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Interview with John William Squires
John was living on a farm and working there when he left school at fourteen. The family of five lived in a two-bedroom cottage and John remembered hearing a plane crashing near Westborough one evening, all but one of the crew being killed. The…
Interview with Maurice Stoneman
Maurice Stoneman was posted to 57 Squadron at RAF East Kirkby as the flight engineer on Lancasters in 1943. He recalls that on returning from operations they used to fly around the Boston Stump and around Lincoln Cathedral before finally landing. In…
Interview with Ronald Gard
Ronald Gard flew operations as a rear gunner with 463 Squadron and was shot down on an operation to Leipzig.
Interview with Edward Robert McRae
Ted McRae volunteered for aircrew and trained as a gunner. He was usually in the mid-upper turret but would sometimes swap places with the rear gunner. On one trip repatriating ex-prisoners of war his aircraft crashed. He and the other gunner were…
Interview with John Lee
John Lee from Shrewsbury volunteered for the RAF hoping to be accepted as aircrew. However, he failed the altitude test and was posted to the RAF Regiment where he guarded crashed aircraft, protected the airfield and manned an anti-aircraft gun. He…
Interview with Frederick Joseph Keith Martin
Keith Martin was working for an agricultural machinery merchants in Shrewsbury when the war started. This was classed as a reserved occupation but when he was nearly 20, he decided to volunteer for the Royal Air Force in April 1942 and was selected…
Interview with Percival Trotman
Applying for RAF Bomber Command in May 1940, Percival Trotman was called up in September 1940, training as a pilot at RAF Towyn in Aberystwyth. Being present at Coventry when the town was bombed, he recalls deciding that the Germans deserved to have…
Interview with Bernard Bell
Bernard Bell was a child in Scunthorpe during the war.
Interview with Basil Goldstraw
Basil Goldstraw was classed as medically unfit for aircrew and following training as a fitter, he was posted to 75 Squadron at RAF Mepal. He discusses aspects of his work as a fitter, being bombed, and life on and off the station. He was posted to…
Interview with Ron Flynn
Ron Flynn was living in London before he volunteered for the RAF. He trained as a flight engineer and joined a British / New Zealand crew. He was posted to RAF Mepal. There was at least one occasion when a fire in the engines was extinguished by the…
Interview with Lawrence Clark Rogers
Lawrence Rogers joined the Royal Air Force at 17, and trained to become a wireless operator. He served with 218 Squadron at RAF Woolfox Lodge and then with 75 Squadron, flying in both Ansons and Lancasters, He eventually completed 32 operations with…
Interview with James Sampson
James Sampson volunteered for the RAF and trained as a navigator and became a specialist on H2S. He survived three write offs of his aircraft including once when the wheels had been shot away. His bomb aimer had a very near miss when shrapnel hit the…
Interview with Frances Elizabeth Secker
Frances Elizabeth Secker is a lifelong resident of Feltwell. She was still at school when RAF Feltwell opened in 1937, and she remembers the Harrow being the first aircraft to arrive, followed by Wellingtons.
Elizabeth has clear memories of…
Elizabeth has clear memories of…
Interview with Frank Charles Standen
Frank Standen always wanted to fly. He volunteered for the RAF hoping to become a pilot. Sadly, an eye defect was detected. He volunteered for motorboat crew and took part in air sea rescues. On one occasion he was involved in rescuing the crew of a…
The last flight of Lancaster DV396(B)
Derrick Allen's account of being shot down 2/3 November 1944. After a successful attack on Dusseldorf, the Lancaster was severely damaged by a night fighter. Goes on to describe battle with FW 190 and and order to abandon aircraft. Before bailing…
My War Story
A memoir written by Dick Curnock. It covers his wartime service and also his service after the war for the RAF. It covers his brother Sam and his accident as a pilot. Dick started his training at Lords in London, Bridlington then Bridgnorth and…
Interview with Simson Reid
Simson Reid was born in Scotland and was able to have a flight with Alan Cobham’s Flying Circus which although short, fostered an interest in aviation. He volunteered for the Royal Air Force and was posted to flying Hampdens as an air gunner. As…
Sketch map of Halifax Crash Site
A sketch map of where Reg's Halifax crashed after being shot down. Information supplied with the collection states that the sketch was drawn by an eyewitness, Dr Pincus.
Letter from Emile Witmeur to Robert [sic] Langlois
Letter to Jack Newton's pilot from a member of the Belgian escape line He says he still does not know why Jack Newton was the only one of the crew to get successfully back to England. He goes on to describe in details his research into the trail of…
Letter from Emile Witmeur to Roy Langlois
Letter to Jack Newton's pilot providing more information about the Belgian people who had been involved in the escape line to help his crew. Includes places they stayed and show linkage of the organisation. Includes information on Belgian resistance…
Letter from Emile Witmeur to Roy Langlois
Writes of his investigation into Belgian people involved in trying to help his crew escape after they had crashed in Belgium. He gives names and locations of those involved and notes that many had been arrested by the Germans. Gives detailed…
Letter from Emile Witmeur to Roy Langlois
Thanks him for his letter and says that he had not been helped in his enquiries by the Belgian escape service. Writes of a member of his group that was shot by the Germans and that he had now traced the escape line from the beginning. List names and…
Letter from Emile Witmeur to Roy Langlois and report of crash landing and subsequent attempted escape of crew aided by Belgian escape line
Writes that he had not found out how Langlois was arrested but it seem that the Belgian he was with had been betrayed. Asks about his activates after the war and tells a little of his own. Says he is enclosing report. Report covers the crash landing…
Letter to Leading aircraftwoman Hayhurst from Flying Officer EJ Detheridge
He writes that Johnnie is missing but hopes that he may be safe, likely as a prisoner of war.
A handwritten annotation states 'Died in crash'.
A handwritten annotation states 'Died in crash'.
Letter to his sister from Ellis Edwards
![EEdwardsEDEdwardsM[Date]-020001.jpg](https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/square_thumbnails/104/982/EEdwardsEDEdwardsM[Date]-020001.jpg "EEdwardsEDEdwardsM[Date]-020001.jpg")
Thanks for parcel and comments on how slow the post is. Describes activities at Royal Air Force Lakenheath including a concert, a play and a dance. Thinks that he may get to see sister in a months time. Comments huge funeral in Wales.