Browse Items (99 total)

  • Tags: Morse-keyed wireless telegraphy

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

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AFarrC160524.mp3
Colin was born in Ilford in 1920 and, at the outbreak of war, was working in a London warehouse. Seeing the bomb damage around him he wanted to join the RAF and seek revenge, so he volunteered. Unfortunately, following an accident, he had a plaster…

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AFittP150519.mp3
Peter was born in Norwich. His father was a head gardener and wanted him to follow that occupation and so refused to let him join the RAF. With the advent of war, the situation changed and Peter volunteered at a recruiting station and, after…

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PPayneR1706.jpg
Reg Payne was born in Kettering, left school aged 14 and worked for the British Legion. He volunteered for the RAF aged 17 and a half and trained as a wireless operator and air gunner. He describes his training, learning Morse Code and gunnery…

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PBrowningDJ1601.jpg
Don Browning volunteered for aircrew and began his training as a wireless operator in his native Australia. His arrival in Brighton in the UK coincided with his first experience of an air raid. Don was posted to 463 Squadron at RAF Waddington. He did…

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MCluettAV120946-150515-10.pdf
Notes on brazing, soldering, and Morse code alphabet including diagrams.

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AAllenH170309.mp3
Harold Allen’s parents travelled to the UK to escape the pogroms in Europe and he lived in London during the Blitz. When Harold volunteered for the RAF he trained as a wireless operator on the ground. He did not want to join aircrew because he was…

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BPayneRPayneRv1.pdf
A detailed account of Reg Payne's service in the RAF. He starts with a list of 18 RAF bases where he served in his 5 years of service. He was 16 when war was declared but volunteered for the RAF at 17. After tests he was selected for training as a…

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PMossH1801.jpg
Henry grew up in Bradford and left school just before the outbreak of war. He had various jobs, including working in the mill, a greengrocer’s shop, the dye works and then garment cutting for the army. Aged 17 and a half he was called up in London…

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PPayneR1706.jpg
Reg Payne was born in Kettering in 1923. He left school at the age of 14 and just before he was 18 he volunteered to join the RAF. He did his basic training at RAF Blackpool learning Morse Code in the tram sheds. From there he did his radio…

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ACockbillDFA171008.mp3
Born in Newport, Denis volunteered for the Royal Air Force having already joined the Air Corps aged 17. Due to his interest in radio technology Denis wanted to train as a wireless operator and officially joined the Royal Air Force three months after…

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PCookJH1701.jpg
Having completed school and moved on to work at 20th Century Fox Films, Joe worked as a fire watcher at the beginning of the war, before joining the Royal Air Force. He states that he did so because he always wanted to fly and did not want to join…

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ADayMH171128.mp3
As her father was in the Royal Navy, Margaret attended school in Gibraltar, Portsmouth, and (after her mother’s death) Malta, before returning to Gosport in the UK when she was eleven. In 1939, she was fifteen and working for a company making soft…

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AGillRA-JT170930.mp3
Peter Hazeldene lived in Wales and joined the RAF when he saw a poster encouraging people to see the world from a different perspective. He trained as a wireless operator and, during training, suspected a couple of incidents of sabotage on the base.…

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PHollierM1701.jpg
Marion Hollier served as a wireless operator in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force from February 1944 to September 1946. Before the war she worked in a construction firm, The George Wimpey Company, which built aerodromes. She learned the Morse code in…

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AHoughWJ160905.mp3
Bill Hough came from a farming background, went to a local grammar school in Northwich and was a member of the Air Training Corps. He joined the RAF in 1943 and describes his initial training at RAF Bridgnorth. This was followed by continuation…

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AMatherR171229.mp3
Upon leaving school, Ronald was employed, initially, as a pawnbroker's assistant, and then a butcher's assistant. In 1943, upon reaching the age of 18 he followed his brothers footsteps and enlisted in the Royal Air Force. After initial training, he…

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AParkerPTW160106.mp3
Peter Parker grew up in Gainsborough. He had hoped to be a pilot but was unsuccessful. However, as he had taught himself Morse code in his shed at home, he trained as a wireless operator and became an instructor. He was posted to RAF Yatesbury and…

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ARossiterHC150913.mp3
Harry Rossiter grew up in East London but his family moved to Essex, which gave Harry a “ringside view” of the Battle of Britain. He volunteered as a bicycle messenger and tried to join the Royal Navy as a telegraphist. He was encouraged to join…

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AStevensonWR151202.mp3
Walter Raymond Stevenson volunteered for the RAF as soon as he was 18 and trained as a wireless operator/air gunner, learning Morse code at RAF Yatesbury. He flew with 'sprog' pilots as they trained and was posted to Number 3 Air Gunnery School at…

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ATillerF180716.mp3
Fred was too young to get in the Royal Air Force, so he joined the Air Training Corps where they did aircraft recognition and visited various camps. He joined in 1943/44 and went to Lord’s cricket ground where he was evaluated to become an air…

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PGoodwinWJ1701.jpg
Wal Goodwin grew up near Melbourne, was conscripted in the Australian Army but was discharged due to his father’s reserved farming occupation. He later volunteered for the Australian Air Force and received his initial training of meteorology, Morse…

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PMortensenJC1803.jpg
Born on 27 December 1924 in Aigburth Liverpool, James was 15 when war broke out in Europe. He intended to join as a pilot, navigator, bomber aimer in 1943 but, due to shorter waiting list and training time, he trained to become a wireless operator at…

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ERedgraveHCRedgraveJM[Date]-070001.jpg
Letter from Harry Redgrave to his wife Jessie. He writes about the journey back from leave and the day's training.

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ERedgraveHCRedgraveJM391115-0001.jpg
Letter from Harry Redgrave to his wife Jessie. He is looking forward to his leave and mentions learning Morse, how smart they have to be for inspection and advises Jessie on how to repair the electric fire.

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