and hasten the resulting shortage. TARGET Z is next in importance.
2. A substantial amount of damage would be done, and considerable local flooding would be caused immediately consequent on the breach of TARGET X. In fact it might well cause havoc in the Ruhr valley. There would be a large loss of cooling water for the large thermal plants.
3. In the Weser District the destruction of the TARGET Y would seriously hamper transport in the Mittelland Canal and in the Weser, and would probably lead to an almost complete cessation of the great volume of traffic now using these waterways.
4. The reservoirs usually reach their maximum capacity in May or June, after which the level slowly falls.
[underlined] Enemy Defences [/underlined].
5. (a) [underlined] TARGET X [/underlined].
There are three subjects on the crest of the dam which may each be a light A.A. gun. A light 3-gun A.A. position is situated below and to the N. of the dam with a possible searchlight position nearby. A double line boom with timber spreaders is floating on the main reservoir at 100 to 300 feet from the dam. No other A.A. position or defence installation is known.
(b) [underlined] TARGETS Y and Z [/underlined].
Information about the defences of these two dams will be given when P.R.U. sorties have covered these areas. (Information has now been issued).
(c) The last resort targets are unlikely to be defended.
[underlined] INTENTION [/underlined]
6. To breach the following dams in order of priority as listed:
(a) TARGET ‘X’ (GO 939)
(b) TARGET ‘Y’ (GO 934)
(c) TARGET ‘Z’ (GO 960)
(d) Last Resort Targets:-
(i) TARGET ‘D’ (GO 938)
(ii) TARGET ‘E’ (GO 935)
(iii) TARGET ‘F’ (GO 933)
/EXECUTION . . . .
[page break]
[underlined] EXECUTION [/underlined]
[stamp] TOP SECRET [/stamp]
[underlined] Code Name [/underlined].
7. This operation will be known by a code name which will be issued separately.
[underlined] Date of Attack [/underlined].
8. The operation is to take place on the first suitable date after 15th May, 1943.
[underlined] Effort [/underlined].
9. Twenty Special Lancasters from 617 Squadron.
[underlined] Outline Plan [/underlined].
10. The twenty special Lancasters of 617 Squadron are to fly from base to target area and return in moonlight at low level by the routes given in APPENDIX ‘A’. The Squadron is to be divided into three waves, viz:-
(a) [underlined] 1st Wave [/underlined]. Is to consist of three sections, spaced at ten minute intervals, each section consisting of three aircraft. They are to take the Southern route to the target area and attack Target X. the attack is to be continued until the Dam has been clearly breached. It is estimated that this might require three effective attacks. When this has been achieved the leader is to divert the remainder of this wave to Target Y, where similar tactics are to be followed. Should both X and Y be breached any remaining aircraft of this wave are to attack Z.
(b) [underlined] 2nd Wave [/underlined]. Is to consist of five aircraft manned by the specially trained crews who are to take the Northern route to the target, but are to cross the enemy coast at the same time as the leading section of the 1st wave. This 2nd wave are to attack Target Z.
(c) [underlined] 3rd Wave [/underlined]. Is to consist of the remaining aircraft and is to form an airborne reserve under the control of Group H.Q. They are to take the Southern route to the target but their time of take-off is to be such that they may be recalled before crossing the enemy coast if the 1st and 2nd waves have breached all the targets.
Recall will probably not be possible unless the first section of the 1st Wave are at POSITION 51°51’ N., 03°00’E. by Civil Twilight (EVENING) + 30 minutes and the 3rd Wave must be at this position 2 hours 30 minutes later. Orders will be passed to aircraft on the Special Group frequency if possible before they reach the enemy coast instructing them which target they are to attack. Failing receipt of this message aircraft are to proceed to X, Y and finally last resort targets in that order, attacking any which are not breached. Officer Commanding, R.A.F. Station, Scampton, is to arrange for individual aircraft to be detailed to specific last resort targets.
[underlined] Detailed Plan [/underlined].
11. the 1st Wave is to take off in three sections each of three aircraft and fly to the target at low level by the route given in Appendix ‘A’. Sections are to be spaced at intervals of ten minutes and are to fly in open formation. Height is not to exceed 1,500 feet over England. On leaving the English Coast aircraft are to descend to low level and set their altimeters to 60 feet using the Spotlight Altimeter for calibration. The QFF at various stages of the route is to be carefully noted. Aircraft are to remain at low level for the Flight to the target and on the return journey at least until crossing a point 03°00’E.
[page break]
– 3 –
[stamp] TOP SECRET [/stamp]
as low as possible both going in and coming out ever if it is necessary to climb a little later for map reading.
13. On arriving at a point 10 miles from the target the leader of each section is to climb to about 1,000 feet. On seeing this all other aircraft are to listen out on V.H.F. Each aircraft is to call the leader of the Wave on V.H.F. on arriving at the target. Spinning of the special store is to be started ten minutes before each aircraft attacks. The leader is to attack first and is then to control the attacks on TARGETS X and Y by all the other aircraft of the 1st Wave using the Signals procedure given in APPENDIX ‘B’.
14. Number 2 of the leading section of the 1st Wave is to act as deputy leader for the whole of the 1st Wave during the attack on TARGET X. Should the leader fall out No. 2 of the leading section is to take over leadership, and No. 3 deputy leadership, for the attack of TARGET X. For the attack of TARGET Y Number 4 is to take over deputy leadership, or if No. 1 is absent he is to take over leadership, in which event No. 7 is to be the deputy leader. All other aircraft are to return by Route 1, the second three by Route 2 and the last three aircraft of this wave by Route 3.
15. The direction of attack of TARGET X is to be at right angles to the length of the target. The general direction of attack is, therefore, to be S.E. to N.W. Aircraft are not to be diverted to TARGET Y until TARGET X has been breached. If TARGET X is breached, up to two additional aircraft may be used, at the discretion of the leader, to widen the breach in TARGET X provided at least three aircraft are diverted to attack TARGET Y.
16. When TARGET X is seen to be breached beyond all possible doubt the leader is to divert the remainder of the first Wave to TARGET Y by W/T and V.H.F. where similar tactics are to be used for the attack of this target. The general direction of attack of TARGET Y is to be from N.W. to S.E. If target Y is seen to be breached beyond all possible doubt all remaining aircraft of the 1st Wave are to be diverted by the leader to attack TARGET Z independently using the same tactics as the 2nd wave.
18.[sic] For the attacks of both Targets X and Y the special range finder is to be used, the height of attack is to be 60 feet and the ground speed 220 m.p.h.
19. The 2nd Wave is to take off and fly to Target Z at low level by the Northern Route given in Appendix ‘A’. Aircraft are to cross the enemy coast in close concentration, but not in formation, at the same time, although at a different point, as the leading section of the 1st Wave. Aircraft on this Wave sill [sic] be controlled on the alternative V.H.F. channel. The special stores are not to be spun for the attack of Target Z. Aircraft are to attack this target from N.W. to S.E. parallel to the length of the dam and are to aim to hit the water just short of the centre point of the dam about 15 to 20 feet out from the edge of the water. Attacks are to be made from the lowest practicable height at a speed of 180 m.p.h. I.A.S. Aircraft are to return to base independently. First two aircraft by Route 1; second two aircraft by Route 2 and the last by Route 3.
20. The 3rd Wave is to consist of the remaining aircraft and is to form an airborne reserve under the control of Group Headquarters. They are to fly to Target X in close concentration, but not in formation, at low level by the Southern route given in Appendix ‘A’. These aircraft are to be at Position 51°52’ N., 03°00’E. 2 hours 30 minutes after the leading section of the 1st Wave have crossed this point on their outward route to the target. Orders for the 3rd Wave will be passed to all aircraft on the special Group frequency, if possible before they reach the enemy coast, instructing them which target they are to attack. Failing receipt of this message aircraft are to proceed to X, Y and , finally, last resort targets in that order attacking any which are not breached. The 3rd Wave are to use tactics of attack
/similar to those . . .
[page break]
– 4 – [stamp] TOP SECRET [/stamp]
similar to those used by the 1st Wave when attacking Targets X and Y except that attacks on last resort targets are to be made independently. After attacking, aircraft are to return to base independently at low level by any of the three return routes given in Appendix ‘A’. Aircraft attacking early should take Route 1; the next aircraft Route 2 and the last Route 3.
[underlined] Method of Attack [/underlined].
21. Aircraft are to use the method of attack already practiced. The pilot being responsible for line, the Navigator for height, the Air Bomber for range and the Flight Engineer for speed.
22. The interval between attacking aircraft is to be not less than three minutes all targets.
23. On all targets except Target Z each aircraft is to fire a red verey cartridge immediately over the dam during the attack. Aircraft attacking Target Z are each to fire a red verey cartridge as they release their special store.
24. All aircraft are to fly left hand circuits in each target area keeping as low as possible when waiting their turn to attack.
[underlined] Time of Attack [/underlined].
25. The time of attack of each target by each wave is not important to within a few minutes. The time of crossing the enemy coast is, however, all important. ZERO HOUR, which will be given in the executive order, is, therefore to be the time at which the first section of the 1st wave are to be at POSITION 51°52’N., 03°00’E. on the outward route to the target. This time will probably be Civil Twilight (EVENING) + 30 minutes. At this time aircraft of the 2nd Wave should be about Position 53°19’N., 04°00’E.
[underlined] Routes [/underlined].
26. As in Appendix ‘A’.
[underlined] Diversions [/underlined].
27. The whole essence of this operation is surprise, and to avoid bringing enemy defences to an unnecessary degree of alertness, diversionary attacks must be carefully timed. H.Q. B.C. will be asked to arrange the maximum possible diversionary attacks 20 minutes after the leading section of the 1st wave crosses the enemy coast. No diversionary attacks should be despatched which would cross the enemy coast for a period of one hour preceding the 3rd Wave. 15 minutes after the 3rd Wave cross the enemy coast further diversionary attacks should be made at maximum strength and should continue, if possible until the 3rd wave are clear of enemy territory on the return journey. Diversionary attacks below 2,000 ft. should not be made in the area bounded by the points (51°00’N., 03°20’E), (51°20’N., 06°30’E), (51°00’N., 10°00’E.)., 52°00N., 09°00’E.). (53°20’N., 06°00’E.). H.Q. B.C. will also be asked to arrange suitable weather reconnaissance to report in particular on the visibility in the target area at least in sufficient time to recall the Lancasters before they cross the enemy coast if the weather is unsuitable.
[underlined] Armament [/underlined].
28. (a) [underlined] Bomb Load [/underlined]. – Each Lancaster is to carry one special modified store (UPKEEP).
(b) [underlined] Ammunition [/underlined]. – All guns to be loaded with 100 night tracer (G VI).
[underlined] Fuel [/underlined].
29. The Lancasters may take off at a maximum all up weight of 63,000 lbs. at +14 boost. As the modified store now weighs about 9,000 lbs. 1750 gallons of petrol can be carried.
/Navigation . . .
[page break]
– 5 –
[stamp] TOP SECRET [/stamp]
[underlined] Navigation [/underlined].
30. H.Q. B.C. are requested to arrange for the Eastern Chain, Stud 5 to be switched on at Z – 20 minutes and to remain on for the whole of the operation. This should assist in making an accurate landfall on the enemy coast at the correct time.
31. The route is to be carefully studied before flight and the outstanding features, obstructions and pinpoints noted, particularly water pinpoints. E.T.A.’s at each are to be carefully calculated and if any pinpoint is not found on E.T.A. a search is to be made before proceeding to the next pinpoint. Aircraft may climb to 500 feet shortly before reaching each pinpoint if necessary to help map reading.
32. The maximum use is to be made of the Air Position Indicators.
[underlined] Synchronisation of Watches [/underlined].
33. All watches are to be synchronised with B.B.C. time before take off on the day of the operation.
[underlined] Secrecy [/underlined].
34. Secrecy is VITAL. Knowledge of this operation is to be confined to the Station Commander, O.C. 617 Squadron and his two Flight Commanders until receipt of the EXECUTIVE signal. After crews are briefed they are to be impressed with the need for the utmost secrecy because of the possibility that the operation may be postponed should weather reconnaissance prove the weather to be unsuitable.
[underlined] Reports [/underlined].
35. Each aircraft as soon as possible after it has attacked is to report by W/T on the normal Group operational frequency in accordance with APPENDIX ‘B’.
[underlined] Special Devices [/underlined].
36. MANDREL and TINSEL are not fitted.
37. IFF is NOT to be used on the outward journey but normal procedure is to be followed on the homeward flight. Any aircraft returning early is NOT to use IFF except after Z + 30 minutes for the 1st and 2nd Waves and after Z + 3 hours for the 3rd Wave.
[underlined] Nickels [/underlined].
38. nickels are not to be dropped.
[underlined] INTERCOMMUNICATION [/UNDERLINED].
[underlined] Wireless Silence [/underlined].
39. Strict W/T and R/T silence is to be maintained until after Z + 30 minutes for the 1st and 2nd Waves and after Z + 3 hours for the 3rd Wave. Any aircraft returning early is NOT to break W/T or R/T silence and is NOT to identify on MF/DF except after Z + 30 minutes for the 1st and 2nd Waves and after Z + 3 hours for the 3rd Wave. Aircraft returning before that time are to cross the English Coast at 1,500 feet at the point of exit and proceed direct to base or the nearest suitable airfield. Otherwise normal operational signals procedure is to be used except as modified by Appendix ‘B’.
[underlined] MF/DF Section [/underlined].
40. Section D is to be used if required in accordance with Paragraph 39.
/[missing words]
[page break]
– [missing number] –
[stamp] TOP SECRET [/stamp]
[underlined] Executive Order [/underlined].
41. The executive order for the operation will be given by EXECUTIVE followed by the code word allotted, the date on which the operation is to take place and the time of Zero Hour in British Double Summer Time.
42. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT BY TELEPRINTER.
(Sgd.) H.V. SATTERLY C/C
Senior Air Staff Officer,
No. 5 Group,
[underlined] Royal Air Force [/underlined].
Ref:- 5G/101/54/Air.
[underlined] Date:- 16th May, 1943 [/underlined].
[underlined] DISTRIBUTION [/underlined]
[underlined] External [/underlined]. – [underlined] Copy No [/underlined].
Group Captain J.N.H. Whitworth, DSO., DFC. – 1 and 2.
Headquarters, Bomber Command. (Deputy C.-in-C. personally, or in his absence, Group Captain N.W.D. Marwood-Elton, D.F.C.). – 3, 4 and 5.
[underlined] Internal [/underlined].
Action Copy (Ops. II). – 6 } – Not to be issued until after despatch of Executive Signal.
C.S.O. – 7 }
File. – 8 }
Spares. – 9, 10, 11, and 12. }
[page break]
[map]
[underlined] ROUTES FOLLOWED [/underlined]
[page break]
[map]
[page break]
[inserted] Red I
Grey II
White III [/inserted]
[underlined] No. 617 SQUADRON NIGHT FLYING PROGRAMME 16.5.43. [/underlined]
[table, annotated]
No. – A/C. – Captain. – F/Engr. – Navigator. – [missing letter]/Optr. – A/Bomber. – Front Gunner. – Rear Gunner.
1. – G. – W/CDR. GIBSON. – SGT. PULFORD. – P/O. TAERUM – F/LT. HUTCHISON. – P/O SPAFFORD. – F/SGT. DEERING. – F/LT. TREVOR-ROPER – III – 0415
2. – [deleted] M. – F/LT. HOPGOOD [/deleted] – SGT. BRENNAN. – F/O. EARNSHAW. – SGT. MINCHIN. – F/SGT. FRASER. – P/O. GREGORY. – F/O. BURCHER. – II
3. – P. – F/LT. MARTIN. – P/O. WHITTAKER. – F/LT. LEGGO. – F/O. CHAMBERS. – F/LT. HAY – P/O. FOXLEE. – F/SGT. SIMPSON. – II – 0319
4. – A – [deleted] S/LDR. YOUNG. [/deleted] – SGT. HORSFALL. – SGT. ROBERTS. – SGT. NICHOLS. – F/O. MacCAUSLAND – SGT. YEO. – SGT. IBBOTSON. – III
5. – J. – F/LT. MALTBY. – SGT. HATTON. – SGT. NICHOLSON. – SGT. STONE. – P/O. FORT. – SGT. HILL. – SGT. SIMMONDS. – II – 0311
6. – L. – F/LT. SHANNON. – SGT. HENDERSON. – F/O. WALKER. – F/O. GOODALE. – F/SGT. SUMPTER. – SGT. JAGGER. – P/O. BUCKLEY. – II – 0406
7. – [deleted] Z. – S/LDR. MAUDSLAY. [/deleted] – SGT. MARRIOTT. – F/O. URQUHART. – SGT. COTTAM. – P/O. FULLER. – F/O. TYTHERLEIGH. – SGT. BURROWS. – III
8. – [deleted] B. – F/LT. ASTELL. [/deleted] – SGT. KINNEAR. – P/O. WILE. – SGT. GARSHOWITZ. – F/O. HOPKINSON. – SGT. GARBAS. – SGT. BOLITHO. – III
9. – N. – P/O. KNIGHT. – SGT. GRAYSTON. – F/O. HOBDAY. – F/SGT. KELLOW. – P/O. JOHNSON. – SGT. SUTHERLAND. – SGT. O’BRIEN. – III – 0420
10. – W. – F/LT. MUNRO. – SGT. APPLEBY. – F/O. RUMBSES. [sic] – SGT. PIGEON. – SGT. CLAY. – SGT. HOWARTH. – F/SGT. WEEKS. – I – 0036
11. – C. – F/LT. McCARTHY. – SGT. RADCLIFFE. – F/SGT. McLEAN. – SGT. EATON. – SGT. JOHNSON. – SGT. BATSON. – F/O. RODGER. – I – 0323
12. – H. – P/O. RICE. – SGT. SMITH. – P/O. MacFARLANE. – SGT. GOWRIE. – F/SGT. THRASHER. – SGT. MAYNARD. – SGT. BURNS. – I – 0047
13. – [deleted] K. – SGT. BYERS. [/deleted] – SGT. TAYLOR. – P/O. WARNER. – SGT. WILKINSON. – SGT. WHITAKER. – SGT. JARVIE. – SGT. McDOWELL. – I
14. – [deleted] E. – F/LT. BARLOW. [/deleted] – SGT. WHILLIS. – F/O. BURGESS. – F/O. WILLIAMS. – SGT. GILLESPIE. – F/O. GLINZ. – SGT. LIDDELL. – I
15. – [deleted] C. – P/O. OTTLEY. [/deleted] – SGT. MARSDEN. – F/O. BARRETT. – SGT. GUTERMAN. – F/SGT. JOHNSON. – SGT. TEES. – SGT. STRANGE. – III
16. – [deleted] S. – P/O. BURPEE. [/deleted] – SGT. PEGLER. – SGT. JAYE. – P/O. WELLER. – SGT. ARTHUR. – SGT. LONG. – F/SGT. BRADY. – III – [symbol]
17. – O. – F/SGT. TOWNSEND. – SGT. POWELL. – P/O. HOWARD. – F/SGT. CHALMERS. – SGT. FRANKLIN. – SGT. WEBB. – SGT. WILKINSON. – III – [symbol]
18. – F. – F/SGT. BROWN. – SGT. FENERON. – SGT. HEAL. – SGT. HEWSTONE. – SGT. OANCIA. – SGT. ALLATSON. – F/SGT. McDONALD. – II – [symbol]
19. – Y. – F/SGT. ANDERSON. – SGT. PATERSON. – SGT. NUGENT. – SGT. BICKLE. – SGT. GREEN. – SGT. EWAN. – SGT. BUCK. – II – [symbol]
[inserted] Collection WBI. /inserted]
[/table, annotated]
(SEE OVER)
[page break]
[underlined] No. 617 SQUADRON. NIGHT FLYING PROGRAMME 16.5.43. [/underlined]
No. – A/C – Captain – F/Engr – Navigator – W/Optr – A/Bomber – Front Gunner – Rear Gunner
1. – G. – W/CDR. GIBSON. – SGT. PULFORD. – P/O. TAERUM – F/LT. HUTCHISON. – P/O SPAFFORD. – F/SGT. DEERING. – F/LT. TREVOR-ROPER
2. – M. – F/LT. HOPGOOD – SGT. BRENNAN. – F/O. EARNSHAW. – SGT. MINCHIN. – P/O. FRASER. [symbol] – P/O. GREGORY. – F/O. BURCHER. [symbol]
3. – P. – F/LT. MARTIN. [symbol] – P/O. WHITTAKER. [symbol] – F/LT. LEGGO. [symbol] – F/O. CHAMBERS. [symbol] – F/LT. HAY – P/O. FOXLEE. [symbol] – F/SGT. SIMPSON. [symbol]
4. – A – S/LDR. YOUNG. – SGT. HORSFALL. – SGT. ROBERTS. – SGT. NICHOLS. – F/O. MACCAUSL’D – SGT. YEO. – SGT. IBBOTSON.
5. – J. – F/LT. MALTBY. – SGT. HATTON. – SGT. NICHOLSON. – SGT. STONE. – P/O. FORT. – F/SGT. HILL. – SGT. SIMMONDS.
6. – L. – F/LT. SHANNON. [symbol] – SGT. HENDERSON. [symbol] – F/O. WALKER. [symbol] – F/O. GOODALE. [symbol] – F/SGT. SUMPTER. [symbol] – SGT. JAGGER. – P/O. BUCKLEY. [symbol]
7. – Z. – S/LDR. MAUDSLAY. – SGT. MARRIOTT. – F/O. URQUHART. – SGT. COTTAM. – P/O. FULLER. – F/O. TYTHERL’GH. – SGT. BURROWS.
8. – B. – F/LT. ASTELL. – SGT. KINNEAR. – P/O. WILE. – SGT. GARSHOWITZ. – F/O. HOPKINSON. – SGT. GARBAS. – SGT. BOLITHO.
9. – N. – F/LT. KNIGHT. – SGT. GRAYSTON. [symbol] – F/O. HOBDAY. [symbol] – SGT. KELLOW. [symbol] – P/O. JOHNSON. [symbol] – SGT. SUTHERLAND. [symbol] – SGT. O’BRIEN. [symbol]
10. – W. – F/LT. MUNRO. [symbol] – SGT. APPLEBY. [symbol] – F/O. RUMBLES. [symbol] – SGT. PIGEON. [symbol] – SGT. CLAY. [symbol] – SGT. HOWARTH. [symbol] – F/SGT. WEEKS. [symbol]
11. – Q. – F/LT. McCARTHY. [symbol] – SGT. RADCLIFFE. [symbol] – F/SGT. McLEAN. [symbol] – SGT. EATON. [symbol] – SGT. JOHNSON. [symbol] – SGT. BATSON. [symbol] – F/O. RODGER. [symbol]
12. – H. – P/O. RICE. [symbol] – SGT. SMITH. – P/O. MACFARLANE. – SGT. GOWRIE. – F/SGT. THRASHER. – SGT. MAYNARD. – SGT. BURNS.
13. – K. – SGT. BYERS. – SGT. TAYLOR. – P/O. WARNER. – SGT. WILKINSON. – SGT. WHITAKER. – SGT. JARVIE. – SGT. McDOWELL.
14. – E. – F/LT. BARLOW. – SGT. WHILLIS. – F/O. BURGESS. – F/O. WILLIAMS. – SGT. GILLESPIE. – F/O. GLINZ. – SGT. LIDDELL.
15. – C. – P/O. OTTLEY. – SGT. MARSDEN. – F/O. BARRETT. – SGT. GUTERMAN. – F/SGT. JOHNSON. – F/SGT. TEES. [symbol] – SGT. STRANGE.
16. – S. – P/O. BURPEE. – SGT. PEGLER. – SGT. JAYE. – P/O. WELLER. – SGT. ARTHUR. – SGT. LONG. – F/SGT. BRADY.
17. – O. – F/SGT. TOWNSEND. [symbol] – SGT. POWELL. – P/O. HOWARD. [symbol] – F/SGT. CHALMERS. [symbol] – SGT. FRANKLIN. [symbol] – SGT. WEBB. [symbol] – SGT. WILKINSON. [symbol]
18. – F. – F/SGT. BROWN. [symbol] – SGT. FENERON. [symbol] – SGT. HEAL. [symbol] – SGT. HEWSTONE. [symbol] – SGT. OANCIA. [symbol] – SGT. ALLATSON. – F/SGT. MacDONALD. [symbol]
19. – Y. – F/SGT. ANDERSON. – SGT. PATERSON. – SGT. NUGENT. – SGT. BICKLE. – SGT. GREEN. – SGT. EWAN. – SGT. BUCK.
[symbol] SURVIVED THE WAR.
[page break]
[sketch]
[page break]
OPERATIONS RECORD BOOK
DETAIL OF WORK CARRIED OUT
By No. 617 Squadron. [underlined] SECRET [/underlined] Page No
For the Month of May 1943.
Aircraft Type & Number – Crew – Duty – Time, Up – Down – Details of Sortie or Flight – Notes
[underlined] SUMMARY OF OPERATION CARRIED OUT BY SQUADRON ON 16/17th. May, 1943. [/underlined]
On the night of 16/17th. May, 1943, nineteen aircraft of No. 617 Squadron took off to breach a number of important Dams in and around the Ruhr area. There were three primary targets, namely the Mohne, the Eder and the Sorpe Dams, and three alternative targets, the Lister, the Ennerpe [sic] and the Diemel Dams.
The Squadron trained for six weeks, paying particular attention to map reading and accurate low level bombing.
The attack was divided into three waves. The first wave of 9 aircraft subdivided into three sections of three aircraft each, took off at 10 minute intervals, in perfectly clear weather, and with a full moon to assist them. They were detailed for the Mohne and the Eder Dams, in that order of priority. The second wave, consisting of five aircraft, took off to attack the Sorpe Dam, taking a different route, but timed to cross the enemy coast at the same time as, though at different points from, the leading section of the first wave. The third wave, consisting of the remaining five aircraft, formed an air bomb reserve and took off three hours later, each detailed for one of the alternate targets, and all detailed to be prepared to attack the Mohne or Eder Dams in the absence of any direct orders in the air to carry on to the alternative targets.
Wing Commander Gibson, on route to the target leading the first section of the first wave, met about twelve searchlights, and some concentrated light flak at the lakes 10 miles N.E. of Haltern, which was reported to Group by W/T, and passed by Group to all the other aircraft. On arrival at a point 10 miles from the Mohne Dam, the formation went over to R/T control, and each individual attack was controlled by W/Cdr. Gibson. There were between seven and ten light flak guns around the target, believed to be mainly 20 mm. One or two were located on the Dam itself, and there were two positions on the N bank of the Lake on each side of the Dam. W/Cdr. Gibson attacked first and dropped his load accurately. Four other aircraft then attacked under his control, one of which was seen to be hit by light flak during its run up, and overshot with its load. The Dam was seen to breach on the fifth attack, and this was reported to 5 Group by W/T. The remaining four aircraft were then diverted to the Eder Dam, one of these however had been shot down on the way to the target, and only three attacked. One load was seen to overshoot, and this Dam was seen to breach, after two successful attacks. This fact was also reported by W/T to Group Headquarters.
Of the five aircraft detailed to attack the Sorpe Dam, two returned early, one is known to have attacked, and two are missing without trace. A sixth aircraft from the mobile reserve was also detailed by W/T. to attack the target, and did so successfully. The two aircraft attacking both reported that the crest of the Dam was seen to crumble for some considerable distance.
Two of the remaining four aircraft of the mobile reserve were detailed to attack the Sorpe Dam, one attacked successfully and one is missing, and it is believed did not attack. The fourth aircraft was detailed by W/T. to attack the Lister Dam, and acknowledged the order. There is no further trace of him, and it is not known if he attacked it. The fifth aircraft successfully attacked the Dam at Enneppe.
The most important consequence of this operation is that the Ruhr industries will be deprived of a great deal of their industrial water for the coming summer. The immediate [sic] of the floods from the two Dams breached was to cause devastation and disruption throughout the valley of the Ruhr as far [inserted] as [/inserted] Duisburg, and serious flooding below the Eder Dam at Kassel, and other places down the Weser Valley.
Date – Time – Summary of Events [underlined] SECRET. [/underlined] – References to Appendices
15.5.43 – P/O. A.M. WHITTAKER SD (A/5) reposted to Squadron on appointment to commission. (144777)
P/O S.L. WHILLIS 144619 SD(F/E) reposted to the Squadron on appointment to commission.
Flying Training prior to operations completed to-day.
16.5.43. – A special operation for which this Squadron has been training so hard was carried out.
The target was the three great German Dams, the Eder, the Möhne and the Sorpe. 19 aircraft took off to attack the target, and of these, 8 failed to return. The attack was an outstanding success in spite of these losses, and the Eder and the Mohne Dams were definitely breached, and the Sorpe damaged.
13.5.43. – Today, the Air Officer Commanding No.5 Group addressed all personnel of this Squadron.
After his address, all aircrew proceeded on 7 days leave, and ground crew, with the exception of a few personnel remaining as a [indecipherable word] staff, were given 3 days.
P/O. MCCLEAN D.A. J.17476 reposted to Squadron on appointment to commission.
P/O. G.A. DEERING J.17245 reposted to squadron on appointment to commission.
F/LT. D.J.MALTBY(60335) [deleted word] D.F.C., GD. Granted acting rank of Squadron Leader [deleted word].
19.5.43 – 568102 SGT. DENHAM R.B. Fit/Arm. posted to No.1.A.A.S.
20.5.43 – 1539602 SGT. WILLIAMS A. A/G. ceased attachment to A.C.R.S. Brighton.
F/L. ALLSEBROOK AND CREW+ posted to Squadron.
24.5.43 – His Majesty the King approved the following immediate Awards for the squadron operation on the German Dams. :- [underlined] VICTORIA CROSS. [/underlined] WING COMMANDER G.P. GIBSON D.S.O. [deleted word], D.F.C. [deleted word]
[underlined] C.G.M. [/underlined] F/SGT. K.W. BROWN. F/SGT. W.C. TOWNSEND. [underlined] D.S.O. [/underlined] F/L. D.J. SHANNON D.F.C.,
F/LT. J.C. MCCARTHY DFC. P/O. L.G. KNIGHT. S/LDR D.J.H. MALTBY DFC.,
F/LT. N.B. MARTIN DFC. [underlined] BAR TO D.F.C., [/underlined] F/O. D.R. WALKER DFC. F/L. R.E.F. HUTCHISON DFC
F/L. J.F. LEGGO DFC., F/L. R.C. HAY DFC., [underlined] D.F.C., [/underlined] F/O. L. CHAMBERS.
P/O. C.L. HOWARD. P/O. G.A. DEERING. P/O. H.T. TAERUM. P/O. F.M. SPAFFORD. [inserted] D.F.M. [/inserted]
F/LT. TREVOR-ROPER DFM. P/O. J. FORT. F/O. H.S. HOBDAY. F/O. E.C. JOHNSON
[page break]
THE LONDON GAZETTE 28 MAY 43.
[indecipherable word] Wing Commander Guy Penrose GIBSON, DSO, DFC, Reserve of Air Force Officers, No. 617 Squadron.
This officer served as a night bomber pilot at the beginning of the war and quickly established a reputation as an outstanding operational pilot. In addition to taking the fullest possible share in all normal operations he made single handed attacks during his ‘rest’ nights on such highly defended objectives as the German battleship TIRPITZ, then completing in WILHELMSHAVEN.
When his tour of operational duty was concluded, he asked for a further operational posting and went to a night-fighter unit instead of being posted for instructional duties. In the course of his second [missing letter]our, he destroyed at least three enemy bombers and contributed much to the raising and development of new night fighter formations.
After a short period in a training unit he again volunteered for operational duties and returned to night bombers. Both as an operational pilot and as a leader of his squadron, he achieved outstandingly successful results and his personal courage knew no bounds. BERLIN, COLOGNE, [indecipherable words], MILAN, NUREMBURG, and STUTTGART were among the targets he attacked by day and by night.
On conclusion of his third operational tour, wing Commander GIBSON pressed strongly to be allowed to remain on operations and he was selected to command a squadron then forming for special tasks. Under his inspiring leadership, this squadron has now executed one of the most devastating attacks of the war – the breaching of the MOHNE and EDER dams.
The task was frought [sic] with danger and difficulty. Wing Commander GIBSON personally made the initial attack on the MOHNE dam. Descending to within a few feet of the water and taking the full brunt of the anti-aircraft defences he delivered his attack with great accuracy. Afterwards he circled very low for thirty minutes drawing the enemy fire on himself in order to leave as free a run as possible for the following aircraft which were attacking the dam in turn
Wing Commander GIBSON then led the remainder of the force to the EDER DAM where, with complete disregard for his own safety he repeated his tactics, and once more drew on himself the enemy fire [symbol] [indecipherable] the attack would be successfully developed.
Wing Commander GIBSON has completed 170 sorties involving more than 600 hours operational flying. [indecipherable word] his operational career, prolonged exceptionally at his own request, he has shown leadership, determination and valour of the highest order.
(SEE OVER)
[page break]
THE LONDON GAZETTE. 28th. MAY 1943.
Acting Wing Commander Guy Penrose GIBSON, DSO, DFC, Reserve of Air Force Officers, No. 617 Squadron.
This officer served as a night bomber pilot at the beginning of the war and quickly established a reputation as an outstanding operational pilot. In addition to taking the fullest possible share in all normal operations he made single handed attacks during his “Rest” nights on such highly defended objectives as the German Battleship TIRPITZ then completing in WILHELMSHAVEN.
When his tour of operational duty was concluded, he asked for a further operational posting and went to a night-fighter unit instead of being posted for instructional duties. In the course of his second Tour, he destroyed at least three enemy bombers and contributed much to the raising and development of new night fighter formations.
After a short period in a training unit he again volunteered for operational duties and returned to night bombers. Both as an operational pilot and as a leader of his squadron, he achieved outstandingly successful results and his personal courage knew on bounds. BERLIN, COLOGNE, DANSIG, GYDNIA, GEMOA, Le CREUSOT, MILAN, NUREMBURG and STUTTGART were among the targets he attacked by day and night.
On conclusion of his third operational tour, Wing Commander GIBSON pressed strongly to be allowed to remain on operations and he was selected to command a Squadron then forming for special tasks. Under his inspiring leadership, this squadron has now executed one of the most devastating attacks of the war, the breaching of the MOHNE and EDER dams
The task was frought [sic] with danger and difficulty. Wing Commander GIBSON personally made the initial attack on the MOHNE dam. Descending to within a few feet of the water and taking the full brunt of the anti-aircraft defences, he delivered his attack with great accuracy. Afterwards he circle [sic] low for thirty minutes drawing the enemy fire on himself in order to leave as free a run as possible for the following aircraft which were attacking the dam in turn.
Wing Commander GIBSON then led the remainder of his force to the EDER dam where, with complere [sic] disregard for his own safety, he repeated his tactics and once more drew on himself the enemy so that the attack would be successfully developed.
Wing Commander GIBSON has completed 170 sorties involving more than 600 hours operational flying, throughout his operational career, prolonged exceptionally at his own request, he has show [sic] leadership, determination and valour of the highest order.
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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Operation order for Eder, Möhne and Sorpe operation and other details
Description
An account of the resource
5 Group operation order No B.976. Provides explanation for attack on Ruhr Dams, enemy defences, 20 special Lancaster from 617 Squadron, routes to be flown by all three waves. Goes on with detailed plan of attack, method and timing. Continues with diversions, armament all fitted with UPKEEP bombs, fuel, navigation, secrecy, reports, special devices, intercommunication details and other orders. Maps of routes, 617 Squadron night flying programme for night 16 May 1943 with crews listed. Diagram of attack against dams. Extract from operations record book for month of May 1943 with summary of operation carried out by squadron 16/17 May 1943. Extract from London Gazette citation for Guy Gibson giving details of his service career and accomplishments.
Creator
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H V Satterly
Date
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1943-05-16
1943-05-28
Temporal Coverage
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1943-05-16
1943-05-17
1943-05-28
Spatial Coverage
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Germany--Eder Dam
Germany--Sorpe Dam
Germany--Möhne River Dam
Germany
Germany--Ruhr (Region)
Coverage
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Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Language
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eng
Type
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Text
Map
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Format
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Fourteen pages of photocopied printed and typewritten documents
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SBrennanJ1210913v20005-00080002
Publisher
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IBCC Digital Archive
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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.
Contributor
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Steve Baldwin
5 Group
617 Squadron
bombing
bouncing bomb
Eder Möhne and Sorpe operation (16–17 May 1943)
Gibson, Guy Penrose (1918-1944)
Lancaster
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1762/30389/PSmithJJ2001.2.jpg
5af2792c8819245dd9c0ec38c9afc30c
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1762/30389/ASmithJJ201227.2.mp3
0a602ddff875a9df408937afc9059a58
Dublin Core
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Title
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Smith, John James
Jim Smith
J J Smith
Description
An account of the resource
An oral history interview with Jim Smith (b. 1929, 2481850 Royal Air Force).
The collection was catalogued by IBCC Digital Archive staff.
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IBCC Digital Archive
Date
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2020-12-27
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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.
Identifier
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Smith, JJ
Transcribed audio recording
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Transcription
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NM: So, my name is Nigel Moore. I’m recording this interview on behalf of the International Bomber Command Centre in Lincoln. It’s Sunday the 27th of December and I’m in my house in Bushey, Hertfordshire. I’m going to be interviewing John James Smith, known as Jim who happens also to be my father in law. Jim was born in February 1929 in the village of Gretton where he still lives. Gretton is in the northern part of Northamptonshire and very close to the border with Rutland and Leicestershire. It is also located at the top of the southern escarpment overlooking the valley of the River Welland. So, Jim, tell me about the first ten years of your life before the war. What was life like in the village?
JS: Very quiet. You know it was a small village. Only about six hundred people and we just carried on a farming life really. Though with Corby so close Corby was a steel town making tubes. In fact, it made the tubes for the Pluto and most of the men either worked on the farm or at Corby in the steelworks.
NM: So, what about schooling in your family?
JS: Well, we all went to Gretton Primary School and at thirteen, I got a scholarship to go to the Corby Technical College which is about five miles away. Used to have to cycle that every day. Night, night, night and morning.
NM: So, what, what, what changed in village life when war broke out? Because you, you were ten when war broke out
JS: Yes, well —
NM: What changed?
JS: Well, suddenly about forty children came on the train from London and they all went, issued out to various people. And the people opposite us, an elderly woman she had two boys and she said, ‘Oh, no. I want two girls.’ But she had to have two boys. Two boys. And these children hadn’t seen any green fields at all. They came from inner London and hadn’t seen the countryside at all and the first night, first day the two, two boys went down to the river and on the way they came to across a field of sheep and it started to rain. So they tried to get the sheep to go in the hovel but the sheep wouldn’t cooperate with them so they took their coats off and put them over two sheep, two of the sheep and got wet through themselves. They came back up and the woman said, ‘Where are your clothes?’ They said, ‘Oh, we couldn’t get the sheep to go in the sheds so we put our coats on the sheep.’
NM: So, did, did you village children mix at all with the evacuees?
JS: Yes. We did. Yes. They brought two, two teachers with them but one of them quickly disappeared and the other one he was a bit odd. He used to cycle around the village with his tin helmet on and his trilby on top of that and he was an odd sort of a character he was. So we suddenly had these thirty or forty children came into the school and of course we, our education suffered. And the men in the village came up to the school and dug trenches in the garden so we would have somewhere to go when, when the air raids started but of course we never, never went in the trenches at all and we all, the school issued, was the issuing centre for the gas masks. So we all had our gas masks from there and most of the people in Gretton had their gas masks from there as well. And the children, the very small children had a container with the, they put the children in and that was their gas masks.
NM: So did you all have air raid drills at school?
JS: Not really. No. We, they built blast walls around the cloakrooms and we went and sat in there but they were the only air raid precautions we took.
NM: Did you get the Anderson shelters to dig in your gardens?
JS: No. But there was a few in the village and they, they built above ground shelters but nobody ever used them. We used, we used to sit under the table downstairs during the alarms, when the alarm went off. And we had two radio, aircraft air raid sirens. One was at Uppingham which was always going off that was. We didn’t take any notice of that one. And then the one at Corby and we always took notice when that went off. But there were some ack ack guns at Corby. But they only fired about once or twice. Corby itself was a steel town and had Bessemer converters which were open to the skies and it’s a wonder really that they didn’t come and bomb them. But we had smoke cannisters all around Corby and they were lit and the smoke came out when the air raid sirens went.
NM: So, were there air raid wardens in the village?
JS: Yes.
NM: Firewatchers.
JS: Yes. Fire watchers. My father was an auxiliary policeman and there used to be about four or five of those used to walk around the village every night telling people to put the fire, put the light out if their blackout curtains weren’t good.
NM: Can you remember the night that Coventry was bombed in November 1940?
JS: Yes. We, we could see this glow in the sky and we wondered what it was. The planes were droning over us and in fact one was shot down but you could see the clouds of, well the sky was lit up with the explosions over Coventry and this plane was shot down by a Defiant and it was shot down over the village. We were outside and we saw all these tracers going over and in to the German plane and that landed, well crashed about five miles away at another village. All the people were killed in it.
NM: So, at this point you weren’t under the table in the kitchen then.
JS: No.
NM: You were out watching.
JS: That’s it [laughs] it was mid-evening that was. So it wasn’t, we hadn’t got up and gone under the table. We were standing outside and you could hear the drone, the planes droning over all night long. But that was the only action we saw.
NM: Were you aware that night that it was Coventry?
JS: No. No. We didn’t know what it was. We could see this glow in the sky and we didn’t, somebody said, ‘Somebody’s getting it.’ And we didn’t know who it was. But I had an uncle. He lived in Coventry and he said they went out and stood on a hill overlooking the town, city and they saw this parachute coming down and three or four of them said, ‘We’ll go and get him.’ And they went running towards it and suddenly found themselves on their back. It was a land mine. But no, it was very disappointing the next morning. Very depressed to see the city in ruins.
NM: So, you saw German aircraft that night.
JS: Yeah.
NM: What about other occasions during the war? Did you see any German aircraft at all during the war?
JS: Well, we didn’t, no. There was a lone raider, raider came over during the day and that machine gunned some farmers in the, in the valley but it was shot down near Peterborough. And one night we were all laid in bed and we could hear this plane going over and mother was saying, ‘That’s one of theirs.’ And father said, ‘No, it’s not. It’s one of ours.’ All of a sudden the bedroom lit up and he dropped about forty incendiaries in the valley below us and luckily all in the fields. If that had dropped on Gretton which had a lot of thatched cottages it would have been really serious. But the next morning I rode down to the valley to the site and collected a lot of bits of incendiary bombs. I’ve still got one somewhere in the house.
NM: So, were you the only child there or did you all, all the boys —
JS: No.
NM: From the village go down and all the girls as well?
JS: There were a lot of boys went down but you know it was scattered over two or three fields and we collected all the bombs, bomb bits we could find. All the fins at the bottom of the bombs. Some of the, one or two of them fell in the river itself but they didn’t go off. Or didn’t do any damage.
NM: So, did the Corby steelworks themselves get any damage at all during the war?
JS: No. That was very lucky really. No. Only once. Had got a new post office in Corby which hadn’t been opened and the bomb, one bomber came over dropped a series of bombs and one of them dropped outside the Post Office and opened the Post Office up for them. But the steelworks itself didn’t have a bomb dropped on it at all which was unusual because, you know these Bessemer converters going straight to the sky.
NM: Was there an occasion when one crashed in to the steelworks?
JS: That was an American.
NM: Oh, ok.
JS: A Lightning which, at that time I’d gone to the Corby College and we were at lunchtime and we heard this bang and looked up and the Lightning was coming down. Falling out of the sky. The pilot had parachuted out and it fell on, fell on the steelworks but fell in place with nothing there. Didn’t do any damage. And the pilot, he landed at Great Oakley which was about three or four miles away.
NM: So you’ve no idea why. Why he crashed.
JS: No. No. The plane exploded. Came from [pause] what is it? I can’t think. I can’t. About, an airfield about five miles away. We were surrounded by airfields. American and British.
NM: Yeah. So, in fact, the nearby airfields to Gretton were Cottesmore, Wittering.
JS: Yeah.
NM: North Luffenham and Spanhoe.
JS: Yeah.
NM: Can you give some description of the aircraft traffic you saw during the war? Those airfields.
JS: In the early days of the war they, at North Luffenham and Cottesmore they’d got Lancasters. No. Hampdens and Whitworths and they came over. Took a long time to get over from one side of the, one side of the sky to the other. Just limped over but we didn’t really see many. We saw more of the Yanks when they came to Spanhoe and they had gliders there and they used to take them up. When they got over Gretton they used to let them go and the gliders used to glide down to Spanhoe Airfield. And during, during the D-Day landings and also during Arnhem the roads were all closed round, around Spanhoe and we saw the gliders going off and saw masses of Flying Fortresses from various airfields, you know. Quite a few airfields and Flying Fortresses. One Sunday morning I was at work and suddenly there was a big explosion and one of the Flying Fortresses had failed to take off. All the crew got out, got out and the plane exploded and that evening I cycled over to Deenethorpe which was the airfield and got a belt of .5 ammunition. The police were there but they didn’t say anything to us. I flew away with, I come away with about a dozen .5 ammunition which my father took the bullets out, tipped the gunpowder out and lit that and that just flared and then he put the cartridges in a fire and they went all they detonated. Blew up then. So that was only the only real excitement we had.
NM: So, can I take you back to Spring of 1943 when the Lancasters with 617 Squadron were practicing —
JS: Oh yes.
NM: Over the Eye Brook.
JS: Yeah.
NM: Although, of course you didn’t know who they were at the time.
JS: We didn’t, we didn’t know what it was even. We didn’t know there was a reservoir there but you know in those days we didn’t know what was happening in the next village let alone five or six miles away. We could see these Lancasters coming low over about five miles away and as they come over they fired Very lights at them and we certainly knew afterwards that they’d been practicing at the Eye Brook Reservoir for the Dambusters. That was one of the two reservoirs they trained at.
NM: So, how often did you see them? Was it frequent or was it —
JS: Well, we saw them for about a week. Every night for a week or so and then suddenly they stopped and we realised afterwards what they were all about.
NM: So, they’d come over at night would they?
JS: Well, it was, it was dusk sort of thing. We could see them. That was the other side of the valley from us. So we could see them coming over and these Very lights being fired as they went over.
NM: So, moving back to 1944 again and D-Day and Arnhem. Did you see the gliders go off as it were?
JS: Yes.
NM: [unclear]
JS: We saw a lot of gliders going off. We didn’t know anything about it off course until afterwards. All the roads were closed and you weren’t allowed anywhere near Spanhoe. And the gliders went off and of course they didn’t come back, a lot of them. There’s a memorial at Spanhoe showing all the people who died on the various raids. On various operations that took part.
NM: It must have been an impressive sight. Was it?
JS: Yes. It was. Yes. Most impressive was the Flying Fortresses. Masses of them going over. I don’t, as I say there were four or five aerodromes around us and there were masses of these Flying Fortresses flying over. We didn’t, didn’t know at the time what it was all about but you soon found out of course.
NM: Now, during the war of course you went from being a ten year old schoolboy to sixteen by the end of the war. So, tell me —
JS: Yeah.
NM: Tell me about your development during, during those six years.
JS: Well, at thirteen I left Gretton and went to Corby Engineering College and I used to have to cycle there morning and evening. We didn’t see a lot. We saw all these smoke cannisters but never saw them lit. But one night, one evening when I came home from school the ground was covered in these plastic, white plastic pictures of foil. We didn’t know what that was about but of course it was practising the radar and they were all over the place they were. Had bits of foil all over the hedges everywhere.
NM: So, this was Window was it?
JS: Yeah. Windows. Yeah.
NM: So, at Technical College you were training for what? What was your —
JS: Engineering training.
NM: Engineering training.
JS: Yeah. Yeah. And of course, most of the people there went in to the steelworks or part of the steelworks.
NM: So, by the end of the war you were still going to that Technical College.
JS: Yes.
NM: What, what can you remember about VE Day itself? What happened in the village? How did you feel about it all?
JS: Well, everybody was very pleased of course and they had a big bonfire in one of the fields and a greasy pole. I’ll always remember that because most of the men would try and climb up this greasy pole and not succeeding. And in the end they pushed this chap up with two poles under his feet. And when he got to the top and got the flag he got a small pig and piglet and that’s the only real thing I can remember really about the VE Day.
NM: So after the end of the war I know you did National Service. What happened between you, the end of the war and you doing your National Service?
JS: Well, there was one other thing with regard to the Americans they decided, well with their, with our Army cadets they said they’d take us all up. And they took two Dakotas. We sat in the Dakotas. No seats of course. We sat on the floor and they took us up on one Sunday afternoon for about half an hour and flew around and then we had our tea up there. Had cakes which I hadn’t seen before and it was very very very good of them. And then when the rationing was on you had to cycle to Corby every Saturday and get cakes which weren’t available in the village.
NM: Was there any other impact of rationing on, on the village life?
JS: Well —
NM: Were allotments and home grown —
JS: Yes.
NM: And all that?
JS: There were a lot of allotments there taken over. My father had what? A ten pole. Twenty pole. Which was quite a big bit to dig and grow mainly potatoes. And then we had a Pig Club in the village and well a lot of people kept a pig in the back garden and every Sunday they used to go around looking at everybody’s pig and having a drink in everybody’s cottage and they finished up finally the worse for wear. My grandfather, he kept a pig and as I said we had some people from, lived in Coventry and when they used to come down my father, my grandfather used to hang their hams up in the, in the living room and when they, when they came down from Coventry they always wanted to take one of the hams back. So, in the end when he knew they were coming he used to take his hams down and hide them in the other room.
NM: So, when did you graduate from Technical College?
JS: Well, when I was fifteen, fifteen and a half, sixteen and started work straight away and spent five years as an apprentice. And at the end of the five years, on my twenty first birthday when I got on top rate of, for the money I had my calling up papers. I always remember when I started as an apprentice. I got twenty nine and nine pence a week for forty seven hours and when I’d just got on top rate, on the same day I got my call up papers to go on National Service and spent two years, well eighteen months but due, due to the crisis, Suez I think it was it put up two years. But I, I was lucky. I got posted to an aerodrome near Rugby which was only about forty miles away and I used to come home every weekend.
NM: So, you did your National Service with the RAF.
JS: Yeah.
NM: From 1950 then when you were twenty one.
JS: Yeah.
NM: So how come you ended up in the RAF as opposed to the Army?
JS: Well, we had, we went to Northampton to have our medicals and while we were there they had an Army and a Navy and an RAF chappy there and they asked you where you wanted to go in. I said the RAF. They said, ‘Why?’ I said ‘I don’t like marching.’ That was good enough. I got in the RAF. But a lot of, a lot of them went in the Army which they didn’t like at all. And one or two got in the Navy. But most of us went in the RAF and I went to Padgate to do National Service training and after six weeks had an interview and they sent me to a training college. At Weeton I think it was. Near Blackpool. And we had an eighteen month course in six weeks there and after we came out of there they posted me to Church Lawford near Rugby and I spent the rest of the time there.
NM: And what was your role at Church Lawford?
JS: Well, I was on the maintenance side of the earth moving equipment and I used to have to go out to various sub-contractors to sign off the work they had done and I always used to arrange for it to be on a Friday so that I could go straight off to, on leave for the weekend.
NM: So you could go back home for the weekend.
JS: Yeah. I was, by that time I’d been made up to a corporal and there was a, you had a security patrol every six, seven weeks and you had to spend all the weekend on the camp. So I used to arrange it so that on the Friday I used to be away from there to another civilian place. One of them was at St Albans and we stayed at the RAF camp there at, at somewhere. On the De Havilland site I think it was. And I used to arrange so that I went on Friday. So, they used to, when they used to ring up seeing where I was they’d say, ‘Oh, he’s on detachment.’ And by that time you’d be on detachment for seven or eight weeks before I’d be sent somewhere else and they realised I was still on the camp and so I didn’t do it. I only did security patrol once.
NM: So you spent the whole two years at RAF Church Lawford did you?
JS: Yeah. Yeah.
NM: Were, were any other trips involved? Did you get any flying at all?
JS: No. No. I didn’t see any aircraft at all while I was in there. Oh, I went, I went, they sent me up to Acklington to repair a tractor. RAF Acklington and they said, ‘We’ll take you to an airfield in in Birmingham and a plane will come and pick you up.’ So, they dropped me at this airfield. All the hangars had, all the control places windows had been smashed. I stood there wondering why, what was going to happen and all of a sudden this Avro Anson dropped out of the sky, picked me up and took me up to RAF Acklington. And after repairing the tractor I come back on a lorry all the way from there to, to Rugby. Stayed overnight at, in Doncaster. At the airfield there.
NM: So at the end of your National Service you went back to the, back to the steelworks?
JS: Yes. Yes.
NM: At age twenty three. Yeah?
JS: Yeah. I went back and they put me straight in the drawing office so I didn’t actually go to do any work in the workshop itself. I just stayed in the workshop, in the drawing office for six or seven years. Then started doing various, started building various things outside and I used to go and look after those.
NM: Such as? What were you —
JS: Well, the —
NM: Mostly involved in?
JS: Well, the most, the biggest one was the ropeway aerial ropeway which was six miles long from Rothwell to Corby. And I was a clerk of works on that so I oversee the work on that to get that working.
NM: So, this was to try and get, is this is to get the ironstone from the quarry —
JS: Yeah.
NM: To the steelworks.
JS: Yeah.
NM: This six mile ropeway.
JS: They were going to build another big dragline but that, and this ropeway was going to provide the iron ore for it but they cancelled it. The big dragline. So really it was surplus to requirements the ropeway. But it stuck around for four or five years and then they cut it all up.
NM: So, you were involved in all the, how many quarries were there around Gretton and Corby that you were working with?
JS: Oh I don’t know. About eight or nine I should think. Yeah. With large draglines in four of them and various smaller ones in the others.
NM: And how long did you take, take on that role for?
JS: Until, well until I was made, after about six, seven years I was made engineer in charge of maintenance of all the various areas and I stayed there until I was made redundant in nineteen [pause] I don’t know what it was now. No. I can’t remember.
NM: Was that when the steelworks closed?
JS: Yeah.
NM: Right.
JS: That was ’59, I think.
NM: And what did you do? What happened after that?
JS: Well, I got a job. Well, I knew one of the chaps in the steel, in the tube works. Used to go on the same manager’s mess tables as him and he said, ‘What are you going to do when you’re made redundant?’ I said, ‘I’m going to go on quality assurance. Come back to haunt you.’ Because he was in charge of quality assurance for the two works and he rang me up and said, ‘Were you serious?’ I said, ‘Oh yes.’ He said, ‘Well, Lloyds Register of Shipping want somebody and would you be interested?’ So I said, ‘Yes. Yes, I would. Yeah.’ So, he said, ‘Go to Birmingham and see the chief, chief surveyor there and he’ll take you out to lunch.’ And I went to the Birmingham office and he said, ‘Oh, I’m too busy to see you today,’ he said, ‘Can you start next week?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ And that was my interview for Lloyd’s Register of Shipping. Somebody else had joined from another area at the same time as me. He said, ‘How did you get on at the interview?’ I said, ‘I didn’t have one.’ He said, ‘Oh, I had terrible one,’ he said. ‘They grilled me for about an hour,’ he said [laughs] So mine was just, ‘Can you start next week?’
NM: So, your last part of your career then was with Lloyds inspector.
JS: Yeah. Yeah. Lloyds. Yeah. And then I had a stroke when I was fifty nine and so I didn’t work after that. That’s been thirty odd years ago now.
NM: So that just about covers everything.
JS: Yeah.
NM: I had on my list.
JS: Yeah. And me.
NM: Have you got anything else to —
JS: I don’t think so. No.
NM: Add to that.
JS: No.
NM: When you look back during the war what was your overall impressions of growing up between those formative years of ten to sixteen and then with such major events going on around you. What was your —
JS: We didn’t really know much about it. As I say we lived in a village and we didn’t really know what was happening in the next village let alone what was, what was happening in the world. I remember on D-Day I was doing a trig lesson and I put in the top of the page, “D-Day.” And that’s really all I knew about it. So it didn’t really affect me much at all.
NM: Ok.
JS: Yeah.
NM: Very good. Thank you very much.
JS: Thank you.
NM: We’ll finish the interview there. Thank you very much.
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Title
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Interview with John James Smith
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Nigel Moore
Publisher
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IBCC Digital Archive
Date
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2020-12-27
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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.
Format
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00:34:46 Audio Recording
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Sound
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
ASmithJJ201227, PSmithJJ2001
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Description
An account of the resource
John Smith grew up near Corby surrounded by aerodromes so he was used to the sight of aircraft. He observed Lancaster aircraft practicing for the Dambusters raid over Eye Brook Reservoir. He also witnessed glider practice and was impressed by the sight of the Flying Fortresses flying overhead. He also witnessed the German aircraft flying overhead to bomb Coventry and witnessed a German aircraft shot down. After the war he spent his National Service in the RAF at Church Lawford.
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1940-11
1943
1944
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Northamptonshire
England--Corby
England--Coventry
England--Warwickshire
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Julie Williams
Carolyn Emery
617 Squadron
animal
B-17
bombing
childhood in wartime
Defiant
Eder Möhne and Sorpe operation (16–17 May 1943)
evacuation
home front
incendiary device
Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944)
P-38
RAF Church Lawford
RAF Spanhoe
Window
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1738/30191/PHaggerJ2026.1.jpg
7cc912a6d6e51e503920dce6613694a9
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1738/30191/PHaggerJ2027.1.jpg
a777a42353e0defaf3e8d41827ea0186
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
Hagger, Jack
J Hagger
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
2020-09-04
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
Hagger, J
Description
An account of the resource
37 items. The collection concerns Jack Hagger (b. 1931, 1920358, Royal Air Force) and contains technical diagrams and photographs of aircraft and places including some from the filming of 'The Dam Busters'.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by P Thompson catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
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 airborne
Description
An account of the resource
Air-to-air view of rear quarter view of a four engine bomber with squadron letters 'AJ-G' airborne with clouds above. The aircraft carries a mocked up bouncing bomb for the filming of 'The Dam Busters'.
On the reverse 'Originally a 617 aircraft sold for scrap July 1956. George Shuter'.
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
PHaggerJ2026, PHaggerJ2027
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
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
617 Squadron
Eder Möhne and Sorpe operation (16–17 May 1943)
entertainment
Lancaster
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1738/30190/PHaggerJ2025.2.jpg
ecafc3afd5692b98c2792e6155607e99
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
Hagger, Jack
J Hagger
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
2020-09-04
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
Hagger, J
Description
An account of the resource
37 items. The collection concerns Jack Hagger (b. 1931, 1920358, Royal Air Force) and contains technical diagrams and photographs of aircraft and places including some from the filming of 'The Dam Busters'.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by P Thompson catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
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 at low level
Description
An account of the resource
Air-to-air view of rear quarter view of a four engine bomber with squadron letters 'AJ-G' and registration 'NX679' airborne at low level in a bank to the right with fields below. The aircraft carries a mocked up bouncing bomb for the filming of 'The Dam Busters'.
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
PHaggerJ2025
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
617 Squadron
Eder Möhne and Sorpe operation (16–17 May 1943)
entertainment
Lancaster
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1738/30185/PHaggerJ2023.1.jpg
43b0edacf945be603fbd1b5494403e1d
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1738/30185/PHaggerJ2024.1.jpg
0f3f5cf24271bf5e16e6f8d215258399
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
Hagger, Jack
J Hagger
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
2020-09-04
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
Hagger, J
Description
An account of the resource
37 items. The collection concerns Jack Hagger (b. 1931, 1920358, Royal Air Force) and contains technical diagrams and photographs of aircraft and places including some from the filming of 'The Dam Busters'.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by P Thompson catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
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
Two Lancaster aircraft airborne
Description
An account of the resource
Air-to-air view of two Lancaster aircraft airborne in echelon formation. Taken from the port side of the two aircraft. The aircraft carries a mocked up bouncing bomb for the filming of 'The Dam Busters'. On the reverse 'Shuter, Dick Lambert, Mike Lawsey, Self'.
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
PHaggerJ2023, PHaggerJ2024
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
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
617 Squadron
Eder Möhne and Sorpe operation (16–17 May 1943)
entertainment
Lancaster
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1738/30180/PHaggerJ2011.2.jpg
d358f7f7256a0aa4c5444510f4de862e
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
Hagger, Jack
J Hagger
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
2020-09-04
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
Hagger, J
Description
An account of the resource
37 items. The collection concerns Jack Hagger (b. 1931, 1920358, Royal Air Force) and contains technical diagrams and photographs of aircraft and places including some from the filming of 'The Dam Busters'.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by P Thompson catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
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 at low level
Description
An account of the resource
Air-to-air view of rear quarter view of a four engine bomber with squadron letters 'AJ-G' and registration 'NX679' airborne at low level with fields below. The aircraft carries a mocked up bouncing bomb for the filming of 'The Dam Busters'. The nose of a second Lancaster is also 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
PHaggerJ2011
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
617 Squadron
Eder Möhne and Sorpe operation (16–17 May 1943)
entertainment
Lancaster
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1738/30178/PHaggerJ2008.2.jpg
ddd4cd99f5f4465f641c389b51458673
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1738/30178/PHaggerJ2009.2.jpg
5cb3223b0e55b8c7a9b8d140401aa2ff
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
Hagger, Jack
J Hagger
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
2020-09-04
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
Hagger, J
Description
An account of the resource
37 items. The collection concerns Jack Hagger (b. 1931, 1920358, Royal Air Force) and contains technical diagrams and photographs of aircraft and places including some from the filming of 'The Dam Busters'.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by P Thompson catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
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 at low level
Description
An account of the resource
Air-to-air view of rear quarter view of a four engine bomber with squadron letters 'AJ-P' and registration NX673' airborne at low level with fields below. The aircraft carries a mocked up bouncing bomb for the filming of 'The Dam Busters'.
On the reverse 'Dick and self on way to Windemere'.
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
PHaggerJ2008, PHaggerJ2009
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
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Cumbria
England--Lake Windermere
England--Westmorland
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
617 Squadron
Eder Möhne and Sorpe operation (16–17 May 1943)
entertainment
Lancaster
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1738/30177/PHaggerJ2007.1.jpg
17efeed618173fa8aeeb086c68936549
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
Hagger, Jack
J Hagger
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
2020-09-04
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
Hagger, J
Description
An account of the resource
37 items. The collection concerns Jack Hagger (b. 1931, 1920358, Royal Air Force) and contains technical diagrams and photographs of aircraft and places including some from the filming of 'The Dam Busters'.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by P Thompson catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
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 at low level
Description
An account of the resource
Air-to-air view of rear quarter view of a four engine bomber with squadron letters 'AJ-G' airborne at low level with fields below. The aircraft carries a mocked up bouncing bomb for the filming of 'The Dam Busters'.
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
PHaggerJ2007
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
617 Squadron
Eder Möhne and Sorpe operation (16–17 May 1943)
entertainment
Lancaster
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1738/30174/PHaggerJ2003.1.jpg
95f18edd711ede746ca75d1296b07e99
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
Hagger, Jack
J Hagger
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
2020-09-04
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
Hagger, J
Description
An account of the resource
37 items. The collection concerns Jack Hagger (b. 1931, 1920358, Royal Air Force) and contains technical diagrams and photographs of aircraft and places including some from the filming of 'The Dam Busters'.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by P Thompson catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
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 airborne
Description
An account of the resource
Head on view of a Lancaster with undercarriage down just above the ground. The aircraft carries a mocked up bouncing bomb for the filming of 'The Dam Busters'.
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
PHaggerJ2003
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
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
617 Squadron
Eder Möhne and Sorpe operation (16–17 May 1943)
entertainment
Lancaster
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1554/27350/MMcDermottC1119618-161216-08.2.pdf
c304e96d8af4f4109fd36907facf2aec
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
McDermott, Colin
C McDermott
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
2016-11-03
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
McDermott, C
Description
An account of the resource
87 items. The collection concerns Flight Lieutenant Colin McDermott (1119618 Royal Air Force). He served as an air gunnery instructor and flew operations as an air gunner with 98 Squadron. Contains his log book, papers and photographs and includes issues of 'Evidence in Camera'. <br /><br />The collection also contains albums of photographs from his training at <a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/show/1696">Evanton</a> in 1943, taken during his service in <a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/show/1699">Denmark </a>and some <a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/show/1698">duplicate </a>photographs.<br /><br />The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Barbara Bury and catalogued by Barry Hunter.
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
VOLUME 3 NUMBER I0 JUNE 7th 1943
EVIDENCE IN Camera
[drawing]
MORGAN
ISSUED BY AIR MINISTRY A.C.A.S.(1)
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
[page break]
EVIDENCE IN CAMERA
1. This O.U.O. document may be issued to Officers' Mess and Station Reference Libraries. (K.R. & A.C.I. 882. 2236(c). 2287).
2. The only legitimate use which may be made of official documents or information derived from them is for the furtherance of the public service in the performance of official duties.
3. The publication of official documents, information from them, reproduction of extracts or their use for personal controversy, or for any private or public purpose without due authority is a breach of official trust under the OFFICIAL SECRETS ACTS. 1911 and 1920, and will be dealt with accordingly. (K.R. & A.C.I. 1071, 1072, 2238).
4. Copies not required for record purposes should be disposed of as Secret Waste in accordance with A.M.O. A.411/41.
SEE FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS ON BACK OF COVER
[page break]
[cartoon]
Scott.
"You never know who's listening."
217
[page break]
ANTI-INVASION PREPARATIONS AT THE HAGUE
[photograph]
[photograph]
Most of the area in which demolition is seen to have taken place lies between Sport Laan and Laan Van Meedervoort. The lay-out of the anti-tank ditch, parts of which are already being excavated, is apparent. Arrows show the approximate positions from which the oblique photographs on the next page were taken.
[photograph]
Demolition of houses for anti-invasion preparations has been proceeding at THE HAGUE. The areas indicated, to the West of the town, have been cleared (as seen in the lower photographs).
218
[page break]
[photograph]
DEMOLITION AT THE HAGUE
Left: This oblique photograph gives an impression of the gigantic proportions of the ditch and the area cleared of houses. It was taken looking S.E. down the Stadhouders Laan.
[photograph]
Right: The ditch is seen in the background in this photograph of the area a little further west. It was taken from above the bridge over the canal at the junction of Sport Laan and Kranenburg Weg.
219
[page break]
ANTI-TANK OBSTACLE AT SCHEVENINGEN
[photograph]
[photograph]
An anti-tank obstacle constructed along the front at SCHEVENINGEN (The Hague) at the entrance to the Port. (A) 'Teeth' set at an angle in concrete beds. (B) Pill-box. (C) Wire. (D) M.G. posts covered with netting.
220
[page break]
FURTHER FLOODING IN RUHR VALLEY
[photograph]
[photograph]
Photographs taken two days after the breaching of the Moehne [sic] Dam revealed further considerable flooding of the Ruhr valley near DUISBURG where the Ruhr joins the Rhine over fifty miles, in a direct line, from the Dam. Raffelberg Bridge (inset), which connected the two Mulheim suburbs of Styrum and Speldorf, was damaged during one of the recent attacks and the ruins were probably swept away by the floods.
221
[page break]
U.S.B.C. ATTACKS ON U-BOAT BASES
[photograph]
Direct hits were scored during the attack by U.S.B.C. on LORIENT, 17.5.43, when the U-Boat Shelters (A) and the Northern Power Station (B) were the targets. Many bursts can be seen at both these points including further hits on the Radial Slips, U-Boat Workshops and the rail tracks leading to them. Severe damage was also done to the Northern Power Station.
222
[page break]
Aircraft of U.S.B.C. attacked BORDEAUX on 17.5.43 and direct hits were scored on the lock gates (A) and the Matford Aero Engine Works (B). The photograph on the right was taken at an early stage of the attack, and later it was seen that the gates had been breached by bombs and the two basins connected with the U-Boat Shelters were emptying rapidly. (See below.)
[photograph]
[photograph]
223
[page break]
STEEL AND ARMAMENT WORKS DAMAGED
[photograph]
Considerable damage was caused during the R.A.F. attack on BOCHUM on 13/14.5.43 to the important steel and armament works. Vereinigte Stahlwerke A.G. Seriously damaged buildings included the rolling mill (A), the steel furnaces (B) and finishing sections (C). There was destruction to business/residential property, much of which is seen still burning.
224
[page break]
[photograph]
DUISBURG. Direct hits (arrows) on the roofs and platforms of the main Railway Station were registered in the attack of 12/13.5.43. Additional damage in the town was also caused in the extensive areas of business/residential property outlined.
[photograph]
ESSEN. The heavy engineering works of Fr. Krupps A.G. sustained further damage during the attacks of 30.4.43 and 1.5.43. An area of 8,700 sq. yds. of the large machine shops (A) was destroyed. The machine shop (B) was destroyed by fire over an area of 16,000 sq, yds. while the machine shop (C) received a direct hit which damaged the end of one bay and stripped roofing over a large area.
225
[page break]
KNOW YOUR PORTS
[photograph]
[photograph]
[inserted] Railway Station
Ferry Landing
South Harbour
Kronborg Harbour [/inserted]
HELSINGØR (ELSINØRE). This Danish port is on the Eastern side of the island of ZEALAND, facing the mainland of Sweden. The Elsinøre Shipbuilding and Engineering Co. (A) is concerned chiefly with the building and repair of M/vs. Sperrbrechers are also converted here and one can be seen in dry dock (B). Kronborg Castle (C) (also inset), the reputed home of Hamlet, was built in 1577 and restored after a fire in 1635.
226
[page break]
[boxed] CAMOUFLAGED STORAGE TANKS AT ROTTERDAM [/boxed]
[photograph]
Above: Uncamouflaged edible-oil storage tanks (A) on a quay at the Junction of the Wilhelmina Haven and the Nieuwe Maas River at SCHIEDAM.
[photograph]
Left: The two groups of tanks have been "mounded" with overhead netting (A) on which dummy trees (B) have been placed.
227
[page break]
EHRANG MARSHALLING YARD AND TRIER RAILWAY WORKSHOPS
[photograph]
[photograph]
[photograph]
The important Marshalling Yard (A) and Engine Shed (B) at EHRANG and the Railway Carriage and Wagon Workshops (C) at TRIER are on opposite banks of the River Moselle. Oblique views of the Ehrang Marshalling Yard (above) and the Trier Workshops (right), which deal with traffic between N.W. Germany (via Coblence and Cologne) and Eastern France (via Metz and Strasbourg). The Trier Broadcasting Station (D) operates on the medium waveband.
228 - 229
[page break]
[boxed] GERMAN ARMOURED CARS [/boxed]
[photograph]
[photograph]
FOUR-WHEELED ARMOURED CAR
This is the principal German armoured car. With its four-wheel steering and four-wheel drive it has a good cross-country performance. Its armament consists of a 2 cm. heavy M.G. and one L.M.G.
[photograph]
[boxed] Air Photographs of this vehicle were given on Pages 210 and 211 (Annotation C on latter page) of Vol. 3, No. 9. [/boxed]
230
[page break]
[photograph]
[photograph]
[photograph]
SIX WHEELED ARMOURED CAR
This German six-wheeled armoured car is not as common as the four and eight-wheeled vehicles. The overhead wireless grid, which is a German characteristic, may not be seen on all six-wheeled armoured cars.
231
[page break]
INUNDATION ON THE FRENCH COAST
[photograph]
[photograph]
Flooding of some of the river valleys on the French coast is almost certainly caused deliberately in order to make these valleys obstacles to lateral movement along the coast. The vertical and oblique photographs above show inundation of the SAANE Valley at QUIBERVILLE, West of Dieppe. What is possibly a control house (arrow) can be seen at the river mouth and the extent of the flooding is probably controlled by sluices. An anti-tank wall has been constructed leading from the cliff.
232
[page break]
[photograph]
Further inundation in the Dieppe area is evident at the mouth of the River Dun, ST. AUBIN-SUR-MER.
[photograph]
In POURVILLE, at the mouth of the River Scie, west of Dieppe, demolition has been carried out on the strip of land between the inundated area and the sea.
233
[page break]
[boxed] LANCASTER AIRCRAFT IN FLIGHT [/boxed]
[photograph]
These enlargements from a cine film show Lancasters on their way to attack COMINES Power Station.
[photograph]
[photograph]
[photograph]
Right: The dorsal turret of one of the Lancasters.
[photograph]
234
[page break]
[boxed] G.A.F. AIRCRAFT OF RUSSIAN DESIGN [/boxed]
The B.71, which is used by the G.A.F for target towing, is in fact the Russian SB-2, built under licence in Czechoslovakia.
[photograph]
Above: This B.71 in flight shows clearly its G.A.F. wing markings.
[photograph]
Above: A B.71 made conspicuous by its light coloured tail unit.
[photograph]
Left: Two more B.71s with a Do 17 at KOLN/OSTHEIM.
[photograph]
Above: A B.71 is here seen at ESBJERG with a Junkers W.34. B.71s are fairly often seen on German airfields, especially those near Flak Training Schools.
Right: At TRONDHEIM/VAERNES a B.71 on one of the runways with a Ju 52 and a W.34.
[photograph]
235
[page break]
FIGHTER AIRCRAFT SHELTERS AT LILLE/VENDEVILLE
[photograph]
LILLE/VENDEVILLE Aerodrome, constructed by the French in 1938 and used by the R.A.F., was developed by the Germans after their invasion. It is well equipped with all airfield facilities and the dispersal (A) for bombers is extensive. The latest addition, however, is a number of small fighter aircraft shelters (B) erected on the landing ground boundary.
236
[page break]
STAVANGER/SOLA AND STAVANGER/FORUS AERODROMES
[photograph]
STAVANGER/SOLA Aerodrome (A) was a Norwegian civil aerodrome with two runways, 1,440 and 1,000 yards in length, but after the German occupation the runways were lengthened to over 2,000 yards. A third runway of similar length and a perimeter track were constructed. Work was begun at STAVANGER/FORUS Aerodrome (B) at the end of April, 1940. One of the three intersecting runways is over 2,000 yards in length.
237
[page break]
[boxed] PROMINENT LANDMARKS [/boxed]
[photograph]
Above: CAP d'ANTIFER, North of Le Havre, is a salient point. The white circular light tower is approximately 400 ft. in height. The chalk cliffs between Cap d'Antifer and Saint Jouin, about three miles southward, are perpendicular and when the sun shines on them are visible from a great distance.
[photograph]
Left: Île Noire with its white, square light tower. The eastern part of the boom across the Morlaix Estuary is seen. Large buoys are set at intervals with irregularly spaced floats between them.
238
[page break]
[photograph]
BOULOGNE. Colonne de la Grande Armée (at extreme left), the top of which is elevated 459 ft., and the round tower, surmounted by a cupola, of Notre Dame Cathedral (at the right) are conspicuous objects.
[photograph]
LE TOUQUET. The light towers are prominent landmarks. The old tower (left) is painted with black and white horizontal bands.
239
[page break]
PROBLEM PICTURE.
[photograph]
WHAT IS THIS?
Answer at Foot of This Page.
CORRECTION: Vol.3. No. 9. Page 213.
Transpose the two captions "Three-quarter rear view" and "Three-quarter front view."
It will be noted that the radiator on this armoured car is at the rear.
[boxed] ANSWER TO PROBLEM PICTURE ABOVE.
Adcock D/F Station, East of AMSTERDAM, with earthing system at the foot of each mast showing distinctly. [/boxed]
240
[page break]
(4276), 51-9832. 2900. 7/6/43. 45.246.
C. & E. LAYTON LTD, London, E.C.4.
[page break]
EVIDENCE IN CAMERA
This weekly document will consist of a collection of illustrations varying in number in each issue according to the quantity of material of sufficient interest and suitable for reproduction that is received.
2. Requests for material to be included in this document should be submitted to Command Headquarters, who, after consideration, will submit them to Air Ministry, A.D.I.(Ph.). Any useful suggestions as regards contents will receive full consideration and will be welcomed.
3. Distribution is carried out by Air Ministry (A.I. I) and any requests for fewer or additional copies must be made through Group Headquarters who will ensure the maximum possible economy.
4. Under no circumstances must any of the illustrations be reproduced by Units in the British Isles. Further copies can be printed from the existing blocks and independent photographic reproduction would be a waste of material and labour to the detriment of the National War Effort.
5. The distribution of photographs to the general public is carried out through the Press who are supplied with photographs which have been specially selected for their general interest and have been published after careful consideration by the Security Branch and by the Ministry of Information; it is therefore unnecessary as well as undesirable to communicate any of the contents of this document, either directly or by discussion in public places, to persons not enjoying the privilege of serving in H.M. Forces.
6. The document has not been officially graded as Secret or Confidential in order that the widest distribution may be given, but Commanding Officers should use their discretion to ensure that the appropriate information is available only to those whose work will benefit.
7. The necessity for security cannot be over emphasised, for although this document is not marked Secret some of its contents may occasionally be of value to the enemy. Every care must be taken to prevent such information being disclosed.
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
Evidence in Camera Vol 3 No 10
Description
An account of the resource
A magazine of aerial photography covering anti-invasion preparations at the Hague, anti-tank obstacles at Scheveningen, flooding from the Mohne Dam, U-boat bases and port damage, factories, railway stations, camouflaged storage tanks, marshalling yards, German armoured cars, deliberate flooding along the French coast, Lancasters in flight, German aircraft, Lille and Stavanger airfields, prominent landmarks at Le Havre, Morlaix, Boulogne and Le Touquet and a problem picture to be guessed featuring a direction finding station.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1943-06-07
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One 28 page booklet
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Photograph
Text
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
MMcDermottC1119618-161216-08
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
United States Army Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Germany--Duisburg
France--Lorient
Germany--Bochum
Germany--Essen
Netherlands--Rotterdam
Denmark--Helsingør
Germany--Trier
France--Quiberville
France--Dieppe
France--Comines
Norway--Trondheim
Germany--Ostheim vor der Rhön
France--Lille
Norway--Stavanger
France--Le Havre
France--Morlaix
France--Le Touquet-Paris-Plage
Netherlands--Amsterdam
France--Bordeaux (Nouvelle-Aquitaine)
Netherlands--Hague
France--Boulogne-sur-Mer
Netherlands--Hague
France
Germany--Möhne River Dam
Germany
Denmark
Netherlands
Norway
Germany--Ruhr (Region)
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.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Great Britain. Air Ministry
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1943
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Babs Nichols
aerial photograph
bombing
Eder Möhne and Sorpe operation (16–17 May 1943)
Ju 52
Lancaster
reconnaissance photograph
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1554/27345/MMcDermottC1119618-161216-07.2.pdf
6879feb34d5690bb4a4535c33131f524
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
McDermott, Colin
C McDermott
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
2016-11-03
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
McDermott, C
Description
An account of the resource
87 items. The collection concerns Flight Lieutenant Colin McDermott (1119618 Royal Air Force). He served as an air gunnery instructor and flew operations as an air gunner with 98 Squadron. Contains his log book, papers and photographs and includes issues of 'Evidence in Camera'. <br /><br />The collection also contains albums of photographs from his training at <a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/show/1696">Evanton</a> in 1943, taken during his service in <a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/show/1699">Denmark </a>and some <a href="https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/show/1698">duplicate </a>photographs.<br /><br />The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Barbara Bury and catalogued by Barry Hunter.
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
VOLUME 3 – NUMBER 9 – MAY 31st 1943
EVIDENCE IN CAMERA
[Sketch]
ISSUED BY AIR MINISTRY A.C.A.S. (I) MORGAN
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
[page break]
EVIDENCE IN CAMERA
1. This O.U.O. document may be issued to Officers’ Mess and Station Reference Libraries. (K.R.& A.C.I. 882, 2236(c), 2287).
2. The only legitimate use which may be made of official documents or information derived from them is for the furtherance of the public service in the performance of official duties.
3. The publication of official documents, information from them, reproduction of extracts or their use for personal controversy, or for any private or public purpose without due authority is a breach of official trust under the OFFICIAL SECRETS ACTS, 1911 and 1920, and will be dealt with accordingly. (K.R. & A.C.I. 1071, 1072, 2238).
4. Copies not required for record purposes should be disposed of as Secret Waste in accordance with A.M.O. A.411/41.
SEE FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS ON BACK OF COVER.
[page break]
[Sketch]
Scott.
“You never know who’s listening.”
193
[page break]
BOMB BURSTS ON KIEL SHIPBUILDING YARDS
[Photograph]
Liberator aircraft of U.S.B.C. flying over the smoke pall caused by the concentration of bomb bursts on and near the Shipbuilding Yards at KIEL (14.5.43). There are bursts on the workshops and slips of the Germania Yard and on the buildings of the Deutsche Werke Yard. The Police Barracks and Tramway Power House sustained hits in the concentration of bomb bursts (top left).
194
[page break]
[Photograph]
Later photographs showed that two 740 ton U-boats (A) had capsized in the submerged floating dock while a 380 ft. floating dock (B) was submerged and one wall completely destroyed. A direct hit was scored on a 1,600 ton U-boat (C) partly under netting. Damaged buildings in the Germania Yard included the Erecting and Testing Shop (D), Four covered slips (E), Shipwrights’ sheds (F), Straightening and tracing out sheds (G), Boiler House (H), Boiler Shop (I), Brass and Iron Foundries (J),. Timber Stores and Saw Mill (K). Some of the damage at the southern end of the Deutsche Werke AG. is indicated (arrows).
195
[page break]
FORMER AVIONS POTEZ AIRCRAFT FACTORY, MEAULTE, WRECKED
[Photograph]
[Photograph]
The S.N.C.A. du Nord (formerly Avions Potez) Factory at MEAULTE was severely damaged in a daylight attack by fighter escorted Fortresses of U.S.B.C. (13.5.43). Smoke from bomb bursts envelopes the target in this high oblique photograph. INSET: Three Fortress aircraft passing over the target at another stage of the attack. This smaller photograph may be plotted with that on the next page.
196
[page break]
[Photograph]
Severe damage was caused over an extensive area to buildings under camouflage netting (A). (See Pages 64 and 65, Vol. I, No. 2.) A four-bay stores building (B) received a direct hit, the main assembly shops (C) were damaged by blast and there were more direct hits on sub-assembly shops (D). Three-quarters of the hangars (E) were wrecked, one wing of the experimental shops was shattered and two wings damaged. A 375 ft. long building (G) was almost completely demolished, the transport garage (H), previously damaged, has only parts of the walls and roof framework remaining, while other buildings were damaged.
197
[page break]
PILLAR OF RAILWAY BRIDGE SWEPT AWAY
[Photograph]
When the flood from the Moehne [sic] Lake swept through the Dam breached by the R.A.F. (17.5.43) and along the Ruhr Valley, one of the pillars of this railway bridge at HERDECKE was carried away. Two tracks are suspended for a distance of about 30 yards. The bridge, approximately 30 miles in a direct line from the Dam, carried traffic between Dortmund and Hagen. The height which the flooding reached on each side of the valley is clearly evident.
198
[page break]
[Photograph]
The marshalling yard at DAHLHAUSEN was still flooded two days after the attack while scores of houses are still under water and a small factory (arrow) is partly inundated.
[Photograph]
The approach to the bridge and part of the road (A) at SCHWERTE were still flooded on 19.5.43. The railway embankment (B) is washed away over a length of 200 yards and an embankment (C) of filter beds for local water supply is destroyed.
199
[page break]
BALLOONS FLYING OVER SORPE DAM
[photograph]
Repair work and clearance of the road over the damaged crown of the SORPE DAM were seen in progress two days after the attack. Balloons had been brought to the dam. Thirteen were flying at medium altitude and seven were bedded down when this photograph was taken.
200
[page break]
HELIGOLAND AND DUNE ISLANDS BOMBED
[Photograph]
Bombs were dropped on the islands of HELIGOLAND and DUNE when aircraft of U.S.B.C. made an attack on 15.5.43. The main weight of the attack fell on Heligoland where bursts (A) were photographed on and around the Barracks and Artillery Depot. At the same time, bombs were exploding (B) on the airfield at Dune, in and around the small harbour (C) and straddling the aircraft shelters (D). Later in the attack bombs were dropped into the U-boat Harbour (E) and on or very close to the East Mole (F).
201
[page break]
“M” CLASS MINESWEEPERS
[Photograph]
Three “M” Class Minesweepers (216 ft.) leaving LA PALLICE. The vessel (A) is proceeding at approximately 13 knots. The wreck (B) is that of the French liner CHAMPLAIN, while there is a trawler type auxiliary (C).
202
[page break]
[Photograph]
Another “M” Class Minesweeper (A) leaving the Outer Port at LA PALLICE. There is a Möewe Class torpedo boat (B) in the smaller dry dock and a Sperrbrecher (440 ft.) (C) in the larger dry dock. A new lock (D), to the Wet Basin and U-Boat Shelters, is being constructed parallel to the existing dock. Part of the lock is roofed over (E).
203
[page break]
[Photograph]
KNOW YOUR PORTS – NAPLES
An important commercial Port, NAPLES is also used by all units of the Italian Fleet. It has considerable repair facilities and extensive quay space.
204 & 205
[page break]
CAMOUFLAGED LANDMARKS, STUTTGART
[Photograph]
Before camouflage the oval lake in the Theater Platz (A), the quadrangle of the Neues Schloss (B) and the Exhibition Hall (C) were conspicuous landmarks in STUTTGART. The main railway station is at (D).
206
[page break]
[Photograph]
STUTTGART. The lake has been covered over with material on framework and a dummy path painted across it (A). Clusters of dummy bushes are combined with paint to simulate gardens in the quadrangle (B), while the dome of the Exhibition Hall has been disruptively painted (C). The roof covering the Station platforms (D) was burned out in the attack of 22/23.11.42.
207
[page break]
JUNKERS 88
The Ju 88 is used in greater numbers than any other type of German aircraft.
[Photograph]
Above: Many Ju 88s and an He III (arrow) at TOURS/PARCAY-MESLAY.
[Photograph]
Left: Ju 88s near refuelling points at AALBORG/WEST.
Below: Ju 88s showing conspicuously against the uncamouflaged tarmacs at HORSCHING in Austria.
[Photograph]
208
[page break]
DORNIER FLYING-BOATS
The Do 18 and the Do 24, which have been largely replaced by the Bv 138 for long range reconnaissance, are now often used for Sea Rescue work.
[Photograph]
[Photograph]
[Photograph]
Top: Two Do 18s, near the large gantry crane for transporting aircraft, at NORDERNEY.
Centre: Three Do 24s at their moorings.
Left: A Do 24 in flight over the seaplane station at CHERBOURG/CHANTEREYNE.
209
[page break]
CAPTURED ENEMY EQUIPMENT IN THE MIDDLE EAST
[Photograph]
Captured German and Italian tanks and armoured vehicles, many of which are damaged, at a British Depot in the Middle East. (A) End-loading railway platform. (B) Italian M 13/40s. (C) One Pz Kw IV (damaged). (D) Pz Kw IIIs. (E) Pz Kw IIs. (F) Pz Kw Is. (G) Italian CV IIIs. (Unless otherwise stated the equipment is German).
210
[page break]
[Photograph]
A vertical view of the group of vehicles seen in the right foreground of the oblique photograph on the previous page. (A) Wheel-cum-track armoured observation vehicles. (B) Eight-wheeled armoured cars. (C) Four-wheeled armoured cars. (D) Medium armoured troop carriers. (E) Medium semi-tracked tractors. (F) Light semi-tracked tractors, some with A.A. mounting and one with hood up. (G) Italian wheeled trucks mounting a 75/27 A.A. gun.
211
[page break]
GERMAN EIGHT-WHEELED ARMOURED CAR
These oblique photographs show a damaged German eight-wheeled armoured car and a German troop carrier. The moving tank in the photograph below is a Pz Kw II.
[Photograph]
[Photograph]
[Photograph]
212
[page break]
Close-up photographs of the German eight-wheeled armoured car with its turret gun removed.
A vertical view of this type of armoured car is shown on page 211 (annotation B).
[Photograph]
Three-quarter front view.
[Photograph]
Three-quarter rear view.
The armoured car as it would probably be seen under operational conditions. The conspicuous overhead frame aerial shown here, although common, is not fitted to all eight-wheeled armoured cars.
[Photograph]
213
[page break]
DAMAGE CLEARANCE AT ROSTOCK
Damage clearance which has taken place in the old walled town of ROSTOCK reveals more than ever the extensive nature of the damage caused by the major attacks on four successive nights in April, 1942.
[Photograph]
[Photograph]
The upper photograph is of part of ROSTOCK before the attacks while that on the right shows the same area of the old town burning after the last big attack (26/27.4.42.)
The photograph on the next page, taken a year after the attacks, indicates the extent of the damage clearance. St. Marien Church (A) and the Market Square (B) can be identified in each photograph.
214
[page break]
[Photograph]
Over 70 per cent. of the buildings in the old town, which include the main shopping and business centre, public buildings, etc., have been destroyed or seriously damaged. Little attention has been paid to buildings damaged beyond the scope of simple repairs but vast areas have been cleared to make them safe by demolition of the standing walls. Few areas have been cleared in preparation for immediate new building operations.
215
[page break]
PROBLEM PICTURE
[Photograph]
WHAT IS THIS?
Answer at Foot of This Page
ANSWER TO PROBLEM PICTURE ABOVE.
[Text upside down in original] Bombing Range near RECHLIN.
216
[page break]
(4240), 51-9832, 2900, 31/5/43, 45.246.
C. & E. LAYTON LTD, London, E.C.4.
[page break]
EVIDENCE IN CAMERA
This weekly document will consist of a collection of illustrations varying in number in each issue according to the quantity of material of sufficient interest and suitable for reproduction that is received.
2. Requests for material to be included in this document should be submitted to Command Headquarters, who, after consideration, will submit them to Air Ministry, A.D.I.(Ph.). Any useful suggestions as regards contents will receive full consideration and will be welcomed.
3. Distribution is carried out by Air Ministry (A.I. I) and any requests for fewer or additional copies must be made through Group Headquarters who will ensure the maximum possible economy.
4. Under no circumstances must any of the illustrations be reproduced by Units in the British Isles. Further copies can be printed from the existing blocks and independent photographic reproduction would be a waste of material and labour to the detriment of the National War Effort.
5. The distribution of photographs to the general public is carried out through the Press who are supplied with photographs which have been specially selected for their general interest and have been published after careful consideration by the Security Branch and by the Ministry of Information; it is therefore unnecessary as well as undesirable to communicate any of the contents of this document, either directly or by discussion in public places, to persons not enjoying the privilege of serving in H.M. Forces.
6. The document has not been officially graded as Secret or Confidential in order that the widest distribution may be given, but Commanding Officers should use their discretion to ensure that the appropriate information is available only to those whose work will benefit.
7. The necessity for security cannot be over emphasised, for although this document is not marked Secret some of its contents may occasionally be of value to the enemy. Every care must be taken to prevent such information being disclosed.
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
Evidence in Camera Vol 3 No 9
Description
An account of the resource
A magazine of aerial photographs covering bombing of Kiel shipyards, the Potez aircraft factory, flooding after the Moehne dam was breached, repairs to the Sorpe dam, bombing of Heligoland and Dune, the port of La Pallice, the port of Naples, damage at Stuttgart station, Ju 88 and Dornier flying boats, captured enemy equipment in the Middle East, a German eight-wheeled armoured car, bomb damage at Rostok and a mystery picture to identify.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1943-05-31
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
28 page booklet
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Photograph
Text
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
MMcDermottC1119618-161216-07
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
United States Army Air Force
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Germany--Kiel
France--Méaulte
Germany--Herdecke
Germany--Schwerte
Germany--Sorpe Dam
France--La Pallice
Italy--Naples
Germany--Stuttgart
France--Tours
Austria--Linz
Germany--Norderney
France--Cherbourg
Germany--Rostock
Germany--Rechlin
Germany--Helgoland
Italy
France
Germany--Möhne River Dam
Germany
Denmark
Austria
Germany--Ruhr (Region)
Denmark--Ålborg
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.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Great Britain. Air Ministry
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1943
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Angela Gaffney
aerial photograph
B-17
bombing
Do 18
Do 24
Eder Möhne and Sorpe operation (16–17 May 1943)
He 111
Ju 88
reconnaissance photograph