Browse Items (186 total)

  • Tags: RAF Hemswell

E[Author]BeltonSLS400731-010001.jpg
Letter from Sergeant Spencer Lewis Belton to his father. Discusses the news of Distinguished Flying Medal and a broadcast on the British Broadcasting Corporation about its award.

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PPageF1608.jpg
Frank Page grew up near Teddington Locks and was working for an engineering firm when the war started. His house was bombed and he remembers recovering bodies from the ruins and says he joined the RAF to get his revenge on the Germans. His pilot…

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Introduces Michael G Hanson an RAF reservist and tells of time sailing before stating training. Covers elementary and advanced training before joining 233 Squadron at RAF Leuchars on Hudson. Relates life on the station, in local area and on maritime…

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BBaxterPDBaxterPDv1.pdf
The detailed and wide ranging story of Peter Baxter's service in the RAF from an Airframe Apprentice to Flight Engineer Leader.

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MBaxterPD52604-160712-28.jpg
Typwritten list of the units and the length of time that he was stationed there.

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PHarrisJ1901.jpg
Jack Harris was born in Gillingham, Kent. At sixteen, he undertook employment as a clerk in the intelligence department of the Air Ministry. He describes the brief evacuation of his department to Harrow in 1939 and receiving permission to leave his…

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AHarrisH180520.mp3
Please note: The veracity of this interview has been called into question. We advise that corroborative research is undertaken to establish the accuracy of some of the details mentioned and events witnessed.

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PHildrethJ1502.jpg
Jeff Hildreth was born in Huntwood, Derbyshire and studied Electrical Engineering at Worksop Technical College before joining the Air Training Corp, before eventually joining the Royal Air Force as a Wireless Operator.
He did his training at…

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PJamesDWK1701.jpg
Douglas (Jim) James was born in India and returned to England when he was nine. After school, he joined the RAF as an air gunner, forging his father’s signature on the application. Jim carried out twenty nine operations on 460 Squadron, flying in…

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PStachiewiczM17010041.jpg
Item 1 is a newspaper cutting about Polish aviators.
Item 2 is a Mess bill for Mieczysław Stachiewicz.
Item 3 and 7 are photographs of ground crew working on a Wellington.
Item 4 is a newspaper cutting about 301 Squadron and Polish…

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PStachiewiczM17010034.jpg
An operations crew list for 25th July 1942, 301 Squadron at Hemswell. It includes F/O “Mieczysław Stachiewicz. There are also two photographs of his Wellington, GR-O, Z1259.

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PStachiewiczM17010029.jpg
A chart of central England used for navigation. It is annotated with navigational fixes. The position of a dinghy is marked with the date 23/6/42.
In the top corner is a photograph of an airman in the cockpit of his aircraft.
There is a yellow post…

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PStachiewiczM17010028.jpg
Item 1 is a sketch of a red dragon.
Item 2 is a photograph of an airman in an aircraft cockpit.
Item 3 is an airman in a turret of an aircraft.
Item 4 is six airmen, one leaning out of the cockpit and the rest in front of the port engine of a…

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PStachiewiczM17010002.jpg
'Mieczysław Stachiewicz started the album in the summer of 1942 at RAF Hemswell during my service with 301 Squadron. The album is bound in a canvas from Wellington Z1273.' [translated]. There is also a handwritten note in English with page…

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AGregoryN150724.mp3
Having volunteered for aircrew in 1941 in York, Norman came into active service in 1942. He flew Tiger Moths at RAF Ansty and was recommended for multi-engine aircraft. After RAF Heaton Park, he went to Halifax, Nova Scotia. He spent six months…

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PBoyntonS1512.jpg
During 1939 Stuart left grammar school and joined the Air Training Corps. After about half a year he volunteered for air crew and was accepted. He and his girlfriend were married in February 1943. Stuart was posted to South Africa working on Ansons…

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PAndersonW1501.jpg
Flight Officer William Anderson began his service in the Royal Air Force at the age of eighteen when he signed up in Edinburgh. In this interview he speaks about his training, reporting to Lord’s Cricket Ground in London, being paid at the London…

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AMarshallS150826.mp3
Syd Marshall grew up in Lincolnshire and was working as an engineering apprentice when he decided to volunteer for the RAF. He asked initially to train to be a pilot but when the basis of his apprenticeship became clear it was inevitable he would be…

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BBrindKJBrindKJv1.pdf
Ken Brind's autobiography detailing his tour of operations.

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AScottSO150904.mp3
Seymour Owen Scott (usually refered to as Owen) served as a Lancaster pilot during the war. Mentions always having a passion for flying since he was little boy. Remembers training in Canada and the United States to become a flying boat pilot in…

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PNorringtonAW2201.jpg
John Norrington was a lorry driver when he volunteered for the Royal Air Force. After initial training, he went to RAF Sandtoft on Lancasters and Halifaxes; he crewed up with Flying Officer James, then was at RAF Hemswell for the Lancaster Finishing…

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PBawdenHH1602.jpg
Harvey Bawden, from Bendigo, Victoria, Australia, volunteered for the Royal Australian Air Force in 1942 at the age of eighteen. After initial training school and assessment as an air gunner, he was shipped to England via the United States. After…

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MTerryD938465-170619-03.pdf
A story based on the service of Lancaster ME746 AS-R2 (Roger Squared). There is a slightly shorter version included.

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PLambertRW1801.jpg
In 1943, when Richard was 17 and a half, he cycled into Guildford to sign up to volunteer for the Royal Air Force. He reported to Lords cricket ground to collect his uniform and gear and then went for training at RAF Hednesford for a six-month…

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PMacdonaldK1703.pdf
Ken has been in the Air Training Corps and enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force in 1942. He went to No. 2 Initial Training School at Bradfield Park and then to Marborough where he chose to be a wireless operator/air gunner. They flew on Wackett…

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