Browse Items (314 total)

  • Tags: observer

MRoyallGL1801494-220420-02.pdf
Magazine of 48 Air School, South Africa. On the front cover is written: '1801494 LAC ROYALL G.L. 27/6/43'. The magazine contains articles of local and war news, a description of what life is currently like in Britain, photographs of key personnel at…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

MRoyallGL1801494-220420-03.pdf
Magazine of 48 Air School, South Africa. Contains articles on local news, letters of thanks, entertainment, keeping fit, sports reports and results, poems, personal experiences in the RAF, sketches showing life at RAF Woodbrook, South African…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

EGreenAWGreenWH-[Mo]-G4011XX-0001.jpg
Alan writes during his training at Torquay. He had just heard about the bombing of Coventry, where his family lived. He has arranged leave to visit his family. His course has finished and he has been made Guard Commander.

Tags: ; ; ; ; ;

EGreenAWGreenWH-[Mo]410329.jpg
Alan advises he passed his observer's course and was now studying for an astro-navigation course.

Tags: ; ; ;

PMellorG1501.jpg
Gordon Mellor grew up in London and was interested in aviation. He volunteered for the Air Force and trained as a navigator in Canada. On his return to the UK he and his crew were posted to 103 Squadron. Returning from an operation they were attacked…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

PMooreWT1508.jpg
William Moore was born in Dunoon, Scotland in August 1924 and joined the Royal Air Force after spending some time in the Air Cadet Defence Corps and in the Air Training Corps. He volunteered for the Royal Air Force at the age of 17 and completed his…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

BBarffAColingEFv1.pdf
Time in the RAF including selection as an observer, enrolment at Lord's Cricket Ground, navigational dead reckoning and meteorology training in Eastbourne and Paignton. Time spent on navigational sorties in Grahamstown, South Africa in Ansons and…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

ALeatherdaleF151018.mp3

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

LOpenshawB19211117v1.pdf
Record of training navigation star and sun sights from ground and air between April 1943 and February 1944. Locations April to July 1943 at 24 bombing gunnery and navigation school at Moffat Southern Rhodesia on Anson aircraft. December 1943 at No 23…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

PThomasWH1501.jpg
Bill Thomas flew operations as a bomb aimer with 166 Squadron at RAF Kirmington and 153 Squadron at RAF Scampton. He describes his training in Canada and the Atlantic crossing on board the Queen Elizabeth.

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

PPOConnellDA16010001.jpg
A formal dinner with the Canadian airman standing giving a speech. Several airmen and civilians are seated around him, one man is smoking. Caption 'HQ1530' and on the reverse 'RCAF reply Fredericks??'.

Tags: ; ;

PRichardsHJ1807.jpg
Harold Richards from Lincoln was working in the health industry before he volunteered for the RAF. After trying to be a pilot he trained as an observer. He was posted to 297 Squadron at Stoney Cross where he and his crew dropped supplies to the…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

APayneAJ150811.mp3
Alan Payne was born in Wendover, Buckinghamshire. He volunteered for aircrew with the Royal Air Force and after initial training was sent to South Africa where he trained as an observer. When he returned to the UK, he was allocated the role of bomb…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

AFreethR160531.mp3
Reg Freeth grew up in Wales and worked for the Civil Service in the Labour Exchange before he volunteered for the Royal Air Force. He trained as an observer in South Africa and flew operations served as a bomb aimer with 61 Squadron from RAF…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

PMooreWT1506.jpg
Bill Moore joined the Royal Air Force after spending time in the Air Defence Cadet Corps, qualifying as an observer. He tells of his family history in wartime and his transatlantic trip, landing in New York before heading to Canada for his training.…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

BMuirCMuirRWLv1 copy.pdf
Written by his nephew, a narrative of Reg's early life, his participation in student exchanges in Germany, joining the Royal Air force, training, life on the station and the crash in which he died, together with air gunners Sergeant Leslie Johnson…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

BBainesCOBrienCv1.pdf
A biography of Cecil written by his niece. It is based on letters he wrote to his brother, Colleen's father. She explains his training and the various locations where he served. He was lost 27 January 1944 over Berlin.

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

MAlgarHKM1801102-211028-06.jpg
Fulfilled necessary conditions while in Air Training Corps and qualified in the pilot/observer syllabus of training.

Tags: ; ; ;

PHawkinsD15020002.jpg
Head and shoulders portrait of Des Hawkins wearing service dress including hat. Observer brevet and single medal ribbon over left breast pocket. On the reverse 'Des Hawkins 1943'.

Tags: ; ;

SBakerDA19210428v20040-0001.jpg
Few lines to let her know he is OK. Still near Oxford but should be finished soon. Should get leave before reporting to new station. Writes that he had been crewed up and describes crew as one Rhodesian, an Australian observer, a wireless operator…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ;

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.

Tags: ; ; ; ;

YGeachDG1394781v3.pdf
Second of David Geach's diaries, describing his training for aircrew at Kingstown, Heaton Park, Hastings and Harrogate until his embarkation to Canada on the Queen Mary. Covers the period from 20 June 1942 to 7 October 1942.

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

MLutwycheCE561197-170703-01.pdf
A report by Bill's son about the accident when his father died. He describes the details and the airmen involved.

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

PGoldbyJL1701.jpg
John Goldby was born in Kent but the family moved to London the year after. He was inspired to join the RAF when a schoolfriend joined and became a Spitfire pilot. John believes that it was a mid-air collision with a night fighter that led to his…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

AFosterHG160821.mp3
Harold Gordon Foster (known as Harry) tells of his childhood, passing the eleven plus exam and his enjoyment of learning, and the need for him to earn money for his family rather than going to grammar school. He first worked for CL Equipments,…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

Output Formats

atom, dc-rdf, dcmes-xml, json, omeka-xml, rss2