Browse Items (58 total)

  • Tags: grief

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Eulogy published in The People

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Account of the investigations of the Air Ministry Casualty Branch on the the fate of those declared missed in action.

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Sara Ventriglia, the daughter of a Jewish mother and a Catholic father, recalls her early life in wartime Milan. She describes the alarm being sounded, she and her family getting quickly dressed to reach a nearby shelter. She recollects moments…

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First obituary in memory of “my dear husband Fred” from “loving wife and baby Brenda”; second from his parents and his brother John.

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A poem sent to Betty Turner's friend Billy to celebrate their 80th. Betty describes the wartime hardships she endured, hint at the bereavement after the loss of the men she loved, stresses the sense of duty toward her country, friendship and…

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A poem written in December 1942 after her first love was shot down over France. After his death Betty resolved to join the Royal Air Force and became a wireless operator. According to a note, she later found out that some of what she wrote down went…

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Desmond Hawkins volunteered for the Royal Air Force and became a navigator. After training on Wellingtons and Manchesters, he flew Lancasters for 44 Squadron and completed a tour of operations. He was commissioned as flight lieutenant and after the…

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John Leslie Whitworth was born in Sutton Coldfield. Signed up for the Royal Air Force in 1940, finally being called up for service in 1941, before starting his training at the Initial Training Wing in Torquay, followed by more training at RAF Sywell…

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Sandy Saunders recalls Liverpool being bombed in 1941 and while on a rescue squad he sustained splinter injuries from a blast requiring hospital treatment. After taking a science degree he served in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers as a…

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Peter Watson was born in South Wales and joined the Royal Air Force in 1943. He wanted to be a pilot but there was a surplus of pilots so he became an air gunner. He crewed-up and flew with 101 Squadron initially, a special duties squadron, and he…

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Carla Baietti recalls her life as a young labourer in Olgiate Comasco. Chronicles the hardships her family suffered during the war: fascist indoctrination, food shortage, her uncle's desertion and her brother's death while serving in Russia. Speaks…

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Mary Ward joined the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force in 1940. She served briefly at RAF Driffield but mostly at RAF Linton on Ouse. She trained as a cook before being moved to duties as a map officer. She prepared maps for briefings and debriefings.…

Mrs Elfriede N's account of the events at Friedrichsplatz 3, Obere Karlstraße 17/19 (Bürgersäle).

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Tom Coles was born in Watford and signed up for the Royal Air Force at the age of 18. He went to Canada for training, a period saddened by the loss of his sister who was in the Womens Auxilliary Air Force. Tom flew Manchesters, then went to 158…

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W E (Bill) Lucas joined the Royal Air Force in 1940, where he trained as a fighter pilot flying Miles Magisters and Miles Masters, before being posted to RAF Lossiemouth and moving into Bomber Command, flying the Vickers Wellington 1C.
Flew 14…

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Jim Penny joined the Air Force in July 1940 when he was eighteen. He recounts the training which he undertook before he became a Bomber Command Pathfinder pilot for 97 Squadron at RAF Bourn. He explains the crewing up process and details those who…

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Margaret Horry was born in Spalding. She remembers aircraft taking off going on operations, and retells wartime stories of her relatives. Arthur served in Bomber Command as a bomb aimer. Frank was also in Bomber Command. He joined the Royal Air Force…

Grete G's account of the events at Große Rosenstraße 9.

Erich Thom and Karl B's account of the events at Mombachstraße 10/12 (abattoir)/Leipziger Straße 79.

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Describes in detail air raid shelters, rationing, shopping,the absence of traffic and school life. There is a description of the Gorton extended family complete with a family tree. Harold Gorton met Lilian Carmen Mary Morgan, at Oxford university.…

Oskar Spieß's account of the events at Jägerstraße 1.

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Transcript from news cutting, Kings Lynn paper 1941. Reports that Pilot Officer Frederick Arthur Caunter-Jackson lost his life as a result of air operations on night 11/12 June 1941. Other names of his crew were listed and it is assumed his was the…

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Writes that he has personal papers, that he has hidden from the Germans, which belonged to 'english aviators' who were killed in a crash of a Lancaster ND 583 near his house on 15 March 1944. Some papers had addresses and he writes to enquire…

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Thanks Mrs Hobbs for her letter and tries to answer her questions. Crash was sudden, no time for crew to suffer. Sgt Hobbs was still at his post. He obtained copy of pilots tag 'Rodbourne, 16.9.006, Blood, RAF'. No papers belonging to Hobbs. Location…

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Letter found amongst the personal belongings of a Royal Air Force pilot recently reported missing believed killed, to be sent to his mother if he were killed. Letter talks about the importance of his role, admiration for his mother, sacrifice for…
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