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Bob Smith's Memoirs - Book 1
Covers his recruitment and training. Includes a list of RAAF recruits.
Bob Smith's Memoirs - Book 2
Covers his training.
A Tour of Operations with RAF Bomber Command No XV/15 Squadron Mildenhall - Third book of memoirs by Bob Smith
Covers his operational tour and bombing operations.
Bob Smith's Memoirs - Book 4
Describes his service after completing his tour and the journey back to Australia.
Operation to Beauvoir
Navigation calculation sheets and chart for an operation to a V-1 site at Beauvoir.
Interview with Gilbert Gray
Gilbert Gray grew up in Dunfermline, joined the Air Training Corps before enlisting in the Royal Air Force as a flight engineer in 1940, aged 18 years. He trained at RAF St Athan in Wales, graduated as a sergeant and was posted onto Lancasters. He…
The Log
Experiences of the prisoners of war in the Belaria camp of Stalag Luft 3 by Squadron Leader Bryce Cousens. It contains stories, poems and illustrations.
Coby van Riel - personal experiences in the war 1940-45
Begins in May 1940 in the Netherlands and describes the experiences of the start of war; invasion; air raids; casualties; air attack on Rotterdam; surrender of the Netherlands. It goes on to describe events and life during occupation including;…
Interview with Betty Hedges
Betty Hedges grew up in South London during the final years before the war and she recalls a happy childhood. She describes a close family and community life where the children played unworried in the streets and she talks about the games they played…
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 Jack Kenneth Lyon
Jack Lyon was a navigator/ bomb aimer and a prisoner of war for almost four years. Born in 1918, he was employed with the London Gas Company as a bookkeeper until August 1939, when he transferred to Shell. At the outbreak of the war, Shell closed…
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 Ben John May
Ben was born in 1925 in Kent and his first job was in the gas works. A member of the Air Transport Command, he was called up in 1944 and, after initial training at RAF Locking, he joined No.4 flight engineers’ course at RAF St Athan for one year.…