Browse Items (77 total)
Sort by:
Interview with Keith Campbell. Two
Keith Campbell grew up in New South Wales and joined the Royal Australian Air Force when he was old enough. He flew 35 operations as a bomb aimer with 466 Squadron from RAF Leconfield and RAF Driffield when, on their thirty first operation another…
Interview with George Thomson. One
George Thomson had always wanted to fly. When he volunteered for the RAF he hoped to be a pilot but re-mustered as a navigator. He was posted to 15 Squadron based at RAF Mildenhall. On their first operation they were attacked by fighters three times.…
Interview with George Thomson. Two
George Thomson was a navigator with 15 Squadron based at RAF Mildenhall. On their nineteenth operation they came under attack and had to bale out of the aircraft. The pilot and mid-upper gunner both died. When he landed he saw a parachute stuck in a…
Interview with Harry Winter
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…
Interview with Frank Mannion
Frank Mannion was born in Manchester. When he completed his electrical engineering apprenticeship at Metropolitan Vickers he volunteered for the RAF. Initially he was ready to train as a pilot but was told there was a shortage of air gunners so…
Bob Smith's Memoirs 1
73 pages of Bob's memoirs. Concerns his recruitment and training. Includes a list of RAAF recruits.
Bob Smith's Memoirs
Bob's memoirs from his early training until he became operational.
Interview with Eric Evans
Eric Evans was born in 1923 in Liverpool and was just 16 years of age when war broke out. He served in the Royal Air Force, and serving with 463 RAAF Squadron, going from the rank of sergeant and leaving the service as a warrant officer, before…
Interview with John Usher about Bob Burns
Bob Burns trained as a navigator and was posted to 106 Squadron at RAF Metheringham. His aircraft came under attack from a night fighter and the centrifugal force pinned the crew down and making escape impossible.
Suddenly the aircraft broke in to…
Suddenly the aircraft broke in to…
Interview with David Berrie
David Berrie joined the RAF and served as a wireless operator. He flew six operations with 576 Squadron from RAF Elsham Wolds. Shares his experience about living on the station with Polish crews. Remembers crashing twice in twenty-four hours and on…
The Exploits of Warrant Officer Arthur Pritchard
A biography of Arthur Pritchard written by his daughter. It covers his training, operations and the night he was shot down. Despite speaking no French he was assisted to a hideout in Paris where he remained until Paris was liberated in August 1944.
Interview with John Firth
John Firth was a flight engineer with 50 Squadron at RAF Skellingthorpe June to August 1944. He was shot down in August 1944 on his 20th operation and became a prisoner of war at Stalag Luft 7.
Interview with Henry Wolfe Wagner. Two
Henry’s aircraft was shot down when the fuel tank exploded on the starboard wing and came down in Holland. Henry was the only member of the crew to bail out. Their target had been the armament works in Duisburg. Henry drifted across the River…
Interview with Angas Hughes
Angas Hughes was born in Australia and served as a bomb aimer with 467 Squadron based at RAF Waddington. He describes initial training in Australia as a reserve and after call-up in 1942. He was transported by ship to Scotland via the USA and Canada.…
Stalag Luft 7 Bankau Poland
A map of Stalag Luft 7 drawn by D G Gray and dated December 1944. It shows a compound of huts, one of tents and one under construction. The Russians have a separate, smaller compound as do the Germans.
Includes measurements, direction indicator,…
Includes measurements, direction indicator,…
Bob Burns computer compendium
Draft of memoir with contents page - giving service history. Followed by pages with reference to photographs for name and rank, deferred service, ground training dates and places, training in Canada, back home for service flying, 5 Group, 51 base,…
Interview with Ronald Indge
Ronald Indge was a wireless operator on 578 Squadron and became a prisoner of war after his Halifax aircraft was shot down.
Upon leaving school, and unable to obtain employment in his chosen career, his father arranged a bound apprenticeship with a…
Upon leaving school, and unable to obtain employment in his chosen career, his father arranged a bound apprenticeship with a…
Last of the Tail Gun Charlies - Ronald Carter's Biography
Biography of Warrant Officer Ronald Carter (1620578 Royal Air Force).
At the age of 17, Ronald volunteered to join the Royal Air Force in November 1942. After basic training, Ronald was selected for gunnery and wireless operator training, becoming…
At the age of 17, Ronald volunteered to join the Royal Air Force in November 1942. After basic training, Ronald was selected for gunnery and wireless operator training, becoming…
Interview with Fred Hooker. One
The interview begins with some details of Fred’s life before being called up for service, including that his brother became a prisoner of the Japanese captured Hong Kong. Fred joined the Boy Scouts aged 11 years, and then the Air Training Corp…
Memoirs of Des Matthews
The author was shot down over Linz, Austria whilst bombing a Panzer works. The other six in his crew perished. He was taken to Dulag Luft at Frankfurt then Stalag Luft VII. In January his camp was evacuated and he joined the Long March to the west,…
Interview with Keith Campbell. One
Keith Campbell grew up in New South Wales and joined the Royal Australian Air Force when he was old enough. He flew 35 operations as a bomb aimer with 466 Squadron from RAF Leconfield and RAF Driffield before being shot down. He became a prisoner of…
The memoir of Eric William Scott
Text and numerous b/w photographs (some of which are also located in sub-collection albums) covering from immediately before and during World War II - (1939-1946). First page has colour photographs and description of prisoner of war medal. Continues…
Details of prisoners of war forced trek from Luft VII Bankau to Luckenwalde
Lists stages and dates of forced march from POW camp Stalag Luft VII. Route via Winterveldt, Karlsruhe, Schonfeld, Jenkwitz, Wanzen, Heidersdorf, Pfaffendorf, Stansdorf, Peterwitz, Prausnitz, Goldberg. Eventually by train to Stalag 3A at Luckenwalde.…
Fred Hooker's notes after being shotdown
Notes kept by Fred Hooker after being shot down. It details the evacuation of the camp from Stalag Luft 7 to Stalag 3A with deaths recorded.
Life as a prisoner of war
After baling out on 12 September 1944 and evading with the flight engineer for 8 days was captured. Describes move to Dulag Luft and journey to Stalag Luft VII. Gives detailed description of camp and activities. At the end quotes some extracts from…