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Conversation with Alan Thomsett

Edited transcript. Gives personal details and service history. Enlisted in 1942.Pilot on 1473 Flight and 192 Squadron (100 Group) on Wellington. Starts with comments about first posting 1473 Flight which eventually merged with 1474 Flight to become…

Tags: 100 Group; 192 Squadron; 3 Group; aircrew; Anson; crewing up; Mosquito; Operational Training Unit; pilot; RAF Chedburgh; RAF Davidstow Moor; RAF Feltwell; RAF Foulsham; RAF Turnhouse; Tiger Moth; training; V-1; V-3; Wellington

A bomber pilot’s journey through WWII

Biography of Squadron Leader David James Baikie Wilson, DSO, DFC and Bar (1917 - 1947). He flew operations as a pilot with 214, 196 and 617 Squadrons before becoming Head of Aerodynamic Development and Testing, and Test-Pilot at A V Roe & Co Ltd.…

Tags: 11 OTU; 1660 HCU; 1668 HCU; 196 Squadron; 214 Squadron; 5 Group; 617 Squadron; 8 Group; aircrew; Bennett, Donald Clifford Tyndall (1910-1986); bombing; bombing of the Boulogne E-boats (15/16 June 1944); bombing of the Creil/St Leu d’Esserent V-1 storage areas (4/5 July 1944); bombing of the Juvisy, Noisy-le-Sec and Le Bourget railways (18/19 April 1944); bombing of the Le Havre E-boat pens (14/15 June 1944); bombing of the Mimoyecques V-3 site (6 July 1944); Bombing of the Saumur tunnel (8/9 June 1944); bombing of the Siracourt V-weapon site (25 June 1944); bombing of the Watten V-2 site (19 June 1944); bombing of the Wizernes V-2 site (20, 22, 24 June 1944); bombing of Toulouse (5/6 April 1944); Boston; C-47; Chadwick, Roy (1893-1947); Cheshire, Geoffrey Leonard (1917-1992); crash; Distinguished Flying Cross; Distinguished Service Order; final resting place; Flying Training School; Gibson, Guy Penrose (1918-1944); Grand Slam; grief; H2S; Halifax; Halifax Mk 3; Harvard; Heavy Conversion Unit; incendiary device; Lancaster; Lancaster Finishing School; Lincoln; Meteor; Mosquito; Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944); Normandy deception operations (5/6 June 1944); Oboe; Operational Training Unit; Oxford; P-51; Pathfinders; pilot; promotion; RAF Bassingbourn; RAF Boscombe Down; RAF Church Lawford; RAF Coningsby; RAF Cranage; RAF Cranwell; RAF Driffield; RAF Leconfield; RAF Stradishall; RAF Swinderby; RAF Syerston; RAF Upavon; RAF Wainfleet; RAF Woodhall Spa; Ruhr Campaign (5 March – 10 July 1943); Spitfire; Stirling; Tallboy; Tiger Moth; training; V-1; V-2; V-3; V-weapon; Wallis, Barnes Neville (1887-1979); Wellington

V Group News, July 1944

Five Group Newsletter, number 24, July 1944. Includes a foreword by the Air Officer Commanding, and features about second thoughts for pilots, gardening, war effort, signals, armament, war savings, navigation, radar navigation, navigation training,…

Mimoyecques

Target photograph showing open countryside with fields. Prominent roads run left to right. There are some craters scattered over the image. Caption '392, W.S., 6.7.44., 8", 18800, 140 degrees, 1532, Mimoyecques RD, D, 1 x 12000, C, 35 secs, F/L…

Tags: 617 Squadron; aerial photograph; bombing; bombing of the Mimoyecques V-3 site (6 July 1944); Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944); Tallboy; target photograph; V-3; V-weapon

Mimoyecques

Target photograph showing open countryside with a large area with dense craters in the centre.Smoke can be seen in centre and top centre. Caption '387. W.S. 6.7.44, 8", 18200, 160 degrees, 1538, Mimoyecques RD, B, 1 x 12000, C, 35 secs, F/L Stanford.…

Tags: 617 Squadron; aerial photograph; bombing; bombing of the Mimoyecques V-3 site (6 July 1944); Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944); Tallboy; target photograph; V-3; V-weapon

Mimoyecques

Target photograph showing open countryside with fields. There are forests in the centre and from left to right across the top. Caption '387, W.S., 6.7.44. 8", 16000, 141 degrees 1530, Mimoyecques RD, Y, 1 x 12000, C, 35 secs, F?L Stout, Y, 617'. On…

Tags: 617 Squadron; aerial photograph; bombing; bombing of the Mimoyecques V-3 site (6 July 1944); Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944); Tallboy; target photograph; V-3; V-weapon

Mimoyecques

Target photograph showing open countryside with fields. Prominent road runs top centre to bottom and left centre to right. Craters are scattered over most of the image mostly left of centre line. Caption '377, W.S., 7.7.44, 17000, 178 degrees, 1535,…

Tags: 617 Squadron; aerial photograph; bombing; bombing of the Mimoyecques V-3 site (6 July 1944); Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944); Tallboy; target photograph; V-3; V-weapon

Mimoyecques

Target photograph showing open countryside with fields. Prominent roads run from top centre to bottom and left centre to right. Caption '376, W.S., 6.7.44, 8", 15800, 136 degrees, 1531, Mimoyecques RD, A, 1 x 12000, F/L Pryor, A, 617'. On the reverse…

Tags: 617 Squadron; aerial photograph; bombing; bombing of the Mimoyecques V-3 site (6 July 1944); Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944); Tallboy; target photograph; V-3; V-weapon

Mimoyecques

Target photograph showing open countryside with fields. There are prominent roads running bottom left to top centre and top right to left. Caption '372, W.S, 6.7.44, 8", 17000, 140 degree, 1530, Mimoyecques RD, T, 1 x 12000, C, 35 secs, F/L Willsher,…

Tags: 617 Squadron; aerial photograph; bombing; bombing of the Mimoyecques V-3 site (6 July 1944); Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944); Tallboy; target photograph; V-3; V-weapon

Mimoyecques

Target photograph showing open countryside with a large area on dense craters in the centre. Caption '367, W.S., 6.7.44, 8", 16800, 145 degrees, 1529, Mimoyecques RD, Z, 1 x 12000, C, 25 secs, F/O Ross, Z, 617'. On the reverse '51:97/7'.

Tags: 617 Squadron; aerial photograph; bombing; bombing of the Mimoyecques V-3 site (6 July 1944); Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944); Tallboy; target photograph; V-3; V-weapon

Mimoyecques

Target photograph showing open countryside with fields and roads. There is a large area with craters bottom right extending towards the top.There are other scattered craters throughout the image. Caption '367, W.S.,6.7.44, 8", 130 degrees, 1531,…

Tags: 617 Squadron; aerial photograph; bombing; bombing of the Mimoyecques V-3 site (6 July 1944); Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944); Tallboy; target photograph; V-3; V-weapon

Mimoyecques

Target photograph showing open countryside with area covered in craters bottom right. There is an airfield on the left edge just below centre. Caption '367, W.S., 6.7.44, 8", 19000, 130 degrees, 1531, Mimoyecques RD, K1, 1 x 12000, C, 235 secs, F/L…

Tags: 617 Squadron; aerial photograph; bombing; bombing of the Mimoyecques V-3 site (6 July 1944); Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944); Tallboy; target photograph; V-3; V-weapon

Mimoyecques

Target photograph showing open countryside with fields and roads. Village on the right side edge just below centre. Caption '358, W.S., 6.7.44, 8", 16400, 134 degrees, 1530, Mimoyecques RD, C, 1 x 12000, C35 secsa, F?O Duffy, C, 617' On the reverse…

Tags: 617 Squadron; aerial photograph; bombing; bombing of the Mimoyecques V-3 site (6 July 1944); Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944); Tallboy; target photograph; V-3; V-weapon

Mimoyecques

Target photograph showing open countryside with heavily cratered area in the centre. Caption '362, WS, 6.7.44, 8", 15600, [....], 1534, Mimoyecques RD, X, 1 x 12000, C, 35 secs, [..]earn, X, 617'. On the reverse '5:99/5, Photo 282'.

Tags: 617 Squadron; aerial photograph; bombing; bombing of the Mimoyecques V-3 site (6 July 1944); Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944); reconnaissance photograph; target photograph; V-3; V-weapon

Mimoyecques

Reconnaissance photograph showing open countryside with fields. A railway runs from top right downwards then loops to the left, culminating in the centre, The left side is covered in multiple craters. Craters on the right side are less concentrated.…

Tags: 617 Squadron; aerial photograph; bombing; bombing of the Mimoyecques V-3 site (6 July 1944); Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944); reconnaissance photograph; target photograph; V-3; V-weapon

Interpretation report, locality, Marquise/Mimoyecques, provisional statement of damage

Reports four craters from heavy bombs in target area and details damage done by each.

Tags: bombing; bombing of the Mimoyecques V-3 site (6 July 1944); Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944); Tallboy; V-3; V-weapon

Attack on constructional works Mimoyecques, narrative

Reports that this was the fourth constructional works target for the squadron. One P-51, one Mosquito and 17 Lancasters were detailed. States it was another difficult target and describes marking efforts. Reports difficultly in finding aiming point…

Tags: 617 Squadron; bombing; bombing of the Mimoyecques V-3 site (6 July 1944); Cheshire, Geoffrey Leonard (1917-1992); Lancaster; Mosquito; Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944); P-51; Tallboy; V-3; V-weapon

Envelope for Mimoyecques negatives

Brown envelope with Secret marking and instructions on one side with 'S.I.O Woodhall Spa' crossed out and 'Mimoyecques 6/7/42' on the other side.

Tags: bombing of the Mimoyecques V-3 site (6 July 1944); Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944); RAF Woodhall Spa; V-3; V-weapon

Royal Air Force file cover - Mimoyecques constructional works, day 6 July

Buff file cover with contents: photos, Photographic Reconnaissance Unit and Interpretation report.

Tags: bombing; bombing of the Mimoyecques V-3 site (6 July 1944); Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944); V-3; V-weapon

Jim Allen’s Royal Canadian Air Force pilots flying log book

Royal Canadian Air Force pilots flying log book for J H Allen, covering the period from 2 December 1942 to 14 January 1947. Detailing his flying training, operations flown, instructor duties and post war squadron duties. He was stationed at, RCAF…

Interview with John Henry Thomas

John Thomas was born in Australia and joined the RAF in 1943. After completing his initial training in Australia he travelled to the UK via America. Further training, including an accident and night vision tests, led to 102 Squadron and a full tour…

D A MacArthur's log book extracts

Flying log book for D A MacArthur, navigator, covering the period from 24 April 1944 to 2 August 1944. Detailing his flying training and operations flown. He was stationed at RAF Hemswell and RAF Kirmington. Aircraft flown in was Lancaster. He flew a…

Tags: 166 Squadron; aircrew; Bombing of Mailly-le-Camp (3/4 May 1944); bombing of the Le Havre E-boat pens (14/15 June 1944); bombing of the Normandy coastal batteries (5/6 June 1944); Lancaster; Lancaster Finishing School; mine laying; navigator; Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944); RAF Hemswell; RAF Kirmington; tactical support for Normandy troops; training; V-1; V-3; V-weapon

Interview with Alfred Huberman

Alfred Huberman volunteered for the RAF when he was 18 and trained as an air gunner. He describes the training and emphasises how physically hard it was. He flew 31 operations in Lancasters, from RAF Elsham Wolds. These included operations over the…

Interview with John Richard Bell

John was a bomb aimer and after completing a tour in Bomber Command, he and his crew volunteered to join 617 Squadron. Interviewed by wing commander Cheshire, who they found to be very compassionate, easy to talk to and who didn't give orders but…

Tags: 617 Squadron; aircrew; anti-aircraft fire; bomb aimer; bombing; bombing of the Mimoyecques V-3 site (6 July 1944); Bombing of the Saumur tunnel (8/9 June 1944); bombing of the Watten V-2 site (19 June 1944); bombing of the Wizernes V-2 site (20, 22, 24 June 1944); Cheshire, Geoffrey Leonard (1917-1992); Grand Slam; Lancaster; Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944); Tallboy; V-1; V-2; V-3; V-weapon; Wallis, Barnes Neville (1887-1979)

Harry Parkins' flight engineer log book

The log book covers the training and operational career Sergeant Harry Parkins from 20 December 1943 to March 1954. He flew in Stirling, Lancaster, Anson, C-47, Lancastrian, Valetta, Lincoln. Harry Parkins flew 47 operations - 30 night operations and…

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