Browse Items (801 total)

  • Tags: military living conditions

PAutonJ1503.jpg
Jim Auton grew up on Royal Air Force stations and joined the Royal Air Force at seventeen. He trained as a pilot navigator and bomber at RAF Ansty near Coventry, then in South Africa under the Empire Air Training Scheme. He trained on B-24s at Lidder…

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EBoldyDABoldyAD400609.pdf
Letter from David Boldy to his father about being stationed in Scotland, waiting to start the air observers school. He has visited Edinburgh and been swimming locally.

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EBoldyDABoldyAD400617-0001.jpg
Letter from David Boldy to his father about his daily activities after leaving Scotland for Hastings, and visiting his mother and Steve whilst passing through London. He comments the current military situation.

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EBoldyDABoldyAD410515.pdf
Letter from Leading Aircraftsman David Boldy to his father about becoming a qualified air gunner, his celebrations on qualifying and now he and the five others are awaiting posting, so he is spending some time with his friends and his girlfriend…

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PBoldyDA15010027.jpg
David Boldy with a pipe between his teeth and wearing a towel around his waist standing at the entrance of sleeping quarters. On the reverse '6 43'.

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PBoldyDA15010031.jpg
David Boldy is relaxing on his bed with a bottle in his hands. A metal trunk is under the bed and his kit bag is propped against the bed. There is a table on his right holding a mug, tins and a flask. Some of his kit is hung on hooks behind the…

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PBoldyDA15010043.jpg
Sleeping quarters shows about 12 beds, one upturned, with some of the occupants sitting or lying on their beds. One is standing at the closed door at the far end of the building. Trunks are on some of the beds and there is litter on the floor. On…

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EBoldyDABoldyLM400618.pdf
Letter from David Boldy to his mother and brother. Exclaims the benefit French reinforcements after a peace treaty; discusses his financial affairs and mentions his daily routine and chores; he describes the taking of his ‘ghastly’ official…

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EEdwardsEDEdwardsM[Date]-010001.jpg
Apologizes for not writing and relates daily goings on at RAF Stradishall. Mentions a visit to Doncaster, having to get up early for flying almost every day, a football match, not night flying yet and the fact that they are very isolated.

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EEdwardsEDEdwardsM[Date]-020001.jpg
Thanks for parcel and comments on how slow the post is. Describes activities at Royal Air Force Lakenheath including a concert, a play and a dance. Thinks that he may get to see sister in a months time. Comments huge funeral in Wales.

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EGrayHMGray[Wi]440707.pdf
Begins with slight admonishment over wife’s letter writing regularity and discussion of progress on wife’s health issues. Provides details of 11th operation which involved an extremely long sortie, taking off in daylight and recovering next…

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EGrayHMGray[Wi]440715.pdf
Expresses concern over regularity of wife’s letters and length of time that letters take to get through. Mentions that they might not be able to depart on leave until Tuesday as the might be on operations Monday night. Recounts that planned 13th…

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EGrayHMGray[Wi]440801.pdf
Starts with thanks for letter number 3 but complains about lack of letters for a couple of days particularly as he had been on operations. Sets up times for future phone calls. Noted that the crew’s original aircraft had been lost while being flown…

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EGrayHMGray[Wi]440806.pdf
Starts with complaint that phone calls from wife are replacing letters which he does not like, but did enjoy hearing his wife’s voice. Letter is then a long explanation of why he cannot answer her last letter as it is in his locker at the squadron…

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PBridgesB1605.jpg
Four airmen, three seated, round a table in a hut, holding and drinking from pint tankards; one is a pilot, two are observers and one an air gunner. On the windowsill in the background are enamel jugs and mugs. On the reverse 'Ted' with a large…

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EWilsonGWSmithCI440511-0001.jpg
Letter from George Wilson to his wife telling her he has arrived at RAF Elsham Wolds with other people who were late. Discuss details of their recent marriage, asks for certain items of clothing to be sent to him and states he has his wife’s…

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PBaggJG1610-1.jpg
John Baggs is sitting on a bench type bed, in a brick built room, smoking a cigarette in front of a wood burning stove. He is wearing gumboots. Posters, including a pin-up, are on the walls.

Additional information about this item has been kindly…

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MTurnerBM2146029-170131-02.jpg
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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AAbbottsC151015.mp3
Cyril Abbotts volunteered for the Royal Air Force while he was an engineering apprentice with W T Avery at Smethwick. After his reception at Lord’s Cricket Ground and initial training,he trained as a pilot at RAF Bowden and Moose Jaw in Canada. On…

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ADarbyC150630.mp3
Charlie Darby joined the Royal Air Force in September 1943 and recounts in great detail, his training as an air gunner/wireless operator on Wellingtons and Ansons at RAF Bridlington, RAF Bridgnorth, RAF Castle Kennedy, RAF Acaster Malbis and RAF…

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PBellinghamPF1602.jpg
Peter Bellingham worked as a post office engineer before volunteering for the Royal Air Force. He trained in Rhodesia and South Africa and completed a tour of operations as a bomb aimer, dropping supplies with 138 Squadron from RAF Tempsford. He…

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PGildersleveG1601.jpg
Gladys Gildersleve was working for a laboratory when she decided to join the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force. She began her training at RAF Bridgenorth and at RAF Morecambe. Her first posting was to barrage balloons at Swansea Docks. She eventually…

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PBanksP15020066.jpg
The inside of the Senior NCO's mess, a horseshoe shaped bar with glasses and decanters of water. It is in a nissen hut. Captioned '1944 S.N.C.O's Mess (Nissen Hut) Feltwell'.

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PBanksP15020067.jpg
The inside of the SNCO's mess. In the foreground are easy chairs, against the walls tables and chairs and in the background is the horseshoe bar.. It is inside a Nissen hut.

Additional information about this item has been kindly provided by the…

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PBanksP15020099.jpg
Photo 1 is of an airman sitting on a bed. Captioned 'F/Sgt Bishop 'Bunkmate''.
Photograph 2 is of two men lying on their beds.
Photograph 3 is of an airman sitting on his bed.
Photographs 4 and 5 are of views in the quarters.
Captioned ' No. 2…

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