Browse Items (360 total)

  • Tags: RAF Skellingthorpe

Rutherford, Les.2.jpg
Les Rutherford joined the army and was in the 51st Highland Division which formed the rear-guard defence, allowing for the evacuation of Dunkirk. He escaped out to sea on a barn door and was picked up and taken to England by a French trawler. He…

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Allan McDonald was born in Hull and watched Alan Cobham’s Flying Circus as a child. He worked as an apprentice electrician before joining the Air Force. He served as ground personnel in Northern Ireland until he passed the exams to become aircrew…

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Keith was five at the start of the war and lived in a farm adjoining the airfield at RAF Skellingthorpe. He describes the airfield and how the trees were cut down in the farm belt. The airfield was closed soon after the war, bought by the City…

AGrayCJ151017.mp3
Jeff Gray was a farm labourer in Aberdeenshire when he volunteered for the Royal Air Force. He trained to fly in Texas and completed 30 operations as a pilot with 61 Squadron. After leaving the RAF he worked for BOAC flying Yorks and VC10s.

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Norman Goodfellow, born in Wakefield, in 1923. Before the war he worked as an apprentice engineer. Joining the RAF at seventeen he was offered the choice of Pilot or Navigator. Although Norman chose to be a Navigator he initially trained as a Pilot…

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Robert Barnes was working in a Reserved Occupation and so knew the only way he could join the RAF was to volunteer for aircrew. Before he volunteered he was also a member of the ARP and Home Guard. Robert trained as a flight engineer and was posted…

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Robert Barnes, as flight engineer had to deal with an emergency on one flight when during the process of changing the fuel tanks the aircraft went into a steep dive.

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

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

AGeogheganWT160706.mp3
William Geoghegan grew up in Australia and after serving in the army, joined the Royal Australian Air Force. He flew operations as a navigator with 61 Squadron from RAF Skellingthorpe.

BBascombeEJBascombeEJv.pdf
Flight Engineer Ron Jones 61 Squadron, killed in action 25 April 1944. Details of his early life and service career. Some information how he met his wife, then their brief marriage. Initially he was declared missing but on January 1945 he was…

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Apologises for not having written because he has been busy. Writes about bicycle parts he will bring home and what she would like for Christmas, How she is getting on at school and hopes she is helping mummy.

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Wishes her happy birthday and apologises for no card. He has ordered her an air gunner brevet broach. Writes about her party and that mother should give eight kisses for eighth birthday.

LMouritzFA427346v1.pdf
A partial Royal Australian Air Force Flying log book for F A Mouritz. Covers (with gaps) the period from 27 September 1944 to 18 April 1945. He was stationed at RAF Skellingthorpe with 61 Squadron flying Lancasters. The log book details eight night…

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Eric Coling’s father died when Eric was a child which left his mother to cope on her own economically. Eric and his sister were sent to live in an orphanage but their mother was able to visit monthly. When Eric left the orphanage he began working…

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Donald Watson was working in the print industry before he joined the Royal Air Force in 1941. After training he served as an armourer with 61 Squadron at RAF Skellingthorpe.

LCaseyJ2219470v1.pdf
Navigators, air bombers, air gunners and flight engineers flying log book for Sergeant John Casey from 26 February 1944 to 8 October 1945. Detailing training schedule and operations flown. Served at 7 Air Gunnery School followed by training at 29…

LFreethR1319543v10001.pdf
South African Air Force observers or air gunners log book for Warrant Officer Reg Freeth, bomb aimer, covering the period from 7 February 1942 to 8 October 1945. Detailing his flying training, operations and Instructor duties. He was stationed at…

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Target photograph of St. Cyr, urban area, street patterns visible although largely obscured by smoke and dust from bomb explosions. Two sets of railway tracks from top right corner, four bomb explosions and many bomb craters. A red dot is visible on…

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Target photograph of Laroche - Migennes. Largely rural but with built up area along canal that runs top to bottom on left side of photograph and also across the top third, street patterns clearly visible. Railway with extensive sidings runs alongside…

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Target photograph of Le Havre. Rural area, centre of photograph obscured by smoke and dust, craters and one dropping bomb visible. Captioned '5° F', '5B', '2625 SKELL. 10.9.44. // 8" 11000' [arrow] 130° 1723, LE HAVRE RD. D. 11x1000. 4x500. …
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