Andrew Panton]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> Italy]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Germany--Emden (Lower Saxony)]]> Germany--Essen]]> Italy--La Spezia]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> 1941]]> 1943]]> Andrew Panton]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Carolyn Emery]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Wiltshire]]> Netherlands]]> Netherlands--Walcheren]]> 1944]]>
After the war, Fred returned to the colliery, eventually becoming mobile plant engineer.]]>
Annie Moody]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Jackie Simpson]]> Sally Coulter]]> Pending review]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> 1940]]>
Brian Wright]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> Pending OH summary]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Civilian]]> Burma]]> Great Britain]]> Burma--Meiktila]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> England--Liverpool]]> England--Norfolk]]> England--Lancashire]]> 1940]]> 1941]]> Cathie Hewitt]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Civilian]]> China]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> China--Hong Kong]]> England--Somerset]]> England--Sunderland (Tyne and Wear)]]> England--Yorkshire]]> England--Newcastle upon Tyne]]> England--Weston-super-Mare]]> Germany--Gütersloh]]> England--Durham (County)]]> Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Cathie Hewitt]]> Pending review]]> Pending OH summary]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Buckinghamshire]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> ]]> Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Gemma Clapton]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Air Force. Fighter Command]]> Great Britain]]> Israel]]> Middle East--Palestine]]> Israel--ʻEn Shemer]]> Israel--Ramat Daṿid]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> England--Derbyshire]]> England--Rutland]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Pending review]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> Pending OH summary]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Civilian]]> Royal Canadian Air Force]]> Canada]]> Great Britain]]> England--Oxfordshire]]> Scotland--Greenock]]> Wales--Vale of Glamorgan]]> Saskatchewan]]> 1938]]> Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Burma]]> Burma--Rangoon]]> France]]> France--Corsica]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Skegness]]> Scotland--Gourock]]> Wales--Glamorgan]]> North Africa]]> Algeria]]> Algeria--Algiers]]> Egypt]]> India]]> India--Imphāl]]> Syria]]> Syria--Aleppo]]> Italy]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945-02-02]]> 1945-08-15]]> 1946-08-19]]> Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Peter Schulze]]> Pending review]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Second generation]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> England--London]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> Germany--Berlin]]> Germany--Schweinfurt]]> 1944-04-27]]> Victor completed 28 operations, including Nuremberg, Stuttgart, Cologne, Essen and Frankfurt, but he missed out on his 30 operations when he contracted rubella. He tells of his experiences on his operations, and supporting the D-Day operations when he and his crew were sent to attack the gun emplacement at Le Havre. He mentions how he saw all the ships heading for the beaches. Victor also recalls being put in charge of training with Lancasters, Halifaxes, Sunderlands and Stirlings, before heading out to Malaya to work on supporting the Army.
He served during the Suez Crisis helping with issues concerning radar. Back home he served at multiple stations before becoming commanding officer at RAF North Luffenham. He mentions an incident at RAF Marham and joining Task Force Grapple which was involved with nuclear testing.
Victor retired in 1977 and then he became a parish councillor for West Norfolk Council, before becoming mayor of West Norfolk from 1990 to 1991. At the local Royal Air Force Association he takes part in events helping to organise the acts of Remembrance every year.
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Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Vivienne Tincombe]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Essex]]> England--Yorkshire]]> England--Norfolk]]> England--Rutland]]> France]]> France--Le Havre]]> Germany]]> Germany--Cologne]]> Germany--Essen]]> Germany--Frankfurt am Main]]> Germany--Nuremberg]]> Germany--Stuttgart]]> Christmas Island]]> Egypt]]> Malta]]> Singapore]]> Malaysia]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1956]]> 1957]]> 1944-03-30]]> 1944-03-31]]> 1944-06-05]]> 1944-06-06]]>
Recruited as an engine fitter he trained at St. Athans and then volunteered for flying duties as it was a quick promotion. Because of his engineering background his flight engineering training was reduced to two weeks
He was then posted to RAF Swinderby to fly the Manchester and then to 97 squadron, which became a Pathfinder squadron, at RAF Woodhall Spa alongside 617 Squadron. In May 1943 the squadron moved to RAF Bourne and he was promoted to warrant officer. Henry was happy to stay as an NCO and did not welcome more responsibility.
After his first tour he was rested for six months as a senior instructor at 1661 HCU unit at RAF Winthorpe flying the Stirling. He compares flying the Lancaster and Stirling in some detail.
He returned to operational flying and recalls bombing La Spezia and landing in North Africa where his aircraft went u/s but he repaired it himself in order to return home.
Henry remembers that there were no great celebrations on VE day and he was demobbed in February 1946.
After a period in civilian life, Henry re-enlisted in the RAF in September 1948 as a corporal fitter and was posted to Malaya and Singapore. He left the RAF again in 1952 and then worked for Rolls Royce for 26 years, working on Merlin engines.
]]>
Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Anne-Marie Watson]]> Terry Holmes]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> Wales--Vale of Glamorgan]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Italy]]> Italy--La Spezia]]> North Africa]]> Singapore]]> Malaya]]> 1940]]> 1942]]> 1943-05-19]]> 1943-05]]> 1940-04]]> 1946-02]]> 1948-09]]> 1952]]>
Vivian was demobbed in January 1946. After the war, he worked for a year on Five Maintenance Unit at RAF Kemble.
]]>
Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Sally Coulter]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Fighter Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Bedfordshire]]> England--Cheshire]]> England--Cornwall (County)]]> England--Essex]]> England--Gloucestershire]]> England--Kent]]> England--Lancashire]]> England--Blackpool]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Norfolk]]> England--Shropshire]]> England--Staffordshire]]> England--Suffolk]]> England--Wiltshire]]> England--Wirral Peninsula]]> Great Britain Miscellaneous Island Dependencies--Guernsey]]> Great Britain Miscellaneous Island Dependencies--Channel Islands]]> Wales--Vale of Glamorgan]]> 1938-07]]> 1939]]> 1940]]> 1941]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> 1946]]>
Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Tilly Foster]]> Jean Massie]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Egypt]]> Great Britain]]> Italy]]> Libya]]> North Africa]]> Egypt--Suez Canal]]> England--Buckinghamshire]]> England--Cornwall (County)]]> England--Norfolk]]> England--Somerset]]> England--Oxford]]> England--Shropshire]]> Italy--Naples]]> Libya--Tripoli]]> England--Oxfordshire]]> 1940]]> 1941]]> 1942]]> Although he wanted to be a pilot, Ted’s skills were needed as a flight engineer. He was posted to 35 Squadron at Linton-on-Ouse in 1940 where he encountered Flight Lieutenant Leonard Cheshire. Later that year, Ted found a crew and aircraft and started operations over Germany. After only four operations, he went to instruct pilots and flight engineers on Halifaxes at 102 Squadron.
Ted was posted to Pathfinders 35 Squadron and was the first flight engineer to be commissioned. After 47 operations, he volunteered and was sent for training as a mid-upper gunner to a Pathfinder Training Unit and 7 Squadron, who needed experienced people. He had to learn about Lancasters, which he compares in some detail to Halifaxes.
Ted outlines the work of the Pathfinders and how the system became more sophisticated. He encountered Donald Bennett and once flew with him, as well as flying with Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Harris to Brazil.
Ted flew 108 operations (47 on Halifaxes and 61 on Lancasters). He was awarded a Distinguished Service Order.
Ted did an engineering officers’ course at RAF St Athan, followed by 24 Squadron, a VIP transport squadron, flying Lancastrians.
After pilot training in 1947, Ted was flight commander on 217 squadron. He flew Neptunes, which he compares favourably to Shackletons. Ted was then posted to Germany for two years as adjutant with an Air Observation Post squadron and flew Austers. He left the RAF because of impaired hearing.]]>
David Kavanagh]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sally Coulter]]> Vivienne Tincombe]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Buckinghamshire]]> England--Wiltshire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Wales--Vale of Glamorgan]]> Germany]]> 1938]]> 1940]]>
Denise Boneham]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Hugh Donnelly]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> Singapore]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> England--Chatteris]]> 1945]]> Donald Briggs]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sue Smith]]> David Bloomfield]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Memoir]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> France]]> Germany]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> 1939]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> Donald Fraser]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Tricia Marshall]]> David Bloomfield]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Memoir]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> France]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> Poland]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> France--Modane]]> Germany--Augsburg]]> Germany--Berlin]]> Germany--Bochum]]> Germany--Düsseldorf]]> Germany--Frankfurt am Main]]> Germany--Hannover]]> Germany--Leipzig]]> Germany--Leverkusen]]> Germany--Mannheim]]> Germany--Mönchengladbach]]> Germany--Munich]]> Germany--Schweinfurt]]> Germany--Stuttgart]]> Poland--Szczecin]]> Germany--Braunschweig]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1944]]>
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Gary Rushbrooke]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Christine Kavanagh]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Air Force. Fighter Command]]> Royal Canadian Air Force]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> Italy]]> England--Norfolk]]> England--Suffolk]]> England--Yorkshire]]> 1941]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]>
Harry Bartlett]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Anne-Marie Watson]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> Singapore]]> England--Bedfordshire]]> England--Birmingham]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Shropshire]]> England--Warwickshire]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> Ian Locker]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Peter Schulze]]> Pending review]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> England--Hull]]> Wales--Glamorgan]]> England--Yorkshire]]> 1940]]> 1941]]> 1943]]> 1945]]> Ian Wynn]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Jan Waller]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Diary]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Air Force. Fighter Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Devon]]> England--Cornwall (County)]]> England--Torquay]]> England--Newquay]]> England--Caterham and Warlingham]]> Wales--St. Athan]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Atlantic Ocean--Bay of Biscay]]> France]]> France--La Rochelle]]> England--Surrey]]> England--Wragby (Lincolnshire)]]> 1940-10-03]]> 1942-01-06]]> 1942-10-14]]> 1942-11]]> Judy Hodgson]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Steve Baldwin]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Air Force. Transport Command]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> Northern Ireland]]> England--Bedfordshire]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> England--Peterborough]]> England--London]]> England--St. Neots]]> Middle East--Palestine]]> Nigeria]]> Great Britain]]> Great Britain]]> England--Huntingdonshire]]> 1940]]> 1941]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> 1946]]> 1998]]> He tells of his training at Halton, and describes the different trades and his exams to become an Leading Aircraftsman 1st Class, where he was then transferred to a Repair and Inspection Unit (R&I) working on Spitfire engines.
Charles then went to India via the Suez Canal and then on to Ceylon to 121 Repair and Salvage Unit, looking after 2 squadrons of Beaufighters and 1 squadron of Spitfires, but he says that because he was an apprentice, he could turn his hand to anything.
He was posted to instruct at a Motor Transport Unit, and spent time learning about the maintenance of other equipment including diesel engines.
Charles was posted to 109 Maintenance Unit, repairing Merlin engines, however at this time the V Bombers were coming into service. He trained as a Crew Chief and after passing these exams he was assigned to the Avro Vulcan XA908, at RAF Waddington.
Charles related the stories of the work he did when the Vulcan had hydraulic failure at Goose Green, the bombing competition in Florida where the aircraft suffered broken bomb bay doors and a cracked bomb aimers window, and the trip home from Bermuda with no fuel in one tank and a broken bogie beam.
]]>
Mick Jeffery]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Vivienne Tincombe]]> Pending revision of OH transcription]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]>
Photo 2 is two groundcrew pushing the port main wheel.
Photo 3 is two groundcrew loading a bomb.
Photo 4 is two groundcrew pushing a bomb trolley.]]>
Mieczysław Stachiewicz]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> pol]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Polskie Siły Powietrzne]]> Great Britain]]>