Browse Items (165 total)

  • Tags: RAF St Athan

AMulhallJE160823.mp3
James was born in Gorton, attended Catholic schools, and became an apprentice plumber. In November 1942 he joined the Royal Air Force. He then trained as a mechanic at RAF St Athan before being posted to RAF Henlow to assemble Hurricanes. He then…

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

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PCarrollT1601.jpg
Thomas Carroll grew up in Yorkshire and became a cashier for a mining company. He joined the Royal Air Force and flew operations as a flight engineer with 100 and 626 Squadrons. After the war, he retrained as an air traffic control officer in Germany…

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BJoynerJHJoynerJHv1.pdf
Records his time in the Air Training Corps before joining the RAF, his training as an air gunner and his first operation.
Post war his squadron took part in the repatriation of Army personnel from Italy and his unit was in India at around the time…

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

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ACammishHS180501.mp3
Harrison Cammish was born in Scarborough in 1923, and when he was fourteen, he became an apprentice carpenter and joiner, and when war broke out, he joined the Air Training Corps, and the Home Guard, who gave him a rifle and forty rounds of…

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PMcNallyC1701.jpg
Charles McNally spent his childhood in Dundee and Airdrie, Scotland. He began work at the Post Office as a Telegram Boy before joining the engineering department. This meant he now worked in a Reserved Occupation and he struggled to get permission…

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AHyndC171115.mp3
Summary: Colin Hynd joined the RAF in November 1943. Upon completing initial training, he was posted to RAF St Athan, where he trained as a flight engineer. He struggled to bond with his first crew, so instead worked as an instructor before joining a…

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PYoungJ1728.jpg
John Young grew up in Scotland and was a locomotive fireman on the railways until he volunteered to join the Royal Air Force. He completed a tour of operations as a flight engineer with 432 Squadron from RAF East Moor. After the war he returned to…

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BBeisleyJWTBeisleyJWTv1.pdf
Outlines his training and 30 operations on 433 Squadron flying Halifax and then Lancaster. Writes of Halifax crash shortly after arriving and describes his actions on a busy night on an operation to Bochum when they were hit by antiaircraft fire.…

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DWynn146838.pdf
Diary commences on joining Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 3 October 1940 and training at Babbacombe, Newquay and passing out as an aircraft fitter. Posting to RAF Kenley 6 January 1942 and association with fighter pilots Bluey Truscott, Paddy…

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ABraithwaiteH180421.mp3
Harry Braithwaite was born in Portinscale and went to Keswick School. Harry’s close friend was killed in action and this spurred him on to volunteer. His father owned a garage and Harry would help him. This gave him some mechanical knowledge and…

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AEdwardsAE161024.mp3

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ASterryBS-PearsonC180725.mp3
Bernard Sterry and Cecilia Pearson, both born in Hull, talk about their lives as evacuees during the war. Bernard, who was 10 years old when war broke out, was evacuated from Hull to North Lincolnshire until September 1944, when he came back home at…

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AMooreR160727.mp3
Raymond Moore flew 31 operations as a flight engineer with 408 Squadron. He describes initial training at Skegness and then further training at Cosford, Halton and St Athan. He describes the crewing-up procedure at Eastmoor and describes the…

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EWynnIAWynnKXX1107-0001.jpg
Writes about exams and that he probably could get a commission. Comments on the course he is doing and the quality of the food. Catches up with family and acquaintance news.

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EWynnIAWynnK421109-0001.jpg
Catches up with family and acquaintance news. Says he is busy and enjoying the course but is not enamoured with the camp life. Second part thanks her for letter and discusses domestic matters.

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EWynnIAWynnK421030-0001.jpg
Thanks her for letter and complains about life at St Athan. Writes of leave and life on camp. Mentions news about acquaintance and tells amusing story about colleague. Catches up with domestic matters.

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EWynnIAWynnK[Date]-02.jpg
Writes that he has passed his exams and has been promoted to Sergeant. He is also moving to a new station in Lincolnshire.

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PLeedhamHJL1801.jpg
Bob Leedham was a flight engineer who carried out twenty-one operations on Stirlings. At the outbreak of war Bob was an apprentice motor mechanic, and along with other apprentices, was left to operate the garage when all the engineers were called up.…

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BKirbyHKirbyHv10001.jpg
Starting with conscription in 1942 as a flight mechanic at RAF Skegness. Working up to a flight engineer but failing as he started working at RAF Halton training as a flight mechanic, then attending a fitter course. Volunteered for the flight…

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BYeomanHTYeomanHTv1-01.pdf
Starts with a poem and then a series of stories which together form the memoirs of Harold Yeoman, an officer who served in Bomber Command during the war, initially as a pilot on Wellingtons and then as an Intelligence Officer. He relates his…

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MWakefieldHE174040-171016-240001.jpg
On the front, a printed list of fittings in Barrack block with pencilled calculations. On the reverse marked answers to a test/quiz on the location of equipment in aircraft and other aircraft engineering related questions, with those correct ticked…

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LWebsterE2210797v1.pdf
E Webster’s Flight Engineers Flying Log Book covering the period 3 August 1944 to 4 April 1945. Detailing his flying training and operations flown as Flight Engineer. He was stationed at RAF Wigsley (1654 HCU), RAF Syerston (5 Lancaster Finishing…

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OWebsterE2210797-180121-020001.jpg
RAF Form 543 for Edward, listing his service record.

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