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Interview with Gerald McPherson
Gerald joined his brothers in the Royal Australian Air Force in 1943, following the Air Training Corps. He went from Melbourne to the Initial Training School in Somers. At the Air Gunnery School in Ballarat, Gerald chose to be an air gunner and was…
Interview with Bill Moore. Three
Bill Moore grew up in Scotland and volunteered for the Royal Air Force. He completed 36 operations as a navigator with 138 and 161 Squadrons.
Please note: The veracity of this interview has been called into question. We advise that corroborative…
Please note: The veracity of this interview has been called into question. We advise that corroborative…
Interview with Harold Yeoman
Harold Yeoman volunteered for the RAF hoping to become an air gunner and was surprised to find he would be trained as a pilot. He describes a crash landing in a Wellington, returning from an operation to Cherbourg, and being sent to Essen twice…
Roy Briggs' flying log book for navigators, air bombers, air gunners and flight engineers
Navigators, air bombers, air gunners and flight engineers flying log book for Roy Briggs. The log book covers the period 30 December 1942 to 17 March 1947. Roy Briggs trained as a wireless operator in Great Britain. He flew four night time and…
Interview with Bill Moore. Two
After spending time in the Air Defence Cadet Corps, Bill Moore joined the Royal Air Force, qualifying as an observer. He tells of his family history in wartime and his transatlantic trip, landing in New York before heading to Canada for his training.…
Interview with Hugh Parry. One
Hugh Parry was born in Oswestry and joined the Air Force in April 1943 and volunteered to be an air gunner. Knowing that there was a height restriction of six feet on air gunners, he hid his height by wearing baggy trousers. After training, he was…
Interview with Thomas Peter Payne. Two
Tom joined the Air Training Corps as a deferred service airman, even though he was under-age. In April 1942 he received his call up papers to report to the Air Crew Reception Centre at St John’s Wood, before being posted to Ludlow. He then went to…
Interview with Bert Turner
Bert Turner was a member of the Air Training Corps before the war. He volunteered for the Air Force and was called up 2 August 1942. After training he became a flight engineer with 196 Squadron. He flew some bombing and mine laying operations before…
Interview with Bill Moore. One
William Moore was born in Dunoon, Scotland in August 1924 and joined the Royal Air Force after spending some time in the Air Cadet Defence Corps and in the Air Training Corps. He volunteered for the Royal Air Force at the age of 17 and completed his…
Hugh Parry's flying log book for navigators, air bombers, air gunners and flight engineers
Flying log book for navigators, air bombers, air gunners, flight engineers for Hugh Parry, air gunner, covering the period from 27 May 1944 to 16 October 1945. Details his flying training, operations flown and post war flying. He was stationed at RAF…
Interview with Tony Gerard
Tony lived in South Pool before moving to Liverpool with his job in a bank. He also belonged the Air Training Corps. After about a year he decided to sign up for the Royal Air Force. His assessment and medical were at RAF Liverpool. He was called up…
Interview with Robert William Maggs
Robert Maggs lived in London until his family were bombed out and moved to the seaside. He joined the local Air Training Corps and later volunteered for the RAF and trained as a gunner. During training his plane crashed and he was left trapped. He…
Interview with Bob Leedham
Bob Leedham was a flight engineer who carried out 21 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. In 1940…
Letter to Malcolm Staves
![EStavesMEStaves[GF-GM]400712-0001.jpg](https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/square_thumbnails/1011/11358/EStavesMEStaves[GF-GM]400712-0001.jpg "EStavesMEStaves[GF-GM]400712-0001.jpg")
A letter to Malcolm from his Grandparents. A lot of domestic news but also congratulates Malcolm on his promotion.
Interview with Peter Morris
Peter Morris lived through the East End blitz. He joined the ATC as soon as it was established and applied to join the RAF as aircrew and was accepted for training as a navigator. While waiting for a course he was part of a group that was sent to…
Interview with Geoff Rushton
Geoff Rushton worked as a bank clerk before volunteering for the Air Force. He trained as a navigator in Canada and, after crewing up, flew 20 operations with 15 Squadron from RAF Mildenhall. He and his crew were then posted to 186 Squadron at RAF…
Interview with Edward John Smith
Edward served on 90 Squadron as a rear gunner. Born in 1925 on the Isle of Sheppey, he was employed as a butcher’s boy at the outbreak of the war. Evenings were spent fire watching, for which he received a small wage from the council. He became a…
Interview with Anthony Tompson
Anthony Tompson worked as an engineer for the Post Office before he volunteered for the Air Force. While training as a pilot in Canada it was discovered he had a difficulty with perception and he trained instead as a navigator. On return to the Great…
Interview with Jack Webster
Jack Webster applied to join the RAF in December 1942, attended a selection board at RAF Cardington, and was eventually called up in June 1943. After initial training, he went to 4 Radio School at RAF Madley passing out from there with 18 words per…
Interview with Herbert James Wylde
Herbert James Wylde was working in local government in Glasgow before he volunteered for aircrew training with the RAF. He started pilot training and had gone solo when he was sent to Canada to continue training. While there, he began training as a…
Ronald Bailey's flying log book
Flying log book for Ronald Bailey, flight engineer, covering the period from 5 May 1944 to 26 October 1946. Detailing his flying training operations flown and post war flying. He was stationed at RAF Wombelton, RAF Tholthorpe, RAF Lissett, RAF…
Interview with Colin Deverell
Colin Deverell was born in Croydon. Upon leaving school, he worked for Oliver Typewriter Company, where he gained engineering skills. He became an amateur rigger for Imperial Airways, before finding employment with Rollaston Aircraft Services in…
Interview with Pat Rumfitt
Pat Rumfitt was born in 1927 and experienced a privileged upbringing as an only child, living in Kent before the war. She describes the resilient attitude to bombing in Bromley, walking to their flooded Anderson Shelter in her dressing gown and…
Edward Key’s flying log book for navigators, air bombers, air gunners and flight engineers
Flying log book for navigators, air bombers, air gunner and flight engineers for E G Key, flight engineer. Covering the period from 16 October 1944 to 16 June 1952. Detailing his flying training, operations flown and instructor duties. He was…
Book 5, Return to UK
Fifth and final diary kept by David Geach chronicling his time training and on operations. He writes about his return from Canada on the Queen Elizabeth then his training in England which began with arriving at the Posting Centre in Pannal Ash,…