IBCC Digital Archive]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Centre - view from rear of an airman looking out of the port side of a Lancaster cockpit. Captioned 'The driver'.
Right - view from below looking up at the bomb aimers cupola with airman inside. Captioned 'Joe and his button'.]]>
IBCC Digital Archive]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force]]>
IBCC Digital Archive]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> David Bloomfield]]> Claire Monk]]> eng]]> Photograph]]> PEdgarAG19010033]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> 'Left to Right
Bob the Navigator
Don the Rear Gunner
Allan the Air Bomber
Johnny the Mid Upper Gunner
Rid the Wireless Op
Myself'.
A second image is the same but slightly cropped.]]>
IBCC Digital Archive]]> eng]]> Photograph]]> PEdgarAG19010118,
PEdgarAG19010130]]>
Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]>
He describes their capture, mistreatment and interrogations at various locations. After interrogations at Dulag Luft they were sent to a transit camp in Frankfurt then on by train to Heydekrug, Stalag Luft VI. Although their camp section was new it was cramped and basic. He describes camp life in detail. As the Russians got closer they were sent by train to an Army camp at Thorn. He read a copy of NCO education in the camp. These courses were extremely popular and supported by text books sent from the UK. Exams were sat and papers sent to the UK for marking. At Thorn they marched to Stammlager 357 but not for long. They then marched back to the railway and were sent to Fallingbostel. He describes the rail journey in detail, then in greater detail he describes camp life.
Later he was moved to an officer's camp at Eichstadt. This turned out to be an Army camp which refused them and they were sent to Sagan. He stayed there for a short time then was moved to Stalag Luft 3, then 111A. As the Russians neared they moved again. After a couple of days waiting in trucks they returned to their camp. The railway system was breaking down as the end of the war neared.
After the Russians reached them they were allowed out of the camp but still remained billeted there. He writes about his impressions of the Russians.
His journey home was delayed by rain that did not allow aircraft to fly.
His story ends with his retelling of the night his aircraft was shot down, his night in Brussels and his return to England.]]>
Alan McInnes]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Pending text-based transcription]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Memoir]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Germany--Berlin]]> Germany--Magdeburg]]> Australia]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lichfield]]> Poland--Szczecin]]> Germany--Bremen]]> Germany--Stendal]]> Switzerland]]> Germany--Frankfurt am Main]]> Lithuania--Šilutė]]> Poland]]> Italy]]> Canada]]> United States]]> Poland--Szczecin]]> Poland--Toruń]]> Greece]]> Greece--Crete]]> Poland--Vistula River]]> England--Staverton (Northamptonshire)]]> Germany--Bad Fallingbostel]]> Poland--Żagań]]> Poland--Bydgoszcz]]> Poland--Poznań]]> Germany--Pasewalk]]> Germany--Neubrandenburg]]> Germany--Stavenhagen]]> Germany--Malchin (Landkreis)]]> Germany--Güstrow]]> Germany--Hamburg]]> Germany--Lübeck]]> Germany--Eichstätt]]> Germany--Munich]]> Germany--Kassel]]> Germany--Eisenach]]> Germany--Fürth (Bavaria)]]> Germany--Treuchtlingen]]> Germany--Ingolstadt]]> Germany--Regensburg]]> Germany--Leipzig]]> Germany--Plauen]]> Poland--Wrocław]]> New South Wales--Sydney]]> Victoria--Melbourne]]> New South Wales]]> India--Jammu and Kashmir]]> China]]> England--London]]> Germany--Elbe]]> Germany--Potsdam]]> Germany--Jüterbog]]> Ukraine--Odesa]]> Germany--Dresden]]> Germany--Halle an der Saale]]> Belgium--Brussels]]> England--Brighton]]> Germany--Nuremberg]]> Germany--Hannover]]> Ukraine]]> Germany--Luckenwalde]]> Poland--Poznań]]> Germany]]> Germany--Hof (Hof)]]> 1944-01-21]]>

Aircrew identities via supplementary information from donor.]]>
IBCC Digital Archive]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]>
Peter Deaton]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Tricia Marshall]]> Pending text-based transcription. Under review]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Personal research]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Nottingham]]> England--Beeston (Nottinghamshire)]]> Netherlands--Bergen op Zoom]]> Belgium--Bruges]]> England--Bungay]]> England--Ely]]> Netherlands--Overflakkee]]> Belgium]]> Netherlands]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> England--Suffolk]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Tricia Marshall]]> Pending text-based transcription. Under review]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Personal research]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal New Zealand Air Force]]> Royal Canadian Air Force]]> Germany--Stuttgart]]> Germany--Essen]]> France--Laon]]> France--Rouen]]> Germany--Cologne]]> Germany--Karlsruhe]]> France--Chambley Air Base]]> France--Le Mans]]> Germany--Duisburg]]> France--Soligny-la-Trappe]]> Germany--Gelsenkirchen]]> France--Valenciennes]]> France--Montdidier (Hauts-de-France)]]> France--Normandy]]> France--Caen]]> France--Nord (Department)]]> Netherlands--Overflakkee]]> Germany--Nuremberg]]> France--Pas-de-Calais]]> France]]> Germany]]> Netherlands]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> 1944-03]]> 1944-04]]> 1944-05]]> 1944-06]]> 1944-07]]> 'My Crew "The Boys" At Wigsley March 1945 reading left to right
Front Row
Jock Bathgate (A/G)
Jack Darlow (Skipper)
Jock Lanm (A/G)
Back Row
Alf Porter (Navigator)
Bob Lane (Engineer)
Eric Gabb (Wireless Op)
Carl Cooper (Bombaimer)]]>
IBCC Digital Archive]]> eng]]> Photograph]]> PLambAM17010034]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> 1945-03]]>
IBCC Digital Archive]]> eng]]> Photograph]]> Artwork]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> 1945]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> eng]]> Photograph]]> PEdgarAG19010066]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> eng]]> Photograph]]> PEdgarAG19010132]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]>
Additional information about this item has been kindly provided by the donor.]]>
IBCC Digital Archive]]> eng]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> 1944-11-27]]>

Chapter 1. Under Training.
Having been assessed in Birmingham Geoff sets off to London in August 1942 for training, at Lords. Initial training was at Bridlington then gunnery school at Andreas on the Isle of Man. After a short leave he was posted to an operational training unit at Chipping Warden followed by intensive training at Edge Hill. Finally he went to Feltwell for Escape and Evasion training before joining a Heavy Conversion Unit at Wratting Common then Waterbeach.

Chapter 2. Operations RAF Witchford. After seven days leave he commenced operational flying in a Lancaster. Their first target was Augsburg and he reports being waved off by WAAFs and airmen. On the next operation the navigator had a breakdown and refused to help. He continues with details of several operations.
Chapter 3. Return to Ops RAF Waterbeach. Initially this proved to be a very relaxing posting but after his recovery he was back on operations. After 30 operations he was posted to RAF Brackla, Nairn.

Chapter 4. Grounded. He was unhappy at Brackla which was remote and cold. Next was a transfer south to RAF Weeton where he learned about motor transport and learned to drive. He was then posted to RAF Halfpenny Green, followed by RAF Croughton and South Cerney. He then went to Hornchurch before being sent to Germany where he joined a micro film unit at Frankfurt. On completion of photographing relevant factory installations his unit headed south to Triberg in Bavaria.

Chapter 5. As Time Goes By. He reflects on his letter from the Secretary of State from Air, Bomber Command losses and life after the war. he discusses Labour minister John Strachey, a pre-war fascist then Communist Party , who belittled the work of Bomber Harris. and the refusal to allow a thanksgiving service to honour the ex-Prisoner of War Association at Coventry Cathedral.]]>
Geoff Payne]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> David Bloomfield]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Memoir]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Air Force. Training Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Birmingham]]> England--London]]> England--York]]> England--Halifax]]> England--Loughborough]]> England--Flamborough Head]]> England--Manchester]]> England--Blackpool]]> England--Fleetwood]]> Great Britain Miscellaneous Island Dependencies--Douglas (Isle of Man)]]> England--Banbury (Oxfordshire)]]> England--London]]> England--Bognor Regis]]> France--Lille]]> England--Cambridge]]> England--Coventry]]> England--Ely]]> Germany--Augsburg]]> Germany--Berlin]]> Germany--Frankfurt am Main]]> Germany--Stuttgart]]> France--Rouen]]> France--Vaires-sur-Marne]]> France--Normandy]]> France--Creil]]> France--Nucourt]]> France--Caen]]> France--L'Isle-Adam]]> France--Gironde Estuary]]> England--Falmouth]]> France--Somme]]> Germany--Rüsselsheim]]> Germany--Kiel]]> Sweden--Stockholm]]> Germany--Bremen]]> France--Le Havre]]> France--Calais]]> Germany--Neuss]]> Netherlands--Walcheren]]> Belgium--Antwerp]]> Germany--Emmerich]]> Germany--Duisburg]]> Scotland--Nairn]]> England--Peterborough]]> England--Walsall]]> England--Hull]]> England--Wolverhampton]]> England--Dudley]]> England--Brackley]]> England--Cirencester]]> Germany--Cuxhaven]]> Germany--Bückeburg]]> Germany--Bremerhaven]]> Germany--Black Forest]]> Germany--Triberg]]> Germany--Rheinberg]]> Germany--Hannover]]> Poland--Szczecin]]> France--Châlons-en-Champagne]]> France--Pas-de-Calais]]> Poland]]> France]]> Germany]]> Belgium]]> Netherlands]]> Sweden]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> England--Gloucestershire]]> England--Lancashire]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Northamptonshire]]> England--Oxfordshire]]> England--Staffordshire]]> England--Suffolk]]> England--Sussex]]> England--Worcestershire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> England--Warwickshire]]> England--Newmarket (Suffolk)]]>
IBCC Digital Archive]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Personal research]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Andover]]> Germany]]> Germany--Essen]]> Germany--Krefeld]]> Germany--Berlin]]> Germany--Nuremberg]]> France]]> France--Paris]]> Germany--Munich]]> Germany--Dortmund-Ems Canal]]> Italy]]> Italy--La Spezia]]> Poland--Szczecin]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> Germany--Oberhausen (Düsseldorf)]]> Poland]]> Germany--Braunschweig]]> England--Great Yarmouth]]>
'Date 23rd Aug 1943
Target Berlin
A/C Stirling III EE 5938'X'
Capt WO Fear T,
Nav Sgt Ruddy G.H.
AB Sgt Bain A,
W,Op Sgt Woolcott, D.G,
FE Sgt Munro C,
M.U. Sgt Holmes J.A.C, (Can),
R.Gnr F S Davidson A. (Can)'.]]>
IBCC Digital Archive]]> eng]]> Text. Personal research]]> Text]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> 1943-08-23]]> 1943-08-24]]>
Great Britain. Royal Air Force]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Trevor Hardcastle]]> Cara Walmsley]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Log book and record book]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> South Africa]]> South Africa--Oudtshoorn]]> South Africa--Port Alfred]]> England--Rutland]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> England--Rutland]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> France]]> France--Loire River]]> Germany]]> Germany--Hamburg]]> Germany--Nuremberg]]> Germany--Essen]]> Italy]]> Italy--Turin]]> Atlantic Ocean--North Sea]]> Great Britain]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1943-07-03]]> 1943-07-04]]> 1943-07-05]]> 1943-07-06]]> 1943-07-08]]> 1943-07-09]]> 1943-07-24]]> 1943-07-25]]> 1943-07-26]]> 1943-07-27]]> 1943-07-28]]> 1943-08-10]]> 1943-08-11]]> 1943-08-12]]> 1943-08-13]]> 1943-08-16]]> 1943-08-17]]> 1943-08-23]]> Great Britain. Royal Air Force]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Mike Connock]]> eng]]> Text. Log book and record book]]> Text]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> Belgium]]> France]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> Netherlands]]> Atlantic Ocean--Bay of Biscay]]> Atlantic Ocean--English Channel]]> South Australia]]> Victoria]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> England--Staffordshire]]> Belgium--Kortrijk]]> France--Boulogne-sur-Mer]]> France--Brest]]> France--Caen]]> France--Châtellerault]]> France--Givors]]> France--Le Havre]]> France--Limoges]]> France--L'Isle-Adam]]> France--Marne]]> France--Normandy]]> France--Oise]]> France--Pas-de-Calais]]> France--Poitiers]]> France--Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer]]> Germany--Bremerhaven]]> Germany--Darmstadt]]> Germany--Dortmund-Ems Canal]]> Germany--Gelsenkirchen]]> Germany--Karlsruhe]]> Germany--Rheydt]]> Germany--Stuttgart]]> Scotland--Dumfries and Galloway]]> Poland--Szczecin]]> Poland]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> France--Aunay-sur-Odon]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1944-06-12]]> 1944-06-13]]> 1944-06-14]]> 1944-06-15]]> 1944-06-16]]> 1944-06-19]]> 1944-06-20]]> 1944-06-21]]> 1944-06-22]]> 1944-06-23]]> 1944-06-24]]> 1944-06-25]]> 1944-07-04]]> 1944-07-05]]> 1944-07-07]]> 1944-07-08]]> 1944-07-09]]> 1944-07-20]]> 1944-07-21]]> 1944-07-24]]> 1944-07-25]]> 1944-07-30]]> 1944-07-31]]> 1944-08-01]]> 1944-08-03]]> 1944-08-05]]> 1944-08-07]]> 1944-08-08]]> 1944-08-11]]> 1944-08-12]]> 1944-08-15]]> 1944-08-16]]> 1944-08-17]]> 1944-08-18]]> 1944-08-25]]> 1944-08-26]]> 1944-09-05]]> 1944-09-10]]> 1944-09-11]]> 1944-09-12]]> 1944-09-17]]> 1944-09-18]]> 1944-09-19]]> 1944-09-20]]> 1944-09-23]]> 1944-09-24]]> 1944-09-26]]> From information kindly provided by the donor. 'Appleby crew, Gordon Appleby - Pilot, Len Howell - Navigator, Alf Hitchcock - Air Bomber, Jack Crisp - Wireless Operator, John Higgins - Rear Gunner NOT SHOWN: Samuel Guyan Mid-Upper George Brierly - Flight Eng.']]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> eng]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sue Smith]]> eng]]> Text]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lancashire]]> England--Manchester]]> Germany--Remscheid]]> Germany--Wuppertal]]> 1943-07-30]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Service material]]> OHorryAH1332586-160818-010002]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Back row, left to right: Frank Benger, mid-upper gunner; Jim Neal, flight engineer; Jack Pollard, wireless operator; Arthur Long, navigator. Front, left to right: Alec Bishop, rear gunner; Harry Tweed, pilot; Alan Johns, bomb-aimer.

Additional information about this item has been kindly provided by the donor.]]>
IBCC Digital Archive]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]>
IBCC Digital Archive]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> 1943]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> eng]]> Text. Correspondence]]> Text]]> Royal Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> 1943-08-25]]>