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Interview with a survivor of the bombing of Berlin
She tells of her life in Berlin before, during and after the war. She lived with her mother in a block of flats close to the home of her grandparents. Her father died when she was nine years old. During the war she collected shrapnel as souvenirs…
Interview with Philip Bates
Philip volunteered for the Royal Air Force in May 1940. After a short time in Blackpool, he was posted to RAF Cosford where he volunteered for training as a flight mechanic and then fitter. At 86 Squadron, Coastal Command, flying Beauford torpedo…
Interview with Dr Marjorie Birch
This interview was carried out when Dr Birch was 91 years old and she describes her experiences of the German bombing raids and her medical training in London.
Dr Birch was born near London in 1924. Her father had served in the Royal Flying Corps…
Dr Birch was born near London in 1924. Her father had served in the Royal Flying Corps…
Interview with David Brewster
David was born in 1931 in Sutton on Sea and recalls living in a spartan house with no toilet, lit by gas lights and with a water pump in the garden and his father keeping pigs to augment their income. His descendents had sailed to America in the…
Interview with Sheena Staves
During the war Sheena lived in Cottingham, a village close to Hull. She lived with her mother and father (who was a fire watcher and had fought in the Far East during WWI). She had two elder brothers, one in the Navy and one in the Royal Air Force,…
Interview with John Taylor
John Taylor grew up in Nottingham and was evacuated before he went into sixth form. He left school and started working as an analytical chemist at Boots the Chemist and, although, this was a reserved occupation he volunteered for aircrew. After his…
Ronald Boone operations on 77 Squadron
Details of nine operations carried out between February and May 1943 from RAF Elvington on 77 Squadron flying Halifax. Targets include Cologne, Berlin and several in the Ruhr.
Ronald Boone operations on 35 Squadron
Details of six operations carried in Halifax on 35 Squadron at Royal Air Force Graveley in May and early June 1943. Targets include Bochum, Essen, Wuppertal and Munster. States that notes were taken from the National Records Office London.
Interview with Wolfgang Jähnichen
Wolfgang Jähnichen recalls being a five-year-old boy in Dresden at the time of the 13 February 1945 bombing. He gives a vivid account of the attack and recounts various episodes: the time spent with his mother in the cellar used as air raid shelter;…
Interview with Tito Samorè
Tito Samorè recalls wartime memories in Milan, when he was a member of the Balilla youth organisation. He remembers the outbreak of war and its announcement on the radio. Tito describes the first bombing of Milan in 1940, stressing how easy it was…
Interview with Don Watson
Donald Watson joined the Royal Air Force in 1941, having previously worked in the print industry. After training he served as an armourer with 61 Squadron at RAF Skellingthorpe.
He wishes that the ground crew, without whom the aircrew could not…
He wishes that the ground crew, without whom the aircrew could not…
Bombing instruction signal
Signal to all 5 Group Stations instructing bomb aimers to that the 32 point distributor setting is to be 0.25 seconds until further notice.
Bombing Leader Instruction Signal
Includes 32 point distributor settings and bombing instructions. 4 Lb incendiary v false height load setting. Photo flash settings.
Bomb aimers briefing
Shows four bomb loads for the squadron with two for one aircraft each and the other two for eight and six aircraft. Includes preselection settings, weights, timings, method. On the reverse bombing notes including target marking continued.
Bomb aimers briefing 11 November 1944
Shows three bomb loads for seven, two and five aircraft respectively. Details preselection and false height settings and other information including window. On the reverse, pathfinder force Mosquito marking, bombing instructions including height…