Mike Connock]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Anne-Marie Watson]]> Carolyn Emery]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> India]]> Japan]]> Netherlands]]> Singapore]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Staffordshire]]> England--London]]> Germany--Cologne]]> Germany--Dresden]]> Germany--Essen]]> Germany--Nuremberg]]> India--Pune]]> 1945]]> Rob Gray]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> Pending OH summary]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> Belgium]]> Great Britain]]> Germany]]> 1942]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> Tom Ozel]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Christine Kavanagh]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Heather Hughes]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Adam Purcell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Cathie Hewitt]]> Pending review]]> Pending OH summary]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> Great Britain]]> England--Suffolk]]> United States]]> Adam Purcell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Peter Schulze]]> Pending review]]> Pending OH summary]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> Canada]]> Great Britain]]> Germany]]> Alberta--Edmonton]]> Germany--Dresden]]> Northern Territory--Darwin]]> United States]]> Northern Territory]]> Alberta]]> 1940]]> 1941]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> Annie Moody]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Hugh Donnelly]]> Pending review]]> Pending OH summary]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Germany--Cologne]]> Germany--Dortmund-Ems Canal]]> Germany--Dresden]]> Germany--Frankfurt am Main]]> Germany--Leipzig]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> Peter Schulze]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Peter Schulze]]> Pending review]]> deu]]> Sound]]> Civilian]]> Germany]]> Germany--Dresden]]> 1945-02-13]]> Annie Moody]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Peter Adams]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Canada]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> England--Gloucestershire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Germany--Dresden]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> Great Britain. Royal Air Force]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Log book and record book]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Belgium]]> France]]> Germany]]> Norway]]> Great Britain]]> England--Buckinghamshire]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> England--Devon]]> England--Greater Manchester]]> England--Lancashire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Wales--Vale of Glamorgan]]> Atlantic Ocean--English Channel]]> Atlantic Ocean--Bay of Biscay]]> Atlantic Ocean--North Sea]]> Atlantic Ocean--Baltic Sea]]> Belgium--Kortrijk]]> France--Boulogne-sur-Mer]]> France--Brest]]> France--Caen]]> France--Calais]]> France--Chalindrey]]> France--Châtellerault]]> France--Creil]]> France--Doullens]]> France--Joigny]]> France--Le Havre]]> France--Limoges]]> France--L'Isle-Adam]]> France--Paris]]> France--Saint-Nazaire]]> Germany--Bremerhaven]]> Germany--Darmstadt]]> Germany--Dresden]]> Germany--Heilbronn]]> Germany--Hörstel]]> Germany--Karlsruhe]]> Germany--Kiel]]> Germany--Merseburg]]> Germany--Munich]]> Germany--Rheydt]]> Germany--Rüsselsheim]]> Germany--Stuttgart]]> Germany--Wettin]]> Norway--Horten]]> Russia (Federation)--Kaliningrad (Kaliningradskai︠a︡ oblastʹ)]]> Germany--Böhlen]]> France--Lyon]]> Russia (Federation)]]> France--Bordeaux (Nouvelle-Aquitaine)]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> 1944-06-19]]> 1944-06-20]]> 1944-06-23]]> 1944-06-24]]> 1944-06-25]]> 1944-06-27]]> 1944-06-28]]> 1944-06-29]]> 1944-07-12]]> 1944-07-13]]> 1944-07-14]]> 1944-07-15]]> 1944-07-18]]> 1944-07-19]]> 1944-07-20]]> 1944-07-21]]> 1944-07-23]]> 1944-07-24]]> 1944-07-25]]> 1944-07-26]]> 1944-07-27]]> 1944-07-28]]> 1944-07-29]]> 1944-07-30]]> 1944-07-31]]> 1944-08-01]]> 1944-08-02]]> 1944-08-05]]> 1944-08-07]]> 1944-08-08]]> 1944-08-09]]> 1944-08-10]]> 1944-08-11]]> 1944-08-12]]> 1944-08-13]]> 1944-08-14]]> 1944-08-26]]> 1944-08-27]]> 1944-08-31]]> 1944-09-05]]> 1944-09-10]]> 1944-09-11]]> 1944-09-12]]> 1944-09-13]]> 1944-09-14]]> 1944-09-18]]> 1944-09-19]]> 1944-09-20]]> 1944-11-26]]> 1944-11-27]]> 1944-12-04]]> 1944-12-06]]> 1944-12-10]]> 1944-12-21]]> 1944-12-22]]> 1945-01-13]]> 1945-01-14]]> 1945-01-15]]> 1945-01-16]]> 1945-01-17]]> 1945-02-02]]> 1945-02-03]]> 1945-02-06]]> 1945-02-07]]> 1945-02-08]]> 1945-02-13]]> 1945-02-14]]> 1945-02-15]]> 1945-02-20]]> 1945-02-21]]> 1945-02-23]]> 1945-02-24]]> 1945-03-20]]> 1945-03-21]]> 1945-04-07]]> 1945-02-08]]> 1945-02-09]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Anne-Marie Watson]]> eng]]> SChattertonJ159568v10206, SChattertonJ159568v10207]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Germany]]> Germany--Dresden]]> 1945-02-13]]> Francesca Campani]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Greta Fedele]]> ita]]> Sound]]> Civilian]]> Italy]]> Italy--Foggia]]> Italy--San Giovanni Rotondo]]> 1943-09-08]]> Annie Moody]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Katie Gilbert]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> Italy]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> 1942-10-24]]> 1942-10-17]]> He tells of how he was hospitalised with a very high temperature, and how his replacement and his crew were lost over Nuremburg.
He was posted to 12 Squadron at Wickenby, flying in Lancasters as a Rear Gunner, and then he was posted to 171 Squadron at North Creake.
David tells of his scraps with the Luftwaffe and meeting some Luftwaffe Pilots at the end of the war and he tells of meeting those pilots who were firing at him.
Made a career in the Royal Airforce and served in Egypt, Iraq and Jordan as well as completing administration courses and serving at other Royal Air Force Stations including the Royal Air Force Medical Station at Headley Court as an Adjutant.
After the war, got a job at Girton College and became President of the Royal British Legion in Cambridge.
David completed a total of 55 Operations, 30 on his first tour of duty and then completing 25 operations on his second tour.
]]>
Judy Hodgson]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Davy St Pyer]]> Vivienne Tincombe]]> Pending review]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]>
Nigel Moore]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Oxfordshire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> England--Bridlington]]> Germany]]> Germany--Dresden]]> Canada]]> 1945]]> Mick Jeffery]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sue Smith]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> England--Oxfordshire]]> India]]> Germany]]> Germany--Hamburg]]> Germany--Cologne]]> Germany--Dresden]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> 1945]]> 1947-11]]> Upon his call up, he was trained as a Flight Engineer Air Frames where he passed in the top third of his class. He became a Group One Tradesman, Fitter 2A. He was posted to Calshot and then spent time working at Cowley Motor Works, manufacturing spars for the fuselage of Lancasters before being recalled and sent to Scampton.
He served with 49 Bomber Squadron before taking a Flight Engineers course and working on Merlin engines at Rolls Royce Works in Derby.
Alex was transferred to 9 Squadron at Bardney where he completed 10 operations, including 3 to Hamburg, then helped form 514 Squadron where he flew on missions to Berlin, and completed 14 operations. He became an instructor at No. 31 LFS at Feltwell, before returning to Operations at 149 Squadron in Methwold.
149 Squadron were involved in the Dresden operation and did 2 trips in Operation Manna, dropping supplies to Rotterdam and The Hague.
Alex had various other postings and completed 35 years’ service in the Royal Air Force, retiring at the age of 65.
]]>
Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Vivienne Tincombe]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]>
Bill was transferred to 44 Squadron based at RAF Dunholme Lodge. He tells of his operation to Harburg, which was their intended target, but they ended up over Hamburg in the middle of a bombing operation because wind had not been accounted for. Bills also recounts how his aircraft was one of the first to drop their bombs on Dresden; he contends that the city was a legitimate target and distrusts the judgement of those who did not take part to the operation. After the war, he spent time in Rhodesia and also in Pretoria, where he tells of his encounter with an Afrikaner who threatened him because of his ethnicity. After the war, Bill worked at Ampleforth College controlling stores for the catering side. After writing a war novel which he had published in a local newspaper, he then tried his hand at writing westerns with Hales Publishing. His pen name was Jim Bowden, after the place he was stationed in Canada. He also writes under the pen name of Jessica Blair, and is now on his 26th book.]]> Annie Moody]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Vivienne Tincombe]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> Germany]]> Germany--Dresden]]> Germany--Hamburg]]> South Africa]]> South Africa--Pretoria]]> Zimbabwe]]> Canada]]> Alberta]]> 1945]]> Adam Sutch]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Vivienne Tincombe]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--London]]> England--Yorkshire]]> England--Scarborough]]> South Africa]]> Germany]]> Germany--Dresden]]> 1945]]> In the early 1970s the Lancaster PA474 was flown to RAF Waddington from RAF Henlow ostensibly to be a gate guardian. In 1973 the Lincolnshire Echo announced that it was to be moved to RAF Coltishall. A group gradually formed to oppose the move because of the Lancaster’s connections to Waddington; the Lincolnshire Lancaster Committee. A public meeting was held and the City Council agreed to adopt the Lancaster. The Lancaster moved to RAF Coltishall. The committee collected over 17,000 signatures in 15 weeks and eventually the Lancaster returned to RAF Coningsby.
The committee became Lincolnshire’s Lancaster Association so funds could be raised. While Stuart was Chair for c. 36 years, £½ million was donated to projects, including the digitisation of manuals.
Stuart describes how unfairly he felt Bomber Command and Sir Arthur Harris were treated.
Stuart lists a large number of people he has met, received letters or signatures from.]]>
Dan Ellin]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Vivienne Tincombe]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Second generation]]> Great Britain]]> England--Norfolk]]> England--Lincolnshire]]>
George joined the Army in 1935 in a tank regiment, serving in Egypt at Al El-Alamein, and in Italy. He was also mentioned in dispatches.
Gordon worked for the Spalding Free Press, in his free time he was a keen radio amateur wishing to become wireless operator. He joined the Royal Air Force and served with 12 Squadron at RAF Wickenby. Margaret reminisces receiving a telegram claiming he was missing, the subsequent notification of death and the whole family grieving. Margaret’s husband Arthur, was ten years her senior - he served in the Royal Air Force with 9 Squadron and 106 Squadron from RAF Metheringham. He took part in an operation to Saint-Leu-d'Esserent with Flight Lieutenant Bill Williams, then was posted to RAF Bardney practising for Tirpitz operations. Gained his Distinguished Flying Medal, he went to Singapore with 50 Squadron as part of the Tiger Force. He married Margaret after the war. Margaret also elaborates on the bombing of Dresden and discusses lack of recognition for Bomber command veterans.]]>
Rod Pickles]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Carolyn Emery]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Air Force. Coastal Command]]> British Army]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Suffolk]]> Azores]]> Norway]]> Singapore]]> Egypt]]> France]]> France--Creil]]> Italy]]> North Africa]]> Egypt--Alamayn]]> 1945]]>
From Canada, Freddie went to RAF Staverton where he became a bomb aimer. He transferred to a unit where he crewed up and was made a flight sergeant. Further courses were taken on twin engine and four engine aircraft. In December 1944, Freddie was assigned to 149 Squadron at RAF Methwold, a satellite of RAF Mildenhall, where they converted onto Lancasters.
Freddie describes operations to Krefeld, Saarbrücken, Dresden and Kiel. He also was involved in two food drops to The Hague. They became known as Gee-H Squadron for their greater navigation accuracy. They did classified work doing line overlaps: photographs in sequence of certain areas in Germany. Freddie also refers to Cook’s Tours at the end of the war. He was involved in flying back prisoners of war from Juvincourt in France and Pomigliano in Italy.
After the war, Freddie was appointed bomb aimer at the RAF Bomb Ballistics Unit at RAF Martlesham Heath whose operations were secret. They flew in Lancasters and Mosquitos through Orford Ness, a peacetime experimental station, which tested the accuracy of a wide number of bombs.
After Freddie’s career in the plastics industry, he became a local councillor and chairman of the council. His housing work continued with various governance roles for a housing association.
]]>
Andrew Sadler]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lancashire]]> England--Gloucestershire]]> England--Norfolk]]> England--Suffolk]]> England--Blackpool]]> Scotland--Fife]]> Scotland--St. Andrews]]> Canada]]> New Brunswick]]> New Brunswick--Moncton]]> France]]> France--Juvincourt-et-Damary]]> Germany]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> Germany--Dresden]]> Germany--Kiel]]> Germany--Krefeld]]> Italy]]> Italy--Pomigliano d'Arco]]> Netherlands]]> Netherlands--Hague]]> Germany--Saarbrücken]]>
Len was then posted to various locations abroad, did a code and cipher course and was demobilised. He went back to his plumbing apprenticeship, got married, settled in Bath but wanted to get back to service life. He started back as an airman and went into the air traffic control branch serving at different stations in Great Britain and Germany until he retired in 1971. Len was into post war meetings and memorial visits.]]> Annie Moody]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Royal New Zealand Air Force]]> Royal Canadian Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> Germany]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> England--Cheshire]]> England--Rutland]]> Sri Lanka]]> Singapore]]> 1945]]> Geoff describes a couple of incidents relating to Bonn and Duisburg, part of his 24 operations. The last operation was to Heligoland. He carried out three food drops as part of Operation Manna and then had repatriated prisoners of war. He was posted to RAF Valley where they were preparing Canadian-built Lancasters for the Far East. They were scrapped after the atomic bomb. He was demobbed in March 1947. Geoff gives his views on Bomber Command.
]]>
Tina James]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Chris Cann]]> Sally Coulter]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Wales--Vale of Glamorgan]]> Germany]]> Germany--Bonn]]> Germany--Duisburg]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> Germany--Helgoland]]> Netherlands]]> 1943-04]]>
In October 1944 Jack was posted to 189 Squadron at RAF Fulbeck. His first three trips were aborted. He carried out 24 operations and two semi-operational trips (leaflets dropping and a diversion to confuse German radar). Several operations were to railway marshalling yards in Germany. He also describes an operation to Gdynia in Poland and the Dresden operation and its rationale.
Jack discusses the main duties of the wireless operator, his experience of ‘scarecrows’ and the difficulty of flying at night in close proximity to other aircraft.
When the war ended, Jack became warrant officer and was stationed at RAF Woodbridge, working on flying control tower signals. He left the RAF in April 1946 and returned to his job as trainee chartered accountant.]]>
David Kavanagh]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> Iraq]]> England--Blackpool]]> England--Buckinghamshire]]> England--Herefordshire]]> England--Lancashire]]> England--Northamptonshire]]> England--Warwickshire]]> England--Wiltshire]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> England--Suffolk]]> Germany]]> Poland]]> Poland--Gdynia]]> 1944-10]]> 1945-02]]> 1940-09]]> 1943-12]]> 1946-03]]>