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A Dorricott's army diary
A handwritten notebook containing the war diary of A Dorricott from October 1914. He embarks the SS Deseado at Southampton and sails through the Bay of Biscay, past Gibraltar to Malta. They continued with naval escorts to Port Said, through the Suez…
Letter from Dennis Batty to brother Phil
Comments on recent letters and reports death of squadron pig. Continues with banter and gossip. Mentions that he cannot write about his operations. Writes that he would be back in Belfast next Sunday and hopes to meet up with him.
Alma Leedham's memoir
Tells of early life in London, joining the Woman's Auxiliary Air Force in 1941 and training as a driver. Relates experiences at RAF Scampton and then with 57 Squadron as a tractor driver pulling bomb trolleys. Subsequently went to East Kirkby.…
AS Coller Scrapbook Page 1
Three annotated items:
Item 1 : Photograph of air raid shelter with pets
caption 1 'Air Raid Shelter constructed by a firm called "Troy" in 1938. Left [undecipherable] It was 16' deep with a poisen [sic] gas free escape hatch…
Item 1 : Photograph of air raid shelter with pets
caption 1 'Air Raid Shelter constructed by a firm called "Troy" in 1938. Left [undecipherable] It was 16' deep with a poisen [sic] gas free escape hatch…
Interview with Francis Shamus "Jim" Cahir
Jim Cahir grew up in Australia. He originally joined the army but later was transferred to the Royal Australian Air Force. He flew operations as a mid upper gunner with 466 Squadron. His aircraft was shot down and he became a prisoner of war. after…
Interview with Dennis Kelly
Dennis Kelly grew up in Australia and joined the Royal Australian Air Force aged 18. He flew operations as a wireless operator / air gunner with 467 Squadron from RAF Binbrook. His aircraft was shot down over France and he evaded capture with the…
Interview with Dr 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 Peter Fitt
Peter was born in Norwich. His father was a head gardener and wanted him to follow that occupation and so refused to let him join the RAF. With the advent of war the situation changed and Peter volunteered at a recruiting station and after selection…
Interview with Sidney Knott
Sidney Knott was from Leigh on Sea and recalls the day, with invasion apparently imminent, that signs were put up on the local shops advising people that they had to be ready to move within an hour and taking only one suitcase with them. Sidney’s…
Flight engineer
Flight Engineer magazine article describes role of flight engineer. Photograph of Kenneth Pope, in uniform with sergeants stripes and flight engineers brevet, crouching with dog outside a building.
Interview with Nino Tenca Montini
Nino Tenca Montini reminisces about his wartime experiences in Udine and in the Friuli region. Describes the family shelter as a concrete reinforced basement, sparsely furnished with wooden benches. Recalls the urge to escape the vigilance of adults…
Bombing of San Giorgio di Nogaro
A group of civilians takes shelter in a ditch at night. In the middle distance, a bare landscape with sparse trees is illuminated by bursts of anti-aircraft fire and flares.
Label reads “93”; signed by the author; caption reads “9 Gennaio…
Label reads “93”; signed by the author; caption reads “9 Gennaio…
Anti-partisan action at S. Giorgio di Nogaro
In a barn full of animals, an exchange of gun fire is taking place between fascists disguised as partisans and civilians. The soldier in the foreground has been badly shot and another soldier is running out through the barn doors.
Inscriptions…
Inscriptions…
Reprisal at Fielis
In a mountainous area, partisans are firing at unarmed civilians, causing confusion for both the civilians and their animals. One woman and three men have been hit by the gunfire.
Label reads “254”; signed by the author; caption reads…
Label reads “254”; signed by the author; caption reads…
Interview with Alun Emlyn-Jones
Alun Emlyn-Jones (known as Grem among his RAF colleagues) was raised in Cardiff and attended boarding schools in Oxfordshire. He worked manufacturing office supplies when he volunteered to serve in Bomber Command, hoping to avoid being called up to…
Interview with Joseph Musgrove
Born in York in 1922, Joseph left school at 14 and started work in a chocolate factory and attended two nights of further education per week. In 1936, a fighter aircraft had landed nearby which stimulated his interest in flying which he retained all…
Interview with Douglas Robinson
Douglas was in the Local Defence Volunteers before joining the Royal Air Force as a pilot. After Babbacombe, he did initial training at Scarborough and then in Rhodesia. Initial flight training in Harare on Tiger Moths was followed by service…
Interview with Ron Tomlin
Ron Tomlin grew up in Birmingham and was an apprentice carpenter before working in a munitions factory. He volunteered for the Air Force at 18, and after training, flew operations as a bomb aimer with 10 Squadron. His aircraft was forced to ditch in…
Interview with Ron Wade
Ron was born in Stoke-on-Trent. He left school at fourteen and tells of his experiences working in a pottery factory doing odd jobs until he was called up. He joined the Royal Air Force in 1939 at the age of twenty-two. Ron trained as an air gunner…
Letter from Billy Akrill to his father
Writes about the farm, hatching eggs and the garden, detailing the flowers. Includes illustrations of plants, hatching eggs, animals and people.
Letter from Billy Akrill to his father
Lists recently sold calves, prices and the names of their new owners. Comments on the sales process and about taking the pigs to market, includes amounts made from their sale also. Includes drawings of the cow auction and market.
Letter from Billy Akrill to his father
Writes about farm animals and a recent visit to the college. Illustrated with pictures of animals and people. The last page is a coloured, comic strip style drawing about chickens on the farm.
Letter from Billy Akrill to his father
Writes of the weather, a visit to Fillingham Castle, acquaintances, new kittens, geese laying and family members. Includes a number of drawings of people, places and animals.
Interview with Audrey Teasdale
Audrey left school at 14 and began work as a clerical assistant for a tailoring firm in Leeds, then moving into furniture sales.
Audrey was 23 when the war started and was conscripted on 15 December 1942 electing to join the Women's Auxiliary Air…
Audrey was 23 when the war started and was conscripted on 15 December 1942 electing to join the Women's Auxiliary Air…
Interview with Robert Forsyth
Robert was in the Air Training Corps (Sea Cadets). From the Operational Training Unit at RAF Warboys where he did pathfinder navigational training, Robert joined 156 Squadron at RAF Upwood. They did around 13 pathfinding operations, usually over…