Browse Items (121 total)

  • Tags: crewing up

BMealingMillsSChandlerCHv1.pdf
Letter encloses a transcript of telephone interview and ask Mr Chandler to check for accuracy and asks specific questions about window, operation briefings, bird strike, being coned on Karlsruhe operation, overcoming fear and did he feel operations…

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SBakerDA19210428v20040-0001.jpg
Few lines to let her know he is OK. Still near Oxford but should be finished soon. Should get leave before reporting to new station. Writes that he had been crewed up and describes crew as one Rhodesian, an Australian observer, a wireless operator…

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YChapmanN153939v10001.jpg
Neill Chapman’s diary entries from 27th May to 1st June including a list of crew members and the results of their bombing trials.

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MEdgarAG172180-180704-01.pdf
The memoirs were recorded in 1980 at a reunion at Sudbrooke.
He starts by describing crewing up at Silverstone. His opinion of the Stirling was that it was awful on the ground and in the air.
His first operation was a second 'dickie' (an observer)…

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MCurnockRM1815605-171114-012.pdf
News-sheet of the RAF ex-POW Association. This edition covers a charity motorcycle rode commemorating Roger Bushell, Charles Hancock's Long March told by his daughter, Book reviews, Alfie Fripp's revisit to Stalag Luft 3, Goings-on at Zagan, a…

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BCurnockRMCurnockRMv1.pdf
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…

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BHopgoodPMHopgoodPDv1.pdf
The detailed biography begins with government measures at the start of National Service. Philip Hopgood volunteered and enlisted at Padgate, Warrington. He was classified as medically Grade 1. Initial training was at RAF Regent's Park (Lord's Cricket…

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YGeachDG1394781v5.pdf
Fifth and final diary kept by David Geach chronicling his time training and on operations. He writes about his return from Canada on the Queen Elizabeth then his training in England which began with arriving at the Posting Centre in Pannal Ash,…

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AHarrisDR190508.mp3
Donald was born in Acton, London. He stayed at school until he was fourteen and then worked as a tea boy/general help for O. C. Summers, a firm that laid gas mains in Slough. When that job ended, he worked for another ganger in Shepherds Bush. …

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PPattersonGE1901.jpg
Before joining the Royal Air Force on 4 February 1942, Ernie worked as an apprentice joiner. On being called up he went to Blackpool for training, which included Morse code. Following training at different places he then attended the advanced flying…

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PWilkieD1601.jpg
David Wilkie was born in Edinburgh. He volunteered for the RAF and began training as a flight engineer. While training at St Athan he met his future wife, Kathleen. He was posted to 432 Squadron with a Canadian crew. He witnessed the gathering of the…

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PWebbLP1601.jpg
Lacey Peter Webb remembers his role as a flight engineer in the Royal Air Force during the war and flying thirty operations on Halifaxes and two on Lancasters. Retraces his training in various stations, among them St John’s Wood, where he was…

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PWagnerHW1701.jpg
Henry Wolfe Wagner was born in Ireland. The family moved to England when he was young and settled near Reading. Henry attended Reading University for two years joining the University Air Squadron. He then volunteered for the RAF and began training as…

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ATyrellLR150929.mp3
Leonard Ralph Tyrell mentions always being keen on aircraft since he was a boy. Describes various episodes of his career: training in England and Canada, from where he returned with the rank of pilot officer; his first operation to the Dortmund-Ems…

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ATillerF180716.mp3
Fred was too young to get in the Royal Air Force, so he joined the Air Training Corps where they did aircraft recognition and visited various camps. He joined in 1943/44 and went to Lord’s cricket ground where he was evaluated to become an air…

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AThomasPG180302.mp3
Peter was born in Nelson, Lancashire and had two brothers. He was sixteen when he left school in 1940 and got a job until joining the Royal Air Force in 1943. He went to London Air Crew Reception Centre before going to Initial Training Wing at RAF…

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PHorshamES1602.jpg
Eric Horsham was born in Plumstead, London. He worked initially as a messenger for the Royal Ordnance before following the family footsteps in to the railways. He volunteered for air crew and began training as a flight engineer. He flew operations…

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ASwainsDNJ170123.mp3

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AStapleyVA160802.mp3

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AStanneyF160212.mp3
Frank Stanney was working on the land before he volunteered for the RAF. After training he flew operations as a wireless operator with 61 Squadron. One day his pilot took off as a twenty year old and returned as a twenty one year old as it was his…

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EWynnIAWynnK[Date]-130002.jpg
States he has moved several times in the last week but he has finally been crewed up. Mentions his captain, Flying Officer Stammers and that his crew seem nice blokes. On the reverse address for Wynn and Son registered plumbers.

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APriestR160720.mp3
Ron Priest worked in accountancy before the war and then served as a rear gunner, flying twenty five operations with 149 Squadron from RAF Lakenheath all on Stirlings. Describes his training in England, Canada and the United States, under the…

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APlenderleithJ151007.mp3
John Plenderleith was in the Air Training Corps before he volunteered to join the RAF. He was posted to 626 Squadron at Wickenby and when the crew were allocated their hut they were surprised to find it was still occupied with another crew’s…

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PPayneG1702.jpg
Geoff Payne has his first experience of the Royal Air Force with the Air Training Corps, at RAF Wyton in Cambridgeshire (home of 7 Squadron Pathfinders), where he had one of his first experiences of military humour. He joined in 1943 at the age of 17…

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PParkerE1602.jpg
Eric was born in 1924 in West Derby and volunteered for the Royal Air Force at the age of 17 and a half, finally being called up in January 1942 where he became a navigator / bomb aimer on Lancasters. After completing his training in Canada, Eric…

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