1
25
48
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1437/43488/MHarveyA200708-111201-01.1.pdf
b35eab8329b4f682e988183024f03ba4
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Harvey, Alain Morison
A Harvey
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2015-09-04
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Harvey, A
Description
An account of the resource
Three items. The collection concerns Flying Officer Alain Harvey (1920 - 1943, 416571 Royal Australian Air Force) and contains research and photographs. He flew operations as a pilot with 35 Squadron and was killed 23/24 May 1943. <br /><br />The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Julius Brookman and catalogued by Trevor Hardcastle. <br /><br />Additional information on Alain Harvey is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/212229/">IBCC Losses Database</a>
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Alain Harvey a chronology
Description
An account of the resource
A short chronology of Alain's life, particularly his training for and service with the RAF Bomber Command.
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1943-05-22
1943-05-23
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Cambridgeshire
Germany
Germany--Ruhr (Region)
Germany--Dortmund
England--Yorkshire
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Two page typewritten document
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
MHarveyA200708-111201-01
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
10 Squadron
1663 HCU
26 OTU
35 Squadron
76 Squadron
aircrew
Anson
Halifax
Heavy Conversion Unit
killed in action
Operational Training Unit
Oxford
pilot
RAF Graveley
RAF Linton on Ouse
RAF Little Horwood
RAF Melbourne
RAF Middleton St George
RAF Rufforth
Tiger Moth
training
Wellington
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/837/34465/BMarshCGoldbyJLv10001.2.jpg
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https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/837/34465/BMarshCGoldbyJLv10002.2.jpg
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https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/837/34465/BMarshCGoldbyJLv10003.2.jpg
cd7f176ae1972d3e966f2ffc1dab672a
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Goldby, John Louis
J L Goldby
Description
An account of the resource
An oral history interview with John Goldby (1922 - 2020, 1387511, 139407 Royal Air Force). He was shot down and became a prisoner of war in December 1944.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by John Goldby and catalogued by Barry Hunter.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-10-25
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Goldby, JL
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
JOHN LOUIS GOLDBY SERVICE NO. 1387511 and 139407 Version dated 21 July 2020
[inserted] Corrected August 2020 [/inserted]
John joined up on 31 May 1941 at Babbacombe in Devon. He completed ground training at the Initial Training Wing at RAF Kenley. He then went to Air Observer School at Jurby in the Isle of Man from October 1941 – May 1942. For some of his fellow volunteers it was the first time they had been in an aircraft. He completed navigation and gunnery training on Blenheim aircraft and bomb aimer training on Hampdens whilst at Jurby, using air-to-air towed targets. He gained 3 stripes as a Sergeant Observer. He then went to Stanton Harcourt (near Abingdon) to 10 Operational Training Unit in June 1942.
He became part of a crew under pilot Captain Watson RE, seconded onto Whitley aircraft in the role bomb aimer. Captain Watson was a 2nd pilot on the first 1,000 bomber raid on Cologne on 30 May 1942. The second 1,000 bomber raid targeted Essen and John flew on the third 1,000 bomber raid in a Whitley bomber to Bremen on 25 June 1942. This was a 5-hour round trip.
Bomber Command then extended the number of crew needed on 4 engined aircraft from 5 to 7 crew members, adding a bomb aimer and flight engineer.
No. 10 Operational Training Unit Detachment at St Eval was led by Wing Commander Pickard who was portrayed in the film 'F for Freddie' which detailed the raid on Amiens prison, in which Wg. Cmdr. Pickard was killed.
Twin-engined Whitley aircraft of Bomber Command were being used on anti-submarine duties because of the U-boat threat.
The unit was based at St Eval in Cornwall using black-painted Whitleys (Coastal Command aircraft were painted white). Flights involved a 10-hour flight dropping depth charges over the Bay of Biscay. It was a deafening experience as the crew had no hearing protection. The unit completed 6-8 operations.
John then moved in September 1942 to Marston Moor (Yorkshire) and completed a conversion course on to 4 engined aircraft – the Halifax 2. These were notoriously difficult to handle, with original tail fins and Rolls Royce engines.
John took part in a number of mine-laying operations off Heligoland, which counted as a 1/2 operation. These were called 'gardening' trips – planting mines at low level. On 11 December 1943 John was a crew member in a Halifax 2 aircraft of No. 78 Squadron which took off from Linton-on-Ouse with a heavy load of fuel on board, bound for Turin. An engine caught fire on take-off and the aircraft had to ditch in Filey Bay. The crew were rescued by local fishermen. By February 1943 he had completed 8 operations which was very stressful. He received news of his commission and went to London to get his uniform, but he developed a very bad throat infection and ended up in an Army hospital in York with an abscess on the carotid artery, and then had his tonsils removed. He spent his 21st. birthday in June 1943 in hospital at RAF Northallerton.
His commissioned service number was 139407. His mother came up from Sidcup for the commissioning ceremony – a very difficult journey in wartime.
John was posted as a Bombing Instructor to Moreton-in-March (Gloucester) from winter 1943 until late Spring 1944 (???) on Wellington aircraft. He then moved back to Bomber Command Operations and completed a Bombing Leader course at the Armaments School at RAF Manby in January 1944 at the beginning of July 1944 at RAF Riccal (York). He was posted to No. 640 Squadron at RAF Leconfield In Yorkshire on Halifax 3 aircraft as a bomb aimer with the rank of Flight Lieutenant.
In his position as a Bomb Aimer leader, John was supposed to complete only 2 operations per month, but if a crew lacked a bomb aimer then John would go on the operation to complete the crew. For his actions when his aircraft was damaged during a raid over Germany in September 1944 John was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (although he did not receive the actual decoration until June 1945 (see separate piece).
[page break]
On 6 December 1944 John's aircraft – a Halifax III with radial engines – was hit whilst returning from a bombing raid over Osnabruck in Germany. John thinks his aircraft collided with a German night fighter. He was fortunate to escape from the falling aircraft – he still does not know how he got out of the fuselage), and landed by parachute in a field full of water. He sustained various injuries, and recovered in a hospital run by nuns at Neemkirchen in northern Germany until 20th January 1945. He was then sent to the interrogation centre at Dulagluft at Frankfurt-an-der-Oder near Barth near Stettin in Pomerania. The camp had an airfield alongside it. The camp was divided into 2 parts – an American section for USAF personnel and a British RAF Group Captain commanded the British prisoners. You were placed into the appropriate section according to which air force you had flown with. The camp was liberated by Russian forces on May 1st. 1945. Shortly afterwards members of the American Army appeared and took over the camp.
2 Group Captains from the camp managed to get through to the Allied lines at Lubeck and arranged for the camp prisoners (all RAF men?) to be flown back to the UK on B17 Flying Fortresses, 25 men to each aircraft on 13 May 1945. John's aircraft landed at Ford, and he then caught a train to (RAF) Cosford.
He underwent a rehabilitation course in Air Traffic Control at RAF Henlow.
He was demobbed in late 1946.
POST-WAR CAREER
John re-joined the RAF in 1949, and completed a 9 month Navigator and Bombing refresher course at No. 1 Air Navigation School at Topcliffe and RAF Middleton-St-George respectively between 1 June and 15 August 1949 on Anson and Wellington aircraft. This was followed by training at No. 201 Advanced Flying School at RAF Swinderby, flying Wellingtons with pilot Wing Commander Oxley, between 29 September and 30 November.
Wing Commander Oxley (known as Beetle), was quite dangerous as he did not like to use his instruments. On one operation John's aircraft was diverted to Anglesey and Beetle overshot the runway.
John then posted to No 236 Operational Conversion Unit at RAF Kinloss in Scotland, flying Lancaster aircraft, until 5 April 1950. It was a very cold experience as they lived in unheated tin (Nissen) huts. John then was posted to 38 Squadron at RAF Luqa, Malta, flying Lancasters on Maritime Reconnaissance Operations, including exercises with various Navies and Air Sea Rescue duties), until 19 July 1952. During this period he was seconded to RAF Masirah located on the island of Masirah in the Indian Ocean as Commanding Officer of the staging post between Aden and India.
There were frequent visitors, to the RAF base, especially the top people from the Defence College. Back in Malta, on 12th May 1952 John flew with 6 Lancaster aircraft from No. 38 Squadron which set of [sic] on a goodwill visit to Ceylon (Sri Lanka.) They flew via Luqa (Malta), Habbaniya (Iraq), Mauripur (India) to Negombo. They returned leaving Negombo on 31st May via Mauripur, Aden and Khartoum (Sudan) reaching Luqa on 4 June 1952.
On leaving Malta in September 1952 John was posted to No. 1 Maritime Reconnaissance School at St Mawgan in Cornwall as a Navigational Instructor, flying Lancasters until the end of September 1954. During this period John had two breaks, one being in the procession at the Queen's Coronation in 1953, and the second at the Queen's Review at RAF Odiham. In October 1954 until September 1956 John was posted to HQ 64 Group Home Command, at Rufforth in Yorkshire, as PA to the Air Officer Commanding (this was a non-flying role, apart from accompanying the Air Commodore on internal visits).
[page break]
From September 1956 until 23 January 1957 John attended Bomber Command Bombing School at RAF Lindholme, Yorkshire, for navigation training for the V-Bomber Force. In summer of that year he was posted instead to the Air Ministry, London Intelligence Branch. During his term at the Air Ministry he had a spell of 2 weeks at St Mawgan, flying as Navigator on Shackleton aircraft with the Air Sea Warfare Development Unit. This was to qualify him to receive flying pay. From October 1960 until May 1962 he served as Assistant Air Attache at the British Embassy in Paris. John was promoted to the rank of Wing Commander and liaised with the French Air Force for participation in air shows.
John retired from the RAF in May 1962, as there was only a 1 in 4 chance that he would be posted to a flying role, and by then he had 2 small children at home.
In September 1962 he joined Shell-Mex and BP Ltd, soon to become separate companies. He stayed with Shell until his retirement in June 1982.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
John Louis Goldby Biography
Description
An account of the resource
A biography covering John's training and service in the RAF.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2020-07-21
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Devon
Germany--Cologne
Germany--Essen
Germany--Bremen
Atlantic Ocean--Bay of Biscay
Germany--Helgoland
Italy--Turin
England--Filey
England--Northallerton
Germany--Osnabrück
Germany--Barth
Malta
Oman--Masirah Island
India
Yemen (Republic)--Aden
Sri Lanka
Iraq--Ḥabbānīyah
Pakistan--Karachi
Sri Lanka--Negombo
Sudan--Khartoum
Germany--Lübeck
Italy
Sudan
North Africa
Germany
Iraq
Pakistan
Yemen (Republic)
Oman
Germany--Ruhr (Region)
England--Kent
England--Lancashire
England--Yorkshire
England--London
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Royal Air Force. Coastal Command
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Personal research
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Three printed sheets
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
BMarshCGoldbyJLv10001, BMarshCGoldbyJLv10002, BMarshCGoldbyJLv10003
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Sue Smith
10 OTU
38 Squadron
78 Squadron
air gunner
aircrew
Anson
B-17
bale out
Blenheim
bomb aimer
bombing of Cologne (30/31 May 1942)
Distinguished Flying Cross
Dulag Luft
Halifax
Halifax Mk 2
Halifax Mk 3
Hampden
Lancaster
mine laying
navigator
Nissen hut
Operational Training Unit
prisoner of war
RAF Cosford
RAF Ford
RAF Henlow
RAF Jurby
RAF Kenley
RAF Kinloss
RAF Leconfield
RAF Lindholme
RAF Linton on Ouse
RAF Manby
RAF Marston Moor
RAF Middleton St George
RAF Moreton in the Marsh
RAF Odiham
RAF Riccall
RAF Rufforth
RAF St Eval
RAF St Mawgan
RAF Stanton Harcourt
RAF Swinderby
RAF Topcliffe
Shackleton
Stalag Luft 1
training
Wellington
Whitley
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1751/34073/SWarnerC1801861v10017.1.pdf
d0cc4401fc2b1891696c5602f3ebbd88
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Warner, Charles Herbert Albert
C H A Warner
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-11-12
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Warner, CHA
Description
An account of the resource
Sixteen items. The collection concerns Sergeant Charles Warner (1801861 Royal Air Force) and and Sergeant J F W Warner (976029 Royal Air Force). <br /><br />Charle Warner's collection contains correspondence, documents and photographs. He flew as a flight engineer on 101 Squadron and was shot down and killed 3 September 1943.<br /><br /> <span class="NormalTextRun SCXW196096160 BCX0">Additional information on </span><span class="SpellingError SCXW196096160 BCX0">Charles Warner</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW196096160 BCX0"> is available via the <a href="https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/124437/">IBCC Losses Database.</a></span><br /><br />J F W Warner's collection contains his service and release book and his decorations. He served as an engine fitter in North Africa. <br /><br />The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Geoffrey Warner and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Sergeant J F W Warner - RAF service and release book
Description
An account of the resource
Book for 976029 Sergeant John Frederick Walter Warner. Overseas service from 9.11.1942 to 9/11/1945. Served from 19.12.1939 to 10/03/1946. Awarded Africa Star and clasp, Italy Star and 1939-45 Star. Trade engine fitter.
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942-11-09
1945-01-09
1939-12-19
1946-03-10
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Yorkshire
North Africa
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Multi-page printed booklet with handwritten entries
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
SWarnerC1801861v10017
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
fitter engine
ground crew
ground personnel
RAF Rufforth
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1825/33685/SBrennanJ1210913v20004-0003.2.pdf
539ac2675edef1636228157f68d23f5f
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Brennan, Jack
John Brennan
J Brennan
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-04-05
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Brennan, J
Description
An account of the resource
Twenty-four items.
The collection concerns Sergeant John Brennan DFM (1210913 Royal Air Force) and contains his log book as well as documents including a Goldfish Club certificate, notes from station and squadron operational record book with details of activities and operations, memoirs, newspaper cuttings and correspondence. In addition, contains operation order and other details for 617 Squadron's attack of German dams on 16/17 May 1943.
He flew operations as a wireless operator with 102 and 35 Squadrons.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by T Noble and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Notes from Squadron and station operational records
Description
An account of the resource
Contains: List of targets from 23 May 1943 up to 31 May 1944. Includes target name, type of aircraft, serial number and letter. Record of 1663 HCU Rufforth from 2 March 1942 to 15 May 1943, includes establishment, personnel, aircraft, strength, postings, crashes. Also some details from RAF Marston Moor and station records from RAF Pocklington mentioning some targets and visit by Sir Arthur Harris. Mentions crew ditching and being rescued next day. List his crew on 102 Squadron. Large number of pages from station and squadron records covering operations from 23 May 1943 up until 21 June 1943. Details include numbers of aircraft and other details, Followed by record of 277 and 198 squadron Squadron RAF Martlesham covering fighter and other air sea rescue operations during recovery of Brennan's crew which had ditched near Dutch coast on 22 June 1943. Continues with station records on operations from 22 June 1943 until 3 July 1943,notes on aircraft failed to return. List crew on 102 Squadron and notes posting to 35 Squadron. Continues with station record form RAF Graveley and covers operations and daily activity from 8 July 1943 as well as squadron records of operations detailing reports from crew including combat reports. Covers operations and daily activity on station and squadron up to 31 May 1944. Followed by summaries of postings, promotions, awards, losses and operational statistics.
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1943
1944
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--Yorkshire
England--Suffolk
Germany
Germany--Dortmund
Germany--Duisburg
Germany--Bochum
Germany--Düsseldorf
Germany--Essen
Germany--Wuppertal
France
France--Le Creusot
Germany--Krefeld
Germany--Mülheim an der Ruhr
Germany--Gelsenkirchen
Germany--Cologne
England--Cambridgeshire
Germany--Aachen
France
France--Montbéliard
Germany--Hamburg
Italy
Italy--Turin
Germany--Solingen
Germany--Remscheid
Germany--Leverkusen
Germany--Ludwigshafen am Rhein
Germany--Mannheim
Germany--Nuremberg
Germany--Peenemünde
Germany--Berlin
Germany--Mönchengladbach
Germany--Hannover
France--Montluçon
France--Modane
Poland
Poland--Szczecin
Germany--Kassel
Germany--Frankfurt am Main
Germany--Schweinfurt
Germany--Bremen
Germany--Leverkusen
France--Cannes
Germany--Stuttgart
Germany--Leipzig
Germany--Magdeburg
Germany--Braunschweig
Germany--Augsburg
Germany--Munich
Germany--Osnabrück
France--Laon
Germany--Karlsruhe
France--Paris
Germany--Friedrichshafen
Belgium
Belgium--La Louvière
France--Lens
Belgium--Louvain
Belgium--Hasselt
France--Angers
France--Dunkerque
Germany--Ruhr (Region)
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Personal research
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One hundred and sixty four page handwritten document
Conforms To
An established standard to which the described resource conforms.
Pending text-based transcription. Allocated
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
SBrennanJ1210913v20004-0003
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
102 Squadron
1663 HCU
35 Squadron
51 Squadron
air gunner
air sea rescue
aircrew
B-17
Bennett, Donald Clifford Tyndall (1910-1986)
bomb aimer
bombing
bombing of Hamburg (24-31 July 1943)
crash
ditching
flight engineer
Halifax
Halifax Mk 2
Halifax Mk 3
Harris, Arthur Travers (1892-1984)
Heavy Conversion Unit
Lancaster
Lancaster Mk 3
missing in action
navigator
pilot
RAF Graveley
RAF Marston Moor
RAF Martlesham Heath
RAF Pocklington
RAF Rufforth
Spitfire
training
Typhoon
Walrus
wireless operator
-
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https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/921/22838/MLawsonHA19210824-161128-010002.2.jpg
ef4f261230d3213b11f9f1759cbc64d1
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Lawson, Homer
Harold Lawson
H Lawson
Description
An account of the resource
Ten items. An oral history interview with Susanne Pescott about her father, Flight Lieutenant Harold Lawson DFC (b. 1921, 1544881, 177469 Royal Air Force), his log book, photographs and album. He flew operations as a navigator with 10 Squadron.
The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Susanne Pescott and catalogued by Barry Hunter.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-11-28
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Lawson, HA
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
[underlined] HAROLD “HOMER” LAWSON [/underlined]
24.8.21 – Born Salford
22.9.41 – Signed to Join RAF. (see Letter)
19.1.43 – 13.4.43 – Training as Navigator @ Llanwrog [sic] (now Caernarfon Airport)
- Flying Anson’s 93 HRS
19.4.43 – Qualified as Navigator
8.6.43 – 19.8.43 - Based RAF Forres Scotland & Kinloss 19 OUT Met up with Crew & Pilot [underlined] Johnny Howitt [/underlines] Flying Anson & Whitley’s 105 HRS
25.09.43 – 20.10.43 – 1662 Conversion Unit @ Rufforth Yorks Flying Halifax MKII’s 33 HRS
5.11.43 – 20.7.44 – 10 Scon Melbourne 38 Opp’s Ist Completed Tour Flying Halifax MK II & MK III’s 170 HRS “OLRAM”
[underlined] Key Events [/underlined]
*29/12/43 – Ist Opp’s Berlin – Shot Down JU88
* /4/44 – Dusseldorf & Essen – Caught in Search Lights
*6/5/44 – Mantes/Gassicourt – Attack by Fighter
*** D DAY 6.6.44 – 2.55 am Mout Hevry gun Battery 22.30 – ST10 @2000ft.
*15.6.44 – Rennes Combat with JU88 Port Engine of Fire.
*24.6.44 – Noyelle En Chausee – Engine Problems featured
*25.6.44 – Baineville – [underlined] 3 Combats [/underlined] 1 ME210 Destroyed
*20.7.44 – Blothrop - Ammo Tracks on Fire
15.8.44 – 14.9.44 Forres & Scotland Flying Ansons 10 HRS
[Page Break]
6.11.45 – 18.2.45 – RAF Kinloss Scotland 19OTU Flying Wellington’s 14 HRS
*November 1944 – Awarded ‘DFC’
8.4.45- 2.5.45 – RAF Ruffoth 1663 Conversion Unit Flying Halifax III 40 HRS. Bombing and Fighting Affiliation.
[underlined] Moved to 77 Sqn [/underlined]
6.5.45 – 8.8.45 – Full Sutton (Yorks ) Met new crew – Pilot Pickin. Fling Halifax VI & Dekota’s [sic]56HRS
*Circuits & Bombs/Bomb Jettisoning/Formation Flying
5.9.45 – 12.9.45 – Broadwell Flying Dakota’s 7.5 HRS
*Supply dropping/Glider Towing/Formation Flying
22.9.45 - ? Transits to India & Based in Mauripur Kashmir Flying Dakotas
*Came home and returned to old employer
*Married ‘Maureen Chilun’ 31.12.55 Great Ballroom Dancer’s Dancing @ Tower Ballroom, Blackpool
*Died to early 12.9.75
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Homer Lawson's Biography
Description
An account of the resource
The story of Homer Lawson from birth in August 1921 to death in September 1975. He trained as a Navigator in Wales and in Scotland before converting to Halifaxes in Yorkshire. He completed 38 operations then returned to Scotland for more training. Then he was transferred back to Yorkshire flying Halifaxes and C-47s after the war.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Two handwritten sheets
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Memoir
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
MLawsonHA19210824-161128-010001,
MLawsonHA19210824-161128-010002
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Royal Air Force. Transport Command
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
Scotland--Forres
Germany--Berlin
Germany--Essen
France--Rennes
France--Normandy
Germany--Düsseldorf
England--Salford (Greater Manchester)
France--Mantes-la-Jolie
France
Germany
Germany--Ruhr (Region)
England--Lancashire
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Claire Monk
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1944-06-05
1944-06-06
10 Squadron
1662 HCU
1663 HCU
19 OTU
77 Squadron
aircrew
Anson
bombing of the Normandy coastal batteries (5/6 June 1944)
C-47
Distinguished Flying Cross
Halifax
Halifax Mk 2
Halifax Mk 3
Heavy Conversion Unit
Ju 88
navigator
Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944)
Operational Training Unit
RAF Full Sutton
RAF Kinloss
RAF Llandwrog
RAF Melbourne
RAF Moreton in the Marsh
RAF Rufforth
training
Wellington
Whitley
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/921/11529/APescottSM171018.1.mp3
42ca6713ac5e82b8b008ab682176172e
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Lawson, Homer
Harold Lawson
H Lawson
Description
An account of the resource
Ten items. An oral history interview with Susanne Pescott about her father, Flight Lieutenant Harold Lawson DFC (b. 1921, 1544881, 177469 Royal Air Force), his log book, photographs and album. He flew operations as a navigator with 10 Squadron.
The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Susanne Pescott and catalogued by Barry Hunter.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-11-28
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Lawson, HA
Transcribed audio recording
A resource consisting primarily of recorded human voice.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
SP: This is Susanne Pescott of International Bomber Command Centre, talking today about my own father, Flight Lieutenant Harold Homer Lawson DFC. Today is the 18th of October 2017. My father, Harold Arthur Lawson was born 24th of August 1921 in Salford, Manchester. His parents were Arthur and Emilia Lawson and Arthur was a piano teacher. He also had two brothers, Arthur and Stanley. He went to Gresham Street School and was an altar boy at the Church of Ascension in Salford. After school, he went to Grammar School and worked for Acme Welders as an engineer before he signed up in 1941. He was aged twenty and he signed up at the recruitment centre in Padgate. I’ve actually got the letter that was sent from the Air Ministry, I think it’s really interesting that in this letter dated 22nd of September 1941, in the end paragraph it says, in wishing you success in the service of your choice, I would like to add this, the honour of the Royal Air Force is in your hands, our country’s safety and the final overthrow of the powers of evil now arrayed against us depend upon you and your comrades. You will be given the best aircraft and armament that the factories of America and Britain can produce, equip yourself with knowledge and how to use them. I can’t imagine what a twenty-year-old, his reaction would be to that, but I should imagine it’s quite daunting to have all that pressure suddenly seen. So, he started his training around the end of 1941 and he was trained to be a navigator and the training was at Scarborough, many crews were based at hotels in around Scarborough at this time, the Grand Hotel, which is still there today, was where a lot of the exams were carried out, not sure the exact hotel my father stayed at, but it would’ve been around that area. His nickname, as I said in the entry, was Harold Homer Lawson, he was nicknamed Homer and that links in to his role as navigator, as he was always seen as bringing the crew home. After his initial training, he moved to number 9 AFU in January 1943 to start training on Ansons and this was at Llandwrog in North Wales, which is now Caernarfon Airport. I think he did well to survive the initial training there as there were very high losses during this time on the Ansons due to its close proximity to the Snowdonian mountains. After there, he moved up to Scotland to 19 OTU which was Forres in Kinloss and here he met up with his Canadian pilot who was Johnny Hewitt who actually ended up being a lifelong friend as they kept in contact after the war as well. While he was here, they practiced lots of things, like cross country training, fight affiliation, high- and low-level bombing missions and foundation flying and formation flying and on here he was on both Ansons and Whitleys. In 1943 they were moved to a conversion unit, it was number 1663 and this was based at RAF Rufforth in Yorkshire and Yorkshire was where he was going to remain to carry out all his operations. Here he met his magnificent Halifax bombers, this is the plane he would complete all his operational tours on. And finally, in November ’43 he was posted to 10 Squadron and this was at RAF Melbourne in Yorkshire. 10 Squadron known as Shiny Ten, and completed quite a huge number of operations from there. His crew whom he met and crewed up with were Johnny, who I mentioned, Johnny Hewitt, he was Canadian, he was the pilot, my dad was the navigator, the bomb aimer was Erwin Bayne, known as Paddy, and he was from Ireland and, F Wheaton, I don’t know his first name, was the wireless op, Sam Smith was the mid upper gunner, and known as Titch to the crew, S Leonard, again I don’t know his first name, was the flight engineer, and M Grey, another Canadian, was the tail gunner and he was nicknamed Blondie. So, it was a bit of a baptism of fire for the very first ops, I can only imagine how the crew felt when they were told it was going to be Berlin, so the 29th of December they at 5.10 set off and that is 1943 to complete the first operation and it is part of the Battle for Berlin. So during this operation, they encountered and shot down a Junkers 88 and then returned to Melbourne 7 hours and twenty minutes later and found that the tail plane had a lot of flak holes in it. This was really to set the tone really for most of their tour of ops as they had several more encounters with German planes and shot down a further two during the thirty-eight ops. So, after the initial baptism of fire, it went a little quite during January and February but again started to get busy in March with several night operations over France, the crew also started to do a lot of minelaying operations, a very different role and quite a challenge for navigators because there weren’t any landmarks and talking to many navigators that have done from around that time, they tended to pick out the navigators who were good because of getting the exact location, so really proud that he was picked out for that. Moved on into April ’44, lots of missions over both Germany and France and that included missions to Essen and Dusseldorf and both of those missions, they were actually caught in searchlights and following an electrical storm on another trip to Karlsruhe they had to land at the emergency airfield at Manston as the engine cut out as they were flying over the east coast. In May the crew were attacked by a fighter over Mantes-Gassicourt so quite a lot of interaction with enemy fighters. But the busiest month [unclear] was June 1944. A lot of mining to start with when, throughout the Hague and then on D-Day, my dad and his crew took off at 2.55am to part, take part on the gun batteries at Mont Fleury, these were overlooking Gold Beach, and this was in preparation for the D-Day landings, his logbooks actually says, the second front started on that actual article. So talking to another veteran, Ken Beard, who was from 10 Squadron, and he set off from Melbourne only three minutes before my dad, so he’s seen exactly the same things, and he said, they weren’t told any details, other than to ensure that they didn’t drop their bombs early, and when they got over the Channel they could see exactly why and that’s because there were hundreds of ships sailing across the Channel at that time. It didn’t stop there on D-Day, they had another operation later that day, and they took off at 22.30 and flew to Saint-Lo where the Germans were based, they had to fly very low at two thousand feet. The rest of the month kept busy, very high activity with a lot more minelaying and started to get some day as well as night operations as well. On the 15th of June, on a trip to [unclear], the plane was once again in combat with the enemy, another Junkers 88, they managed to set his port engine on fire, but the plane cylinder head broke on the return journey making the starboard outer US as it says in my dad’s logbook. It’s worth noting here that the plane they were flying on at this time was a Halifax III, it was known as the Ol’ Ram, it had a fantastic nose art painted on it, which was a picture of a ram smashing three swastikas and painted by one of the groundcrew whilst it was at 10 Squadron. So, the plane was seen as lucky cause it was ZAJ with J for Johnny as the pilot, so they were quite pleased to get that on the majority of their operations. On another raid, on a daylight ops to Noyales on Chausseur, the starboard engine again had problems on the way down in but they carried on on their mission and feathered on return to make it home. You would have thought that might have been enough activity in June but then again, 28th of June, on ops to Blainville the crew had actually three combats on that trip and destroyed one Messerschmitt 210, the logbook actually reads, it hit the deck three minutes after the starboard wing was set on fire, so, a very eventful June which continued into July, at the beginning of July doing three trips over to the V bomb bases at Saint-Martin-L’Hortier, two of these night raids and one day, flak particularly heavy around this installation, the Ol’ Ram, the plane came back from one trip with flak holes in the port tail. I think it must have been quite difficult going on the, on these V bomb trips to Saint-Martin-L’Hortier on one of the flights I know that it’s reported that one plane dropped its bombs on another Halifax squadron and it actually crashed and killed all the crew and on another trip one of 10 Squadron’s own planes was actually shot down, so I can’t imagine having seen that on one trip, the courage they would have to have to go back day after day to the same destination is a very special sort of courage. The Ol’ Ram was hit more by flak on trips to the various railyards and then on the 20th of July the very last ops for the crew was a trip to Blowtrop and here they had a petrol leak on the port inner and the port was US again referred to in my dad’s logbook and the ammo tracks caught fire so a very eventful last trip. So, the crew completed thirty-eight operations and my father, I am very proud to say, was awarded the DFC in November 1944, I’ve got the original press article and that reads, it was given for gallantry and devotion to duty in air operations and actually refers to throughout an exact, throughout an exacting tour of duty, this officer has displayed exceptional ability as a navigator, and cool courage in the face of the enemy, on four occasions his aircraft has been engaged by enemy fighters and in the ensuing air combat three hostile aircraft have been destroyed. So, after they’d finished their operations at Melbourne, they went back to Forres, did more training and flying, this time on Wellingtons, and then ended up back in Yorkshire, at RAF Rufforth at a Conversion Unit. In May ’45 my dad was moved to 77 Squadron and at this point they were based at Full Sutton and he had a new pilot, Flight Officer Pickin and they were on Halifax VIs and then started training on Dakotas and this was ready for preparation to fly them to the Far East to support the Burma campaign. Lots of practice of supply dropping and glider towing and this was done at Broadwell and they finally set off on the 22nd of September 1945 on route to India. The route took them via Libya, Sedam and Yemen into India and then took them from the 22nd of September until they finally arrived at their destination on the 1st of October. October ’45 shows that the main trips they did were around India and the Khyber Pass and supply dropping and bringing troops back. I have a copy of a letter that my dad sent to his pilot, Johnny Hewitt, when he got the, the information that he was going to be sent over to helping the Burma campaign, so I’ll read a little bit out of this, so it just says, I left Rufforth and was posted here, 77 Squadron, ex Elvington, remember the time we all went to Elvington, and that will refer to a time when 10 Squadron had to pick up some planes for an operation and borrowed the ones from 77 Squadron and he also says that he was here on V E Day, didn’t even get one op from here where we are now on transport and I am converting to Dakotas in a couple of months. Talks about training and constantly lectures with the Far East and Burma and tropical diseases and learning about different forms of navigation again on the stars. It says as well to help with being able to navigate by the stars, they’ve wired off the Gee and H2S so that they can only use the stars to navigate. One of the comments he’s put in his letter, says, well, it looks very much that I shall end my life in Burma or some place, you can imagine me under a mosquito net, scratching elephant bites and sweating horse feathers beneath some tropical sun. So, I don’t think he was particularly looking forward to that tour. The logbook continues with lots of daily activities but then on the 22nd of November 1945, the logbook just stops, no idea why cause not like my father [unclear] to leave things unfinished but he has, I know he returned home and was demobbed in late ’46 but no more detail at all. After the war, I know he was taken back by his old employers and worked in engineering all his life, becoming a chief estimate with a company called Acro that then became known as Thomas Store. 1950s he met my mom, Maureen Chilton at Belle Vue Dances which is in Manchester. My father was strict Church of England and my mom came from a Roman Catholic family so you can imagine that wasn’t an easy ride, both sides of the families refused to accept the relationship, so on New Year’s Eve in 1955, my mom slipped out, carrying her wedding shoes and they got married at Manchester Registry Office with one friend and getting a member of public off the street to sign there as witness. And mom and dad went on to become great ballroom dancers winning many medals, so they early started at Belle Vue Dances [unclear] through the rest of their dancing years. Unfortunately on the 12th of September 1975, my dad died very early of a heart attack and he never actually spoken of his war years and the remarkable feats of bravery that he’d shown and really wish we could turn the clock back and hear those stories direct from him and actually you know, let him know how proud I was of him and what he did. I think in a way this is why I’m so privileged to be an oral interviewer for Bomber Command’s Digital Archive, I can hear these stories it makes me realise the sort of activities my dad would’ve been involved in but also to keep them for future generations and let them have the opportunity of listening to a family member recount those stories that I never heard. My research into my dad started about three years ago when I was looking into family history after about a year of research and talked to my brother he asked, would the logbook help? [laughs] Well, clearly that opened up a whole new avenue and it helped immensely. Unfortunately none of his crew was still alive by the time I was researching but I did manage to track down the daughter of his pilot in Canada, Johnny Hewitt, my mom had pulled out some old photos and there was a letter in there from Johnny from 1975 and it had arrived with my mom just after my father had died so really just being put to one side and it was saying that Johnny’s daughter, Pam, and a friend were going to be coming to Europe on a trip of a lifetime and could they met up with my dad and stay with them whilst they were over here. I don’t think the letter was ever replied to unfortunately because of the timing, so I started to look into the letter and try to find a phone number and but I couldn’t, I saw an address so I wrote to this address, didn’t get any information back after a couple of months, so I decided to phone all the J Hewitts I could find around Ontario [clears throat] just to see if I could find, if Johnny was still around, the pilot but again no joy. Think I must’ve been searching a few months each night and just looking on the internet, doing little searches with different names and I finally came across an article in a small Canadian paper, the Aurelian Times, it was talking about a Johnny Hewitt in the cross hall of fame and it had a little quote from his daughter saying that she hadn’t realised how important he was to the cross or how good he was because he didn’t shout about those things that he did, just like he didn’t shout about his time in World War Two and then I see that the daughter is called Pam, and I think, could this be the link that I was looking for? So, I emailed the editor of the paper and asked him to pass my details on to Pam, a week went by and then one night suddenly an email popped through, just saying, I am the Pam you are looking for, still gives me goose bumps now talking about it, but that started up a great correspondence with Pam. I sent her a copy of the letter her father had written, she’d never seen any of his letters so it was quiet precious to her and she let me know that she actually did come across and do the tour of Europe and she actually stayed with my grandparents, my dad’s father and mother who a lot of the crew went to stay with when they were up in Manchester anyway so they were all well known to them and Pam did a little bit searching and to my surprise she found three letters that my dad had sent in 1945 and 1946 and gave a real insight into his life and the sort of things that they were doing during the war. I think one of the things that quite surprised me from it was almost desperation from my father wanting to do another tour with Johnny and the rest of crew and said he got the crew together and could they all do another tour together, and the thing that just clearly showed the bond that they had and how difficult that must have been breaking up after all they’d been through and you know, despite the risks, they would still want to get together just so that they could keep that, you know, comrade and friendship going and on that. So I think whilst nothing can replace talking to my father about his time in the war, the letters, you know, filled such a void there and also talking to the veterans from 10 Squadron where I’m a member of the association and they can really bring it to life with several of the veterans being also on the same trips that my dad did. So, I hope that one day, you know, maybe I’ll come across a recording of his crew and until then I’ll keep my search continuing, so I’m hoping that people will find this of interest and useful and that maybe one of the relatives of my dad’s crew and the crew of the Halifax III ZAJ the Ol’ Ram will be able to find out a little bit more about their families, thank you.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Interview with Susanne Pescott
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Susanne Pescott
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-10-18
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Sound
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
APescottSM171018
Conforms To
An established standard to which the described resource conforms.
Pending review
Pending revision of OH transcription
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
00:22:23 audio recording
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Second generation
Description
An account of the resource
Susanne Pescott talks about her father, Flight Lieutenant Harold Arthur Lawson DFC, who worked as an engineer before joining the RAF in 1941, where he served as a navigator. After completing his training, he was posted to RAF Rufforth and from there to RAF Melbourne on 10 Squadron, with which he flew 38 operations. His first operation was to Berlin on the 29th of December 1943 where they shot down a Junkers 88, for which he was awarded a DFC in November 1944. Among his various operations, particular relevance is given to the ones in June 1944, when they targeted a gun battery in Northern France in preparation of the D-Day landings and shot down two enemy aircraft. At the time, he was flying on a Halifax III, known as the Ol’ Ram for its particular nose art. In May 1945 he was posted to 77 Squadron at RAF Full Sutton, where he trained on Dakotas in preparation to fly to the Far East. In October 1945 he was then posted to India to drop supplies and bring back troops. She recounts her efforts made to find her father’s pilot, Johnny Hewitt, and getting in touch with his daughter.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Peter Schulze
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
France
Germany
Great Britain
India
England--Yorkshire
Germany--Berlin
France--Ver-Sur-Mer
France--Neufchâtel-en-Bray
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1941
1943-12-29
1944-06-05
1944-06-06
1945-10
10 Squadron
1663 HCU
19 OTU
77 Squadron
Advanced Flying Unit
aircrew
Anson
bombing
bombing of the Normandy coastal batteries (5/6 June 1944)
C-47
Distinguished Flying Cross
Halifax
Halifax Mk 3
Heavy Conversion Unit
Ju 88
mine laying
navigator
Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944)
nose art
Operational Training Unit
RAF Full Sutton
RAF Llandwrog
RAF Melbourne
RAF Rufforth
training
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/673/9225/PAndrewsPF1701.1.jpg
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https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/673/9225/AAndrewsPF170911.1.mp3
b75333e621a6c4095f4c7e868ae7b6f5
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Andrews, Andy
Peter Frederick Andrews
P F Andrews
Description
An account of the resource
Two items. An oral history interview with Andy Andrews (1924 - 2022, 1811552 Royal Air Force) and his log book. He flew operations as a wireless operator with 10 Squadron before he was shot down on a mine laying operation 14 February 1945 and became a prisoner of war.
The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by 'Andy' Andrews and catalogued by IBCC Digital Archive staff.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-09-11
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Andrews, PF
Transcribed audio recording
A resource consisting primarily of recorded human voice.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
SP: This is Susanne Pescott and I’m interviewing Peter Frederick Andrews known as Andy Andrews, today for the International Bomber Command Centre’s Digital Archive. We’re at Andy’s home and it’s the 11th of September 2017. So, first of all, thank you Andy for agreeing to talk to me today.
AA: Quite alright. Yeah.
SP: So, Andy, tell me about life before the RAF.
AA: I left school at fourteen years of age which was the time that you left education in those days and I went to work as a, in a tailoring, a tailoring shop in Tunbridge High Street. And I was there until such time as I got an interest in flying and I joined the Air Training Corps and they brought my education up a bit by giving me more maths training than I’d had before. And I, in, in those days at seventeen and a quarter you could volunteer for the flying duties in the RAF because it, all air crew were volunteers during the war. And I was, I went into the RAF. As I say I was in a gent’s outfitters and I was there until such time as I went into the RAF at seventeen and a quarter which was the end of 1941, and started. Kitted out at Cardington. Went from there to Blackpool and at Blackpool we did Morse training in the Winter Gardens. And we were there in the winter period and if weather was too bad for physical training we did it in the Tower Ballroom which was quite an experience because the organist on the big organ was usually rehearsing and it was quite, quite an experience. And once we finished at Blackpool we, we went to Lossiemouth in Scotland which was the Operational Training Unit. And the method of crewing up in the RAF in those days sounds a bit chaotic really because you were all in a giant hangar. Air gunners, navigators, bomb aimers, air, wireless operators and pilots and a pilot somehow collected the people that he had spoken to and well, you knew briefly. And he knew one of the gunners because he had, he had been an instructor when the gunner was, James Petre when he was trying for his pilot’s licence which he didn’t manage. Hence the fact he ended up as an air gunner and he picked up him and his mate up as crew. And then they latched on to me and got me as a wireless op and the navigator, whose name was Berry he had red hair so he naturally got nicknamed Red. Plus the fact that the red beret, I mean it was quite obvious why he got the name but, and we formed a crew. We were flying in Wellingtons, training in Wellingtons and we completed, completed our OTU training and from there we went down to York and we went to a Conversion Unit just outside of York called Rufforth. 1663 Con Unit, and we converted on to the Halifax Mark 2 with, with the inlined engine and once we’d, we’d converted successfully on to the Halifax we were sent to a, the squadron which was 10 Squadron. A little village called Seaton Ross or Melbourne and we, we flew in the, they were equipped with the Halifax Mark 3 which was a marvellous aeroplane and we converted on to that. And we had one little hiccup. The bomb aimer that we’d picked up was, he got cold feet and he, he told our pilot Johnny that he wasn’t going to be able to go on ops. So, John told him to go to the medical officer and state his case which he did and he was classed as LMF which is lack of moral fibre and he had his insignia, RAF flying insignia and rank taken away and he was posted off the squadron. But we were very successful in his replacement which was, I’ll be eternally grateful that he came to us because he was so useful to me at a later date when we were prisoner of war. But he was, he come from Liverpool and his name was Stan and he was an ex-docker built quite solid. Again, which I was very grateful for at a later date and he had, he had done a tour in Wellingtons in the Middle East so he’d already done thirty operations when he came to us. He slotted into the crew quite well as one of the senior crews but he was senior to all of us as far as operations are concerned but we started our operating and we did German targets which consisted of the Ruhr which we did a couple of dozen operations. Well, no about twelve operations on the Ruhr which was known to aircrew as Happy Valley and the flak was quite extensive over those areas. Anyhow, we got through nineteen operations and we were feeling confident that we were going to be able to complete our tour without any bother. We’d done a couple of mine laying operations which was code named gardening and was given a, a code name. The one we were on, on, we were briefed to go on was, “Forget Me Nots.” And it was just off the coast of Denmark in the shipping lanes. We were due to drop mines and we took off about 5.30 on the February the 14th, St Valentine’s Day and headed over the coast of Yorkshire heading for, we flew out at five hundred foot to get a bit below the radar so the Germans didn’t pick us up too quick. The, the rest of the squadron, there were just three aircraft on the mine laying which we were one of and the rest of the squadron went to a target called Chemnitz on the 13th of February which was to drag some of the fighter opposition away from Dresden which was the target that night. And they were going to Chemnitz. We were going to drop mines. We took off, flew across to the mainland of Denmark and then climbed to a height of eighteen thousand feet. Headed towards Copenhagen which we were due to, is the island of Zealand and a little farther on we came to the, we would have come to the coast to drop the mines. The bomb aimer had come down to the front to prepare the mines for dropping but unfortunately a JU88 fitted with all the latest equipment had latched on to us. He’d been vectored on to us and once, the method of attack is once they’ve got visual contact with a bomber they flew to the rear of it and slightly underneath so it made the rear gunner couldn’t get a, couldn’t depress his guns far enough to reach them. And then he had a fixed firing .5 gun which actually targeted the front part of the plane. And the part that always fascinates me is the fact that his first burst caught the port wing which was fully alight and the flames were trailing out behind and he he he had another burst which must have killed the pilot because he was sitting immediately above me and I had blood on my battledress which must have been his. And the navigator who sat by my right knee almost within touching distance he had been caught by a cannon shell as well. So, they were both dead. I was in the middle and got away with it apart from superficial cuts and bruises. I stood up, clipped my parachute on and the aircraft was all over the place because the pilot was obviously dead or dying and there was no control and it was flying all over the place and as everybody knows if you’re all over the place in an aircraft it’s difficult to do anything. I was making to move forward to the escape hatch by which time the pilot and the navigator were dead. The mid-upper gunner, the flight engineer and the rear gunner got out of the main escape hatch or the one that you normally come, come in to the aircraft on and they’d gone out. They baled out and just after they had baled out the aircraft blew up and we figured that the nose must have separated from the main fuselage and Stan, who was the bomb aimer he was up in the nose and myself who was about six foot from him must have gone through a gap. And fortunately, as I say I was unconscious and I came to in a silent world because your ears have blacked out. You fall at a hundred and twenty miles an hour. And I looked up and saw the parachute pack but the parachute hadn’t been deployed so I reached up and pulled it. It appears to be in the nick of time because it was only seconds and I hit the deck and in the middle of a field in Denmark. And as I say the, the exiting from the aircraft the flight engineer and the mid-upper gunner got out without any problem at all. Jim, the rear gunner, Jim Petre he turned his guns to, to port because there was, the flames were, were streaming back on the port side and he jettisoned the back doors and fell out backwards. But unfortunately one of his flying boots got caught in the guns so he was trailing out the back and in, with his parachute pack and he realised that he’d got to get away from the aircraft because it was burning and so he pulled the ripcord which yanked him out like a cork out of a bottle and opened the chute. It took him a long while to get down because from sort of eighteen, sixteen thousand feet, whichever we were to the ground takes quite a, quite a number of minutes to get down whereas I was the last one out I reckon and Stan and I we were the first down. And as I say I approached some houses that were alongside the field where we were and I approached some people that were standing out at their gate. They had maps and torches and things to illuminate and whatever, and the first group that I got to said they didn’t want to know because obviously if the Germans, if, if you were a Danish citizen and you helped English aircrew or allied aircrew then you were shot. You were killed. So, they directed me over to another house and I went and knocked the window and that’s when I knew that my hands were quite badly cut and bruised and the blood was running down the window. And they, they took me in and sat me in the chair and dressed my head wounds with paper bandages and I got the escape kit out and the silk map and the currency and all the stuff that goes with it and they pointed, they pointed out where we were in Denmark. And whatever plans I’d got, I was forming in my mind was to get out. Anyhow, they sent for an ambulance and they came along and they picked me up and took me out in a stretcher. Put me in the back of the ambulance. We went down the road, hundred yards not much more I shouldn’t have thought and the back doors opened and Stan was wheeled in. He looked a shocking sight because he was, where Perspex is embedded into his face. It looked a lot worse than what it was. It looked like he was, his whole face was blooded and I suppose mine was must have been the same and I said, ‘You look a shocking sight.’ And he said, ‘Well, you don’t look much better.’ They took us to a hospital which they changed, they put us in an examination room with two benches where we’d laid there and the doctors were checking us over and doing what was necessary and they brought a couple of members of the Resistance in who the doctors interpreted for. One of the doctors could speak really good English and they had said that if we were fit to travel the next day they’d got, they would get us away and we’d get across to Sweden which the other three members of the crew managed to do and they got back to England quite quickly. But unfortunately, somebody in the hospital had blown the whistle on us and said there was two fliers and although they were changing us from ward to ward to keep us out of the way the Germans marched in and took us. And they took us both out on stretchers and they put us in some unbelievable dungeon like place and Stan was one, there was a couple of bunks in there and Stan was in one and I was in the other. And later on that night they brought their girlfriends down to have a laugh at our expense. And as I say Stan was a very forthright ex-docker and he gave them some Liverpool [laughs] swearing which if you, whether they recognised it but they must have known that he wasn’t very happy. And he’d got broken ribs and fortunately the next day the Luftwaffe who had heard that we’d been taken prisoner by the Wehrmacht came and claimed us as their own which they were in the habit of doing because, and they took us to an airfield in Denmark and put us in sick quarters where we were quite well looked after for a few days. I had [sunray] treatment to take the bruising which I was black from just below the thighs up to the chest where the harness was a bit slack and with my delayed drop it did cause quite a bit of damage. But, and Stan also with his broken ribs he had, he had quite a lot of attention and anti-tetanus and all kinds of things and the doctor who could speak, the Luftwaffe doctor who could speak good English, him and Stan had long conversations and argued against the merits of us fighting the Germans and we should never have got into a situation where we were at war with Germany and Stan was saying just how, giving his version of it and it got quite heated. At that particular time Stan had noted or we’d both noted that there was a JU52, one of their transport aircraft was parked not far from the window and they used to take it up for an air test every, every day. And Stan come out with the bright idea that if he could get out to it he’d get us off the ground which I thought might have been a good idea in, in boy’s books but it didn’t sound very convincing to me that he was going to do all that with him with two broken ribs and me strapped up with severe bruising. Anyhow, it came to nothing and we were transported by ship from [pause] from Denmark across the, going over the shipping lanes where the mines had been dropped by other aircraft and we were right in the bowels of this ship and we, but we got away with it. We got to Rostock on the north coast of Germany and then we entrained from there. I had a dodgy experience as we went in to Hamburg. The compartment was reserved just for us and two guards because we had two guards with us and, but the civilians had pushed their way in. In other words, they’d have probably done the same in this country, why should enemy aircrew have a reserved when they were standing in the [laughs] Anyhow, they got that they piled into there and one of them had got me against the door and we were looking out at a part of Hamburg where there wasn’t a stone on a stone. I mean it had been completely obliterated and he was saying, ‘Your comrades,’ and he was trying to undo the door to push me out. Fortunately, the guards with their guns forced them back and put Stan and I up in the corner out of the way and we didn’t have any more trouble from them. But we went from there down to Dulag Luft near Frankfurt which was the Interrogation Centre for all allied aircrew and we were immediately shoved in to solitary confinement and taken out. I think we were there for four days before they were convinced that we’d got no useful information to give us. But we were taken out and chatted to by, or interrogated by German officers who could speak perfect English and offered us cigarette and, ‘Would you like a sandwich?’ And were very nice to us but they had got so much information about 10 Squadron they even knew we’d got a new CO which we’d only had for three weeks, Wing Commander Shannon and they even knew about that. And once they realised that they knew more about 10 Squadron than what I did they released us on to the main camp where we were, I inherited a pair of GI boots which were quite comfortable and we were kitted out and the biggest tragedy as far as I’m concerned we were given a shower and they came along and said I’d got lice so they shaved my head right down to the bone which is the customary mode of hair cutting nowadays but it wasn’t in those days and I was very proud of my mane of hair. And being as we were only short-term prisoners we weren’t there that long. By the time we got back I still only had about half an inch of fuzz on my hair. So, I wore a glengarry all the time, indoors and outdoors. Anyhow, the whole point is that we marched from Dulag Luft down to Nuremberg and that’s where we, we had the unpleasant sight of a B17 had been hit and one of the crew had landed quite near our [pause] we were stopped at that particular time. There was thousands of us but there was also a lot of guards with guns. We couldn’t do anything about it but they’d, the civilians got this American and strung him up to a lamp post. And it’s something that I’ll never forget because I remember his feet twitching as he gave in to the rope and he was killed. But as I say we carried on down to Munich. A big prisoner of war camp called Moosburg and we, night after night if you were lucky you had some kind of accommodation that you stopped at where you had a roof over your head. Apart from that you just slept where you stopped. And we eventually got to the prisoner of war camp and there was far too many people. They were erecting tents, big marquees for people because they had run out of legitimate places. The huts to put us in. And I think there was more people there because they were funnelling in from all over Germany. There was some talk at the time that, the general gossip on the, on the march was that Hitler was going to use us as, as [pause] some kind of reckoning with the allies to get better terms for ending the war but it didn’t happen. But it was one of the things. The funniest thing I ever saw was we had people, guards approaching us with bits of paper saying they’d committed no atrocity. It was that near to the end of the war that they wanted us to sign. And we was, this was at the very end of the march and there was a group of Yanks had got what bits and pieces that they’d got and they’d found an old pram and they piled it all in the pram and they’d got the guard that was guarding their part of the march to put his rifle on the pram and push the pram. And as I say it was that near the end of the war you could get away with quite a lot although things weren’t that good because we were attacked. Fighter Command was sending the American’s Thunderbolts and Mosquitoes and they were having a go at, they were having a go at anything that moved in Germany in those days and when we were on the march they just attacked us and killed five people I believe and wounded quite a few before they realised that we were ex-POWs. But from there we [pause] we were liberated by General “blood and guts” Patton who came in on a jeep with his pearl handled revolvers and we were flown by, after a wait of two or three days at an airfield we managed to get aboard a Dakota and we were flown to Reims in France where Lancasters were coming in nose to tail and we were just piling aboard. We looked a disgusting sight because we were filthy dirty. We wore the same clothes that we were shot down in and I’d had dysentery and we weren’t very nice people to be near. But anyhow, I got aboard a Lancaster and I managed to climb in to the mid-upper turret and as he come over the Channel it was quite a sight to see the white cliffs of Dover. Although we hadn’t been prisoners of war more than three months it was three months that I could have done without. Anyhow, we landed at Cosford. They deloused us which sticking, which is sticking a gun of DDT powder down the front of your blouse and firing it off so that you got white DDT powder coming out of everywhere. And then we had showers, medical examinations, they, they had tables loaded with food which I’d got down to seven and a half stone in that short period and we weren’t able to eat a lot. But we did start to eat again and they gave us money to take on leave and also food coupons which we were told to take home to your family so they could fatten you up a bit and travel warrants and they just sent to the railway system and go home you know. We’ll contact you when you’re ready which was quite a few weeks. I think it was about five weeks and we, I got back to Tunbridge and by which time they hadn’t, they didn’t know that I’d made it and so when I walked down Priory Road, Tunbridge the last communication my father had got was a telegram saying that I was missing from night operations and there would be a letter to follow which he didn’t appear to have got. But they, they were quite convinced that I’d had it and then I put just put in an appearance. And it was the usual kind of festivities. My sister, two sisters were cooking and sitting me down and trying to stuff me with food that I couldn’t eat. Not that vast amount. But over a period of time I got back to normal and went back to the RAF and I ended up as understudy wing warrant officer at Cranwell College which was quite an experience. And that was it. From there I was demobbed and came back. There was no way that I was going to go back to being gentleman’s outfitters so I started doing, learning upholstery and started a business in Tonbridge which is still going to this day. As —
SP: What’s that called? What’s your business called? What was it?
AA: It’s called Botten and Andrews. I had a partner called Botten. Well, he, he’d, he’s died. His son is running the business now and he’s making quite a success of it and. Apart from the fact that I have no financial interests in it he still kept my name over the door. And that was the end of it.
[recording paused]
SP: Ok, Andy. Thanks for, for all that information there. So, you were talking about your base was Melbourne in Yorkshire. Do you want to tell me a little bit about —
AA: Well, yeah, we were a wartime airfield dispersed with huts all, all the way around the perimeter of the airfield and we as a crew had a small hut which we, our two gunners who were senior in age to me, I was the youngest in the crew and they used to forage for fuel for the stove. And the local farmers they bartered their way into getting some eggs and stuff like that and we could do a bit of toast on this tortoise stove and one way or the other where you, as young men we had quite big appetites and although we were fed quite well in the mess but anyhow, we subsidised it with whatever we could get from local farmers and what have you. But as I say Melbourne was one of the few airfields that had FIDO which was fog dispersal and we used it because the two previous mine laying expeditions that we’d been on we’d taken off with the aid of FIDO because it was quite foggy. And the other big experience we had with FIDO was in ’44 just before Christmas lieutenant colonel, the film star, James Stewart came in with a flight of B17s and they had quite a time in the mess with us which was primitive by their standards but they thoroughly enjoyed it. And we used to go out to, if we had a stand down we’d, and there was time there was transport provided to go in to York which was round about twelve and a half miles from Melbourne to the centre of York and we’d chat up the local girls. And we went to a place, we used to go to a place called De Grey Rooms which is still there and they had dances and you used to totter in there after drinking in the local hostelries all evening and subject the local girls to our drunken whatever. Anyhow, the point is that we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and at the end of the evening there was a small hut by York Station that used to keep open all night I think and you could get a mug of tea and a wad of, of roll with cheese in it and sit there and wait for members of your crew to turn up so that you could share a taxi to get back because you’d missed the last transport. The other thing was, talking of transport Wing Commander Shannon who was the CO of 10 Squadron he, somebody had picked up a bus from York and managed with their information which they must have gained through being either on the buses or mechanics they got it started and took everybody back to 10 Squadron which was quite good. But they parked it outside and he was, he had us in to the main briefing area and he said that he would get to the bottom of it and in the meantime he was going to smarten up the aircrew. No more would they be coming in to the mess for breakfast in their pyjamas underneath their battledress and he was going to have us trotting around the perimeter track to get fit. To make us a lot fitter than what we were. But anyhow, it didn’t really work and he had to give it up in the end. Hence the fact that one of the songs of 10 Squadron was a song that went to the best of my knowledge, “There’s A Flight and B Flight and C Flight you see. But the best of them all is the WT. Fly high. Fly low. Where every go, shiny 10 Squadron will give a good show. Now, old Wingco Shannon he raves and he shouts and he talks about things that he knows nothing about. Fly high. Fly low. Where ever you go, shiny 10 Squadron will give a good show.” And as I say, I think it goes on from there but that’s as much as I can remember and I can’t think of any more that I can tell you. I’m very glad that I got in to Bomber Command although I look back and think that we did a good job and it was great I won’t admit, I won’t admit to saying that I said a lot more religious prayers just before take-off on ops than what I’d ever thought that I would get around to and the feeling in the stomach before you got aboard was unbelievable. Anybody says that they flew over Germany and faced flak and night fighters and weren’t scared I don’t think they were ever there. But it was an experience that I wouldn’t have missed for the world. Well, I couldn’t have missed for the world. I was there and you did it. But I was very glad in hindsight that, that Bomber Command was the place where I’d like to be. So, thank you very much.
SP: Yeah. Well, Andy, thank you on behalf of International Bomber Command Centre’s Digital Archives. I’d like to thank you for your amazing story and also we got some singing on there.
AA: Yeah. Yeah.
SP: Some amazing singing as well.
AA: Yeah.
SP: Ok. Well, thank you very much.
AA: Yeah.
[recording paused]
SP: I’ll just check it rather retake it than drive all the way back down.
AA: Well, quite.
SP: But we’ll be fine, I’m sure.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Interview with Andy Andrews
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Susanne Pescott
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-09-11
Rights
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This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Type
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Sound
Identifier
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AAndrewsPF170911, PAndrewsPF1701
Conforms To
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Pending review
Pending revision of OH transcription
Language
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eng
Coverage
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Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
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CC BY-NC 4.0 International license
Spatial Coverage
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Denmark
Germany
Great Britain
England--Lancashire
England--Lincolnshire
England--Yorkshire
Denmark--Copenhagen
Germany--Hamburg
Germany--Munich
Germany--Nuremberg
Germany--Oberursel
Germany--Rostock
Germany--Ruhr (Region)
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1941
1944
1945-02-14
Description
An account of the resource
Andy Andrews worked in a gentleman's outfitters shop and volunteered for the Air Force in 1941. He trained at RAF Cardington and Blackpool and after crewing up he flew operations with 10 Squadron from RAF Melbourne. He discusses the members of his crew and describes being shot down by a Ju 88 on his 19th operation during a mine laying operation. His pilot and navigator were both killed and he discusses how he and the rest of the crew baled out before their aircraft exploded. He landed in a field in Denmark badly wounded to the face and hands and was taken to a hospital. He had met some members of the resistance and was preparing to evade when he was captured by the Germans and became a prisoner of war. He discusses his medical treatment and interrogation and witnessing the lynching an American airman during a forced march away from the advancing allied troops. After he was liberated he returned to Great Britain on board a Lancaster as part of Operation Exodus. His family had believed he was dead. After being demobilised he started his own business. Towards the end of the interview he talks about a visit to RAF Melbourne by the actor James Stewart, nights out in York, and Wing Commander Shannon, his Commanding Officer. He also sings a song about 'Shiny Ten Squadron'.
Format
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00:48:09 audio recording
Contributor
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Julie Williams
10 Squadron
1663 HCU
aircrew
B-17
bombing
crewing up
Dulag Luft
evading
FIDO
Halifax
Halifax Mk 2
Halifax Mk 3
Heavy Conversion Unit
Ju 52
Ju 88
lack of moral fibre
lynching
military living conditions
mine laying
Operation Exodus (1945)
Operational Training Unit
prisoner of war
RAF Cardington
RAF Cranwell
RAF Melbourne
RAF Rufforth
Resistance
shot down
training
Wellington
wireless operator
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/628/8898/APollockHAJ161011.1.mp3
04220061b1e2afaf2bd3a64bd3baf43c
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Pollock, Henry
Henry Pollock
H A J Pollock
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Identifier
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Pollock, HAJ
Description
An account of the resource
49 items. An oral history interview with Henry Albert James Pollock (b. 1924, 2220546, 187029 Royal Air Force) his log book, documents and photographs. Henry Pollock completed 36 operations as a rear gunner with 78 squadron from RAF Breighton. After the war, he served in the Far East.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Henry Albert James Pollock and catalogued by Barry Hunter.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-10-11
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Transcribed audio recording
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Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
SC: Testing for level. Interview with Mr Harry Pollock at his home at xxxx Castle Donington. Also present Mr John Pollock, Harry Pollock’s son and Steve Cook interviewer for International Bomber Command. OK, I think we’re ready to go. Harry thank you very much for inviting me along and John thank you for coming all the way down from York to go through this interview. What we really want to try and capture now are your memories, your experiences, not just from being in Bomber Command but going right back to before the war and why you joined the RAF and why you came to be in Derby. So if you can cast your mind back to what you were telling me earlier perhaps about where you lived originally in the East End of London and share some of those early experiences.
HP: Well, I was born in 1924 of course. Originated in Woolwich, my father was a long distance lorry driver. I was the only one, the only son and at one time we were in Star Lane across in Canning Town. I went to Star Lane School and we lived at 121 Ling Road, Canning Town. I started work at fourteen as an apprentice joiner, well not a joiner but a floor layer. I worked for the Hackney Flooring and Paving Company in Barking, which meant a bit of a bus ride and that sort of thing from home and after a little while as an apprentice we had to go out on, er on jobs as it were, hospitals, dance halls, and on. My first out job was at a hospital near Epsom in Surrey which meant as a fourteen year old, sort of leaving home very early in the morning, going there, travelling on the train, coming back at night, even on a Saturday, 48 hours. For which, I was, as an apprentice, I was paid the princely sum of eight shillings a week.
SC: Gosh.
HP: Anyway, that continued and on the second year I got twelve shillings a week. Of course the war started in 1939, I was still working but at the time the Blitz was, didn’t start ‘til 1940 and that’s when it really all started for me in a way. I was working up at, in the West End of London at the time when the Blitz started. And, um, we had an Andersen shelter in the back garden which we shared with other tenants. Anyway one morning we came down after a pretty heavy raid and the house was a bit, not dilapidated, but it had been struck, the roof was and, we were evacuated to somewhere in Oxfordshire near Thame. I remember the name of the village now it’s called Kingston Blount. We were there for a little while with other people that had been sent there. But at the time I had an uncle in Derby, a retired soldier who was in the Sherwood Forest, but he worked for the Trent Motor Traction Company and he said ‘oh come up here and stay with us’. At the time my dad was still working in London on his job so it was just a case of my mother and I going to Derby and staying with my uncle in Chaddesden in Derby. Ahh, after a short spell in one job I ended up being a railway fireman on the railways, the London Midland Scottish Railway and, um, anyway that went on for a couple of years but I think we went back in 40, I forget the actual date we went up there but time went on, we got to 1943 and, um, I decided that things, you know, I wasn’t too happy with the situation on the railway but I decided, I might, I volunteered for the Services. The only way I could leave the railway, which was a occupation that you had to get permission from, and the only way I could leave was either aircrew or submarines and I wasn’t very keen on submarines so I ended up volunteering for the Royal Air Force which meant Bomber Command at the time, Volunteer Reserve. That would be in the, round about my nineteenth birthday, the April. I got the call up papers and um, set off for St John’s Wood in London, in actual fact the Lord’s Cricket Ground in the August 1943. And of course joined many others, we were shunted around all day and we finally had a meal in the zoo in Regent’s Park. We were billeted in, old, well flats people had been evacuated from those flats and we were occupying these flats and of course for the next couple of weeks it was hectic you know, sort of marching here, marching there, uniforms, inoculations, get your hair cut, and all that sort of thing. Once you got, how to fit a webbing, how to fit pack your kit bag and all that sort of thing. Eventually, of course you couldn’t go home, we were on the train to Bridlington, we went to Bridlington.
SC: Yep.
HP: Initially, I think it was initially a training unit of some sort. Um, more lectures, more this more that, more marching, more learning things. I ended up at one time we were throwing grenades on the beach just in case we were called in, you know. Most, it was quite, it was quite all right. One incident I can remember we had to do dinghy drill which meant that one time jumping off the end of the pier into Bridlington Harbour. It wasn’t too bad, the only trouble was there was some barbed wire at the bottom, you had to make sure you dropped that far out that you missed the barbed wire.
SC: Hmm.
HP: And then from Bridlington, I think we spent about five or six weeks there. From Bridlington we went to Bridgnorth, yeah in the Midlands there. And from there we started using, doing the gunnery and, um, so we were marched once again, learn all about the guns, how to strip it down, how to put it back again, how to shoot, all those things how to become an air gunner.
SC: Yep.
HP: I think it was about six weeks and postings came through to go to the Gunnery School and the Gunnery School I was sent to was Andreas on the Isle of Man. So the detail went off and off we went and caught the ship from upstream, it was from near Blackpool, Fleetwood across to the Isle of Man and that’s when the flying started of course. Flying on Ansons, more lectures, but the training, the flying training was actually in Ansons. Um, you had to don all this flying gear and if you were unlucky you sat next to the pilot which meant your job was to wind up the undercarriage which was quite an effort. Anway, that’s beside the point. But to get into the turret which was half way along the fuselage of the Anson it was rather a tricky position. You had to elevate the guns, climb on the seat, depress the guns, stand up and there you were, you were in the whirl. Alongside would come these martinets, whatever, dragging a trogue, ah, a drogue. And the idea was to shoot at that drogue, see how many times, and of course there were four or five of us, so what they did, you had your allocation of bullets, your ammunition and each one was a different colour so when they got it down they counted which holes had the colour so they knew how good you were. That was alright until one day, we had a chap who was a bit, err, well he was a bit wayward in a way, a bit, suddenly this chap just sort of veered off somewhere dragging the tow and he wasn’t aiming at the drogue too much he was getting too close to the aeroplane. [laughter] Anyway, of course we ended it , we were there for a little while, we used to go across to Jurby, which another RAF station and they had all these turrets with guns fitted, a lot of firing went on, things like that and, um, from there we were posted to, err, a heavy unit, in, near Cambridge, near Oxford, it was Abingdon, no not Abingdon, Stanton Harcourt.
SC: Hmm.
HP: That’s when we ended up on Whitleys. We started flying as a crew, um, we went to Abingdon, that’s it we went to Abingdon, we crewed up and that’s where I met my crew, except the engineer which we picked up later. Stanton Harcourt was a satellite of Abingdon and we were flying on the Whitleys and we were there training, the usual cross countries and all sorts of [unclear].
SC: How did you actually get together with the crew?
HP: That’s the first time we joined. We, um, I forget the actual procedure but I think quite a few people sort of arrived at this hangar or whatever and they said ‘well there you are, there’s pilots, navigators, bomb aimers, air gunners, signallers, sort yourselves out, get yourselves into a crew’. And the crew I ended up with, the captain he was a New Zealander, a chap called Eric Selby, nice, nice fellow. The navigator was a Scotsman, a very tall Scotsman, a very well educated Scotsman and turned out to be an excellent navigator. The bomb aimer was a chap called Tommy Noton who is still alive, down in Kent. The signaller was a chap called, um, I’ll have to think of his name again, and the other gunner was a chap from Leicester called Wilmott, Alan Wilmott and so we crewed up, got together, got to know each other and there we were, we started flying on the Whitleys, doing all the usual things cross countries and circuits and all that sort of thing. And then towards the end you had to, well you were, you did what they called them, nickel and the nickel was meant, you had to fly that was really your very first, your baptism if you like, of flying over enemy territory and that was that you had to load up all these leaflets and go over and drop ‘em over wherever they were sent, France. Our particular nickel was we had to drop, it’s in there, we had to drop leaflets over Compiegne which was near Paris. And, completely on our own and there we were. The only thing was they, the other gunner couldn’t come, there was only one place for a gunner on those sort of things.
SC: Hmm.
HP: On training details we used to share the details, share the time. Anyway, we set off and I can remember it quite well, it was a decent night, I don’t remember a great deal about it but it seemed very strange going over, thinking that you were there [emphasis], sort of thing, you know. Even then you sort of flitted around and it was, I can remember it reasonably well actually, you suddenly looked down and could see these little outlets and the odd spittle of light perhaps, imagine somebody shouting out ‘put that light out’ either in German or French or whatever [laughter] you know. Anyway we got over there, we got over where we were, I didn’t know one place from another, it was the navigator. The wireless operator and the bomb aimer, it was their job to drop these leaflets, they put them down the flare shoot, there was a, you know just drop flares. That was fine. It was done I can gather. I didn’t know this was going on I was stuck at the back, but apparently a lot of them blew back [laughter] you know so, anyway they got rid of them and off, we came back. Pretty uneventful you know, there was anti-aircraft fire and things like that you know but fortunately no fighters and we came back quite intact. So that was our first time.
SC: Yes
HP: I felt a bit, I think we felt quite, quite relieved in the end, we got the first one over in a way. And, um, so that was that. So after Abingdon, we, we went to Rufforth, RAF Rufforth near York. It was a heavy conversion unit, and Halifaxes and that’s where we picked up the engineer. Now this chap, Knight, Stan Knight his name was. He was a bit more — older than most of us, [unclear], he was quite grey in a way. Anyway, very enthusiastic this chap and we picked him up. And the usual thing you know, sort of training, cross countries things like that and, um, did all that was necessary and when we got, this is where I had to find out about this space from the bombers, and when we got to the end of the course on the — coming up for a posting on to a squadron by that time, you know it was squadron ready, getting towards the end, this navigator, he was a very brilliant chap the Scotsman, he suddenly, for some reason, I can’t remember the exact details, but we didn’t have him anymore and so they gave us a, I don’t know, the last two or three flights, I can’t remember the exact details of it but we were given, all this time we’d been flying with a Scotsman, we end up with a Canadian his name was Beer, a nice chap. Anyway we did these flights and they came along and said ‘got your postings through’ and in actual fact we were posted to 35 Squadron PFF down at Graveley, not Graveley, wherever it is, um, back onto Lancasters. I just confirmed that with the bomb aimer down there. Anyway, while this is all going on our new navigator went sick, he had to have an operation, so they took him off the crew and they said ‘well, we haven’t got another navigator for you, you’ll have to wait for him to get better’. I think he’d got appendicitis or something like that you know, so we lost, we didn’t go to 35 Squadron, we stayed on and anyway, he came fit, they passed him fit, and that’s how we came to go to Breighton, 78 Squadron. But if he hadn’t been sick we would have been down at 35 Squadron, I don’t know, it might have been the end, I don’t know.
SC: Yes.
HP: [unclear] Pathfinder. So we didn’t make that, we ended up staying on Halifaxes and posted to, um, Breighton, 78 Squadron and that’s where we did it. We did the tour of operations, did thirty odd and that was it. Finished the tour in the November I think it was. Thirty six operations.
SC: And how much of that tour do you remember?
HP: Pardon?
SC: How much of the tour do you remember? How many of the trips?
HP: Well as I say we used to go up and we had one or two brushes, I mean your main defence, really, you didn’t have the speed but the, it was a matter of what they called a corkscrew. You know, you had to judge it from the back, where we were coming and you had to corkscrew right, starboard or left or port or dodge into the nearest cloud or whatever. Had a couple like that but nothing really, fired at a couple of times you know, saw the odd spark but nothing dramatic really and we got through the tour quite reasonably. It was a mixed tour, you know daylight, the, um, — By that time of course it got to June and of course the invasion and that was the part I was a bit, I thought we were flying but we weren’t. I had a word with Tom and we didn’t start until about ten days after the June 6th I think it was, and then we did, bombed some of the V Bomber sites and things like that, Doodlebugs, the Borkum Islands, we bombed those a couple of, one or two, it’s difficult to sort of realise you know, can’t remember mostly, they merge a little bit, they do merge a little bit, yes.
SC: Yes.
HP: And that was that, that was the end of tour.
SC: And that was in, towards the end of?
HP: I think the last flight, the last op was round about November ’44.
SC: Yep
HP: Yep. I think it was thirty five or thirty six.
SC: Gosh.
HP: But that included daylights and things like that, and there was, we used to do mine laying up at Kattegat.
SC: Yep.
HP: And we did some mine laying in the inner harbour in Brest and things like that you know, at the end of the tour. The officers that was the pilot, the bomb aimer, the navigator who was a Warrant Officer, they got the DFC.
SC: Right yes.
HP: The sergeants they, they got commissioned in the end but they got the DFC. It was fair enough.
SC: So you finished as a?
HP: I finished as ah, I’m still a sergeant and at the end of the tour got a [unclear] they had said they’d commission me and I got my commission in the November 1944.
SC: Right.
HP: Hmm, and that’s it.
SC: Right and then you moved on to other things.
HP: Yes, um, I moved on and said — I had to go, there was a course up at Scotland, I was posted up for a course, two courses.
SC: Yep.
HP: On up in Scotland, the north of Scotland and another one down in Cornwall.
SC: Yep.
HP: Umm. It was to do with, more or less handling the, err, they started to [pause] load aeroplanes and things like that you know. It was a passenger and freight sort of carry on you know.
SC: Yep.
HP: Anyway, at the end of it I ended up at, in the 1945, that would be round about February, March time, something like that, it might have been a bit later, um I was sent out to Burma, well India, we started off with a Dakota, [unclear] Dakota and I was ended up after a series of flights and stops and whatever at Chittagong in what is now Bangladesh in the Bay of Bengal and there, there was some, an American squadron also two RAF squadrons which I think was 31 bombers, and they were supply dropping the troops you know, a full team and that was part of my job, like a staging post kind of thing we used to, it was my job to, in the evenings we decided what the troops wanted they were slowly advancing by the time we got there.
SC: Yeah.
HP: We used to meet up with the Army and they used to, all these aeroplanes were lined up and there was the decision which aeroplane had to carry which load and where they were going and I used to have to get there and get the list of the aeroplanes and the loads and I had, um, BOR, that’s British Other Ranks, Indian Other Ranks and things like that and we used to allocate and, err, get them all loaded and ready to jump. We used to do the odd trip, help drop them over the drop zones onto the DZs and things like that and of course that went and then as they slowly advanced the squadrons slowly advanced with them. They went down to Ramree Island and round there and about but we stayed back in Chittagong and we ended up at the — accepting stuff from, from the docks, ready for the invasion of Japan, so we found out after. So all this gear was being loaded ready at Chittagong, ready but of course anyway the war ended so that was that. And then after that I went back to, to Calcutta, I was sent back to Calcutta. Um, I worked in the air booking centre there for a while and then I went out, they started opening up the transport links.
SC: Uhuh.
HP: That was from, first of all I went back there to Alipur that was it, I went back to Alipur and um, there was one or two flights coming through with prisoners of war, with the Dakotas. They were bringing them in on the flights and they’d got some, if I can remember, I think they’d got some ships there that put them on the shore, put them on flights, flying them home things like that at Alipur. And then, um, they also had a base in, at a place called Kunming in China, a staging post there. Anyway they were being evacuated, the Chinese wanted them out. It was a massive airfield. A lot of Americans there. I’ve got some photographs but I can’t remember where they are. And, well I was sent there to help this chap clear up this end and bring people back [unclear] there was a staging post and they used to use it, Kunming when Hong Kong was liberated they flew [unclear] but of course they used it during the war [mobile phone sounds}
??: Sorry
HP: when they were supplying Chiang Kai-shek with goods. They were flying with arms and things you know and, um, that was, that was alright in the end, we sorted that out , got the lads back from there which meant flying the 52 Squadron over the Himalayas to Kumbi —
SC: Gosh.
HP: and back again, we all came back, and after that we started to open up the routes down to, well they were opened up to Hong Kong, Singapore, round Saigon and what have you.
SC: Hmm.
HP: And first of all we went down to Penang, that was near Butterworth, with jumpers on about, and we opened up a base there, they started to fly in the Dakotas, from 52 Squadron, like a passenger flight and things like that and then ended up at Saigon and I was there for a while, well I was there for about six months doing a similar thing, setting up the booking centres, how they used to take money and started to take civilian passengers as well.
SC: Yeah
HP: Things like that and I was based in the hotel Majestic, Majestic Hotel in Saigon and John happened to be passing through there, was it last year John?
JP: Couple of years ago.
HP: Whenever it was, on a cruise. He sent me this photograph, the Majestic.
SC: Wow.
HP: So I said ‘look up my old billet’, you know. And he said ‘where is it?’ I said ‘Majestic Hotel’, he said ‘well this is where this photograph’s been taken’ [laughter].
SC: Small world.
JP: Yeah.
HP: Can you stop a minute, I’ll just go and get a, I think I’ve got some photographs of that. Can we stop this or not?
SC: Yes of course we can, yep, I’ll pause this for a moment.
Pause in recording
SC: OK, we’ll resume the conversation. I think we were in Saigon.
HP: Oh that’s right.
SC: Yes
HP: The idea was, when we first arrived, there was a bit of uneasy feeling in the city because um, the Japanese, there was still some Japanese troops there and we utilised them a little bit for sentry, guard duties because we were a bit short. It was French, very French, obviously French Indo-Chino you know, and the French Army was there and things like that. And apart from us they were also using French, err, Japanese soldiers for sentry duty, guards and things like that.
SC: Right.
HP: Didn’t arm them or anything like that obviously, but they were what we used to call choki dahs [?].
SC: Yes.
HP: Guards, you know.
HP: Yes.
SC: So we utilised them until they went back home. They were quite alright, no problem at all. So there we were setting up this centre for, um, the 52 Squadron, other squadrons followed a bit later, I don’t know, flying the routes opening up from Calcutta, Bangkok, Penang, um, Singapore, Saigon and eventually to Hong Kong.
HP: Hmm.
HP: Of course the Chinese were very keen to get all their, a lot of people, Chinese in Saigon, it’s a very cosmopolitan place, a lovely city, beautiful city. And of course it got quite good, there was a lot of different nationalities started coming and opening up. It hadn’t been damaged at all by the war it was a beautiful city. We were setting it up and that was it. I got a posting, I was in the Majestic hotel all the time, my office was there. It was right by the water front. The only thing I can remember there was the poor old CO used to live in the hotel as well. He was bitten by a dog and they took no chances there the French, um, rabies so no chance. So the poor old chap he used to have to go down to the hospital or wherever and have an injection in his stomach every morning.
SC: Hmm.
HP: and, err, he said they don’t know if I’ve got rabies or not, they want to see the dog. So I said, ‘I’m sorry sir we’ve just thrown it in the river’, [laughter], or ‘they’ve just thrown it in the river’. We couldn’t find it so he had to keep having these injections, just in case he’d got rabies. Anyway that was that. Anyway the posting came through was to go back to Rangoon and set up Searcher Teams, teams going round looking for aircraft that they couldn’t pinpoint or find during the war, had been shot down or whatever. I think there were about six or seven, well I was Number 7 Searcher Team and we all met up together and it was under the auspices of the Royal RAF Regiment in Rangoon itself in the headquarters. Mingaladon, that was the airfield. And we were given some training by them and the team consisted of myself, there was a Warrant Officer who was a wireless operator and he was in charge of a radio, a wireless vehicle with shortwave RT and then we also had a Jeep and we had a sergeant who looked after all the necessary arrangements and two drivers. So, that was the team, myself, a Warrant Officer who was the wireless operator, and off we went. Our route was up through the middle of Burma, after quite a bit training, there’s some photographs here. We did a bit of guard duty while down there as well, and we got down. Anyway, we set off and off we went and our route as far as I can remember we ended up through places like Myitkyina, Mandalay, Meiktila and they issued us with a complete dossier of all these aircraft, the last when they heard of them, pinpointed, lat and long that sort of thing, type of aircraft, engines, quite a lot of information that they could get. When they were last seen going down or whatever. And I’d find these spots, one or two reasonably fine and the idea was we had to get some confirmation, you know sort of engine numbers or anything that was left. And um, it took us up right through Mandalay, Myitkyina and all round there. And also down to, across to Ledo where the Chinese, the road, you know the Americans used for supplies. the Ledo. Um, we ended up there. It took us up we, well we went on quite a few surprises and this is us. That’s where we actually found an aeroplane
SC: Aha.
HP: We were, I had an imprest account of so many rupees that I could buy all my goods and things like that. I had a letter of introduction as well which gave me quite a bit of authority and I could go into an army barracks or wherever up there. Mainly, the Cochin Rifles were up there at that time and there was a little bit of tension on the borders but not a lot. I think they were based at Myitkyina the Cochins and we’d find these places and get petrol or goods. We also stayed with the Army Intelligence Corps, they were based all around the different places you know. And we used to stay with them the odd time you know, get a bit of accommodation. Otherwise we were out in the area but this is one of the villages we went to. We used to go [unclear] the villages and we were very welcome at times in Burma and they always had a hut there, I’ve forgotten what they called it now but you could go and sleep in the hut, you were a visitor, that was the lodging house it was. And that’s one of them, (sounds of photographs being sorted).
SC: Gosh yeah. So that’s a photograph of — are you on this photograph?
HP: Ahh, I think so, let me, I think so yes, yes somewhere. Aah, yes that, that’s me there.
SC: There? Yep, right in the front.
HP: Hmm.
SC: With a number of other people.
HP: We had to make daily contact — All right John?
JP: Yes, [unclear]
HP: make daily contact with base back at Mingaladon as to what we were up to and that sort of thing,
SC: Yep.
HP: The other, the other search teams were over at the other side towards the coast or down to the Thai border or something like that but I was right up through the middle of Mandalay and, um, one of the things, when we got to [unclear] we started off with some petrol. We’d been into the barracks at Kutching, got this petrol and at that time we were staying with one of the army intelligence people, they had a place there, they put us up. We’d got this Jeep, we’d got quite a few jerry cans of petrol and they had what they called the choki dahs [?], the guards and when we got up in the morning all the petrol had gone —
SC: It had gone.
HP: plus the choki dah [?]. So we had, we had to stay behind for a court of enquiry.
SC: Hmm.
HP: Anyway we set off and one of the trips we set off from there, we had to catch a train and it went right up through where there was some fighting with the troops and things and I’m unloading the Jeep onto the low loader on the train and that’s what happened. [laughter]
SC: Harry’s now showing me a photograph of a Jeep that has, looks like it has either fallen off the back of the low loader or not quite made it onto the back of the low loader. Gosh.
HP: We eventually got it on. [muttering]
SC: Yep.
HP: Yeah. There’s another one there, another one of it.
SC: And another photograph of Harry with some of the rest of the team in the accommodation hut.
HP: [laughter]
SC: So how long did this —
HP: This went on, we ended up actually up at, um, I think it was called Pattaya, it was right up near the, the up by the Tibetan border, up that way somewhere, it was called Pattaya.
SC: Yep.
HP: And the District Commissioners were slowly making their way back of course, after the war and this chap had got there, and we went up there and we had to find one nearby. Before we got there we went to a place and ended up not far from, err, what I can remember, where we — and I had to leave behind the, it was a three, a three day trek. I had to leave behind the wireless vehicle and the Warrant Officer and I took the Sergeant and one of the drivers and we set off across, right along the border with China to find this particular aeroplane and it was quite a trek. We were, we got to a river, we picked up an interpreter, an Indian chap. We ended up crossing the river, we’d got mules carrying stuff and these mules, we used to sleep on these camp beds, we used to put them together like at night and, these mules that, I think there were two of them, we used to have to go on a raft, we went up the side of this, it was rather fast flowing this river I can remember. We had to get it, we had to cross it anyway and they put a bit of a priority on some of these finds that we had to you know. They were particularly keen on this one, so we got down there by the side of the river and we met this raft chap there so he had to take the mules over and then he used to take and we got to the other side by which time we were completely exhausted and we spent the night there in a clearing and all we could hear all night was the mules eating all the trees and whatever, bushes. [laughter] Anyway, we pressed on. We found this spot once we got the details and what have you, we made the return journey. So it took us about three or four days actually to do that, got back. And then we set off and I think that was the after, prior to the Jeep falling off the thing. Um, we got off to the pier, when we got up there we found that probably due to this thing the Jeep had a broken spring.
SC: Uhuh.
HP: So it meant driving all the way back down to — so I took the Jeep. It was rather tortuous all round these hills all the way down to Myitkyina. We had to make contact with Mingaladon, our base to get authority, and the money no doubt to put a new spring on.
SC: Hmm.
HP: So we had to, we were there a couple of days and got the spring, went back up there and all the way back and that was it and eventually ended up back at Mingaladon at Rangoon and that was it, that was. So that would be from oh about three or four months I suppose, three, I don’t know, three months.
SC: And how many planes did you find?
HP: I can’t remember actually. I can remember this big sort of thing we had. [unclear] I’ve got a letter upstairs actually from the, from the C in C down there, ‘thank you for your efforts in finding these aeroplanes’. I think it was about, I can’t remember actually. I think we found probably about half a dozen or a dozen or whatever, I can’t remember, ten or whatever.
SC: Yeah.
HP: Some that were pretty difficult you know.
SC: Yeah.
HP: The lats and longs or positions were a bit out of date we couldn’t find them, or whatever you know.
SC: Yeah.
HP: We did find a few which we had, that was the idea of the signal band really to keep in touch and also say that we’d found out some details and things like that so. The Warrant Officer was on that thing every day you know. I think, I can’t remember actually. My memory is quite, they gave me quite a bit of money, what they called an imprest account.
SC: Yeah.
HP: I think we spent most of it I’m not sure. Of course you had to buy goods and interpreters and things like that you know and I think we ended up in, I don’t know, probably. Well I was err, we were — my demob date was coming up ended up back at Mingaladon. Had to wait for a ship to bring us back and I think we set sail round about the April/May something like that you know.
SC: Yep.
HP: Took us some months to get home.
SC: Did you sail directly from —
HP: From Mingaladon calling at, I think we called at Gibraltar, something like that and err. Eventually we docked at Liverpool and I was demobbed at one of the demob centres there, 1947.
SC: And then made your way home?
HP: Then I made my way home yeah.
SC: Yeah.
HP: Yeah.
SC: And how did you get home from there? Did they provide transport or —
HP: Oh yes you got your demob suit, you got your railway warrant, you know. Just go home. And that was it, that was goodbye.
SC: Yes.
HP: I can’t, I don’t know what I’ve done with this letter, your mum had it at one time. But it was from the Big Cheese down in Rangoon thanking me for my efforts in finding these aeroplanes and that, you know.
SC: Yes. And had you sailed out to —
HP: No we flew out.
SC: You’d flown.
HP: Originally, yeah. The Dakota yeah.
SC: Yep
HP: We’d flew out. We stopped at places on the way and ended up at Karachi and from Karachi we went up to Delhi [unclear] went to Kamila, Kamila down to Calcutta and then Calcutta down to um, to –
SC: Mingaladon?
HP: No, no to
SC: To um —
HP: Chittagong.
SC: Chittagong.
HP: Chittagong, sorry memory’s going again. Yes Chittagong. The airfield was called Hathazari.
SC: Right.
HP: Yeah
SC: Yeah.
HP: So that’s about it.
SC: Oh, well that’s fascinating thank you very much for sharing that with us. I’ll switch this off now and let’s have a look at.
HP: I rejoined after.
SC: We’ll resume recording. You’ve just reminded me that you rejoined in —
HP: Yes I rejoined in er, in 51.
SC: Yep.
HP: From the railway. By which time we had Steve who is my eldest son and we lived with the parents which wasn’t ideal um, [unclear] rejoined, had to leave my wife at home get to know what the situation, went down the London. I applied for aircrew again but they said they didn’t want me, not particularly, but they offered me a commission in air traffic control. We had a big talk over about it with my parents and my parents and it wasn’t an ideal situation really so I did, I rejoined on a short service commission, five years. I did the courses at Shorebury. When it got towards the end of the five years they gave me a permanent commission and we had John by that time and Sandra my daughter, and my mission after the courses and things just felt well in Norfolk and then went to Luffenham didn’t we? The Night Fighter, Luffenham we went to Aden, had a couple of years in Aden and err, that was alright wasn’t it?
JP: Oh yeah.
HP: And we came back, went to Valley in, then went to Northern Ireland and I got my civil licence and I ended up as a civil controller after I came out, after I packed it up in — I didn’t want, by that time the lads were getting, [unclear]. There was nothing for them. We used to see lads their age overseas with their parents and there was no roots for them so I retired, not retired, I gave up in 1965.
SC: Right
HP: And um, it was a job at East Midlands Airport as a civilian air traffic controller. I was there for twenty odd years.
SC: Wow?
JP: Day one.
HP: Pardon?
JP: On day one of the airport.
HP: Day one. Opened up the airport, yeah, yeah.
SC: Gosh
HP: 65, yeah.
SC: And you stayed there until —
HP: I retired, had trouble with my eyes at the time and so I didn’t get the full medical at the time and other things and I came out in and er. Well I did twenty years anyway, ‘85.
SC: 85. Yep.
HP: And that was it.
SC: Well that’s fascinating. Right well I’ll now turn this o —
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Interview with Henry Pollock
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Steve Cooke
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IBCC Digital Archive
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2016-10-11
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Sound
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APollockHAJ161011
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Pending review
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This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
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eng
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Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
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Bangladesh
Great Britain
Burma
India
Vietnam
Bangladesh--Chittagong
Burma--Rangoon
England--Yorkshire
Vietnam--Ho Chi Minh City
Description
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Harry Pollock grew up in London and worked as an apprentice floor layer and as a fireman on the London Midland Scottish Railway before he joined the RAF in 1943. After training, he completed 36 operations as an air gunner with 78 Squadron from RAF Breighton. He was commissioned in November 1944 at the end of his tour and was posted to India in 1945. He also served in Saigon, Rangoon and Burma. A few years after being demobbed, Harry rejoined the Air Force and was offered a Commission as an Air Traffic Controller. After leaving the RAF again in 1965 Harry became a Civil Air Traffic Controller at East Midlands Airport.
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Tina James
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1943
1944
1945
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00:42:35 audio recording
78 Squadron
air gunner
aircrew
Anson
bombing
C-47
crewing up
demobilisation
Halifax
RAF Abingdon
RAF Breighton
RAF Rufforth
training
Whitley
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1794/35819/BWilsonRCWilsonRCv1.2.pdf
46537616119db7e3fe539c2255ec6eb9
Dublin Core
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Wilson, Reginald Charles
R C Wilson
Description
An account of the resource
166 items. The collection concerns Reginald Charles Wilson (b. 1923, 1389401 Royal Air Force) and contains his wartime log, photographs, documents and correspondence. He few operations as a navigator with 102 Squadron. He was shot down on 20 January 1944 and became a prisoner of war.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Janet Hughes and catalogued by Barry Hunter.
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IBCC Digital Archive
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2017-01-13
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This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. Some items have not been published in order to protect the privacy of third parties, to comply with intellectual property regulations, or have been assessed as medium or low priority according to the IBCC Digital Archive collection policy and will therefore be published at a later stage. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collection-policy.
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Wilson, RC
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October 2001
[underlined] BOMBER COMMAND & NOTES OF SOME OF MY EXPERIENCES DURING 1941 – 1945 [/underlined]
[underlined] Churchill's Minute of 8 July 1940 about Bomber Command to Beaverbrook (Minister for Aircraft Production) [/underlined] – made [italics] after the fall of France and the retreat of the British Forces from Dunkirk, when Britain stood alone against the might of Germany under the control of Hitler. [/italics]
"But when I look round to see how we can win the war I see that there is only one sure path. We have no Continental army which can defeat the German military power. The blockade is broken and Hitler has Asia and probably Africa to draw from. Should he be repulsed here or not try invasion he will recoil eastward, and we have nothing to stop him. But there is one thing that will bring him back and bring him down, and that is an absolutely devasting, exterminating attack by very heavy bombers from this country upon the Nazi homeland. We must be able to overwhelm them by this means, without which I do not see a way through."
A sustained air bombardment of Germany was therefore a major instrument of military policy, all the more appealing to the Nation as a whole because of the Blitz – As Churchill himself said, the almost universal cry was "Give it to them back!" (Extract from Most Secret War – R.V. Jones)
With regard to the Blitz, I personally experienced before I joined Aircrew in August 1941, seventy-eight consecutive nights when the German Bombers flew up the Thames and bombed London (East London had extensive damage and suffered many thousands of civilian casualties).
One of the last of these raids, and also the worst, occurred on 29 December 1940 when 300 tons of bombs (mostly incendiary bombs) were dropped on the City and surrounding area. The whole area was a mass of flames. (There is a famous photograph of St. Paul's in sharp relief against a skyline of fire). I walked through the devastated area the next morning on my way to Unilever House (my place of work before I joined the RAFVR).
On 29 December 1943 [underlined] exactly three years later to the night [/underlined], I 'gave it to them back!' I flew as navigator, in a Halifax Bomber as one of a force of over 700 Bombers to Berlin. It was the fifth heaviest raid ever made against Berlin and over 2300 tons of incendiaries and bombs were dropped in about twenty minutes!
[underlined] When Britain stood alone [/underlined]
After Dunkirk in 1940 there was no hope of bringing the war [underlined] to Germany [/underlined] on land until the success of the Second Front in 1944 and the Invasion of Germany in 1945. For the first three and a half years only one force, [underlined] Bomber Command [/underlined] was able to do so from the Air, and keep the torch of freedom burning for Britain and occupied Europe.
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For the rest of the war Bomber Command was joined by the American Airforce who supported the air war with a substantial heavy bomber force operating in daytime from East Anglia.
[underlined] 1943 – The growth point for Bomber Command [/underlined]
By 1943 Bomber Command, now under the direction of Air Chief Marshall Arthur Harris, had grown into a powerful heavy bomber force. A famous biblical quotation used by Arthur Harris about Germany's earlier bombing of British cities, summed up the future for Germany's industrial heartland – "they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind".
Bomber Command was able to sustain some 700 to 1000 aircraft, which could deliver in excess of 2000 tons of bombs on a target in one bombing raid. It flew at night throughout the year at relatively high altitudes; and in all weathers. It also used the long winter nights to penetrate deep into Germany to reach their industrial cities. Flying at over 10000ft required crew to wear oxygen masks and at 20000ft., temperatures could be minus 40 degrees centigrade! The sole heating for the crews would be from movable flexible pipes from the engines, or for the air gunners, electrically heated suits. Only fog, snow and ice around their base airfields and perhaps a full moon, would hold the squadrons back from operational flying.
Bomber Command flew in a concentrated stream and bombed targets in a matter of 20 minutes or so. Techniques were developed to smother the ground-to-air radar defences by all aircraft dropping metalised strips ('window') en route and over the target. The mass of strips obliterated the German radar responses from the bombers, so that the ground defences were unable to direct nightfighters or ack-ack to their quarry. Ground control of the nightfighters was also broken by jamming their intercom frequencies. Bomber wireless operators would tune to the nightfighters' frequencies and transmit engine noise to drown out communication. Specially equipped squadrons flying in or near the bomber stream would carry out operations known as ABC (Airborne Cigar), which interfered with radar responses from nightfighters, causing confusion in ground control operations. These squadrons would also tune to the ground control frequencies and with the aid of German speaking specialists gave false directions to the German pilots. When the German defences resorted to broadcasting coded music over national broadcasting channels, to indicate to the nightfighters where the targets were, these were jammed by over-playing the broadcasts, very loudly, with previously recorded Hitler speeches!
The development of the Pathfinder Force and the introduction of more sophisticated radar aids, especially H2S, enabled Bomber Command to keep closely to prescribed routes and to locate targets more accurately. This was achieved by the Pathfinders dropping coloured sky or ground markers near turning points and directly on the target, the whole operation being directed by Master Bomber crews flying at the forefront of the main force. In addition, other radar techniques for guiding bombers and indicating the release point for bombs, known as Oboe and G – H, were very accurate methods for pinpointing targets, especially in areas like the Ruhr Valley. All these techniques helped to produce highly concentrated bombing results.
These successes however were not without heavy losses to Bomber Command * as the German ground control revised their procedures and the German nightfighter force expanded. The nightfighter force (especially squadrons equipped with twin
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engined aircraft) became more freelance and extremely skilled due to the re-equipment of their aircraft with cannon firepower and radar air interception and homing techniques.
Bomber Command took a major part in destroying much of German's industrial base. It also caused the German ground defence forces to divert, in 1943-45, a huge number of men (almost 900,000) and all types of artillery (56,500) from the Western and Eastern Fronts to defend the skies over German cities, especially Berlin and cities in the Ruhr Valley. Additionally 1,200,000 civilians were employed in civil defence and in repair work.
Bomber Command delayed the use of the V weapons in 1944 by many months, and saved thousands of lives and possible destruction of much of London, especially the eastern areas of Greater London.
It was responsible, along with the American Airforce, for destroying in 1944-45 much of the armament, transport, radar and communications infrastructure in occupied Europe and Germany. Additionally the German oil refining industry was destroyed. These successes eventually grounded the German Airforce, paralysed the German Army, and advanced their surrender.
[underlined] *Bomber Command suffered very heavy losses [/underlined]
From 1939 – 1945 Bomber Command suffered some 60% casualties; a number greater than any other British and Commonwealth Force during the Second World War (only exceeded by the German U-Boat Force who suffered some 70% casualties).
Out of a force of 125000 Aircrew:
* 56000 were killed (equivalent to almost one fifth of all the deaths sustained by the British and Commonwealth forces for World War 2, and equal to all the Officer deaths on the Western Front – Vimy Ridge, the Somme, Passchendaele, Ypres etc during World War 1).
* 9000 were injured or wounded.
* 11000 were POWs or were missing.
In the peak times of 1943 and 1944 less than 10 crews in a 100 crews would survive their first tour of 30 operations. The Halifax and Lancaster Bomber would have an average life of 40 operational hours – about 5 or 6 missions.
The worst month of the war for aircraft losses was January 1944 when 633 aircraft were lost out of 6278 sorties – just over 10%.
This was also the month I was shot down over Berlin on my tenth operation, when my Squadron (102) lost 7 out of 15 aircraft – a loss of 47% (a loss of aircraft in percentage terms greater than that suffered by 617 Squadron on the Dam Busters Raid). The following night my Squadron lost a further 4 aircraft out of 16 on a mission to Magdeburg, Germany. Shortly after these disastrous losses, the Squadron was withdrawn from operations over Germany until they were re-equipped with the improved aircraft, the Halifax MK 3.
The worst single operation of the war was in March 1944, when 94 aircraft were lost on the Nurnberg raid with 14 more aircraft crashing on return to UK. On this raid more aircrew in Bomber Command were killed, than were killed in Fighter Command for the whole of the Battle of Britain.
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[underlined] Battle of Berlin [/underlined]
There were 16 raids during the Battle of Berlin from the end of 1943 to early 1944. In this time some 500 aircraft were lost on the Berlin raids. Over 3500 aircrew were lost, of which some 80% were killed! More than 2000 of them lie buried in the British War Graves Cemetery in West Berlin – two of my crew are buried there, two others who have no known graves are remembered on the RAF War Memorial at Runnymede.
[underlined] Bomber Command was heavily criticised for the destruction of Dresden and Chemnitz in February 1945 [/underlined]
Dresden and Chemnitz were regarded as non-military targets. Dresden in particular was a cultural and arts centre since medieval times. They were also great fire risks because of their wooden architecture.
As the Russian Forces on the Eastern Front entered East Germany in 1945, Stalin requested to Allied Command that Leipzig, Chemnitz and Dresden be bombed [underlined] as these cities were strategic railheads for moving German troops to the Eastern Front. [/underlined]
At that time I was a POW at Stalag IVB (Muhlberg on Elbe) and I was being moved to Oflag VIIB (Eichstat, Bavaria) with four other POW's. The route took us through Chemnitz station and we spent the best part of a day waiting with our German guards on the station for a connection to go south to Bavaria. [underlined] During this time we witnessed several German Panzer troop trains en route for the Eastern Front pass through the station. [/underlined] The date was 2 February 1945 just 10 days before Chemnitz and Dresden were bombed. I understand since, that the information about the date of these troop movements was not known at the time; otherwise the Allied Command might have taken action earlier.
Nevertheless Stalin was right, they were strategic railheads, and we (POW's) were [underlined] in the unique position of being the only Allied witnesses to see it. [/underlined] (I have a reference to this event in my wartime log entered whilst I was still a POW in Oflag VIIB).
The bombing was shared by Bomber Command and the American Airforce. The towns were burnt out and the casualties were very high indeed.
Personally I refute the charge, having seen the Panzer troop trains passing through Chemnitz, that these were open cities, wilfully destroyed. The Allied Airforces carried out what they were ordered to do – to aid the Russian Forces in what was total war in those days.
These charges of wanton destruction were, after the war, levelled at Air Chief Marshall Arthur Harris (who was denied a Peerage), and Bomber Command by the post war Labour Government. The accusations have been made ever since by all and sundry. They choose to forget that some 60,000 British civilians were killed as a result of German Airforce bombing and use of V weapons, on London and other Cities.
As a result campaign medals were not awarded to Bomber Command.
Arthur Harris said "Every butcher, baker, and candlestick maker, within two hundred miles of the Front got a campaign medal, but not Bomber Command".
When one reflects on the contribution that Bomber Command (a front line force without doubt) made to the success of World War 2; and the casualties and the
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stress the aircrew (mostly in their early 20's) suffered in achieving it, it is a travesty of justice to level the accusation of wanton destruction. Fortunately, with more thorough research, especially involving veterans of Bomber Command, the books of recent years have put the records straight.
[underlined] Summary of my aircrew training days [/underlined]
I joined the RAFVR in August 1941, wore a white flash in my forage cap to indicate aircrew; and after a long wait at St John's Wood, London, I was posted to Initial Training Wing Torquay, Devon.
Here I learnt the rudiments of subjects such as meteorology, air navigation, aircraft recognition, wireless telegraphy etc, alongside some square bashing and clay pigeon shooting.
I was promoted from AC2 to LAC and posted to Marshalls Airfield, Cambridge for a flying test. I flew with an instructor in a Tiger Moth for about eight hours and passed the initial experience requirement necessary to join the Arnold Training Scheme in the USA.
After some Christmas leave and a short stay at Heaton Park, Manchester, I joined the troopship 'Montcalm' at Gourock, on the Clyde, bound for Halifax, Canada. We were accompanied by another troopship the 'Vollendam' and we were supposed to have had a destroyer as escort for the crossing. Unfortunately the destroyer had to return to base. (It was a World War 1 American destroyer, one of fifty given to Britain in exchange for the use of Bermuda I believe, and it could not cope with the bad weather we were experiencing).
Luckily our two weeks crossing in January 1942 was uneventful although half a dozen ships were sunk in the same area of the Atlantic as ourselves. At this time in the war as many as 60 ships a week were sunk by German U boats in the North Atlantic.
From Halifax we were the first RAF aircrew trainees to travel to the USA in uniform. America had become our Ally just a few weeks before, (after the infamy of the Japanese who had bombed Pearl Harbour, on 7 December 1941, without formal declaration of war, sinking much of the Pacific fleet).
After suffering the privations in Britain – bombing, blackout, blockade, rationing of virtually everything, and the military setbacks such as experienced in Norway, France and the Middle East, America was no doubt the land of milk and honey.
We travelled to 'Turner Field' in Albany, Georgia for a month's acclimatisation, during which time I celebrated my 19th birthday. It was a base for the American Army Aircorps cadets.
Here we were given Army Aircorps clothing and were to be treated like the cadets to all their style of intake training such as:-
– drilling and physical training (callisthenics at 6 o'clock in the morning)
– being given literature on expected behaviour and etiquette!
– marching behind a brass band, playing Army Aircorps music, to all meals and to Retreat (lowering of the American Flag in the evening).
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Having endured basic rations in Britain for a considerable time, every meal at 'Turner Field' was a feast, and as cadets, we were waited on hand and foot by coloured waiters (at this time in the South, coloured people were not considered equal to whites; they were required to sit in the back of buses and in separate parts of the cinema etc and were treated generally as second class citizens). Back in Britain you had to queue up for your meals, get all your meal on one plate, take your own cutlery (in your gas mask case) and wash it up afterwards in a tank of tepid greasy water.
After a month I was posted to Lakeland, Florida (in March 1942) to a Civilian Flying School for Primary Flying Training.
Here I had a very pleasant time indeed. I went solo in a 'Stearman' biplane after the Instructor had 'buzzed off' a herd of cows from the auxillary [sic] landing field by diving at them! I had 40 hours solo, much of which was aerobatics – stalls, spins, loops etc. The flying was over lakes and orange groves in the Florida sunshine. As English Cadets we had much hospitality with local American families and their daughters!
After completion of the Course, we had a few days leave, and a colleague and I hitched a lift to West Palm Beach. We booked into an hotel, but within a short while we were invited to stay with an American lady (Mrs Hubbard), who turned out to be the daughter of Rockefeller (a multi-millionaire and philanthropist). She had an English lady staying with her (who had a son in the RAF) and between them they looked after us for the next two days, like two long lost sons. Her home could have been in Hollywood; it had a beautiful swimming pool within a magnificant [sic] Italian styled garden, with an arcaded drinks bar at one end.
My greatest memory of this occasion, was to meet – and be photographed with – one of the few surviving Fleet Air Arm pilots, who in the previous year had torpedoed the pocket battleship 'Bismark', damaged its rudder, and enabled the British Fleet to sink it in the English Channel. He was touring America as a hero and had been invited to Mrs Hubbard's home. (The sinking of the Bismark was a great British victory, it having sunk the battleship 'Hood', with the loss of nearly 1500 lives.)
After this short break (at the end of April 1942) we were posted to an Army Aircorps Flying School in Georgia for Intermediate Training. Here I started a course of flying on a basic trainer with an Army Instructor. After a number of flying lessons I was unable to convince my Instructor I was safe to go solo on this plane and that was the end of my pilot training. (The US Army Aircorps had a policy of failing a high proportion of cadets and I was one of them; had I been trained in an RAF Flying School in the States the story might have been different). I was disheartened at the time but took the view that I could have killed myself, as one of my friends did shortly afterwards!
I took the train back to Canada (in June 1942) to the RCAF Camp at Trenton, Ontario, and after some interviews and an exam I remustered to U/T Navigator. This transfer did at least give me a chance to see some more of Canada, and I was able to visit Lake Ontario, Toronto and Niagara Falls before I moved on.
A party of us were moved westward for a day or so by train, through impressive Canadian countryside with pine forests and rivers solid with floating logs. The train was pulled by an enormous steam engine, snorting its way through this majestic
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scenery with hardly a sign of civilisation anywhere. We stopped eventually at Brandon, Manitoba, where we stayed awaiting a posting to an Air Navigation School. Whilst at Brandon I managed to spend a weekend at Clear Lake about 60 miles north. It was a beautiful lake surrounded by pine forests (with log cabins, a restaurant, a central hall), where swimming, fishing, and rowing facilities were available. In the evening dances were held in the hall and a Royal Canadian Mounted Policeman was in attendance – it was just like a picture post card! At the dance I met a girl who lived in Winnipeg, who I was able to see again on a number of occasions, as I was posted to the Winnipeg Air Navigation School about a week later (August 1942).
Winnipeg Air Navigation School services were run by civilians, with the teaching of all the subjects by the RCAF.
Winnipeg was situated in the vast grain growing area of Manitoba which was as flat as a pancake – when flying at a few thousand feet you had an unrestricted view to the horizon. The towns, marked by grain elevators and water towers (with the town's name painted on the side), were spaced along the railway line, with other towns scattered in the countryside. All were visible on any cross country route, thus it was impossible to get lost during navigational exercises, even at night, as there was no blackout in Canada!
It was a pleasant, comfortable three months training, spending about half our time in the class room and half on air exercises. We flew in ancient Anson aircraft with civilian pilots, and apart from our air exercises we had to wind up the wheels on take off and down on landing!
The main things I can remember were: the crash of a light aircraft only a few yards away, and the raging fire that ensued that made it impossible to rescue the pilot; the freezing nights practising astro sextant shots. And the more pleasant activitity [sic] of eating Christmas-like turkey dinners every Sunday, and going to dances in Winnipeg, with my friend whom I had met at Clear Lake, Brandon, at weekends. I was awarded my Navigator's Wing on 20 November 1942 and was promoted to Sergeant (I was just a few marks short of getting a Commission).
A few days later we were all on the long train journey back to Moncton, Halifax, breaking our journey for a memorable stopover in Montreal. We returned to England on the luxury liner the Queen Elizabeth, which had been converted into a troopship. We had two meals a day, there were 17 bunks to a state cabin, and we travelled without escort taking only four days to cross the North Atlantic. We were home on leave for Christmas – just one year had elapsed since I was on embarkation leave for my training in North America.
The beginning of 1943 brought about a glut of trained aircrew from the North American and Commonwealth Training Schools.
As a result many hundreds of us were held in holding centres in Harrogate and Bournemouth to await postings. To fill in the time I was posted with others to an RAF Regiment Training Course at Whitley Bay on the coast near Newcastle in the freezing weather of February 1943.
It was not until late April 1943 that we took up flying again, when a party of us were posted to the RAF Air Navigation School at Jurby, at the northern end of the Isle of Man.
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For the next three weeks, still flying in Ansons, I brushed up my navigation (not having flown for five months) with day and night cross country exercises around the Irish Sea, the east coast of Northern Ireland and the west coast of Britain. The weather was quite cool and we even experienced snow in the first two weeks of May. On free days we would take the small 'toast rack' railway from Jurby to Douglas (capital of the Isle of Man) for a day out – it was very quiet in wartime. The only feature I can remember was that all the hotels along the sea front were wired off, as they housed many of the aliens that had been interned for the duration of the war.
On the completion of the course we had some leave and I was posted to the RAF Operational Training Unit at Kinloss, Scotland, on the Moray Firth. I was now set for 'crewing up' in Bomber Command and getting nearer to operational flying.
I arrived at Kinloss in the first week in June. The weather was marvellous and stayed like it for the six weeks we were there. For part of the time a party of us were housed in a large mansion-like property (just for sleeping purposes) and each of us was given a bike to get to and from the airfield. The countryside was beautiful and with the consistent fine weather and the birds singing in the trees and hedgerows, cycling was an added pleasure. It was so peaceful the war seemed very far away indeed. RAF Kinloss was equipped with Whitley Bombers (withdrawn from operational flying in 1942) and were known as 'flying coffins' as they were very sluggish responding to the flying controls – a major defect we were to discover when flying in formation over Elgin (to celebrate a special occasion).
After a few days we were crewed up and our crew consisted of:-
F/O S.R. Vivian – Pilot – 'Viv'
F/Sgt R.C. Wilson – Navigator – 'Reg'
F/O L.A. Underwood – Bombaimer – 'Laurie'
Sgt W. Ross – W/OP AG – 'Bill'
Sgt J. Bushell – Rear AG – 'John'
During the ensuing six weeks we had day and night flying fairly frequently, carrying out exercises such as cross country and formation flying, airfiring, fighter affiliation and bombing practice.
We had some ground work also. I can remember being introduced to the Distant Reading Compass, located near the tail of the aircraft away from magnetic influences. It was a giro-controlled compass, very stable (which could be adjusted by the navigator for the earth's magnetic variation to give true north readings), with electric repeaters for the pilot, navigator and bomb aimer.
I can also remember flying at night, trying to practise astro-navigation, with the sky being barely dark. In the north of Scotland in mid-summer at a height of 10000 ft the sun's glow was present on the horizon most of the night. In this light the Grampian mountains and the Highlands below looked very gaunt and awesome indeed.
At the end of our training our crew had become great friends. We spent time together at Findhorn Bay (on the Moray Firth) on some afternoons, and in the pub in Forres town on some Saturdays. And once in the Mess all one weekend, when we were confined to the Station by the C.O. because we landed in error at RAF Lossiemouth (an adjacent airfield on the Moray Firth) instead of Kinloss! But we drank a lot of beer that weekend!
We left Kinloss for some leave towards the end of July, never to see 'Viv' our pilot again. Little did we know that 'Viv' would be killed in three weeks (just a few days
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after getting married on leave). This was before we even reached RAF Rufforth in Yorkshire, our Conversion Unit for Halifax Heavy Bombers.
We arrived at RAF Rufforth in the middle of August to find that 'Viv' had been reported missing on 10 August 1941 flying as second pilot on a raid to Nurnburg. (I have learned since that the aircraft crashed near Ramsen/Bollanden, Germany. Six were killed including 'Viv' and two became POWs).
All pilots, as captains of their aircraft, had to have two operational flights – 'second dickey trips' – before they could fly their own crews on operations. 'Viv' was on the second of his flights.
We were now a headless crew, awaiting the appointment of another pilot.
From now on it would be apparent that our lives in Bomber Command were becoming a lottery. There was no way we could tell, even at a Conversion Unit before Operations, whether from day to day we would live or die.
During our short stay at Rufforth, about 60 aircrew were killed due to mechanical failure or accidents. Among other accidents, I can remember that two aircraft collided in mid-air, another crashed when a propellor flew off into the fuselage, and a further aircraft crashed at night on a practice bombing raid exercise.
After a few days F/L PGA Harvey was appointed as our pilot, Sgt A McCarroll as our mid/upper gunner (formerly the drummer in Maurice Winnick's dance band – well known on BBC radio pre-war) and Sgt J McArdle as our flight engineer. This completed the crew for our 4 engined bomber, i.e. the Halifax.
F/L Harvey was an experienced pilot having two operational tours in the Middle East in 1941 on Wellington Bombers. It was a mystery to us why he was taking on another tour. Flying on operations deep inside Germany in 1943 was another dimension for him, (with cities heavily defended by ack-ack and night fighters armed with cannon and equipped with radar homing devices), to what he had experienced in the Middle East in 1941. Especially as many of his sorties (whilst being in a war zone) had not been bombing missions.
As F/L Harvey was an experienced pilot, the minimum time was taken to crew up, get familiar with the Halifax, and take on the new disciplines of a flight engineer and a mid/upper gunner. For my part I had to learn how to use 'Gee', a radar device for measuring pulses from two transmitting stations displayed on a cathode ray tube, which were then plotted on a special gridded map, to give pinpoint accuracy of your ground position.
There were air exercises for bombing, airfiring and fighter affiliation. The latter was an exercise to remember (the date was 2 September 1943). For this exercise we flew at 10000ft and a fighter would 'attack' from behind. The two gunners would then cooperate with the pilot so that he could take evasive action. F/L Harvey in taking evasive action managed [underlined] to turn the aircraft on its back, [/underlined] and it was several thousand feet later before the aircraft was righted again. I had spun round in the nose of the 'plane, broken rivits [sic] were rattling around inside the fuselage, and the chemical Elsan toilet at the back of the aircraft had emptied its contents all over the rear of the plane. We were all shaken up by the experience, especially as F/L Harvey had [underlined] 390 operational flying hours to his credit [/underlined] and we did not expect him to lose control. However some good came out of it, in that John the rear gunner decided that from then on he would store his parachute in his gun turret, rather than in the fuselage as required by regulations – this action would later save his life!
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I also decided I would be prepared and have a routine to cover baling out and I learnt the following procedure:-
'Helmet off' – You could break your neck with the helmet still attached to the oxygen supply and intercom!
'Parachute on' – You could jump out without it!
'Handle on the left hand side' – I was left handed (aircrew have been killed with an un-opened parachute with the handle – D ring – on the 'wrong' side!).
In addition (as navigator) I decided that over the target I had a minute or so to spare, so I could fold back my seat, lift up the navigation table clear of the escape hatch and be ready to bale out immediately if necessary. I believe these plans gave me and Laurie (bomb aimer) additional vital seconds, and with the action John took, the three of us saved our lives nearly five months later.
In a week or so we were posted to 102 Squadron to commence our operational service.
[underlined] 102 Squadron 4 Group Bomber Command – Pocklington Yorkshire [/underlined]
Pocklington airfield was situated 12 miles south-east of York, with 800ft hills 3.5 miles NE of the airfield. (Whilst I was there two Halifaxes with heavy bomb loads crashed into these hills after takeoff – that particular runway was not used after that.) It was a wartime airfield with only temporary accommodation, thus all our billets were in Nissen Huts. They had semi-circular corrugated iron roofs and walls, with concrete ends and were dispersed in fields nearby. They were dreary inhospitable places in winter, each heated only by a small central coal burning stove.
Where possible, when not on duty, we sought refuge and relaxation in the 'comfort' of the Sergeants' Mess or in the pubs (i.e. Betty's Bar) or dance halls (i.e. DeGrey Rooms) in the city of York.
Pocklington had three affiliated aifields [sic] – Elvington, Full Sutton and Melbourne. All the airfields were commanded by Air Commodore 'Gus' Walker, at that time the youngest Air Commodore at age 31 in the RAF. He had lost his right arm when a Lancaster exploded on the ground at the airfield he commanded, Syerston, in 1942.
We arrived at Pocklington in mid-September 1943. F/L Harvey was promoted to Acting Squadron Leader in charge of 'A' Flight and we became his crew, which meant we would not fly as frequently on operations as other crews. (This was considered to be a mixed blessing as a tour – 30 operations – would take longer.)
Over the next two weeks we completed a number of cross country exercises, mostly for me to practise my navigation with new equipment. At Rufforth I had 'Gee' radar which enabled me to plot accurate ground positions essential for calculating wind velocities – the basis of all air navigation. Unfortunately the Germans were able to jam this equipment, so that as an aircraft approached the coastline of Continental Europe, the radar pulses were obliterated. Thus the navigator had a race against time to get as much data as possible before we reached the 'Enemy Coast'.
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At Pocklington we had a very new piece of radar equipment called 'H2S' (height to surface). Located in the aircraft it sent out pulses to the ground around the aircraft for 15/20 miles. Reflections were received back as bright specks on a cathode ray tube. The density of the reflections depended on whether the aircraft was flying over sea, land, hills, rivers, cities, lakes etc thus a rough topographical map of the ground (the quality of the picture varied) was displayed on the cathode ray screen.
Best map results were between land and sea, but provided the navigator was reasonably aware of his ground position, he could recognise coastlines, large rivers and lakes, and sizable towns, to and from the target. Thus he could plot accurately the bearing and distance from these land marks, and be able to recalculate wind/velocities maintain required tracks, ground speeds and times to the target. For some more experienced navigators, they would have the ability to blind bomb, without the need to use the markers dropped by Pathfinders (who incidentally also used H2S equipment).
H2S could not be jammed, but nightfighters could 'home on' to the H2S frequency if it was continuously switched on (a hazard not known to aircrews for some time after the system was in operation!). Some aircraft were shot down this way. Another new piece of equipment called the 'airplot indicator' was available to the navigator. This linked the giro compass and airspeed indicator to provide a continuous read out of the air position in latitude and longitude. It was a useful guide to have available, but no navigator would rely on it entirely and give up his own airplot drawn on his own navigational chart.
We also had a hand held 'I.C.A.N. computer', a manually operated vectoring device on which we could plot a course and calculate the airspeed (to make good our desired track and ground speed), before we added this information to our main chart. Two other navigational aids we had used in training were radio bearings taken by the wireless operator and our own astro sight shots. The astro shots were converted to position lines by use of air almanacs. Both these methods were not practical when operating over 'enemy territory'. Even more so when considering that operational aircraft were faster, and the need at any moment to take evasive action (because of flak or nightfighters) would make these methods inoperable.
There were times when navigational aids were not available to us and map-reading over cloud or at night, especially at high altitude, was not possible. Then fall back on 'dead reckoning' methods was necessary. This required accurate plotting of the air position and the use of wind velocities supplied by the Meterology [sic] Officer, or use of those already calculated by the navigator en route. In both these cases they would need to be modified to cater for forecast weather and wind velocity changes and any alterations in altitude during the flight.
Preparing for a bombing mission on an operational squadron was quite a lengthy procedure, occupying a good a [sic] part of the day prior to the night's operation. About mid-morning 'Ops On' would be announced if there was to be a raid that night. Soon the ground crew were busy checking each aircraft's radar, guns, engines etc and filling the wing tanks with over 2000 gallons of fuel. Armourers would load the guns with ammunition and bring up and mount a mix of high explosive and incendiary bombs in the bomb bays for that night's target. (The bombs were stored in a remote part of the airfield for safety, behind blast walls. They would be fused for the target and towed on long low trolleys, by tractor, to the aircraft dispersal points.) Although the target was not disclosed at this stage because of the strict security rules, ground
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crews would have a good idea from the amount of fuel loaded and the type of bomb load, as to where the target would be.
About the same time as the ground crew activities, aircrew would be briefed by their respective leaders. There would be a leader for each discipline e.g. pilots, navigators, bomb aimers etc. The navigator would be one of the busiest; the navigation leader would issue them with flight plans and meteorological information (they would be the first to know the target). They would then plot the route on their chart and smaller topographical maps highlighting towns, lakes and rivers near to their track. Initial courses and airspeeds would be calculated from the wind velocities supplied (these would be modified as more information was gained from 'Gee' and 'H2S' during the flight). It was essential that they kept to their prescribed altitudes, tracks and time table, to maintain concentration of the bomber stream and their time slot over the target (no more than three minutes long).
The aircrew would then go to the Mess, have their operational meal of eggs and bacon (civilians were lucky to get one egg a month!), and fill their thermos flasks with coffee. They would also draw their flying rations of chocolate and orange juice to sustain them during the long night. They would also have available caffeine tablets to keep them alert.
The squadron briefing would follow when all aircrew operational that night (about 150 personnel) were assembled in front of a large wall map of Europe, showing the route and the target. If it was the 'Big City' (Berlin) a gasp would go round the hut, as it was considered to be the most dangerous target of them all. The briefing was carried out by the Squadron Commander, the Intelligence officer, the Meteorology officer and any other specialist whose views were pertinent to that night's raid. The briefing would cover overall details of the operation such as:
– size of the bombing force and the objective of any diversionary raids taking place.
– the weather en route and when returning to base; the forecast wind changes; the extent of cloud on route and over the target; icing risks at various altitudes.
– how the pathfinders would be marking the route and target.
– danger spots for flak and nightfighters.
Finally, all personnel, especially navigators, were asked to synchronise their watches (to the second) to GMT
After this the aircrew drew their Parachutes and Mae Wests, left any personal items in a bag to be picked up when they returned(!), and departed by truck to their dispersal points around the airfield.
At the dispersal point they had time to smoke a cigarette outside the aircraft (not frowned upon in those days), and then to check their equipment thoroughly before they took off. The airgunners checked their guns over the North Sea!
(At times they would get to this point of preparation and have to wait for clearance of fog. The 'Met' officer had guaranteed it would clear but mostly it did not, and the operation had to be abandoned!)
At last it was take-off time and they were directed by the Airfield Controller to the runway, where many of the groundcrew would wave them off into the gathering darkness. Then commenced the long ordeal (5-8 hours) of freezing cold and the heavy vibration and incessant roar of four Rolls Royce Merlin engines, in an unpressurised aircraft, until they returned (with luck unscathed) in the early hours the following morning. On return they went to the de-briefing hut where they were given hot coffee and a tot of rum dispensed by the Padre(!) Then followed by a debriefing
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by the Intelligence officer, who took notes about their bombing run and any details of flak and nightfighters they had experienced during the night. After an egg and bacon breakfast, they trekked back to their respective Nissen huts, crawled into bed and attempted to get some sleep if that was at all possible, and await the next call.
After ten days of cross country flights at Pocklington as S/L Harvey's crew and practising with 'Gee' and 'H2S' equipment, we were considered ready for our first operation. This was a mine-laying trip (described as 'Gardening and planting vegetables') to the coastal waters on the east side of Denmark. Mine-laying was regarded as a reasonably safe and easy task and ideally suited to be a first mission – this turned out not to be so!
On 2 October 1943 we took off, carrying in the bomb bay two mines and their parachutes. 117 aircraft took part mining various places from Lorient to Heligoland. We climbed on track across the North Sea to a height of 10000ft. About halfway across the North Sea, S/L Harvey asked Laurie to take over the controls whilst he visited the toilet at rear of the aircraft. Laurie as bomb aimer would have had some training to assist the pilot on take off but not to fly the 'plane. In fact Laurie had never sat in the pilot's seat of a Halifax before.
[underlined] Now Laurie was asked to fly the 'plane on his first operation and, even worse, as we approached the 'enemy coast'! [/underlined] S/L Harvey really must have had an urgent call of nature! If the rest of us had known at the time what a predicament he was putting Laurie in, then I think we would all have needed 'to go', as well! Luckily for everyone S/L Harvey was back in his place before we crossed the Danish coast.
On crossing the coast there was a loud bang which lifted the aircraft alarmingly, afterwards restoring to level flight. At this point both 'Gee' and 'H2S' went out of action, but we continued across Denmark to our dropping zone described as the 'Samso Belt', which we identified visually through broken cloud.
The bomb doors were opened and we made our dropping run at 8000ft. We then attempted to release the mines but they would not drop. Several attempts were made to release them manually but without success. S/L Harvey then decided to return to base with the mines and tried to close the bomb doors. These would not close. It was now evident that the hydraulic system had been damaged as well as the radar equipment, probably caused by a flak ship as we crossed the Danish coast earlier.
We reduced our height to 2000ft to get under the cloud base and some nasty electric storms across the North Sea; also to pick out a landfall as soon as possible, as I had only 'dead reckoning' means by which to navigate!
As we did not need oxygen at this height I decided to visit the Elsan toilet at the rear of the aircraft. Taking a torch I groped my way to the back in the darkness. I was just stepping over the main spar when by torchlight I noticed a gaping hole beneath me; had I completed the step I would have fallen 2000 ft. into the North Sea! I relieved myself through the hole! I returned to the nose section immediately to confirm to S/L Harvey that there was no doubt that we had been hit by flak. I then had a drink of coffee from my thermos flask to restore my shattered nerves.
It was now obvious the damage was more serious than we first thought. Loss of hydraulic power meant that not only were the bomb doors down, but when the flaps and wheels were lowered for landing, the bomb doors, flaps and wheels could not be
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raised again. If we were to overshoot the runway on landing, we would have crashed – with two mines still on board!
These thoughts kept us silent, with all eyes skinned for our landfall 'Flamborough Head' on the Yorkshire coast, and the sight of of [sic] the flashing pundit that would indicate the close proximity of our airfield.
Luckily my dead reckoning navigation brought us back home on course and we landed safely (otherwise these notes would not have been written).
On landing one of the mines fell out onto the runway. At our dispersal point the ground staff were amazed that we had survived as a crew without a scratch.
Both mines, their release mechanism, the bomb doors and the fuselage had been damaged by shrapnel, and the parachutes badly torn. The hydraulics were severed, the 'Gee' and 'H2S' also damaged. Above the flak hole we discovered the fuselage was peppered with shrapnel holes within inches of the mid-upper gunner's turret.
We were told originally that the aircraft would be written off, but I learned since that the aircraft was repaired. It carried out a number of missions, including targets such as Kassel and Berlin, but sadly was shot down by a nightfighter off Denmark in April 1944, again on a minelaying operation. All the crew died when the aircraft crashed into the sea. (This crew had saved their lives three months before, coincidentally on the night we were shot down, having baled out of a Halifax, short of petrol. Such was the fragility of life in Bomber Command at that time).
Reading the [underlined] Squadron's [/underlined] Operational Record after the war, I found S/L Harvey's statement on our minelaying mission to be totally inaccurate. There was no mention of flak damage and having to bring the mines back, though the [underlined] Pocklington Station [/underlined] Operations Record did report it accurately. I believe S/L Harvey wanted to have a successful tour of operations and a possible DFC award later on.
Having had a near miss with shrapnel close to his turret, Alec McCarroll the mid-upper gunner, decided to report sick before the next operation. In fact he never flew again, and sadly he was labelled LMF (Lack of Moral Fibre), reduced from Sergeant to AC2 and posted to Elvington (one or our affiliated airfields) to general duties. Such arbitrary action was taken by Commanding Officers as a deterrent to all aircrew.
At this time losses in aircrew were extremely high, so much so that one crew hardly knew another before one of them went missing (often becoming obvious by a number of empty beds in your Nissen Hut). Every operation to Germany, especially to places such as Berlin, was almost like 'going over the top'. A succession of such raids could bring on exhaustion and a fit of nerves to anyone. The threat of being branded LMF was made to prevent the possibility of some aircrew refusing to fly. In point of fact only about 0.4% of all aircrew in Bomber Command were branded like this during the war. Nevertheless some, who had as many as 20 operations before they came off flying, were cashiered or demoted with ignominy. For these, it was a great injustice, especially as there were many civilians of military age (in reserved occupations) who would never be exposed [to] such risks. And a large proportion of servicemen, in all Services, who fortunately would not have to face the high risk of death on [underlined] every [/underlined] operational mission.
As the minelaying mission was my first operation and because of the experiences I had on that flight, the Squadron Navigation Officer decided to check through my log
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and chart. He found both completely accurate and commended me on the results which he knew were made under testing conditions. Later he informed me that he was recommending me for a Commission. (Actually this was long overdue and should have been made at the time I qualified as a navigator).
Our next operation was on 4 October 1943 to Frankfurt. This was not a success as firstly S/L Harvey decided to weave all the way to Germany (not normally done unless there is some predicted flak or there are nightfighters about, as it doesn't aid good navigation!). Then without explanation he turned back to base, dropping our bombs into the North Sea on the way. (We had flown five hours out of about seven to complete the bombing operation and had been less than a 100 miles from the target.)
S/L Harvey reported in the Squadron Operations Record "Overload petrol pump U/S. Returned early". I had a feeling that S/L Harvey wasn't very happy that night after our minelaying experiences just two days before. It was frustrating for us, having got near the target, as this raid turned out to be the first serious blow on Frankfurt so far in the war.
Later the flight engineer went sick and as far as I can recall he did not fly again.
Our third operation was on 8 October 1943 to Hanover, when 504 aircraft took part. This mission went without mishap. No trouble on route, it was clear over the target, we bombed on red target indicators (Pathfinder markers) from 17200 ft, and fires were see [sic] to start. This raid was reported as the most successful attack on Hanover of the war. We began to think we were at last OK as a crew but this proved not so.
Apart from a cross country flight and an air test we did not fly any more operations in October. In fact we did not fly any more missions again with S/L Harvey(!) although 'officially' he remained the 'A' Flight Commander until the end of November 1943. Shortly after our third operation I was interviewed by Air Commodore 'Gus' Walker for my Commission. During that meeting he informed me that S/L Harvey was being withdrawn from operational flying, indicating that he had had enough. It did not really surprise me though, especially as Bomber Command had entered a phase when life was becoming very fragile indeed. What did surprise me however was to learn (only recently) that at the end of November 1943 when he relinquished command of 'A' Flight, S/L Harvey was recommended for a DFC. The award was described as "long overdue" for his tours in the Middle East in 1941 and his operations over Germany (one in June 1942 and two with us in October 1943, which included the 'returned early' operation). He was awarded the DFC on 28 December 1943.
Now we were a headless crew all over again, awaiting the posting of another pilot. In the meantime destined to fly as spares, replacing crew members in other crews who were sick or otherwise unable to fly. This was a very demoralising position to be in. As a crew you develop a team spirit and a trust in each other; without a crew you are just a floating part. You have little or no faith in the crew you are joining for that night, or for that matter neither are they likely to have any faith in you. Your life is in their hands and their lives are in yours!
I complained on one occasion to the Acting 'A' Flight Commander about flying as a spare. His reply was "You will probably just carry on like it, until one day you don't come back". Later I checked his career and luckily he survived his first tour and got a
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DFC at the end of May 1944. I have often wondered whether [underlined] he [/underlined] survived the rest of the war!
Laurie Underwood, John Bushell and I (the wireless operator seemed to have disappeared), then flew as spares for the next five or so operations, which was one of the most potentially unnerving periods I can remember.
More than a month had elapsed since I flew on the Hanover operation, before my next mission on 11 November '43 minelaying off the Frisian Islands (near the Dutch coast). I flew with F/O Eddy and 45 aircraft took part. We dropped our mines from 6000ft and we lost one aircraft from our Squadron, shot down by a flak ship. The aircraft ditched in the North Sea. All the crew were missing presumed killed. This was the same aircraft that I flew with S/L Harvey when we went to Frankfurt and returned early on 4 October '43!
My fifth operation was on 18 November '43 to Mannheim/Ludwigshafen flying as a spare with P/O Jackson (Australian pilot) when 395 aircraft took part. It was a raid to divert German nightfighters away from the main force of bombers who were bombing Berlin. We bombed from 17000ft on the green target indicators – bombing was well concentrated. The diversion was successful in that the main force only suffered 2% losses, whereas our losses were high at 5.8%. 102 Squadron did not lose any aircraft that night.
I flew again as spare with F/O Jackson on 22 November '43 to the 'Big City' – Berlin – the most heavily defended city in Germany. 764 aircraft took part, dropping 2501 tons of incendiaries and high explosive in about 20 minutes. This was the second out of 16 raids described as the Battle of Berlin. For all raids the target was the centre of Berlin (Hitler's Chancery) and for each raid the City was approached from a different point of the compass. Unless Pathfinders directed otherwise, bombing on each raid would 'creep back' like a wedge from the target point; thus the whole city over the period of 16 raids would be covered by bombing.
This night our bombing run was from the west and we bombed at 18000ft on the centre of the flares (checked by H2S). A glow of fires were seen through 9/10 clouds. This raid was the third heaviest of the war on Berlin and it was also the most successful. Much damage was done to industrial areas and munitions factories, the Ministry of Weapons and Munitions and many political and administrative buildings. The Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church was also badly damaged, and post war was part restored and became a Berlin tourist attraction. (I suppose it can be compared with Coventry Cathedral, which back in 1940 was ruined by the German Airforce when they devasted the City. And after the War, a new Cathedral was built alongside the ruins of the old.)
The equivalent of nearly three German Army Divisions were drafted in, to tackle the fires and clear the damage which extended from the centre to the western limits of the City. Luckily we experienced no nightfighter attacks or flak damage, and we narrowly missed an accident on return to Pocklington;
Whilst we were still on the outer circuit waiting to land, another Halifax from our Squadron flying on the same outer circuit as ourselves, had met head-on with a Halifax from 77 Squadron. It had been returning to our affiliate airfield at Full Sutton and was also on its outer circuit preparing to land. The two outer circuits unfortunately overlapped and as a result of the mid-air collision both crews were killed outright –
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we had missed that fate by a small margin! John Bushell (rear gunner in our crew also now flying as a spare) had the unenviable task of representing 102 Squadron at the funeral of one of those killed.
I continued my time as spare, flying with F/O Jackson (his navigator must have had a long time off for sickness or, for some other reason, was not flying). This time, 25 November '43, our target was Frankfurt and only 262 aircraft took part. The flight was uneventful, although the gunners had heated discussions about seeing nightfighters, until F/O Jackson, in his casual Australian voice, settled the argument by saying "If they've only got two engines, shoot the bastards down!". We bombed on the red target indicators from 17500ft. Some fires were seen, but it was cloudy over target and the bombing appeared to be scattered. Despite the small force of aircraft, 102 Squadron managed to lose 2 aircraft over Germany, keeping up its record for high losses.
We had hardly got to bed after debriefing from the Frankfurt raid in the early hours of 26 November, when the tannoys blared out for all aircrew to report to their sections to be briefed for another raid that night. We were supplied with caffeine tablets and given 'pink gins' to drink in the hopes that it would keep us 'on our toes' that night. I flew again with F/O Jackson with a small force of 178 aircraft to Stuttgart. This was a diversionary raid to draw off German nightfighters from the main force of bombers whose target was yet again Berlin. We bombed on the red target indicators from 17500ft. Large fires were seen and bombing was scattered but, as planned, a part of the German nightfighter force was drawn off from the main bomber force sucessfully [sic]. We lost one aircraft which crashed near Pocklington and one returned badly damaged by nightfighter (airgunner killed).
We were diverted to Hartford Bridge airfield in the south, so that the main force of Lancasters could use 4 Group airfields, as some of their airfields were fog bound. They were also short of petrol after an exceptionally long flight. Nevertheless 14 Lancasters crashed in England that night. We returned to Pocklington after a weekend in Hartford Bridge, on three engines after one engine failed on take off. This was my last flight with F/O Jackson, who incidently [sic] was previously awarded the DFM. He finished his tour and was awarded the DFC in June 1944 – perhaps I should have stayed with him rather than return to my original crew!
Before Laurie Underwood and John Bushell and I came together again as a crew, I had just one other experience when I was due to fly as a spare. Fortunately the pilot, prior to take off, taxied off the concrete dispersal point into the mud of the outfield and the flight had to be abandoned. Just as well, as I had premonitions about flying that night with this particular crew.
The month of December 1943 proved to be a month of non activity first there was a full moor, then the weather was poor. I was also waiting for a week's leave to get my officer's uniform (my promotion, although it had been approved had not yet been promulgated) and we were awaiting the names to complete our crew.
Eventually, besides Laurie, John and myself, we learned the additional names to the crew. They were:
Pilot – F/O G.A. Griffiths DFM 'Griff' – On his second tour
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Flight Engineer – Sgt J. Bremner ) all had previous ops. as spare crew
Wireless Op. – F/S E.A. Church ) all had previous ops. as spare crew
Mid/Upper Gr. – F/S C.G. Dupuies (French Canadian) ) all had previous ops. as spare crew
It seemed beyond belief that our new Flight Commander did not authorise any cross country 'runs' for us to gain crew experience, or to practise H2S, bombing and gunnery procedures, before we flew on operations together. However it was not to be, and on 29 December '43 we were scheduled on a main force operation to Berlin.
This was the eighth raid on Berlin and the fifth heaviest. 712 aircraft took part, and 2314 tons of incendiaries and high explosives were dropped in 20 minutes. It was an uneventful flight. I remember clearly seeing the outline of the Zuider Zee on the radar screen (H2S always at its best on coastal outlines) as we flew over Northern Holland. Bad weather restricted the German nighfighters [sic] to 66, but these were the more experienced crews with air interception and H2S homing radar and upward firng [sic] cannon. Fortunately, due to two spoof raids by RAF Mosquitos the nightfighters reached Berlin too late to be effective.
We flew into Berlin from the southeast and dropped our bombs from 17500ft on the target indicators but no results were seen owing to 10/10ths cloud. Aircraft losses that night were down to 2.8%, but 102 Squadron yet again managed to beat the average with two aircraft missing! In one of these aircraft Harold Paar, a Chigwell neighbour of mine, was shot down on his first operation. He became a POW in the same camp – Stalag IVB – indeed the same hut, as myself. (I discovered he was a neighbour when my son met Harold's son in the same class at the same grammar school some 20 years later.)
January 1944 began as another month of inactivity, again as a mixture of bad weather. Also a full moon period prevailed, and there was a reluctance to send Halifax 2's out to Berlin because of their increasing vulnerability. However another maximum effort to Berlin was ordered, so our second operation, as full crew again, was scheduled for Berlin on 20 January '44. In addition a second pilot Sgt K F Stanbridge (flying as a 2nd dickey pilot for operational experience) was also included in the crew.
For this operation I was responsible as one of four navigators operating H2S equipment in 4 Group (4 Group comprised of 15 squadrons totalling 250/300 aircraft), to radio at intervals my calculated wind velocities back to 4 Group. These wind velocities from the four navigators were to be averaged and rebroadcast to the whole of 4 Group for their use in maintaining concentration in the bomber stream. In addition I was to do my own blind bombing that night (not bombing on Pathfinder markers), using H2S to identify the homing point for a timed run into Berlin.
This bombing raid on 20 January '44 was to be the ninth raid and the fourth heaviest on Berlin; 769 aircraft took part and 2400 tons of incendiary and high explosive bombs were dropped in 20 minutes. This riad was considered to have been successful although less concentrated than planned. Due to bad weather again over Germany, the German nightfighters were limited to 98 experienced crews equipped with 'schrage musik' upward firing cannon, and radar interception and H2S homing devices. The nightfighters (all twin engined) were also operating a new procedure called 'tame boar', where they were directed by ground control into the bomber stream at intervals and over the target. From this point they could fly freelance and
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use their own equipment to locate bombers, fly beneath them out of sight of the bomber's gunners and fire cannon shells into their petrol laden wings. Additionally on this night, thin cloud covering Berlin with tops about 12000ft was illuminated from below by many searchlights, allowing the nightfighters flying above the bomber stream to locate them, silhouetted against this bright backcloth. Thus, despite the limitation of nightfighters, it was a highly successful night for them, as they claimed 33 victories (nine of them over Berlin) out of the 35 bombers lost.
We took off at 1630hrs GMT on 20 January 1944 in a Halifax nicknamed 'Old Flo' by the ground crew and were soon flying above 10/10ths cloud. Using Gee radar initially and then H2S to 'map read', we flew uninterrupted over a northerly route into Germany, turning southeast about 60 miles from Berlin. Berlin was a large city and there were too many stray reflections on the H2S screen to identify the target position. I was instructed personally at the navigators' briefing in Pocklington to identify a turning point, by taking a precise bearing and distance on my H2S screen, of a small town about 10 miles north of Berlin. This was the commencement of a timed bombing run to the target – Hitler's Chancery. We flew in straight and level at 18000ft, maintaining a pre-calculated track and groundspeed, and at the time set by stop watch we dropped our bombs (2000hrs GMT).
This bombing procedure made us a sitting target for the nightfighter expertise available that night, for we had hardly closed our bomb doors when we were hit by a nightfighter. He had trailed behind and below our aircraft, waiting for our bombs to be released, then fired cannon shells upwards into our starboard wing. With more than 1000 gallons of petrol still aboard it was only seconds before the whole wing was aflame.
I heard 'Griff' our pilot call out; "graveners, Engineer!". (These were switches to activate the engine fire extinguishers.) This was to no avail, and the blaze was so fierce 'Griff' realised the aircraft was stricken and immediately called out; "parachute, parachute, bale out!". I already had my parachute on, and my seat and navigator's table folded back clear of the escape hatch (a discipline I always carried out over a target). I lifted the escape hatch door and dropped it diagonally through the escape hatch, but it caught the slipstream and jammed half in and half out of the aircraft. With the combined efforts of myself, the wireless operator and Laurie, we managed to kick the hatch door clear. I sat on the edge of the escape hatch and dropped through immediately, followed closely by Laurie. The wireless operator had no time to follow us and was killed. I believe after Laurie dropped out, the blazing aircraft went out of control and into a spiral dive.
After baling out at 17000ft, I spun over a few times, then pulled the rip cord. The canopy opened and my harness tightened with a jerk around my crutch, which brought me to my senses in double quick time! Below me and to my left I could see another parachute; it might have been Laurie but I couldn't be sure (I didn't see him again until his wedding after the war!). I was over a layer of light cloud and could see the glow of fires beneath it, and coming up was plenty of heavy flak and tracer shells hosepiping around the sky – I prayed it wouldn't come too near!
I floated down for 10/15 minutes; somehow I didn't feel too cold although it would have been minus 34 centigrade when I jumped out! With a 60 mph northerly wind prevailing I soon drifted away from being near to the centre of the City. The deafening noise from the aircraft's engines, present during flight, had gone and now the sound
[page break]
20
of bursting flak had died away. Instead there was an uncanny silence and the blackness of the night, as I decended [sic]through cloud which covered the area. Nearing the ground I thought I was going to land in marshes and my hand was on the lever to inflate my 'Mae West' (lifejacket), but it turned out to be the tops of trees of a small wood in a southern suburb of Berlin. I crashed through these, falling the last 15 feet and finishing up with a grazed face and a sprained ankle. I think it was remarkable that this was the only injury I sustained throughout this ordeal.
In less than 20 minutes my life had gone through a dramatic change. I had survived death by a hair's breadth. I was elated at being alive, but what of my crew, were they alive or dead? What traumas will my family suffer when they are informed by telegram that I am missing tomorrow morning? A few hours before I was eating my eggs and bacon (only available before operational flights) in the mess at Pocklington, my aircrew colleagues were around me, the friendly town of York was only 12 miles away and home leave to get my officer's kit was imminent.
I was now in hostile Germany, probably in the south-east suburbs of Berlin. What would happen if I were caught by civilians, having just bombed their City? There was nobody here who would care if I lived or died. Germany was now in the depth of winter. I was in enemy territory 600 miles from home, with only some french francs, a handkerchief with a map of France printed on it, and a magnetic trouser button (with a white spot on it which, when cut off my flies and balanced on a pencil point, would point north!). And a tin of Horlicks tablets. Only these to sustain me, whilst I evaded capture and got back to England!
I was a still in my F/Sgt's uniform although Commissioned on 1 December 1943 and I was five days off my 21st. birthday.
About eight hours, later having disturbed a dog whilst trying to hide up in a barn, I was captured by the civilian police. From here to the end of the war will have to be another story.
Laurie 'blacked out' I believe during part of his parachute drop, but landed uninjured and was captured by the Military early the next day.
Out of our crew of eight, only four survived. The other two survivors, 'Griff' (pilot) and John Bushell (rear gunner), had most remarkable escapes from death!
After Laurie and I baled out and the aircraft had gone into a spiral dive, 'Griff' was thrown forward towards the controls. He was held in his seat by the 'G' of the spiral dive. He saw the altimeter unwind past 7000ft and wondered when his end would come, before going unconscious. I believe the petrol tanks of the blazing aircraft exploded and 'Griff' was blown out, regaining consciousness just in time to pull his ripcord a few hundred feet from the ground. His parachute was still on the swing when he thumped down amongst the debris of the aircraft on waste ground in Berlin! He was uninjured but in shock. He wrapped himself in his parachute and went to sleep under a bush nearby, where he was discovered the next morning by a party of civilians led by a soldier.
John was thrown over his guns when the aircraft went into the spiral dive and he lost consciousness. He also 'came to' in the air in similar circumstances to 'Griff' and opened his parachute near the ground, but landed close to a searchlight battery and was captured immediately. John had a bad cut over his right eye and bruised face but otherwise was OK.
[page break]
21
The four crew who were killed, strangely, were all those fairly new to us. The wireless operator and co-pilot were buried in the British War Cemetery in Berlin. When he was captured 'Griff' our pilot was asked by the German Military "Tell us the name of your wireless operator so that we can bury him with a name". The flight engineer and mid upper gunner were not found nor identified, and having no known graves are remembered only on the War Memorial at Runneymede.
It was very sad that the mid upper gunner, F/S C G Dupuies, had avoided flying to Berlin on his 13th operation by flying on a comparatively 'safe' mission instead; only to be killed on this raid to Berlin, his 14th operation. The lucky rabbit's foot he always carried with him was to no avail. I also regret that I had said to the wireless operator, F/S E.A. Church, before this operation, he shouldn't take milk from the Sergeant's Mess for his own use. I had not known that it was for his young wife living near Pocklington who had just had a baby.
After the war we survivors came to realise that 20 January 1944 was a night to remember. We learned through a German archivist that we had been shot down by an ace nightfighter pilot, Hptm L Fellerer, in a twin engined Messerschmitt Bf 110 G 4 nightfighter. He had 41 victories to his credit, had been awarded the Knights Cross and had shot down five aircraft including ourselves on the night of 20 January 1944! He became Gruppenkommandeur of the Nightfighter Group 11/NJG5 at Parchim near Berlin. After the war he became a high ranking officer in the Austrian Airforce but was killed in a Cessna flying accident in the 1970's.
The archivist also gave us a map of Berlin showing where our aircraft crashed, which was about seven miles southeast of Hitler's Chancery at Oberspree. This confirms that we were on target that night, as the crash point was on our track less than two minutes flying time from the release of our bombs.
20 January 1944 was also a significant date for 102 Squadron, as the following extract from the Squadron Operation Record summary on that date shows (microfilm held at the Public Records Office Kew):
"Weather foggy clearing later, Vis: mod to good. Wind s'ly 20 - 25 mph.
[underlined] 16 Aircraft detailed to attack Berlin on what proved to be probably the most disastrous operation embarked by the Squadron [/underlined] which suffered the loss of 5 crews missing (F/O Griffiths DFM, PO Dean, F/S Render, W/O Wilding, & F/S Compton)
Moreover two aircraft were lost in this country, F/O Hall short of petrol had to abandon his aircraft near Driffield, the whole crew baling out successfully. F/S Proctor crash landed near Norwich, the Airbomber F/O Turnbull unfortunately dying from his injuries. The rest of the crew suffered minor injuries as a result. [underlined] Thus no less than 7 of the 16 aircraft which took off were lost including 5 crews – fortunately, an exceptional night of misfortune & unlikely to be repeated. There was also one early return, [/underlined] F/O W.B. Dean, 'W'."
So this was the end of our time in Bomber Command. After re-forming as a crew again, we had done only two more operations making for me only 10 in all.
2 October 1943 – Minelaying (Denmark)
4 October 1943 – Frankfurt
8 October 1943 – Hanover
11 November 1943 – Minelaying (Frisian Islands)
[page break]
22
18 November 1943 – Ludwigshaven
22 November 1943 – Berlin
25 November 1943 – Frankfurt
26 November 1943 – Stuttgart
29 December 1943 – Berlin
20 January 1944 – Berlin
Nevertheless we will go down in the annals of 102 Squadron as being shot down on the night when the Squadron suffered the loss of 7 out of 15 operational aircraft, a 47% loss, [underlined] which was a loss greater than in any other operation in the Squadron's history in both world wars. [/underlined]
102 Squadron was not a lucky squadron; after the disastrous night of 20 January 1944, another 4 aircraft were lost on the following night's raid to Magdeburg.
Shortly after this, as the losses continued, the Squadron was ordered not to operate over Germany. Subsequently the Halifax 2's were withdrawn to be replaced by the Halifax 3's, which were equal to the Lancasters of that time in their operational efficiency.
(Unfortunately for our crew the new aircraft arrived too late for us, otherwise we might have had a better chance of survival and been able to complete at least one tour – 30 operations – and perhaps been able to enjoy freedom for the rest of the war).
[underlined] In World War 2, 102 Squadron suffered the highest losses in 4 Group Bomber Command (15 Squadrons), and the 3rd highest losses in the whole of Bomber Command (93 Squadrons). [/underlined]
January 2000
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Bomber Command and Notes of Some of My Experiences During 1941-1945
Description
An account of the resource
Reg summarises Bomber Command's role in the war then details his personal experiences from training days. He covers in detail the navigational techniques he used. He describes the operation he was on when he was shot down.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Reg Wilson
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2000-01
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Germany--Berlin
Great Britain
England--London
France--Dunkerque
Germany--Magdeburg
England--Runnymede
Germany--Dresden
Germany--Chemnitz
Germany--Leipzig
Germany--Mühlberg (Bad Liebenwerda)
Germany--Eichstätt
England--Torquay
England--Cambridge
England--Manchester
Scotland--Gourock
Canada
Nova Scotia--Halifax
United States
Georgia--Albany
Florida--Lakeland
Florida--West Palm Beach
Ontario--Trenton
Lake Ontario
Ontario--Toronto
Manitoba--Brandon
Manitoba--Winnipeg
New Brunswick--Moncton
England--Harrogate
England--Bournemouth
England--Whitley Bay
Great Britain Miscellaneous Island Dependencies--Douglas (Isle of Man)
Scotland--Elgin
Scotland--Findhorn
Scotland--Forres
Germany--Ramsen
England--York
France--Lorient
Germany--Helgoland
England--Flamborough Head
Germany--Kassel
Germany--Frankfurt am Main
Germany--Hannover
Germany--Mannheim
Germany--Ludwigshafen am Rhein
Germany--Stuttgart
Netherlands--IJssel Lake
England--Chigwell
England--Kew
England--Norwich
Europe--Frisian Islands
Florida
France
Georgia
Ontario
New Brunswick
Germany
Nova Scotia
Netherlands
North America--Niagara Falls
Germany--Nuremberg
Germany--Ruhr (Region)
England--Devon
England--Essex
England--Hampshire
England--Norfolk
England--Northumberland
England--Surrey
England--Yorkshire
England--Lancashire
England--Surrey
Manitoba
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
United States Army Air Force
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Memoir
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
22 printed sheets
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
BWilsonRCWilsonRCv1
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1941
1942
1943
1944
1943-10-02
1943-10-03
1943-10-04
1943-10-08
1943-10-09
1943-11-11
1943-11-12
1943-11-18
1943-11-19
1943-11-22
1943-11-23
1943-11-25
1943-11-26
1943-11-27
1943-12-29
1943-12-30
1944-01-20
1944-01-21
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Sue Smith
102 Squadron
4 Group
617 Squadron
77 Squadron
air gunner
Air Observers School
aircrew
Anson
anti-aircraft fire
bale out
Bismarck
bomb aimer
bomb trolley
bombing
bombing of Dresden (13 - 15 February 1945)
Churchill, Winston (1874-1965)
crewing up
Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Medal
entertainment
Flying Training School
Gee
H2S
Halifax
Halifax Mk 2
Halifax Mk 3
Harris, Arthur Travers (1892-1984)
Heavy Conversion Unit
Hitler, Adolf (1889-1945)
Initial Training Wing
killed in action
lack of moral fibre
Lancaster
Me 110
memorial
mid-air collision
military living conditions
military service conditions
mine laying
missing in action
navigator
Nissen hut
Oboe
Operational Training Unit
Pathfinders
perception of bombing war
pilot
prisoner of war
RAF Driffield
RAF Elvington
RAF Full Sutton
RAF Hartford Bridge
RAF Jurby
RAF Kinloss
RAF Lossiemouth
RAF Melbourne
RAF Pocklington
RAF Rufforth
RAF Syerston
RAF Torquay
service vehicle
Stalin, Joseph (1878-1953)
Stearman
target indicator
Tiger Moth
training
V-1
V-2
V-weapon
Wellington
Whitley
Window
wireless operator
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Wilson, Reginald Charles
R C Wilson
Description
An account of the resource
166 items. The collection concerns Reginald Charles Wilson (b. 1923, 1389401 Royal Air Force) and contains his wartime log, photographs, documents and correspondence. He few operations as a navigator with 102 Squadron. He was shot down on 20 January 1944 and became a prisoner of war.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Janet Hughes and catalogued by Barry Hunter.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-01-13
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. Some items have not been published in order to protect the privacy of third parties, to comply with intellectual property regulations, or have been assessed as medium or low priority according to the IBCC Digital Archive collection policy and will therefore be published at a later stage. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collection-policy.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Wilson, RC
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Extract from Reg Wilson's Log Book
Description
An account of the resource
12 pages from Reg Wilson's navigator's logbook covering the period 24 August 1943 to 20 January 1944. Details his heavy conversion training and operations with 102 Squadron flying Halifaxes. He flew 10 operations, all at night. Targets were minerlaying, Hannover, Ludwigshaven, Frankfurt, Stuttgart and Berlin. His pilot on operations were Flying Officer Griffiths, Squadron Leader Harvey, Pilot Officer Jackson and Flying Officer Eddy. He was posted missing after his third operation to Berlin.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Reg Wilson
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Germany--Hannover
Germany--Ludwigshafen am Rhein
Germany--Berlin
Germany--Frankfurt am Main
Germany--Stuttgart
Germany
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Log book and record book
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
12 handwritten pages
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
LWilsonRC1389401v10001, LWilsonRC1389401v10002, LWilsonRC1389401v10003, LWilsonRC1389401v10004, LWilsonRC1389401v10005, LWilsonRC1389401v10006
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1943-10-02
1943-10-03
1943-10-04
1943-10-05
1943-10-08
1943-10-09
1943-11-11
1943-11-12
1943-11-18
1943-11-19
1943-11-22
1943-11-23
1943-11-25
1943-11-26
1943-11-27
1943-12-29
1943-12-30
1944-01-20
1944-01-21
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
102 Squadron
1663 HCU
aircrew
bombing
Halifax
Heavy Conversion Unit
mine laying
missing in action
navigator
RAF Pocklington
RAF Rufforth
training
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Wilson, Reginald Charles
R C Wilson
Description
An account of the resource
166 items. The collection concerns Reginald Charles Wilson (b. 1923, 1389401 Royal Air Force) and contains his wartime log, photographs, documents and correspondence. He few operations as a navigator with 102 Squadron. He was shot down on 20 January 1944 and became a prisoner of war.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Janet Hughes and catalogued by Barry Hunter.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-01-13
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. Some items have not been published in order to protect the privacy of third parties, to comply with intellectual property regulations, or have been assessed as medium or low priority according to the IBCC Digital Archive collection policy and will therefore be published at a later stage. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collection-policy.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Wilson, RC
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
Rufforth
4th Sept ‘43
Dear Mum & Dad,
Please forgive me for not writing to you sooner but somehow I’ve not had the time, or else I’ve left it too late to start a letter.
Well I arrived back OK on Wednesday morning after catching the 11.15 pm from Kings Cross, I travelled up with the same Canadian officer I came down with. We arrived at York at 4.40 am and we were lucky in getting a taxi with two other fellows. I was in camp at 5 o’clock and in bed at 5.15 am, managing to scrounge a couple of hours sleep before starting another day at Rufforth. Everything was OK about the pass so I’m glad now I did leave it till late before I came back here. Those two days at home made all the difference to me, I wish I
[page break]
[underlined] 2 [/underlined] could be home as often as this always. Thanks a lot for having Pat home and making everything OK, I know I don’t show my feelings as often as I should, but I do think quite a deal, and do not take it all for granted, I’m sure you realise what I mean.
Since we came back we’ve done quite a bit of flying we went up about 9 oclock [sic] on Wednesday morning, so you see we plunged straight back into things here without much time to recover from our 48 hours at home. We’ve flown every day so far, our skipper is certainly keen to get finished here & by the looks of it we shall be leaving within a week. Today we had a cross country flight, the first I’ve done for over 6 weeks boy! was I in a daze. The speed of these planes is too fast for my working at the moment, though I guess it will be OK soon. We went down South quite a way, back &
[page break]
[underlined] 3 [/underlined] forth, all over the place, doing about 800 miles in about 4 1/2 hours. Anyway we got egg & bacon & chips afterwards plus our flying rations of chocolate, raisins & chewing gum so thats [sic] some consolation. In the mess this week we managed to get 3 oranges each, my wireless op. also brought some back with him plus some apples & pears (his sister has a greengrocers shop), my rear gunner had some apples & plums, so you can guess we’ve had quite a feed during these last day or so. I think we will be flying tomorrow night, there’s no stopping us now it seems, just 3 nights of this and we shall be finished I should imagine. I think I can safely say that I shall be in the vicinity of York when I’m posted from here and I shall be stationary this time for at least a few months.
There’s not a lot to write
[page break]
[underlined] 4 [/underlined] about really, Wednesday night I went to bed early to try & catch up with some sleep Thursday I remained in camp vowing I would write to you & then didn’t. Friday we managed to scrounge a half day off and we all got to York as quick as possible. The bus was full so luckily we caught a lift on a lorry already loaded up with shingle, but still we’re not fussy, it got us to York & thats [sic] the main item. After having tea we went to the flicks and saw “Happidrome” and “Silent Witness” both very ropey films – don’t you ever see them, & then had a few drinks, consequently we missed the last bus & had to return in a taxi. In the pub I met a New Zealander who was at Winnipeg the same time I was there, though he left before me, in October I think. There was a whole flight of them, now some of them are on Ops here, others are in the Middle East & India its queer how everyone seems to get split up in the end.
[page break]
[underlined] 5 [/underlined] Well I think I’ve pretty well exhausted all I wanted to say, so I’ll be saying cheerio for the present
Love to all,
Reg
[page break]
This letter was written at Rufforth (converting to Heavy Bombers (Halifax II series 1A) During my time here my first pilot Vivian was killed on operations over Frankfurt our new pilot (Ex second tour in the Middle East) flew us upside down and we pulled out after losing a lot of height. There were many accidents and aircraft failures e.g. two aircraft had a head-on collision, a propeller spun off another aircraft into the fuselage. Another was shot down by friendly fire whilst on a bombing exercise at night. In all some 60 aircrew were killed and we were glad to go to Pocklington to be on operations.
We did not know then the casualties at Pocklington would be even greater This letter to my parents did not mention any of these events.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Description
An account of the resource
A letter to Reg's parents with a note explaining what he had not included in the letter. The letter advises he reached Rufforth after an overnight train journey from London. He has started flying training trips. He has been to York to watch films. In the note, written years later, he includes details about accidents and deaths that he would not have wanted his parents to know about.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Reg Wilson
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1943-09-04
Spatial Coverage
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Great Britain
England--London
England--York
Canada
Manitoba--Winnipeg
New Zealand
England--Yorkshire
Manitoba
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Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
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eng
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Text
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Six handwritten sheets
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EWilsonRCWilsonWJ-M430904-0002, EWilsonRCWilsonWJ-M430904-0003, EWilsonRCWilsonWJ-M430904-0004, EWilsonRCWilsonWJ-M430904-0005, EWilsonRCWilsonWJ-M430904-0006, EWilsonRCWilsonWJ-M430904-0001
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Pending text-based transcription. Under review
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This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
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IBCC Digital Archive
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Tricia Marshall
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1943-09-04
Title
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Letter from Reg Wilson to his parents
air gunner
aircrew
crash
entertainment
Halifax
Halifax Mk 2
Heavy Conversion Unit
killed in action
navigator
pilot
RAF Pocklington
RAF Rufforth
training
wireless operator
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/585/22112/BHopgoodPMHopgoodPDv1.2.pdf
203120b2a2c630e6d7ab6e236fc028bf
Dublin Core
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Title
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Hopgood, Philip David
P D Hopgood
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IBCC Digital Archive
Identifier
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Hopgood, PD
Description
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Four items in main collection, plus photograph album in sub-collection. An oral history interview with Peter Andrew Hopgood about his father, Flight Sergeant Philip Hopgood (1924-1999, 1673132 Royal Air Force), his memoir, log book, service record and photograph album. Philip Hopgood trained as a pilot and later as a flight engineer.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Peter Hopgood (1673132 Royal Air Force) and catalogued by Barry Hunter.
Date
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2016-02-15
Rights
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This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Transcribed document
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Transcription
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[inserted] Airmen Aircrew Market Harborough[/inserted]
[underlined] Dad’s (PDH) RAF/RCAF flying service in WW11 [/underlined]
[1) Background [/underlined]
With the threat of war looming in 1939, the British Government was keen to ensure that the country was in a state of readiness.
Utilising emergency powers, it introduced a series of voluntary and mandatory schemes aimed at ensuring that there were sufficient resources available for: the armed forces; civil defence; vital industries; and essential services.
These schemes provided a background to Dad’s story, and so are summarised below.
Voluntary National Service
In January 1939, a forty-eight page “National Service” pamphlet was issued which was described as “a guide to the ways in which the people of this country may give service”.
Its aim was to encourage men and women to volunteer for some form of service in the armed forces or in civilian services such as: nursing and first aid; air raid precautions; women’s auxiliary; police; and fire service.
[National Service Pamphlet]
The “National Service pamphlet (Issued in January 1939)
[Page Break]
A message in the pamphlet from the Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain read “The desire of all of us is to live at peace with our neighbours, but to secure peace we must be strong. The country needs your service and you are anxious to play your part. This guide will point the way. I ask you to read it carefully and decide how you can best help”
Schedule of Reserved Occupations
In conjunction with the pamphlet, the government published a provisional [underlined] “Schedule of Reserved Occupations” [/underlined] which identified occupations where age restrictions would be applied to anyone that volunteered for any form of full time “national service.”
The aim was to limit the number of volunteers so that appropriate resources could be retained in key industries and services.
The provisional list was published in the Times on 25th January 1939.
[Extract from The Times]
An extract from the Times Listing – Anyone on or over the age in brackets was “reserved in their occupation”
[Page Break]
The National Service (Armed Forces Act 1939
On the 3rd September 1939, the government introduced the [/underlined] National Service (Armed Forces) Act. [/underlined]. This superseded the Military Training Act (1939) and stated that male subjects, between the ages of 18 and 41 years, were liable to be called up for service in the armed forces of the Crown.
The Ministry of Labour and National Service immediately set up a mandatory registration procedure for men in this age range.
They issued posters and notices in the press and in the BBC stating that men with specific dates of birth had to registers at their local Ministry of Labour and National Service office (Employment Exchange) on a given date.
The first registration session, which was held on 21st October 1939, requires all men born between 2nd October 1917 and 1st October 1919 to register (excluding those that had previously registered under the Military Training Act).
This process was repeated on an irregular basis throughout the war.
Registration for National Service (April 1940)
Throughout April 1940, posters and notices in the national press and o the BBC stated that men born between 1st January 1913 and 31st December 1913 were required to register for National Service on 27th April 1940.
[Page Break]
[Requirement to Register Extract]
An adapted extract based on a post-war “Requirement to Register” Poster
Our story starts just before 25th January 1942 when Dad, who was born on 18th November 1924, then 17 yrs and 2 months, was recommends for training as Pilot/Observer – entry on his for 543 was F1271. Mo. ACSB, this would have been by attending a two-day assessment at an Aviation Candidates Selection Board (ACSB) and shortly after that, he volunteered to register for National Service.
Dad would have attended his local Employment Exchange at around that date, where a clerk recorded his personal details including age, address, occupation and current employer; he was issued with a Certificate of RegistrationNS2.)
[National Service Acts, certificate of Registration Card]
An example of a Certificate of Registration [NS2] (Post 1941)
[Page Break]
2) Volunteering from service (For Dad, some time before 25th January 1942)
Dad was always keen on aeroplane, had been in the ATC, had a (flying) Proficiency Certificate Part 1., and was keen to join the Royal Air Force. On the 21st Feb 1942, he had a medical assessment by a medical board, which he passed Grade 1. He was enlisted on 24th February 1942 at Padgate 3RC, and was put on Reserve.
Normally 18 was the first time volunteers wold have been accepted. He would have been in upper 6th form at the time taking his matriculation, after which he had hoped to go to university to study chemistry.
During the time on Reserve, Dad would have finished his matriculation, and then went to work as a Clerk, for the ministry of supply in the Liver building after leaving school, whilst awaiting his posting. He would have seen and heard the damage caused by the Liverpool Blitz air raids by the Luftwaffe between 1940 and 1942. In fact there were tales from his Mum and Dad, of incendiary bombs dropped near his home at 45 Mapledale Road, in the allotments opposite the end of the road.
Dads service number was 1673132, which from
[underlined]http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?-RAF-RAF-OR-Service Numbers[/underlined] showed that service numbers 1670001 to 1692488 were recruited at Padgate, Warrington, between Liverpool and Manachester.
1649901 to 1650000 Apr 1 Dutch
1650001 to 1670000 Nov 1941 Penarth
1670001 to 1692488 Nov 1941 Padgate
1692489 to 1692500 Nov 1941 Dutch
1692501 to 1700000 Jun 1942 Padgate
[underlined] 3) AIR 29/497 No. 3 Recruit Centre, (3 RC) Padgate 1939 Apr.- 1950 Feb [/underlined]
Padgate Camp, Warrington, was a national training centre for the RAF recruits No. 3 RAF Depot Padgate opened in April 1939 (before Britain was officially at war.) Its role was to provide basic training to raw recruits to the Royal Air Force. By 1943 the camp’s weekly intake was 1,500 as the RAF stepped up its bombing campaign on Germany.
[Page Break]
Dad was given deferred entry, as I have seen an RFVR (RAF Volunteer Regiment) silver badge somewhere, (but can’t find it at the moment) this was worn in the lapel to show that people of age weren’t shrinking their call up and weren’t a conscientious objector. He would only have been able to sign up from age 18 i.e 18-11-1942, but was still at school. I think because of the fact he had been in the ATC, he was accepted for early volunteering on January/February 1942. Once he had finished matriculation, he went to work for the Ministry of Supply where he worked as a clerk in the Liver Building, Liverpool. Deferred entry for Dad was possibly due to the fact that there may not have been room to train him at the time, or that they didn’t need pilots at this stage of the war which had been raging for 3 years already.
When he was called to Padgate (near Manchester) to appear before the Selection Board. He would have taken the Oath, and enlisted as an Aircraftman, Second Class (AS2 or “erk”) – the lowest form of life in the RAF – “u/t” (under training) as a Pilot or Observer (at their options). To seal this bargain, he would have been given the “King’s Shilling” (a day’s pay), (actually it was a “florin” – two bob – inflation had already set in!)
He was officially in; a full member of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Dad signed on the dotted line and took the Oath. Now the RAF had to decide what to so with him. Flying schools were often full up for months ahead. He would have had a choice: come in right away for ground duties as an “erk” (ACH/GD – Ground Duties – i.e. dogsbody) until your flying course comes up. Or go home and wait; we’ll call you when we’re ready for you. This was really a waiting list, and as he was still as school, he would continue on to matriculation. Once he had finished that he took a job at the Ministry of Supply, which suited him much better as he only wanted to be a pilot. He would have been given a little silvery RAFVR lapel badge to show that he had volunteered, in case there was a question of cowardice.
Following his medical he was classified as Grade 1 (one) and the information was recorded on his Grade Card (NS55). He would have been interviewed by a recruiting officer from the RAF before returning home to await further instructions.
[Page Break]
[Grade Card]
An example of a Medical Grade Card [NS55] (1944)
As directed, on 25th January 1942, he packed a small suitcase, his civilian respirator and the requisite paperwork and travelled to Padgate on the 24th February 1942
Over the next couple of days he undertook a series of tests which assessed his aptitude for the six aircrew categories, namely pilot, navigator, bomb aimer, air0gunner, wireless operator and flight engineer.
The standard suite of tests included: essay writing; elementary maths; general intelligence; coordination; and fitness.
On the second day he would have been interviews by an Aviation Candidate Selection Board (ACSB), and at the end of the process, the board recommended him “for training as a pilot”.
[Page Break]
Dad was sent before the Attestation Officer where, after formally signing his [underlined] Notice Paper [/underlined] (Form 2168), he was asked to swear allegiance to his King and Country:
[Notice Paper]
[RAFVR Pin]
Having completed his assessment, Dad was enlisted in the RAF “for the duration of the present emergence” (d.p.e) and placed “on reserve” which was standard RAF procedure at the time); once again, he returned home to await further instruction.
He was given a silver RAFVR lapel badge to shoe that he was “on reserve” but they use of these badges was being phased out during 1943.
He would have received a [underlined] letter [/underlined] from the Secretary of State for Air, which welcomed him into the RAF and advised him that he would be called up as soon as he was required; he now had to patiently await that call up.
[underlined] 4) Air Crew Reception Centre, (ACRC) London 29-3-1943 to 24-4- 1943 for 4 weeks: aged 18 years 4 month and 11 days. [/underlined]
Reporting for service at No1 Aircrew Reception Centre, RAF Regent’s Park (August 1943)
Dad’s call up notice finally arrived with instructions to report for service at No. 1 Aircrew Reception/Receiving Centre (ACRC), at RAF Regent’s Park, on 29th March 1943.
[Page Break]
The notice stated “you will be taken on strength from the date you report for duty and will also be issued with uniforms etc as soon as possible thereafter. You should therefore bring with you the minimum of personal requirements”.
He packed his small suitcase, said farewell to his family and made his way to the ACRC assembly point, which was at Lord’s Cricket Ground.
RAF receiving wing (No 1 Aircrew Reception Centre), London for the issue of his kit and inoculations. Here he was given the rank of AC2. That night the first in his RAF service, he may have slept under the Members Pavilion at Lords cricket ground! They were here receiving initial training for 4 weeks.
The weekly intake was separated into “flights” of sixty men, each under the command of a NDC; each flight was identified by a flight letter and intake number (eg A Flight, 130 intake).
RAF Regent’s Park would be Dad’s home for the next four weeks and he was marched from the cricket ground to start the training process.
[Photographs]
Roll call and start of Training Process
[Photographs © IWM CH 10987/CH 10988]
RAF Regent’s Park
RAF Regent’s Park consisted of an area in north-west London, which has been requisitioned by the Air Ministry for the purpose of accommodating and providing training facilities for up to 5,100 recruits.
[Page Break]
[Photograph]
An aerial view of “RAF Regent’s Park” (1945)
Each recruit had a “bed space” comprising either an iron framed, wore mesh bed or the equivalent space on a carpeted floor in a “dormitory” room in one of the many blocks of requisitioned flats in the St John’s Woods area.
Local Offices, shops and garages were used as communal areas for kitting out, eating and training. Local amenities, such as parts of Lord’s Cricket Ground and the canteen at Regent’s Park Zoo, were also utilised.
[Photographs]
Billets and Bed Spaces
[Photographs © IWM CH 10989/CH 10990]
[Page Break]
Training and Assessment
During the first two weeks of training, Dad was registered, given a haircut, had dental checks, was inoculated against diphtheria, typhoid and smallpox and has a “very personal” examination to ensure that he was “free from inspection”. He was issued with his identity documents and tags : [underlined] RAF Identity Card (Form 1250) [/underlined]
[Royal Air Force Identity Card]
[Page Break]
• [underlined] Airman’s Service and Pay Book (Form 64 Parts I and II) [/underlined]
• 2 Identity discs (with cord)
[Pay book and discs]
He was also kitted out with his basic equipment and service dress uniform which consisted of:
Basic Equipment:
• “Irons” (Knife, Fork and Spoon)
• Enamel Mug
• Towels
• Bedding (3 mattress “biscuits”, blankets, pillow)
• Greatcoat
• Woollen Gloves
• Jersey
• Steel Helmet (“Brodie”)
• Respirator
• Anti-Gas Cape (ground sheet)
• Kitbag (with D rind and padlock)
• Holdall (for small kit)
• Webbing Kit (including mess tin and water bottle)?
• Housewive (“Hussif”) [needles, thread, darning wool, buttons]
• Brushes (Blacking, Brass, Clothes, Hair, Polishing, Shaving)
• Buttonstick
• Clasp Knife
• Physical Training Kit (Canvas Shoes, Shorts, Vests)
Service Dress (“Best Blues”) uniform:
[Page Break]
• Jacket
• Trousers
• Field Service Cap (with badge)
• White Cap insert (to denote aircrew under training)
• Shirts (with collars)
• Tie
• Boots (with laces)
• Socks
• Drawers (pants)
• Vests
The quantity of each item that was issued to each recruit was detailed in the [underlined] Scale of Issue. [/underlined]
He was instructed to mark each item of kit with his service number; he now has the arduous task of ensuring all item were kept spotlessly clean and that they were precisely laid out for both the daily bed inspection and the weekly kit inspection. Air Diagram 1385 showed how the kit should be laid out for these [underlined] inspections. [/underlined]
[Air Diagram 1385]
Air Diagram 1385
[Courtesy of RAF Museum, London]
[Page Break]
Any lost or missing kit had to be recorded on a [underlined] Kit Deficiency Form [/underlined] (Form 1383)
The diagram also showed the recruits how to wear the various pieces of equipment with the “Best Blues” uniform.
Over the next four weeks, Service No. 1673122, Hopgood PD, faced a rigorous daily routine of fatigues, inspections, swimming, training drills, lectures (RAF Law, Administration and Organisation/Mathematics/Signals/ Use of Weapons0 and aptitude tests.
[Photographs]
Inspection and Drill
[Photographs © IWM CH7519/CH7522]
Rank and Trade
Dad entered the RAF in the rank of Aircraftman Second Class (Grade A) and in the trade of U/T Pilot, although his service records shows that he was a LAC on the 31st November 1942.
His pay would have between around 3/- per day (plus 6d per day war pay) which he collected (minus any allowances) at the fortnightly pay parade.
Completion of Course
On 24th April 1943, Dad successfully completed this stage of his training and he was posted to No.1 Initial Training Wing (ITW) at RAF Babbacombe.
Someone else’s story:- (“having been set on deferred service, I returned to the Bank, until May 20, 1944 when I was called to active service and reported to No3 Aircrew Reception Centre at St. John’s Wood. This was actually a block of luxury flats at Regents Park (Viceroy Court) not far from the Zoo and which
[Page Break]
we pass on the bus each time that we go to the Zoo. From here we were all kitted out, given more tests at Lords cricket ground and put through swimming tests (at the swimming baths near Whiteley’s before being sent off to further training in our various categories, Pilot, Navigator, Bob Aimer, Gunner, Wireless Operator etc. I had volunteered as a Pilot but was obliges to change to “PNB” scheme [Pilot, Navigator, Bomb Aimer] as this was compulsory – the alternative would have been t be released and conscripted into the Army – not my wish.
It was on my birthday, June 13th 1944 when I was nineteen that we all watched the first of the Flying Bombs or “buzz-bombs” (so called because of the noise they made) pass over whilst being shot at by the Anti-Aircraft guns. It was a hot summer and we were sleeping on double bunks in what had been the living room of one of the lovely flats with a veranda looking out over Regents Park. I had actually put my “biscuits” [mattresses in three square sections] on the veranda to sleep and before night fell we heard the characteristic drone of a V1 and saw it flying low over London and headed North over the Zoo. We all through that it was an enemy aircraft which had been shot down as the guns were firing at it and we saw it nose down and disappear before a clout of black smoke rose up behind the trees. We cheered, but learnt later that is was really a pilotless aircraft, loaded with explosives, which had fallen North of us.
I passed various tests as a Pilot and was pleased and proud to have achieved this, as it was not easy to do because the surplus or aircrew meant that standards had been raised. One particular test was to sit in front of a machine in the Long Room at Lords Cricket Ground, which had a joystick and a cathode ray tube in front of you; a spot of light moved at random across the screen and the task was to keep it centred by using the joystick. At very primitive device by today’s standards but new in those times.
We had out inoculations, at [I think] the White House, near Regent’s Park and for the first time I had to line up with shirt off and arm akimbo awaiting the needle. I found that the apprehension was enough to make me feel quite faint and one or two men did pass out!”)
http://rafgen.iconosites.com/000_vsg_user_files/site_uploaded/3140/training%20-%20%20ph-mkd.pdf
[Page Break]
[underlined] 5#1 ITW, Babbacombe, Cornwall, 24-4-1943 to 30-7-1943 [/underlined]
(“ I remember a long, crowded train journey from Liverpool down to Torquay. Somewhere in the Midlands we passed an airfield close to the line. Tiger Moths were buzzing around it, obviously it was an RAF elementary Flying School. It was exciting to think that I’d be there – or somewhere like it – before I was much older (for fortunately the RAF has chosen “pilot” option for me).!)
“per Ardua ad Astra” – Ardua first! Everybody knows what Service Reception Centres were like: they’ve been lampooned on film and TV often enough. We were bawled at, marched about all over the place from dawn to lights-out, kitted out (some of it fitted) and inoculated against everything known to medical science.
The sleeping arrangements left a bit to be desired! Straw paillasses on the bare boards of a stripped –out Babbacome boarding house ! What most of my intake – never been away from mummy in their lives- thought, I can’t imagine. Their wails met the old sardonic RAF response: “Serves you right, shouldn’t have joined if you can’t take a joke!
Babbacome was an ITW (initial Training Wing). Fist [sic] step in becoming aircrew. Accommodation usually seaside hotels. Square bashing, initial courses with exams to pass before going on to EFTD or technical course
Torquay’s[sic] provided hotel buildings for the [underlined] RAF [/underlined] to train aircrew. In addition to the previously mentioned RAF Hospital at the Palace Hotel, No 1 ITW (Initial Training Wing) was formed at [underlined] Babbacome[/underlined] in June 1940. Headquarters were at the Norcliffe Hotel, the Sefton, Oswalds, Trecarn, Foxlands and Palermo Hotels being used for sleeping, etc. Postings were made from Babbacome to Elementary Flying Training Schools (including overseas in Canada and [underlined] Southern Rhodesia [/underlined] where they became pilots, observers, W/T operators and wireless operators/air gunners.
He was posted to No 1 Initial Training Wing (ITW), which specialised in basic service training of pilots. Other ITW’s specialised in training the other aircrew categories, namely Flight Engineer, Navigator, Bomber and Wireless Operator, Air Gunner (WOP/AG)
As a consequence of a reorganisation on 14th September 1943, the training wing was redesignated as No 3 Initial Training Wing.
RAF Torquay
[Page Break]
Much like RAF Regent’s Park, RAF Torquay was an area in Devon which had been requisitioned by the Air Ministry for the purpose of providing large scale accommodation and training facilities.
Dad was allocated the usual “bed space” in a room in one of the hotels that had been allocated to 1 ITW (believed to be the Park Hall, Regina, Dorchester and Devonshire Hotels and smaller hotels in Beacon Terrace.
As trainee aircrew, he was now [provided with sheets and pillow cases for his bed, along with the standard “mattress biscuits”, blankets and pillow.
[Photographs]
Billets and Physical Training
[Photographs © IMW CH1970/CH10992]
Training and Assessment
The six week training programme at the ITW was designed to improved discipline, physical fitness and mental alertness and provide a sound basic knowledge of the Royal Air Force.
The approach was explained in the pamphlet “YOU are going to be a PILOT”
Dad was issued with his War Serve (“Battledress”) uniform, which consisted of tunic, trousers. This could be worn in place of the “Best Blues” jacket and trousers whilst “working on station” (“Best Blues” had to be worn on parade, at formal occasions and whenever the trainee was “off station”).
The “Initial Training Wing Syllabus” and the supporting “Aircrew Lecture Notes” show that recruits were taught:
[Page Break]
• anti-gas
• aircraft recognition
• armament
• drill and physical training
• engines
• hygiene and sanitation
• law and discipline, administration and organisation
• mathematics
• meteorology
• navigation
• principles of flight
• signals
[Lecture notes]
Flying Clothing, along with a second kitbag, was issued later in the course for use in some of the training exercises. It consisted of:
• helmet, with oxygen and communication mask
• goggles
• flying suit (one piece or separate jacket and trousers)
• leather gauntlets
• gloves (silk, wool, chamois)
• socks
• boots
• Mae-West (life jacket)
• emergency whistle
• parachute harness
All flying kit issued was recorded on the [underlined] Flying Clothing Card (Form 667B) [/underlined]
Fatigues, inspections, physical training, lectures and assessments continued to form part of the daily routine, which was timetabled as follows:
[Station Routine]
Swimming and [underlined] dinghy practice [/underlined] were actively encourages to ensure that trainees were prepared for emergency ditching in the sea.
[Page Break]
[Photographs]
Drill and Anti-Gas Training
[Photographs © IWM CH1973/CH1801]
Rank and Trade
Dad’s rank should have been that of AC2, U/T Pilot during this stage of his training, but his service record shows LAC, possibly because he had been in the ATC. His service record shows “Ex member of ATC Prof Cert Part 1 Rec. for commission”
Completion of Course
Trainees were assessed through the course and examination has to be undertaken and passed prior to further posting.
[Page Break]
[Examination Paper 125]
An examination paper
Anyone who “failed” the course was either provided with additional training or was posted to other roles (e.g. ground staff)
From the first intake of 579 recruits in July 1940, almost a further 27,000 airmen were trained there before the Wing left Babbacombe.
Subjects studies:
RAF history, structure and law;
hygiene (including “infectious diseases”);
theory of flight;
basic navigation (using maps, charts and astronomy);
aircraft recognition;
[Page Break]
armaments;
meteorology;
mathematics;
morse code (using keys and light).
instructions on polishing boots
precision drill. Think we had one hour a day drill , and one hour a day P.T. at I.T.W Torquay. During the drill sessions we had to learn precision drill, which meant we had to go through the every move in the drill ‘book’ with only an initial command. This lasted fifteen minutes. and [sic] we were told it was very impressive to watch.
Clay pigeon shooting at Babacombe. Five mile cross country runs. 20 mile march from Bovey Tracy ? to Widecombe on the moor and back. Dinghy drill in Torquay harbour.
After two months “Square bashing” and further flight related training etc. he was posted with the rank of LAC to 3 Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) RAF Shellingford , near Aston Sandford, the overflow airfield for Watchfield at Shrivenham.
[underlined] 6) FLYING TRAINING STARTS! [/underlined]
[underlined] RAF#3 EFTS, Shellingford, 30-7-1943 to 2-9-1943[/underlined]
[underlined]http://www.abct.org.uk/airfields/shellingford [/underlined]
[underlined] http://www.stanford-in-the-vale.co.uk/history¬_ww2.shtml [/underlined]
[underlined] http://em.m.wikipeadia.org/wiki/RAF_Shellingford [/underlined]
In his time here Dad got his hands on Tiger Moths and ran up some hours in flight, as shown in his Flight log. (He recorded it on a single log sheet, the, stuck it into the front of his RCAF pilots flying log book, and then entered the hours in the RCAF log after 1651 conversion unit a late date) From the 4th to the 25th August inclusive he completed 12.05 hrs dual flying in Tiger Moths (T6773, T6456, T6593, T6564, T5377 and T7129) in 23 outings, taking exercises 1 to 14, a Flight Commanders test, and a C.F. 1’s test, always as 2nd pilot/pupil with F/S Perry, F/L Wenman, F/O Ingles and F/O Page
[underlined] 7) RAF ACDC Manchester, 18-9-1943 to 31-10-1943 [/underlined]
After [deleted] ITW[/deleted] [inserted] #3 EFTS [/inserted] Dad went to ACDC (Aircrew Dispersal Centre) at Heaton Park, Manchester where I arrived on 18th September 1943. This was a camp where aircrew were held between courses and postings. It was in rainy Manchester, in the middle of a Park and was not at all comfortable – he would have been in Nissen Huts again.
[Page Break]
These Nissen huts were made of half circles of Corrugated Galvanised Iron about twenty-five feet wide and which accommodated some thirty men. Heated only by a coal stove n the centre they were bitterly cold in the winter but I suppose that they did provide easily erected shelter for troops.
e.g. Aircrew Despatch Centre, Heaton Park,
Manchester
Remustered as U/T Pilot (2) as a result of my performance at ITW. Only two out of every five recruits were selected for pilot training and probably half of these were allocated to fighter training so was to consider himself fortunate to have passed the recruiting board, passed the ITW training and finally been selected for pilot training. I guess that Dad had some time on leave before being posted to Canada, as he had to pass through Liverpool anyway!
[underlined] 8) OFF TO CANADA [/underlined]
[underlined] HMT W43, 31-10-1943 to 8-11-1943 [/underlined]
This was either His Majesty’s Troopship, or Hired Military Transport. It usually took about 5 days to sail to the US/Canada and usually landed at Halifax Nova Scotia
[underlined] 9) RAF 31 PD, Moncton New Brunswick, 10-11-1943 to 11-1-1944 [/underlined]
Dad arrived in Halifax on 10th November 1943 at the start of a Canadian maritime winter. They caught a train destined for 31 TAF Personnel Depot (PD) at Moncton, New Brunswick. (Called Piccadilly 31 PD in Dad’s photo’s) There is also a photo of Dad with some other recruits, Harry Hoyle, Geoff Bell, and Doug Kelsall with the A. Freedman & Son factory behind them at St. Jon N.B. in 1943
[underlined] 10) RCAF #6 Elementary Flying School, Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada, 15-1-1944 to 25-3-1944 [/underlined] [inserted] Tiger Moth & Cornell [/inserted]
From Moncton near the Canadian Eastern seaboard, Dad took a train to get Prince Albert in Saskatchewan. There is a photo in his album of the type of train they took, and also photos of the trip ‘Charging through Maine’ alongside Lake Superior, where whey were travelling through snow, and with views of icy lakes and rivers. One was taken at Quebec across the frozen St Lawrence River.
Dad was on course 98 at Prince Albert, and their course photo was taken in front of a Tiger Moth in front of a hanger. There were 24 trainee pilots in the photo with four sergeants, ‘Chiefy Nicol, and Len Gilhome, Cliff Hoe, Ron Harrison and a flat capped George Whitlam in the middle of them
Dad learned to fly in Tiger Moths here, taking his pilot role in Tiger Moth 4293 on the 26th January 1944, exercise 15. First solo probably on 2nd Feb in Tiger Moth 5010 exercises 10 to 13 inc. total flying time in Prince Albert was 33.25 hrs dual; 38.30 hrs as pilot; 4.30 hrs dual night flying; and 0.30 hrs night
[Page Break]
Flying as pilot. Last flight here was on 17th Feb 1944. (Night visual acuity was assessed as A17.)
There was quite a lot of time spent on a Link Trainer, nicknamed the ‘Blue Box’ – a flight simulator.
[Photograph]
Fairchild PT 19 ‘Cornells’ were also flown here, but are not listed on Dad’s log, so I suspect that they were taken up in them to show them how to so a particular duty, before letting them loose on the Tiger Moths, which had open cockpits, and it would have been more difficult to communicate.
[Photograph]
[inserted] See Canadian Training Schools [/inserted]
[Page Break]
[underlined]http://en.wikipedia.org.wiki/List_of_British _Commonwealth_Air_Training_Plan_facilities_in_Canda [/underlined]
[underlined] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Albert_(glass_Field) _Airport[/underlined]
There appears to have been a time of R&R in Senlac between 26th March and 7th April before moving on to the next posting.
[underlined] 11)RCAF #4 Service Flying Training School, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, 8-4-1944 to 30-10-1944 [/underlined]
This further training was on Crane twin engines aeroplanes, where he first flew in one on the 9th May 1944, and went solo on 17th May 1944.
[Photograph]
He then went on to fly Avro Ansons on 29th June 1944
[Photograph]
[Page Break]
Summary of flying and assessments on an R.95A, at #4 SFTS, Saskatoon, Canada on 27th October 1944 showed dual flying time total of 157.55; pilot hours of 120.20; and 20.55 hrs as a passenger, and assessments:
As A.T.E pilots – average;
As pilot-navigator/navigator – average;
In bombing – High average;
In air gunnery – N/A;
Signed by A.L. Anderson T/D for the C.O No 4 SFTS
No points of flying or airmanship were listed as needing to be watched.
[underlined] http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saskatoon[/underlined]
[underlined] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RCAF_Station_Saskatoon [/underlined]
[underlined] 12) RAF 31PD Moncton NB, 3-11-1944 to 24-11-1944 [/underlined]
Mustering for return trip/possibly some R&R or this might have been the time that relates to Dad’s photos from when he was sight seeing in New York
[underlined] 13) RAF MNT L54, 24-11-1944 to 6-12-1944 [/underlined]
Back across the Atlantic from Halifax, Nova Scotia, November 1944, boarded HMT Andes, five days sailing to Liverpool.
[underlined] 14) RAF Harrogate, 6-12-1944 to 10-1-1945 [/underlined]
No 7 Personnel Reception Centre (PRC) formed here in March 1942 and used the Cecil, Majestic , Majestic , Queen and Spa Hotels before disbanding in July 1943 . (1945?)
After the RAF/MOD vacated the site it was purchased by ICI who established a research department there.
R29/479 No. 7 Personnel Reception Centre, Harrogate, (Later Market Harborough) 1942 Mar.-1946 Sept.
There were 1,408 staff here at the end of WWII. The site was also used by the Post Office. By 1956 the Air Ministry has just 787 staff in the area, now relocated to the Crown Hotel and Harlow Manor.
[Page Break]
[Photograph]
I note that there was also a 26 Signals Group station at RAF Harrogate.
[underlined] http://wtp2.appspot.com/wheresthepath.htm?lat=53.97756820070049&Ion1.5412374411947671&gz=17&oz+9>=1[/underlined]
[underlined] 15) No. 4 SofTT, RAF St.Athan, Nr Cardiff, S.Wales, 10-1-1945 to 16-3-1945[/underlined]
Their standing quickly improved over the next year or so and as the war progressed it was recognised that FE’s didn’t all need to be fully qualifies fitters or riggers. As a result, direct entry civilian were accepted in mid-1943. By this time there was a big demand for them, as there were now far more heavy bombers & other 4-engined aircraft in service and of course, crews lost in action had to be replaced. No 4 School of Technical Training (No 4 S of TT) at RAF St Athan was the hub for FE Training, with entrants going through courses of varying lengths, according to their expertise on joining. Flying training time was very sparse and from mid-1943 onwards it was quite normal for them to qualify for their [inserted] FE [/inserted] flying badges without ever having flown in an aircraft!
[underlined]http://flighteng.org/news/115-royal-air-force-another-significant-milestone [/underlined]
[Page Break]
[underlined] http://rafww2butler.wordpress.com/flight-engineer-training/[/underlined]
Posting to 4 School of Technical Training, RAF St Athan (Jan. 1945)
Dad was posted to 4 School of Technical Training (4 SoTT) at RAF St Athan in readiness for his 24 week “trade” course which started on 10th January 1945.
The school had been set up by the Air Ministry in 1942 to provide specialist training for the flight engineers needed for four-engined heavy bombers and flying boats.
It is understood that the intake was split into groups of eight to ten men, based on surnames.
RAF St Athan
No. 4 School of Technical Training was based in the East Camp at RAF St. Athan, in Glamorgan.
The camp included:
• 20 Bellman hangers and 4 brick0built workshops (used as training facilities)
• a large equipment store
• a large amenities building with swimming pool, gym, cinema and chapels
• living quarters (for up to 4,000) instructors and trainees)
It is understood that the camp also included a parachute training facility, a tethered airframe (where engines could be run at full throttle) and a decompression chamber (to enable trainees to experience the loss of oxygen at altitude); it has not been possible at this stage to establish where these were housed.
[Page Break]
[Photograph]
Annotated aerial view of East Camp at RAF St Athan 919450
Based on an original Crown Copyright photograph: Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales.
The standard “bed space” was in one of the hundreds of wooden accommodation huts which were laid out in lines. Each hut accommodated up to 16 trainees and included latrines and showers, along with a small room for the billet’s NCO.
[Photograph]
[Page Break]
Training and Assessment
The aim of the 24 week technical course was to ensure that flight engineers could carry out their specified duties on the ground and in the air.
The preliminary phase of the course was:
• Preliminary Airframes (1 week)
• Preliminary Engines (2 weeks)
• Carburettors and Magnetos (2 weeks)
• Electric and Instruments (1 week)
• Radial Engines /In-Line Engines (2 weeks)
• Hydraulics 91 week)
• Propellers (1 week)
After a week’s leave, trainees continued with the intermediate phase of the course which incorporated:
• Merlin Engines (2 weeks)
• Typical Airframes (1 week)
• Typical Hydraulics (1 week)
• Propellers/Instruments/Electrics (1 week)
• Aerodrome Procedures 92 weeks)
The following are some of the original notes and diagrams from a former
[Training Notes]
Training Notes [Courtesy of the late Clifford Leach]
[Page Break]
After a further weeks leave, the trainees progressed to the final phase of the course which provided specific training o the aircraft and engines that they would be assigned to as they progressed into operational squadrons.
This phase consisted of:
• Airframes (2 weeks)
• Electrics/Instruments (1 week)
• Fuel Logs/Fuel Systems (1 week)
• Engines (1 week)
• Engine Handling (1 week)
Salvaged cockpits were used to provide a simulated flight environment to enable trainees to practice pre-flight checks, take off procedures, “flying for economy” and landing procedures. In addition, a tethered airframe enabled the trainees to run engines up to full throttle, although the constant noise caused severe problem and St Athan became one of the early pioneers of “flight simulators”.
Trainees were also required to continue with their fitness programme, practice emergency drills and maintain their skills in subjects such as morse, navigation and armaments.
[Photographs]
Flight Engineer Training
[Photographs © IWM CH12466/CH 112467]
As part of this section of the course, Dad was probably required to spend a week at an aircraft manufacturers ("Makers “Course") to gain a better understanding of how the aircraft was constructed.
[Page Break]
On 1st April 1944 he was sent to “Rootes Securities Ltd”, probably at their “Shadow Factory” at Speke Airport, where they manufactured the Handley Page Halifax.
[Photograph]
[Courtesy of the Handley Page Association Collection]
Rank and Trade
Dad continued in the rank of two stripes on arm. It is believed that this promotion was upon completion of the first part of the training course and that his pay was increased to 5/- a day (plus 6d a day war pay).
Completion of Course
Dad completed his course and undertook a series of written and oral examinations, which he passed with a mark of 62.7%.
At his passing out parade on X, he would have been (?) promoted to Sergeant, the minimum rank for aircrew, with salary of 10/- a day (plus 6d a day war pay).
After intensive training, Dad was qualified in the trade of flight engineer as well as pilot; the next stage was to apply his knowledge and skills in flight.
[Page Break]
[Flight Engineers Course Exam]
[underlined] 16) RAF 1651 Conversion Unit, Woolfox Lodge, Rutland, 23-3-1945 to 12-6-1945[/underlined]
[underlined]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Woolfox_Lodge [/underlined]
[underlined]http://wcnhistory.org.uk/sqn1651.html [/underlined]
Similar to:- [underlined] http://rafww2butler.wordpress.com/operational-training/ [/underlined]
Having completed his technical training, Dad was posted to Woolfox Lodge in Rutland on 23rd March 1945 to convert his flying and Flight Engineer training from twin engine light planes to train as part of a seven man crew on a four-engined heavy bomber.
These airfields had the standard [underlined] Bomber Command layout[/underlined]
It had three Heavy Conversion Units (HCU’s) which were responsible for teaching crews how to fly the four-engined heavy bombers:
• 1652 HCU, based at RAF Marston Moor
• 1663 HCU, based at RAF Rufforth
• 1658 HCU, based at RAF Riccall
“Crewing Up”
The heavy bombers needed a crew of seven; pilot, flight engineer, navigator, wireless operator, bomb aimer, mid-upper gunner and rear gunner.
Each member of the aircrew has been taught their trade at specialist schools, either in the UK or overseas. Having completed their basic training, five of the
[Page Break]
trades, (pilot, navigator, wireless operator, bomb aimer and one of the air gunners) “crewed up” at an Operational Training Unit (OUT) and trained as a five man crew on two-engined medium bombers. [inserted] Wellingtons [/inserted]
Once they were competent, the five man crew would transfer to a Heavy Conversion Unit, where they would be joined by a flight engineer and an additional gunner (for the mid-upper turret position) to form a seven man crew for the heavy bombers.
[underlined] Flying Log Book [/underlined]
Some of the early Flight engineers who trained during this period confirm that they would not have had any flying experience up to this point, although he may have spent a small amount of time at St Athan on a [underlined]”link trainer [/underlined](flight simulator)
The log, which had to be countersigned by the commanding officer, provided a record of:
• The date
• The aircraft used
• The pilot
• The duty performed on the flight
• The purpose of the flight
• The flying time (split day/night)
[Log Book]
An extract from a Flying Log Book
[Courtesy of Paul Herod]
[Page Break]
Training and Assessment
The four to six week Heavy Conversion course consisted of group instruction, along with approximately 40 hours of flying, probably in a Handley Page Halifax.
Experienced instructors, normally crew who had completed their operational tours, would fly “dual” with the crew and them the crew would repeat the exercise “solo”.
The [underlined] HCU Training Schedule, [/underlined] included the following training exercises:
• Familiarisation
• Circuits and landings
• Bombings
• Fighter affiliation
• Cross-country
With the help of instructors, FEng was able to out into practice all the things that he had been taught in the classrooms at RAF St Athan.
FEng’s first job was to work with the pilots to check outside the aircraft.
[Page Break]
The [underlined] external checks [/underlined] included ensuring:
• That there was no visible damage, in particular to the working parts and leading edges of the airframe
• That the tyres were in good order
• That there were no coolant or oil leaks
It is understood that once these checks were complete, the pilot signed Form 700 to confirm the handover of the aircraft from the ground crew.
FEng then clambered into the aircraft, with his parachute and “emergency repair” tool bag (spanners, pliers, wire, string etc) in his hands.
His next job was to carry to the [underlined] internal checks [/underlined] including ensuring:
• That the oxygen supply was functioning
• That the internal latches were all secure
• That the fire extinguishers, axes etc were properly stowed
•
Having completed the internal checks he settles at his station, which on the Handley Page Halifax was behind the pilot; he would then vary out the pre-flight checks in conjunction with the pilot and ground crew.
Information regarding some of the checks and the fuel loads, pressures etc was recorded in the [underlined] four page flight engineer log [/underlined].
[Page Break]
[Flight log sheet]
The first page of the flight engineer’s log
[Courtesy of RAF Museum, London]
[Page Break]
[Photograph]
[inserted] synchronised Props - V Practice [/inserted]
[inserted] Sequence [/inserted]
One by one, the four engines were started up and the FEng monitored the instrument readings on the flight engineer panel. When all four were warmed up, the pilot checked with the crew to ensure they were all happy with the equipment and that their oxygen and intercom systems were working. [inserted] Aldis lamp [/inserted]
He then taxied onto the perimeter track (“perimeter track”) and awaited the signal for take off.
FEng would either be sitting or standing beside the pilot, ready to assist him with the throttles, undercarriage and flaps; between them they ensured that they fully laden heavy bomber got off the ground and climbed to its allotted cruising height. [inserted] Assemble over? eg Reading [/inserted]
Having reached cruising height, he ensured that the aircraft maintained its optimum cruising speed, utilising the minimum amount of fuel (“flying for economy”). He also synchronised the propellers to minimise engine vibration and noise.
[Page Break ]
Throughout the flight, he monitored the fuel consumption, engine revs, oil pressure, coolant temperatures etc and logged them “at every change of flight or engine conditions and at thirty minute intervals”.
He monitored the amount of fuel in each of the wing tanks and used the fuel cocks to ensure that is was evenly distributed across the tanks; this ensured that if one leaked or was hit by enemy flak, there was sufficient fuel in the other tanks to keep the aircraft in flight.
The Perspex astrodome above his head enabled him to ensure that they were clear of other aircraft (and to monitor for enemy aircraft during operational sorties).
Having competed their assigned exercise or sortie, the Flight Engineer assisted the pilot with the landing, shutdown and post-flight checks.
Any issues were reported to the ground crew using the Form 700 and the four page flight engineer log was handed in for review and signature.
[Form 700]
An example of a Form 700 (date unknown)
Completion of Course
Having successfully completed their HCU training, the crew members were deemed competent enough for operational duty
Other interesting info on Lancs here:-
[underlined]http://rafww2butler.wordpress.com/operational-service/ [/underlined]
[Page Break]
You’ll understand I’m sure that the residents were rather transient and many did not stay long. It was very sad to see the adjutant emptying the lockers of those who would never return.
The huts at most site were of the wood and asbestos variety like those now used for battery chickens [Laing Huts]. They were “heated” by a stove (red-hot in the middle of freezing in the corners). They were nevertheless far better than nissen huts. Each held out 16 or so aircrew and when newly arrived you were assigned a bed in one of the artic corners (as well as the usual routine). As the losses mounted one graduated to beds nearer the centre, until you had a bed with your feet towards the stove (very cosy).
[photograph]
An example of a wood and asbestos Laing Hut
Training and Assessment
It is understood that training consisted of ground training followed by three daytime exercises and one nighttime exercise aimed at improving their target marking techniques. Total flying time was about 16 hours.
Exercises mimicked typical operational sorties, with the crew required to fly long distance, accurately mark a target and return to base within a very tight time schedule.
[Page Break]
[Photograph]
The Avro Lancaster
The crew positions on the Lancaster differed to those on the Halifax:
[Photograph]
(Pilot) sat on the port side on a raised section of the floor.
(Flight Engineer) sat next to the pilot, on s fold down seat, which was hinged to enable the bomb aimer to access his compartment in the nose of the aircraft. His position enabled him to observe and access the instruments on the pilot’s panel as well as those on the engineer’s panel, which was attached to the fuselage behind the seat.
(Navigate) sat behind the pilot/flight engineers, facing the port side, with the navigational equipment and a large chart table on front of him.
[Page Break]
(Wireless Operator) sat facing forwards, with his radio equipment mounted on the left hand end of the navigator’s chart table.
(Bomb Aimer) was stationed in the nose of the aircraft.
(Mid-Upper Gunner) was stationed in the dome shaped mid-upper turret which provided a 360 degree view over the top of the aircraft.
(Rear Gunner) was stationed in the rear turret.
[Photograph]
A Lancaster aircrew, showing pilot and flight engineer forward of the navigator and wireless operator
Operational Life
For Cecil and the hundreds of office staff, ground staff and aircrew at RAF Graveley, daily life was a mixture of training, recreation and operational sorties.
Aircrew were permitted six days leave every six weeks.
[underlined] 17) 7PRC Harrogate, 27-6-1945 to 17-7-1945 [/underlined]
7 Personnel Reception Centre (Harrogate, Yorkshire)
August, September, October 1943
[Page Break]
(The Majestic Hotel was host of hundreds of RAF non-commissioned Pilots, who with no immediate knowledge of their future roles in the RAF, were held there at what was known as No. 7 Personnel Reception Centre)
I have a Harrogate Public Library General Ticket which has the number 51751 and the date of expiry of 10th July 1947 for Sgt. PD Hopgood, Majestic Hotel and service number 1673132 on it.
[underlined] 18) RAF ACNCOS Locking, 17-7-1945 to 14-8-1945 [/underlined]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Locking
RAF Locking was opened as a training unit in 1937 [3] The Technical Site of RAF Locking, as distinct from the airfield about a mile away and called [underlined] RAF Weton-Super-Mare, [/underlined] was the home of the RAF’s No.1 Radio School
[underlined]http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/eaw002963[/underlined]
War ended 8-5-1945 VE day; and 15-8-1945 – VJ day)
[underlined]19)7PRC Harrogate, 15-8-1945 to 28-8-1945 [/underlined]
Back to the Personnel reception Centre to see where next!
[underlined]20) RAF Cottesmore, Rutland, 23-8-1945 to 8-9-1945[/underlined]
[underlined] http://en.wikipeadia.org/wiki/RAF_Cottesmore[/underlined]
[underlined] http://virualglobetrotting.com/map/raf-cottesmore/view/?service+0[/underlined]
[underlined] 20) 7PRC Harrogate, 8-9-1945 to 19-10-1945[/underlined]
Back to the Personnel Reception Centre to see where next!
[underlined]21 29EFT Clyffe Pypard, nr. Royal Wotton Bassett, Wilts., 19-10-1945 to 19-2-1946 [/underlined]
Flying Tiger Moths around, and on one occasion ran out of fuel and landed in a farmers field! Oops!
[underlined]http://www.abct.org.uk/airfields/clyffe-pypard[/underlined]
[underlined] http://history.wiltshire.gov.uk/community/getcom.php?id=63[/underlined]
[underlined] http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clyffe_Pypard [/underlined]
[Page Break]
YPRC 50 Grp Pool
[underlined]22) 21(P) AFU Wheaton Aston, nr Stafford, Staffs, 19-2-1946 to 9-3-1946 [/underlined]
‘Pilots Advanced Flying Unit’
21(P) AFU Wheaton Aston 28 January 1944 Seighford 26 January 1945
[underlined]http://www.abct.org.uk/airfields/wheaton-aston[/underlined]
[underlined]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TbLfmvtlzE&feature=related[/underlined]
Here are a few of this former station, this is a former PAFU unit (Shawbury Oxfords main users)
not much left, but here’s a few of the tower
[Photograph]
[Photograph]
[Page Break]
[Photograph]
[photograph]
[underlined] 23) 7PRC Market Harborough, Leics, 9-3-1946 to 19-3-1946[/underlined]
Actually at Husbands Bosworth airfield 5 miles [deleted]SEE[/deleted] [inserted]WSCO [/inserted] from Market Harborough
[underlined]http://wikimapia.org/24398523/Former-RAF-Husbands-Bosworth[/underlined]
[underlined]http://www.husbandsboswoth.info/index.php?=com_content&task=view&id=15&Itemid=46[/underlined]
[underlined] 24) ACAC Catterick, 19-3-1946 to 22-3-1946[/underlined]
Air Crew Allocation Centre – At end of war in 1945 the station became an air crew allocation centre Air Crew Allocation Centre [sic] where airman were sent for a month whilst final postings were found for them where they would be most valued.
[Page Break]
In January 1945, the station transferred to RAF Flying Training Command, to become Aircrew Allocation Centre during February, Being close to the training areas around Catterick Garrison,
RAF station finally closed on 1 July 1944.
[underlined]http://airfieldresearchgroup.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/RAF-catterick.pdf [/underlined]
[underlined] 25) 4 ACHU Cranage, 22-3-1946 to 10-4-1946[/underlined]
AIRCREW HOLDING UNITS AIR 29/508 No. 4 Cranage 1945-1946 July
Between Knutsford and Sandbach near M6, near village of Byley
[underlined]http://www.abct.org.uk/airfields/cranage-byley[/underlined]
[underlined]26) 1GTS, Croughton, 10-4-1946 to 25-4-1946[/underlined]
No 1 [underlined]Glider Training School /underlined] (No1 GTS) – this is on the A43 near Brackley.
You can see the big early warning globes from the road.
[underlined] 27) 4S of AT Kirkham, Lancashire, 25-4-1946 to 11-6-1946[/underlined]
Midway between Blackpool and Preston.
School or Airframe (?) Training – was a demob centre to Dec 1945, then trained boy entrants to 1957
..my demob centre at Kirkham in Lancashire, September 1946.
[underlined]http://en.wikipeadia.org/wiki/RAF_Kirkam#History[/underlined]
[underlined]28) 251 MU Bristol, 11-6-1946 to 14-8-1946[/underlined]
A SHORT HISTORY OF No.11 BALLOON CENTRE AT PUCKLECHURCH 1939 TO 1945 AND R.A.F.STATION PUCKLECHURCH 1945 TO 1959
John Penny
A Brief Chronology
09/08/1939 – Opened as No11 Balloon Centre.
22/04/1945 – Became a sub site of No.7 Maintenance Unit, Quedgeley nr Gloucester for storage.
[Page Break]
19/0701945 – Became No251. Maintenance Unit (Mechanical Storage).
on July 19th 1945 the site was re-designated No251. M.U. a Mechanical Storage Unit dealing with motor vehicles. No.251 M.U. continued as a M.T. Store until December 31st 1946 when all its operations were taken over by No.7 M.U. at Quedgeley. The station was now turned into an instructional facility, and on February 25th 1947 was re-named No.22 Reserve Centre, officially transferring to 62 (Southern) Group, Reserve Command, which also controlled the nearby Filton airfield.
On August 1st 1945 No 251. MU became fully self-accounting, and work went ahead to build up the formation as a Mechanical Storage Unit under the command of Squadron Leader F.H.Farthing. They were ready to accept their first vehicles on August 22nd, and by the end if the month had 9 officers (including 2 WAAF’s) and 243 ‘other ranks’ (including 34 WAAF’s) on their strength. No 251 MU continued as a MT Store until December 31st 1946 when all it operations were taken over by No7. MU at Quedgeley
[underlined] 29) 30 MU Sealand, 14-8-1946 to 20-2-1947[/underlined]
http://www.ronaldv.nl/abandoned/airfield/gb/wales/clwyd.html
Sealand, near Chester on the Wirral Peninsula, 20 KN IMMEDIAELY South of Liverpool
No. 30 M.U. (Maintenance Unit) R.A.F. Sealand near Chester. The next day after doing the rounds of the different departments, and being taken on the strength, we were assigned to one of the hangers carrying out major servicing on Wellington twin engine bombers
[underlined] 30) 101 PDC Warton 20-2-1947 to 21-2-1947 – End of service.[/underlined]
101 PDC (:-101 Personnel Despatch Centre), RAF Warton (being “demobbed”), Lancashire
Warton Aerodrome ([underlined]ICAO: [/underlined]EGNO) is located near to [underlined] Warton[/underlined] village on [underlined]the Flyde[/underlined] on [underlined]Lancashire, [/underlined] England. The aerodrome is 6.9m (11km; 6.9mi) west of [underlined]Preston, Lancashire, [/underlined] UK.
Warton Aerodrome (IATA: N/A, ICAO:EGNO) is located near to Warton village on the Flyde peninsula in Lancashire, England. The aerodrome is six nautical miles (11.1km) west of Preston, Lancashire, UK.
In 1940 new runways were built at Warton so that it could act as a “satellite” afraid for the RAF Coastal Command station at Squires Gate airfield in Blackpool
[underlined] http://www.airfieldinformationexchange.org/community/showthread.php?3707-RAF_Freckleton_Lytham-(Warton) [/underlined]
[Page Break]
List of websites from which taken:
[underlined]http://www.pprune.org/archieve/index.php/t-329990-p-10.html[/underlined]
[underlined]http://rafww2butler.wordpress.com[/underlined]
[underlined]31) References[/underlined]
[underlined]http://rafww2butler.wordpress.com/acknowledgements[/underlined]
Acknowledgements
Copyright©
Wherever possible the information on this site has been obtained from original documents held by the author or supplied by contributors.
I have attributes all copyright material as far as I am able; however if there is any material on this site which infringes your copyright, please contact me using the contact form and I will be happy to correctly attribute it or remove the item.
Acknowledgements
Special thanks go to the following individuals/organisation that have provided their time and/or resources for this project:
The families of crew members GB Thomas and R Neale (Sue Dobson, Garrie Ferguson and Ray Neale)
Uwe Benkel, Christian Koenig and his team in Bonn
The family of Eric Hargreaves (102 Squadron)
The many contributors on the RAFCommands, WW2Talk, Lancaster-Achieve, AIX and PPRuNE forums, especially:
Paul Herod
Stan Instone (419 Squadron)
Peter Leeves (35 Squadron)
The late Clifford Leach
Alan Wells
Malcom Barrass
Sources:
RAF Flying Training and Support Units since 1912; Ray Sturtivant Observes and Navigators; CG Jefford
The Bomber Command Diaries; Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt
Manpower, History of the Second World War; H M D Parker
ABC of the RAF
Aircraft Q failed to return
Dedicated to CA Butler and the crew of Lancaster ME334 (TL-Q)
BACKGROUND ENLISTING TRAINING OPERATIONS COMMEMORATION RESEARCH
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS CONTACT
Acknowledgements | Aircraft Q failed to return
[underlined] http://rafww2butler.wordpress.com/acknowledgements[/underlined]
RAF St Athan: A history 1938-1988 by S J Bond
Bomber Intelligence; W E Jones
The Royal Air Force 1939-1945; Andrew Cormack
[Page Break]
The Bomber Command Handbook 1939-1945; Jonathon Falconer
Haynes Avro Lancaster Owners Workshop Manual; Jarrod Cotter/Paul Blackah
Aircraft Cutaways; Bill Gunston
The National Achieve
Flight Magazine
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The RAF Museum
The Royal Air Force Air Historical Branch
The Handley Page Association
Dublin Core
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Title
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Philip Hopgood's Second World War Biography
Description
An account of the resource
The detailed biography begins with government measures at the start of National Service. Philip Hopgood volunteered and enlisted at Padgate, Warrington. He was classified as medically Grade 1. Initial training was at RAF Regent's Park (Lord's Cricket Ground) London, then Babbacombe, Torquay. There are details of his kit and daily routine. Philip was then transferred to RAF Shellingford to train on Tiger Moths, followed by training in Canada. On returning to UK he was posted to RAF St Athan for technical training as a flight engineer. After this Philip went to RAF Woolfox Lodge for conversion to heavy aircraft. Peter Hopgood describes his father's role on a flight. Each transfer is detailed with dates until Philip's service ended in February 1947.
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Peter Andrew Hopgood
Format
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49 page document, with text and images
Language
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eng
Type
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Text
Text. Memoir
Identifier
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BHopgoodPMHopgoodPDv1
Coverage
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Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Royal Canadian Air Force
Spatial Coverage
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Great Britain
England--Liverpool
England--Warrington
England--London
England--Torquay
England--Manchester
Canada
New Brunswick--Moncton
Saskatchewan--Prince Albert
Saskatchewan--Saskatoon
England--Harrogate
England--Wheaton Aston
England--Catterick
England--Knutsford
England--Chester
England--Warton
New Brunswick
Saskatchewan
England--Devon
England--Oxfordshire
England--Lancashire
England--Staffordshire
England--Wiltshire
England--Yorkshire
England--Royal Wootton Bassett
Temporal Coverage
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1942
1943
1944
1945
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IBCC Digital Archive
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This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
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Claire Monk
1651 HCU
1652 HCU
1658 HCU
1663 HCU
air gunner
aircrew
Anson
bomb aimer
bombing
Cornell
crewing up
flight engineer
Flying Training School
Halifax
Heavy Conversion Unit
Initial Training Wing
Lancaster
military living conditions
military service conditions
navigator
Nissen hut
pilot
RAF Catterick
RAF Cottesmore
RAF Graveley
RAF Kirkham
RAF Locking
RAF Marston Moor
RAF Padgate
RAF Riccall
RAF Rufforth
RAF Sealand
RAF St Athan
RAF Torquay
RAF Woolfox Lodge
Tiger Moth
training
V-1
V-weapon
wireless operator
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/291/3446/ALorimerH160622.1.mp3
89e8541e9729f5d0b1d3205c8e3e4a55
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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Lorimer, Hugh
Hugh Lorimer
H Lorimer
Description
An account of the resource
One oral history interview with Pilot Officer Hugh Lorimer (b. 1922, 183601 and 1369405 Royal Air Force). He flew operations as a wireless operator with 10 Squadron.
Publisher
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IBCC Digital Archive
Date
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2016-06-22
Rights
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This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
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Lorimer, H
Transcribed audio recording
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Transcription
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PL: Well, first of all I’d just like to say my name is Pam Locker. I am interviewing Mr Hugh Lorimer of [redacted] Knaresborough and the date is the 22nd of June 2016. And can I just start, Hugh by saying thank you very much indeed for agreeing to give us your interview. We do appreciate it. And I guess if we just start the interview by you telling us a little bit about your, your childhood and how you came to be involved with Bomber Command.
HL: My pleasure. Thank you very much in the first instance for coming along to do this interview. I’m glad to take the opportunity to pass on quite a bit of my memories to people in the future who may be interested which I sincerely hope they will be. And I thought I’d sort of start by sort of telling you why I joined the Royal Air Force in the first place. I was just a young schoolboy. I’d be about maybe twelve, thirteen years of age and I was standing outside the house one morning and I saw this fleet of biplane aircraft flying over the house at low level. I wondered what the dickens they were doing. So I made a few enquiries and discovered it was one of these flying circuses which was going to operate from a field about three or four miles from my home. But unfortunately I was told they were only there for the sort of Tuesday and Wednesday of that week and I was at school. And I thought oh my goodness, I’d love to go and see that. So I pondered it. And I found out what the entrance fee was. It was sixpence and I didn’t have sixpence. I had to scrape around for quite a few days. I found a few of my father’s empty beer bottles [laughs] and took them down to the pub and collected six pence. And in the morning they started the exhibition I did what we say in Scotland I plugged the school. Played hookey. And I ran the three or four miles to this airfield and there was these lovely aircraft. And as I went in I paid my sixpence and they gave me a ticket. And somebody said, ‘Keep your tickets. There will be a lucky draw later on.’ So I stuck it in my pocket and forgot all about it and just spent most of my time watching this wonderful exhibition. Absolutely enthralled. And then I heard people shouting, ‘We’re just about to make the draw.’ And what happens? The first number out is mine. And the prize was a trip in one of the biplanes. And then there was three or four other numbers came out and they all got the same thing. I thought we would be going up in three or four planes. Far from it. We were all piled into the one plane and I sat on somebody’s knee while we flew around the country for about ten minutes or so and then landed. And that was me. I was hooked. Hooked line and sinker on that one. And that all finished. I went back and I went to school the next morning. ‘Lorimer, where were you yesterday? The headmaster wants to see you.’ So I went to see Mr Martin who was the headmaster. He congratulated my enterprise at trying to get there he said, ‘But never mind. Hold your hands out,’ and I got six of the best. He said, ‘Next time you want to go and see the air force come and ask. We’d be pleased to let you go.’ So that was fine. School finished and the war started. And by that time I was in a reserved occupation. And —
PL: What was that?
HL: And had I not, had I not wanted to go I wouldn’t have needed to go to war. In any event I couldn’t go until I was eighteen and I still had a year to wait. So I waited for that year and I found out that being a reserved occupation the only people that they would employ in the, during the war was in the Royal Air Force. I said that’s exactly what I want. And I said, ‘Please may I join up now,’ and I joined up on my eighteenth birthday. And then I went off for my training. And I wanted to be a pilot and unfortunately I had what they called excessive long sight, hypermetropia in one of my eyes. Which they said would probably affect my ability to be able to land it properly at all times so I’d have to look for some other post. And I finished up being trained as a wireless operator as it then was.
Other: Yes. It’s me.
[recording paused]
HL: My first posting was to Blackpool of all places which I thoroughly enjoyed. We lived in one of these houses with about thirty or forty of us. They were all boarding houses. And we had tremendous camaraderie. Joined up as crews in a way. But we had a, a sergeant who was a bit of a, a whatnot. None of us really liked him and he was always trying to get us into some sort of trouble. And one day we were down on Blackpool Pier and the tide was in. Who should come marching along the pier but our sergeant. And there were seven or eight of us at the time and we all fell across him and unfortunately he, he toppled over into the water and we had to go down and rescue him [laughs] That was, that was the first of our escapades. But it was all good fun. Good spirits. And we finished our training as radio operators or wireless operators and were posted out in the first place to units where we worked on the ground whilst we were waiting to be called forward for aircrew training. Which was, it was a very good insight into what the ground crews did. Apart from the aircrews who did all the sort of, the famous stuff so to speak. The unheard of lads. And we were one of them to begin with while we experienced both sides. I was at a, on a special course one day. At Chelmsford it was. I’d just arrived to do this special course and I was recalled to go on my aircrew training and I was pleased about that. And I started my aircrew training and I went through for about six months. Went up to Kinloss on my, as an individual wireless operator and found that we were to be crewed up there. There was pilots, navigators, engineers, gunners, radio operators. The whole lot. And we were told to spend a few days getting to know each other and form our own crews. And at the end of the day that’s exactly what happened. We all gathered in the square and we formed ourselves in to crews of seven each. And we all, and I happened to be with a crew who was real cosmopolitan. We had two Canadians. An Irishman. An Australian. Two Scots. And an Englishman. We did our training on Whitley bombers. And when that was completed we moved down to a place called Rufforth which is just outside York where we converted on to Halifax bombers. At the end of that training we were posted to form a Special Duty Flight and I wondered what that was. We discovered it was two Lancasters and two Halifaxes and we were going somewhere but we weren’t told where. But we were to go and get all sorts of inoculations and we were given KD uniforms so we knew it was somewhere hot. And we set off down the Bay of Biscay. Sorry. Before we get there, there was one little point I forgot which is very important. Because it was Lancasters as well as Halifaxes in this little Special Duty Flight the pilots had to be able to fly both aircraft. And my pilot, Doug Stewart from Canada was told to go to Royal Air Force Scampton and he had to take a navigator, sorry take an engineer with him and the radio operator. So the three of us went up to Scampton and we joined the 57 Squadron then that was there and we got on our first trip. Made quite a few circuits and bumps and doing very well. And then the instructor said, ‘Well, that’s fine. We’ll do one more trip.’ And that’ll be it. You’re quite competent.’ So we took off down the runway and unfortunately the undercarriage gave way. And we were doing about just getting close to ninety miles an hour at the time and the aircraft was written off. And we had, that was our first prang. We were sort of shaken a bit about but then we all, we walked out. And that was it. We were fine. We went back to join our Special Duty Flight. And then we set off for what happened to be a rather interesting trip. We flew down the Bay of Biscay to a place called [pause ] hold on for a second [pause] The name’s gone [laughs] What the dickens was it? [pause] No, never mind. I can’t remember the name of the place but it was in [unclear] . We landed in an airfield in French Morocco. And the interesting thing was it was broad daylight after a night trip across the bay and I heard these people shouting. It was eight young natives. They were selling newspapers and what they were saying was, ‘All the English football results,’ [laughs] So we, we bought a newspaper at our first stop. We had to wait there to be told where we were to go next. Went from there along the Libyan coast to Tripoli. It was called Castel Benito then and we saw that that was our first experience of seeing the effects of the desert war and the place was absolutely bombed to bits. Wreckage everywhere. But we were operating still onwards. We were going from there to Cairo West. I wondered where the dickens we were going to finish up. We thought that would be it. Middle East uniforms. We had rather an interesting experience actually on that trip. It was extremely hot and our pilot got a bit of heat stroke actually. It turned out to be. So when he tried to land the first time he misjudged. And he misjudged twice and went around for a third time and he misjudged again. But at this time he put the revs on the aircraft because we were trying to climb to get back airborne again and the engines were overheating. And we were just barely moving and our landing wheels were still down in fact we hit the top of a sand dune. And we bounced. Not downwards but upwards. And we were able to maintain, the pilot was able to maintain control and we came around and we went and made a safe landing but we had to stay in Cairo for about two weeks whilst our skipper recovered his, his health again. We thought well that was it. Well we wondered where we would be flying from. They said, ‘No. You’ll carry on from here to Bahrain.’ We went to Bahrain and there I saw an aircraft lying at the side of the road, at the side of the runway which was in a bit of a mess. And I went into the, into the sergeant’s mess at that time. At that time I was a sergeant. And I saw this fellow standing beside me. It was one of my old school mates. I says, ‘Who did that out there?’ He says, ‘It was me.’ He said, ‘I had a bad landing.’ [laughs] So we had a long natter of course and he wanted to know what we were doing. We couldn’t tell him. We didn’t know. Anyhow, we had to move on a couple of days later and we finished up at Karachi in India. And we thought this must be it now but it wasn’t. We carried on from there to a place called Salbani in Bengal. And there we joined up with the other three aircraft, the two Lancasters and the Halifax and we set up our own special unit there. And it was the home of a Liberator squadron which was operating against the Japanese. So we were in that area and really enjoying it but our job as a Special Duty Flight, we found out when we got there was to determine how these, these four engine aircraft could operate under these tropical conditions. And that was our job. And we went for all sorts of tests. One of our tests was to see if we could get over Everest but we couldn’t make the height. We got to about twenty five thousand and that was it. The aircraft wouldn’t take any more. One of the things about the weather out there was it changed dramatically from you know, without much notice. You get thunderclouds you’d be in trouble and such like. And that’s what happened to us. We were coming in to land at Salbani and one of these tropical winds blew up and it was because of this gust of wind that I actually came to join Bomber Command. Which is part of the story. This is, this is how fate dictates what will happen to you through your life. When we hit the runway we had a nice, nice landing, we were just taxiing down and this gust of wind caught us and it turned us right over and blew us right across the airfield upside down. Wrote off the aircraft. And fortunate, for some reason again we all walked out unscathed. But we had no aircraft. That was a bit —
PL: What year? What year was this Hugh?
HL: 1943. This story is in the, in the records for it. It’s all there. So we hung around for about a good six to seven weeks while our future was decided. We were set down, down the, on course for a bit of a rest. R&R they called it, which we thoroughly enjoyed, but when we got back they told us that we were going back to Britain and this is [laughs] we had to go back by train to Bombay. Well, that was a long long long long way. We were given sandwiches and stuff to get there which petered out long before we were half way down the journey. And the train stopped at this station and right opposite us was a big buffet and I said, ‘How long will we stop for?’ They said, ‘Oh a good fifteen, twenty minutes.’ So I volunteered to go out and buy the sandwiches. But what I had not reckoned with, reckoned on was the way the natives [laughs] didn’t think about queues. They just barged in and I kept finding myself at the back of this barge. I never got the sandwiches because I suddenly realized the train was moving and there I was. And I had to turn around and run but I couldn’t reach my carriage. There was a carriage near the end which had a window open and I just caught the top of the window and dived straight through. And inside there it was full of the local natives of the rather low caste. And they were packed in like sardines and I was jammed up against this door and I thought, ‘What the devil do I do here?’ Well, I thought, I just felt my hip pocket. My revolver was still there so I just kept my hand on it and waited and waited and waited until the train came to a stop again and I got out quickly and ran along to the front where we were travelling first class and jumped in. They said, ‘Where are the sandwiches?’ [laughs] I won’t tell you what I said but it’s not repeatable.
Other: He doesn’t normally talk much my husband. He’s making up for it this morning. He reads.
HL: I’m missing my slipper [pause] So, that was just a little bit of a what I would call the humorous side of air force life. And we had a lovely trip back on a rather nice boat. And joined these, went through the Suez Canal, through all the Mediterranean in convoy because there still were submarines about. And we got to Liverpool and one of the jobs I got at Liverpool Dock was to be in charge of the baggage. I was put ashore as the baggage master. And because I went ashore I had to take some food with me because I’d be down there for quite some time. And after about an hour or so’s work supervising what was going on we all stopped for a, for a meal. Including the local lads who were working with us. And I pulled out my sandwiches. Beautiful white bread and they came over, looked at it, ‘Oh my goodness that looks really good.’ I said, ‘It’s only a, it’s only a sandwich.’ But he was having his, and it was a dirty black brown bread. It was called the National Loaf. I said, ‘Oh my goodness. Look. Do us a swap.’ He said, ‘Thank you. I’m not going to take them. I’m going to take it home to my family. They haven’t seen white bread for two or three years.’ And it suddenly dawned on me at that time you know people are suffering. Particularly in Liverpool because they had a lot of bombing. And I think of that story often. Went on from there to join 10 Squadron which was our posting. And when I got there I found myself promoted to officer rank and the rank of pilot officer. Which was totally and utterly unexpected but for some reason they thought I was good enough. And that was it. I did a total of thirty one operations with 10 Squadron. Eleven of them were over France. Started from D-Day where our job was to disrupt as much of the enemy’s supplies to their, to our boys that who on the beaches down below as far as we possibly could. I think we did a reasonable job of it. It was a success in the end. But one of the interesting things about that is that what I didn’t know at the time was that on the beaches below my own brother was there. They were at Caen. And he was a corporal at that time in the Royal Scots Fusiliers and we were comparing, you know stories some time afterwards and discovered that whilst he was fighting down there I’d been dropping bombs, or my crew were dropping bombs on German troops at a particular position not far away from where he was. And I found out that Field Marshall Montgomery had awarded him the military medal for his efforts. Just a little story but part of a family and our effort together. And because of these [coughs] excuse me. These French trips and French bombing raids. Switch off for a second.
[recording paused]
PL: Restarting the tape. So Hugh you were talking about Caen.
HL: Yeah. Talking about the bombing we did following D-Day. And I did eleven trips to various French cities. Including Paris where we bombed marshalling yards and other places like oil depots and got to Le Havre where we bombed the troops themselves. The German troops. And as a result of that, lo and behold seventy years later the French president decided to award we veterans with a Legion d’honneure. And I was one of the lads who was able to pick up this award and the rank of Chevalier. Which I understand is the equivalent of a knight in France. I don’t think it’s quite the equivalent for a knight in this country. No Lady Lorimer [laughs] Yeah. Talking about that just going back to say to my training days when I moved, talking about roughing us out as I did earlier on in this conversation we had a rather an amusing incident. One of the things we all had to do as crews was to learn escape and evasion. Just in case we were shot down as a lot of our lads were. And some did manage to escape and evade and get back to this country. A lot of others unfortunately didn’t. But one of our jobs was to go out and practise evasion and escape. And it was midsummer really which was very pleasant from our point of view. We went up as a crew and were dropped off at Kirbymoorside. It‘s a way up in the north part of Yorkshire. And we had to get back to the base which was about maybe thirty odd miles away. Certainly by sun up if at all possible. We tried to work in darkness although there wasn’t much darkness at that time of the year. We were fortunate. We managed to escape most of the people who were looking for us because everybody was out. Home guard. Police. Firemen. You name it. All looking for us and we managed to evade them. But it was getting fairly close to about five or six in the morning and we were a bit hungry. And suddenly we niffed this smell of bacon. Oh boy it sounded, it was great. We wondered where that is? And somebody for a joke says, ‘You know they just told us in this, at the briefing that the best place to look for food if you’re shot down in Germany is to go to a farmhouse. That’s the best chance you’ll have of getting any food.’ So we said, ‘Right. Let’s sniff it out.’ And we found it was coming from a farmhouse, it was just about oh seven or eight hundred yards away. And we crept our way up there and in to the farmyard. And a door opened and this nice lady came out and said, ‘Who are you?’ We told her, ‘We couldn’t avoid smelling your bacon and eggs. We wondered if there might be any chance of a rasher.’ Cheeky we were but we did it. She said, ‘Come in lads.’ And she gave us a wonderful breakfast. All seven of us. Thoroughly enjoyed it. And then at the end she just stood at the end of the table and she burst out laughing. She was laughing her head off and we said, ‘What are you laughing? Are you laughing at us? We know we’re — ' ‘Oh no. No. No. No. I’m just waiting till my husband comes in. He’s been out all night looking for you. I just want to see his face.’ [laughs] Yeah. That’s a bit of, you know, humour. We got back safely and that was it. But going back to the actual Bomber Command raids and our, the rest of my trips were primarily over Germany. Cologne. Dusseldorf. All these places. We had our share of flak and share of fighters but again for some reason we came through unscathed. But when I think of it and heard of it later on the lads we left behind in in India were still out there. They didn’t see a single raid but we’d come back and completed our tour. Anyhow the war finished and I liked the air force so very much I decided I would like to stay in. And I made an application and they accepted me and I was given the permanent commission and I finished up as a wing commander in the supply branch. They didn’t want any flyers or wireless operators in the, in these recent days. Weren’t necessary. But it’s been a wonderful life with the Royal Air Force. And here we are in Goldsborough seventy odd years later able to talk about it and look back on the all the wonderful memories, friendships, relationships that built up. And one of the things I didn’t, didn’t mention to you but I will now mention now is that for some reason the Queen decided to award me with an Order of the British Empire which I went down and got in 1977 in her Silver Jubilee Honours list. And with that I think I can say that’s about it. Do you think?
PL: So after, after, after the war ended you stayed in the service.
HL: Yes.
PL: And so what sort of things, what sort of things did you do?
HL: Well, to begin with because I wasn’t flying I had to find a job which I wanted to do. And I was given free rein on a station. I spent six, about six weeks it was going around all the departments to find out what interested me. And the one that interested me most was logistics, because you were involved in everything that way. Movement of men, materials, stores. Working with civil industry. Rolls Royce. This sort of thing. And that intrigued me. It gave me an insight into, well modern life which obviously I hadn’t seen in the five years of the war because it was a very sheltered life. So I joined the, what was then known as the equipment branch and came lots of, lots of units. We served in England obviously. Spent some time in Malta. Cyprus. Germany. And that was it. I thoroughly enjoyed it. When we, when we finished at age fifty five I still didn’t want to finish work and I wondered what the dickens I could do. And one of my mates was a, worked for British aerospace so I said, ‘What’s my chances of landing a job? I’d like to go on this [unclear] contract that the British government is doing with Saudi Arabia at the moment if it’s at all possible.’ And he came back and said, ‘Yes. They’ll have you with pleasure. Would you like to go out?’ I said, ‘Yes. I’ll go,’ So I went and spent six years with them working on the [unclear] contract on the logistics side using my experience. Which was a real eye opener to, for what happens in civil life as opposed to service life. But fortunately a lot of my ex-service colleagues were there so we had friendships all the way through. It was, it was just like being back in the air force again. Yeah. And well that’s it really.
PL: What do you think the key differences are?
HL: Camaraderie. I think that is the big difference. You see you’re one big unit in the service and we’ve each just got one purpose in life and that’s to defend our country and we all work to that cause. Be it in peace time or war time. So you worked together. As a civilian in civvy life you were very much on your own. You made a few friends but never really had the same togetherness. That’s the big difference. To be quite honest of the two lives I would choose the service life all the time. And if there’s any of you listening in to this at the moment don’t have any worries about joining any of the services. You’ll find them wonderful. Go ahead and enjoy it all because that’s what life’s all about.
PL: That’s wonderful. And just, you mentioned your brother.
HL: Oh John. Yes.
PL: And he survived the war.
HL: He survived the war but he died before — he would have got that medal that I got from the French had he been alive. But he died and of course he didn’t. He wasn’t awarded it. Yeah. Yes.
PL: So going back to your, your tour over Germany with Bomber Command.
HL: In Germany.
PL: Yes.
HL: Yeah.
PL: You were saying you went over, after D-Day you were still —
HL: Oh yes. After D-Day I did. I did all thirty one trips. Eleven of which were in France. The rest were over Germany.
PL: Did you want to say anything else about those?
HL: Not particularly. No. Because there’s enough been said about it and I’d — no. No. No, the memories are such that I just want to keep these to myself.
PL: Of course. Of course. And so as we talked a little earlier what do you think about the way that Bomber Command has been treated over the years?
HL: Well, up until that rather drastic raid as it was called — was it Dresden? - we were all treated fine. But for some reason which escapes all of us because we only did what we were asked to do from that point onwards we seemed to get a name which we didn’t really deserve. And that hurt. Hurt terribly. I felt as if I was second class at one stage. Until it suddenly dawned on me it’s not really. It’s what I think personally that matters. Not what other people think. And I knew I did a good job. And that’s all that really matters. But we were treated shabbily. We waited all these years just to get the recognition of the, that Bomber Command clasp they made out. It should have been a medal. But every little helps. But for some reason the authorities decided no. Shame on them.
PL: Absolutely. Do you think that was a political decision?
HL: I think it must have been. Yes. I can’t think of any other reason. Yeah. And yet it was taken. I often wondered. Because Bomber Harris didn’t get all [unclear] at all. And whether there was some sort of a, [unclear] between them we’ll never know. I don’t know. But it was well known that they didn’t agree on many things. It could well be the cause.
PL: Well thank you so much Hugh. That’s been a fantastic story and is there anything else?
HL: I hope I haven’t bored you.
PL: Not at all. It’s been wonderful. Is there anything else at all that you would like to be recorded?
HL: I can’t really think of anything that’s of any particular interest to tell you about apart from what I’ve, what I’ve said.
PL: Well thank you very much indeed. Thank you.
HL: I could tell you, there’s one highlight strangely enough. Yes. After the war. I was at Cranwell at the time and the cadets there exchanged places with the cadets from the Air Force Academy in Colorado. And I was asked to go out there along with a few of our other lads and look after the cadets. And we had a wonderful two weeks in Colorado Springs. At the, at the American Air Academy. One of the highlights of being an air force during, after the war.
PL: Wonderful. Wonderful. And did you keep in touch with your comrades in the —
HL: Oh yes. I kept in touch with all of them until I think I’m last. The pilot, Doug just died last, January of this year. He was ninety nine.
PL: Goodness me.
HL: Yeah.
PL: Well, thank you very much again.
HL: My pleasure.
PL: Thank you.
[recording paused]
PL: So we’re resuming the interview and Hugh you were just telling me about the special ops that went over to India.
HL: Special Duties. Yeah.
PL: Special Duties. And what happened to the other crews that were staying there.
HL: Oh they stayed there until they finished their particular job but then they finished up flying troops. They didn’t come back to the UK until the war was finished.
PL: And so were they troops who’d been prisoners of war?
HL: No. Actual, our own military.
PL: Right. Right. Right.
HL: Yes. Yeah. That’s what it was.
PL: Thank you very much.
HL: A bus service. Not my cup of tea.
PL: Thank you.
Dublin Core
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ALorimerH160622
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Interview with Hugh Lorimer
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This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
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IBCC Digital Archive
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Sound
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eng
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00:40:56 audio recording
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Pam Locker
Date
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2016-06-22
Description
An account of the resource
Hugh Lorimer skipped school to see flying circus and won a flight in one of the aeroplanes. He later volunteered for the RAF and began training as a wireless operator. He was initially was posted to Special Duty Flight test flying in India. However, when their aircraft was written off they were posted back to the UK. He completed a tour of operations as a wireless operator with 10 Squadron.
Coverage
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Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
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France
Great Britain
India
North Africa
Asia--Mount Everest
England--Yorkshire
India--Mumbai
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Julie Williams
Carolyn Emery
Temporal Coverage
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1943
1944
10 Squadron
57 Squadron
aircrew
bombing
crash
crewing up
Halifax
Lancaster
Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944)
perception of bombing war
RAF Kinloss
RAF Melbourne
RAF Rufforth
RAF Scampton
training
wireless operator
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/223/3367/ACastletonGJ160719.1.mp3
2488179b194344b8120c1ea4daec0025
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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Castleton, Gerald John
Gerald John Castleton
Gerald J Castleton
Gerald Castleton
G J Castleton
G Castleton
Description
An account of the resource
One oral history interview with Gerald John Castleton (1605349 Royal Air Force).
Publisher
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IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-07-19
Rights
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This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
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Castleton, GJ
Transcribed audio recording
A resource consisting primarily of recorded human voice.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
PL: Ok. I’m in the home of, It’s Pam Locker and I’m in the home of Mr Gerald John Castleton of *** on the 19th of July 2016 and I’m interviewing Mr Castleton in his home so can I just start John by saying thank you very much indeed on behalf of the Bomber Command Memorial Trust for allowing us to interview you. And I guess I’ll start by saying do you want to just tell us a little about your, your family?
GJC: Yeah. My family?
PL: Yes.
GJC: Well, as the war started here in Southsea and the first bombing my mother and father went to live at Cosham. It was a bit safer. And I stayed in the house on my own. From then on I had different jobs. I did demolition. I did a training course in metal but I was naughty at the factory and I got instant dismissal with a friend and I won’t say why, you know but I really wanted to work for this firm that was putting up the chimneys, a hundred and, two hundred foot chimneys on the [electrolyte?] company with the furnaces and everything and I used to be up there and that was in the forties and sometimes the aircraft come around. We weren’t supposed to stay up there, you know. But from then on I went demolition and then I wanted this job at the labour exchange and they said you go so and so and I said, ‘I’m not going,’ you know. And they said, ‘You’ll get your calling up papers,’ you know. I was eighteen then and I ignored it. I got my job and the next morning, in forty eight hours I got my calling up papers from the labour exchange [laughs] and they sent me, sent me to the army recruitment office and I’d already, I’d tried before to join the air force but they told me to join the, you know, the cadets and get some in. Anyhow, I didn’t do that. Anyhow, when they sent me down to the army office I went into the air force and I didn’t know it then I suppose but they were getting short on men. They were taking the fitters and that, putting them into aircraft and as they couldn’t stand it so I joined. I waited a year to join. I joined on 20th, 20th of December and I went, I went to Oxford, you know [laughs]. Keble College. For forty eight hours, you know, doing basic maths and a little essay and I thought I’d passed and anyhow when I eventually goes in to the air force I was going in as a gunner/radio operator but I had an aptitude test for radio and they scrubbed that and they, I didn’t know then but I got made into an engineer’s course which was a direct, I was direct entry number six and from then on it was six, three, six - half a year in a classroom. We used to exam every week verbally of bits and pieces. The old aircraft and that. Yeah. And while I was in training I witnessed two Spits colliding one afternoon. It was a lovely sunny afternoon. One pancaked into the, into the station. The other went into a field at the back and then, but this is wartime, you know and so many things happened, you know. Anyhow, I did my six weeks, six months rather and we were saying so and so’s passed and someone says, ‘He’s been shot dead.’ And we said, ‘No. He can’t be,’ you know. You didn’t believe it. He’d only been in the classroom. But that’s what it was then. Anyhow, I got, I passed out. That’s the only time they gave me a decent uniform ‘cause I had second hand boots, tatty old trousers and a tunic which was near worn out so I sewed my new tapes on them and went down the road. I didn’t go a hundred yards, got ordered to go back and they dished me out with a new suit. You got a, you got sheets once you became aircrew. Before that you just had blankets. Yeah. And of course in training you were doing two guards a week. One station guard, one wing guard and a spell in the cook house peeling spuds. You know. It was a, and you used to get a ration of cigarettes in them days. Twenty five fags or something like that. ‘Cause your money was low wasn’t it, you know? I think it was about a guinea a week you know and I used to send five shillings home to my mum but had some good times there though. Anyhow, eventually I get sent to Rufforth. That’s outside York and there we crewed up. Must have done about ten hours training and the first time I went up I was as sick as a dog. I fell out the aircraft. I couldn’t stand. And I can remember the officer saying, ‘How long has he been like this?’ And I was sliding up and down inside. That was, that was terrible. Anyhow, they sent me to the doc and they gave me tablets and that cured me and I found after I’d been flying a fortnight like I could leave them off and I never got sick on an operation. It’s funny that, you know. And I went from Rufforth then we got posted to the squadron and that’s, they all decided I hadn’t had leave for, I had a week earlier in the year but I had nothing, you know and they said they got our crew together. We were on that night and I was, I protested, you know. I said, and I know it sounds corny but I did. I kicked up and I said, ‘I’d like to see my parents.’ I mean once ‘cause [there was those tales you were getting?] Anyhow, they, they scrubbed, the crew already had, they all went on leave and I was put with another crew and he wrote a book, “The Pilot Walks Home” ‘cause he got shot down the next trip but they all got out, you know. Yeah, but I went. It was the worst night of my life. I’d never kept a proper log, I did it all off the instruments, they couldn’t believe it when we landed. And I said you know I can do that lot and I can remember 6 o’clock in the morning walking down the road and getting a lift on a lorry full of old tires into York. Yeah. That was my first trip and I had my, my lonely er you got these leaves but when you got home everyone was working or, or your mates were in the services or something. [?] They were great days though when you look it and the life in York during while the bombing were, on the bombers. A girl gave me a theatre seat. I could always remember that. In the front row and I had too much to drink and fell over the wall, you know. But I did have an unusual thing. I went down and used to go to The Ouse Inn. It was a little pub down on the river and I used to come out of there, I used to get in a rowboat and have a row and I’m rowing this out but who should I see? My brother in law. He’s in the King’s Scots, King’s Scottish Borderers you know. The Cosby’s. Yeah. I won’t mention the girl. A nice girl. But then when after about, I did about five trips and the thing I remember mostly about them is Flamborough Head. You know coming over the, over the, just near Hull, Bridlington. Out over there and you could, in the distance you would see Flamborough Head and you’d see the Northern Lights. Lovely at night. I liked that. I found, strangely enough, on bombing raids you got the odd bump and that, you know, but I used to, you had, and in the Lancaster er Halifax you had to move back to the centre of the aircraft to change tanks and that and I used to sit there ready to change my tanks and it was a certain peace you know. It was really nice but but er then frightening things of searchlights. Yeah. But like I said I was lucky. I had a good life and I enjoyed that and the night I was shot down it was all over in seconds. We’d gone through a barrage and I was stood in position and I saw a little flame of light come through the wing and it, within minutes, seconds had shot back to the tail and the wing peeled off. All the top just peeled away and it’s, I didn’t see it then but I looked out the back and I saw this trace and I thought, ‘They’re not trying to shoot us from the ground are they?’ It wasn’t. It was a fighter wasn’t it? Tracing. He drove in. He hit us. Nobody was hit in it though. There was this, ripped up the floor a bit and he broke away over our port wing and the next thing I know is the skipper tells the mid upper because he’s only a kid really to look in the dark side. Don’t look at the fire. He said he was hot and he said don’t look at the fire. Turn to the dark side, you know and me he gave the order to release the locks. Well, when you think about it for no reason at all whatever went through his mind at the state of the aircraft he should have given the, I ponder with this now, he should have given a baling out ‘cause I never moved ‘cause he didn’t tell me to bail out. [I knew better to do that] and while I was struggling to get to the midships to get to the locks I looks around by that and then daylight inside the aircraft with the fire and I could see two of them baling out the nose and I thought [laughs] ‘Something’s not right here.’ Anyhow, straightaway I made my way. I picked my way, I picked up my chute, made my way to the front and there’s the bomb aimer standing there. He never had his chute on or nothing and I don’t know where, you don’t know what goes through men’s minds do you? They did nothing and they, they went so. Anyhow, I just jumped straight through and the wings then, I could always remember as a I come past the pilot I tapped him on the leg and the wings were coming up, engines still running flat out and we were going into a spin and that’s what made it difficult getting to the escape. Anyhow, I got through, fell back and oh that’s lovely. I can remember now how cool and suddenly I remembered I ought to pull my chute and it was clipped the wrong side. I went like that and there was nothing there. Luckily I just went like that and used the other hand and I opened it up and I looked around. I thought it’s totally black. I couldn’t see a fire anywhere. And suddenly I looked down like that and that was underneath me. I covered my face and as I covered my face there was an explosion and I landed on my back. And I stood up and I was embarrassed saying all this but I relive and relive that. I stood up. I cursed. I swore. Ridiculous really. Suddenly, I dropped on my knees.
[pause]
And I thought of my mother and father and I thought, ‘You sodded up their Christmas.’ [laughs] but the aircraft was in front of my a hundred and fifty yard away. The back end was still standing and there was one pile of, what’s that, I thought four were in it and I stood there while it burned and then I thought, then I turned around and I covered my chute up. I put it under some bushes and that and started walking in the night and it was like a heath. Mass of bushes and that sort of thing. Anyhow, I came to a road and I started off along the road and as I as I started along the road I looked up and I could only see shadows because there was no wind, no movement and I see a barn and I thought, ‘Well I’ll get my head down. Have a bit of rest.’ I got in this barn, found a sack and laid down with this sack and suddenly I heard a noise and I got up and I went towards the doors, big doors and looked out the crack and I could see three figures and, with a lamp coming towards the barn and you don’t know what, whether they’re guards and that and I think well there’s no good doing anything here. Anyhow, I’m not going anywhere with these flying boots. So I stood in front of the lights. They came up. Held my hands out like that. Stood in front of the light and they took me into the farm house. Well, evidently, well I think they were, they must have been because no German would be working on the farm the farmer and there was these two young blokes and they took me into the farmhouse. None of them spoke. I tried, said gendarmes and silly words like that and I got nothing out of them but you won’t believe this the one sat in the corner they were laughing and he played Tipperary on a mouth organ. It’s unbelievable isn’t it? Yeah. Anyway, they kept me there and then the Gestapo came. Two. And they called me English bastard. That’s the first. Women and children baby murderer. And I said some things. What about Pompey, you know. Anyhow, they takes me down the local, there’s a little wooden bench on a chain against the wall. That was for the night. The two, the navigator and the bomb aimer er the navigator and the wireless op were already there. They’d been taken so they must have come down near the aircraft and all but we had to stay there. Well we slept there and six in the morning we were taken outside and that’s was the only time I felt a little bit uneasy. It was a little stone courtyard, they stood us against a wall and said, explained to us we’re going, you’re going to go to the station, you are going to walk down the middle of the road, the guards will be either side. So the three of us had to walk down with the guards each side and when we got down there, there was another engineer been picked up. He’d been hit with a shovel though ‘cause you never know. You could understand them I suppose, it’s just your luck isn’t it. If you’re going to land somewhere where you’ve dropped bombs you’re going to get it in the neck aren’t you? But anyhow we waited for the, the train. We got on the train and we, ordinary train. We sat there. Two guards. They were drinking schnapps and carving up a loaf. Never spoke to us or nothing, you know. And they stayed like that and they took us all the way into Frankfurt. Frankfurt we went into the, into the cooler and all the Yanks, there was a load of Yanks with us, been shot down and they were all in their underwear ‘cause they used to take all their, they used to have all the flying kit you know. The old leather coats and that and the Germans used to have all that off them and they’d be standing there in those big electric boots that were no good for anything. Standing in them you know with no, in their underwear and the officer who was in charge of us we went on the tram and the tram someone wrote in the paper the other day about it. They remembered the tram. The tram to the, where we were locked up and the chap in charge of that turns out, he was a Nazi but he turned out to be from New York but Germans that worked overseas or anything like that if they went back to Germany or anything they automatically got snatched and put into uniform. Yeah. Yeah. Strange isn’t it? Anyhow, then I started my confined to, to my little wooden box.
PL: So where were you taken to, John?
GJC: Pardon?
PL: Where were you taken to?
GJC: Where er -
PL: Whereabouts were you taken to, when you became a prisoner of war?
GJC: Whereabouts I was?
PL: Where was the camp where you were taken to?
GJC: Er
PL: Was that near Frankfurt?
GJC: Er well no it must have been a couple of hours train ride to Frankfurt. I’ve got it on paper somewhere. What’s the name, but um you were taken up there anyhow and you spend, I spent from the 21st to New Year’s Eve in solitary.
PL: Good gracious.
GJC: I was taken out once and they asked me where I was from, where’s your identification and I said I’m wearing the King’s uniform and I left it at that and they put me back inside again. They all seemed rather nice [at times?] yeah. But there was a slice of bread. One guard used to unlock the door, the other’d throw a slice of black bread on the bed and you’d get a tin of, a cup of mint tea. Used to get that every day. Mint tea. And when we were at the end, New Year’s Eve, I can always remember it, we had salmon and potatoes. Tinned. Through the Red Cross. That seems so ridiculous doesn’t it? You know. Yeah. But one of the most unusual things that happened apart from the navigator saying he wanted to recommend, we should recommend Lou for a medal and they were the sort of things that always get up my back. I could never see the point. I know some people earn them, they do and that but when it goes to people I can’t understand it and I said, ‘What for?’ Well, to him maybe he saved his life but he also neglected Nobby I think. He should have given a bale out order.
PL: So was this -
GJC: We used to practice it.
PL: So is this the pilot -
GJC: Why didn’t he do it?
PL: So this was the pilot -
GJC: Yeah.
PL: And what, and his name was?
GJC: Cable.
PL: Cable.
GJC: His name, yeah. Lou. Really, a dour sort of bloke but the pair of them Lou and the navigator who I fell out with were always talking about what they were going to do together. Not, didn’t mix with the rest of the crew. No, we’re going to go on Mosquitos. We’re going to do this, we’re going to do that. To me that’s not done is it, you know. I took offence to it anyhow and as he carried it he carried it on. I went to meet him twice at Chichester where he lived and I, he spoke to me but it was hard for him I think. Anyhow, so really the whole crew bust up.
PL: So did you, did you all survive that crash? Did the crew, the whole crew survive it?
GJC: Did the crew survive?
PL: The crash. When you were, when you were shot -
GJC: No. No.
PL: Down? No.
GJC: No. Three died straight out didn’t they? The Germans told us that. Your crew. I thought four had gone but Roly had baled out from the turret, you know. That’s the rear gunner. He bailed out from the turret but Nobby, the skipper and the bomb aimer they died. Yeah. Killed on impact. That what they got it down as. But that night, New Year’s Eve, this is unbelievable. A naval officer, um a German officer came there to see a British navigator. Youngster he was. And it was his son. Now, and it came to the final end at the end of the war we were taking people in into the camp. His mother came there to be with her son. She knew her son was there and she came. Unbelievable isn’t it?
PL: So she [coughs] sorry, she was a German was she? His mother.
GJC: No. English.
PL: So how did it work that they were -
GJC: Well she’d married, I suppose she’d married the German, she’d had a baby but whether she’d had it in England or what but -
PL: Extraordinary.
GJC: He was, he was -
PL: So she was interned in the camp with her son?
GJC: Pardon?
PL: She was interned in the camp with her son?
GJC: No. She was, she was living a normal life I think. She was married to the German. She was living that life. It was only when things got rough and the Russians turned up she made her way into our camp. That’s only roughly I got it but it’s a story. I think it’s well known. Yeah. And one of the quietest mornings was when the camp, camp um ended. There wasn’t a German in sight. It was quiet and there was hundreds of horsemen. Come outside and there were Russians on horseback. Yeah. And they gave us a half a dozen tins of beans er sacks of beans and a cow. [laughs] Yeah. And when you see them on the move the one side of the road had horse and carts and the other side would be tanks and that. They were all moving. I had a good time the last two or three weeks when the Germans left, you know.
PL: So tell me about your life in the camp. What was it like being in the camp? How long were you there for?
GJC: Eighteen months. Oh, I had, I had appendicitis er made me way to sick quarters on my own. I was in agony. They left me on a stretcher for about six hours then eventually they took me outside to the [santenair?] or whatever they called it. It was wooden huts but they had double glazing, you know and two French doctors. And they said to me, ‘Oh young man.’ I got there and anyhow they sat me on a table in my shirt and I lay back and they, they gave me chloroform out of the bottle, you know, and operated on me and two or three of my mates or two or three mates was at the side watching, you know. Yeah, ‘cause if anything] the sanitation was vile inside the camp and even the hospital. There was only a pit and that was inside but I suppose you, it’s obvious. You’ve got to do something like that, isn’t it? They were pits. About forty seats. Yeah. Yeah.
PL: So how many of you were in the camp? Roughly.
GJC: This, in our camp? Must have been thousands. There was, there was six, what’s it say on there. One of them there is a, what’s the name of the camp there? Is it. That’s the documents when I was taken. That’s when I was taken prisoner. That one. And that, yeah that’s the camp. I was in these, I think. Opposite the, opposite the gate. Two hundred.
PL: You were in one of the long buildings.
GJC: Yeah. Yeah and the Russians, well, there was all sorts in them, you know. Yeah. They used to keep there, it was rumoured they used to keep their dead to have them counted ‘cause they get their rations that way. Quite a few were walking around. They let them out. I don’t know why. There was a load of French, Italian. Poor Italians. They used to give them the dog’s life ‘cause half were fighting for Germany weren’t they and half, half were Emmanual. Emmanual they used to say. When I had my operation the chap looking after me he was running around me all the time. An Italian. He must have been six foot two. He was enormous. I mean, the boys were always taking the mickey out of you if you had, it didn’t matter what happened like water up your bed and things like that. And he’d, I used to go, ‘Guido.’ He used to come running. Yeah. Had a little Italian in there with one arm. One arm, one leg. All on one side and they used to pick him up and lay him out on the grass. You know, they tried to get him going with a broom handle, with a broom like but - . I had another one there. Air force he was. He got shot getting through a window because our windows all they were with a bit of barbed wire over them. They were so big, the huts, two hundred people and that, you just used to cover them up in the winter with a bit of, with cardboard or something, you know. From the Red Cross boxes. Yeah. And he got, he got shot through the hip, I suppose it was and he lay in bed and he had his legs stretched. He had a bucket of sand to hold his legs down. Two of my mates were repatriated. Well they weren’t mates. They were army. They were captured on Leros and Ron, he got a paralysed arm and the other one, he had cancer and he died on the, on the Spanish border being repatriated. Yeah. Yes, hundreds of, in there. Not much said about the bombing is there?
PL: So what was life like in, in the camp, John?
GJC: What was what?
PL: What was life like in the camp? What did you do to pass the time?
GJC: Obviously we all went walking. Everybody walked. You were afraid to run [laughs] And there was one dumbbell. It was a hundred kilo I think it was. Old fashioned one, you know, with the big iron balls. And that used to, and you could walk around there and you could pick that up. I came home quite fit actually and about three weeks home and I was back to normal. Yeah. Yeah I had, I had a tan. I was, yeah that was, not all, some were morose. Stick in their bunks and they don’t seem all there. It’s strange, you know. I mean, I used to go out at the end of the war when the fighting and that, when the Russians first got there so for three weeks the war was still going I used to go around and there would be all sorts of things that would - I remember seeing an old boy lying in his great big house, like this, laying in the pathway in his long johns and a pair of boots on and he’s, he’d obviously been shot ‘cause he’s laid back there and someone stuffed a pillow over his head and his hands like that. I always remember it because his hands laid back like that and he had his pipe in his hand. You know. Yes. Strange. Yeah. Went to a farm one day. Tried milking a cow. That didn’t work. And there were Russians in this farm. A German was making boots, sewing boots. A really smart farm it was, the bedrooms and that and in, in the, what would be like the kitchen was a half a pig smoked, you know, hanging up. We was always looking for [laughs], we got more than we bargained for there. He cut a bit of the bacon off and tossed it and he gave us a big onion and that was the meal. And the Russky, he looked at us, we tried biting that, cried like and he picks the big onion up and he eats it. Yeah. Strange.
PL: So this was after you were liberated from the camp.
GJC: Yeah.
PL: Yeah.
GJC: Yeah.
PL: So what was -
GJC: Yeah.
PL: The food like in the camp? What did you get to eat?
GJC: What? After the camp?
PL: In the camp?
GJC: Mostly skilly.
PL: What’s skilly?
GJC: Well its dried veg, you know, chopped up like you get here. You get a mixed veg don’t you? But you used to have it there. It was like, dried and they’d, they’d you’d get it and you used to make your own trays cut up. You had, salmon was a common thing because it was always in the Red Cross. You might have to serve, share it between two [?] four of you trying, from the Red Cross. Whatever turned up? There might only be enough for, you wouldn’t get one for each of ourselves like. Yeah. But we, and oh and spuds. You got spuds every day. Maybe four with their skins. Yeah.
PL: And what about the Red Cross? How often did you get things from the Red Cross?
GJC: How what?
PL: How often did you get something from the Red Cross?
GJC: Oh.
PL: Or was it just random?
GJC: OH it could be three or four weeks or something like that and then it would be shared, you know. We used to look forwarded to the American really because the American they used to, whereas with our Red Cross they would stuff it up with paper you know to what’s that, the Americans would stuff cigarettes in, you know. And you could, it was and that was wealth in a, people sell their life for fags. I used to, I used to get twenty five fags. Half used to go on either jam or coffee. Somebody’s have coffee. I’d give them twenty five er twelve fags for it. They had a price, you know, so many. Even buy German bread with fags. Fags could buy anything. ‘Cause there was some Poles taken prisoner and the amount of stuff that was sent to them from South America that the Jewish side oh it was, and it all got through. It’s amazing.
PL: So what was the connection there?
GJC: Well it used to come through on the, on the rail and the Germans would never touch it. That’s, that’s was the worst thing a German could do was touch any of that. He’d be on the eastern front. Yeah.
PL: So, so the stuff that came from South America.
GJC: Yeah.
PL: That was collected by the Jewish community and sent to the Poles.
GJC: Yeah. Yeah.
PL: Gosh.
GJC: Yeah. Oh I had a pair of slippers. They turned up in Brighton after the war from South America. A pair of slippers. Funny isn’t it, you know? Strange. Yeah.
PL: So after you were liberated by the Russians from the camp tell me about your, your journey home
GJC: How many?
PL: Tell me about your journey home once you were liberated.
GJC: Well I didn’t. I stayed with Germans. [Kurt ?] he was a teacher. I stayed with him but that was before the end of the war and the Russians threatened anyone who was harbouring English. I don’t know why but any Englishmen living with the Germans was, they were threatened, you know but er yes. It was a bit mixed up then. I decided with my mate, he come from Manchester. What’s that? I thought of his name this morning and this guardsman we decided to move on from the – distrust the Russians. I got it down that they was going to take us down in the local, you know, the lockup. ‘No. Don’t bother. We’ll get back in.’ We got back through the fence to the camp and the next day we walked out the main gate and they never did nothing. There was three of us and we walked through an old, an airfield with real old aircraft. Russian, you know. Stringbags and that. And anyhow we must have walked twelve kilometres I suppose and we come to this village or town and there’s like the square and in the square is a table and four chairs and a Russian girl in red shoes and a tommy gun and invites us to sit down. This table got Stalin’s photograph on it, you know. This is out in the street. There’s nobody around, you know. Strange. And while we’re sitting there they must have been Poles come along, three or four, in civvies like, started chatting her and the chap, the sergeant who was with us he understood them and he said, They’re getting ready to send us back to the camp. They’re going to send us back to the camp,’ and we thought, ‘Oh my,’ you know. And at the same time a jeep. You can’t [laughs] this all sounds so, it’s not real is it. A jeep comes to the side turning. There’s an American officer and a sergeant in it and he sort of slows up and the sergeant yells to them and he says, ‘Runs for it.’ And I always remember that. We run. She could have mowed us down I thought but anyhow we all run for the jeep. We all, we got on it and the officer said to the sergeant, ‘Get out of the, get out of here.’ The square. So he dives out the square and we was trying to get over the river. He said they’d had enough. The Russians keep trying to take their jeep. Course the Americans had not advanced that way, they’d only advanced up to the river and we were still in Russian territory. So, anyhow, we’re tearing up this road and we thinks there’s a bridge over the river, over the Elbe and of course when you think about it there are no bridges. It’s obvious isn’t it but you can’t see that running up this road to you know you can see the bridge. It ends a bit. And as we’re doing it somebody there starts yelling at us from the from the bank and then we realised we had to turn around, come back and went off along the grass and we came to a bailey bridge with the Russians guarding one side and the Yanks the other side. So we sat out there real what’s the name and saluted and drove over the bridge and the Russians did nothing, you know. Drove over the bridge. Stopped the other side [and they all] all started all excited we was and we all had a wee wee. I can always -
PL: In celebration.
GJC: And then we got back on the jeep again and we set out and I can never think of the place we went to. It’s an airfield they’d taken. The yanks. Anyhow, we got on the jeep and the jeep, the back of the jeep was full of K rations. You know. Up to your knees in them.
PL: K rations?
GJC: You know. There was chocolates.
PL: Oh.
GJC: Everything and anyhow, we spent two hours on the autobahn and we ended up at this airfield and the first thing we get is dry cleaners with negroes. ‘Cause they never carried guns did they? They had all the menial jobs didn’t they? A lot of the negroes. Anyway, dry cleaners like the one at home. Big drier and that so takes all our clothes off and we’re sitting on the lawn with a blanket around us and as all our clothes dry cleaned and then I think we had egg and bacon. Something like that. Followed by whatsitsname and they said, ‘Go in.’ And we went in their, where the stores are, you know, like for razor blades. Everything in this place. [?] or something they calls it and we goes in there and you had to laugh ‘cause we [?] the bottom of our trousers up running [nickerless?] in the stuff ‘cause never had any of it. And we had underwear, toothbrush was there, everything. Everything you wanted and they’d been there four days and they had a film. They fixed up a cinema and I saw the er Charles Laughton in, ‘The Suspect.’ I think it was. Yeah. Yeah. And then, then you decided you had to go home like and there were Dakotas everywhere. Dozens of them. And they’d say, ‘Where are you going?’ ‘New York.’ ‘Over there.’ ‘Where?’ ‘Australia.’ ‘No. Australia you have to go to London.’ So and so and anyhow we got booked for Brussels and they, everyone had loads of loot. One bloke came out with a Volkswagen. He was a NAAFI type he was and he had this Volkswagen full up with towels. All sorts of stuff and he was thrown it away. I picked up a couple of pieces and we got on the aircraft and they said you can take what you like but no guns. You know. So that was fair enough. I had a badge. I sold it. I think I got forty pounds for it. We went on holiday once and it paid for a holiday.
PL: What was the badge?
GJC: Yeah. When we got to Brussels the [?] gave us the blow, blowed up your trouser leg, you know. Delousing. Then they gave you a fiver. Well, by the time I bought Hazel some scent I didn’t have nothing left, you know. The fiver went on that. We stayed the night in Brussels. Then we flew back with a Lancaster to what is now I suppose the main airfield now isn’t it? Yeah. And from then on to the Midlands. Get kitted out with the uniform and, yeah. One thing that stands out in my memory too is when they shot the air force officers. They got caught escaping didn’t they? There was ten of them or eight of them. They shot them and they issued, we had to stand still and they gave the order that escape is not a game and this is the result, more or less, you know. I had one or two, had six killed, I think, outside the camp during a strafing. There was aircraft everywhere at the end of the, the war. A Thunderbolt gave us a low level view attacking a train alongside the camp and you could see the pilots and the boys all stood out there. Yeah. And then they strafed each side of the camp and they killed six. That was a mistake. Even if they saw a cow they had nothing to, nothing to fire at, you know, at the end. That’s what it was. And the sad one is that we had, one of the air force chaps used to hide every time we had a parade mornings he would hide. He wouldn’t, he wouldn’t show up for a parade and things like that. And one morning we heard bang bang and when we got outside he was against the fence. They’d shot him. Yeah. Yeah.
PL: Why did he hide?
GJC: Pardon?
PL: Why did he hide?
GJC: I think there’s some people are a little around the twist aren’t they? That’s the trouble everybody. When I was in training one, you can’t say whether it was suicide or not but he walked around and walked into the propeller. In training that was. You know like the classroom. See, you can’t, you can’t tell really. You get some cranky. That’s the way it is isn’t it? Like there was a, this is a name I don’t know whether they was [?] he was a smashing looking bloke, you know. Curly hair and they made shoes for him. Two piece suit you know and he was forever dressed up like it and it’s one of those things I suppose. There was a Frenchman used to dance on the stage but he should have been a ballerina like, you know. Took all sorts. You didn’t have [a sexuality?] I don’t think people, didn’t take a lot of notice of it then. You can’t understand it.
PL: So was it something that you were aware of but everyone was just tolerant -
GJC: Yeah.
PL: Of it.
GJC: Yeah. If you see a couple of sergeants walking around hand in hand no you wouldn’t just, didn’t enter your, didn’t enter your head. No. It’s, it’s mind you see the camp I was in is equivalent to a large city. There were hundreds there. All Russians were Joes ‘cause of Joseph Stalin. Joe. I had one as a pal the whole time I was in there. He’d been wounded sometime. Used to limp a bit. And one of my mates was blonde and I named him the blonde bastard and the Russian used to, he learned that and he come out with it but he was there all the time. I often wonder what happened to him. Course they were so primitive and yet there used to be one Russian used to come around singing opera. Come in mealtimes and they, the thing is they used to abuse him but that’s the way it was. They all appreciated it really but it was easier to have a go at him like, you know.
PL: So how, how were they primitive? How were the Russians primitive?
GJC: Well, I suppose, well they come from all, lots of them came from the Far East. Most of them they weren’t like you see now. A lot of them came from the Far East, you know. That sort of, well I suppose that’s all they could. They didn’t appreciate anything when they got it. Put it that way. You gave them a big house, they’d be in there and they’d be wrecking it, you know. Fowling it up and then you’d see them and then you’d come across, like I did, one officer. He was driving a Churchill tank or whatever it was, a British tank, and he had black leathers on. Immaculate. You know. He was totally different. Yeah. Yeah.
PL: So when you got back. You got to Brussels and then how did you get back home from Brussels?
GJC: Lancaster.
PL: Right.
GJC: Yeah. Lancaster, we flew in. Landed at um, well it was, what’s the big one now? Terrible isn’t it this is? Where you all go on holiday from now.
PL: In the south? Down south.
GJC: Well it’s quite close to London isn’t it? I can’t think of the name.
PL: Not to worry. So you got to, so did you then -
GJC: Oh Heathrow. It wasn’t Heathrow. No it was the other one. Gatwick.
PL: Gatwick.
GJC: That’s it. I reckon it must have been Gatwick. You know ‘cause it wouldn’t, that’s what seventy years ago wasn’t it?
PL: So when you, when you got back to England were you then given some leave and time to go and see your family? What happened to you then when you got back?
GJC: They took me to the Midlands. Kitted me out. And I can remember having a [payraid?] getting about a hundred and fifty. [laughs] Yeah. Because course you got paid, got promoted at all didn’t you? ‘Cause that’s, when I look back on it, I think that’s one of the shames. The Yanks all get together but I couldn’t eat with my, with my navigator and bomb aimer. Seems ridiculous doesn’t it? Yes.
PL: So why, why was that?
GJC: Well there’s, they had an officer’s mess and a sergeant’s mess and they were sacred years ago weren’t they? But we used to end up to be together be in the ordinary, ordinary room, you know. Yeah. But people used to disappear so quick. I remember the Canadian. He was just behind me in the hut. There would only be five of us in the hut and he was there and I’d never spoken to him really and then suddenly he’s not there. Course they whip in, they take all his belongings and that. Done within seconds you know. ‘Cause that was the first one I flew with.
PL: So what happened to him?
GJC: Pardon?
PL: What happened to him?
GJC: Got shot down and luckily I met him again. Well I see him in prison camp, Frankfurt and he was covered in fleas. He had fleas all over him ‘cause they weren’t very, not very clean really. I mean I never see a wash or anything.
PL: But the Canadian who was in the bed near you that disappeared in the camp. Why did he disappear? What happened to him? Do you know?
GJC: Shot down.
PL: He was shot.
GJC: Yes. Shot down.
PL: But why?
GJC: I don’t know. Crew. There was [Fewson?] I always remember him. Straight, straight to the squadron. His first posting and he’s making the, making his bed and we said to him you’re not, ‘What are making that for?’ He said, ‘I’m going to sleep in it.’ ‘You’re going to be lucky.’ He got shot down but they all lived. All that set of crew. Seven of them. Yeah. Some, you laughed at some, some was serious. My skipper wouldn’t. He, he was dour I suppose, some would say. He got drunk once and we carried him back to camp and when we got through the gate he stood up and he says, ‘Thanks fellas.’ So, another night he came and he fell in a ditch and we left him there thinking like, he’d come around [laughs] and get back to camp. Lou aint coming. Went back and still in the ditch. Hilarious. Yeah.
PL: So what were you doing when the war came to an end?
GJC: When the war came to an end.
PL: Yes.
GJC: Well VE night was absolutely terrifying. The Russians was firing everything. We went to a wood yard and got in between the timber and stayed there because it was, it was horrendous. Yes. And then after that everything sort of, the war ended. That’s, it was getting out then, that was when I took out the old, strange. Yes. Oh, I did, flying back with the Yanks with the, in the Dakota he took us along Happy Valley and he showed us Kassel. Whereas, I did two raids on Kassel and the second raid wiped it out and we flew over it, he flew over it to show us and there was absolutely nothing. Yeah. Course it’s going to be a lot harder the next one isn’t it? You wonder what’s coming.
PL: So –
GJC: It’s the human race though. All through history. That’s all man ever done. Destroy himself.
PL: So after the war -
GJC: Pardon?
PL: After the war how did you feel Bomber Command were treated? Do you have a view on that?
GJC: Yeah. Well I’m a, I’m a [?] person. I couldn’t care less but [pause] unbelievable. Even Churchill turned on it didn’t he? If you do something you, you do it. Do it and you accept it. You can’t apologise for sixty thousand dead can you? And not, and not respect them. That’s like me. I joined Brexit. I can’t understand anyone wanting to go to Europe. Give up their, their sovereignty. For the life of me I can’t. Even if you go to the bottom you can always make your way up again but I think they were a nasty shower weren’t they?
[Pause]
PL: Well -
GJC: You don’t ever get over it I suppose. I’ll never get over it. What the Germans said to me. ‘English bastard.’ But I treated it as a compliment. English I am. And the other bit. Well that’s a matter of opinion isn’t it? Yeah.
PL: Well John. It’s been a fascinating interview. Thank you very much indeed. Is there anything you wanted to add before we finish?
GJC: I mean you’re a bit faint.
PL: Sorry. John, I was just saying thank you for a fascinating interview.
GJC: Oh that’s alright. Thank you.
PL: And is there anything else that you would like to add at all?
GJC: Well Stoney Cross is a little story. Stoney Cross. I worked there as a labourer. That’s Beaulieu. Worked there as a labourer, airfield. We had an up and downer with a foreman and he was a whatsthename. Nobody on, on the firm would work with me so, and I knew I was going in the air force mind you but I used to go in every day. Catch the bus. Used to go across to Southampton each day and I used to go dressed and I eventually I had to leave and go in the air force and now we go back after the, after the war. I’m, went to Bournemouth for the day with my brother in law and we pulled up in the forest and I looked at it and I thought I remember this. The airfield’s gone. There’s still bits there. I remembers this. This is Stoney Cross but the bit that I remember mostly is nineteen forty something after the war when I was at Manby because there used to be a pilot and navigator and engineer on your own most of the time. Sometimes you’d take a wireless op. You flew down to Stoney Cross. What for? Three Christmas trees. We cut them down. One for me, one for the sergeant’s mess and one for the officer’s mess. And we put them in the bomb bays, had dinner and then flew back. Who’s done their Christmas shopping with a Lancaster? We once took some of the boys home from Manby. Got rid of it from Manby. We took them home to Newcastle. We charged them half a crown and that was given to, went into the charity you know. Half a crown. And a mate of mine lived in Ireland and as he was on holiday we flew him to Speke. They’d go mad wouldn’t they? Wouldn’t the Daily Mirror have loved that sort of story wouldn’t it? Yeah.
PL: Well that seems like a wonderful story to -
GJC: Yeah.
PL: End on. If you’re happy with that.
GJC: Yeah it was a laugh. I flew the, my Halifaxes at the end of the war. I flew from Rutland. I flew the last bomb, horses. Two hundred and forty drops in a night. Two of you, that’s all. Loosed a rope. Yeah. That was the last of the [horses?] that was. Then we flew them for break up flew them down to Lasham. Lasham. The Spanish had the last of our Lancasters didn’t they? The latest ones. The Mark 6s. They went to the Spanish air force. Yeah. Oh well.
PL: Well, John, thank you very much indeed.
GJC: Yeah.
PL: Thank you.
GJC: Yeah.
PL: Restarting interview with John Castleton.
GJC: Yeah.
PL: So John you were just about to tell -
GJC: I think that was -
PL: Us about the bombing.
GJC: In Mannheim. Two thousand pounder and they -
PL: And that was the first -
GJC: Seemed to go straight down [but as far as we knew?] really isn’t it? That and leaflets. Leaflets. Them leaflets there. Hang on. Yeah that’s it. Adolf and that’s a Jerry in there. Whatsisname, yeah. I keeps that because I think my mother must have [?]
PL: Goodness.
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ACastletonGJ160719
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Interview with Gerald John Castleton
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Sound
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eng
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01:28:26 audio recording
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Pending review
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Pam Locker
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2016-07-19
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Gerald John Castleton was born in Southsea. He worked in demolition until he joined the Royal Air Force. He flew operations as a flight engineer but was shot down and became a prisoner of war.
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Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
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Great Britain
England--Yorkshire
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Julie Williams
76 Squadron
aircrew
bale out
crash
Dulag Luft
flight engineer
prisoner of war
RAF Rufforth
RAF Stoney Cross
searchlight
shot down
Spitfire
training
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/2256/40605/PFeltonM2201.1.jpg
897c45b883850d8a0b5e5c3ae1fba82a
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/2256/40605/AFeltonM221114.2.mp3
0914d71570380c64e084251661234a6e
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Felton, Monty
M Felton
Description
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An oral history interview with Flight Lieutenant Monty Felton DFC. He flew operations as a navigator with 10 Squadron.
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2022-11-14
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This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
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Felton, M
Transcribed audio recording
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Transcription
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NM: So, today is the 14th of November. I’m with Monty Felton, DFC in his home in North London. My name is Nigel Moore and I’m going to ask Monty about his service with Bomber Command. So, Monty can you start at the beginning and can you start to tell me when and where you were born and about your childhood and growing up?
MF: I was born on the 6th of November 1923. In fact, it was my ninety ninth birthday on Sunday before last. When I was, I was born in Middlesex Hospital. Not Central Middlesex but Middlesex Hospital which was off Oxford Street in London and as I understand it Winston Churchill was born in the same place. Not that that makes me any more famous but there we are. When I was a young baby we moved to Thornton Heath which is a suburb of Croydon and we lived over the tailor’s shop which my dad had opened. We lived in very modest accommodation. It was an old property. We didn’t have a bathroom and to go to the lavatory one had to go around the back. So as you can see my background was not exactly very exotic. Nevertheless, we coped. I can’t ever remember being short of a meal and I was well looked after. We lived there, I went to school just up the road and then I got a scholarship to Selhurst Grammar School which was in West Croydon. Not too far. When I was at school at Selhurst Grammar this was a fee paying school but they took in scholarship boys and I was one of them. If we go through now to the beginning of the war Selhurst Grammar were evacuated to I suppose what was thought to be a safer area but in fact it was Brighton and Hove which I would have thought was even more vulnerable. We went there in the very first day or two of the war and I went to I think it was Brighton and Hove Grammar School. We shared. They went in the morning, we went in the afternoon or vice versa and I took my what was then matriculation exams which is really the equivalent of today’s GCSE. And having taken the exams I got home and I suppose I must have got home around about March April 1940. I then got a job with a firm of chartered accountants in Doctor’s Commons which was a small turning near the Bank of England and was occupied very largely by firms of solicitors and accountants. Doctor’s Commons doesn’t exist anymore but it does get mentioned two or three times by Dickens in “David Copperfield” and in “Pickwick Papers”. I’m a very keen reader of classics. Particularly Charles Dickens. Where are we now? I got this job at accountants and after being there for a very short time I became articled. That means that you had to serve five years articles because there was no other way that you yourself could sit the exams and become a chartered accountant. The procedure in those days was the firm to whom you were articled charged a premium which was normally about two hundred and fifty guineas. Lord knows what’s the equivalent of that today but it’s a large sum of money. My dad didn’t have two hundred and fifty guineas and as I’ve said before I doubt if he had two hundred and fifty buttons. But the arrangement was made that I would pay off this money over the very small salary that I would earn over the five year period. In fact, it didn’t really happen because after about eighteen months I then joined the RAF and my articles ran on and indeed expired before I left the RAF. So we got a bit of a [laughs] a bit of a bargain in that respect. It’s strange because if somebody starts to work for a firm of chartered accountants today they get a decent salary and they receive tuition. When I joined this firm I remember the man I was articled to was named Horace Brett and he never spent one moment teaching me anything. In the firm there was a chap working there who was two or three years older than me and he was flying about in the room and he was going to become an RAF ace and was very sure of himself. He went off to have an interview. I think in those days the interviews were in I think it was Bush House in Aldwych. He had this interview full of confidence and they turned him down. So either he suggested or I got the bright idea that I’d go for an interview entirely confident that if they’d turned him down they certainly wouldn’t accept me but for some peculiar reason they did. So I continued working for a while and then I was sent off for my medical. I think I went to Catterick and it was a very detailed medical and I again I thought well I’ve never been anywhere, I’ve lived a very protected life and I thought they won’t accept me. I’m not the right material. I’m not a big strong fella. But they did accept me. So after the medical I was then called up and I went for the first two weeks of my RAF career if I can call it such. I went to Lord’s Cricket Ground to be kitted up and then I stayed in a block of flats in Prince Albert Road called Viceroy Court which was a rather swish block of flats but not when we of the RAF went there because they stripped out everything of any value including the carpets. The whole lot. And we slept in not double bunks but three in a bunk. We stayed there for a couple of weeks. We had some corporal chap busying us about but we did learn cleanliness. Not personal cleanliness but cleanliness of keeping the room. If he found a speck of dust we were in trouble. We had our night vision test in the next door block of flats called Bentinck Court, I imagine they both blocks are still there and I think there were sixteen images flashed on to a screen. We sat in a dark room and you had to identify them. They were things like a Maltese Cross, a silhouette of an aeroplane, that sort of thing. I think the pass mark was twelve. I scored eight and I think they, they decided I’d have to sit the exam again which I did and the second time I scored seven but it made not the slightest difference. Everything proceeded as if I was an ex, absolute expert. From the flats in Prince Albert Road let me think. I was then sent to ITW, Initial Training Wing in Torquay and we stayed in the Grand Hotel which was near the station but again it was a posh hotel but was stripped out of anything that mattered. And I think we were in ITW for about three or four months. I can’t remember. And the purpose of ITW was number one to teach us the principles of navigation and secondly to get us really fit. All the time I’m believing that I will never get anywhere near an aeroplane. I won’t go into the detail of navigation because people will already know but in essence if you’re flying an aeroplane the wind direction and the speed of the wind carries the aeroplane in the same way as a tide carries a boat and therefore the navigator has to work out what the pilot should be flying. What track he should be flying so that taking in to account the wind he got correctly from A to B. So we used to sit at ITW in what was really a school room and learn on pencil and paper the calculations and the principles of navigation. We also were made fit. We marched at a very much quicker pace than normal. We went for runs and after a run we ended up in the sea and we were really put through it. So that by the time we completed ITW we were in really good shape and as I’ve mentioned so often from that moment onwards we didn’t have any need to have physical exercise and by the time we got to a bomber squadron our condition was probably infinitely worse than before we ever started. I suppose this is typical of the RAF. When I finished at ITW I was then posted to a airfield at Bishops Court, Northern Ireland which was, I don’t know, eight or ten miles or so from Belfast. It was strange because most chaps, pilots and navigators were sent for training either to Canada or to what was then southern Rhodesia. For some reason or another they sent me and I’m not sure, it might have been one other chap they sent me to Northern Ireland. The result of which of course I finished my training appreciably quicker than those who had gone abroad. At Bishops Court we flew Ansons. Comparatively small two engined aircraft. I’d never flown in an aeroplane before. On my first flight I sat in my navigator’s position and was promptly sick which wasn’t exactly very distinguishing. We flew about a hundred hours or so, part day and part night in Northern Ireland. And I don’t know if it’s really of any interest but on our day off we used to go into Belfast and we used to feed ourselves at a store there which was called I think Robinson Cleaver but I’m not certain. What I do know is we used to go there for lunch and have turkey with all the trimmings and then we went back at the end of the day for supper and had chicken and chips. Northern Ireland went all well at Bishops Court and at the end of the course I passed and became a navigator and instead of being an AC2, Aircraftsman Second Class which was known as the lowest form of animal life I then became a sergeant. Every, not just me, everybody who passed became a sergeant. Interestingly enough when I’d finished they marked my logbook, ‘A well above navigator.’ And in retrospect because navigators were much fewer than pilots everybody who entered the RAF wanted to be a pilot. Many navigators were blokes that didn’t pass as pilots but that didn’t happen to me. So I was a well above average navigator which in retrospect I rather suspect that many others were also well above average navigators. But I was then sergeant. Can I break for a moment?
NM: Of course you may.
MF: I’ll get myself a drink of water.
NM: Of course. No problem at all. You’re doing really well.
[recording paused]
MF: Right. Right. I left Bishops Court and I was posted to an airfield in, at Kinloss in Scotland and there we continued our training on Whitleys which were again old two engine aircraft. They were known as flying coffins because that was the something resembling the shape of the fuselage. We flew again day and night. It was a little more dicey because Scotland’s got a lot of mountains. So hopefully we got through alright. One of the experiences I had at Kinloss is we went in to, I say we, individually went into a room which was a simulation of flying a trip. You sat at a desk. You had all the navigation equipment. You were given a target. There was a noise as if the engines of an aeroplane were working and it was hard work because the only difference from normal is the clock went at twice the speed. So you had to do your best to get cracking. That takes into account Kinloss. From Kinloss I was posted I think to Rufforth in Yorkshire where we were introduced for the first time ever to the Halifax four engined bomber. As I’ve said so often we of the Halifax people have always been a bit cross that the Lancaster is the beginning and the end of everything. The Lancaster. The Halifax was the poor relation. Exactly the same as in Fighter Command. You ask fifty people what aircraft flew in Fighter Command forty nine would say the Spitfire. With a bit of luck one might say the Hurricane and the Hurricane did exactly the same job. At Rufforth we started flying with the Halifax and one of the things that happened was our pilot and the crew went on circuits and bumps. What that was is you flew in, you took off, flew in a wide circle around the airfield, came in to land, bumped the wheels on the runway and then took off again and did this circle trip perhaps three or four times. I, of course, you didn’t need a navigator just to circle the airfield, albeit a wide circle and I never believed in flying if I didn’t need to so I used to stop at home. Stop in the airfield and if it was night I would go to bed. After training at Rufford, Rufforth I think the airfield was called we were then posted to Melbourne which was Number 10. Number 10 Squadron. Melbourne being a little village about eight or ten miles from York. The first thing that happened is you had to build a crew. This meant that for the first time ever because so far I’d only mixed with navigators, for the first time we were in rooms where we met pilots and engineers and wireless operators and bomb aimers. The whole thing. And the plan was that you would see people that you thought that you might like and somebody might like you and you’d get together and before you’ve finished you’ve got a crew. I remember I saw a young chap who was a pilot and I thought well he looks reasonably decent. I said, ‘Have you got a navigator?’ He said, ‘No.’ ‘Right.’ We were together. I think it might have been the next day but I’m not sure whether it was any longer I was called into perhaps the adjutants office or somebody’s office and told that I was flying in the crew of George Dark who was the pilot. I didn’t have any choice. What happened was they built a, in all modestly say a rather special crew. George Dark was a man of about thirty three. A very experienced aviator. Had never been on ops but had been a, had been an instructor and he knew how to fly. My mid-upper gunner and my wireless operator were both starting their second tour. My bomb aimer was a highly educated man from I believe Czechoslovakia. A bit older than me. Perhaps four or five years older. Spoke the most beautiful elegant English. A bit snooty because we were all a bit below his level. My rear gunner trained in Canada and he really became top of his class because he was given a commission straightaway as soon as he’d finished training. He, his name was Eric Barnard. He was my best friend and we remained friends until he died which was perhaps five or six years ago. In fact, he was, when he was I think eighty eight and a half he remarried having been on his own for many years. He remarried and at eighty I was his best man. I don’t suppose that happens all that often. Where are we now? We started off at Melbourne and our first outing was what was called a bullseye and that was a flight as if we were going on a raid. We entered into Germany but then we turned back and came home. The idea being that we would be ahead of the main stream and it was thought we might mislead the Germans as to where the target really was. The main problem a navigator had was the direction of the wind and the speed of the wind because if there was no wind there would be no need for a navigator because you would just, the pilot would just fly where he had to go and that would be the end of it. The, the briefing we had before an operation included the Met, the Met people and they would give us a forecast of what the windspeed and direction would be at varying, varying heights up to the time of the target. So if you were flying to Hanover you would be told what the windspeed and direction was going up to say twenty thousand feet. Now, invariably our first turning point from York was Reading and we flew at say two thousand feet to Reading. It didn’t often happen but very occasionally the forecast wind for Melbourne to Reading wasn’t right so we’d then would wonder what it was going to be like at thirty thousand feet but we struggled. We got there, thank the lord and moreso we got back. With George we did a total of twenty one trips. Everything went pretty well. The only trouble was that after several trips George began to get trouble with his throat and a result of that is sometimes when we ought to have been on a raid we weren’t because he wasn’t fit and it got to the stage sometimes that if we weren’t on a raid other crews would all say, ‘Well, George Dark’s crew are not on. It must be an easy target tonight.’ Eventually after we did twenty one trips George couldn’t continue. So I had to find another pilot. Strangely enough I was on leave and I travelled back on the train from Euston to York and I met a bloke whose name, whose surname was Wood and he was a pilot and wanted a navigator. Thank you very much. I thought that the next day when we got to Melbourne we would have a trip or two for the next two or three days to get used to each other. It didn’t happen like that. The next night we were on ops. With George although the discipline in the air was very strict obviously we still spoke to each other in a friendly way. For example, if I saw the pilot was off course by five degrees I’d say, ‘George, you’re off course. Get back on.’ And if I wanted although it was unusual to speak to my friend Eric who was in the rear bubble, in the rear turret I’d say, ‘Eric, how are you doing?’ ‘Fine.’ With Flight Lieutenant Wood he was a very serious man and believed in following the rules exactly. The result of that was that when I flew with Flight Lieutenant Wood if I wanted him I’d say, ‘Pilot to navigator.’ I beg your pardon. I would say, ‘Navigator to pilot.’ And if he wanted me he would say, ‘Pilot to navigator.’ It was very formal. I keep referring him, referring to him as Flight Lieutenant Wood because although I flew with him on eleven operations I never knew his first name. Very odd. Very odd. Anyway, we finished our tour of thirty two trips and as I’ve said so often by the grace of God I did the tour and never got so much as a scratch.
NM: I think that’s a very compelling story but can I take you back a little bit?
MF: Please.
NM: You obviously became a navigator very very early in your RAF career. How come you got identified as a navigator quite so early as the ITW?
MF: Yeah.
NM: Were you, did you volunteer to be a navigator and say that’s what you wanted or were you selected as a navigator? How, how did you get to be navigator?
MF: Well, it’s only that when I was accepted as a member, as a prospective member of aircrew I chose to be a navigator simply because I thought I’d never be a pilot. I mean I couldn’t drive a car, I only used a bicycle and I was very good at maths at school. So I thought a navigator would be the right position for me although in truth you didn’t need any maths at all to be a navigator because it was all calculation and when you were actually flying a bomber you had navigation aids. You had, the most useful tool was called Gee which was a cathode, a cathode ray tube. A round tube where you would get two signals and if you plotted the signals on your map where the signals crossed was where you were. The only trouble was that the Germans used to send up what was called Grass which was like blades of grass covering the lines on the cathode ray tubes so eventually the Grass was such that you couldn’t pick up the signal and then we got the system where we changed the cathode ray tube, the cathode ray tube into another one and it was sort of all cat and mouse but as I said we got there and we got back.
NM: So what was the dates of your tour? When did you start your first operation through to your thirty second.
MF: Now, this is difficult because I’m not, I’m very good at remembering but I’m not all that terribly good on dates. Let me think [pause] I think I finished the tour shortly after D-Day.
NM: So the summer of ’44.
MF: Yes. Maybe a bit later than that. Because of George’s throat trouble we were on the squadron a lot longer than most crews because most crews who were successful in completing the tour took perhaps four or five months at the most and I think we were on the squadron for probably seven months at least.
NM: Ok. So you started late ’43 then. Your, your tour.
MF: Something like that. As I say it’s difficult to remember dates. I’m good at events but not on dates.
NM: So thirty two operations. You must, were any of those stand out operations? What were your targets and what were the, any particular incidents —
MF: Yes.
NM: You can remember?
MF: Yeah. One of the areas that we went to a few times was the Ruhr. The Ruhr was the heavy industrial area of Germany and there were lots of raids on the Ruhr. I think I went twice to Essen and once to Duisburg and once to Bochum and I also went once to Dortmund. And as I’ve mentioned previously my son who is a very keen Tottenham Hotspur supporter his team some several months ago played the Dortmund team in Germany and he went with a group of people and I think stayed a night or two. Now, I remember saying to him, ‘If you get chatting with any of the locals don’t tell them your dad visited here many many years ago.’ Apart from the Ruhr incidentally going off at a tangent there was a chap, I hope Neil it wasn’t you, I don’t think it would have been. There was a chap appeared on the tv programme “Mastermind” and his specialist subject on which he was answering, answering questions was Bomber Command and he was very very knowledgeable and the questions that he was asked I didn’t know the answers to. But there was one question that he was asked that he didn’t know the answer and I did and that is, ‘What was the name given to the Ruhr area where many raids took place.’ The answer is it was known as Happy Valley. He didn’t know this. Another incident of some concern is that at one time we went on a afternoon raid. We didn’t do many, many daylights but we went on an afternoon raid to somewhere or other, I can’t remember where and when we turned to come home we were told that our airfield at Melbourne was fog bound and we were diverted to an American airfield in Knettishall which was in Suffolk. They flew flying fortresses and they’d never had an RAF bomber there before and they were really very generous to us. They made a fuss of us. I smoked in those days and I had an American navigator attached himself to me and I said, ‘Could you get me a pack of twenty fags?’ Off he went to the PX and came back with a carton of two hundred. Life was very different there. We stayed I think for two nights. The reason was that the Halifax had Bristol Hercules engines and one of our engines engines sounded a bit dodgy so we had to wait for an engineer to come and put it right. For breakfast for example we would have scrambled eggs. Real eggs not the powdered stuff of those days. Scrambled eggs. As much as you liked. Maple syrup. It was all very very nice. In the evening they had a dance there. They had, I think they were called, “String of Pearls Orchestra,” who played all the Glenn Miller stuff and they imported a coach load of young ladies up from London for dancing partners for the American aircrew. But it was very proper because the girls were very clearly escorted and looked after. That was Knettishall. The next real adventure was that we took off one night, again I can’t remember the target I’ve got an idea it might have been Hamburg although we did go to Hamburg on some other occasion. We took off one night and immediately lost an engine. Now, normally if you lost an engine halfway on to, on to the target you’d continue on the basis of press on regardless but you wouldn’t set off on a raid with only three engines. The drill was that you then had to fly out to into the North Sea I think for about seventeen miles and drop your load in to the sea because you couldn’t come back and land with a bomb load. So we did this. We flew out, did our bomb drop, turned around and immediately lost a second engine both engines being on the same side. On the starboard side. Now this was where George distinguished himself because he could fly [emphasis] and I think we started back and I think we began to lose a bit of height but he kept, he kept us going. Now, I then planned a course to take us to Carnaby. Carnaby was an emergency airfield in York, in Yorkshire. There were three. Three emergency airfields. One was Manston and strangely enough this is, Manston is where all the boat people crossing the Channel these days are being put in the first instance. One was in Manston, one was in Woodbridge in Suffolk and one was Carnaby in York. The, these airfields didn’t have bombers. They, I don’t think they had aeroplanes at all but what they did have was very long and very wide runways so that if an aircraft was in trouble it would have a much better chance of landing because the pilot had the space. So I plotted a course. A course to Carnaby and when we were getting near Carnaby and I’ve said before I’m not making this up believe me when we got near to Carnaby George said, ‘I think we’ll go on to Melbourne because I’ve got a dental appointment tomorrow.’ So I then replotted a course from Carnaby to Melbourne. When we got there they could see that we were flying on two engines. We got down. The station ambulance and the station fire engine met us but thank the lord they weren’t needed. I think really that takes me to the end of the first stage of all I want to tell you but you may want to raise something.
NM: Yeah. Did you go further afield than the Ruhr? Did you go to places like Peenemunde or Berlin? Nuremberg.
MF: No. I never went to Berlin, I never went to Nuremberg and I didn’t go to Dresden.
NM: No. You finished before. Long before Dresden hadn’t you? That’s right. So does any one of your operations apart from this one where you came back on two engines does any one of your operations stand out with anti-aircraft fire or fighters or —
MF: Well, I know on one operation the rear gunner saw a night fighter and we did a corkscrew which was a bit horrendous and I think he claimed to have shot down the night fighter but it was never verified. That was a bit shall I say, I can say adventurous at ninety nine years old. It wasn’t adventurous at the time. Anything special? Well, I’ve told you about our supposed landing at Carnaby. I’ve told you about our trip to the flying fortress airfield. No. I don’t think anything very special.
NM: Okay. Can you talk me through a day when operations were on? From the time you got up.
MF: Yes.
NM: Through to the —
MF: Now that I can do. On the squadron you’d wake up about eight o’clock or whatever and go and have some breakfast. And if there was going to be ops that night you knew the first call would come at about ten, 10.30 which is when the crew list went up. So if you were on ops that night you knew about half past ten. So there was then an anxious period until about 1 o’clock when you were waiting to hear what the target was. 1 o’clock you would have some lunch and then you would have your first briefing when they advised you of the target. When they advised you of the height you would fly whether you were flying on the first, second or third wave. And one of the points when you went to a target is you never flew straight there. You flew in doglegs. All designed to confuse the enemy. Also in that connection one of the things that bombers did was to throw out packets of strips of metal like aluminium. Aluminium strips which was called Window and that was indeed, on the Halifax that was the job of the navigator because the navigator was in the nose of the aeroplane. Not right in the nose because the bomb aimer was in the nose. The navigator was sat behind the bomb aimer and there were two little steps up to the main body of the aircraft. On one of the steps there was a flap and if you folded back the flap it was open and that’s where you deposited the packages of Window. That was the navigator’s job. Where was I?
NM: Describing your briefing.
MF: Oh yes. Thank you. You see. I don’t remember as well as I should. Yes. So, you’d have your briefing and then you’d go off and have a meal. The meal was always egg, sausage, bacon, chips. A nice meal. Then you would go back for a further briefing when the Met officer would tell you all about what the windspeed and direction would be. And I think one or two other officers spoke to you, gave you information and then you got dressed. Now, most of the crew, I think all of the crew except me dressed in Bomber Command clothing. That was a very thick fur lined jacket, fur lined boots and so on. The nose of the Halifax was quite warm for some reason. I never put a jacket on. I never put boots on. I was comfortable. The only thing I did have is as I suppose all navigators I used to have some silk gloves because you needed to use your hands in maps, drawing diagrams on maps and so on and if you didn’t have gloves your hands would freeze up. For example, if you were flying and wanted to have a pee there was an Elsan at the end of the aircraft but if you went back to the Elsan and came back again you would need to take a oxygen bottle because once you got to over fifteen thousand feet you needed to have oxygen. If you took the oxygen bottle in your hand by the time you got back the bottle was frozen to your hand and that could have been awful. Oxygen was absolutely necessary because after fifteen thousand feet if you didn’t have oxygen you would eventually die. So yes, you had your briefing and conversely when you’d finished your raid and landed you then had a debriefing. You went into a room. Each crew sat, sat a different table and you were, every member of the crew was asked questions relative to the job they did. So I was asked, ‘What was the wind like?’ ‘What was the target like?’ ‘Did you get to the target?’ All of that sort of stuff. I often remember saying that at one debriefing there was a rather elderly chap sitting next to me who I didn’t take any notice of because you know, you’re tired. You want to get home. You want to get back, have a meal and get to bed. He was saying, asking me all sorts of little questions and I was getting more and more irritable and I eventually remember much to my shame saying to him, ‘Well, if you’re so interested why don’t go on the dot dot dot trip.’ He didn’t say a word but somebody nudged me and they told me that he was a high ranking officer with gold on around his cap who was making a survey or making enquiries and he was very nice. He knew I was tired and he didn’t report me. He didn’t say a single word. And after the debrief, well when you got to the debriefing on the table was cigarettes, tea and rum and then you left the debriefing and went back and had the same meal as you’d had before the trip and then you wanted to get to bed.
NM: Yes, I can imagine. I can imagine. What about off duty? What was the off duty like?
MF: Sorry?
NM: What was the off-duty life like at the station when you weren’t flying operations?
MF: Yes. That’s a very interesting question. Off duty people were very laid back. I mean for example halfway through my tour I met somebody when I was walking about. I was a sergeant. Somebody said to me, ‘You’re now an officer. Go and get yourself measured for an officer’s uniform.’ Just like that. No, whys and wherefors. So I became a pilot officer. Now, it was all very relaxed so that if anybody was to salute you on the squadron you’d have a heart attack because that didn’t happen. So I became an officer. The only difference was I lived in the, I dined in the officer’s mess instead of in the sergeant’s mess. I don’t doubt that the food was exactly the same. As I think several of the crew were given commissions at the same time. The only difference was we were allocated a batwoman, a WAAF batwoman and all she did for us was to make our beds in the morning. But as I’ve said previously my mid-upper gunner was a Welshman. A very well-built robust man, a good looking man and he spoke with, he spoke with a Welsh lilt and Rose, the batwoman I think did rather more than make his bed but there we are.
NM: So did you socialise with the rest of the crew? Did you go to pubs? Dances?
MF: Well no. I socialised with Eric. We used to go, you’ve prompted my memory, we used to go when we were on a night off into York. We’d go on the local bus. The first thing we would normally do is go to have a drink. I wasn’t a drinker. I mean one pint of beer was every bit as much as I could manage but we’d go for a drink at what was called Betty’s Bar. Bettys Bar was crowded with RAF, with bomber people having a drink and in the basement of Betty’s Bar was a very big mirror where aircrew used to scratch their names. Betty’s Bar, after the war became Betty’s Tea Rooms and it became very very fashionable with visitors to York. Particularly Americans. It was an expensive afternoon to have a tea there and people lined up to get in. But the mirror I believe was still there although it was badly cracked and I think there were one or two other branches of Betty’s Tea Rooms. When we were in York there was a building not far from the abbey called the De Grey rooms and on the first floor of De Grey rooms there used to be a little dance. Two or three musicians and local ladies and there was dancing there. I never got very successful because I wasn’t a big handsome fella but nevertheless that was the De Grey rooms. Now, Eric and I, I’m rather going off at a tangent if you don’t mind. Eric and I used to go back to York after we’d both been demobbed. Some years after. We used to go back every year to visit Melbourne and we used to go on to the airfield and there was a caretaker’s building at the entrance and we used to ask him if we could drive on because the main runway was still in being. It was, Melbourne was an experimental farm or something of that sort but we used to drive to the end of the runway and I had a fairly powerful car and we used to drive down, get up to a hundred miles an hour as if we were going to take off. Yes. We used to go, oh when we used to go back to visit York we’d go to Betty’s. We’d go to the, Hole in the Wall which was a well-known pub not far from the De Grey rooms and we’d go to the De Grey rooms which on the second, on the first floor instead of being a dance place was a second hand books, book dealers and we went fairly regularly. I mention incidentally my mid-upper gunner the handsome Welshman after some years he lived a very spectacular life. He ended up as a painter in Paris and he also was in South Africa and he’d been married I think about three times but he got ill and he was ended up in an RAF Benevolent Fund sponsored place in, now what was the name of the place? I can’t remember at the moment. It got quite famous this place of some years ago. It was given, it was given some honour. I can’t remember. But he was in a home there and we used to visit him. Eric and I used to visit him once a year and I used to smuggle a bottle of Scotch in for him. But then in due time he died. He became wheelchair bound and eventually he joined the aircraft in the sky.
NM: So, how did you cope with the strains of operations?
MF: That’s again an interesting question. Basically, you coped because you hadn’t got the nerve to pack up. Now, what happened was as a navigator I had a window which I, a little small window. I don’t know why it was there but it was there and I had to draw a curtain across because you needed an Anglepoise lamp to work and that would show a light. Every trip I made I never ever drew the curtain to see what was happening down below. I never saw the fires. I never saw anything. I thought I’m better off putting my nose down and doing my map work and thank you very much. But to answer your question very seldom a chap found he couldn’t go on and he went what was called LMF. That’s lack of moral fibre. If he went out LMF the authorities treated him very badly. He was stripped of his rank and he became a nonentity. Unlike the Americans who apparently if one of their chaps went LMF they sent him back to the States for psychological treatment and then got him back to the UK for flying again. I didn’t feel better or worse for the whole tour. I gave a little chat to the school of my granddaughter when they were seven year old boys and girls. I only chatted for ten minutes just to give them the flavour and of course I was very careful as to what I said. One little girl said at the end, ‘Were you frightened on your first trip?’ And I said to her, ‘No, my dear. I wasn’t frightened on my first trip. I was frightened on every trip.’ And it’s absolutely true but I didn’t feel any worse or any better. The only time I felt better was when I landed on the last trip.
NM: And you knew it was the last trip. Yeah. So you were awarded the DFC at the end of your tour. Was the, was it a cumulative award or was it for any particular incident?
MF: I think the only reason I got the DFC and two or three others of the crew did as well was simply because we were made a special crew as I mentioned at the, earlier in this discussion. As I said the pilot was a very experienced man. We had two chaps doing their second tour. We did our tour. We got there every time. We got back every time. We did what we were designed to do and I didn’t do anything what one would call particularly brave or heroic or heroic. I just did my job.
NM: So what happened when your tour finished?
MF: Well, we now enter a new area. Let me have a drink of water and I’ll go on.
NM: Of course. Take a break.
MF: How far do you want me to go?
NM: As far as you want.
MF: When my tour finished the RAF really didn’t know what to do with ex-aircrew blokes who’d done their tours. They had to do something with them but excuse me [coughs]
NM: Are you alright to carry on?
MF: Yeah.
NM: Are you sure?
MF: They had to do something but we had no skill other than flying bombers. They sent me to an RAF base in Hereford. I think it would be a good idea if you don’t mind shall we stop and I’ll make a cup of coffee?
NM: Yes. That’s absolutely fine. Absolutely. Are you alright to carry on?
MF: Sorry?
NM: Are you alright to carry on.
MF: Yeah. I will be.
NM: Okay. Alright.
MF: Will you have coffee?
NM: Yes, please if there’s one going. Thank you very much.
MF: Yeah.
NM: Its much appreciated.
MF: I get a bit shaky. My hands are inclined to shake.
NM: You’re doing brilliantly.
MF: Help yourself.
NM: I’ll just grab one of those. Thank you very much. Appreciate it. You’re doing brilliantly to be independent at ninety nine.
MF: Well, [pause] life can be a bit difficult these days because my wife has dementia and she’s not very good. She’s very cheerful at times but we have really bad times too.
NM: Yes.
MF: And I spend, we have a carer comes in for an hour every morning but I don’t know how long we’re going to be able to continue.
NM: I understand. My mother in law’s has got dementia.
MF: Really?
NM: So I know. I know what you’re going through. Yeah.
MF: I say to my kids you know all the problems that we have now will be solved is if I pop off and my wife can go into a nice, a very nice care home. But I don’t plan on popping off any sooner than I need.
NM: Very glad to hear it.
MF: Help yourself please.
NM: I’m fine. I’m fine. Thank you.
[recording paused]
NM: Okay. Yes. So, yes, you were sent to Hereford.
MF: Yes. Hereford was not an airfield. There were no aircraft there but it was an RAF base where they trained accountants. That is accountants to work within the RAF. We went there and I met up there with a, I don’t know a couple of dozen also ex-bomber people and the idea was that they were going to train us all as accountants. What happened is that young men who entered the Air Force direct to be an accountant they were given a commission to pilot officers, went to Hereford for their training. When they got there they were all sprogs. All new. They used to on their first day on the parade ground they got together, fall in, left turn, quick march and that sort of thing. They tried to do the same thing with us ex-bomber people but we didn’t do that sort of thing. I mean we used to turn up if we were sent to parade at 9 o’clock we’d turn up more or less, more or less within time. Some of us had caps on. Some didn’t. Some had ties. Most of us were smoking. I was a heavy smoker. But we came to terms eventually but none of us were interested in this accounting lark so we did our course, six weeks, eight weeks whatever, sat the exams and everyone failed. And as I’ve said one bloke only just failed and that was me. So they offered for me to do another three weeks when I would pass but I declined this offer. So as a punishment they sent me with all the AC2s, AC1s working there, all the chaps that were in trouble they sent me with this lot to pick potatoes. I think this was about September. Well, we went to a farm and the drill was you worked in pairs each holding one corner of a sack and the tractor went and threw up the potatoes and we picked them. I was there for I think four days. I had a marvellous time. The weather was beautiful. We used, you can imagine we didn’t exactly exert ourselves but we used to pick some potatoes and have a rest. Pick a few more. Then the farmer owner used to provide us with hot sweet tea, cheddar cheese, as much as you wanted and crispy bread and we really enjoyed ourselves. After four days they called me off this because they could see we were getting nowhere. So they then sent me to an airfield at Halfpenny Green which is near Wolverhampton. When I got to Halfpenny Green there were I think Ansons there and what happened at Halfpenny Green was that navigators who had trained in Canada and had come back to the UK had to have a course, a sort of acclimatisation or whatever you’d call it. So you used, they used to do sort of cross country journeys, I suppose an hour and a half or thereabouts and they made me do the same. And I was very experienced but nevertheless they all, these blokes all took off on their Ansons and I had too as well. Fortunately, the pilots there were also ex-aircrew chaps so I never took this very seriously. I would say, ‘Look just fly over here and fly over there and then fly back and thank you very much.’ So, we were there for about, oh I don’t know a few to a couple of months. Strangely enough one of the navigators who’d come back from Canada who I became friendly with was a bloke called David Hawkins. After the war I qualified as a chartered accountant which I’ll come to later if if you want me to go that far. He also qualified a year after me. I entered the profession. He went in to industry and he ended up as a main board director at Nat West Bank. But we were very matey and he made big bucks but it made no difference. We were good friends. Unfortunately, towards the end he also became a subject of dementia. What used to happen we used to meet two, every couple of months with our wives for a meal and he would say to me, ‘Monty, you play golf don’t you?’ I’d say, ‘No, Dave.’ I was the only person in the world that called him Dave. I’d say, ‘No, Dave. I play tennis.’ During the course of the dinner he would ask me this at least eight times and it was a shame but you know. That’s the way the cookie crumbles.
NM: Indeed. That’s right.
MF: I don’t know what’s led me on to talking about, anyway, we went to Halfpenny Green and I finished a course there and once the course had finished again they didn’t know what to do with me. So they sent me to an airfield in, near Doncaster where there were Oxfords, twin engined Oxfords at Doncaster as I say. And this place was where pilots coming back to the UK from abroad, from probably the Middle East or somewhere like that had to have an acclimatisation. So I saw nobody took any real notice of me because as you will have been told time and again provided you had some papers in your hand and walked about looking busy nobody interfered with you. I appointed myself navigation officer of this arrangement for new pilots. They used to do a fortnight, two weeks training flying these Oxford aircraft around about and I used to set as self-appointed navigation officer I used to set the trip for them and when they went off I used to sit in my office and do whatever I wanted and they all came back. After quite a while the powers that be had said, ‘You’ve got to fly once a week.’ Because these blokes used to fly most days. Most days for a fortnight. So I was required to fly once a week which I didn’t really like very much and when the list came in of the next intake I used to have a look at all the blokes and pick the pilots that I thought was most reliable and I used to do a little trip and that was that. So in due course I finished at Doncaster. We’re now getting to about let me think [pause] we’re getting now to about the end of 1945. Perhaps a bit earlier. Perhaps a bit sooner. Perhaps about September ’45. Something like that. Anyway, I finished at Doncaster and they then sent me on indefinite leave which was fine. I was engaged to my late wife then. Her parents had a big flat in Chiswick. Unfortunately, my mother had died in nineteen, I can remember, in December 1941. I was in the RAF of course and after the war my father packed up and went to live with one of my sisters in Southend. Westcliffe. So I stayed with my girlfriend’s parents and they were very nice to me and I was on indefinite leave which went on for a few months. I then, I think it must have been about December, December ’45. Thereabouts. I was on indefinite leave. I then married my late wife in July ’46. She was, I was twenty, not quite twenty three. My grandchildren are amazed because nobody gets married at that sort of age anymore. My late wife was two days short of twenty one and in those days under twenty one you had to get permission from the bride’s father and I was very very fond of my late wife’s father and I used to tell him I didn’t, ‘I got permission from you. I got permission from you. It was a big mistake.’ But we had fun. Anyway, after a few months, about June ’46 I was summoned to RAF Uxbridge and I was given a job which I didn’t really have a clue about dealing with the paperwork of chaps who were being repatriated to their home, home countries Rhodesia, Southern Rhodesia, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and so on. Chaps who had finished their periods and were ready to be demobbed. And what I had to do was to look at their papers and I had a couple of rubber stamps which I had to stamp and I really didn’t have much idea what I was doing and I wasn’t very interested either and I banged the rubber stamps all over the place. Off they went. Everybody was very happy. One thing I must tell you when I was at Uxbridge this would have been about September 1946 they had a dining in night. You may know about dining in nights but it’s an evening when all of us, when I married I got a sleeping out pass. All officers had to stay in for dinner that night. Best blues on, all properly turned out and you all sat down and you had a meal and they had port and you passed the port. Took it from the right hand and passed it to the right hand of the chap sitting on your left. All very formal. When I was there they they said to me I don’t know who, the commanding officers or whatever, I shall be Mr Vice. Which meant that either during the meal or before the meal, I can’t remember the chairman appointed for the night would say, ‘Mr Vice. The King.’ Was it the King in ’46? Yes, it was. ‘Mr Vice, the King.’ And my job was to stand up and say, ‘Gentlemen, the King.’ All stood up and had a drink. I think the reason I had this very auspicious appointment was because I was ex-aircrew and they didn’t have these sort of people at Uxbridge. Anyway, got to December I was demobbed. Blow me I was demobbing all these people at Uxbridge and they sent me up to Padgate to get demobbed which I did. Now, that’s the end of RAF. Whether you want me to continue into my private life thereafter I don’t know.
NM: I would very much like you to please.
MF: Sorry?
NM: I would very much like you to continue.
MF: Oh well, right.
NM: Life after the RAF.
MF: Sorry?
NM: Life after the RAF.
MF: Very good. Up to when?
NM: This morning if you want.
MF: What? [laughs]
NM: Up to this morning if you want.
MF: Oh, deary me. Right. In January ’47 I wasn’t qualified of course although my articles had expired. I got a job with a firm of chartered accountants in Oxford Street, Levy Hyams and Co who you won’t need too much imagination well to come to the conclusion they were a Jewish firm and we’re Jewish as you will have gathered. I worked for them but I had to think in terms of becoming chartered myself and I’d previously before I entered the RAF did a correspondence course. But I couldn’t attune myself to the idea of doing a correspondence course while I, while things had changed so much so after I’d been working at this firm for, I don’t know six months I enrolled at the City of London College which was in Moorgate. And I worked very hard in that period because I worked from nine to five in the office and then I used to grab a sandwich and a coffee, go to the City of London College and sit for lectures between about six and 9 o’clock and this happened Monday to Friday. So I did this and then in November ’48 I sat my exams and became a chartered accountant. Of course, by November ’48 I was married to the lady I mentioned to you earlier and my first son was born, I think in the August of 1948. So I continued working once I’d qualified for the firm in Oxford Street and they then put me into a separate office so I didn’t go out doing any auditing any more but I dealt with tax matters and correspondence and so on. After, I don’t know eighteen months or whatever I thought I’m not doing this. I’m going to set up on my own. So I packed up. When I gave my notice in they said, ‘Oh well, we had intended to ask you to join the firm as a partner.’ But it was too late then. So I started on my own. I was living in Fulham at the time. When I got married we got the top part of a house in Fulham which I rented and I lived there until 1951 and for my sins I became a fan of Fulham Football Club and I still am. God help me. So I set up on my own and we, I bought a three bedroomed semi-detached house in Fulham in 1951 because I lived in the flat. Not in Fulham. I’m misleading you. I bought a three bedroomed semi-detached house in Greenford in 1951 having lived in Fulham for five years from ’46 to ’51 and I set up on my own account. All I had was a card table, a typewriter and I was sort of in business and I had one client. So I had to make a living. So I then started lecturing. Lecturing would-be bank people in bookkeeping and so on. I used to go there a couple of nights a week and earn a few bob. I also got to working a job for a correspondence course marking papers of other people’s that were studying and also I got two jobs doing part time stuff for two other firms of accountants. Strangely enough one of the firms I worked for they had a client of big coffee importers and exporters and I did their audit and when the chap I worked for either died or retired they asked me to take the account over as my own client. And that continued all the way through my career. I also worked for a, I think an unqualified chap who had an office in Kilburn and he had a client who was a solicitor and in due course again the solicitor instructed me and eventually there was a firm of solicitors of, I think four partners and various clerks and I had them as clients until I retired. After a while the solicitors had offices in Half Moon Street on the third floor of a quite old building but it was a prestigious address. Half Moon Street, London W1. Turning off Piccadilly. So I got two rooms on the fourth floor. There was no lift and the lavatory was two and a half floors down and mainly I used to visit clients because I couldn’t expect clients to come up this old building for four floors. But anyway, I progressed and I made a living. I then got I was in Half Moon Street for quite a few years and at one time I got my first car and Dave Hawkins who I mentioned earlier in this discussion came with me and picked up this car. It was a Standard Eight from showrooms in Berkeley Square. I was frightened to drive home and he drove the car home to Greenford for me. Subsequently you could drive to the West End. You could park in Piccadilly. You could park in Half Moon Street but it became less and less available. Eventually I used to drive up and park in Hyde Park because you could park in the perimeter there. But after a while I would find I’d park the car in the morning I couldn’t remember where it was in the evening. But we got by. So I then got offices in Wembley Park. It used to be the Prudential and it was basically a shop with one office behind. I worked there and then I got one partner and we extended out the back. And then I got two more junior partners and we extended. We extended again at the back and I continued to work there until I retired in December 19 [pause] wait a moment in December 2090. That’s right. Thirty two years ago.
[redacted]
I then retired in December 2090 and have done nothing meaningful since apart from amusing myself in my office.
NM: And playing tennis I gather. You mentioned that earlier didn’t you? So how have you occupied yourself during your retirement?
MF: Sorry?
NM: How do you have any hobbies you carried on during your —
MF: Yes, I —
NM: Retirement?
MF: Yes. I can’t remember [pause] twenty five years ago before I retired I started to play tennis and I got very committed to tennis because I found it enormously enjoyable. I was pretty, I’d never played before so I had to learn and I was never what you’d call a good tennis player but I played in clubs and I could hold my own. And I played two or three times a week regularly and I got immense pleasure. I played to win but I’d have a lot of fun and I joined different clubs because one club packed up and another one moved. All sorts of problems. Tennis players generally find over the years they’re moving from one club to another but I played and I had great enjoyment for tennis and I made lots of friends. I stopped playing tennis because I wasn’t in good form and I packed up about [pause] let me think. I went into hospital 2013. About 2010. No, that doesn’t. Yes. About twenty no not twenty I’m losing [pause] about twenty one. I retired at 2190. No. I’m getting a bit confused. I retired in 2090.
NM: 1990.
MF: That’s thirty two years ago.
NM: Yeah. Yeah.
MF: I played tennis. Once I’d started and I stopped playing tennis in twenty two.
NM: 2002.
MF: About twenty two o eight.
NM: Okay. Yeah.
MF: The reason being that I wasn’t in the best of condition and in 2013 I went into a hospital. I went into a hospital and I had some surgery which I got over well but, and I was still very active but I’d packed up tennis. And then about a year after that I had a pacemaker fitted because while I was in hospital as a result of the operation I had a mild heart attack which kept me in hospital much longer than we’d budgeted for and I had a pacemaker fitted when I was ninety. And now in two and a half weeks’ time I’ve got to go into hospital. I think just for the day to have the battery replaced. Like you replaced your battery which I’m not looking forward to but I hope it will be pretty simple.
NM: I’m sure it will be.
MF: And I’m told that there are not a lot of chaps who have a pacemaker fitted at age ninety who go back for a refit.
NM: Good to hear. Good to hear.
MF: And that I think my friend more or less brings you up to date.
NM: I think it does. I think that’s excellent. Just one more question going back to your time in Bomber Command what do you when you look back and reflect on your time in Bomber Command what are your main thoughts?
MF: Well, I can answer that. I never have had a moment’s regret at dropping bombs on Germany. I’m conscious of the bombing that the Germans carried out in the UK especially in London, in Coventry, in Liverpool, in Plymouth. Incessant bombing in London in particular with a lot of, lots of death. I’m very conscious of six million Jews dying in the Holocaust. I’ve spoken often about Dresden. I didn’t bomb Dresden and there was big talk of two hundred thousand people being killed there because the place ended up in a fire storm. It wasn’t but I think it’s conceded there was a heavy death roll of about twenty five thousand. I’ve got no conscience about it at all [pause] And I still haven’t today. I took the view my job was to get the aircraft to the target, to drop the bombs and to get home.
NM: And how do you feel about the way that Bomber Command itself has been perceived since the war?
MF: That again is a very pointed question. When the war finished, no. Let me go back. When it was agreed there would be a raid on Dresden and after the raid lots of people complained. Canon Collins I think the man’s name was. Made a big big fuss. The raid was perfectly justified. The Russians wanted it. Churchill agreed to it. It was a big railway place where armaments were moved and that was the justification of the raid. Afterwards, Churchill washed his hands of Dresden. He didn’t want to know. When Churchill made his victory speech after the war in Germany finished he mentioned all of the branches of the three Services, he never mentioned Bomber Command. When campaign medals were handed out Bomber Command didn’t get one. There was a big campaign, I think in the Daily Express which is not a paper I read trying to encourage the powers that be to award a campaign medal to Bomber Command. It never worked. Ultimately and this is only a handful of years ago Bomber Command were awarded a clasp to their victory medal at exactly the same time as the seamen who were doing the north, the North Sea around, around to the north of Russia to deliver them armaments they were awarded a campaign medal. Not Bomber Command. Lots of people have had plenty to say about Bomber Command but I don’t stand for any of it. When Bomber Harris’ statue was erected in the Strand there was a service for Bomber Command people in the Bomber Command church which was St Clement Danes and the late Queen Mother who was Bomber Command patron attended. I went with my friend Eric. I always tell everybody I was probably the only Jewish chap there and I was sitting behind a pillar and I couldn’t see anything. But it was a good service. We then walked across and there was going to be a reception in the hall of the Law Courts which is more or less where the statue was. Some, I don’t use too many profane words but some group threw red paint on to Harris’ statue. But nevertheless we went into the Law Courts, we had a drink or two and it was very nice. And the one regret and I have this regret to this day when I went in [pause] what’s his name? You see you get as old as me you can’t remember. What was his name? He was married to Sue Ryder.
NM: Leonard Cheshire.
MF: Sorry?
NM: Leonard Cheshire.
MF: Thank you. Thank you very much. I went in and Leonard Cheshire who was ill at that time and he was in a sort of almost bed wheelchair and he was close, as close to me as you are and I very much regret perhaps I was diverted I didn’t have the opportunity to go up to him and pay him my respects. And I’m still sorry about it. But anyway, there we are.
NM: So have you been to see in your old stomping ground at Piccadilly the Bomber Command Memorial on Piccadilly.
MF: Yes. Yes, I have been there. The one in Green Park.
NM: Correct.
MF: And it’s very impressive.
NM: Yeah.
MF: It’s very impressive.
NM: Were you involved at all when it was opened?
MF: No. I haven’t been involved in any particular capacity. Only as an old sod of the, of the Command but nothing else.
NM: Okay. Well, I think that’s an excellent place to finish so —
MF: Oh, well that’s very good.
NM: Monty, can I thank you very much for your time and your memories and your service of course.
MF: Well —
NM: Its much appreciated.
MF: It’s been, it’s been very interesting for me. I never thought I’d keep going this long but as you will have gathered from all of this and gathered from the, my talk at Bentley Priory I, I’m not frightened to talk.
NM: With such clarity as well. Excellent.
MF: Funnily enough, Nigel. I’ll say one more thing.
NM: Of course.
MF: And then I’ll shut up. I was telling somebody only a few days ago, somebody who had been to Bentley Priory I’m able if I’m given notice because Bentley Priory I just didn’t just talk off the cuff I’d spent quite a time preparing things. But then I didn’t need any notice because I knew what I was going to say. I could stand up and talk to two hundred people without batting an eyelid. Conversely, I used to be invited because of clients I used to be invited to functions. Sometimes functions when they had a, perhaps a little cabaret or whatever. A little show. In those days, I don’t think it happens these days masonic dinners. They might have a comedian and they might have four young lady dancers and very often these dancers used to come down, pick on a man take them up to the stage and the man would put a funny hat on or something and dance or whatever. A girl would come up to me, I would be if necessary very rude because I would die rather than go up on to a stage and dance in front of people and yet I can go up and talk. It’s odd isn’t it?
NM: Well, we’re all different aren’t we and that’s —
MF: Yeah.
NM: That’s you.
MF: Well, there you are.
NM: Very good. Excellent. Well, thank you very much again for your time.
MF: No. Not at all. I hope I’ve done you justice.
NM: Well I think you’ve done yourself justice brilliantly.
MF: Lovely.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Interview with Monty Felton
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Nigel Moore
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2022-11-14
Type
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Sound
Format
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01:51:16 Audio Recording
Publisher
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IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
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This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
AFeltonM221114, PFeltonM2201
Description
An account of the resource
Monty grew up in Croydon and became an articled accountant in London before joining the RAF. Training at the Initial Training Wing in Torquay was followed by RAF Bishops Court in Northern Ireland and RAF Kinloss, which had a flight simulation room. He was then posted to RAF Rufforth in Yorkshire where he was introduced to the Halifax four-engined bomber, before going to 10 Squadron at RAF Melbourne. Monty describes his relatively experienced crew, including George Dark as pilot and Eric Barnard as rear gunner, who remained a close friend. He flew 21 trips with George and a further 11 operations with Flight Lieutenant Wood. The first outing was a ‘bullseye’, a flight where they entered Germany and then turned back to mislead the enemy. Briefings would include meteorological forecasts of wind and speed direction at varying heights up to the time of the target. He discusses how navigation was carried out and the use of navigation aids, such as Gee. Monty went on several operations to the Ruhr. He recounts how their aircraft had to divert to an American airbase at Knettishall in Suffolk, which flew B-17s. In another, they lost two engines yet successfully flew back to RAF Melbourne. Monty runs through a typical operations’ day, including the briefings and debriefings. He depicts how they would fly doglegs to confuse the enemy and the navigators would throw out packets of aluminium strips, code named Window. He goes on to describe his off-duty life, including trips to York and ‘Betty’s Bar’ (precursor of Bettys Tearooms) which had a mirror inscribed by aircrew in the basement. There were dances in the De Grey Rooms. Monty was a recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross, which he believes was just because they were an experienced crew. Monty contrasts the American and RAF treatment of Lack of Moral Fibre. After his tour, Monty was sent to a number of RAF stations before being demobbed in 1946. He qualified as a chartered accountant, setting up his own accountancy practice. Monty finishes by discussing his attitude to the war and Bomber Command, and disappointment over the lack of recognition given to it.
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Germany
Great Britain
England--Yorkshire
Germany--Ruhr (Region)
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Sally Coulter
Julie Williams
Carolyn Emery
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1944
1945
1946
10 Squadron
aircrew
Anson
B-17
bombing
briefing
coping mechanism
crewing up
debriefing
Distinguished Flying Cross
entertainment
Gee
Halifax
Initial Training Wing
lack of moral fibre
military living conditions
military service conditions
navigator
Oxford
perception of bombing war
RAF Bishops Court
RAF Carnaby
RAF Halfpenny Green
RAF Kinloss
RAF Melbourne
RAF Rufforth
RAF Torquay
RAF Uxbridge
training
Whitley
Window
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/473/8356/ABowkerD151117.2.mp3
9057f5e6582c49eede1f793d70248410
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Bowker, David
D G Bowker
D Bowker
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Bowker, DG
Description
An account of the resource
15 Items. An oral history interview with Flight Lieutenant David Bowker (142854 Royal Air Force) and 14 propaganda leaflets. David Bowker flew operations as a pilot with 103 and 150 Squadrons.
The collection has been licenced to the IBCC Digital Archive by David Bowker and catalogued by Barry Hunter.
Transcribed audio recording
A resource consisting primarily of recorded human voice.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
DB: I’m David Bowker giving this interview and, and these are my, my thoughts. When I was, when I was eighteen in 1940. I went to the recruiting office in Southsea and volunteered for air sea rescue in the RAF because we lived at Alverstoke and we watched the practice, the air force practice dropping torpedoes and they were launching, rescuing the torpedoes. Air sea rescue. But anyway the recruiting office wrote to me and said that it was all full but presumably with elder yachtsmen but I could join, I could still join the navy or the air force or the army just as I wished but I had no, I had no thought, no thought of flying at the time and so I was offered, in the RAF, general duties. Well, of course I had no idea what general duties meant but in actual fact it turned out that if you were fit you were going to fly and the disaster was I was sent to, sent to Cardington and then I had an interview at Cardington and I think he was a sergeant and he said, ‘How do you know you’re eighteen?’ And I said, ‘Well I’m eighteen.’ And he said, ‘Well you don’t look it to me.’ But anyway, I had to, I had to produce my birth certificate to prove that I was eighteen. Anyway, I ended up in the RAF general duties and was sent to, was sent to Blackpool and I found that I was streamed into wireless operator/air gunner. Well, that was the very last thing I wanted to do and so myself and another and a friend at the time we went and saw the officer in charge to ask whether we could re-muster to pilot instead of air gunner and of course we had to, we had to be tested with Morse, Morse code, eighteen words a minute, which was quite fast actually. And anyway, fortunately I passed it and we, and then we started all over again and we were sent to, sent to Stratford on Avon on a pilot’s course and from the receiving wing at Stratford on Avon it was, we were billeted in a disused old hotel which, which was completely derelict and we had to even tear up newspapers to, to use in the lavatory. I can’t, I can’t imagine how primitive it was at the time. But anyway we went from there and we had our meals in the Shakespeare Hotel. Airforce food of course. And from there we had lectures in the Shakespeare Theatre given by, given by a corporal on gas and all sorts of things and from there we, I was posted to Scarborough at the Cambridge Hotel and there again it was, it was very primitive. Still with straw palliases for our, on our beds and we kitted out with flying gear in the Grand Hotel, Scarborough and then, what happened then? I remember we went to a, to a, ah yes we went from Scarborough to Burnaston near, near in Derbyshire which, which was a small, a small aerodrome flying, flying Miles Magisters and we were billeted in, in an old house at Repton School in Repton village and again, again our beds consisted of straw palliases which was very uncomfortable. I was wondering when I was going to get a decent bed. Anyway, we learnt to fly in Miles Magisters and from there, from there we, I was posted to Shawbury flying Airspeed Oxfords and there was an entire, day flying and when we were posted to, for night flying we were, we were posted to Cranwell and in the college complete with batman and then feeding in the college and some night flying and that was very satisfactory. But I remember my first solo night flying. I remember it very well because it was pitch dark and then when I took my eyes off the, off the flying panel I felt the plane immediately started tilting to the left and when I corrected myself with the flying in looking at the instruments although I was straight and level it appeared to be flying to the right. But anyway I soon learned, soon learned to look at the flying panel but I must say I do, I do remember having quite a scary, scary time but we returned to, to, and after having the chief flying instructor’s test I remember we were given some sergeant’s stripes to sew on together with the pilot’s wings which we had to sew on ourselves of course. From there I was posted to an Operational Training Unit flying Wellingtons at Pershore and that took us to -
JB: [whisper] Stop it.
[machine pause]
DB: Ok.
JB: It’s interesting to me David that you’d just qualified as a pilot and was there not some hesitation that you, at your young age, was taking charge of a big aeroplane and a crew who might have been older than you?
DB: Yes. Well, basically they were a year or two older than me.
JB: Yes. Presumably they had to be. So how did you feel about that?
DB: Well, I didn’t have any feelings at the time because it was just how things were.
JB: Well now you’re qualified -
DB: In fact some of the older people, when it came to the exams, the meteorology etcetera, one or two of the older people, because I was younger and only recently left school they asked me as if I, as if I knew better than them.
JB: So, now you had got a crew together who were mixed nationalities?
DB: Well yes. Basically all English. The rear gunner was a New Zealander.
JB: What was your navigator then?
DB: He was an Englishman.
JB: Because on him you rely a lot presumably.
DB: Hmmn?
JB: You rely a lot on a navigator presumably.
DB: Yes one does.
JB: Just turn it off.
[pause]
MJ: Alright.
DB: In, in retrospect, thinking about it, when I was on the squadron we, we, the pilots we never had any discussion about tactics or anything. We would, before an operation we were briefed about, about where they had anti-aircraft guns and that sort of thing but as, as a pilot we never had any meetings of pilots to discuss, to personally discuss any tactics that we might have. It struck me as being very extraordinary.
MJ: What about crew decisions? Did you, was it, was there decisions between the crew, between yourself and your crew more than the hierarchy?
DB: Well I don’t, it’s extraordinary ‘cause I don’t think we did. Never had any discussion about it.
[Machine pause]
And it was just left, left to ourselves to do what we, we were very rarely told when to bomb or what height to bomb or anything. It was entirely left to us. In 1942 anyway. Maybe, it was a bit different later but it struck me that we, that the flight commander, you know, never had any, any guidance on, on what to do or anything. It really does, it does amaze me. We were just told where the target was and where the, where the flak was on the way out and that sort of thing. We could go our own direction. We hadn’t, we’d know. We weren’t told any fixed thing. We were entirely left to ourselves to get to the target. I mean, in retrospect to me it’s amazing that we had no, no guidance about this but, but on the, when I was on the squadron at 103 we converted to the original Halifaxes and we were sent to Rufforth near York where, where Leonard Cheshire was the squadron leader at the time and the original Halifaxes were absolutely death traps because if the, if the two engines failed on one side and you had to correct it with the rudder normally with an aeroplane you could correct it if the engines failed but with the original Halifaxes the rudder could lock over and there was nothing you could do about it if the thing went into a spin and, and so they were absolutely death traps and the funny thing was although I completed the course and Squadron Leader Cheshire, he demonstrated to me how the rudders locked over by instantly correcting, you know. You expected it. And when I was flying with him he demonstrated how the rudder locked over but I mean, if, if you didn’t know about it and you didn’t correct it instantly I mean, it got fixed. But very soon afterwards the original Halifaxes had an enlarged rudder, a large rudder and I think it was quite, they were quite satisfactory after that but in actual fact, funnily enough, there was myself and another youngster and when we finished the course the Squadron Leader Cheshire suggested that we would be happier if we went back on to Wellingtons and the fact, of course one was disappointed at the time and I was posted to 150 squadron but I think the whole, the whole of 103 with the Halifaxes because one time after one, after one raid I was diverted back to Elsham and when I was in the, we, I was diverted back to Elsham because Snaith where 150 squadron was was fogbound and so we and, and when I went into the mess I didn’t recognise anybody on 103 and they’d practically all, had so many fatal crashes with the, with the original Halifaxes that the squadrons were converted to, in late ‘42 the squadron converted to Lancasters instead of the Halifaxes.
JB: Coffee?
[machine pause]
MJ: It’s all yours.
JB: I was thirteen when the war began and came from a very privileged background and I do remember that my own experience of world affairs was nil. It was Children’s, Children’s radio. Uncle Mac, or some very silly, childish things and The Children’s Newspaper which now doesn’t exist and that was all I knew about what went on in the world apart from my cosy life and I remember standing in the room with my parents, listening to the radio and Chamberlain giving this dreadful speech, ‘We are now at war.’ And I do remember clearly and now, in retrospect, you actually wonder about it, saying to my parents, ‘Will it be fun? War.’ Now, I do you know it was not fun. And I went straight from there to school where we were bombed heavily because it was right beside Handley Page but nobody in the school told us that what we were hearing was mostly anti-aircraft fire. It was not bombing and we lived a life in air raid shelters frightened to bits simply because of the lack of communication of what was going on. We were not allowed to have radios or anything, in case, this was a very strict Methodist school, in case somebody found out a brother or somebody had been on a boat that had been, you know, sunk or whatever. So we had no contact with the outside world whatsoever. However, it was such that by sixteen I went up to university. London University but transferred to Leicester to study economics. Now, wartime study was different because they altered up the curriculum and I was only allowed to do two years. Well, it’s three years for a degree and I did two years and went in to some ridiculous war work in London and I can remember, we discussed the other day, David and I, what we both did on D-Day and I walked from Hammersmith to where I was living in Marble Arch through crowds of people, all jubilation, and then I could not go back to university and the reason I could not go back was because the men had all come back from the war and, quite rightly, after their war service they took all the places and women lost out because of the generation we happened to be. The luck was that we did this two years, finish. No degree. Frankly, it doesn’t actually matter in the world because people, not many people ask you whether you’ve got a degree or not so that’s really what my war was like.
[Machine pause]
MJ: Thank you David for your wife’s int, before she had to go in a hurry so we’ll carry on with what we were saying.
DB: Right. Yes, I always, in retrospect, was very thankful for, very thankful for being sent to another squadron on Wellingtons because a Wellington could take an awful lot of damage and still fly which, which, of course, happened to me on a, on a raid on Frankfurt. We were very badly damaged and after gaining control at about, at about a thousand feet we managed to, to stay, to stay airborne, to fly home and crossing the French coast at about five hundred feet I remember very well a lot of tracer bullets flying over, following me overhead. We weren’t hit because obviously it appeared that they couldn’t elevate their guns low enough to, because we were so low all the, all the bullets were going overhead but anyway, I mean, because we were halfway across the channel the um -
[Machine pause?]
MJ: It’s on.
DB: Yes. Halfway across the channel the petrol gauge read nothing and my wireless operator told base that we were going to ditch in the channel but we were persuaded to carry on to, and follow the searchlights, to follow the searchlights on to Manston aerodrome. And whether, and I was following the searchlights towards Manston when of course we ran out of petrol and crashed near Lympne and, but of course it’s, I mean it’s a long, it’s a long story but we –
[Machine pause]
MJ: [?] it’s on.
DB: The, when we, when we crashed just north of Folkestone, the second pilot, I don’t believe was strapped in ‘cause I’m not sure that the second pilot’s position had straps but anyway he was killed together with the bomb aimer who was aft who was aft by the main, main boom because the plane caught fire and the, although the second pilot got out he more or less died after getting out the, and the bomb aimer was stuck in and I believe got burnt to death. But anyway after, after this episode we were, the survivors were flown back to, to Snaith and after, after flying on one training trip I was posted to a target towing unit flying, flying Lysanders towing a target for, for, for other squadrons along the coast from Grimsby down to Skegness.
[machine pause]
MJ: It’s on.
DB: But maybe after, after being a survivor, I don’t know why, I don’t know. I can’t think of any particular reason but except that maybe when someone has had a shaky do like that perhaps, perhaps it was normal to be posted to a non-operational -
MJ: Role.
DB: Type of thing.
MJ: Mind you, I don’t think being shot at by [laughs] by trainees is a safer occupation is it?
DB: No. But er I was on the target towing unit for about six months and then was posted as an instructor to an OTU. I mean, I mean at the time one just went along with what happened. I mean, one didn’t, one, I personally didn’t have any say myself on what, on what happened. And if one got posted I didn’t argue with it. No.
MJ: Did you prefer the coastal work or the training?
DB: Hmmn?
MJ: Did you prefer the coastal work or the training work?
DB: Did I?
MJ: You did the drone bit. Did you prefer training the troops or did you prefer being the target if you see what I, ‘cause when you flew -
DB: Well one, one towed the target, it’s a sleeve. You had the operator, you know. I was the pilot but the person at the back there trailed, trailed the, the drogue on long wire. I mean, he had control over how long a wire he put it because we, I don’t know whether you know Spurn Head off the Humber but we towed the target on a very long, a very long wire for the army ‘cause we didn’t really trust the army [laughs] but anyway for the, for the anti-aircraft practice. But there, it was all, it was all quite a, quite a job because we did two or three trips a day. You know, we did work quite hard but after that I was posted to an Operational Training Unit as an instructor.
[Machine pause]
MJ: [pause] It’s on now.
JB: David, in which stage in this saga did you take on the job of testing aircraft that had been in the repair shop to see if they were good enough to fly again?
DB: That was, that was some time after I was -
JB: Shot down?
DB: It er, no, it was after and I was, I was seconded to a maintenance unit.
JB: Yes, but does that come between the target towing, the shooting down and the target towing or does it come after the target towing?
DB: After the target towing. Yes.
JB: After the target towing.
DB: Yes.
JB: So you were just handed this book of instructions for an aeroplane and said -
DB: Well it was –
JB: Take it up and see if it will go. Well obviously it did otherwise you wouldn’t still be here, would you?
DB: No. Well I was very, very, yes, with the Hurricane for instance one had to be ‘cause you couldn’t have any two -
JB: No. There was -
DB: Two.
JB: Nobody else in it.
DB: No.
JB: You couldn’t, it was a one seater.
DB: There was –
JB: But then do you, do you enter in to a thing like this with an excitement of something, that this is something new or with great fear that have they done a good enough job that this is my last moment?
DB: Oh you mean on the maintenance unit?
JB: Yes. I mean did you actually think every time you got in to a different aeroplane they wanted you to test that this is an excitement or did you think oh my God I may be dead by tomorrow?
DB: No. No [laughs] I never thought. I just thought –
JB: Eternal optimist are you?
DB: Well yes.
JB: I see. Your glass is always half full obviously. Yes I see.
DB: Well, until, until the time came when the life raft flew out.
JB: Oh yes. Yes. And this is when you were testing what? A Halifax?
DB: No. A Wellington.
JB: A Wellington. And tell me what happened.
DB: Well the, when I -
JB: The life raft inflated did you tell me?
DB: Well it feathered, you know, when I had to take, I went, took these aeroplanes on test so when I took off I had to feather the propellers and check everything worked and I remember feathering the starboard propeller. There was a tremendous bang and I didn’t know what it was.
JB: Quite unnerving.
DB: There was this huge bang and the inflatable dinghy, the rubber inflatable dinghy had flown out of its case behind the engine and wrapped itself around the tail plane and then as soon as this huge bang and I thought, ‘Christ what’s that?’
JB: Well you would.
DB: Because I lost control. The elevators were locked because this thing was, if you can imagine, the thing had collapsed and prevented the elevators from working.
JB: So how did you get the aeroplane down then?
DB: By the televator well of course it’s a long story.
JB: Well just tell me quickly ‘cause I haven’t got all night. Yes.
DB: Well the controls were rigid rods.
JB: Yes.
DB: And so of course the whole of the tail plane was skewed. The rigid rods didn’t -
JB: Yeah.
DB: Work because -
JB: So how do you correct that to get it down?
DB: Well the fin tabs.
JB: Yes.
DB: Were on a separate thing. That’s the elevator and the fin tabs is another -
JB: David this is -
DB: Another little tab.
JB: This is not visual darling.
DB: Yes.
JB: There’s no good telling me like that.
DB: No. Quite.
JB: No. Just tell me. So you’ve got the plane down by being rather clever.
DB: By using, use of the twin tabs.
JB: Is that when you got your green endorsement in the -
DB: Yes.
JB: For being clever.
DB: Yeah.
JB: And am I correct in thinking that that is when they found out what happened with a lot of the Halifaxes? Is that anything to do -
DB: No. Nothing to do with the Halifaxes. No.
JB: The Halifaxes just had a fault on them to start with.
DB: No. The Halifaxes, the original, the original -
JB: The original Halifaxes, yes, had a fault in them.
DB: The later ones had a bigger
JB: Yes.
DB: Tailfin.
JB: Yes. So it was the tailfin on the early ones that -
DB: Yes.
JB: Caused all the problems.
DB: Or lack of it.
JB: Lack of it. That everybody was killed.
DB: Yes.
JB: Now, I want to go back to when you were shot down.
DB: Yes.
JB: And you managed to get over the channel.
DB: Yes.
JB: Have we all done all this?
MJ: Yeah. We -
JB: But have you also pointed out that the young man who was killed whose name I remember because I write a cross for him every year.
DB: Yes.
JB: Have you, have you remembered to say that he had gone to the CO the day before?
DB: No. That was the bomb aimer. Young Lapping.
JB: Well, it was the bomb aimer.
DB: Yes.
JB: Young Lapping. Yes. His name was Lapping.
DB: No. I didn’t mention it.
JB: Well he’d gone to the CO the day before. This is what you told me.
DB: Yeah. This was the bomb aimer.
MJ: Yeah.
DB: Who was killed? He’d actually, the day before he’d actually been to the CO which I think he was quite a, quite a -
JB: Quite brave.
DB: Brave thing to do.
JB: A brave thing to do. Yes.
DB: To, to tell the CO that he’d had enough. He couldn’t -
JB: He’d lost his nerve. Couldn’t go any more.
DB: And the CO called me in.
JB: As the pilot.
DB: As the pilot. To tell young [Lapping] to pull himself together and then he was killed that night. So -
MJ: Yeah.
DB: But I mean he had, he had -
JB: And as a consequence you see -
DB: A brave thing to do to go to your CO -
JB: Yes. Because -
DB: To say you’d had enough.
JB: There were people weren’t there who were labelled LMF.
DB: Yes.
JB: That’s lack of moral fibre.
DB: LMF.
JB: Who just disappeared off the screen, off the section.
DB: Yes. I had a rear gunner who just didn’t -
JB: Yes. Just didn’t appear -
DB: Who didn’t, who didn’t turn up one evening.
JB: But they weren’t staying on the station.
DB: And the next, the next, by the next morning he’d gone.
JB: LMF. That was the label.
DB: Lack of moral fibre.
JB: Moral fibre.
MJ: What made them give you the job of testing the planes because I don’t know how they decided?
JB: Because, because he was a good pilot. [can’t be plainer than that can we?]
DB: Well I was -
JB: Steady. Steady chap.
DB: Seconded. Well someone, someone had to do it.
MJ: Yeah it’s just -
DB: Well, it’s after an engine change or after a crash. If any plane had been repaired.
JB: Well after this crash -
DB: Or major service.
JB: After you had got the plane back and was told to ditch in the channel. Yes? And you got it back into this wood in Kent and ended up in a tree.
DB: Yes.
JB: And they were killed. The two of them.
DB: Yes.
JB: And you were injured. What, you went off to hospital, all of you, presumably, that were still alive but now we know where the plane is, don’t we?
DB: Yes.
JB: ‘Cause we found it.
DB: Yes.
JB: We know it’s in the wood just –
DB: Yes.
JB: North of Folkestone. We know exactly where it is if we look at a map.
DB: Exactly.
JB: We went to look for it. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get into the wood ‘cause it’s wired off but we could actually, we could point out where it is but -
DB: Yes.
JB: He has actually got the engine number plate. I suppose it’s a number plate.
DB: Yes.
JB: I don’t know. From, from the plane. But we know -
DB: Yes.
JB: It’s still there, what’s left of it, but of course as a Wellington is wooden it’s probably only bits of an engine there now. So when you’d done all this testing and being shot at by the army eventually they let you not fly anymore did they? Or you trained people. You were training pilots. I know that on D-Day you were doing familiarisations. That’s a difficult word.
DB: Yes.
JB: On, for pilots, training pilots and you took four flights ‘cause we looked into the question of D-Day when the celebrations came up for D-Day and you made four flights that day with different people to familiarise them with -
DB: Yes I’d forgotten. Funny you should remember.
JB: Well -
DB: I’d forgotten.
JB: I only remember because on the celebration of D-Day.
DB: Yes.
JB: I was able to tell you where I was.
DB: Yes.
JB: And you, so, I said to you, ‘Well, where were you?’ and you couldn’t remember so we looked in your logbooks which are still here.
DB: Yes.
JB: As is your, as is your uniform, your Irvin jacket.
DB: Yeah.
JB: Your goggles. Everything. Still here. Got it all.
MJ: [? to take one]
JB: It’s all stashed away in the cupboard here. I don’t think you’d be able to get in to it now though. I think the ravages of time made us all rather fatter.
MJ: Fine.
JB: You should turn it off.
MJ: Off.
[Machine pause]
JB: Now, David. My theory about the logbooks. You’ve still got three logbooks. Yes.
DB: I think it must be right. Yes.
JB: And I think my theory because I have a very nasty mind I think is that the first one is thick.
DB: Yes.
JB: And as -
DB: Yes.
JB: You get further on the logbooks get thinner. Now do you think, my theory is because they don’t expect you to last very long?
DB: No. I would say, I would think so.
JB: You think that’s the answer.
DB: Yes.
JB: So the longer you are active in the RAF during the war
DB: You got -
JB: You got a thinner logbook because there would be no point giving you a thick one if they didn’t expect you to last more than five goes would there?
DB: No.
JB: Do you think that’s true?
DB: The original one is thick.
JB: And the next two get thinner and thinner. Has anyone any theory as to why that is apart from my theory?
DB: Could be economy.
MJ: No. You’re right.
JB: I’m right. Aren’t I right about it? Yes. David, you know young Lapping, who we put a memorial cross for -
DB: Yes
JB: Every year. Am I right in thinking that after he was killed, and he must have been a very young man.
DB: Right.
JB: His father joined up in the RAF.
DB: Yes.
JB: In memory of his son and was also killed.
DB: Yes.
JB: He was killed at a later stage wasn’t he?
DB: Well -
JB: The father.
DB: What? The father was?
JB: Yes. Yes, and I know they come from Yorkshire and I keep meaning to try and get hold of some archivist in Yorkshire and look up that name and see if we can’t sort it. [whisper] Turn it off.
[Machine pause]
JB: Family, we know that
DB: Yes.
JB: And the other chap is dead as well. We know that. David, after you came out of the RAF and every time we drive past Stoney Cross you tell me that was where your last posting was.
DB: Yes.
JB: And it was handing out money to returning crews.
DB: Yes.
JB: You bought a Tiger Moth did you not?
DB: Yes.
JB: And how much did that cost?
DB: The Tiger Moth cost two hundred pounds
JB: And you kept it at Portsmouth Airport as it -
DB: Yes.
JB: Then was. And why did you want it?
DB: Why did I want it?
JB: Yes.
DB: Well, I may have just -
JB: What use did you make of it? You flew to Cowes to go sailing, yes?
DB: Yes.
JB: Because you’d always been a keen sailor.
DB: Yes.
JB: And you flew to Cowes.
DB: Yes.
JB: And you sailed against the Duke of Edinburgh.
DB: Yes.
JB: In [f for fox?].
DB: Yes.
JB: In a dragon boat that you had -
DB: Yes.
JB: Built yourself when you bought a boatyard in Bosworth building wooden boats.
DB: Yes.
JB: And eventually built a boat that went to the Olympics in 1956 where got your silver medal for sailing.
DB: Yes.
JB: Enough.
MJ: [is it?]
JB: Enough said. When you left the RAF -
DB: Yes.
JB: Was it 1946?
DB: Yes.
JB: What did they give you by way of remuneration for all your efforts for six years or whatever?
DB: A hundred and twenty pounds.
JB: A hundred and twenty pounds.
DB: Yes.
JB: Well, that was your total pay off was it?
DB: Yes.
JB: But no pension of course.
DB: No.
JB: But did you get, you got a clothing did you not?
DB: A coupon, I believe we did. I can’t honestly remember.
JB: Well you can remember because we still have the trilby hat and the raincoat here.
DB: Yes. I can’t remember about the coup -
JB: We don’t have the sports jacket anymore and I think that was all.
DB: I can’t -
JB: Did they give you any trousers? They must have given you some trousers.
DB: Yes.
JB: A pair of flannels I suppose.
DB: I expect so.
JB: Yes. But the trilby hat -
DB: Well they didn’t give you -
JB: They gave you coupons.
DB: It was in Ruislip.
JB: Yes.
DB: And we just wandered around on this, you know, and picked the clothes ourselves.
JB: Oh I see. And that was your choice?
DB: You were allowed to -
JB: You didn’t, you didn’t -
DB: To take a jacket and trousers.
JB: You didn’t think of getting a city suit then? You preferred to have a sports jacket.
DB: Yes.
JB: And a pair of flannels.
DB: Yes. Yes.
JB: And a raincoat and a trilby hat.
DB: Yes.
JB: We still have the trilby hat and the raincoat somewhere.
DB: Yes I think we -
JB: They were frequently used by some amateur dramatics who wish to -
DB: I think the raincoats gone hasn’t it?
JB: Yes.
DB: Yeah.
JB: But the trilby hat and the raincoat, I think they’re still in the workshop.
DB: Yeah.
JB: And I think you still, we still give them out for amateur dramatics. Dressing up a tramp. Since they were given to you in 1946 they’re pretty -
DB: Yeah.
JB: Pretty, only fit for that now.
DB: Yes.
JB: So a hundred and twenty pounds was the maximum. Was the total -
DB: Yes.
JB: And that was for being a flight lieutenant.
DB: But I think we got some clothing coupons.
JB: Yes, well that’s what you bought with the clothing coupons but then if you got a hundred and twenty pounds and you were by then a flight lieutenant which means -
DB: Yes.
JB: You’ve gone through five ranks.
DB: Well, where, where have my logbooks gone?
JB: It seems pretty poor pay to me but that’s all you got and no pension of course.
DB: Yes.
MJ: Right, well -
JB: Off.
MJ: Yeah. On behalf of the International Bomber Command I’d like to thank David and Jackie Bowker at their home in Southampton for their -
DB: No, it’s Emsworth. We’re in Emsworth now darling.
MJ: Yeah. On the 17th of -
DB: November.
MJ: November 2015.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Interview with David Bowker
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Mick Jeffery
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2015-11-17
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Sound
Identifier
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ABowkerD151117
Conforms To
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Pending review
Pending revision of OH transcription
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Language
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eng
Coverage
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Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Description
An account of the resource
David Bowker joined the Air Force and was originally training to be a wireless operator / air gunner but remustered as a pilot. He discusses rudder lock on early versions of Halifax. Jacqueline Bowker his wife, discusses her life during the war and being bombed. Returning from an operation to Frankfurt his aircraft crashed and some of his crew were killed. After this he was posted to a target towing flight and later became an instructor at an Operational Training Unit and a test pilot at at Maintenance Unit. He also discusses a time when an aircraft's dingy deployed in flight jamming his controls.
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Germany
Great Britain
England--Bedfordshire
England--Derbyshire
England--Kent
England--Lincolnshire
England--Nottinghamshire
England--Shropshire
England--Yorkshire
England--Folkestone
England--Spurn Head
Germany--Frankfurt am Main
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
00:48:45 audio recording
103 Squadron
150 Squadron
aircrew
bombing
briefing
Cheshire, Geoffrey Leonard (1917-1992)
crash
demobilisation
Halifax
Halifax Mk 1
Hurricane
lack of moral fibre
Lysander
Magister
military living conditions
military service conditions
Operational Training Unit
Oxford
pilot
RAF Cardington
RAF Elsham Wolds
RAF Pershore
RAF Rufforth
RAF Shawbury
RAF Snaith
Tiger Moth
training
Wellington
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1420/36156/BHiltonVTHiltonVTv1.2.pdf
055085e3ea7ec031474816930fe89f6d
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Hilton, Vaughn Thomas
V T Hilton
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2015-06-09
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Hilton, VT
Description
An account of the resource
Three items. The collection concerns Pilot Officer Vaughn Thomas Hilton (430281 Royal Australian Air Force) and contains his log book, his biography and his identity card.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by John Lawrence
Hilton and catalogued by IBCC Digital Archive staff.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Dare to Discover: World War II experiences of V T Hilton
Memoir of Vaughn Thomas Hilton
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
BHiltonVTHiltonVTv1
Description
An account of the resource
describes V T Hilton's life in Australia, his training and service with 192 Squadron
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Mark Hilton
Vaugh Thomas Hilton
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2009
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942
1943
1944-10-07
1944-10-09
1944-10-26
1944-11-02
1944-11-04
1944-11-10
1944-11-21
1944-11-26
1944-12-01
1944-12-02
1944-12-05
1944-12-17
1944-12-06
1944-12-18
1944-12-28
1944-12-30
1945-01-02
1945-01-14
1945-01-16
1945-01-22
1945-02-03
1945-02-05
1945-02-07
1945-02-08
1945-02-13
1945-02-14
1942-02-20
1945-03-03
1945-03-07
1945-03-20
1945-04-02
1945-04-04
1945-04-08
1945-04-10
1945-04-13
1946
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Australia
Belgium
Germany
Poland
Great Britain
England--Norfolk
England--Yorkshire
Germany--Bochum
Germany--Bonn
Germany--Chemnitz
Germany--Cologne
Germany--Dessau (Dessau)
Germany--Dortmund
Germany--Dortmund-Ems Canal
Germany--Düsseldorf
Germany--Gelsenkirchen
Germany--Kiel
Germany--Ladbergen
Germany--Leipzig
Germany--Leverkusen
Germany--Magdeburg
Germany--Merseburg
Germany--Nuremberg
Germany--Plauen
Germany--Stade (Lower Saxony)
Germany--Ulm
Poland--Szczecin
Germany--Ruhr (Region)
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Royal Australian Air Force
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Memoir
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
56 printed pages
Conforms To
An established standard to which the described resource conforms.
Pending text-based transcription. Allocated
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
192 Squadron
aircrew
arts and crafts
bomb trolley
bombing up
crewing up
FIDO
fuelling
H2S
Halifax
Heavy Conversion Unit
military service conditions
Morse-keyed wireless telegraphy
Operational Training Unit
petrol bowser
RAF Foulsham
RAF Rufforth
service vehicle
training
Wellington
Window
wireless operator
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1242/16312/ELingHTNDudleyCJ891201.1.pdf
0b301ab9e4c29a2845c00365c33320f6
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Allen, Jim
J H Allen
Description
An account of the resource
18 items. The collection concerns Flight Lieutenant James Henry Allen DFC (b. 1923, 179996 Royal Air Force). He flew a tour of operations as a pilot with 578 Squadron. The collection consists of a number of memoirs, photographs and a diary. It includes descriptions of military life and operations and his post-war life and work.
The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Steve Allen and catalogued by Barry Hunter.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-05-12
2019-02-05
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. Some items have not been published in order to protect the privacy of third parties, to comply with intellectual property regulations, or have been assessed as medium or low priority according to the IBCC Digital Archive collection policy and will therefore be published at a later stage. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collection-policy.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Allen, JH
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
[underlined]THE MIRACLE OF ASKHAM BRYAN as told by C.J. Dudley (Navigator) [/underlined]
[underlined]Date: [/underlined] The night of 21st January 1944
[underlined]Aircraft: [/underlined] Wellington LN 487
[underlined]Crew: [/underlined] Sgt. J. (Jimmy) Allen (Pilot)
Sgt. C.J. (Joe) Dudley ( Navigator)
Sgt. N.Phillips (Phil) (Bomb-Aimer/2nd Pilot)
W/O Cohen ( Wireless Operator)
Sgt. Ron (Geordie) Stobbs (Engineer)
Sgt. Eric G. Dunton ( Mid-Upper Gunner)?
W/O Louis Wooldridge (Rear-Gunner)?
The flight was a flight was a night exercise towards the end of flying training at 15 O.T.U. Harwell. Flying at 15,000 feet with the countryside below in complete darkness, the normally deafening roar of the two engines suddenly changed to a tremendous rushing sound. The pilot reported that both engines show high revs but that we were losing height rapidly. He asked the Navigator for a position and was told that we were over the centre of York. The pilot then sent out the distress signal ‘May-day, Mayday! and then reported over the intercom that the lights of an aerodrome have been switched on and that he was aiming for it. By then he realised that there was no power in the engines and that the revs were being produced by the windmill effect on the propellers as we fell rapidly through the air. He then ordered everyone to their crash positions. My position, with Sgt. Phillip(?) was against the main spar bulkhead facing rearwards. Here I replugged in my intercom. We then hear the Pilot report that he had lost sight of the airfield light but that he had at last manged to get the aircraft straight and level. I asked him what our height was and he replied that it was 4000 feet and that he was about to switch on the landing lights.
The next second we heard loud exclamations from the gunners and the pilot felt a couple of bumps, a smell of mud flying around, a sense of being spun around, a smell of petrol, and then silence and stillness. Phil and I scrambled out of the astro-drome escape hatch onto the [deleted]port[/deleted] [inserted] starboard [/inserted] wing then onto the ground. There was little left of the wing and its engine has rolled away infront of the aircraft and was burning itself away merrily. The landing light was still shining bright and lighting up the scene. We were in a muddy field with petrol pouring from the wing onto the squelchy grass. Sgt. Allen was standing on the wing and began calling the roll. Everyone answered except W/O Louis Wooldridge. We all ran to the rear of the aircraft where we found Louis spreadeagled on the grass under the rear turret which stood about eight feet above us. At last
[inserted] OTU = Operational Training Unit [/inserted]
[page break]
Jimmy Allen’s calm professional efficiency broke down. “I’ve killed old Wooly!” he cried out in great anguish. Geordie, the Engineer, rose to the occasion and with great presence of mind and not a little courage climbed back into the aircraft in order to retrieve the Very Pistol and fire off a red flare to attract rescuers. His enterprise was a little too enthusiastic however, for instead of coming out of the fuselage with the pistol he inserted it onto its socket and fired it vertically out of the top of the aircraft. We took one horrified look as the brilliant flare soared into the air, paused , and began to fall back towards the fuselage. There was not a breath of wind. Each of us grabbed one of Louis’ limbs and we ran like hell to get as far from the aircraft as possible, until the flare still burning bright landed and fizzled out, in the grass only a foot or two from the canvas covered fuselage. Silence reigned except for the gush of petrol from the wing.
We laid Wooly on the grass about 50 yards from the aircraft as Geordie clambered happily out of the escape hatch. Wooly then sat up, looked around and said, “What’s happened?” to which Eric Dunton, (I think) replied with great exasperation. “You can see what’s bloody well happened!” Wooly looked back at his turret and immediately exclaimed “What about me rations?” (The tin of chocolate and raisins that was issued to every crew-member on long flights). “You go and get – your own bloody rations!” was Eric’s vehement reply.
By then Geordie’s flare had been seen by a local Anti-aircraft crew who soon arrived with torches and led us back to their camp, and then to R.A.F. Rufforth for some much needed sleep. Sgt. Allen was able to telephone the C.O. at Harwell, whose reaction was not to ask if anyone has survived by only to curse the pilot for destroying his best aircraft.
Next day we return to the aircraft to assess the situation, We found that we had flown at ground level through a wood on the outskirts of York. It was the sight of the flight past and taking off our wings as the pilot switched on the landing lights that brought the cries of amazement from the pilot and gunners. We had then slid across a large marshy field of grass until one engine touched the ground and spun us round 180 degrees. Not one of the crew was even slightly injured, not even Louis Wooldridge. How he had arrived unconscious beneath the rear turret we never found out, but wondered if he had jumped or fallen out with his intercom still plugged in, for we were certainly not expecting to land so suddenly. But whatever the
[page break]
reason he was only knocked out for about one minute, or less, i.e. the time it took to call the roll.
Climbing back into the aircraft to rescue my charts, log, [inserted] and also the pilots parachute [inserted/] and sextant I discovered that our leather gauntlets had been stolen. As it was R.A.F. policy never to replace lost or stolen gauntlets (taking it for granted that they must have been sold on the black market), I was obliged to fly the rest of the war with only my silk inner gloves to keep me warm.
Why did Jimmy Allen tell me that we were 4000feet when in fact we could’nt have been more than a couple of feet above the ground? The answer lies in the construction of the altimeter, This was no more than an aneroid barometer, which was very slow to react to changes in atmospheric pressure. We had descended 15,000 feet in 3 or 4 minutes, leaving the altimeter with its built-in time-lag reading nearly a mile above our true height.
We never discovered why both the Wellington’s engines should suddenly fail completely and simultaneously, without warming. No-one would believe that it could happen but it did, and I believe, has happened on several occasion since then. Nor have I ever heard of any other air-craft falling three miles at night with no engine power whatever, and landing safely of its own accord in a dark and muddy field with all the crew walking away completely unharmed.
At the end of the official enquiry, which found no fault in anyone’s actions, nor any reason for the loss of the aircraft, each member of the crew was asked if they wished to change to another crew, and all of us, with the exception of W/O Cohen, who was entering his second tour of operations and was hoping for a crew as experienced as himself, had no hesitation insaying that we wished to continue flying together with Sgt. Allen as our skipper. In the weeks that we had been with him before the crash we had all been deeply impressed by his flying skill and his outstanding ability as captain, in the realisation that he could do everyone’s job in the crew at least as well as we could ourselves, and we all had complete confidence in each other. During the events of 21st Jan, we had all been equally deeply affected by Jimmy Allen’s calm and efficient professionalism in a situation of extreme danger, and by his remarkable skill in handling the stricken aircraft. We knew that he was a captain who would never panic, never act wildly or foolishly, always skilfully in command of every situation no matter how desperate. Not every bomber captain inspired such
[page break]
confidence. Above all perhaps we felt that anyone who was not only as skilful but as [underlined]
lucky [/underlined] as Jimmy Allen, - as the whole crew – had to be where our future lay.
We took on a new W/Op (Sgt. Ron Adams) and within a few days transferred to a Halifax Conversion unit, and then on to 578 Squadron at Burn in Yorkshire. Here we flew 39 operations over Europe specialising in very accurate attacks on small tactical targets. Our crew was particularly successful, our log and bombing photographs always on display, and we completed the tour flying day and night without any of the crew sustaining any injury of any kind, inspite [sic] of much damage to our aircraft, ( which managed to survive and fly many more operations.
By the end of the tour, flying day and night under great stress, our nerves pretty well worn through, we had come almost to hate the sight of each other. Nevertheless we all volunteered to go on another tour of special duties, provided that we could keep together as a crew. But the R.A.F. decided to send us all on our separate ways. While on the Squadron at Burn, three of the crew, - Jimmy Allen, Norma Phillips and myself, were commissioned [sic], and in January 1945 we read that every member of the crew, except for Eric Dunton, who, in spite of being proven many times to be the best gunner on the Squadron, had never had the opportunity to fire his guns at the enemy, had all been awarded the D.F.C. or D.F.M.
[signature]
Colin Joseph Dudley
Flight Lieutenant R.A.F.V.R. (Ret.)
27th September 1987
[page break]
Detail of crew members
Pilot Fg Off J H Allen (179996)
Navigator Plt Off J C Dudley (182392)
Bomb-aimr F Sgt N M Phillips (1389293)
Wireless Op F Sgt R E Adams (1454844)
Flt Engineer Sgt K Stobbs (1592671)
Mid-upper Gunner Sgt E G Dunton (2204493)
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
The Miracle of Askham Bryan
Description
An account of the resource
The story of a complete engine failure in Wellington LN 487 over York at 15,000ft at night. The aircraft was over York and crash-landed safely. The rear-gunner had been knocked unconscious but was unhurt, as were the rest of the crew.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Joe Dudley
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1987-09-27
Format
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Five typewritten sheets
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Memoir
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
ELingHTNDudleyCJ891201
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Great Britain
England--York
England--Yorkshire
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1944-01-21
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Georgie Donaldson
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
578 Squadron
aircrew
crash
Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Medal
Halifax
navigator
Operational Training Unit
pilot
RAF Harwell
RAF Rufforth
training
Wellington
wireless operator
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1242/16316/YAllenJH179996v1.2.pdf
37df24045b7429c836febd53856ecca6
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Allen, Jim
J H Allen
Description
An account of the resource
18 items. The collection concerns Flight Lieutenant James Henry Allen DFC (b. 1923, 179996 Royal Air Force). He flew a tour of operations as a pilot with 578 Squadron. The collection consists of a number of memoirs, photographs and a diary. It includes descriptions of military life and operations and his post-war life and work.
The collection has been loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Steve Allen and catalogued by Barry Hunter.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2016-05-12
2019-02-05
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. Some items have not been published in order to protect the privacy of third parties, to comply with intellectual property regulations, or have been assessed as medium or low priority according to the IBCC Digital Archive collection policy and will therefore be published at a later stage. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collection-policy.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Allen, JH
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
1944
[Page break]
[Printed frontspiece]
[Page break]
WALKER’S
DIARY
FOR
1944
(LEAP YEAR)
[Page break]
[1994 Calendar]
[Page break]
[Postal rate information and Holiday dates]
[Page break]
[Table of Sunrise and Sunset times]
[Page break]
[Table of Moon phases]
[Page break]
[Table of Church Festivals and Common Notes]
[Page break]
[Table of English Law Sittings, Seasons, Eclipses and University Terms]
[Page break]
JANUARY 1944
SATURDAY 1
Gave B/A some Link this morn:- OK. Was to have done bombing:- too cloudy. P.M. In Int. Lib. till 1545. 16.20 Left camp. went to Maidenhead. picked up my cycle. Got back to camp 20.50hrs. Asked for day off this morning, a [underlined] very dim [/underlined] view taken.
SUNDAY 2
Dual bombing this morning. B/S U/S Bombed from 3,000’. Error converted to 20,000’:- 183x. 1500 Solo bombing. Only one dropped. Sent home, too many a/c on target (4 actually)
Wrote to my darling this evening
[Page break]
JANUARY 1944
MONDAY 3
Did some Dinghy Drills today. Nothing else. Down for F/A but too cloudy. Could easily have been given the day off.
Feel absolutely fed up tonite, just about sick of it all. Do so want to see June again.
TUESDAY 4
Did .3 F/A this A.M. Report by Itr. Pilot-: “Very Poor” Corkscrews & D.Turns very poor. Feel rather badly about it. P.M. in INT.Lib till 1515. Then dashed off to London with Dudley. Didn’t meet any Snoops. At No.89. 2010hrs. Very glad to be able to see June even for a few hrs. Asked if she’d come away for a week’s holiday if I get Leave:- “No”. Disappointed. Otherwise evening O.K.
[Page break]
JANUARY 1944
WEDNESDAY 5
Got to Pad. By bus 0315 after much sweating & walking. (0230 Flak Barrage put up, I was at Bank) Met Dud, came back on Paper train. Two lots of bombing A.M. First 154x error, 2nd 99x at 20,000. Actual hits:- 9,500 & 10,500’. 30mins F/A 1600hrs. Bit better, I think. Received letters from Stan, Mum & Mr, Cunningham (Agate) Made a very bad lndg tonite 1755hrs.
THURSDAY 6
Did .20 P.T. first. Then C.G.I. asked if I wanted to go overseas:- “No”! Rest of day spent mainly in C/R. Saw film of 1st F/A. Not able to see yesterdays Dunton says fighter didn’t get inside 300x. Phoned home 1930. Most of the evening spent in writing to my beloved June.
[Page break]
JANUARY 1944
FRIDAY 7
0800 Paid £3/14/-. Allotment now 5/- per day. Did .30 F/A. Not as good. a/c wouldn’t do a C/Turn to the left. P.M. 1/2 link with Phillips. Short X-C run, for about 15mins. Then in Gee room for .20 or so. Tried to exchange sox & pants at stores:- closed. Wrote to Stan this evening. F/L Reade did a nickel tonight.
SATURDAY 8
No bombing:- too cloudy. P.T. 0830-0920. Lec on A.S.R.S. 1115-1145. Received a letter from June. N/F tonite. Briefing 1500. T-O about 1800. C&B with F/O Kerbey, he was O.K. My bumps were awful, couldn’t land at all. Weather clamp just after 2000. Got rations tho’. Egg & bacon supper. In bed 0200.
[Page break]
JANUARY 1944
SUNDAY 9
Link 09-1000;-poor. 1100 Church Parade. Weather duff, [deleted] pm [/deleted] in mess all afternoon. Wrote short letter to June. Had tea 1545. 1640 N/F cancelled. 1800 went to flicks “Gentleman Jim,” quite good. Went to bed 2100.
MONDAY 10
N/F tonight. Briefing 1430. C&Bs again with F/O Kerbey. Did the first half at H. Norris. Went solo O.K. All lndgs. good except last one at 2240. Egg & bacon supper again. Full moon, but vis poor. Flying satisfactory. Got to bed 2359.
[Page break]
JANUARY 1944
TUESDAY 11
Up 1030. Weather very bad:- vis bad. raining. 1400 told “Briefing at [underlined] 1900 [/underlined] hrs.” Maddening. Wanted to get 1700 train to Padd. Flying appears impossible. 1800 [underlined] N/F scrubbed [/underlined]; makes me sick. Absolutely fed up to the teeth.
WEDNESDAY 12
On so called “Crew Disposal” this A.M. Some mucking about in hangar 0915-0945, which passed as P.T. Cleared off into billet rest of morning. P.M. Briefing postponed to 1900. Did some Live Fusing & Bombing up. Wrote home after tea. Flying scrubbed [underlined] 1745 [/underlined] just an hour too late. Have rarely been so fed up.
[Page break]
JANUARY 1944
THURSDAY 13
Spent a couple of hrs. in Gee room with Dudley this morning. P.M. Killed time in Int. Lib. saw Met-man, until 1600hrs, - briefing. Expect to fly about 2359, as weather is duff, expected to clear. Wrote another short letter to my darling. Am in no mood for writing. Went to “Musical Appreciation Concert” 1945. Airborne 2212, on dual X-C. P/O Baker as screen. Made a bad start. Had no Gee.
FRIDAY 14
Landed 0420; Last hr was F/A. Very tired. “Supper” at 0500.” Usual egg & bacon. In bed 0530. Up 1215. Received letter from June, just what the doctor ordered. Weather beautiful. 1720 T-O on solo X-C. Went to Scillies, 15,000ft. vis wonderful. Could see whole of peninsular from Bristol to Land’s End. Had a bad shaking 1900. Thought I was upside down for a few secs. Laded 2200. Scillies – I of M. Anglesey – Base.
[Page break]
JANUARY 1944
SATURDAY 15
Foggy all day. Flying scrubbed 1655. Tried to get train to London. Got to Reading 1840. Came back 1940. London train had not then arrived. Fed up & miserable. Came back by bus. Left cycle in Didcot. Have until 1200 tomorrow free.
SUNDAY 16
Still foggy. Got cycle back. Left camp 1635, with a pass. Got to Padd 1940. Didn’t leave Lvpl. St until 2100. Mad as a hatter. Cursing & swearing quietly all the way. Arr. home 2240. Too late to see June. There was a bad crash at Ilford, but didn’t know about it.
[Page break]
JANUARY 1944
MONDAY 17
Up 0535. Saw my darling 0625-0730. At Ilford 0740, saw wreckage. [Deleted] To [/deleted] 8 persons killed. Made me feel small, for cursing as I did, what does it matter about being late, compared to this. Clamped all day. Briefing postponed until 1900 at first, then to 2100. [Underlined] Scrubbed at 2050hrs. [/underlined] F/LT. Woodven was killed this morning. Pranged in the fog. Wrote to Wilf & Stan today.
TUESDAY 18
“Crew Disposal” all day. Usual messing about. Pyros Lec. this morning. Also did some Gee with Dudley. P.M.- AML till 1545. Cleared off after that. No flying again tonite. Am down for a 6hr. X-C when we can get to it. Wrote June this evening.
[Page break]
JANUARY 1944
WEDNESDAY 19
In INT. Lib. & E.H. Room all morning Made up Link times in Log Book, & spent about an hr. in gym, this P.M. No flying, weather lousy. Wrote to June.
THURSDAY 20
Gave 1/2 hrs’ instruction to each gunner, in Link 11-1200hrs. 1500 Briefing. 1745 T-O for “Bullseye” exercise. Couldn’t fly at 15,500; so came down to 10,500’. Target :- green Pk. London. Caught in S/Ls for a few secs; found & “bombed” target O.K. on time. At Dorchester S/Ls held us for 80 secs. Violent E/action!! Very excited over target. Back 2315. Interrogated 2345, egg & bacon, then bed.
[Page break]
JANUARY 1944
FRIDAY 21
In bed 0115, up 1100. Two letters from Stan. Phillips excused flying for 48hrs Solo X-C tonite. Other B/A didn’t turn up. T-O 1805. 1904 something wrong with engines; ht 15,000’. Crashed 5 mins later. No one hurt, Wooly knocked out for a few secs. A Miracle, that we did [indecipherable]/S. Engine torn off. thought I’d bought it. Taken to Rufforth, (Con. Unit) by C.O. Couldn’t sleep. Thought of June, as we hit, wondered how she’d take it.
SATURDAY 22
Got what stuff we could find, from a/c, & dumped it in ‘chute room. a/c pretty badly smashed. Left York 1435. Brought Navi & W/OP’s stuff. Got back to Didcot 2330. Don’t feel like flying again.
[Page break]
JANUARY 1944
SUNDAY 23
Saw C.I. 0900. He balled me out!! Said I imagined it all. Just about finished me with any hope of wanting to fly again. Saw Smith 1430, he was better. Went up & told off the C.I. Was on N/F programme for tonite!! Got pass till 1200 tomorrow. 1530 pass not ready, went without it. Saw June 2015. Went home, then took her home again.
MONDAY 24
Up 0540 At no. 89 0625. Left her at Ps 0750. Got 0915 from Padd. Court of Inquiry opened this afternoon. Talking from 1400 to 1845. Went over every little thing twice, at least.
[Page break]
JANUARY 1944
TUESDAY 25
C of I continued. Made up Log Book. Hanging about all afternoon, in case we were needed. Have thought of nothing but the prang all the time. At least I managed to keep fairly cool altho’ I was sure I’d bought it. Wasn’t afraid to die, only very sorry. Received letter from Harold.
WEDNESDAY 26
Link this morning, - very ropey. C of I again this P.M. Nothing found to be wrong with the a/c. Trying to put it down to me switching off ignition switches & failing to check. Looks as if I’ll get the can.
Wrote to Harold.
[Page break]
JANUARY 1944
THURSDAY 27
Tried to get today off, - nogo. Scrounged out of a grope, had rest of morning off. 1300 went to Streatley for sailing. Very enjoyable afternoon. Got stuck in a backwater once & had to paddle & push our way out. Best afternoon I’ve had for a long time. Wrote to June this evening. Know what it is now to be alive. Appreciate the fact.
FRIDAY 28
Had a dream in the night; Joyce, Stan & Dorothy had died; so long as it only stays a dream. Went sick, want a medical. M.O annoyed because crew hadn’t been examined since prang. Scrounged off rest of morning. P.M. Saw M.O. 1500. Had a good moan to him. Didn’t give me a medical tho’. Got 1658 train to Padd. Saw June by 2000hrs. Cheered me no end, just to see her for a couple of hrs. Left on the 22.21 from Romford.
[Page break]
JANUARY 1944
SATURDAY 29
Arr. Didcot 0230, after having overshot to Swindon. In bed 0315, up 0710. Flew to Rufforth to get kit. Already been collected. Flying rather ropey, but am O.K. Had F/O Evans as screen, a binding b – d. Back 1500. Late dinner at 1545; made me sick, literally, 1700. In bed 1835.
SUNDAY 30
Went sick 0900. Wrote to June 1100. P.M. Tried to get a day off, again nogo. Got off 1515.Went to Romford, saw June 1935-2200. Only her Mum in, with her. Didn’t show any tact, or consideration for us. Left Rom 2230. Missed 2330 from Padd. There was a Nickel tonite. Would have been on it but for the prang.
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JANUARY-FEBRUARY 1944
MONDAY 31
Got to bed 0640. Down for .30 F/A. Low cloud:- scrubbed. Did some Link:- ropey. Had a look at Bullseye photos:- O.K. Spent most of the afternoon in chasing up our flying kit. Got it by 1730. Went to bed at 2030. Am disgusted at not being given day off. Had expected at 48 at least.
TUESDAY 1 FEB.
Swimming 09-1200 at Oxford Baths. Quite good. P.M. Gave Dudley some Link, then did an hour, myself:- much better. Wrote home after tea.
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FEBRUARY 1944
WEDNESDAY 2
Asked again for day off. No! Am just disgusted. Went to Ox. Baths P.M. Got 1540 train to Padd. At Ps 1840 June gone home. Saw her 1900. Went to flicks. Saw a Betty Grable film. Had supper afterwards. June says she wants to get married fairly soon. Has been doing some serious thinking, & I think she’ll have figured all the angles. O.K. by me, anytime.
THURSDAY 3
In bed 0600, out 0700. Weather rough, after a clear night. N/F tonite. Did 3hr X-C & bombing. Dual all the way. Very tired at the end. Bombing results 91x @ 20000’. Actual error 51x @ 6,000. Flying fairly good. I’ll be all right. Still a bundle of nerves. Jumped when intercom was used. Very pleased with bombing. Glad I went to Rom. last night.
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FENRUARY 1944
FRIDAY 4
N/F again. Briefing 1500. T-O 1810. Did 4hr X-C, then bombing. Dropped one flare; 12 bombs. Results poor. Was very tired by the time we did the bombing U/C trouble at the end. Pumped it down, [deleted] l [/deleted] only got 10° of flap. Landed O.K. Egg & bacon as usual.
Bombing result:- one stick 30x error @ 20,000’. Pretty good.
SATURDAY 5
Briefing 1500. Pretty much as last night. X-C & bombing. Went to I of M Good moon, bit hazy. Phillips took over for about an hr. Bombing better. Stick not so good but group 135x @ 20,000’. This finishes our night bombing. Landed 2307. Borrowed a book from Woolly “Sex factor in marriage”. He read it on X-C.
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FEBRUARY 1944
SUNDAY 6
Down for bombing tonite. 6 sticks to count as daylite, finish us. Weather clamped. Wrote to my beloved this evening. May be on leave in a few days.
MONDAY 7
Couldn’t bomb A.M. due to low cloud. On N/F programe. T-O after some trouble. Dropped 6 sticks on Udstone. Cloud 4,000’, bumpy. 250x @ 20,000’.:-Lousy. Went up again 2230 for another go. Cloud 3,000’. 2 sticks, useless. As we left each time, the cloud cleared. Annoying, [underlined] very [/underlined]. Finishes our flying. Egg & bacon 2359. Receive most complimentary letter from my darling.
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FEBRUARY 1944
TUESDAY 8
Spent the morning in bed, & the P.M. getting a small C.Chit filled up. Made up Log Book. ‘Phoned home 1815. With luck may get away tomorrow.
WEDNESDAY 9
Saw C.G.I. this morning. All crew has done pretty well. Hinted that I may get a com. In a little while. P.M. Told to get cleared from station!! Going on leave till 24th then to Driffield, probably a Battle Course. Got C.C. 1600. Paid 6gns. 1525. Received letter from Wilf. He’s now a Cpl. Good Show!
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FEBRUARY 1944
THURSDAY 10
Finished getting cleared this morning. Saw CGI 1430. Got away eventually on the 1658 train. Parked cycle & kit at Padd. ‘Phoned home from Lpl. St. 1935. At June’s house 2105-2205. Home 2230. Left my cap at No. 89. Clear night, - full moon.
FRIDAY 11
Went & got my cap first. Then got kit from Padd. Got a taxi from R. Stn. P.M. Jawing to Pop till 1500. Shaved etc. & went to Ilford. Got 4 tickets for show tomorrow nite. Met June 1700. Went to Havana 1900. Left her 2230. She has a good idea on how the wedding will go off. Has the basic ideas taped. Can safely leave it to her. We can have the front room of No. 89.
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FEBRUARY 1944
SATURDAY 12
A.M. Collected cycle from Padd. P.M. At No. 89 1500-1900. Went to Ilford Hipp. 2000. Met Freddie Howe. Show fairly good. Had supper afterwards:- foursome. Some rain, drizzle. Got June home 2350. I Love her so!! She is certainly the most beautiful girl in the world, to me. Is all I could ask. She’s been much more fun lately, & more demonstrative.
SUNDAY 13
Saw June 1400. Went up to town. [Underlined[ All [/underlined] flicks full up, so had tea a Lyons Corner House 1630. Very good. Saw a Bob Hope flicker 1745. Not up to usual standard. Raid 2030-2145. Heavy flak barrage. Got to no. 89 2210. Left 2255. Am sure looking forward to marrying June. Had a spot of doubt a week ago. Not now!!!
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FEBRUARY 1944
MONDAY 14
Spent A.M. cleaning some tools at home. P.M. Went to Ilford, had a look around furniture shops, to get some idea of prices. I did! Terrific. Met my darling 1700: went home & stayed there all evening. Leave it entirely to her re going out. [Deleted] D [/deleted] She’ll get more tired than me. I get up when I feel like it: not at 0600.
TUESDAY 15
Went to Town A.M. Got 4 tickets for Show at Vic Palace. Back home 1500. Met June at Ps 1700 & went to Ilford Hipp. So-so. “Jane” got boring. Back at no. 89 about 2100hrs, until 2245. Got tummy-ache. June’s sex education isn’t so good as I though. At present she finds the thought of sexual intercourse repulsive. Will have to be very careful.
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FENRUARY 1944
WEDNESDAY 16
0500 Sick. Up 1015, stomach lousy. O.K. after dinner. Went to flicks with June 1900. “Lassie come Home”. Not bad. Met Ivy & boyfriend just as we were going in. Withdrew £10 from P.O.
THURSDAY 17
June took day off. Went to Lon. to do some shopping. Got only 2 utility pillow cases. 1530 bought 22-carat wedding ring: 8gns. Met Dud & Joy 1655., they were 25 mins late. Had tea, went to Vic. Pal. Arthur Askey, “The Love Racket”. Very good. Had a drink, Dud left 2130. Got June home 2225.Everything in town was a terrific price, & mostly trash.
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FEBRUARY 1944
FRIDAY 18
Went to Vic. Rd. [deleted] O [/deleted] & collected my suitcase. Came back to Rom. & bought a set of carvers (£3/10/-) & water set (£1.) Suspect I was Joed. Gave them to June. Did not go out tonite. Don’t want to tire her out too much.
SATURDAY 19
Met June1220 & proceeded to Bedford. Left St. Pancras 13.30. Arr. H.Con. 1540. Was mad at myself for not taking any grub. Spent the evening sitting round the fire. June went to bed 2130. Had a boiled egg each for tea.
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FEBRUARY 1944
SUNDAY 20
Got up 0900. Egg & porridge breakfast. Saw Phil 1030. Back 11.40. Spent next hr. in front room with June looking at the fire:- cosy. Left 1540. At no. 89 2000. Left 2145. A raid on. Took shelter in a house in Hav. Rd. Heard bombs, ducked under the table as the ceiling came down. When quiet went to see if June was O.K. Yes. God looks after me, my cup overflows.
MONDAY 21
Did a bit of shopping this A.M. Got a tin of salmon, for wedding:– 32 pts. Have managed to scrounge two books of points per month from Mum, to help get stuff for wedding. Didn’t go out tonite. Stayed in, looking at June all evening. Not very exciting.
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FEBRUARY 1944
TUESDAY 22
Took one kitbag to Kings + this A.M. Met my darling as usual 1700; went to “Ritz” Romford:- flicks. Saw “North Star” & “Henry Haunts a House”. Not bad. Latter very funny. Left June 2230.
A raid during the night. Flak fire heavy, bags of noise; no incidents near here.
WEDNESDAY 23
Took 2nd kit bag to Ks+. 1300 had a cup of tea with June & Rene & Fred in Vic Café. Made up a parcel of grub for Grandma. Stayed in with June most of the evening. Just had one port in “Maurneys Arms”. Alert 2210, some firing. Left 2304. Not a very exciting day. Left £5 with June.
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FEBRUARY 1944
THURSDAY 24
Met June 0625. Went to work with her. Left Ks+ 0935. A short Alert 0845. Saw a vapour trail, some AA. Had dinner in Y.M. Doncaster, 1400. Left 1530. Got to Selby 1600. Walked around, shops all closed:- half day. Arr. Driffield 1940hrs. Got a lift to camp in an Army truck. Rest of crew here. Came up from Ks + with Phillips. Billetted in Barrack Blocks. Course expectation 18 days – 5 weeks.
FRIDAY 25
Breakfast 0730. Oat cakes. Didn’t do much today. Talk by W.O. usual line. P.M. on bed all afternoon. Given further 3 days leave. Not much use to me. Got 8/-. Wrote a letter to June this evening. London raided again last night. RAF flew over 1,000 sorties last night, lost 35.
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FEBRUARY 1944
SATURDAY 26
Walked to Driffield 1005. Took 20-25 mins. Managed to get a pair of [underlined] sheets & white woollen blankets. [/underlined] Cost £4/8/10. Put deposit of £2 down. Drew further £3 from P.O. 1230 got bus to Hornsea. Found Aunt Alice about 1415 hrs. Took a look around town, & at the sea. Not much doing. Feel very pleased over sheets & blankets. Uniform did it;- pukka. After tea:- raining fairly heavily.
SUNDAY 27
Got up 0930. Sitting about all day still raining & snowing. Went to Service 1800. Didn’t think much to it. Then went up to Y.M. until 2010. Got some Horlicks. Bed 2300.
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FEBRUARY 1944
MONDAY 28
Left on 0850 train. In Hull 0930-1040. Got records “Dearly Beloved” & “All my Heart”, at last. Been trying to for months. Drew £3 from P.O. & paid for blankets. Shopkeeper is wrapping & posting them for me. Had another blanket – grey – put aside for me. Spent afternoon writing to June, then had a hot bath. After tea made down beds of rest of crew. Liver for supper – good. Bed by 2100 hrs. Wrote a letter home after tea, too.
TUESDAY 29
0915 had my teeth scaled. Nothing doing for rest of the day. In billet all morn, listened to Woolly’s domestic trouble, advised him as well as I’m able. Wrote to Wilf & Aunt Alice. P.M. spent trying to learn shorthand again. Made fair progress. Haven’t done any for 4 yrs. Only slightly before. Find I’m constantly “singing” “All my Heart” & “Dearly Beloved”.
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MARCH 1944
WEDNESDAY 1
Drew rifles & denims this morning, dodged FFI, expect trouble. P.M. spent in crawling about in mud & snow. Watched demo squad scale walls, fences & get thro’ barbed wire. Wrote to Grandma. Received expected letter from my beloved June. Replied. Did 1hr shorthand.
THURSDAY 2
Pretty easy day. Some ‘Observations’ this morning, & pay parade P.M. £4-4-0. Did nowt else. Got a pillow slip. We have no sheets here. Evening spent in composing & writing a letter to Wooly’s girl. She has to choose between her family or him. Made it a very formal type, but put the point. He’s very worried, & I asked her to let him know where he stands.
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MARCH 1944
FRIDAY 3
Room orderly today. Took 2hrs. to clean & tidy up the room. Went to Driffield 1400. Bought blanket & sent it off to June. Wrote her a letter too. Wrote home, sent £1-6-0. Back for tea, letter from Wilf.
SATURDAY 4
Did some bayonet practice, in the snow 10-1100. Shown film on night patrolling. P.M. Told we’re on a night op. tonite. Me as 2 1/2 Platoon. Had a look at the ground 15-1600. Marched off 1945. Op started 2010hrs. Three patrols. I just hopped around independently. Fresh fall of snow, but warmer than expected. Finished 2120. Quite good.
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MARCH 1944
SUNDAY 5
Paraded 0900 for Bull Parade:-Cancelled 1015 drew 2nd pr. of denims & webbing. P.M. went round the obstacle course, - rehearsal for A.V.M. tomorrow. Finished 1500hrs.
Wrote to June after tea.
MONDAY 6
1030-1200 visit by A.V.M. Parade, pep talk etc, then did ob. course. Seemed quite strange, everyone so busy, bags of activity. Had afternoon off. Didn’t go out as my crew is Town Patrol tonight. Received a letter from June. Phoned home 1910hrs. T.P 2030-2330. Spent most of the time in fish shop & station waiting room. In bed 2359hrs.
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MARCH 1944
TUESDAY 7
Went to [deleted] Middleton [/deleted] Millington by coach. 2 mile march across fields, -muddy, & snow. Went around the course, under two culverts, & thro’ a filled ditch; fell into the first stream, soaked to the waist. Water cold. Plenty of mud about. Had a hot bath as soon as we got back. Warm enough going round the course, altho’ wet, but got cold in the bus. Wrote to my darling after tea. 7 pages, for a change.
WEDNESDAY 8
0815 went sick. Right hand hurt during yesterday’s exercises. Told its only bruised. Stiff & sore. Stayed in billet rest of morning. P.M. “House clearing”. Quite good fun. Shown a couple of short films. Elementary map-reading, & a tactical film. Wrote to Stan after tea. Still doing shorthand, going rather heavy. Told that Charlton & Avery have been killed with crews. Avery crashed at night!!!
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MARCH 1944
THURSDAY 9
A.M. ‘Battle Drill’:- stupid. Saw POW film “Information Please” very good. P.M. Playing at soldiers again. More water & mud. Sun out, quite warm. Received letter from my darling. Wrote to Harold & June. Dreaming of her last night, nothing unusual. Saw her very clearly.
FRIDAY 10
Dreaming of June again, dreamt we were married, 2nd in succession. On a scheme today. Dumped 2m South of Brid., with 2 gunners. Had dinner at Sgts. Mess Lisset. Just walked in & took it. Got lift home via Cornaby. Bags of cheek used. Really enjoyed it. Lovely day. Got a letter from Stan, replied.
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MARCH 1944
SATURDAY 11
Wood-clearing this A.M. Square bashing stupid, but actual clearing interesting. Blanks, smoke & thunder flashes used. P.M. Went over the Assault course. Piece of cake compared to Millington. Finished by 1530. Had another bath, 3rd in a week. Wrote to June this evening.
SUNDAY 12
Our turn at sentries while ‘N’ Course did the small ramble. Truck broke down just after we left. On a control point from 1150-1430. A bind, weather squally. Dinner 1630, ropey. Didn’t do any [diagram shorthand] tonite. Wrote home. [Diagram shorthand] heavy. Needs two to learn it properly.
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MARCH 1944
MONDAY 13
Rifle Lec. & cleaning until 1100. Then a talk about the 8th Army in Libya, by one who was there. Very interesting. P.M. Briefed for tonite’s ‘Ramble’. Received a letter from Harold; also one from my angel. 1800 left camp in bus. Dropped at 1940hrs. 7ms. N. of Scarb. Walked it by 2145.
In an open goods wagon 2230-2330, then went into guards van. Very cold. With Wooly & Denton.
TUESDAY 14
0230 got up, all 3 of us frozen. Walked about until 0400. Snoozed on some benches until 0600. 0640 on Scarb. Stn:- no tickets. Left 0730, at D. 0850. Jumped the fence in camp 0830. Very dirty, had cleanup. In Brid. 1500. Got a bed cover 27/0 sent it to June. Received letters from Wilf & Stan. Intended writing letters after supper, too tired. Wrote to June at mid-day.
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MARCH 1944
WEDNESDAY 15
Room orderly. Wrote to June, received one from her. Am posted to [underlined] Rufforth. [/underlined] Would like to see June again, her letters make me a bit lovesick. Got laundry from Harold at last. Went to Ensa show 2000hrs. Ropey & corny,- very poor. Finished packing. This included a blanket. I have to pay for gloves lost in prang, so will have it back this way.
THURSDAY 16
Up 0550. Left 0800. Got to Rufforth 1330hrs. P.M. spent cleaning up hut & self. Wrote home, to Harold & Stan. Food today very good egg & chips for tea. All crew in same Hut.
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MARCH 1944
FRIDAY 17
Running around with Arr. Chit all day. C.G.I. talk 0910hrs. Paid £4-4-0 1100. Saw training report from O.T.U.:- Slow, nervous, sound; not dangerous. Not firm enough with crew. Recmd. for commission at a later date. All rest of the crew in York this evening. Wrote to Wilf. Wish I could see June again. Literally my heart aches for her. Sent £1 home. Also 1/8d for ‘phone call.
SATURDAY 18
Finished off Arr. Chit. Had a look round a Hally. P.M. Met my F/E. Spent rest of afternoon in various Hallys. He seems to know his gen. A Newcastle chap, under 21 yrs. We are a kindergarten crew, only 2 being over 21:- W/OP & M/UG. a/c is quite spacious & clean inside. Think I’ll like it. Received a letter from my darling, replied.
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MARCH 1944
SUNDAY 19
At school all day. A.M:- did the petrol system of the Hally; P.M. the Messien Hyd. System. Nothing else doing until bed 2115.
MONDAY 20
Did Dowty Hyd. System, cooling system & carb. today. Heard that we go into Flights on Wed. or Thurs. Not known if 2nd Dickie trip are still going; hope so. Took laundry into York 1820, inc. 15 collars from rest of crew. Looked in a dance on camp 2130, discouraging, left 2230.
Food is very good here, so far anyway.
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MARCH 1944
TUESDAY 21
School again all day; engine handling limits, George etc. Got battle dress changed at last. 1620 got a lift into York with Dud. Bought a brevet [deleted] 2/ [/deleted] 2/6d. Had tea at Betty’s. Dud paid (7/-) Went to flick “Jane Eyre”. Heavy. Back 2230. Sewed on badge & tapes. In bed 2330. Started a letter to June in cinema.
WEDNESDAY 22
School A.M. Pneumatic system. P.M. Collected 3 oranges for each of the crew. Did a tour of a/c with F/E. until 1600hrs. Received mail from Stan, Home, & my beloved June. In it she writes “I Love You”, I know it, & it is the most beautiful knowledge in the world, to know that I’m loved by the one I love. And I love her with all my heart & soul.
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MARCH 1944
THURSDAY 23
Not much doing. AM Had Int. Lec. on evasion. P.M. Got Lockers & Harness for all the crew. In ‘D’ Flt. now. Asked for it as F/O Wilson, a screen, was Woolly’s Pilot on Ops. Wrote to Stan.
FRIDAY 24
Didn’t fly today. AM Hanging about, read flight orders. P.M. did 1/2 hr. dinghy drill. Posted blanket home. Also wrote. Received shirt from Mum. See that we’re down for flying tomorrow, 1st detail. 73 a/c lost in raid on Berlin.
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MARCH 1944
SATURDAY 25
Up 0620. Got rest of crew out. Airborne soon after 0830. Did stalls, 3 eng flying, C&B’s. T-O awkward, bumps easier than expected Vis. lousy. Couldn’t see the drome on the circuit 1100 landed. 1140 got gauntlets replaced free, CIV action. Didn’t think I would. P.M. D.D, ‘Chute D. & some turret manip. 1910 hrs. observe a large force of Heavies going S. Received letter from June, replied.
SUNDAY 26
AM spent mainly in a/c rec. room. Was to fly 1300 hrs. but scrubbed. Did a tour of a/c with a screen. F/E 1430-1530. Wrote to Grandma & June. June’s letter wasn’t so good, not much to write about. Planes last night raided N. France, 1 lost.
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MARCH 1944
MONDAY 27
Killing time most of the day. Beautiful day; no flying. Asked for a 48 “No! Well, come again tomorrow”. Said I wanted to make final preps for my wedding. FLT/Cmd, was married last week so have him biased. In York 1830. Got laundry, spent rest of time with Dud. in Library & TOCH. Very nice young lady serving. Almost as good as June. Wrote to Harold.
TUESDAY 28
0800 asked again for 48. OK. Made out pass. Left 1215 hrs. Got a lift to York, left on 1440 train. Kings + 1910. At no. 89 2025 hrs. Is good to see Her again. She finished my last photos. A couple of nights ago, I asked God if I could see June again soon. It seemed impossible at the time. My prayer was answered quickly. Left her 2230.
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MARCH 1944
WEDNESDAY 29
Took June to work. Spent morning enquiring about catering & taxis for the wedding. Met June 1700. 1930 saw vicar of St. John’s Church & put up the banns. Left him 2030. At no. 89 rest of the evening until 2220. June a little unwell. Pay Parade at 1100hrs. in camp.
THURSDAY 30
Took cycle to Ks.+. Met June 1230hrs She took the P.M. off from work. Walked round home, picked up money & resp. case. Walked about until 1640. At flick 0 A.Askey – 1740-2025. Stood outside her house until 2055. About the only chance I ever have of having her to myself. At Ks.+ 2214. Just missed 2215 train, got 2315. (Gave June a little talk, in case I am a bit overdue sometime}
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MARCH-APRIL 1944
FRIDAY 31
At camp 0530. Hut locked crew away, app. A 48. Reg my bike, got it stamped & painted. Received letters from Wilf & Harold. P.M. Stooging about, tried vainly to get the stove going. Replied to Wilf & Harold. Not much to do; crew on a 48 too. until tonight. Wish I’d known. My thoughts constantly of my beloved. It hardly seems possible that my ideal girl actually loves me, & will soon be my wife. (RAF lost 96 last night)
SATURDAY 1 APRIL
Playing around with a sextant up to 1100’. Link until 1145:- ‘K’ Test, O.K. Flying 1530-1800. Was lousy. Not done so badly since grading school. Twice failed to T-O, due to swing. Landings terrible. Harold came up, met me 1800 at Dispersal. Slept in our Hut. He has bags of stuff for me to collect. Wrote to June, sent £4; proceeds of the sale of a pocket watch.
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APRIL 1944
SUNDAY 2
Weather very poor. No flying. Went to York Stn. with Harold. Got lifts both ways. He got train 1537, first stop N’castle. Wrote to my darling after tea.
MONDAY 3
Spent morning in billet. Still raining. Link 1500. Long 8. Duff. Wrote a short letter to Stan. Received one from him.
Camp very muddy.
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APRIL 1944
TUESDAY 4
AM:- Up 0830, still raining. Did Gee 0930-1145. P.M. In Nav-Section with Dud. Raining all day.
WEDNESDAY 5
Hanging about all day, in case we [underlined] might [/underlined] fly. Made arrangements for a postal course on Diesel engines. Evening spent in billet receiving advice (?) on how to run my married life. 2145 borrowed some coak from compound, with Dud. No mail from June sine my 48.???? Wrote to Harold.
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APRIL 1944
THURSDAY 6
Hanging about all morning. P.M. Wrote to June, sent £3-10/- to replace that borrowed on 48. Went into York 1620. Had tea, - stung 1/8d for a fishcake (?) & mash. Went to flicks “Miracle of Morgans Creek”, quite good. Rather lonesome, on my own.
FRIDAY 7
Up 0630 for first detail, didn’t fly. P.M. 1330 Link, - good. In billet rest of the afternoon. Received mail from June, Stan & Harold. The W/OP in trouble with his girl, crew composed a letter to her, all signed.
Wrote home, & to June.
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APRIL 1944
SATURDAY 8
Did a spot of D. Drill, & T-manip. On first detail again, didn’t fly. P.M. kept hanging about. 1545hrs. told we’d fly at 1630. 1640:- a/c U/S, no flying. Cheeses us off. Beautiful day. Wrote to Stan. 1130hrs suggested a couple of ideas re D.Drill to C.G.I. Good view taken. Dreamed last night that my wedding date would be July 4th ????
SUNDAY 9
Went sick 0845. Want to make sure I’ve not got T.B. Get X ray tomorrow. Have had a bad cough for the past week, & bags of phlegm. P.M. In billet rdg. Pilot Notes. Evening spent mainly in telling very old & very weak cracks. Crew composing a letter to “Daily Mirror” re reports of pilots feats in papers, & no mention of the rest of the crew.
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APRIL 1944
MONDAY 10
Solo-ed 1020hrs. in the Halifax. Flying & landings much better. 2 Solo lndgs. best ever. Vis very poor. Did 4 circuits before making the first landing. Can’t taxy for nuts. P.M. Had chest X ray. Just to make sure I’ve not got T.B. when I marry. Am O.K. Bomber Stream going over 2100 hrs onwards. Wrote to my darling. Also to Harold.
TUESDAY 11
Vis poor. Flew 1030-1330. Bad weather C&Bs. Rate 2 turns at 3-500ft. Did 1.25 solo. O.K. More or less map-read round the circuit. Landings all very good. Raining hard after 1500hrs. Received a letter from June. Last night we lost 22 a/c. Replied to June.
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APRIL 1944
WEDNESDAY 12
No flying for us today. On “[deleted] seff [/deleted] Self Help” 1015-1500,- Cycle mechanics. P.M. Got washed etc by 1530, forgot it was half day closing. Seem to be suffering from bridegrooms nerves, somewhat. Phoned home, spoke to Stan, asked Pop to ask June to ‘phone me. No call by 2045.
THURSDAY 13
Went sick this morning just to tell the M.O. I’m O.K. Got away at 1100hrs. Only saw him for a min. 1130 told I’m flying at 1300hrs. 1300 airborne. Did 3-eng. flying at Holme. Solo 1445. On 2nd circuit P. Outer packed up, so made a pukka 3-eng. lndg. Flew back to base OK. A prang during the night. Only R/G got out alive. Wrote to Stan .
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APRIL 1944
FRIDAY 14
Paid 0930. £4/2/-. Had a look at the airborne lifeboat, for the rest of the morning. Didn’t fly today. Took cycle into York for repair. Bought a 5 watt bulb & a bottle of Vol-par gels;- for my wedding night. Went to flicks with Ron & Phil, “The girls he left behind him”:- stupid & boring. Wanted to get drunk, not time. My mind having a terrific fight with itself. Had photo taken 1700hrs.
SATURDAY 15
Got up to find my wallet & this diary missing. Most huts cleaned out during the night by some swine. Got wallet & diary back, only £5 from wallet lost. Have been saving hard. Might have been worse. Mad. Didn’t fly today. [Underlined] Stan [/underlined came up 1500hrs. Went into York. Nothing doing. Feet sore,- we walked back.
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APRIL 1944
SUNDAY 16
Wrote to June after tea.
Feet like balloons. Phoned Met 0700 to see if we’d fly at 0830. “No”! Stan left 1000hrs. 1400 told we’d fly at 1700. Then told “sometime before darkness.” 1815 scrubbed. Day utterly wasted. Something is wrong with me. Am constantly analysing myself. Even doubting my love for June! Oh God, what is wrong with me? Do want, in fact [underlined] must [/underlined] see her soon; I do love her so; but why this battle in my mind.
MONDAY 17
Didn’t do much A.M. PM:- 1410 airborne. Did climb,- to 18,600ft a/c ceiling. Should’ve been 20,000. Did A/sea firing 5-600ft. SBA on Riccal’s Beam. Down 1730. Good landing. Received letters from Wilf & my darling. Feel [underlined] much [/underlined] better. I know again I love her. She’s absolutely a perfect angel.
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APRIL 1944
TUESDAY 18
No flying this morning. POW talk & film 1400-1530. Airborne 1630 with F/L Hartley. S.Ts. 2 eng. flying, Corkscrews. Am too gentle with the a/c. Controls were very stiff. 1830-2000 Solo, repeat exercises O.K. Egg & chip supper 2045.
Got a bottle of gin from mess 21.30. 28/-.
WEDNESDAY 19
Nothing doing this morning. 1100hrs told we could have the afternoon off. 1200 told to report at 1400hrs. Raining 1400, all details scrubbed. Then impossible to get to Blyth. Too disgusted for words.
Wrote to my beloved 1700hrs. No doubts now. Don’t know what was wrong with me. Wrote home at mid-day.
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APRIL 1944
THURSDAY 20
Airborne 0845-1145. Air/Sea firing too cloudy for bombing. 1200 made up 4 Log-books of the crew who pranged last week. Got 1420 to Newcastle. At Blyth 1740. Got stuff from Harold, & left 1915. Got vest & pants, two towels, handkerchiefs, & a few oddments inc. 5/- of sweets. Left for York 22.35, after ‘phoning home, & writing to June.
FRIDAY 21
Arr. York 0055. In bed 0205. On 1st detail. Dual F/A. Didn’t touch controls, felt sick. Afternoon spent in a/c with Geordy. Received expected letter from my darling.
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APRIL 1944
SATURDAY 22
Airborne 0855. F/A 0930-100hrs. Bombing 1100hrs. at Elam. Hd. Dropped two bombs, didn’t see them go off. B/Sight U/S, so came back. P.M. collected cycle & photoes from York. Photo is about the best I’ve had taken;- & is out of focus!! N/F tonite. A/B 2135. Went to Poc. Sent solo after 5 C&Bs. Very bad lndgs. Swung of rnwy 2355. Thought the u/c had gone. Not a very successful day.
SUNDAY 23
In bed 0230. Up 1030. Down to fly 1400. No a/c. Wrote to my beloved. C&Bs 2230. Check dual, then solo. Lndgs improved steadily. Dropped heavily on the last one tho’. Had “O” again. A bastard a/c. Everything in it stiff & awkward. Didn’t leave the circuit. Did 3hrs all told.
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APRIL 1944
MONDAY 24
Landed 0130. In bed 0235. Up 1115. Got letters from Stan & Harold. Sent box of sweets to June. A/B 1630. Bombing 1700. 3 sticks of 3, should’ve been singles. Very bumpy. Did a bit of SBA. Made a wizard landing 1830. Hard work, flying today. Wrote a short letter to Harold. Made up a parcel, inc. the Gin, to send home to myself.
TUESDAY 25
Made up Log-Books. 1115 told we do a X-C this P.M. Briefing 1130. A/B 1410. Flew at 13-14000ft. instead of 20,000. Bombed at St. Tudwalls. B/Sight U/S again. Drift & s/angle mixed up. Gave B/A & R/G some dual. Also used George. Back 1930. Bad swing on lndg. Finished up going backwards. U/C O.K. tho’ I think.
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APRIL 1944
WEDNESDAY 26
Got up 1115 hrs. On N/X-C tonite. Wrote a short letter to my darling. Briefed 1600hrs. In a/c 2000, & took off 2101.5. S/B dead on time 2133hrs. Went North to Stirling, S. to Fishguard & E. to Ely. 5.25 hrs. all told. Target Seagull Isles. We were a couple of mins late. No T.Is. seen at all. Very poor show. Wizard navigation by Dud. No George fitted. Chewed one piece of gum for the whole trip.
THURSDAY 27
Landed 0225. Good landing. Interrogated, had supper, in bed 0415, up 1200. Got a letter from June. She sounds cheesed off. Hope to get a 48 this weekend. 1400 hrs. told we can have off to 0800 Sat. Got 14.51 from York. Saw June 2035hrs. I’m too thankful for words.
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APRIL 1944
FRIDAY 28
At No. 89 1105hrs. With June all day. Did some shopping, then went to flicks 1600. Not very keen, but June wanted to see the film. “Cross of Lorraine”. All doubts about my Love for her gone!! Saw her wedding dress. Very good. Am so thankful to God for being able to see her, even if only for a few hrs. She sent me a photo last Mon, haven’t yet received it. Left Ks+ 2240hrs. (22.15 train)
SATURDAY 29
Arr York 0315. In bed 0400, but couldn’t sleep. ???? Must be this thing, Love. Up 0820. Spent until 1430 getting cleared. Photo not arrived. Going to 578 Sqd. Burn Nr. Selby. Could be a lot worse off. Packing most of the evening. Thinking & talking of June, just like old times I must have been nuts to doubt myself. I Love her with all my heart & soul!!
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APRIL-MAY 1944
SUNDAY 30
Said tata to F/L Hartley 1100hrs. Spoke to Bailey. He pranged Fri nite. Hit another a/c on a Bullseye. a/c badly damaged. He crash landed on a drome. No one hurt. Flew it over Welsh Mts. Couldn’t steer it properly. Good show. He didn’t bale the crew out. I would. Left Ruff. 1507. At Burn 1630.
MONDAY 1 MAY Maureen [underlined] 8 [/underlined] yrs
Usual C.C. running about A.M. 1430 told I’m [underlined] ON. [/underlined] tonight. 2nd Joe trip. Quick work. Rather glad, didn’t fancy hanging about too long. Briefing 1800hrs. T-O 2210. Went to Malinse in Belgium. Saw a little L. & H. Flak. Saw no T.Is Lots of other a/c. Attack regarded as very poor.
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MAY 1944
TUESDAY 2
0001hrs. Leaving T.A. Saw glow of a fire for about a minute. Landed 0200hrs. In bed 0400. Woolly flew with another crew, too. Up 1100. Wrote a short letter to Harold. Talk 1430 by P.F.F. & a Master Bomber. Was to have done conversion this P.M. but the weather stopped it,- low cloud. Wrote to my darling 2000hrs; & home. A beautiful evening re weather.
WEDNESDAY 3
Did conversion this afternoon. First landing atrocious. Swing again. Others OK. a/c very fast taxying, bags of power, climbs like a lift. Evening, went to mess dance, just to get some eats. Bed 2330. No ops on from here.
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MAY 1944
THURSDAY 4
A.M. Got a RAF bike, & did some D.D. 49 a/c lost last night. On X-C tonight. T-O 1810 climbed to 22,000’. Highest yet. Had “Charlie”. a/c I went in to Malinse. Climbed lovely to 18,000. Very slow last 4000’. Carried 5,000lbs dummy 500’s, dumped them in the sea. No change of trim noticed. Use awful lot of fuel. Eng. Handling poor. Landed 2340hrs. Inter-com U/S on circuit, & S.O. cut for a few secs. Very glad to get down;- trembling & sweating.
FRIDAY 5
Up 1130. Weather duff. Received a letter from June; & one from Harold. In F/Cmdr’s office 14-1530, being given Ops griff. May get our leave before June 2nd. Won’t be able to get married if so. 2000hrs Saw a serious play “The Father”, by ENSA. Very good acting by the leaders.
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MAY 1944
SATURDAY 6
F/A 1430-1450. at 9,000’. Had my RAF bike pinched. Free now till Mon. morning. Dud gone home. Haven’t the money to, or I would. Went to York, collected laundry. Back 2230 hrs.
Received Banns Certificate. Sent it home. Wrote to Harold, too.
SUNDAY 7
Got up 1130hrs. P.M. Went for a cycle stroll with Phil & Geordie 1500-1700. Beautiful day. Scenery lovely. Wish I’d been able to go home. Just the day to go for a walk with June.
Wrote to Grandma after tea.
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MAY 1944
MONDAY 8
Didn’t do much A.M. 1400 See I’m ON tonight. Had a look over the a/c, “D”. Briefing 1830-1930. T-O 2130, after a lot of finger trouble. Target:- 3 Heavy Guns (155MM.) on French Coast. PFF on time, we dropped first bombs. Pilot very pleased, right across the markers. Some unpleasant vibrations on the way back. More finger trouble by me on the circuit. Very pleased with the bombing. [Underlined] Ht. 8,600ft. [/underlined]
TUESDAY 9
Bed 0330hrs. Received letter from June. Will not be marrying on next Leave. ON again tonight. Briefing 1830. Wrote a short letter to June. Received letter & snaps from home. Went to camp concert 2000hrs. Quite good. Snoozing 2200-2330. Egg & bacon supper 2350
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MAY 1944
WEDNESDAY 10 Ht. 9,000’.
T-O 0145. Target:- 6 x 155MM guns at Morsalines. [Underlined] 100% HANG-UP [/underlined] Jettisoned after some difficulty. Load 16 x 500lbs. Brought one back Landed 0530, - dawn. Dropped 3’. Bed 0730. Up 1345. “Windowing” 1530-1630-. Not on tonight. Photoes taken last night very good. Made me niggly, all hanging up. P.F.F. bang on. 300x out the night before. Wrote to Stan & Home.
THURSDAY 11
Received a letter, & watch from June. [Underlined] ON [/underlined] tonight. 1000hrs paid £4/5/-. P.M. spent out at aircraft. T-O 2237. First off, dead on time. Target:- 6 guns at Trouville. Everyone late, I think. We bombed OK. 0051 1/4 hrs. Some flak about. More than I’ve seen before. R.P.M. counter of S.I. packed up 0045, approx. Ht. 10,000’ Posted watch to Wilf.
[Page break]
MAY 1944
FRIDAY 12
Landed 0240. Poor landing. Bed 0430. Up at 1200. Saw photoes 1400hrs, wizard. Best of the Squadron. Lovely picture of A/P. Some chaps [underlined] miles [/underlined] out. No ops tonight. Wrote to Stan & June.
SATURDAY 13
A.M. POW Lecture again. 1145 told we are [underlined ON [/underlined] tonight. 1430 got a couple of gadgets compasses. DI-ed. a/c after that. 1820 Ops scrubbed. Wrote to Wilf. Received another letter from my beloved. Replied, sent her the snaps.
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MAY 1944
SUNDAY 14
No Ops tonight. P.M. Gas test, ie:- respirators. In mess rest of time. Had expected to be on tonight. Weather OK here. Wish I’d had today off, would have gone home to see my beloved.
MONDAY 15
A.M. to have done practice bombing. 0900 a/c U/S. T-O 1030. 10/10 cloud over target. Gave Phil some dual. Me very nervous as we descended thro’ cloud. Lndg ropey. P.M. went to Snaith to see P.As. 2000 at flicks in Selby. Will Hay “My Learned Friend.” Quite funny. First evening out for a long time. Received a letter from Stan.
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MAY 1944
TUESDAY 16
A.M. No Ops, hanging about. Drew out £38 from P.O. Closed account. Received £5 from Wilf for watch. P.M. Lectures on nitrogen system; & N/F tactics by Wingco. Raining most of day. Wrote to June 2000 enclosed money order for £40. She has all the money if cart goes wrong. Received letter from H.C. & “Recorder” from home. ‘Phoned home 2040hrs.
WEDNESDAY 17
Stand down again. Raining, Met Chart looked a mess. P.M. Lockers organised. Wrote to Wilf, having received another letter today. 2000hrs. saw film “The Sky’s the Limit,” free, in camp. Walked back with LACW Doreen -? Made a date for tomorrow nite. Haven’t forgotten my darling. No danger.
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MAY 1944
THURSDAY 18
Tried to do some bombing 1140hrs. Cloud base 1,000ft. Hopeless, sent back. Waste of time. Woolly sick. 1430 First Aid Lec. No Ops tonite. 1800 met LACW Doreen Bramley. Saw “Behind the Rising Sun” at “Ritz”. Told her at the start I’m engaged. After show, spent most of the evening talking about June. Bad manners, I guess, but its natural for me. She is not booked. Total cost of evening 3/10d Made a break, have been very fed up; I was out with June, not D.
FRIDAY 19
1040 Ops on. 1050 No Ops. 1400hrs:- on a Bullseye tonight, in “C”. Woolly sick, carrying an erk as passenger. T-O 2245. P.I packed up at 12,000ft. Returned, landed on three. My mouth parched when we got down, 2330. Last time we flew with an incomplete crew, we crashed ???? Won’t take any more pass’s. Wrote a short letter to my darling.
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MAY 1944
SATURDAY 20
Got up 1115. Stand down. Wrote to my beloved June. News: B. Good. out last night “in very great strength”. Would have been up there if we’d had bombs on last nite Throttle rod broke, actually. 20.00hrs. Saw “The Taming of the Shrew” at camp convert hall. Very good: Shakespeare was a bit of a dirty old blighter, methinks. Most enjoyable show. Don’t expect quite so much trouble in my married life!!
SUNDAY 21
1140 A/B to do air & sea firing. 3. ATC kids as passengers. 250-500 ft. over the sea. Nearly got mixed up in the balloons at Hull, on the way in. Wizard lndg, best ever in the Hally. Absolute Feather-bed. Wrote home 1800; & to June. 2000hrs. Saw concert in camp, free. Quite good, but for a couple of stupid Waafs behind me.
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MAY 1944
MONDAY 22
1100hrs. Natter by the Wingco, then a first aid talk by the Doc. Ops ON. Taking “C” – Charlie, not happy. P.M. D.I’d the a/c:- OK. Receive another letter from my beloved. T-O 2355, s/c 0010. Dunton sick, - temp. 101°F. Last minute panic to get another gunner. Had P/O Walker. Even less happy. We are flying with an incomplete crew [underlined] again [/underlined]!!??
TUESDAY 23
S/C 0010. D.R. Compass packed up within 15 mins! Rather bumpy. On target 0215:- Rly yards at Orleans, France. Dozens of flares. Phil could see ground detail perfectly. [Underlined] BOMBS FAILED TO RELEASE [/underlined] again. Jettisoned 6 at F.Coast. Fed up, over this. No flak or fighters near us, fortunately. Didn’t see any flak personally. Landed 0505. Bed 0700. No ops on tonight Wrote to June. We got a perfect photo of A/P.
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MAY 1944
WEDNESDAY 24
Had haircut AM. just stooging about most of time. Ops [underlined] ON [/underlined]. In “C” again. Eric still in dock. P.M. at a/c checked bombing gear. Seems OK. Received letter from Harold, & another from my June. Have a Canadian M/UG with us tonite. T-O 1158 1/2. Had trouble with P.I. at dispersal, held us up.
THURSDAY 25
On target 0020 bombs went OK. Landed 0155. Good landing. Got up 1200 hrs. 1340 Looked at crew lists my name not up. Ops ON. Paid 4gns. 1450, then went to Blyth. Arr. 2035, Harold not in, had to leave right away. Got 2235 train back to York.
[Page break]
MAY 1944
FRIDAY 26
In bed 0530, up [deleted 20 [/deleted] 0840. Wilf here. Told I [underlined] was [/underlined] ON last nite. To Manstein. Scrubbed 2220. Saw Wingco 1000. Balled out, but not disciplined. God is with me!!!! Have missed a C.M. by skin of my teeth. Fainted in W/C office, first time in my life. Saw M.O. am OK. Bombing, (DNCO) & Air-Sea firing. 1400. Very bumpy, vis bad. Wilf went back 1400hrs. Wrote to June. Received a letter & stationery from her.
SATURDAY 27
AM. hanging about. 1100. Ops ON. PM. out at a/c. “B” Baker. T-O 0003hrs. Sun. Target:- German Camp at Bourg [inserted] Leopold [/inserted]. (Belgium) On Target 0213 1/2 hrs. Bombs went. 18x 500lbs Some flak & fighter flares. Gunners saw one a/c shot down. No incidents for us. Diverted to Silverstone. Arr 0345, landed 04.26hrs. (Sun)
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MAY 1944
SUNDAY 28
Hanging about for petrol until 1600hrs. Back at Base 1645. Had tea -ham, egg & mash, & interrogation. Showered & went to bed. No sleep for 36hrs. Wizard weather for holiday. Scorching. Too hot for work, flew back with all windows open. Eric got out of Dock.
MONDAY 29
Practice Bombing 12-1245. DCO. at last. 11,000ft. Flew in shirt sleeves. Quite a nice line in the papers about Sats. raid. Wrote home & to my beloved after tea.
Thundery in the evening. Saw film show 1930 in camp.
[Page break]
MAY 1944
TUESDAY 30
Very cloudy, colder. Crew Con, 1000-1100hrs. Ops ON. Rather surprising Met. man reckoned no. PM. Wrote a short letter to Harold. DI’d a/c. Hot again after dinner. 1800 Ops scrubbed. Not sorry. Spent evening stooging about in the mess. Will soon be holding my darling again, only a couple of days now.
WEDNESDAY 31
Ops ON tonite. P.M. at a/c as usual. T-O 2210, bang on. Had “D” Donald. Went to Trappes, near Paris. About the third a/c to bomb. Half moon, & white st. below us. Rather worrying. Got of track after bombing. Made it up OK. Some flak about. Hell of a long route back. Phil satisfied about the bombing.
[Page break]
JUNE 1944
THURSDAY 1
Landed 0415. Had flown thro’ storm on the way back, as going out. Very tired (6hr trip) bad lndg. P.As didn’t turn up, got away 1420, without pay. Got a lift into Donc. & 15.56 to Ks+. Met June 2035. Left 2250 on [underlined] her [/underlined] bike. Sat up until midnight gassing & lineshooting with Pop & Mum.
FRIDAY 2
Met June 1200 & visited inst. Shop for .30 mins. Had dinner with June. Met her again 1700. Told her about LACW D.B. A dim view I fear. Went to Ritz, “The Desert Song”. Wish now I’d not taken D. out, altho’ God knows I did nothing wrong. Don’t feel very happy over it now. Left June 2330.
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JUNE 1944
SATURDAY 3
Went to a show “Panama Hattie” in the evening.
SUNDAY 4
Went to Richmond, with Ivy & boyfriend. Beautiful day. My love for June is even greater, if possible, her honesty is amazing; most profitable day, - not in money. Wizard day all round
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JUNE 1944
MONDAY 5
Spent P.M. at Rus. Pk. With June’s aunts & uncles. I love June more than I ever dreamed possible, & she returns it in full. Used to pray to God that June would love me half as I love her. Have been answered 200%.
TUESDAY 6
Saw show “Meet me Victoria,” – Lupino Lane. Very good.
[Boxed] Troops landed on N. Coast of France. Invasion begins. [/boxed]
[Page break]
JUNE 1944
WEDNESDAY 7
Stayed in at No 89. P.M. Evening – flicks. Am sure looking forward to next Leave.
On my knees when I got to bed.
THURSDAY 8
Go back today. Left Ks+ 1730. June came up, left 1700. Met Phil, & F/S Ridell (Banff.)
June looked very good, even if a bit prim, due to her perm. I Love her more than I would have thought possible, & she returns it in full. An excellent Leave, enjoyed every minute, & learned a lot. Have no doubts about a happy married life.
[Page break]
JUNE 1944
FRIDAY 9
In bed 0015. Slept solidly 8 hrs. F/S Walker & S/L Watson missing. My chiefy thro’, also Phil’s, & Woolly’s W/O. Wrote to Aunt Alice mid-day. No Ops. Wrote to June 1800 hrs. Very tired, still. Glad we aren’t on tonight. Next leave 14th July. Wedding date 15th (Sat.)
SATURDAY 10
Ops ON tonight. In L-Love, an old a/c, no API or Monica. Did .20 local flying 1210-1230, just to see if I could still fly. Cloud base 900ft. Wrote to Stan. Guess he is in the invasion, somewhere. [Underlined] Ops [/underlined] scrubbed 1915. Issued with .30 revolver.
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JUNE 1944
SUNDAY 11
Wrote to Harold. Ops [underlined] ON. [/underlined] tonight. Hung about all evening, then briefed in a terrific rush. Had a row with crew, told I’m pretty unpopular, - too bossy. Didn’t realise it. T-O 2154. Rly. yds South of Paris. Ht. 5,000ft & less. Low cloud. Made [underlined] 3 [/underlined] runs before bombing. Had “L” Love. Trip went off OK. Good landing.
MONDAY 19
Landed 0222hrs. Up 1030 & paid £7/10/- 1150hrs. Ops [underlined] ON. [/underlined] tonight. In “Z” zebra, another old a/c. Briefed 2000hrs. Changed a/c to “J” for June. T-O 2335. Went to Amiens. Bags of S/Ls. Crew saw either 5 a/c or “scarecrows” go down. Most opposition I’ve met. Did a very long steady run-up. Target seemed to be pranged OK. Phil did .30 or so flying on the way back.
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JUNE 1944
TUESDAY 13
Landed 0354. Lousy lndg. Two a/c missing. In bed 0530. No OPS tonight. 27 a/c lost last night. Wrote to Grandma to try & scrounge some clothing coupons for June. Wrote to June after tea.
Saw flicker “Lifeboat” 2100hrs., utter waste of time. Load of tripe. Straightened out a few things with Phil & Dud over my Captaincy.
WEDNESDAY 14
Ops ON tonight. Have “B” Baker, which was “L” last Sun. Replace other “B”. – lost Mon. night. Get a [underlined] new [/underlined] a/c as soon as one comes into Flight. Received letters from Harold & Wilf. Briefing,- 2000hrs. Target Douai (France) T-O 0005HRS 15-6-44. On Target 0204 1/2. Not so lively as we expected. Very few S/Ls. 10/10 cloud from Δ to E/C. wizard. Bombed from 8,000ft.
[Page break]
JUNE 1944
[Underlined] cont. [/underlined]
THURSDAY 15
Ron saw bombs burst 0205. Near T.Is. Landed 0400hrs. Received letter from my darling. 1200hrs. told we T-O 1700 for [underlined] daylight [/underlined] Op. 1400hrs. cancelled. Briefed 1830. At a/c 2030. S.O. U/S Revs. stuck at fully fine. [Underlined] OP scrubbed. [/underlined] for us. Annoying, but wrote to June 2220-2320 Target for tonight:-fuel dump near Rennes, (France.)
FRIDAY 16
Got up 1100hrs. Stand down. Target was well pranged last night. Jerry crashing pilotless a/c with 2,000lbs bomb on each, on London at a rate of 9 per Hour. Feel mad at this, worried for June. 1800 Went to flicks in Selby, then met Phil & Geordy in Y.M. Back in camp 2230.
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JUNE 1944
SATURDAY 17
Up 0930. Getting quite lazy. Ops ON. Ron on a 36 to go to his brothers wedding. Taking a W.O. W/OP tonight. Received a letter from June, & invite card for crew to wedding. P.M. at a/c. T-O 2315 HRS. Target:- supply dump at St. Martins L’Hortier ([deleted] F [/deleted]) 10/10 over target. Bombed glow of T.Is. Not permitted to go down. Got over London, outwards. Raid on, lots of flak; thinking of June. Very quiet trip otherwise.
SUNDAY 18
Landed 0320hrs. Bed 0500. Ops [underlined] ON [/underlined] tonight. Saw photo of last nite. Lovely picture of 10/10 st.cu. Briefed 2015. Ops scrubbed 2215. Had supper tho’. Can’t get to sleep before about 1.AM when we don’t operate.
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JUNE 1944
MONDAY 19
Ops [underlined] ON [/underlined] tonite. P.M. API fitted to Baker. Very pleased. Cleaned the Perspex of my cabin. Briefed 2000hrs. Target:- A [deleted] roc [/deleted] flying bomb installation in France. 2145 [underlined] OP scrubbed [/underlined] as we were ready to go to a/c. Scoffed the rationed. Very annoyed as these bombs have become a personal matter.
TUESDAY 20
OPS ON. Conference 1500. Told to stand by something big on!! 1830 another con. No gen, - go to bed & get some sleep. 2200 a/c loaded with I.Bs. Overload tank on. Told we T-O at 0600HRS. ???? Norway?? Bed 2200hrs. Received letters from Stan & H.C. Replied to Stan. Grandma has sent June 10 clothing coupons.
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JUNE 1944
WEDNESDAY 21
Crew Conf.1000hrs. Told we were to have gone to BERLIN, on target 1035hrs. Weather stopped it. To have been 2,500 bombers, & 1,500 fighters. Briefed 1400 for daylight over France. At a/c, at the ready till 1700. 1800 hrs. scrubbed. Everyone fed up. Bombload had been changed three times in two days. Received letter from June. 25 days to go now.
THURSDAY 22
OPS on [underlined] TODAY. [/underlined] T-O 1320. Target:- a doodle bug Ramp in France:- Siracourt. 18,000ft. Some accurate flak at F/coast. In first 5, with Wingco. In a pack, not formation. Went over Brentwood, saw Romford. Hundred [deleted] s of [/deleted] planes on. Back 1720. No fighters seen, ours [underlined] or [/underlined] jerry’s. A Tempest formated on us just after Reading on last leg. Letter from Stan. Wrote to June, sent £3 for her birthday. [Boxed] 13th trip [/boxed]
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JUNE 1944
FRIDAY 23
Saw photo of yesterday’s do. Plotted as Sqdn’s 2nd best. Ground staff gave us a small piece of flak, from P.I. No damage. Briefed 1800 after some flapping. Sent card to June, for Mon. T-O 2256 after some bother with S.I. Flew down Eng. in formation. Op. Ht. 17,000ft. Target:- doodle-bug site at Oisemant. Very bumpy, - high concentration of both a/c & bombs. Target pranged. B Baker not fast enough for me, over 10,000ft.
SATURDAY 24
Landed (?) 0240:-Lousy. OPS. ON. Tonight. Briefing 1900hrs. Got wizard photo last night. Bombx plotted as straddling A/P. Target tonight:- P.Plane base at Rossignol. (France) A.P.I. went wrong. met. winds all to cock. Ht. 17,000ft 8 mins late on target. Everyone late. Very poor trip, all round. Wrote home. [Deleted] Rotten [/deleted]
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JUNE 1944
SUNDAY 25
Landed 0440. Lousy. Bed 0600-1400. Saw photo:- one little T.I. in corner. Later plotted OK. Stand down. Wrote to “Winston Hotel“ Picc. to book room for our wedding night. Bed 2000hrs.
[Deleted] Wrot [/deleted]
MONDAY 26 June is 22yrs today.
Weather lousy. Stand down. Read complete novel “Four Just Men”. Wrote to Grandma. Received a letter from June. Flickers in mess 2000hrs. “George Washington slept here”. Very funny. Ideal way of seeing a film, in a armchair, with a glass of cider. All I needed to improve it, was June.
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JUNE 1944
TUESDAY 27
Up 0615. Briefed 0915 after 1 1/2 hrs wait. T-O 1140hrs. Went to big doodle-bug place between Calais & Boulogne. Ht. 17,000ft. Lot of Cu. Pitot head froze up at one time. Cabin frosted. Back 1448, cut up on the circuit. Made me so mad, Some guys should learn to fly. Have to stand by for Ops [underlined] tonight. [/underlined] Bed 2130. Received letter from Stan.
WEDNESDAY 28
Up 0030. Briefed 0130 & Meal 0300. T-O 0520. France again. T.O.T 0720. Bombs from Q nearly hit us. Too close for me. Shook me up. Landed 0855. Had a much needed shower; & bed 1200. Slept till 1930. Wrote to my darling.
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JUNE 1944
THURSDAY 29
My crew stood down today. Ops [underlined] ON. [/underlined] Went to Snaith PM. saw Pay Accounts get 10gns. next Pay day. Back 1615. Diesel engine text book arrived. Wrote home. 2115. Wrote to my darling. Only a fortnight to go now, am counting the days.
Received a letter from June.
FRIDAY 30
Briefing 1530. T-O 1745. Target:- Villers-Bocage, France. 3 panzer divs. to be smashed. Biggest armada I’ve ever seen, Lancs & Hallys everywhere. Target obliterated. Told there was 250 a/c on the target. Seemed more. Most impressive. Glad to help the poor B.I. Geordie saw the bombs hit – bang on. No trouble.
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JULY 1944
SATURDAY 1
Ops ON. Briefed 1200hrs. First a/c off, -us – 1530hrs. P. Plane base at Ouisement (see 23-6-44) We were bang on time, all others early. Very lonely, but some fighters kept us company on the way back. Bombed visually, about the only ones who did. Got letter from Winston Hotel, room reserved OK. Trip today quite good.
SUNDAY 2
OPS on. Scrubbed 1300hrs. Crew Con. 14.30-1530. Wrote to my darling. Did first part of Diesel course. Wrote to Stan. Weather lousy. GOT SHEETS at last.
(Note in 1987. These sheets were for June & me. Such things were [underlined] very [/underlined] difficult to obtain in 1944).
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JULY 1944
MONDAY 3
Weather still duff. Briefing put back twice during the day.
Op scrubbed 1800, everyone having got dressed. Wrote to Harold. Received a letter from June. Roll on the 15th.
TUESDAY 4
OPS ON. T-O 1210: target P.Plane at St. Martin’s L’Hotier again. Hit by flak just as B/Ds opened. A.H knocked out & all suction gone;- no D.I. or T&B. Flew visually. S.O. packed up over Farnboro’. 10/10 Cu. except for a fair sized “chimney”. Descended, & landed at F. on 3. Phoned WIllky OK 1500. Landed 1515. Meal ready for us, & beds. Met [underlined] Riddell, [/underlined] spent night at his billet.
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JULY 1944
WEDNESDAY 5
Damage assessed;- will take a week to repair. Left 1500, smart work. In London 1700. At No. 89 1815. So glad to see June, even if only for 2hrs. P.Planes busy, causes me a bit of worry. Phoned RTO & booked seats on 2315 train. Left R. 2100hrs. & got train OK. Borrowed £1-0-8d from my darling.
THURSDAY 6
Got to camp eventually at 1100hrs. De-briefed. Saw Adj; to see W/C, & asked if I wanted a commission. Given the bumpff. Think Dud is to get one, too. Received a total of [underlined] 6 [/underlined] letters, including one from June, & the Hotel. Wrote to my darling. [Deleted] Sent telegram to H. [/deleted]
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JULY 1944
FRIDAY 7
Hanging about all day. Wrote out a report about our damage. Briefing 1930hrs. Target:- Nantes, near St. Nazire. Scrubbed 2100hrs. Posted letter to June, sent £9. Had 6 tries to see the Adj today, re the com. bumpf. Sent telegram to Harold re wedding.
SATURDAY 8
Papers checked by Adj. Ops on. Hanging about all day waiting for times of M.B etc. Finally postponed indefinitely. Wrote home. Received parcel from Harold:- 2 towels; 2 pr sox, vest & pants; very pleased.
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JULY 1944
SUNDAY 9
Ops ON. Briefing 0900. T-O 1108hrs. Target Les Cotelliers flying bomb base. Some trouble finding target. Stooged around for 5-10 mins before finding it. Very bad flying weather over England. In cloud all the way with rain & ice. My 21st Op. 2000hrs. saw concert on camp by camp personnel quite enjoyable.
MONDAY 10
Stooged about all morning. Ops. ON. In L. Crew Conf. 1430. FP 1500 MB 1530. Target N.W of Paris. Ops scrubbed 1800 hrs. In billet most of the evening, being sketched by Joe.
Received a letter from my beloved, replied. Wired Stan & Wilf.
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JULY 1944
TUESDAY 11
Ops ON. FP1400. At a/c 1500. Op postponed 1505. Back at a/c again 1640. Scrubbed 1645. Letter from Grandad;- won’t be at wedding. Disappointed. So many people have let us down, it makes me feel ill. June’s efforts wasted. She’s worked so hard, & now for so little. Feel pretty miserable. Had wire from Wilf:- nogo either.
WEDNESDAY 12
Ops ON. Mucking about all day, getting some M.T. hrs in. T-O 1805. Went to [deleted] the [/deleted] “Thrivern” near Paris. 200 a/c. very good concentration. Bombed on gee. Had a shell burst a few feet under the tail, hell of a bang. Three holes in skin of a/c:- one bit of flak. No one hurt. Landed 2240. Not a bad landing.
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JULY 1944
THURSDAY 13
At Snaith PAs. 0910. Paid £9. Packed up & away 1200hrs. Raining. Got 15.50 train from Donc. Romford 2030. Met Stan at No. 89. June round home. Met her at home 2200. Lovely as ever. Not the slightest doubt!! Have done pretty well in presents it seems.
FRIDAY 14
Shopping this AM. Got officer type F.S. cap. Fixed taxis, etc. Blew £5 or so. Received £4 from Wilf. P.M. Ironing & pressing. At No 89 18.30. Saw June once or twice. Played darts for quite a while. Saw some of our presents. Amazed, they are wizard. Saw cake. Shook me rigid, better than I’d dared hope.
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JULY 1944
SATURDAY 15
[Underlined] Our Wedding Day [/underlined]
Married [inserted] at [/inserted] St. John’s Church 2P.M. Very good Service, everything O.K. Went off 90% perfect. Very pleased, & fully satisfied. Stan made it. Joe Best Man.
SUNDAY 16
Arrived Marlow 1415 hrs for our honeymoon.
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JULY 1944
MONDAY 17
Went to Windsor.
TUESDAY 18
Reading.
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JULY 1944
WEDNESDAY 19
Henley.
THURSDAY 20
Came back.
Honeymoon 80% perfect. Weather beautiful, like June.
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JULY 1944
FRIDAY 21
Back at camp 0815. [Underlined] 6 [/underlined] a/c lost last night. Harrison & Coture included. Shaken me. No Ops. Went to Snaith 1500 to see about an allowance for June. Very tired, bed 1930. Weather:- dull & windy.
SATURDAY 22
No Ops. F/A 11-1200. Lovely above the clouds. Feel quite happy. Evasive action leaves room for improvement. Wrote to my beloved 1530hrs. Evening:- posted June’s letter, saw flick “Quiet Wedding”:- June looked better than the film bride. In Y.M 2030-2130. Not exactly an exciting evening.
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JULY 1944
SUNDAY 23
OPS ON. Briefed 1845. Target:- KIEL, Germany. T-O 2250, Joe all but forgot dividers & prot. T.O.T. 0120. 10/10 Stcu all the way. Saw the Town by a flash once. As expected, opposition rather heavy. Lots of flak;- 2 very close; no fighters. Saw an a/c on fire over the sea, on the way back, it went down after 2 or 3 mins. 6 a/c lost.
MONDAY 24
Landed 0405. Not a bad landing. Bed 0600-1300. Ops ON. a/c “C” fitted with wing [underlined] and [/underlined] belly overload tanks. 2000-odd galls. Target:- STUTTGART. T-O 2140hrs. T.O.T 0150. Easier trip than expected. Bomb-load 9 x 500lbs. Saw a He 111 & a S/E a/c. One a/c went down over T/A.
The KIEL raid is being plugged heavily by radio. [deleted] in papers [/deleted] No mail from my darling.
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JULY 1944
TUESDAY 25
Landed 0540hrs. 8hr. trip. Very tired. Bed 0700-1500. Stand down. Got a letter from my beloved June. RAF lost 25 a/c last night. T.O & landed in daylight. MUG oxygen U/S, Geordie managed to improvise. Turret half U/S. 2 mins from Δ. R/Turret motor burnt out.
Wrote to June.
WEDNESDAY 26
No OPS. Nothing much doing. Have stirred up the Int. section this last day or so over the lack of security on camp. Have found out that it was pretty common knowledge about the Stuttgart raid. Shook me.
Wrote to Wilf.
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JULY 1944
THURSDAY 27
Nothing doing. Stand by all day. Wrote to Aunt Alice.
FRIDAY 28
Up 0200. Briefing 0230. Op scrubbed 0600. Asleep till 1100. Briefed again 1400. T-O 1630. Target:- a forest in France, contents unknown, but very important. Bombed visually, led in by 2 mossys. Strip torn off me for being ahead of Sqdn. Only a/c on time at C.P.
No mail from June. Got a 21st card from “Mum & Dad” but has June’s handwriting??
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JULY 1944
SATURDAY 29
OPS. ON. Got up 1000hrs. Briefed 1500HRS. Wrote to my darling; received a letter from her. T-O 1802. Target same as yesterday. Foret de Niepe. P.O. packed up at 9,500ft on climb. Flew 70 miles out to sea & dumped bombs. Landed OK [deleted] 9 [/deleted] 1947hrs.
SUNDAY 30
Am 21 yrs. today. No Ops. Did air test in Baker 1600HRS. New P.O. Main bearings packed up yesterday. Wrote to my darling; & home. Got a parcel from mess bar containing 3 birthday cards. From June, Her Mum, & Stan.
2130hrs went to Station dance & got a little merry. Not drunk.
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JULY-AUGUST 1944
MONDAY 31
No Ops. Hanging about most of the time waiting for gen. Received stationery & wedding snaps from my darling. Wrote her another letter. In good form lately.
Evening did a spot of swotting on the diesel engine.
TUESDAY 1 AUG.
OPS ON. Nothing much doing A.M. Briefed 1630. At a/c 1830. Tried to T-O. swung off runway. Checked engines again & had another go. S.O. would give only 1300 RPM. Sortie abandoned. Cheesed off. Twice running. Sent wedding photoes back to June.
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AUGUST 1944
WEDNESDAY 2
Hanging about all day. Didn’t operate.
Did a bit more reading on the diesel. Wrote to my darling again.
THURSDAY 3
Ops.ON. Took-off 1140. Target:- doodle bug site near Paris. No trouble, tho’ S.O. vibrated badly when leaving the target, for a time. Bit of H.F. quite accurate too. Didn’t touch us. ‘M’ came back with a bomb hole in his wing.
Wrote to June after tea.
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AUGUST 1944
FRIDAY 4
Paid £4. 12.15hrs. Reduc. Of income tax allowed me almost pays my allowance (3/6d) to June. Very nice. No OPS. Very hot today. Went swimming in Selby baths 1630-1730. Saw flick; a Gert & Daisy film. Received a letter from Wilf.
SATURDAY 5
OPS.ON. Pulled out of bed 0715. T-O 11.17hrs. Foret de Niepe again. We were about the only a/c on track. Others seemed to be following the leaders. We ploughed our own furrow to the target. No trouble, good trip. Very hot day again, a ‘High’ almost stationary over Eng. Landed 1540.
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AUGUST 1944
SUNDAY 6
OPS on. Not much doing A.M. Briefed 1530. T-O 1900. First a/c off. TOT 2101.Marshalling yard at Hazebrouck, France. Hit A/P. Bomb right across the lines! ‘B-Baker’ running beautifully. Last a/c down. Good landing. Lot of flak,- comparatively over Δ. Almost an ideal trip. Rather congested over Δ.
MONDAY 7
OPS ON. Yesterday’s photos bang on. Wrote to my darling, received a letter from her. Briefed 1600. Army support south of Caen T.O.T. 2303. One min from Δ M/B gave “Lemonade”. Cheesed off. Jettisoned bombs 10MS. W. of Cherbourg. Brought back 4 x 1,000lbs. (max.) Ailerons jammed for a couple of secs. on way out. Wrote to Wilf.
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AUGUST 1944
TUESDAY 8
Bed 0230. Called 0830 – “Scramble”. Paniced for an hr. then it was scrubbed. P.M. Had a short sharp storm. Hail bigger than peas. 2000hrs. saw show on camp. Very good, but smutty at the finish.
WEDNESDAY 9
OPS.ON. Called 0730. T-O 1120. Target:- fuel dump in Foret de Mormal Wizard prang. Ron saw our bombs straddle the A/P. Getting good these days. T.O.T. 1304 hrs. In B. S.O. gave only +2 in S gear at R.B. Woolly finished now, his 30th trip today. My 30th too. Wrote to June 1940hrs.
Wrote home 2150hrs.
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AUGUST 1944
THURSDAY 10
No ops. Hanging about all day. Yesterday’s photoes bang on, -as expected. Mail from June & Stan. June has furniture permits now; what a wife! Wrote to Stan.
FRIDAY 11
OPS OM. T-O eventually 1330. Target:- rly. yds. at Somaire (France) Among first to bomb. Had to dodge a load of bombs from some fool flying at 15,000. We were at 10. Have another M/UG. Cloud-hopping on the way back. Not a particularly good trip, tho’ bombs fell on target. Two bombs went safe! Load 9 x 1,000lbs, 4 x 500lbs. Received letter from June, as promised.
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AUGUST 1944
SATURDAY 12
OPS ON. Briefed 1800. Target:- Opel M.T. works at Russelsheim. T-O 2120, in ‘B’. T.O.T. 0016. Training AE taken of by another a/c. Wizard fire in Target area. Seen nothing like it. 0120 both P. engines cut out at 10,000ft for 10-15 secs. Made me flap. 0130 shot up by accurate flak. P.O. U/S. Sweating & praying all the way back. Thirty or more mins to E/Coast.
SUNDAY 13
0226 Landed (?) on Woodbridge Strip. Shaken up a bit. Nerves stretched. Place well organised. Left 1530. Returning via London. Met by June & Mum & Pop at Lvrpl. St. Stn. Spent night at no. 89. Didn’t get much sleep tho’ not for lack of trying. Too much in love with my wife.
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AUGUST 1944
MONDAY 14
Up [underlined] 0600 [/underlined] Ugh! At Ks+ 0840. Left 1030, in camp 1730. Two a/c were lost on Russ. Letter from June waiting for me.
TUESDAY 15
Up 0545. OPS on. T-O 1007. Target:- N/F ‘drome in Belgium – Tirlemont. Hit it. 2,000 a/c hitting N/F ‘dromes this morning.
A ‘chute -no. 13 – is missing & I’m holding the can. Wrote to June, cycled to Selby to post it 2000.
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AUGUST 1944
WEDNESDAY 16
OPS on. A German target. Not at all happy. Briefed 1730. Target:- Kiel again. Very unhappy. T-O 2130. In Z Prayed all the way round. God heard me, & looked after us. Z a wizard a/c. Twice nearly hit by other a/c. Saw no fighters. Bags of flak. Two good fires going in the town. My 34th trip. Shot a line to Public Rel. Off. after de-briefing. [Underlined] Very [/underlined] glad to get to bed.
THURSDAY 17
No OPS. Paid 4gns. 1415. 1430 Crew Conf. Wrote to June & Harold. Bed 2030. Received a letter from June.
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AUGUST 1944
FRIDAY 18
Mail from June & Stan. Stan going abroad soon. OPS on. Briefed 1830. [Underlined] Happy Valley [/underlined] Niggly. At a/c 2130. P.O. rev counter U/S. Bags of flap. Couldn’t put it right. Not sorry at all. OP scrubbed. Not keen on flying this side of Leave. [Underlined] Four [/underlined] a/c failed to get off.
SATURDAY 19
Got up 1130. Stand down. Good, another day nearer leave. Did some binding on on Diesel course P.M.
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AUGUST 1944
SUNDAY 29
Nothing on. Raining heavily all day. Am on the hooks for a missing ‘chute. My commission thro’, w.e.f. July 28th. A couple of short plays in concert hall 2015. Passed the evening. Have got 290-odd clothing coupons.
MONDAY 21
Running around most of the morning getting Warrants for rest of crew. Had to go to Snaith. Left Doncaster 1600hrs. Ks+ 2000hrs. Met by my darling wife. Happy now.
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AUGUST 1944
TUESDAY 22
Walked around Ilford most of morning looking for a tailor to make me a uniform. Nogo. P.M. Went to Moss. Bros., fitted me out in an hour. Very pleased & thankful. Met June 1700 at Ps. Weather duff, rain & drizzle all day. 1900 saw “For Whom the Bell Tolls” at Havana. Quite good.
WEDNESDAY 23
A.M. running around R. P.M. Collected uniform from Moss’s. Tea at June’s Gran’s Ilford. Weather;- hot & clear, bit muggy. Bought a canvas bag:- holdall, 56/-
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AUGUST 1944
THURSDAY 24
Did a bit of shopping A.M. P.M. & evening raining hard. Played Rummy after tea, lost 4d.
FRIDAY 25
Went up to town. Wore my nice new uniform. A snoop shook me by saluting me. Managed to cope. Saw a Deanne Durbin film, absolute bind. Bought a suit case 26/6.
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AUGUST 1944
SATURDAY 26
Stayed in R. Evening spent at flickers “Up in Mabel’s Room”, very funny.
SUNDAY 27
Went to Leytonstone 1600:- foursome. Pleasant afternoon. Evening played rummy again, lost a bit more.
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AUGUST 1944
MONDAY 28
Took June to work, dumped big bag at Ks+. Back home 1000, got changed, left 11.44. Dinner at ‘Super’ with my sweetheart. Left Ks+ 1600. Walked most of the way from Selby, got to camp 00.45. 29th Dog-tired, arms aching.
TUESDAY 29
First day as an officer on camp. Have [underlined] n’t [/underlined] enjoyed it. Boobed in mess several times. Handed in kit, started getting cleared. Moved to No. 4 Site. Rather a strange feeling to be called “Sir”. Received a letter from Wilf. Wrote to my beautiful wife 2000hrs.
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AUGUST 1944
WEDNESDAY 30
No OPS. Continued a while more running round with C.Chit. 1500 Crew Conf. Wrote to Harold & Aunt Alice. Joe’s commission is now thru. Very pleased.
1900hrs. good dinner. Fish & chips very well cooked, plums for desert.
THURSDAY 31
Ops ON. but not for me, very annoyed. Down for [underlined] practice bombing [/underlined] 1500hrs. Just about the last straw!! a/c was U/S, very pleased. Wrote to June & Wilf.
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SEPTEMBER 1944
FRIDAY 1
No Ops today. F/A & air test 1100. In ‘B’. Carried a spare Eng. for a test for him, & a Hgte. pilot – for a ride. P.M. Standing by. Ops on & off in 5 mins. Letters from my darling, & Harold.
SATURDAY 2
OPS on. Meal 0830 F.P. 0930. Scrubbed 1330. Got rations tho’. Spent P.M. chasing round Selby & York looking for rug-canvas. Nogo. Weather lousy. 2100 Wrote to June. [circled] A5 [/circled]
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SEPTEMBER 1944
SUNDAY 3
OPS. [underlined]] ON. [/underlined] Briefed 1030, then postponed T-O 1515. Target:- Drome at Venlo, on Belgium-German border. Opposition negligible. In ‘B’, a/c & weather both lousy. Last 50ms back Q8B 200-550ft. Diverted to Carnaby. Landed 10-15ft high. All but hit a Lanc. on the way back. Stood a/c on its tail, cleared [underlined] his [/underlined] tail by less than 10ft. Thought it’d come, so did crew. ‘Drome was very well lit.
MONDAY 4
T-O from Carnaby 11.40 without Joe. Landed at base 12.02. hrs. No mail from June, Expected some. Running around all afternoon, with very little result. 2100hrs. spoke to F-Fox’s captain. He’d stopped a shower of bombs, a 1,000lb er thro’ fuselage, belly of a/c ripped out, port tail-plane hit by another, & S. side of fuselage scraped. Very shaky do.
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SEPTEMBER 1944
TUESDAY 5
1000hrs. natter by Winco on rubber cheques. 10.10. went sick with upset stomach & hauled into dock. Was sick twice during the night, very little sleep. Slept big part of day; wrote to June. Not a very good letter, I fear. Feel pretty ropey.
2200 hrs. Joe brought in a letter from June. Feel [underlined] much [/underlined] better.
WEDNESDAY 6
Feel OK this morning. Wrote to my darling again. Got up 14.30. Did a bit of reading on the Diesel engine. Think I’ll take it up seriously.
One of the WAAF nursing orderlies is rather frisky, today. Weather still lousy. Joe got my F603’s fixed up at Snaith. Very pleased.
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SEPTEMBER 1944
THURSDAY 7
Came out of dock 12.20.hrs. P.M. spent clearing up stores etc. Got £5 advance from P.A.s. Weather:- raining all day. Received another letter from my darling.
FRIDAY 8
Saw Doc 1000. OK. Got rest of the day off. Wrote to June. P.M. Walked round Leeds with Joe looking for rug-canvas. Nogo. Raining hard so got soaked. Back in camp 2010.
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SEPTEMBER 1944
SATURDAY 9
Up 0145HRS. OPS [underlined] ON. [/underlined] T-O. 0610 for Le Havre. M/B scrubbed it over Δ. 10/10 Cu. Started 5 1/2 mins late. Only 1min late at Δ. Dropped bombs in sea near a convoy. Some went off & bounced a/c. Ht. 2,300ft. Wasted effort but another one chipped off. Brought 5 x 1,000lbs S.A.P. back. Ropey landing as usual. Wrote to my beloved 1700, got 1830 post. Made a rug needle from ali tubing.
SUNDAY 10
OPS. ON. Lovely day. Briefed 1130. Le Havre again. T.O.T. 1645 1/4. Wizard bombing, terrific concentration. Our B/S U/S. Phil straddled T.I.s tho’. Very pleased with the trip. Made a good lndg. too.
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SEPTEMBER 1944
MONDAY 11
OPS. [underlined] ON. [/underlined] Briefed 1330. Target:- Gelsenchkirchen, (Ruhr). T-O 1455. T.O.T. 1830 1/2. Very heavy opposition. Flak thick enough to walk on. Saw a Hali go down, Phil saw its tail break off. I felt a bit sick;- but very busy at the time. Two other a/c seen to go down. Used ‘George’ a lot today. B/Ht 17,600ft. Made a good lndg. 2025. No mail from June?? Received a letter from Stan.
TUESDAY 12
OPS ON. T-O 1601 hrs. for Munster, B/Load 1 cookie & 3 cans of IB’s. 1830hrs S.I. oil press failed at O. Ness. E.R. rather niggly. Very good lndg. Others said trip was reasonable. Mail from June, Stan & Wilf. Wrote to June 2100. Sent off Test 4 of Diesel Course. Good chance of being screened by the 26th. Maybe 14 days. (Yesterday’s raid was very successful, our photo:- A/P bang on!!
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SEPTEMBER 1944
WEDNESDAY 13
No Ops. Hung about all morning. Did 1/2 hr “Link”:- rdg magazines. Its stupid to give us Link now. Given a handbook,- “The a/c Captain” if you please: I have two more trips to do to finish 1st tour!!! Another letter from my beloved. Heard from the Bank today. Wrote to June & Grandma.
THURSDAY 14
Am stood down today. P.M. In York with Joe. Got some writing paper:- that’s all. Looking for sack-cloth,- nogo. Back for dinner, (1900) Did a bit more of D. course. Sqdn. Recalled from OP. Target was Wilhemlshaven. Joe bought parts of a miniature radio set. Spent evening sorting it out.
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SEPTEMBER 1944
FRIDAY 15
Battle of Britain Day. Stood down again today. P.M. Bought some rug wool (Kt) & pinched two sandbags. Tried rug-making 1800hrs, -failure, need a pukka needle. Eric is [underlined] on [/underlined] tonight as a spare gunner.
Wrote to my loving wife 2040hrs.
OP is a night trip, not sorry I’ve missed it; getting a bit jittery.
SATURDAY 16
No OPS. My A/FO is thro. Sewed on the braid P.M. Made wire rug needle & did three hours rug-making. Result quite satisfactory, but is rather slow at present. Miss June an awful lot, a week to go. The sooner the better. OPS on at 0300 tomorrow. Clocks back an hr. BLACKOUT GOES TONIGHT.
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SEPTEMBER 1944
SUNDAY 17
Up 0520. T-O 0909hrs. Target:- Boulougne. Bang on!!! Had trouble with S.I. Concentration dangerously thick. Saw an a/c 30ft dead above us with bombs [underlined] on [/underlined]. Moved rather smartly. He went round again. Bombing well concentrated, 3 M/Bs on, [underlined] none heard [/underlined]. Fog at base, landed as per Farnboro’ effort. P.M. Wrote to my beloved & did 3-4 hrs rugmaking. OK now.
MONDAY 18
No OPS. Received letter from June as expected. Spent afternoon rug-making again. Improving the quality now, if not the quantity. Progress satisfactory. Received a letter from Grandad;- wrote to Wilf.
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SEPTEMBER 1944
TUESDAY 19
No OPS. Again. Cheesed. Letter from Mum, replied. Cheque book from bank. 1400 at Snaith PA to query my pay. Spent rest of day to 1900hrs. rugmaking. Received another letter from my beloved; & replied. Joe’s radio working now. Am quite pleased with my rug-making, takes an awful long time to do so little tho’.
WEDNESDAY 10
No OPS [underlined] AGAIN. [/underlined] Ops on 11.00, off 12.00. My hopes went up, & down. 1400-1530hrs. buried W/C Wilkerson. He was killed in a ‘Baltimore’ several days ago. Sorry:- he gave me a break once. Could’ve broken me. Did a bit of shopping in Selby, & continued rug-making. Received another letter from my darling.
Wrote to Stan.
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SEPTEMBER 1944
THURSDAY 21
OPS ON. Briefed 1300. Target:- Bottrop (Ruhr). Scrubbed 1400, we were at a/c. Rugmaking again. P.M. Wrote to [deleted] Stan [/deleted] June.
FRIDAY 22
OPS on & off in half an hour. Same target. Rugmaking getting on OK now. Have decided not to go on leave till next trip is done, & C. of I. over lost ‘chute is finished. Can’t go till C. of I. is done, anyway.
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SEPTEMBER 1944
SATURDAY 23
Nothing doing. Finished the wool part of rug. Taken about 22hrs. Wrote to my darling wife 2035hrs.
SUNDAY 24
OPS ON. T-O 1545 for [underlined] CALAIS [/underlined]. Took 64 mins to get to Δ. M/B scrubbed it:- disgusted. Ht 2,000ft. Bags of L/F. Didn’t get hit; in V. Had to go out into N. Sea to dumped 2000lbs of bombs. Landed 2009. Good landing. Had 8 x 1,000lbs on board. Weather very sticky. My 40th trip. Completed first tour. (A Snaith a/c shot down over Δ. Didn’t see it.)
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SEPTEMBER 1944
MONDAY 25
Screening confirmed. Note from Bank, Moss Bros. paid. C of I started. Took 1/2 hr. of my time this morning. Asked to go to a S. [deleted] OU [/deleted] OUT. ‘Phoned home, wired June. Spent evening in mess. Twenty four hrs. to go & I’ll be with my beautiful wife. Roll on!! Have 14 days leave, (& nights) (M/B believed to have scrubbed CALAIS. op because of weight & accuracy of L/F. Some chaps damaged.
TUESDAY 26
Got away 1410hrs. after a spot of running around. Phil staying to fill in Com. papers this P.M. Very pleased. Left Don. 1435. In London 2050hrs. [Underlined] 1 1/2 hrs. late [/underlined] June & Joy waiting for us. Got home 2230hrs. Didn’t sleep very well, as expected.
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SEPTEMBER 1944
WEDNESDAY 27
Up 0600, went to Ps with June. Spent most of time round No. 26. Had dinner with June, tho’. Met her 1700. Got wet as it rained & I had no mac. Harold was with us. Evening spent at June’s aunt Lizzie’s house.
THURSDAY 28
Got up [underlined] 0845. [/underlined] Round home (26) most of the day. Met June 1700. Saw flick 1900 “Canterville Ghost”. Very good.
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SEPTEMBER 1944
FRIDAY 29
Same programme as yesterday. Saw “Going my Way”. Bing Crosby. Not so good.
SATURDAY 30
Left St. Pancras 1530 for Bedford, arr. 1650. At H.C. 1815. Took rations this time. Bed 2130.
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OCTOBER 1944
SUNDAY 1
Up 0900. Saw Phil - & new baby girl – A.M. P.M. Indoors nattering. 1800-1900 Chapel. Bed 2145. More in love with my wife every time I see her. The capacity doesn’t get any bigger;- but stronger.
MONDAY 2
Left Bedford 11.10. Train packed. In London. 12.40. Went to Bank & made my account joint, with June. Wandered around for an hr. or so, came home.
[Page break]
OCTOBER 1944
TUESDAY 3
[Deleted] Did some shopping A.M.
Saw flick “Story of Dr. Wassel” A true story messed up by Hollywood. [Boxed Stayed in this evening [/boxed] [/deleted]
WEDNESDAY 4
[Deleted] A [/deleted]
Saw “Dr. Wassel” this evening.
Made it properly at last.
[Page break]
OCTOBER 1944
THURSDAY 5
A dull day. Went to Ilford Hipp. 1800. Show was so so.
FRIDAY 6
Dull day. Went to Southend after dinner. Very cold wind. Had no mac or coat. Brought back a jar of cockles. Home 2100. A doodle bug passed over Shenfield Stn. at 2000hrs, we were waiting for a connection.
[Page break]
OCTOBER 1944
SUNDAY. 8.
[Deleted] SATURDAY 7 [/deleted]
Went to Chadwell Hth. with Mick & got cockles & winkles. P.M. Sam, Ivy & Norman arrived. Played rummy after tea, won two games. First time I’ve ever won a penny at cards.
SAT. 7.
[Deleted SUNDAY 8 [/deleted]
After dinner went up to town with June. After a bit of difficulty got seats for a show “The Banbury Rose”, quite good. Home 2230. In love with June more than ever, although a day or two ago had some queer ideas. Must have been barmy.
[Page break]
OCTOBER 1944
MONDAY 9
AM. Bought a pair of slippers for June. Also shoes for self. June back at work, met her 1700. Saw a flick 1900hrs. “Mr Emmanuel”. Bit boring.
TUESDAY 10
Up 0600, went to Ps with June. Went round home (26), then packed, left 1100hrs. Met Phil at Ks+, & Joe at Donc. Came to camp by bus, arr. 1915, just nicely for supper. Mail from Stan & Wilf & statement from Bank.
[Page break]
OCTOBER 1944
WEDNESDAY 11
10.00hrs. asked if I’m posted. I am! To Lossiemouth, last place I wanted. Got cleared in an hour. Went to P.As. 1400. Found I’d £26- odd to come. Weather lousy. Wrote to June 2015. Spent an hour or two in crews’ billet nattering, until 2230.
THURSDAY 12
Packed. Told I’ll be attending a D.C.M. soon as principal boy. Had crew photo taken. Left 1200. Arr. Perth, via Edinburgh 2030. Spent night at Salutations Hotel. (Charge 11/6d) Didn’t sleep very well. Room contained twin beds. Oh June! wherefore art thou?
[Page break]
OCTOBER 1944
FRIDAY 13
Up 0630. After a lot of bother, -changing etc. arr. camp 1500. Got my cycle here without paying for it. Met Chick Henderson. Tea 1730. First full meal for 18hrs. Food so-so. Wrote to June & hotel. Have claimed marriage allowance & £1 expenses.
SATURDAY 14
0915 saw Groupie. Filled in more forms. Started [underlined] GROUND-SCHOOL. [/underlined] Airmanship & Navi. Told I’ll get the chance to [deleted] fly [/deleted] fly a Master, & a Hurri. Seriously thinking of getting June up here. G/C says I may be here for [underlined] 18 MTHs [/underlined] Food is quite good Weather lousy. Sent 11/6d to Hotel in Perth. Wrote to Phil.
[Page break]
OCTOBER 1944
SUNDAY 15
Did a bit of stooging about first off. 1030 went to Int Lec. on [underlined] Briefing & De-briefing. [/underlined] PM. Did some Navi & Air. 1hr. ea. Wrote to June, & bank asking about marriage allowance.
MONDAY 16
Attested 3 yrs. ago. Called as usual by WAAF batwoman at 7AM. 2hrs. Navi 0815-1015. Am quite keen on this. 1030-1230 Air:- Electric props. P.M. Went to Lossie twice, & cleaned my bike. Navi 1645-1745. Wrote to Mum & Dad.
[Page break]
OCTOBER 1944
TUESDAY 17
Stooged about all morning. Received mail from June, feel a [underlined] lot [/underlined] better. P.M. Did 1.30hrs Air:-engines. Replied to my darling. Asked about getting Gin & whisky from the mess. Gin probably whisky doubtful. Sent June another 20 coupons.
WEDNESDAY 18
Wrote to Harold 0845. 1000hrs:- a successful shopping expedition to Elgin. Fixed up cycle saddle & mud-guard. Put shoes in for repair, ready in [underlined] 3 days [/underlined] :-max. time. Chap was ready to do them in 30 [underlined] mins. [/underlined]P.M. In Air. Hangar for a couple of hrs. 1800 Went to Elgin, saw flick “The Purple Heart”. Wrote to Stan 1600hrs.
[Page break]
OCTOBER 1944
THURSDAY 19
Wrote to Wilf 0845. G/S again Navi 1030-1230. Plotting. P.M. in decomp. Chamber. Went up without oxygen, to 26,000ft. Received a letter from June, & spent the evening replying. Rather bored here, & lonely.
FRIDAY 20
Received my Log-Book. 1030-12.00 Air. (Oxygen & carb.) No mail yet from crew-??
Spent some time checking & re-checking my Log book. P.M. In a terribly mess. Don’t know how I got such ridiculous figures. Robbing myself of about 9hrs. 1830 saw “Captains Courageous” at camp flick. Different from expected. In Gee room 1545-1745. Happy as a sandboy.
[Page break]
OCTOBER 1944
SATURDAY 21
A.M. Finished checking log book after some difficulty. P.M. Did 1hr Air, then went to Elgin to do a bit more shopping. Received mail from my darling. After tea wrote to June, bathed:- so to bed.
SUNDAY 22
A.M. In mess readin most of the morning. Wrtoe to Joe. Dinner was lousy. P.M. Got back to diesel course at last & got another lesson done. Received flying gloves from June. Wrote her a short letter after tea.
Am Cheesed off, - so bored.
[Page break]
OCTOBER 1944
MONDAY 23
Navi all morning in D.R.I. Didn’t get along so well. P.M. Told I’m to attend a C.M. Oct 30th. As a witness. Believed its to do with the money I had stolen from me when at Rufforth. Did some painting in Air Hangar 1530-1730. Something to do; & better than school. Saw flick “Standing Room Only” on camp. 1830. Quite good.
TUESDAY 24
Had most wizard dream of my beloved June last night. Did some more painting this A.M. Letter from June; found the stone of her engagement ring. P.M. Drew £5 from Bank. May need it of I can wrangle a day at home, Sat mid0day to Sun. 1900 went to a special radar lecture. Quite good. Wrote to June 2000hrs.
[Page break]
OCTOBER 1944
WEDNESDAY 25
A.M. reading Diesel gen till 1000hrs. Air exam for pupils. Mail from Home enclosing a quid. Got a bottle of Gin for June’s Mum. P.M. Spent in changing over the tires on my bike. Evening spent sitting in the mess. Nothing else to do. Tried to get a ticket for an “all-girl” camp show tomorrow night. Was [underlined] one [/underlined] too far down the line. Bed 2130hrs. Jimmy Seal believed alive, in Germany. “Missing” for over 2YRS.
THURSDAY 26
0815-1015 Air. Lecture on Dinghy & ‘Chute drills. Went to Elgin, collected shoed, & left another pair for repair. Letter from June, bless her. Air Lec. 1545-1700. Played checkers with F/O McMaster, he beat me each time. Be with my angel in 48hrs:- I hope!
[Page break]
OCTOBER 1944
FRIDAY 27
AM. Stooging about. Got Warrants & booked out. Paid mess bill 19/4d. Left camp 1230, got Aberdonian at 1900hrs.
SATURDAY 28
London 0815. Home (89) 0945. Front room looks wizard. Met June 1200. P.M. Went to tea with Mrs. Monk. Home 2000hrs. [Deleted] B [/deleted] Played rummy for an hor. 21-2200 hrs. Finished up won. Had a good start. Bed 2245. As expected, I couldn’t sleep, tired as I was. Love June more than ever.
[Page break]
OCTOBER 1944
SUNDAY 29
Saw Mum & Pop 1100hrs. Left No. 89 1440. June came to Ks+. Arr. York 2106, & Rufforth 2230. Met [underlined] Joe [/underlined] in the mess. He’s on N.I. course. Rest of crew on [underlined] indefinite leave. [/underlined]
MONDAY 30
D.C>M. this morning, 1000hrs. Only rqd. For 3mins. Left York 1445. Went to Blyth & spent the night with Harold. Given a super supper by one of the Wrens. Bacon, tomies & bread, fresh Milk & jam tarts. Had a spot of rum later.
[Page break]
OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1944
TUESDAY 31
Breakfast in bed 0800hrs. Left camp 1300hrs. Harold came to Newcastle. Travelled all night, with an F/O from [underlined] Stornaway [/underlined]. He’d just become a father. Nice chap.
WEDNESDAY 1 NOV
Arr. camp 1030. Packed up [deleted] parq [/deleted] parcels for June & Pop. P.M. Posted parcels, collected repaired shoes. Drew £5 from bank. Wrote to June 1815.
[Page break]
NOVEMBER 1944
THURSDAY 2
AM. Got 3lbs rug wool from Elgin. 1100:- wet Dinghy drill in Elgin. Tried it with Flying suit & M. West. PM. Made out lecture notes for Drills;_ D,P, & B/L mds. As a sort of exam for me. Evening:- patched battle dress trousers. Got a fire going. Used wet & green wood & lots of paper. Miss June badly.
FRIDAY 3
AM. Posted to Gunnery Flt. Did 1hr flying with F/LT. Baker. Wimpy seems awful slow, but lighter. PM. Saw C.I. met Ginger. No Flying. Drew harness & mae West. Received letter from June. Replied, also wrote home. Cheesed off.
[Page break]
NOVEMBER 1944
SATURDAY 4
Airborne 3 times today. Don’t like the R/H seat. Bit sick second trip. Went to camp flick 1830. “The Angels Sing”, enjoyed it muchly. Had intended going to Elgin. Weather lousy & no bus by 1815.
SUNDAY 5
Nothing doing this morning. Weather cold, but fine. Hung about all afternoon Was to have flown, but too windy for the Hurribox’s. Wrote to June 1925. Line-shooting after supper with P/O Fry & F/O Anderson.
[Page break]
NOVEMBER 1944
MONDAY 6
Flew two details, 1AM, 1PM. Mail from Aunt Alice & June. Replied to June 1600hrs. Spent the evening nattering to F/O Anderson.
TUESDAY 7
0915 A/B. Cloud base 800-1000ft so scrubbed it. Approach wicked, landing OK. Hung about rest of day, - Weather U/S. Mail from Stan & home. Replied to Stan. Got an invitation to a dance at [underlined] Burn. [/underlined] Got £2 expenses for C.M. [Underlined] Boobed, [/underlined] intended to get 3. Made up parcel for June. Received shirt & scarf from her.
[Page break]
NOVEMBER 1944
WEDNESDAY 8
A/B 100 after a lot of messing about. A/B again 1345-1500hrs. C/S all the time. Hard work. Had ‘B’ again. Had the engines cutting at tops of C/S. Mail from June, replied. Forgot to post her parcel. Did a bit on the Diesel course 2130-2200.
THURSDAY 9
No flying – too windy. A gale on. Went to Elgin 1530. Had tea at Austin’s with F/O Cartwright. Two drinks later with two more chaps. Flicks 1815-2050. No a very hot show. Back 2130. Definitely decided to have June up here. Probably in the New Year.
[Page break]
NOVEMBER 1944
FRIDAY 10
One detail AM. Two P.M. Did O.S. at 65 MPH. Shaky do. Mail from my darling, also from Wilf. Replied to June. Party for erks, in Lossie 1830 onwards. Got merry, good time had by all. Quite a respectable meal laid on. Egg (dried) bacon sausage & chips. Back 2230.
SATURDAY 11
Two details A.M. Made a lousy landing, O.S. C.I. saw it & ‘phoned up Flt. 1 detail P.M. Finis 1500. Camp flick 1830. “Fallen Sparrow” not so hot. Worried about myself. Afraid of the Wimpy Keep living that crash over again. See the C.I. if I can’t get over it soon.
[Page break]
NOVEMBER 1944
SUNDAY 12
Very miserable day. Nothing to do. Wrote to June P.M. not a very good effort. Met a chap from 69 course Assinibion. He’s a pupil.
MONDAY 13
Lousy weather again. Saw C.I. 1215 about getting off Wimpeys. Mail from June as expected. Wrote home. Got some hessian in Elgin. Saw “Phantom of the Opera”, 1830 in camp. Said ta-ta to Woolly. He leaves tomorrow.
[Page break]
NOVEMBER 1944
Weather lousy, no flying. Found two scrap drogues, linen. Gave them a home. Made a rug needle. P.M. spent hemming new rug & drawing on the design. Wrote to my darling.
WEDNESDAY 15
Did two details A.M. Dicing with Death, first one. Claggy. PM. rug making. Mail from June, Stan, Mum. Stan on leave, wrote to him, 1820.
[Page break]
NOVEMBER 1944
THURSDAY 16
Did a double detail A.M. Had the afternoon free, -rugging again. 20.00hrs. saw Ensa show “Ladies in Retirement”. Very good, a drama. Wrote to June, & Wilf. Think this rug will be much better than the other.
FRIDAY 17
No pupils to fly, so got day off. Rugging all morning. In Elgin 1400 Got some Xmas cards & a scarf for Reg. Evening – did a little more on Diesel course. Mail from my darling. Drew £5.
[Page break]
NOVEMBER 1944
SATURDAY 18
One detail A.M. New course. Formation. Don’t like F., no future. Weather better. Two details P.M. one C/S/ Did another 1 1/2 hrs. on the rug. Wrote to June.
SUNDAY 19
Did one detail A.M. Cloud clamped. Did circuit at 150-250ft.
P.M. Saw Wingco & Adj about going to a Con Unit. Rugging again after tea. Nearly half way. Have put in 14 hrs. so far. Wrote a dull letter to Grandma.
[Page break]
NOVEMBER 1944
Monday 20
Flew 3 details. C/S much better. Made the worst landing ever today. The last one. G Flt. Really in trouble today. Finished all the course. More rug-making after tea, another 2 1/2 hrs. Looks OK. so far. Mail from my beloved 1200hrs.
TUESDAY 21
No work. Spent most of AM. rugging again. Lovely weather. Letter from Stan. Wrote to June. In Elgin 1600. Tea in ‘George’ café, dried egg, chips bacon & saus. Saw flick Abbott & Costello “Hold that Ghost”. Funny.
[Page break]
NOVEMBER 1944
WEDNESDAY 22
Hung about all AM. Nothing on. Mail from June, as expected Rugging all afternoon & evening. Finished pushing the wool thro’. Only to be backed now.
THURSDAY 23
Day off. 0830 Wrote to June. Spent most of the morning in the mess. Shopping P.M. Got backing & some XmasS cards. Did more rugging after tea. Wrote to Harold.
[Page break]
NOVEMBER 1944
FRIDAY 24
No work again. Hanging about all morning. Rugging PM. & evening. Finished 2202. About 35 working hrs. Packed it up for posting 2230. Mail from my darling.
SATURDAY 25
Still no work. Was to have done one detail, but won the toss. Another letter from June. Wrote to her, posted rug. Went into Elgin 1600. Saw “lady in the Dark”. Quite good. Supper if “59 Café.” Fish & chips, wizard. Lovely fire for me in room on return. Bang on!
[Page break]
NOVEMBER 1944
SUNDAY 26
Flew one detail 0930-1030. S & L. A/G’s dire!!! Rest of day off. Wrote home. If I could only be within reasonable distance of London!! Almost a whole week off, & no use for it.
MONDAY 27
AM. No fly. a/c all iced up. P.M. A/B 1430 approx. a/c vibrating violently 1440 ordered “Bale out”. Only W.O.P. got out. Landed at Dalcross. W/C came up, flew a/c. As expected “Nothing wrong.” Am sick of it. Flew it back OK. See Adj. tomorrow about posting. In mess 2100 had natter with Doc. Given 4 tablets to help me sleep.
[Page break]
NOVEMBER 1944
TUESDAY 28
AM. Spent writing out report. Vic Baker says I’m to have a go on singles. Drew £5 from Bank. P.M. Saw W/C & Adj. W/C a bit more civil. Adj. grounded me. Says I’ll be away in 2-3 weeks. Maybe Transport Cmd. Hope so. & see the Old man Thurs. Have said I will not fly Wimpys again. Adj. sympathetic. Was talking to the Old Man at the time of trouble. Wormald (WOP) in dock. Not hurt.
WEDNESDAY 29
1030 Saw G.C. Adj. said he’ll put me on Leave in a couple of days. Met Beaumont (EF & SFTS.) Did a spot of painting. No mail from June since Sat. ???? Bit worried. Wrote to her, also home. Did Lesson 9 of Diesel course. “Dining In” Parade in mess. Didn’t go. Lot of bull.
[Page break]
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 1944
THURSDAY 30
AM. Read letter that’s going to Group, re.me. OK. Got C.C. & made out Leave app. Form (2-15 Dec.) P.M. spent in getting cleared. 1730. Adj. tells me [Underlined] Leave is scrubbed. [/underlined] Mail from my darling, at last. All OK. 1830 Saw Ensa show. So-So. Ventriloquist, Lloyd Nelson, was very good. Paid mess bill, £3-2-11.
FRIDAY 1 DEC.
Painting straight edge on hangar floor all morning. Messing about all the afternoon. F/LT. Blanks spilt a load of white paint down his front, most of it inside his blouse. Considered very funny. Wrote to June 1300.
[Page break]
DECEMBER 1944
SATURDAY 2
Feel sick. Couldn’t eat breakfast. Painting hangar floor AM. Felt very ill 1100hrs. PM. Sitting round fire, nattering. Mail from my darling, as expected. She’s received the rug OK. Made up parcel containing a bottle of Gin. Got it from mess bar a few days ago. Started a letter to Stan. Went to flick 1830. Projector U/S, - no flick. Film “The Nelson Touch.”
SUNDAY 3
Day off. Breakfast 0920. In mess all day. Finished Lesson 10 of Diesel course. Completed Stan’s letter. Started reading a book “All this & Heaven too.” Saw flick 2100. Talk 1900, on Discipline, C.Ms etc. Quite good.
[Page break]
DECEMBER 1944
MONDAY 4
A.M. Painting hangar floor with broom again. Hands rather sore now. P.M. In bombing lect. 1545, just listening. Reading all evening. Book very interesting. Vic Baker tells me that the G.C was approached re my leave, nogo.
TUESDAY 5
Messing about in the Hangar all day, as usual. Spending every spare 1/2 hr. or more reading the book. Letter from Stan. Posted from Iceland. Saw film “Princess O’Rouke” 1830. Very good. Wrote to Stan. No mail from June. Had expected a letter.
[Page break]
DECEMBER 1944
WEDNESDAY 6
Dreamt last night, unpleasantly, of my darling. Her love had died, & she regretted marrying me. Must be certain that that never comes true; certainly can’t see it. Went into Elgin 1030-1215. Got only one more Xmass card. Mail from June. No doubt about her love for me! Wrote back 1300hrs. Letter was a bit better than my recent efforts. Did 2hrs Link this afternoon. Gave 2 Engineers an hr. apiece. W/C O’ [indecipherable] is back. Wonder if this will increase my chances of leave?
THURSDAY 7
Usual mucking about all day. Letter from Harold. No word of posting, no hope of leave, feel very unhappy. Went to section booze-up in “The Crown” 19-2100. Just 10 of us. Had 2 beers, 2 whiskies
[Page break]
DECEMBER 1944
FRIDAY 8
Painting hangar floor again. Still fed up as can be. Letter from June 1700. Tells me Joe & Ivy have fixed “The Day” for 13-1-45. 1800 Wrote to my sweet. Saw camp show 20.00hrs. 2 1/2 hrs. First half very poor, second, very good. A girl sang “The Holy City,” – perfect.
SATURDAY 9
0830 Finished book “All this & Heaven Too”, - verdict:- very good. Did a bit of painting AM. Killing time all afternoon. Saw flick 1830 “Destination Tokio,” quite good as a film, interesting.
[Page break]
DECEMBER 1944
SUNDAY 10
Day off. Spent most of the day reading. Am bored almost to tears. Wrote to Harold. Oh how I want to get out of this place. To go South where I could see my June on a day off.
MONDAY 11
Weather lousy. Raining hard all day. Mail from my darling as expected, bless her. Replied 1300hrs. Did a bit of painting during the day. Mail from Stan & Wilf 1700hrs. Stan still in Iceland 28-11-44. Wrote home 2000hrs. sent cheque ‘019’ for £7.
[Page break]
DECEMBER 1944
TUESDAY 12
1100hrs in Elgin. Posted letter home with £7 in cash. Destroyed cheque. Drew £10 from Bank. Got a piece of hessian, for another rug. Letter from Grandad. Obtained a fair-sized piece of P.S. rather dirty, but useful.
WEDNESDAY 13
Usual wasted day. Received a letter from June, as expected. Replied 1300. Letter to her was very short. She didn’t send Bank statement:- a pardonable mistake, but for a moment I lost my temper. Why??? My nervous condition is certainly bad.
[Page break]
DECEMBER 1944
THURSDAY 14
More painting, occasionally. Read “The Scarlet Pimpernel.” Got it yesterday, finished it 20.00hrs. Hope of Xmass Leave. (6 days.) F/LT [inserted] Blanks [/inserted] arranging it for me.
FRIDAY 15
Day same as usual. Letter from my darling, replied 1300hrs. Miss meeting 19-20.00 hrs.
[Page break]
DECEMBER 1944
SATURDAY 16
Did a little painting. Finished book “Lord Tony’s Wife.” Received a letter from Mum, - Aunt Katie passed away. Xmass card from Stan. 1830 at camp flicks “Hour Before Dawn.” Tripe.
How I miss June!! Pray that I be with her Thurs. Have prayed every night, & know I won’t be disappointed.
SUNDAY 17
Did a wee spot of floor painting A.M. the W/C has signed my Leave app. Only the G/C now. P.M. Wrote to my darling wife. Reading most of the time. General Service lecture 19-2000hrs. Hygiene & Sanitation.
[Page break]
DECEMBER 1944
MONDAY 18
Finished painting lamp shades. Mail from June, Stan & home. Wrote to Stan 1900hrs. Finished reading “The Cross-eyed Bear,” a very poor book, I think. Xmass camp draw drawn 1800hrs. First prize £100, over 100 prizes, didn’t get one. Debating whether or not to scive off tomorrow. Nothing to do on camp.
TUESDAY 19
Couldn’t get my warrant, blast them. As usual everyone is scared of everyone else. Killing time all day. Xmass card from Harold. Saw flick “Gung Ho. “ Not so hot.
[Page break]
DECEMBER 1944
WEDNESDAY 20
Got warrant 1045hrs. Tried to get a lift south by air. Too foggy in the south, no a/c went. A Sqdn. landed here last night;- just my luck. Left camp 1230. Got Aberdonian 1800. Good feed in Princess Cafe 1730. A bloke in Aberdeen asked me for “something to get a meal with” as he was “down & out”. He had a tweed jacket on that I’d’ve liked. Was very rude to him.
THURSDAY 21
Ks+ 0920. Went to No.26 1100hrs. Phoned Inst. Shop 1120; met June 1230 for lunch at “Super” cinema. Collected her 1700hrs. Weather:- foggy & miserable, Stomach giving me trouble. Ivy & Norman came round later in the evening. [Deleted] Comple [/deleted] June gave me a pocket watch for Xmass. She’s got a dressing-gown: but I can’t see thro’ it!! X
[Page break]
DECEMBER 1944
FRIDAY 22
Up 0610. Was going to go to Ps with June, but tummy too bad. 1040 at Bank, London, querying my account. Got it straight, drew £5. Lunch with June at Lyons. Ilf 1240. Collected her 1700hrs. Went to her Gran’s at Ilford. Home 2030. Brought back cake & chicken. June received a necklace & 34/- from Inst. shop. for Xmass-box.
SATURDAY 23
Up 0900 after a somewhat restless night. Awake from 0400 onwards. Drew £5 from bank, June £15. Fog cleared. Trying to buy shoes for June & myself this afternoon – nogo. 1830 flicks, Bing in “If I had my way.” Seen it before.
X
[Page break]
DECEMBER 1944
SUNDAY 24
1530 visited Mum & Dad, left 1905, saw Mrs. Seal for 30 mins, there. 20.00, at Ivy’s home until 2100. Very enjoyable afternoon & evening. June is lovelier & sweeter than ever. Mum gave me a cake to take back, Mrs. Seal gave us a chunk of Xmass cake.
[Underlined] Received recall telegram 0900. [/underlined] Return by 1200 hrs. 27-12-44.
MONDAY 25
Xmass dinner at Aunt Lizzy’s house. Stayed until 2230. Quite an enjoyable time. June a bit sick later in the evening.
Returned to no. 89 to sleep. (Only June & I.)
[Page break]
DECEMBER 1944
TUESDAY 26
Up 0845; June had tea & toast in bed for once. Left 0950. Train from Euston1300hrs. Changes at Carstairs, Perth & Aviemore. Company to Crewe with a RAF officers wife. Left Carstairs 2315.
WEDNESDAY 27
Arr. Camp 0710hrs. Slept till 1200. Am posted to Pocklington to pick up a crew for [underlined] Transport Cmd. [/underlined] All my prayers answered. Got cleared again during the afternoon. Feel happier than for weeks past. Saw camp show 1830hrs. free. Not bad.
[Page break]
DECEMBER 1944
THURSDAY 28
Left 1330. Got Aberdonian 1800hrs. York 0300hrs 29th
FRIDAY 29
Arr. York 0300. Met P/O Fenwick (SFTS) He’s in T.Cmd. Freeman went into the sea Boxing Day. His mate. Glad to have met him. Train to Pock. 0748, arr. 0820. Very cold. At camp I’m unwanted, sent on indefinite leave! Can hardly believe it. Left York 1800 hrds. At Ks+ 2345. Very foggy. Have sent June a telegram, telling her to have next week off.
[Page break]
DECEMBER 1944
SATURDAY 30
Hung about Lvpl. St. Stn. all night. 0200 nattering to Mr. Seal. Arr. No 89 at 0600hrs. as June was getting up. Had an hr. or two’s sleep, & collected kit bag from Ks+. 1700 at No. 26 for a party. Harold home. Not a bad little do. tho’ I incurred June’s displeasure. Very sorry, I’d never hurt her, knowingly.
SUNDAY 31
Up 10.00hrs. P.M. Visited by Joy. Gave her Lockets & money for blankets as a wedding present. Got Ron’s & Geordie’s addresses & crew photo. Stayed until 20.00. Very glad we were able to see her again, hope we can get to the wedding. Took 3 hrs. to get home.
X
[Page break]
CALENDAR FOR 1943
[Calendar]
[Page break]
MEMORANDA
Joe Dudley.
559, Footscray Rd., New Eltham, SE.9.
N Phillips.
118c, Croftdown Rd.,
Highgate Rd., London N.W.5
E.G. Dunton.
37, Courtland [deleted] Ave [/deleted] Drive
Alvaston, Derby.
649746 W.O.
L. Woodridge,
127, Huddersfield Rd.,
Staly Bridge,
Nr. Manchester
Cheshire.
14-844. F/S R.E. Adams
61, Littlemore St.,
Balby
Doncaster
Yorks.
[Page break]
MEMORANDA
Ilford 3040. Ex. [deleted] IT.[/deleted] 44.
André Maurios.
174058 [deleted] 174508 [/deleted] F/O. Anderson, Lossie.
F/S R. Stobbs
28, Ridley St.,
Klondyke,
Cramlington
Northumberland.
[Page break]
[Deleted] Library ? [/deleted]
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Printed page
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Back of diary
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Jim Allen's 1944 Diary
Description
An account of the resource
A diary recording events during 1944. Includes detailed notes on operations, military life, the weather etc.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Jim Allen
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1944
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One printed diary with handwritten annotations
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Diary
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
YAllenJH179996v1
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Anne-Marie Watson
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
France
Great Britain
England--Yorkshire
England--London
England--York
France--Paris
Scotland--Elgin
France--Neufchâtel-en-Bray
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1944
1944-06-30
1944-06
1944-07
1944-08
1944-06-24
1944-06-25
1944-08-07
1944-08-08
1944-08-15
578 Squadron
aircrew
bombing
bombing of Luftwaffe night-fighter airfields (15 August 1944)
bombing of the Pas de Calais V-1 sites (24/25 June 1944)
crash
entertainment
faith
Gee
ground personnel
love and romance
military discipline
military living conditions
military service conditions
Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944)
pilot
RAF Rufforth
tactical support for Normandy troops
training
Women’s Auxiliary Air Force
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1825/33682/SBrennanJ1210913v20003-0008.2.pdf
d393dbc2346c41618193151356e54e03
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Brennan, Jack
John Brennan
J Brennan
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-04-05
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Brennan, J
Description
An account of the resource
Twenty-four items.
The collection concerns Sergeant John Brennan DFM (1210913 Royal Air Force) and contains his log book as well as documents including a Goldfish Club certificate, notes from station and squadron operational record book with details of activities and operations, memoirs, newspaper cuttings and correspondence. In addition, contains operation order and other details for 617 Squadron's attack of German dams on 16/17 May 1943.
He flew operations as a wireless operator with 102 and 35 Squadrons.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by T Noble and catalogued by Nigel Huckins.
Transcribed document
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading.
Transcription
Text transcribed from audio recording or document
ONE
RAF Lecture - "PRESS ON"
Joined the Royal Air Force in June 1941 as an Air Observer under training and saw service in London, Torquay, Eastbourne, Blackpool, South Africa, Honeyburne, and Long Marston.
So far, I had flown in Oxfords, Ansons, and Whitleys (known as a flying coffin). It was now March 1943 and I was in a crew totalling five and had now completed Operational Training.
The training was marvellous, we were happy, and all lived the life of Riley.
Events took a much more serious note in a posting to RAF Station Rufforth to convert to Halifax bombers. At Rufforth the crew was increased to 7 by the addition of a mid-upper gunner and a flight engineer. Conversion took just one month. Because of the rather absent minded behaviour of the Flight Engineer the Captain asked me to take over the job of pilot's mate in addition to navigation & bombing duties.
The crew now consisted of 4 Englishmen, 1 Scot, and 2 Canadians. We were all about 21 except Jock who was 38 and needed reading glasses. We all got on splendidly.
In May 1943 we were posted to 102 Squadron at Pocklington and here we very quickly learned that losses were currently extremely high and concequently [sic] morale at that time was low
What could you do to help survival ???
Keep on track corkscrew always near, or over, enemy territory, watch for fighters always, arrive on target at correct time – object is to saturate the defences
BEFORE THE OPERATION
At 10.00 notice on blackboard says "PARTY". About 16.00 briefing --- target, route, enemy defences along route-weather forcaste [sic], wind strengths & directions-role on target-work out courses-egg, bacon, beans - collect coffee, sandwiches, orange juice, chewing gum, parachute, sextant, escape & survival packs, caffiene pills, assemble crew -
Squadron Commander chalks AGLA on our pocket flap-aircrew bus to dispersal-Warm up aircraft engines, test magnetoes, taxi round perimeter track to runway-await green light and take off.
The aircraft & crew is now on their own and will remain so until touchdown.
OPERATIONS
23-5-43 Dortmund-5 hours 30 mins-happy valley
Beautiful colours. One failed to return
25-5-43 Dusseldorf-5 hours 20 mins-happy valley.
27-5-43 Essen-5 hours happy valley-Krupps works-Flak was so intense you
[page break]
TWO
could walk on it – explain about 2 sky markers
One failed to return
12-6-43 Bochum-5 hours-happy valley.
One failed to return.
19-6-43 Le Creusot-7 hours 5 minutes-Armaments works
21-6-43 Krefeld-shot down over Dutch coast-ditched 11 miles out, time 1.55 on 22-6-43.
4 aircraft failed to return (including us)
Ditching very successful, aircraft floated for over half an hour. Sitting in a pool of water in the dinghy very unpleasant & the dinghy had a leak.
MID MORNING.
Circled by Focke Wulf 190 who presumably obtained a fix on us.
Observed Flying Fortress being shot down by Me 109 (Met the crew later at Felixstowe Hopital [sic])
THE RESCUE
2 Typhoons of 198 Squadron airborne Martlesham Heath 15.15 to find and obtain a fix on our dinghy; this was achieved.
2 Waruses [sic] airborne Martlesham Heath 18.37 on 22-6-43, one Walrus picked up 4 of our crew, and the other the remaining 3. Both Walruses had difficulty in taking of [sic] due to the rough sea & heavy load, but one achieved this after 20 mins and several bounces. The pilot of the heavier aircraft decided tht [sic] it was too dangerous to attempt a take off and started taxing [sic] to the English coast.
2 Typhoons airborne Martlesham Heath 19.04 on 22-6-43
4 Spitfires airborne Martlesham Heath 19.32 on 22-6-43
2 Typhoons airborne Martlesham Heath 19.72 [sic] on 22-6-43
2 Folke Wulfe 190 attacked at 20.55 on 22-6-43, one of which was shot down by a Spitfire.
A Walrus and 2 Spitfires airborne Martlesham Heath 21.20 on 22-6-43. The sea was too rough for the Walrus to land, but it stayed in the vicinity and was ultimately able to direct MTB D16 (RN) to the taxiing Walrus.
2 Spitfires airborne Martlesham Heath 22.19 on 22-6-43.
Our Walrus taxied from 19.50 on 22-6-43 until 02.00 on 23-6-43 until prtrol [sic] was exhausted. At this time waves were 10 to 15 high when the RN took 20 mins to attach a tow rope to our Walrus.
The RN towed us for 1 hour but we were taking such a battering that it was
[page break]
THREE
requested that the Walrus be abandoned and the crews be transferred to the MTB which was achieved with difficulty.
We arrived at Felixstowe at 6.30 on 23-6-43.
It was later learned that the Walrus drifted onto a sandbank and was later towed to Harwich by HMS Mackay (destroyer).
De-briefed by AVM Gus Walker who commented on the loss of 4 "T" Halifaxes on 4 successive operations; he wondered about sabotage.
We were given 14 days leave and were requested to consider volunteering for Pathfinders.
We were informed, following a meeting years after the war between the Pathfinder Association and the Luftwaffe Association, that we had been shot down by W/O Vinkler in a ME 110. Regretfully Vinkler died in combat 24 hours later.
Posted to 35 Squadron-PFF
29-7-43 Hamburg-5 hours 55 mins-Supporter
2 aircraft failed to return
2-8-43 Hamburg-5 hours 15 mins - Iced up in Cumulo Nimbus - Very heavy predicted flak-Supporter. One aircraft failed to return.
4-8-43 MANY BOUNCE LANDING & 3 ENGINE TAKE OFF-relationship between Captain and pilots mate.
CRASH WITH 2 LORRIES ON PERIMETER TRACK
10-8-43 Nurnburg-7 hours-Supporter
2 aircraft failed to return
12-8-43 Turin-8 hours 30 mins-Supporter
Our route icluded [sic] Base-Reading-Selsey Bill-On arrival near Portsmouth we saw intense A/c A/c through which we had to fly. The question is - Were we flying through a German raid?, or were the RN exhibiting their well known dislike of aircraft over their ships?.
16-8-43 Turin-3 hours 40 mins-turned back-engine failure-landed at Ford-Supporter. One aircraft failed to return.
23-8-43 Berlin-7 hours 25 mins-Supporter
4 aaicraft [sic] failed to return.
27-8-43 Nurnburg-7 hours 20 mins-Supporter
Coned by several searchlights with potential attack by fighter.
[page break]
[inserted] 4 [/inserted]
Dived steeply and managed to evade. H2S went U/S at this point and because of our excessive speed and frequent changes of course we were uncertain of our precise position. As a result we flew over Mannheim and received the undivided attention of their intensive predicted heavy Ac/Ac
Approaching Beachy Head we observed searchlights instructing us to turn to port which we did and then to land at Ford. On landing we were asked the reason for our arrival at a fighter base. It turned out to be an interservice exercise
Believe that this was the time that the Wop/ag discovered the "bomb" inside the fuselage.
30-8-43 Munchen Gladbach - 4 hours 10 mins-supporter-attacked by fighter but evaded.
31-8-43 Berlin-7 hours 40 mins-Supporter
One aircraft failed to return.
5-9-43 Mannheim-2 hours 25 mins-turned back-engine failure-Supporter
22-9-43 Hannover-5 hours 55 mins-Supporter
23-9-43 Mannheim-6 hours 5 mins-Backer up
27-9-43 Hannover-5 hours 10 mins-Backer up
One aircraft failed to return
29-9-43 Bochum-4 hours 40 mins-Backer up
3-10-43 Kassel-6 hours 20 mins-Backer up-made dummy run!
4-10-43 Frankfurt-3 hours 15 mins -turned back-engine failure-Backer up
One aircraft coned for 5 miutes [sic] and severely shot up by flak. Crashed in flames at Biggin Hill-4 crew in hospital
8-10-43 Bremen-4 hours 50 mins-Blind Marker
One aircraft badly shot up-Crashed at Coltishall. Minor injuries only
11-11-43 Cannes-8 hours 40 mins-Blind Illuminator
2 aircraft failed to return. (Petrie-Andrews ditched off Sardinia & escaped to North Africa.)
22-11-43 Berlin-3 hours 15 mins-turned back-engine failure-Backer up
23-11-43 Berlin-6 hours 20 mins-Blind Marker
20-12-43 Frankfurt-5 hours 15 mins-Blind Marker
One aircraft failed to return, & one caught fire while landing.
"While circling the airfield prior to landing a Halifax captained by S/ldr J. Sale caught fire when a target indicator exploded. S/Ldr Sale climbed to 2000 ft, baled out 5 members of his crew, the mid upper gunner being unable to do so as his parachute was destroyed by the ensuing fire. S/Ld Sale calmly landed the burning aircraft, taxied off the runway. The aircraft exploded when he & the gunner were some 200 yards away."
[page break]
[inserted] 5 [/inserted]
23-12-43 Berlin-7 hours-Blind Marker
5-1-44 Stettin-9 hours-Blind Backer up
Routed over Denmark and Southern Sweden Flak from the latter intensive, but not at our height
2 aircraft failed to return.
21-1-44 Magdeburg-6 hours 40 mins-Blind Backer up
"Suddenly the rear gunner saw an ME210 astern level at 150 yards. He told his Captain to corkscrew starboar [sic] and caused the other aircraft to pass to port quarter up. As the bomber rolled at bottom of corkscrew and commenced it's climbing turn to port the fighter attacked from deep port quarter. Rear gunner opened fire at 100 yards with 250 rounds each and saw tracer enter the underside of the ME 210 causing it to break off starboard beam below. ME210 fired a short burst without tracer before breaking off. No damage to Halifax but ME210 claimed as damaged."
3 aircraft failed to return.
15-2-44 Berlin-7 hours 5 mins-Blind backer up
Numerous fighter flares above clouds. It was like day.
One aircraft failed to return.
19-2-44 Leipzig-2 hopurs [sic] 40 mins-Blind backer up
4 aircraft failed to return.
20-2-44 Stuttgart-6 hours 5 mins-Blind backer up
One aircraft failed to return.
24-2-44 Schweinfurt-6 hours 50 mins-Blind backer up
25-2-44 Augsburg-6 hours 30 mins-Blind backer up
1-3-44 Stuttgart-6 hours 40 mins-Blind backer up
8-3-44 CONVERTED TO LANCASTERS
18-3-44 Frankfurt-5 hours-Blind backer up.
24-3-44 Berlin-6 hours 50 mins-Blind marker
THE NIGHT OF THE JET STREAMS - Zephyring-Winds of 135 knots
"Why aren't we going through the flak like every one else??"
One aircraft failed to return.
18-4-44 Rouen-3 hours 40 mins Blind marker/Illuminator
20-4-44 Cologne-3 hours 50 mins Blind backer up
23-4-44 Laon-3 hours 40 mins-Blind Illuminator
Had to make 3 runs over target becaause [sic] bomb doors would not open.
24-4-44 Karlsruhe-5 hours 40 mins-Blind marker/Illuminator
26-4-44 Villeneuve-St George-4 hours-Blind Illuminator
27-4-44 Friedrichshafen-6 hours 30 mins-Blind re-centerer [sic]
[page break]
[inserted] 6 [/inserted]
Flew over Switzerland on the commencement of bombing run!!
One aircraft failed to return.
3-5-44 Montdidier-3 hours 40 mins-Blind Illuminator
8-5-44 Haine St Pierre- 2 hours 45 mins-Blind Illuminator
One aircraft failed to return.
10-5-44 Lens- 2 hours 55 mins-Blind Illuminator
11-5-44 Hasselt-2 hours 55 mins- Illuminator at request of Master Bomber
28-5-44 Mardick-1 hours 55 mins-bombed using "G"
31-5-44 Trappes-4 hours 20 mins-Blind Illuminator
2-6-44 Trappes-3 hours 25 mins-Blind Illuminator
29-6-44 Crew, minus our pilot, asked to do another tour with Wing Commander P.H. Cribb, but on a majority vote,, this was declined. Cribb became CO of 582 Squadron, but did not survive for long.
Posted to Air Ministry London as a staff officer, including 3 months in Cairo at HQ Middle East
Note--On the 51 operations in which we participated 37 aircraft were lost, 21 aircraft is full squadron strength.
Acknowledge the considerable assistance given by Seema in the preparation of her file of our exploits.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Lecture - "PRESS ON"
Description
An account of the resource
Text for a lecture. Joined RAF as air observer in June 1941. List initial training postings, conversion to Halifax, crewing up and posting to 102 Squadron at RAF Pocklington in May 1943. Describes preparation for operations and lists 6 operations with some details including having to ditch in North Sea on return from the sixth. Goes on to describe rescue in detail. Then posted to 35 Squadron Pathfinders and lists 32 further operations. Converted to Lancaster and lists a further 15 operations. Some operation listed have some descriptions of events that occurred during the attacks, role, the numbers of aircraft that failed to return and duration. Crew (minus pilot) was asked to another tour but declined on vote. Then posted to air ministry as staff officer.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
J Brennan
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1941-06
1943-05-23
1943-05-25
1943-05-27
1943-06-12
1943-06-19
1943-06-21
1943-07-29
1943-08-02
1943-08-04
1943-08-10
1943-08-12
1943-08-16
1943-08-23
1943-08-27
1943-08-30
1943-08-31
1943-09-05
1943-09-22
1943-09-23
1943-09-27
1943-09-29
1943-10-03
1943-10-04
1943-10-08
1943-11-11
1943-10-22
1943-10-23
1943-12-20
1943-12-23
1944-01-05
1944-01-21
1944-02-15
1944-02-19
1944-02-20
1944-02-24
1944-02-25
1944-03-01
1944-03-08
1944-03-18
1944-03-24
1944-04-18
1944-04-20
1944-04-23
1944-04-24
1944-04-26
1944-04-27
1944-05-03
1944-05-08
1944-05-10
1944-05-11
1944-05-28
1944-05-31
1944-06-02
1944-06-29
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Royal Air Force. Coastal Command
Royal Navy
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Memoir
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Six page printed document
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
SBrennanJ1210913v20003-0008
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
South Africa
Germany
Great Britain
France
Italy
Poland
Belgium
England--Devon
England--Sussex
England--London
England--Lancashire
England--Worcestershire
England--Warwickshire
England--Yorkshire
Atlantic Ocean--North Sea
Germany--Dortmund
Germany--Düsseldorf
Germany--Essen
Germany--Bochum
France--Le Creusot
Germany--Krefeld
England--Suffolk
England--Felixstowe
Germany--Hamburg
Germany--Nuremberg
Italy--Turin
Germany--Berlin
Germany--Mönchengladbach
Germany--Mannheim
Germany--Hannover
Germany--Kassel
Germany--Frankfurt am Main
Germany--Bremen
France--Cannes
Poland--Szczecin
Germany--Magdeburg
Germany--Leipzig
Germany--Stuttgart
Germany--Schweinfurt
Germany--Augsburg
France--Rouen
Germany--Cologne
Germany--Friedrichshafen
France--Montdidier (Hauts-de-France)
Belgium--Hasselt
France--Lens
France--Dunkerque
France--Paris
Belgium--La Louvière
Germany--Ruhr (Region)
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Sue Smith
102 Squadron
35 Squadron
air sea rescue
aircrew
Anson
B-17
bombing
bombing of Hamburg (24-31 July 1943)
ditching
Fw 190
Halifax
Lancaster
Me 109
Me 110
Oxford
Pathfinders
RAF Honeybourne
RAF Martlesham Heath
RAF Pocklington
RAF Rufforth
shot down
Spitfire
Typhoon
Walrus
Whitley
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1979/45240/LEdmondsonF[Ser -DoB]v1.pdf
7a146889b699c1463fdc89e5e893e97b
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Edmondson, Eddie
Fred Edmondson
F Edmondson
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-11-03
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Edmondson, F
Description
An account of the resource
8 items. The collection concerns Sergeant Fred 'Eddie' Edmondson (Royal Air Force) and contains his log book and photographs. He flew operations as a flight engineer and bomb aimer with 35 Squadron.
The collection was loaned to the IBCC Digital Archive for digitisation by Ron and Catherine Eccles and catalogued by Lynn Corrigan.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Fred 'Eddie' Edmondson's navigator's, air bomber's and air gunner's flying log book
Description
An account of the resource
Navigator's, air bomber's and air gunner's flying log book for Fred 'Eddie' Edmondson, flight engineer and bomb aimer, covering the period 20 March 1944 to 18 April 1945, detailing his training and operations flown. He was stationed at 1663 Heavy Conversion Unit RAF Rufforth, 77 Squadron RAF Elvington, 78 Squadron RAF Breighton, 1652 Heavy Conversion Unit RAF Upwood, 35 Squadron and RAF Graveley. Aircraft flown in were Halifax and Lancaster, He flew a total of 57 operations including 26 night and 31 day operations with 35 Squadron. Targets were, Kiel, Stuttgart, Caen, Bois de Cassan, Trossy St. Maximin, Acquet, Forêt de Nieppe, Falaise, Le Culot, Stettin, Emden, Le Havre, Wanne Eickel, Calais, Cap Griz Nez, Dortmund, Duisburg, Wilhelmshaven, Essen, Walcheren, Westkapelle, Oberhausen, Gelsenkirchen, Freiburg, Urft dam, Leuna oil plant, Ulm, Cologne, St. Vith, Rheydt, Bonn, Mannheim, Mainz, Dresden, Chemnitz, benzol plant at Borttrod-Stinnes, oil plant at Heide-Hemmingstedt, Gladbeck, Munster, Nordhausen, Hamburg, Bayreuth, Potsdam and Helgoland. His pilot on 56 operations was Flight Lieutenant L B Lawson and for one was Wing Commander L E Good. In 29 operations Eddie was flight engineer and in 28 was bomb aimer and flight engineer.<br /><br /><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-GB" lang="EN-GB" class="TextRun SCXW66706776 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW66706776 BCX0">This item was sent to the IBCC Digital Archive already in digital form. No </span><span class="ContextualSpellingAndGrammarError SCXW66706776 BCX0">better quality</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW66706776 BCX0"> copies are available.</span></span>
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Great Britain. Royal Air Force
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1944-07-23
1944-07-24
1944-07-25
1944-07-26
1944-07-30
1944-07-31
1944-08-03
1944-08-04
1944-08-05
1944-08-06
1944-08-14
1944-08-15
1944-08-16
1944-08-17
1944-09-06
1944-09-10
1944-09-11
1944-09-12
1944-08-15
1944-08-16
1944-09-20
1944-09-25
1944-09-26
1944-10-06
1944-10-07
1944-10-14
1944-10-15
1944-10-16
1944-10-22
1944-10-23
1944-10-28
1944-10-29
1944-11-01
1944-11-02
1944-11-06
1944-11-27
1944-11-28
1944-11-29
1944-12-04
1944-12-06
1944-12-07
1944-12-17
1944-12-18
1944-12-23
1944-12-26
1944-12-27
1944-12-28
1944-12-29
1944-12-30
1945-01-02
1945-01-03
1945-01-22
1945-02-23
1945-01-28
1945-01-29
1945-02-01
1945-02-02
1945-02-03
1945-02-04
1945-02-13
1945-02-14
1945-02-15
1945-02-20
1945-02-21
1945-02-27
1945-03-01
1945-03-15
1945-03-20
1945-03-21
1945-03-24
1945-03-25
1945-04-03
1945-04-08
1945-04-09
1945-04-11
1945-04-14
1945-04-15
1945-04-08
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Atlantic Ocean--North Sea
Belgium
France
Germany
Germany--Ruhr (Region)
Great Britain
Netherlands
Belgium--Beauvechain
Belgium--Saint-Vith
France--Abbeville Region
France--Auxi-le-Château
France--Caen
France--Calais
France--Creil
France--Falaise
France--L'Isle-Adam
France--Le Havre
Germany--Bayreuth
Germany--Bonn
Germany--Bottrop
Germany--Chemnitz
Germany--Cologne
Germany--Dortmund
Germany--Dresden
Germany--Duisburg
Germany--Emden (Lower Saxony)
Germany--Essen
Germany--Freiburg im Breisgau
Germany--Gelsenkirchen
Germany--Gladbeck
Germany--Hamburg
Germany--Heide (Schleswig-Holstein)
Germany--Helgoland
Germany--Kiel
Germany--Leuna
Germany--Mainz (Rhineland-Palatinate)
Germany--Mannheim
Germany--Münster in Westfalen
Germany--Nordhausen (Thuringia)
Germany--Oberhausen (Düsseldorf)
Germany--Potsdam
Germany--Rheydt
Germany--Stuttgart
Germany--Ulm
Germany--Urft Dam
Germany--Wanne-Eickel
England--Cambridgeshire
England--Yorkshire
Netherlands--Walcheren
Netherlands--Westkapelle
Poland--Szczecin
France--Nieppe Forest
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Log book and record book
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One booklet
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
LEdmondonF[Ser#-DoB]v1
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Lynn Corrigan
1652 HCU
1663 HCU
35 Squadron
77 Squadron
78 Squadron
aircrew
bomb aimer
bombing of Dresden (13 - 15 February 1945)
bombing of Helgoland (18 April 1945)
bombing of Luftwaffe night-fighter airfields (15 August 1944)
Bombing of Trossy St Maximin (3 August 1944)
flight engineer
Halifax
Heavy Conversion Unit
Lancaster
Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944)
Pathfinders
RAF Breighton
RAF Elvington
RAF Graveley
RAF Marston Moor
RAF Rufforth
RAF Upwood
tactical support for Normandy troops
training
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/1420/36158/LHiltonVT430281v1.2.pdf
b38ebe4f029e0f2b0cdfad858a0cb57e
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Hilton, Vaughn Thomas
V T Hilton
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2015-06-09
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Hilton, VT
Description
An account of the resource
Three items. The collection concerns Pilot Officer Vaughn Thomas Hilton (430281 Royal Australian Air Force) and contains his log book, his biography and his identity card.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by John Lawrence
Hilton and catalogued by IBCC Digital Archive staff.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
V T Hilton’s observer’s air gunner’s and w/t operators flying log book
Description
An account of the resource
Observer’s air gunner’s and w/t operators flying log book for V T Hilton, wireless operator, covering the period from 19 July 1943 to 16 April 1945. He was stationed at RAAF Parkes, RAAF Port Pririe, RAF Dumfries, RAF Lossiemouth, RAF Rufforth and RAF Foulsham. Aircraft flown in were Battle, Anson, Wellington, Halifax and Oxford. He flew a total of 32 operations with 192 Squadron, 2 daylight and 30 night. Targets were Leverkusen, Dusseldorf, Bochum, Merseburg, Bonn, Cologne, Nuremberg, Magdeburg, Gelsenkirchen, Dortmund, Dortmund-Ems Canal, Stettin, Bohlen, Chemnitz, Ladbergen, Dessau, Stade, Weissenberg, Plauen, Kiel, Including special duty operations and bomber support Window operations. His pilot on operations was Flight Lieutenant Morley.
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1943
1944
1945
1944-10-07
1944-10-08
1944-10-09
1944-10-26
1944-11-02
1944-11-04
1944-11-10
1944-11-21
1944-11-26
1944-11-27
1944-12-01
1944-12-02
1944-12-04
1944-12-05
1944-12-06
1944-12-07
1944-12-17
1944-12-18
1944-12-19
1944-12-28
1944-12-30
1945-01-02
1945-01-14
1945-01-15
1945-01-16
1945-01-17
1945-01-22
1945-01-23
1945-02-03
1945-02-05
1945-02-07
1945-02-08
1945-02-09
1945-02-13
1945-02-14
1945-02-15
1945-02-20
1945-02-21
1945-03-03
1945-03-04
1945-03-07
1945-03-08
1945-03-20
1945-03-21
1945-04-02
1945-04-03
1945-04-04
1945-04-05
1945-04-08
1945-04-09
1945-04-10
1945-04-11
1945-04-13
1945-04-14
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Australia
Germany
Great Britain
Poland
Atlantic Ocean--Baltic Sea
England--Norfolk
England--Yorkshire
Germany--Bochum
Germany--Bonn
Germany--Chemnitz
Germany--Cologne
Germany--Dessau (Dessau)
Germany--Dortmund
Germany--Dortmund-Ems Canal
Germany--Düsseldorf
Germany--Gelsenkirchen
Germany--Kiel
Germany--Leipzig Region
Germany--Leverkusen
Germany--Magdeburg
Germany--Merseburg
Germany--Nuremberg
Germany--Plauen
Germany--Stade (Lower Saxony)
Germany--Steinfurt (North Rhine-Westphalia)
Germany--Weissenburg in Bayern
New South Wales--Parkes
Poland--Szczecin
Scotland--Dumfries and Galloway
Scotland--Moray
South Australia--Port Pirie
New South Wales
South Australia
Germany--Ruhr (Region)
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Royal Australian Air Force
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Log book and record book
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One booklet
Conforms To
An established standard to which the described resource conforms.
Pending temporal coverage. Allocated
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
LHiltonVT430281v1
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Great Britain. Royal Air Force
1663 HCU
192 Squadron
20 OTU
Advanced Flying Unit
aircrew
Anson
Battle
bombing
Bombing and Gunnery School
Halifax
Heavy Conversion Unit
Operational Training Unit
Oxford
RAF Dumfries
RAF Foulsham
RAF Lossiemouth
RAF Rufforth
training
Wellington
Window
wireless operator
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/2093/34640/SWeirG19660703v090005.1.pdf
74ac85235abe6fb895ef94b26b3c25ea
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Weir, Greg. Flannigan, J and McManus, JB
Description
An account of the resource
Seventeen items. Collection concerns Flt Sgt James Flannigan who flew as a wireless operator/air gunner on 77 and 76 Squadrons in 1941, he failed to return from operations 31 October 1941 and J B McManus (RAAF), a Halifax pilot who flew operations on 466 Squadron in 1944-45. Collection contains their log books, mementos, parade notes, medals, documents and photographs.
Collection catalogued by Nigel Huckins
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-04-26
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Weir, G
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
J B McManus - pilot's flying log book
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Royal Australian Air Force
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Log book and record book
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One booklet
Conforms To
An established standard to which the described resource conforms.
Pending review
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
SWeirG19660703v090005
Description
An account of the resource
Flying Log Book for J B McManus, pilot. Covers the period from 22 December 1942 to 29 April 1948 and his training, operations and post-war flying in Australia and Japan. He was based at RAF Clyffe Pypard, RAF Wymeswold, RAF Weston on the Green, RAF Moreton in Marsh, RAF Rufforth, RAF Driffield, RAF Edzell and RAF Hawarden. Aircraft flown were Tiger Moth, Wirraway, Oxford, Wellington, Halifax, Albemarle, Anson, Beaufort, Proctor, Mosquito, Martinet, Master, Lancaster, Lincoln, Avenger, Dominie, Warwick and P-51 Mustang. With 466 Squadron he flew on 33 operations (including one recall); 17 daylight and 16 daylight. Targets were Hamburg, La Pourchinte, Soesterberg, Le Havre, Gelsenkirchen, Kiel, Neuss, Calais, Bottrop, Wilhemshaven, Hannover, Essen, Walcheren, Cologne, Dusseldorf, Bochum, Julich, Munster, Sterkrade, Bingen, Mulheim, St Vith, Opladen, and Koblenz. His pilots on his first ‘second dickie’ operations were Flying Officer Herman and Flight Lieutenant Hutchison.<br /><br /><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW135383485 BCX0">This item was sent to the IBCC Digital Archive already in digital form. No </span><span class="ContextualSpellingAndGrammarError SCXW135383485 BCX0">better quality</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW135383485 BCX0"> copies are available.</span>
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1944-08-27
1944-09-01
1944-09-03
1944-09-09
1944-09-11
1944-09-12
1944-09-15
1944-09-16
1944-09-22
1944-09-23
1944-09-25
1944-09-27
1944-09-30
1944-10-15
1944-10-16
1944-10-22
1944-10-25
1944-10-29
1944-10-30
1944-10-31
1944-11-02
1944-11-03
1944-11-04
1944-11-05
1944-11-06
1944-11-16
1944-11-18
1944-11-21
1944-11-22
1944-11-29
1944-11-30
1944-12-12
1944-12-13
1944-12-18
1944-12-19
1944-12-22
1944-12-23
1944-12-24
1944-12-26
1944-12-27
1944-12-28
1944-12-29
1945-01-05
1945-01-06
1945-01-07
1945-01-12
1945-01-13
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Great Britain. Royal Air Force
1663 HCU
21 OTU
466 Squadron
Advanced Flying Unit
aircrew
Albemarle
Anson
Dominie
Flying Training School
Halifax
Halifax Mk 2
Halifax Mk 3
Halifax Mk 5
Harvard
Heavy Conversion Unit
Lancaster
Lincoln
Martinet
Mosquito
Operational Training Unit
Oxford
P-51
pilot
Proctor
RAF Clyffe Pypard
RAF Driffield
RAF Hawarden
RAF Moreton in the Marsh
RAF Rufforth
RAF Wymeswold
Tiger Moth
training
Wellington
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/2087/34541/SWeirG19660703v080004.1.pdf
ba25404959efade2494291a5d7a5fa24
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Weir, Greg. Langworthy, Max
Langworthy, GM
Description
An account of the resource
Ten items and fifty-two items in two sub-collections. Collection concerns Flt Lt Geoffrey Maxwell Michell (Max) Langworthy (428848, Royal Australian Air Force). A Halifax pilot, he flew operations on 462 Squadron from November 1944 to April 1945. Collection contains photographs (including two albums in sub-collections), documents and his log book.
Collection was catalogued by Nigel Huckins
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
201-04-26
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Weir, G
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
G M (Max) Langworthy - Royal Australian Air Force Flying Log Book
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Royal Australian Air Force
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Log book and record book
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One booklet
Conforms To
An established standard to which the described resource conforms.
Pending review
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
SWeirG19660703v080004
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Description
An account of the resource
Royal Australian Air Force Log Book for Max Langworthy, pilot. Covers period 8 January 1943 to 15 February 1958. Includes his training, operations and post-war flying. He was based at RAF Babdown Farm, RAF Bibury, RAF Morton in Marsh, RAF Rufforth, RAF Driffield and RAF Foulsham. Aircraft flown were Tiger Moth, Anson, Oxford, Halifax and Auster. Serving with 462 Squadron he flew 27 operations of which 3 were daylight and 24 night. Operations 12 and onwards were providing radio counter measures. Targets were Walcheren, Dusseldorf, Bochum, Gelsenkirchen, Sterkrade, Essen, Duisburg, Hagen, Soest, Osnabruck, Hamburg, Mannheim, Cochem, Mainz, Heilbronn, Krefeld, Neuss, Kaiserlautern, Dortmund-Ems canal, Frankfurt, Stade, Lubeck and Wangerooge. He also flew 6 Cook's Tours flights. His pilot for his first 'second dickie' operation was Flight Lieutenant Cuttriss.<br /><br /><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW226334026 BCX0">This item was sent to the IBCC Digital Archive already in digital form. No </span><span class="ContextualSpellingAndGrammarError SCXW226334026 BCX0">better quality</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW226334026 BCX0"> copies are available.</span>
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1944-10-29
1944-11-02
1944-11-04
1944-11-06
1944-11-21
1944-11-28
1944-11-30
1944-12-02
1944-12-05
1944-12-06
1944-12-12
1945-01-01
1945-01-14
1945-01-17
1945-01-22
1945-01-28
1945-02-02
1945-02-20
1945-02-22
1945-02-24
1945-03-01
1945-03-03
1945-03-05
1945-03-13
1945-04-02
1945-04-23
1945-04-25
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Great Britain. Royal Air Force
1663 HCU
21 OTU
462 Squadron
Advanced Flying Unit
aircrew
Anson
Cook’s tour
crash
Flying Training School
Halifax
Halifax Mk 2
Halifax Mk 3
Halifax Mk 5
Heavy Conversion Unit
Operational Training Unit
Oxford
pilot
RAF Driffield
RAF Foulsham
RAF Moreton in the Marsh
RAF Rufforth
Tiger Moth
training
Wellington
Window
-
https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/original/2072/34205/LBabbageG1613415v1.1.pdf
f14ffb7085b2bf98bec5144b8f54c979
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Babbage, Gordon
Babbage, G
Description
An account of the resource
Five items. The collection concerns Gordon Babbage (b. 1922, 1613415 Royal Air Force) and contains his log book, Pathfinder awards and photographs. He flew operations as an air gunner with 100 Squadron from RAF Grimsby and 156 Squadron from RAF Upwood.
The collection has been donated to the IBCC Digital Archive by Lesley Morley and catalogued by IBCC Digital Archive staff.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2021-08-31
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Babbage, G
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Gordon Babbage's navigator's air bomber's and air gunner's flying log book
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Great Britain. Royal Air Force
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force. Bomber Command
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Text. Log book and record book
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
One booklet
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
IBCC Digital Archive
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
LBabbageG1613415v1
Description
An account of the resource
Navigator’s, air gunner’s and air bomber’s flying log book for G Babbage, air gunner, covering the period from 15 December 1942 to 8 April 1945. Detailing his flying training and operations flown. He was stationed at RAF Stormey Down, RAF Riccall, RAF Pocklington, RAF Rufforth, RAF Faldingworth, RAF Sandtoft, RAF Driffield, RAF Grimsby, RAF Warboys and RAF Upwood. Aircraft flown in were Defiant, Whitley, Halifax, and Lancaster. He flew a total of 51 operations, 26 with 102 Squadron, 2 with 100 Squadron and 23 with 156 Squadron. Targets were St Nazaire, Essen, Kiel, Frankfurt, Duisburg, Dortmund, Bochum, Dusseldorf, Le Cruseot, Gelsenkirchen, Montbelliard, Hamburg, Nurnberg, Berlin, Kassel, Cannes, Neuss, Bonn, Opladen, Cologne, Osterfeld, Munich, Goch, Politz, Dresden, Pforzheim, Homburg, Misburg, Hanau, Heide and Harburg. His pilots on operations were Flight Lieutenant Carey, Warrant Officer Brooks, Flying Officer Parkinson and Flying Officer Edge.
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
1942
1943-03-28
1943-03-29
1943-04-03
1943-04-04
1943-04-05
1943-04-10
1943-04-11
1943-04-27
1943-04-28
1943-04-29
1943-04-30
1943-05-01
1943-05-04
1943-05-05
1943-05-12
1943-05-13
1943-05-14
1943-05-23
1943-05-24
1943-05-25
1943-05-26
1943-05-27
1943-05-28
1943-06-11
1943-06-12
1943-06-13
1943-06-19
1943-06-20
1943-07-09
1943-07-10
1943-07-15
1943-07-16
1943-07-24
1943-07-25
1943-07-27
1943-07-28
1943-08-10
1943-08-11
1943-08-31
1943-09-01
1943-10-03
1943-10-04
1943-10-05
1943-11-03
1943-11-04
1943-11-11
1943-11-12
1944-10-23
1944-10-24
1944-10-25
1944-11-27
1944-11-28
1944-11-29
1944-11-30
1944-12-01
1944-12-12
1944-12-13
1944-12-21
1944-12-22
1944-12-27
1944-12-28
1944-12-30
1944-12-31
1945-01-01
1945-01-07
1945-01-08
1945-02-07
1945-02-08
1945-02-09
1945-02-13
1945-02-14
1945-02-20
1945-02-21
1945-02-23
1945-02-24
1945-03-11
1945-03-14
1945-03-15
1945-03-16
1945-03-17
1945-03-18
1945-03-19
1945-03-20
1945-03-21
1945-03-31
1945-04-04
1945-04-05
1945-04-08
1945-04-09
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
France
Germany
Great Britain
Poland
Atlantic Ocean--Baltic Sea
Atlantic Ocean--Bay of Biscay
England--Cambridgeshire
England--Lincolnshire
England--Yorkshire
France--Cannes
France--Le Creusot
France--Montbéliard
France--Saint-Nazaire
Germany--Berlin
Germany--Bochum
Germany--Bonn
Germany--Cologne
Germany--Dortmund
Germany--Dresden
Germany--Duisburg
Germany--Düsseldorf
Germany--Essen
Germany--Frankfurt am Main
Germany--Gelsenkirchen
Germany--Goch
Germany--Hamburg
Germany--Hanau
Germany--Hannover Region
Germany--Harburg (Landkreis)
Germany--Heide (Schleswig-Holstein)
Germany--Homberg (Kassel)
Germany--Kassel
Germany--Kiel
Germany--Leverkusen
Germany--Munich
Germany--Neuss
Germany--Nuremberg
Germany--Osterfeld
Germany--Pforzheim
Poland--Police (Województwo Zachodniopomorskie)
Wales--Bridgend
Germany--Ruhr (Region)
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Mike Connock
100 Squadron
102 Squadron
156 Squadron
1658 HCU
1667 HCU
air gunner
Air Gunnery School
aircrew
bombing
bombing of Dresden (13 - 15 February 1945)
bombing of Hamburg (24-31 July 1943)
Defiant
Halifax
Halifax Mk 1
Halifax Mk 2
Heavy Conversion Unit
Lancaster
mine laying
Pathfinders
RAF Driffield
RAF Faldingworth
RAF Grimsby
RAF Pocklington
RAF Riccall
RAF Rufforth
RAF Sandtoft
RAF Stormy Down
RAF Upwood
RAF Warboys
training
Whitley