Browse Items (205 total)

  • Tags: RAF St Athan

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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BSpencerJSpencerFDv1.pdf
A biography of Freddie Spencer. Details his training and operations with 106 Squadron and 630 Squadron.

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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
After John volunteered for the Royal Air Force, he reported to St John’s Wood before being posted to Newquay in April 1943. He was sent to RAF Eastchurch on the Isle of Sheppey with a short time in Lincolnshire. He chose to be a flight engineer or…

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EBurnsideJGBBurnsideKE440403-0001.jpg
Asks her to congratulate friend over birth of baby. Mentions he is stiff due to PT, basket ball and swimming. Just off to camp cinema.

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EDoughtyJCDoughtyW440125.pdf
Mentions that he had not done any flying yet and that he had three weeks left to do on his course. At the end he would return to previous base or be promoted to sergeant. Writes that he had had a smashing time the previous week with excellent…

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EDoughtyJCDoughtyW431014.pdf
Hopes that he would be home in three weeks and that he had only another three subjects to go. Mentions going to airfield to run up a Blenheim's engines.

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EDoughtyJCDoughtyW430902.pdf
Describes camp and comments that he had only been outside once to the local town Barry. Writes of his afternoon out in Barry and describe daily evening routine of fatigues or swotting. Mentions weekly exams and grading system and how well he had…

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EDoughtyJCDoughtyW440207-0001.jpg
Says he was enclosing note paper for her. Ask her opinion on his photograph tinting. Writes of upcoming board and leave, Says he was off to tea in the NAAFI.

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EDoughtyJCDoughtyW440104-0001.jpg
Thanks her for letter and parcel. Writes he was on the last lap of training and now on the Halifax Mk 3. Sates letter short as he need to study engines he had not done before.

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EDoughtyJCDoughtyW430913-0001.jpg
Writes he has not much news. Comments on daily activities. Asks her to let him know what she thinks of the dog and is annoyed it was chosen without them being there.

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EDoughtyJCDoughtyW[Date]-030001.jpg
Thanks her for parcel. Not much news. Comments on weather and PT, running in local area. States he was going on Halifax.

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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
Allan joined the Royal Air Force in December 1942 as a flight engineer, having been a member of the Air Training Corps before the war. From Blackpool, he went to RAF St Athan for flight engineer training. His first squadron was at RAF Waterbeach,…

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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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