Browse Items (161 total)

  • Tags: dispersal

PJamesHGW1705.jpg
Harry James grew up in Berkshire and after school began training as a plumber. He joined the RAF and carried out thirty three operations as a rear gunner with 166 squadron. He discusses his crew, who were of different nationalities, of how the…

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PWaughmanR1501.jpg
Russell (Rusty) Waughman was born in Shotley Bridge, County Durham. Due to serious poor health as a child his education was interrupted. He describes his training with the Empire Training School in Canada. He was posted to 101 Squadron which was a…

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PCoultonWA1608.jpg
William Coulton was born in Derbyshire and worked as an errand boy for the Co-Op until he joined the Royal Air Force in 1943, aged 18. He trained as a flight mechanic and was posted to 115 Squadron at RAF Witchford where he worked on Lancasters. He…

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PMabeyBC1605.jpg
Bernard Mabey was born in London and experienced the Blitz at first hand. He was a member of the Air Training Corps in 1941 before volunteering for the RAF. He trained as an air frame mechanic at RAF Locking. His first posting was RAF Marston Moor…

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ACourtPR171211.mp3
Percival Robert Court joined the Air Training Corps in March 1941, volunteering for the Royal Air Force at the earliest age of seventeen and a half. Training at RAF Cardington, he became a flight mechanic. He then moved to Skegness to continue into…

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EHoadNEGarnerKM701207-0003.jpg
Nine ground crew and six aircrew under the nose of Lancaster 'N'. The ground crew are working on bombs on bomb trolleys. The aircrew are dressed in flying kit. On the reverse stamped 'Daily Sketch Copyright', 'Graphic Photo Union' and handwritten…

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PBakerWB16040008.jpg
Top - painting of a Lancaster being bombed up. Captioned 'Winter of 43 somewhere in England. by David Shepherd'.
Bottom - photograph - view from above of a Lancaster with Spitfire and Hurricane on either wing over sea. Captioned 'Memorial in Flight,…

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BFraserDKFraserDKv1.pdf
Memoir describing his life and service career in the RAF. He also gives a list of 29 operations he participated in with notes on specific operations, and recounts a brief history of the Lancaster.

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PWatsonD1511.jpg
Donald Watson was working in the print industry before he joined the Royal Air Force in 1941. After training he served as an armourer with 61 Squadron at RAF Skellingthorpe.

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OSaundersJWG1324708-180307-01.pdf
John's Service and Release Book covering the period 2 March 1942 to 26 February 1946.

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EGortonHGortonLCM430816.pdf
He writes of arrangements for his pending 48 hour leave, flying activities and the weather.

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AMawdsleyT150507.mp3
Ted grew up in Essex. Before the war he worked for the Marconi Wireless and Telegraph Company. He joined the Royal Air Force in 1940 and became an instrument mechanic. He was posted to RAF Elsham Wolds in 1942 and overseas the following year. After…

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Vera Willis.jpg
Vera Willis volunteered for the Women's Auxiliary Air Force because she wanted to be a driver. Her driving career in the RAF involved driving driving aircrew to dispersal.This content is available as embedded video:

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PThomasAF20010043.jpg
Photo 1 is an air-to-air view of two Stirlings flying in formation.
Photo 2 is a Stirling on the ground with two aircraft flying overhead.

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PBanksP15010141.jpg
Top an aerial vertical photograph of a village. Two roads lead in from the left joining a circular road running round the village. Roads lead off top and bottom right.

Middle an aerial inclined photograph of a diamond shaped aircraft dispersal…

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PLockeBrownK1505.jpg
Kenneth Locke was born in 1923 and wanted to join the Royal Air Force, following in the footsteps of his father, who was a First World War Pilot.
Between leaving school and joining the Royal Air Force, Kenneth worked as a bank clerk, before signing…

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BHiltonPHiltonPv1.pdf
Nine accounts of flying activities during the war.

Additional information about this item has been kindly provided by the donor.

'David Joseph's son Brian met Paul Hilton in the 1980's through work, and he was wearing a prisoner of war tie. In…

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PCookKHH1601.jpg
Wing Commander Kenneth Cook was born in Randwick in Gloucestershire. At Marlings grammar school, he joined the Air Training Corps. On the outbreak of war he joined the Royal Air Force and went to America under the Arnold Scheme for pilot training.…

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BBaxterPDBaxterPDv1.pdf
The detailed and wide ranging story of Peter Baxter's service in the RAF from an Airframe Apprentice to Flight Engineer Leader.

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ADavisR[Date]-01.mp3
Ron Davis talks of his joining the RAF and early training at Cardington, Bournemouth and Halton. He trained as fitter and was posted to RAF Scampton on Hamden with 49 Squadron. Tells many stories of life as groundcrew at Scampton including his…

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BMilesRJMilesRJv1.pdf
A detailed Biography of Reg' service and post service life.

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PBakerR1602.jpg
Ron Baker, originally from Willesden was in the ATC before joining the RAF and trained as a flight mechanic. He was posted to 463 Squadron at Waddington. On one occasion he had to help to remove the body of a gunner who had died during the flight. He…

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PSzuwalskaW1510.jpg
Wanda Szuwalska was sixteen years old when Germany invaded Poland. The family was deported to Siberia by the Russian army. They travelled for several weeks to the Arkhangelsk region where Wanda then worked as a logger. When war intensified between…

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BTaylorWHTaylorWHv1.pdf
Describes how his aircraft was shot down on an operation to Revigny by an Me 110 night fighter. He baled out. and was captured. After being interrogated he became a prisoner of war. In February 1944, as the Russians advanced, he and his fellow…

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PCollyerSmithJ1514.jpg
Side, slightly rear view of Stirling Mk 3 XY-T EH906 on a dispersal. Wheel chocks, one access ladder and a stepladder are visible. In the background, Nissen huts, drums and bicycles.

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