Browse Items (65 total)

  • Tags: RAF Topcliffe

AAn01137-170710.mp3
Anon, from Scarborough was keen to join the Fleet Air Arm as a pilot. Disappointed that he didn’t meet the height requirement he joined the RAF and began training as an electrician. His aim was to travel abroad with the service but to his…

PPettyD1601.jpg
Born in Shildon, County Durham Doug Petty was a car maintenance apprentice before joining the Royal Air Force in 1942 as a flight engineer.
He completed technical training at RAF St Athan, where he met Betty, his future wife. From there Doug went to…

ATillerF180716.mp3
Fred was too young to get in the Royal Air Force, so he joined the Air Training Corps where they did aircraft recognition and visited various camps. He joined in 1943/44 and went to Lord’s cricket ground where he was evaluated to become an air…

PPaineGH1616.jpg
Geoff Paine attended High Wycombe Royal Grammar School and Falmouth Grammar School, joined Air Training Corps and volunteered for the Royal Air Force at eighteen. Upon competition of initial training he was posted at RAF Waltham (100 Squadron) then…

PWinterH1508.jpg
Harry Winter grew up in Cardiff and worked in a paper mill from the age of 14. He served in the Home Guard before he volunteered for the Air Force. After training as a wireless operator at RAF Yatesbury he flew operations over Germany, France, and…

PSimmondsJE1701.jpg
Jack Simmonds was the son of an RAF serviceman. As a result his childhood was spent moving around a great deal including a few years in Egypt. He joined the RAF and began training as a pilot. He joined 51 Squadron as a Whitley pilot at RAF Dishforth…

PMusgroveJ1501.jpg
Born in York in 1922, Joseph left school at 14 and started work in a chocolate factory and attended two nights of further education per week. In 1936, a fighter aircraft had landed nearby which stimulated his interest in flying which he retained all…

PWebbLP1601.jpg
Lacey Peter Webb remembers his role as a flight engineer in the Royal Air Force during the war and flying thirty operations on Halifaxes and two on Lancasters. Retraces his training in various stations, among them St John’s Wood, where he was…

AWinterP160418.mp3
Philip Winter worked in the civil service before he volunteered for the Air Force. He trained as a pilot and flew three operations with 102 Squadron before he was wounded in the ankle. After recuperating he flew towing targets for air gunnery…

PNuttingS1704.jpg
Sinclair Nutting Grew up in Canada and worked on the family farm before he volunteered for the Royal Air Force. He flew operations as a rear gunner with 405 Squadron. After the war he emigrated to Australia.

LWarnerJ1623709v1.pdf
Navigator's, air bomber's and air gunner's flying log book for Jack Warner, flight engineer. Covering the period from 2 July 1943 to 28 January 1945. Detailing his flying training and operations flown. He was stationed at RAF Topcliffe, RAF Leeming,…

BTyrieJSBTyrieJSBv1.pdf
A biography of Jim Tyrie. He was called up on 1st September 1939 and learned to fly on Tiger Moths. He was shot down on his 7th operation over Berlin. In POW camp he was described as a dedicated tunneller. There is a list of the camps he was kept in…

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.…

YThompsonKG1238603v5.pdf
Covering all of 1945, Keith Thompson was a navigator on 1659 Conversion Unit at RAF Topcliffe flying Halifax III on his rest tour, having finished his first tour in May 1944. In February posted to 199 squadron, RAF North Creake flying operations on…

YThompsonKG1238603v4.pdf
Keith Thompson was a navigator on operations with 101 Squadron, at RAF Ludford Magna flying Lancasters at the start of 1944. He completed his first tour on 31st May, was at 28 OTU from 17th June to 23 July, then 30 OTU as a staff navigator at RAF…

LRosserLV745193v1.pdf
Pilots flying log book one for L V Rosser, covering the period from 4 March 1939 to 19 July 1943. Detailing his flying training, operations flown and instructor duties. He was stationed at RAF Kidlington, RAF Woodley, RAF Grantham, RAF Kinloss, RAF…

EPhillipsJRosserLV410129.pdf
Wishes that he could fly with him again and encourages him to transfer to coastal command and a course at Blackpool which he recommends. States that he was not doing much flying and writes about getting accommodation. Comments that it was difficult…

EMoonMRosserLV410815.pdf
Writes complaining about his current location goes on with gossip about various people there. Mentions he had done nothing recently and continues to complain about his situation. Envelope is covered with handwritten flying hours calculations.

EMoonMRosserLV410826.pdf
Writes complaining about the state of the war. Mentions casualties and their effect on him and others. Describes the crash that killed Sergeant Ian Hay (748459). Comments on incorrect news about himself but he was obviously still alive.
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