Browse Items (201 total)

  • Tags: Operation Exodus (1945)

PLambAM1509.jpg
Alexander Lamb left school in Edinburgh and became a messenger for the War Department. He then took a clerical post with the Department before reaching the age to volunteer for the RAF. He trained as an air gunner and was posted to RAF Mildenhall…

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ALastRR151125.mp3
Ronald Last grew up in Dorset and worked as an apprentice for the local Gas and Water company before volunteering for the Air Force. He attended the reception centre at Lord's Cricket Ground and describes the medical tests and inoculations recruits…

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MBunceFSG3006260-161115-08.jpg
Last bombing operation on 24 April 1945, then operation Manna, Exodus, Baedecker and Post Mortem with a brief description of the operations.

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AMacCormickA161126.mp3
Anderson MacCormick grew up in Glasgow and joined the ATC while waiting to join the service. He trained as a flight engineer and recalls the risks aircrew faced, as well as some beautiful sights he saw in the air. On a flight, as part of Operation…

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PMcNallyC1701.jpg
Charles McNally spent his childhood in Dundee and Airdrie, Scotland. He began work at the Post Office as a Telegram Boy before joining the engineering department. This meant he now worked in a Reserved Occupation and he struggled to get permission…

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PMcRaeER1701.jpg
Ted McRae volunteered for aircrew and trained as a gunner. He was usually in the mid-upper turret but would sometimes swap places with the rear gunner. On one trip, repatriating ex-prisoners of war, his aircraft crashed. He and the other gunner were…

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AMorganVT170908.mp3
Vernon Morgan, from Cardiff, joined the civil service working at the Royal Ordnance Factory, and volunteered for the RAF in 1941. After pilot training in South Africa he returned to several different roles: CO of a satellite aerodrome, pilot for…

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PNeilsonNS1604.jpg
Norman Neilson was an apprentice engineer at St Rollox Locomotive Works when he volunteered. He had originally wanted to join the Navy but joined the RAF because the only way he could be released from his position was to volunteer for aircrew. His…

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ANicholsonA150922.mp3
Arthur was released from his reserved occupation as an apprentice engineer to join the Royal Air Force. After St John’s Wood, he underwent some basic training at RAF Bridlington and RAF Usworth before going on an engineering course at RAF St Athan…

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PBowmanFA1801.jpg
Frederick Bowman was born in Sydney in 1924. He was a member of the Air Training Corps, and when he was 18 he joined the Air Force. He went to Kingaroy for basic training, and did his wireless course at Maryborough, and Evans Head for bombing and…

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APlenderleithJ151007.mp3
John Plenderleith was in the Air Training Corps before volunteering to join the RAF. He was posted to 626 Squadron at RAF Wickenby and, when the crew were allocated their hut, they were surprised to find it was still occupied with another crew’s…

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APoynterAD180416.mp3
Having worked in her father’s garage, Audrey was called up, aged 17½, and joined the Royal Air Force. After RAF Padgate, she did some square-bashing at Gloucester before going to RAF Halton. She was taught to change plugs, replace faulty studs and…

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APriceSTG151001.mp3
Gwynne Price was living a rural lifestyle until he volunteered for the RAF. His dream was to train as an RAF pilot but, since there was a surplus of pilots, he chose to train as a flight engineer instead. During operations, Gwyn experienced the…

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PSnookT1801.jpg
Tony Snook was an air gunner and served on 115 Squadron in the later stages of the Second World War. A member of the school air training corps, he had his first experience of flight when his squadron partook in a summer camp. He describes how an…

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AStanneyF160212.mp3
Frank Stanney was working on the land before he volunteered for the RAF. After training, he flew operations as a wireless operator with 61 Squadron. One day his pilot took off as a 20 year old and returned as a 21 year old, as it was his birthday…

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AThomasPG180302.mp3
Peter was born in Nelson, Lancashire and had two brothers. He was 16 when he left school in 1940 and got a job until joining the Royal Air Force in 1943. He went to London Air Crew Reception Centre before going to Initial Training Wing at RAF…

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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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AWebsterJK161004.mp3
Jack Webster applied to join the RAF in December 1942 and attended a selection board at RAF Cardington, and was eventually called up in June 1943. After initial training he went to 4 Radio School at RAF Madley passing out from there with eighteen…

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LBeethamMJ[Ser#-DoB]v1.pdf
Pilots flying log book one for Michael James Beetham, covering the period from 2 March 1942 to 17 November 1945. Detailing his flying training. Operations flown, instructor duties and post war squadron duties. He was stationed at RAF Perth, USAAC…

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LBrownJ2205595v1.pdf
Flying log book for navigators, air bombers, air gunners, flight engineers for Jeff Brown, air gunner, covering the period from 18 August 1944 to 31 December 1951. Detailing his flying training, operations flown and post war flying. He was stationed…

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LCattyMA164193v2.pdf
Royal Canadian Air Force flying log book for aircrew other than pilot for M A Catty, covering the period from 15 October 1943 to 21 September 1946. Detailing his flying training, operations flown and post war flying duties. He was stationed at RCAF…

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AHarrisDR190508.mp3
Donald was born in Acton, London. He stayed at school until he was 14 and then worked as a tea boy/general help for O. C. Summers, a firm that laid gas mains in Slough. When that job ended, he worked for another ganger in Shepherds Bush. Soon…

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PBradburyDC17010012.pdf
Extract from Flying Officer Snow's log book. It lists operations between 15 Jan 1945 and 21 May 1945.

This item was sent to the IBCC Digital Archive already in digital form. No better quality copies are available.

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PBradburyDC17010027.pdf
A brief history of 514 Squadron from its formation in 1943 to its last operation before VE day. Annotated under heading 'Last Mission before VE Day' - "7 May 1945 - 20 Lancasters dropped supplies to Dutch at The Hague, Internet info. last updated 6th…

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PThompsonKG15010154.jpg
Cutting annotated 15 Oct 1956, reports last operational flight of a Coastal Command Lancaster.
A magazine cutting January 1957 reports the last operational Lancaster flight.
A cutting of a letter suggesting that the Lancaster should be preserved…

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