RAF Harrogate and RAF Llandwrog on Ansons, were followed by Wellingtons at an Operational Training Unit at RAF Moreton in the Marsh. Maurice crewed up with Australians and trained on Gee navigation. He eventually moved to the 1654 Heavy Conversion Unit at RAF Wigsley on Lancasters. The war finished before going on operations.
Maurice went to Leicester East on C-47 where he did a course on pannier dropping and glider towing (Hadrian gliders). He went from Lyneham to Karchi, stopping off in Sardinia. Maurice was stationed at Mauripur. He travelled to Calcutta and Chittagong, then Rangoon and 194 Squadron at Mingaladon airport. They did airline work in the Far East, ferrying VIPs, including Compton Mackenzie. Navigation was with Eureka and dead reckoning. He finished at Hong Kong where Maurice married. Demobilisation was in August 1947.
]]>
Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Sally Coulter]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Burma]]> Canada]]> China]]> Great Britain]]> India]]> Burma--Rangoon]]> China--Hong Kong]]> England--Northampton]]> England--Scarborough]]> India--Kolkata]]> England--Northamptonshire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Canada]]> Manitoba]]> Manitoba--Rivers]]> 1943]]> 1945]]>
Bill Bailey]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sue Smith]]> David Bloomfield]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Memoir]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> United States Army Air Force]]> Free French Air Force]]> Canada]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> Norway]]> Poland]]> Atlantic Ocean--English Channel]]> Atlantic Ocean--Kattegat (Baltic Sea)]]> England--Birmingham]]> England--Devon]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--London]]> England--Yorkshire]]> France--Domléger-Longvillers]]> France--Ardennes]]> France--Calais]]> France--Cap Gris Nez]]> France--Le Havre]]> Germany--Bochum]]> Germany--Cologne]]> Germany--Dortmund]]> Germany--Düsseldorf]]> Germany--Essen]]> Germany--Frankfurt am Main]]> Germany--Freiburg im Breisgau]]> Germany--Hannover]]> Germany--Karlsruhe]]> Germany--Leipzig]]> Manitoba--Carberry]]> Netherlands--Domburg]]> Netherlands--Eindhoven]]> New Brunswick--Moncton]]> Norway--Oslo]]> Nova Scotia--Halifax]]> Ontario--Hamilton]]> Ontario--Picton]]> Poland--Szczecin]]> Netherlands--Hague]]> France]]> Ontario]]> New Brunswick]]> Nova Scotia]]> Netherlands]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> England--Warwickshire]]> Manitoba]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> 1946]]> 1947]]> Great Britain. Royal Air Force]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Mike Connock]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Log book and record book]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Canada]]> France]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> Netherlands]]> Atlantic Ocean--English Channel]]> Atlantic Ocean--Kattegat (Baltic Sea)]]> Belgium--Saint-Vith]]> England--Gloucestershire]]> England--Lancashire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> England--Oxfordshire]]> England--Shropshire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> France--Calais]]> France--Criel-sur-Mer]]> France--Le Havre]]> France--Pas-de-Calais]]> France--Somme]]> Germany--Bochum]]> Germany--Cologne]]> Germany--Dortmund]]> Germany--Düsseldorf]]> Germany--Essen]]> Germany--Frankfurt am Main]]> Germany--Freiburg im Breisgau]]> Germany--Hannover]]> Germany--Karlsruhe]]> Germany--Merseburg]]> Germany--Stuttgart]]> Germany--Zeitz]]> Manitoba--Carberry]]> Netherlands--Eindhoven]]> Netherlands--Hague]]> Netherlands--Walcheren]]> New Brunswick--Moncton]]> Ontario--Hamilton]]> Ontario--Picton]]> Scotland--Moray]]> Wales--Gwynedd]]> Poland--Szczecin]]> Poland]]> Ontario]]> New Brunswick]]> Belgium]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> Manitoba]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> 1946]]> 1944-05-24]]> 1944-05-25]]> 1944-08-29]]> 1944-08-30]]> 1944-08-31]]> 1944-09-03]]> 1944-09-05]]> 1944-09-10]]> 1944-09-12]]> 1944-09-13]]> 1944-09-17]]> 1944-09-24]]> 1944-09-26]]> 1944-09-27]]> 1944-10-19]]> 1944-10-20]]> 1944-10-23]]> 1944-10-25]]> 1944-10-28]]> 1944-10-29]]> 1944-10-30]]> 1944-10-31]]> 1944-11-02]]> 1944-11-04]]> 1944-11-11]]> 1944-11-21]]> 1944-11-27]]> 1944-11-28]]> 1944-11-29]]> 1944-12-04]]> 1944-12-06]]> 1944-12-07]]> 1944-12-12]]> 1944-12-13]]> 1944-12-21]]> 1944-12-26]]> 1945-01-05]]> 1945-01-06]]> 1945-01-07]]> 1945-01-14]]> 1945-01-15]]> 1945-01-16]]> 1945-01-17]]> Operational duties included up to 14 bombing operations over Germany, three trips on Operation Mana and a number of flights bringing prisoners of war back from France and Italy. Reg also describes the typical duties of aircrew wireless operator -staying in contact with base operations and keeping the crew informed of any operational changes. When the war ended Reg re-mustered to work in Motor Transport and was posted to the MOD Maintenance Unit at White City and then on to the Maintenance Unit at Bicester. He finished his National Service at Kirkham near Blackpool. Reg married in 1945. At the time of the interview they were approaching their 70th wedding anniversary.
]]>
David Kavanagh]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Chris Cann]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]>
He tells of his two brothers who served in the forces and then goes on to talk about his crew and some of the experiences he saw whilst flying in a Bomber Stream.
After his missions, he was then posted as an instructor on Operational Training Units, before flying with 97 Pathfinder Squadron.
Percy flew in Bleinheims, Halifaxes and Lancasters and recalls his life in the Royal Air Force, and his crews and training, also meeting up with the relatives of his former crew, and meeting people from Holland after the war.
Percy also tells of his experiences flying in a Catalina after visiting his brother, who flew in Coastal Command.
Percy completed two tours of duty in Bomber Command and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal in September 1944.
]]>
Adam Sutch]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Vivienne Tincombe]]> Pending review]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]>
Mick Jeffery]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sue Smith]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> Poland]]> South Africa]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Germany--Berlin]]> Germany--Essen]]> Wales--Carmarthen]]> Netherlands]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> 1939]]> 1943-02]]> Harry Bartlett]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> Pending OH summary]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Canada]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> 1941]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> Great Britain. Royal Air Force]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Mike Connock]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Log book and record book]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Belgium]]> France]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> Atlantic Ocean--Baltic Sea]]> Belgium--Hasselt]]> Belgium--Leopoldsburg]]> England--Berkshire]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> England--Durham (County)]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Wales--Gwynedd]]> France--Boulogne-sur-Mer]]> France--Calais]]> France--Douai]]> France--Juvisy-sur-Orge]]> France--Laon]]> France--Longueau]]> France--Noyelles]]> France--Orléans]]> France--Saint-Nazaire]]> France--Trouville-sur-Mer]]> Germany--Aachen]]> Germany--Berlin]]> Germany--Bochum]]> Germany--Bottrop]]> Germany--Chemnitz]]> Germany--Dortmund]]> Germany--Essen]]> Germany--Gelsenkirchen]]> Germany--Hamburg]]> Germany--Hanau]]> Germany--Hannover]]> Germany--Landshut]]> Germany--Leverkusen]]> Germany--Magdeburg]]> Germany--Merseburg]]> Germany--Munich]]> Germany--Nuremberg]]> Germany--Oberhausen (Düsseldorf)]]> Germany--Peenemünde]]> Germany--Soest]]> Germany--Stuttgart]]> Germany--Wanne-Eickel]]> Germany--Wilhelmshaven]]> Germany--Saarbrücken]]> Germany--Düren (Cologne)]]> Germany--Mannheim]]> Germany--Düsseldorf]]> Germany--Frankfurt am Main]]> Germany--Mönchengladbach]]> Germany--Urft Dam]]> France--Neufchâtel-en-Bray]]> France--Laval (Mayenne)]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> France--Juvincourt-et-Damary]]> 1942]]> 1943-01-26]]> 1943-02-06]]> 1943-02-07]]> 1943-02-19]]> 1943-02-28]]> 1943-03-03]]> 1943-03-04]]> 1943-04-14]]> 1943-04-15]]> 1943-04-16]]> 1943-04-17]]> 1943-04-28]]> 1943-04-29]]> 1943-05-04]]> 1943-05-05]]> 1943-05-12]]> 1943-05-13]]> 1943-05-21]]> 1943-05-22]]> 1943-05-28]]> 1943-05-29]]> 1943-07-13]]> 1943-07-14]]> 1943-07-24]]> 1943-07-25]]> 1943-07-26]]> 1943-07-27]]> 1943-07-28]]> 1943-07-29]]> 1943-07-30]]> 1943-08-02]]> 1943-08-03]]> 1943-08-17]]> 1943-08-18]]> 1943-08-22]]> 1943-08-23]]> 1943-08-24]]> 1943-08-27]]> 1943-08-28]]> 1943-08-30]]> 1943-08-31]]> 1943-09-05]]> 1943-09-06]]> 1943-09-07]]> 1943-09-22]]> 1943-09-23]]> 1943-09-27]]> 1943-09-28]]> 1943-10-04]]> 1943-10-05]]> 1944-05-11]]> 1944-05-12]]> 1944-05-13]]> 1944-05-19]]> 1944-05-20]]> 1944-05-22]]> 1944-05-23]]> 1944-05-27]]> 1944-06-07]]> 1944-06-08]]> 1944-06-09]]> 1944-06-12]]> 1944-06-13]]> 1944-06-14]]> 1944-06-15]]> 1944-06-16]]> 1944-06-19]]> 1944-06-20]]> 1944-06-22]]> 1944-06-23]]> 1944-06-24]]> 1944-06-28]]> 1944-06-29]]> 1944-07-01]]> 1944-07-04]]> 1944-07-09]]> 1944-09-17]]> 1944-09-20]]> 1944-09-25]]> 1944-09-30]]> 1944-10-05]]> 1944-10-06]]> 1944-10-14]]> 1944-10-15]]> 1944-10-19]]> 1944-10-21]]> 1944-10-31]]> 1944-11-02]]> 1944-11-04]]> 1944-11-06]]> 1944-11-16]]> 1944-11-18]]> 1944-11-29]]> 1944-12-04]]> 1944-12-05]]> 1944-12-06]]> 1944-12-07]]> 1944-12-24]]> 1945-01-06]]> 1945-01-07]]> 1945-01-08]]> 1945-01-14]]> 1945-01-15]]> 1945-01-16]]> 1945-01-22]]> 1945-01-23]]> 1945-02-13]]> 1945-02-14]]> 1945-02-15]]> 1945-02-20]]> 1945-02-21]]> Great Britain. Royal Air Force]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Log book and record book]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> Netherlands]]> Atlantic Ocean--North Sea]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> England--Herefordshire]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> England--Shropshire]]> England--Staffordshire]]> England--Suffolk]]> Germany--Bremen]]> Germany--Cuxhaven]]> Germany--Helgoland]]> Germany--Plauen]]> Netherlands--Delft]]> Netherlands--Rotterdam]]> Netherlands--Valkenburg (South Holland)]]> Wales--Gwynedd]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> 1945-04-10]]> 1945-04-11]]> 1945-04-14]]> 1945-04-15]]> 1945-04-18]]> 1945-04-22]]> 1945-04-29]]> 1945-04-30]]> 1945-05-01]]> 1945-05-02]]> 1945-05-03]]> 1945-05-07]]> 1945-05-16]]> 1945-06-05]]> 1945-06-30]]> 1945-07-04]]> 1945-08-15]]> 1945-08-17]]> 1945-08-26]]> 1945-08-28]]> 1945-09-13]]> 1945-09-15]]> 1945-10-01]]> 1945-10-03]]> 1945-11-07]]> 1945-11-09]]> 1945-11-23]]> 1945-11-24]]> 1945-11-26]]> Great Britain. Royal Air Force]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Log book and record book]]> Royal Air Force]]> South African Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> France]]> Germany]]> Poland]]> Wales]]> Atlantic Ocean--Baltic Sea]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Staffordshire]]> England--Suffolk]]> France--Nord-Pas-de-Calais]]> France--Lyon]]> France--Mailly-le-Camp]]> Germany--Augsburg]]> Germany--Berlin]]> Germany--Cologne]]> Germany--Düsseldorf]]> Germany--Essen]]> Germany--Frankfurt am Main]]> Germany--Friedrichshafen]]> Germany--Karlsruhe]]> Germany--Stuttgart]]> Poland--Gdynia]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> 1944-02-25]]> 1944-02-26]]> 1944-03-01]]> 1944-03-02]]> 1944-03-15]]> 1944-03-16]]> 1944-03-18]]> 1944-03-19]]> 1944-04-09]]> 1944-04-10]]> 1944-04-11]]> 1944-04-20]]> 1944-04-21]]> 1944-04-22]]> 1944-04-23]]> 1944-04-24]]> 1944-04-25]]> 1944-04-26]]> 1944-04-27]]> 1944-04-28]]> 1944-04-30]]> 1944-05-01]]> 1944-05-02]]> 1944-05-03]]> 1944-05-04]]> After a holding station in Padgate, Alan went to Brighton. En route, he witnessed the devastating effects of war in London. He saw some V-1s in Brighton. He did a commando course in the North East before going to RAF Llandwrog, an Advanced Flying Unit. He learnt Gee and H2S navigation systems. Alan was posted to No. 17 Operational Training Unit on Wellingtons. Because of illness, he had to crew up a second time. The satellite station was at RAF Silverstone. Alan recounts some of his activities on leave.
Alan was posted to the 1661 Heavy Conversion Unit at RAF Winthorpe where he first encountered Lancasters. A flight engineer was added to their crew.
Alan discusses the large losses of Bomber Command and also Australians.
He details a “bullseye” exercise to London when the radio malfunctioned and Alan had to navigate by dead reckoning. A few days later, they had to abort an attack on the Ruhr. They were almost hit from below on their return journey.
When Germany surrendered, the Australians were sent to RAF Worksop. Alan spent VE Day in London. After the atomic bomb on Japan, Alan briefly found a job in London before sailing back to Australia.
]]>
Adam Purcell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Sally Coulter]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> England--Buckinghamshire]]> England--Northamptonshire]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> England--London]]> Wales--Gwynedd]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> Canada]]> Alberta]]> Alberta--Edmonton]]>
Rob Gray]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Carolyn Emery]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> California--San Francisco]]> United States]]> California]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Janet McGreevy]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> Germany]]> Atlantic Ocean--North Sea]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> Germany--Plauen]]> Germany--Cuxhaven]]> Germany--Berlin]]>