Browse Items (58 total)

  • Tags: RAF Manston

APetersC150428.mp3
Cyril Peters joined the Royal Air Force at Cambridge in 1940 and trained as a pilot in Canada and the United States. On his return to Great Britain he served as an instructor before flying operations as a pilot with 77 Squadron. He became a teacher…

PFellowesD1501.jpg
From Number One Air Gunnery School at RAF Pembry, Dave was posted to Number 30 Operational Training Unit at RAF Hixon on Wellingtons. He crewed up with an Australian pilot who knew his aunt. They went to 1656 Heavy Conversion Unit at RAF Lindholme to…

SBondS-FellowesDv10008.jpg
David discusses crew over photograph taken at RAF Hixon and goes on to describe flying and other activities while at OTU. He briefly mentions attending gunnery school and other gunnery training. He recalls their Australian skipper getting permission…

PBrettDT1501.jpg
Dennis was born in 1924 and joined the Royal Air Force in November 1942. He trained as a flight mechanic, airframe, at RAF Locking and was responsible for the whole of the aircraft, apart from the engines and the guns. Dennis explained the emergency…

AHicksDK151103.mp3
Ken sat the RAF aircraft apprentice exam because of his father. He passed and went, aged 16, to RAF Halton. The three-year course was condensed into two because of the war. He describes his training and the aircraft on which he worked. After he…

PMacdonaldK1703.pdf
Ken had 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…

AEdwardsM171030.mp3
Megan Edwards talks about her husband, Arthur Edwards, who served in the RAF with 102 Squadron. She tells of how they met at school and always kept in touch through the war, until they married on October 7 1944. She remembers working at the Bristol…

PArnettRJ2301.jpg
Rex was born in 1924 and grew up in Toronto, Canada. In 1942,aged 18, he joined the RCAF as aircrew. He initially started training as the second member of a Mosquito crew but was later changed to wireless operator/air gunner. Having completed his…

AWilliamsVD170403.mp3
Vivian joined the Royal Air Force in July 1938 as a flight mechanic and served for seven and a half years. After square drills at RAF Uxbridge and a course at RAF Manston, he did a basic engineering course at RAF Henlow. After six months at RAF St…

ABarfootWE151208.mp3
Bill Barfoot was born in Newcastle upon Tyne. On joining the Air Force, he trained as a wireless operator but re-mustered as aircrew. He trained as a navigator in South Africa, and flew operations with 296 Squadron, supplying the French and Norwegian…

EMeredithJRosserLV420603.pdf
Apologises for taking so long to answer letter. Mentions Cologne and Essen operations and fighter engagement on the former which resulted in damage and belly landing at RAF Manston. Catches up with news of families and colleagues as well as some oh…

EMeredithJRosserLV420705.pdf
Mentions lucky trip to Cologne and subsequent DFC. Mentions seeing Rosser in a bus queue in Oxford but missed meeting up. Writes a little about his operation to Cologne (flown as an Operational Training Unit crew) where he was engaged by fighter…

EAmpthillMRoberts441222.jpg
Reply to a letter asking information about a friend, Sergeant J McCormick. Regrets to inform her that he had been reported killed in action on 4 April 1943 and was laid to rest in Eindhoven, Netherlands.

PHuntWR20010001.jpg
Top left and bottom right photographs both show men outside a building and the centre photo shows various buildings at Manston.

PKellettR19020002.jpg
A newspaper cutting with an article about the Long Range Development Unit of the RAF. There is also a separate image of a Wellesley and the team of airmen and ground crew involved.

MHattersleyCR40699-160506-030001.pdf
A service diary written by Peter Hattersley covering the period from November 1930 to 24 September 1948.Initially he served in the Royal Engineers but in February 1936 he joined the RAF. It covers his training and operations including a newspaper…

PLittlejohnsQ17010001.jpg
Popeye doll with red scarf, blue jumper and trousers taken on flights by a crew for luck. The word 'Foreign' is written on the back of its neck.
The mascot was recovered from the crash of Lancaster WS-O LM432. The aircraft was flying from Manston…
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