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Interview with Brian and Jenny Bailey
Brian and Jenny Bailey were children during the war and witnessed the bombing of Cleethorpes and Grimsby. Standing on a local bridge, they could also see Hull in flames. Jenny recalled walking with her mother on the day war was declared and seeing a…
Interview with Derry Derrington
Dr Arnold Pearce Derrington grew up in Cornwall and joined the University Air Squadron at Exeter. He joined the Royal Air Force in 1942 and completed training at RAF Ansty, South Africa, RAF West Freugh and RAF Moreton in the Marsh, where he trained…
Interview with Sidney Bunce
Sid was working at a garage and a member of the local Air Training Corps when he volunteered for the Royal Air Force. At 18, he was kitted out at Padgate and trained as a flight mechanic on engines at Blackpool. Sid describes his 18-week training…
Interview with Ronald George Doble
Ron Doble grew up in London and joined the Air Training Corps and the fire watchers, when war was declared. He volunteered for the Air Force when he was 18 and trained as an air gunner. He talks about the conditions in his turret and the mishaps he…
Interview with Geoff Paine
Geoff Paine attended High Wycombe Royal Grammar School and Falmouth Grammar School, joined Air Training Corps and volunteered for the Royal Air Force aged 18. Upon completion of initial training, he was posted to RAF Waltham (100 Squadron) then RAF…
Interview with Daphne Baptiste
Daphne joined the Air Ministry at 17. She initially joined the Civil Service, as she believed it would be a safe job with high wages. Throughout the war, she was stationed at Ladies’ College in Harrogate and was in charge of supplying water to many…
Interview with Pauline Holloway
Pauline Holloway grew up in Harrow and turned 18 one month before the end of the Second World War. She recollects listening to Churchill’s speeches on the radio, sheltering during air attacks in a purpose-built extension to her house, and hearing…
Interview with Leslie Grantham Lunn
Leslie Lunn joined the RAF and, after basic training did flying training in America. On completing training, in the UK he joined 129 Spitfire squadron. The squadron later converted to Mustangs. His squadron covered the D-Day landings and was switched…
Interview with Joan Rosemary Macklin
Joan’s maiden name was Fellows. She speaks of her school days, until leaving at 16 and a half, when she took up an apprenticeship with a dressmaking shop in Hastings. When war was declared the dressmaking business suffered, so she went to…
Interview with Honor Saunders
Born in 1931 in Neasden, Honor Saunders found herself evacuated twice before any bombs had fallen on London. She spent the rest of the war at home with her sister and parents. Despite constant disruption to her education, she passed her 11 Plus and…
Interview with Roy Saunders
Roy Saunders was a schoolboy in London when the war started. He witnessed the bombing of London and was amazed when, on emerging from a shelter, he saw the smoke from the docks area. His school friend and family died in the bombing. Roy was…
Interview with Eric Horsham
Eric Horsham was born in East London in 1923 and, after lkeaving school aged 14 he was a messenger at the Royal Ordnance Factory before working for the railways. In 1937 he joined the Air Training Corps and learned about aircraft maintenance. On his…
Interview with Kenneth William Trueman
Kenneth William Trueman volunteered for the RAF and was called up in 1941. After training in South Africa, he served as a navigator with 640 Squadron and speaks of his preference for the Gee navigation aid rather than H2S. His operations included…
Interview with Gwendolen Wadmore
Gwendolen Wadmore was born in London in 1922, and lived there throughout the Second World War. Her early memories are marching with the Girl Guides. She left school at 14 and began work in a tailor’s shop; at the start of the war she was employed…
Interview with Margaret Sinclair Longmate
Margaret Longmate came from a family, from Edinburgh, with long links to the RAF. Her uncle had been in the Flying Corps in the First World War and various other friends and family joined the service during the Second World War. Therefore, it seemed…
Interview with Jack Delfosse
Jack was born in London and went to Highgate School where he learnt navigation, Morse code and marching. On leaving he became a medical student but left half- way through the course. He then joined the Royal Air Force and, initially, trained on…
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 Jim Auton
Jim Auton grew up on Royal Air Force stations and joined the Royal Air Force at 17. He trained as a pilot navigator and bomber at RAF Ansty near Coventry, then in South Africa under the Empire Air Training Scheme. He trained on B-24s at Lidder and,…
166 Squadron order of battle
166 Squadron order of battle number 9431 August 1944 (Agenville) listing 10 crews and a reserve. Peter Jenkinson is in detail 4.
Underneath 166 Squadron order of battle number 9531 August 1944 (St Roiquier) lists 8 crews and a reserve.
Underneath 166 Squadron order of battle number 9531 August 1944 (St Roiquier) lists 8 crews and a reserve.
Letter to Hedley Madgett's parents from D Souter
Writes asking if they have had any further information. Writes that a friend whose son was posted missing on the same operation had been notified as prisoner. Notes change of address as 'I was unfortunate to have a direct hit with a flying bomb on my…
500 Day Bombers Pound Vienna as Stuttgart Burns
A newspaper cutting with reports on USAAF and RAF operations. On the reverse is general news.
Interview with Gordon Atkinson
Gordon Atkinson lived in Flixborough, Lincolnshire. As a young boy he recalls seeing aircraft gathering over the River Humber in the evenings, ready to fly out on bombing operations. In the morning he watched them come back, some with bits dropping…
Interview with Rex John Arnett
Rex was born in 1924 and grew up in Toronto, Canada. In 1942,aged 18, he joined the RCAF as aircrew. He initially started training as the second member of a Mosquito crew but was later changed to wireless operator/air gunner. Having completed his…
Last of the Tail Gun Charlies - Biography of Warrant Officer Ronald Carter's (1620578 Royal Air Force)
Ronald volunteered to join the Royal Air Force in November 1942, aged 17. After basic training, Ronald was selected for gunnery and wireless operator training, becoming a Wireless Operator/Air Gunner. He was posted to RAF Waddington to form an…
Interview with Robert Barnes. One
Robert Barnes was working in a Reserved Occupation and knew the only way he could join the RAF was to volunteer for aircrew. Before he volunteered he was also a member of the ARP and Home Guard. Robert trained as a flight engineer and was posted to…