Pietro Commisso]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Marco Dalla Bona]]> ita]]> Sound]]> Civilian]]> Italy]]> Italy--Turriaco]]> Italy--Monfalcone]]> Peter Schulze]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Peter Schulze]]> deu]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Wehrmacht. Luftwaffe]]> Germany]]> Belgium]]> Austria]]> Austria--Linz]]> Germany--Sachsenhausen (Brandenburg)]]> 1945]]> Antony Bartlett]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Cathie Hewitt]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Poetry]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> 1943]]> Theresa Turk]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Steve Baldwin]]> eng]]> Text. Poetry]]> Text]]> Royal Air Force]]> Civilian]]> Bill returned to Scotland and converted to bomb aiming. He crewed up at RAF Castle Donington and went to RAF Sandtoft and RAF Hemswell to the Lancaster Finishing School. Bill was transferred to 166 Squadron at RAF Kirmington, flying Lancasters. They then went to RAF Scampton as 153 Squadron. Bill conducted 29 operations and one which was aborted because of engine problems. Bill then trained as an equipment officer, being sent to RAF Strubby. He then demobilised and returned to his job in local government.
The interview discusses relationships between commissioned and non-commissioned crew, Bill’s thoughts on Dresden, Bomber Command and Arthur Harris, and the awarding of medals. ]]>
Bruce Blanche]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Sally Coulter]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> Canada]]> Alberta]]> Ontario]]> Ontario--Toronto]]> Prince Edward Island]]> Québec]]> England--Cornwall (County)]]> England--Harrogate]]> England--Hastings]]> England--Lancashire]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--London]]> England--Manchester]]> England--Northamptonshire]]> England--Redruth]]> England--Sussex]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Scotland--Wigtown]]> Wales--Aberystwyth]]> Germany]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> Germany--Cologne]]> Germany--Dresden]]> Germany--Kassel]]> Germany--Kleve (North Rhine-Westphalia)]]> Germany--Stuttgart]]> Germany--Wanne-Eickel]]> New Brunswick]]> New Brunswick--Moncton]]> United States]]> New York (State)]]> New York (State)--New York]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]>
Erica Picco]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Lapsus. Laboratorio di analisi storica del mondo contemporaneo]]> Peter Schulze]]> ita]]> Sound]]> Civilian]]> Italy--Po River Valley]]> Italy--Milan]]> Italy--Bizzarone]]> Switzerland]]> Italy]]> 1943]]> Andrew Sadler]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Jackie Simpson]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> France--Mailly-le-Camp]]> Germany--Berlin]]> Germany--Dresden]]> Germany--Essen]]> Germany--Leipzig]]> Germany--Magdeburg]]> Germany--Munich]]> France]]> Germany]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> Ian Locker]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Christine Kavanagh]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Canada]]> Great Britain]]> Italy]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Northamptonshire]]> Germany--Berlin]]> Italy--Livorno]]> North Africa]]> Slovakia]]> Czech Republic]]> Germany]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> 1941]]> 1943]]> Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Bethany Ellin]]> Heather Hughes]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Germany--Bochum]]> Germany]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> Atlantic Ocean--Irish Sea]]> England--Orford Ness]]> Chris Brockbank]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Katie Gilbert]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> South Africa]]> Zambia]]> England--Bedfordshire]]> England--Cumbria]]> England--Suffolk]]> Peter Schulze]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Peter Schulze]]> deu]]> Sound]]> Civilian]]> Wehrmacht. Luftwaffe]]> Germany--Berlin]]> Poland--Wrocław]]> Germany]]> Poland]]> 1945-02-03]]> 1943]]> Peter Jones]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Hugh Donnelly ]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Civilian]]> Royal Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> Switzerland]]> Alps]]> Great Britain. Royal Air Force]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Mike Connock]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Log book and record book]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> Italy]]> Scotland]]> England--Leicestershire]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Nottinghamshire]]> France--Modane]]> Germany--Berlin]]> Germany--Bremen]]> Germany--Dortmund-Ems Canal]]> Germany--Hannover]]> Germany--Leipzig]]> Germany--Magdeburg]]> Germany--Wesel (North Rhine-Westphalia)]]> Germany--Würzburg]]> Italy--Bari]]> Scotland--Dumfries and Galloway]]> Germany--Böhlen]]> Germany--Braunschweig]]> Germany--Düsseldorf]]> Germany--Frankfurt am Main]]> Germany--Nordhausen (Thuringia)]]> France]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> 1946]]> 1943-10-18]]> 1943-11-03]]> 1943-11-10]]> 1943-11-11]]> 1943-11-18]]> 1943-11-19]]> 1943-11-22]]> 1943-11-26]]> 1943-11-27]]> 1943-12-02]]> 1943-12-03]]> 1943-12-20]]> 1943-12-21]]> 1943-12-29]]> 1943-12-30]]> 1944-01-02]]> 1944-01-03]]> 1944-01-14]]> 1944-01-15]]> 1944-01-20]]> 1944-01-21]]> 1944-01-21]]> 1944-01-22]]> 1945-02-19]]> 1945-02-20]]> 1945-02-21]]> 1945-02-24]]> 1945-03-14]]> 1945-03-15]]> 1945-03-16]]> 1945-03-17]]> 1945-03-22]]> 1945-03-23]]> 1945-04-04]]> 1945-04-05]]> 1945-04-06]]> 1945-04-08]]> 1945-04-09]]> 1945-04-26]]> 1945-05-06]]> 1945-05-12]]> 1945-05-14]]> 1945-07-17]]> 1945-09-09]]> 1945-10-16]]> 1945-10-20]]> 1945-12-14]]> 1945-12-20]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Laura Morgan]]> eng]]> Text]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Bill Thomas]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Karl Williams]]> David Bloomfield]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Memoir]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Canada]]> Germany]]> Great Britain]]> Scotland]]> Wales]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Germany--Cologne]]> Germany--Dresden]]> Wales--Aberystwyth]]> New Brunswick--Moncton]]> Scotland--Dumfries and Galloway]]> New Brunswick]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> Ontario]]> Ontario--Belleville]]> 1941]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> Anecdotes include a low flying incident near Skegness for which they were in trouble with the group captain, and the issue of guns and ammunition when some German prisoners escaped. They lost their possessions to the Committee of Adjustment when they were diverted to another airfield.
Harry received army-type training at RAF Bridlington and continued his flight engineering training on Stirlings at RAF St Athan. He was sent to RAF East Kirkby on Lancasters.
Harry collected prisoners of war from Italy and Brussels. He describes people’s recollections of Guy Gibson.
He stayed for seven or so years in the RAF, flying Lancasters and Lincolns at RAF Waddington. Harry relates the delayed publication of a photograph, with a Lincoln and Lincoln cathedral.
Harry outlines his encounter with a group captain who helped him to change his wheel, subsequently inviting him to dinners at the Petwood Hotel and Bomber Command headquarters. Harry received a two minute standing ovation for one of the longest bombing trips of the war. ]]>
Dan Ellin]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Emma Bonson ]]> Sally Coulter]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> England--Yorkshire]]> Wales--Vale of Glamorgan]]> Germany]]> Germany--Wesseling]]> England--Woodhall Spa]]> England--Lincoln]]> 1944-06]]>
John was a flight engineer with 427 Squadron. He was born at Westcliff-on-Sea and volunteered for the Royal Air Force when he received a letter from Bomber Command. He had joined the Air Training Corps and had an interest in aircraft. After finishing operations, he trained men when they transferred to Lancasters. He also flew Halifaxes. John demobilised in June 1947 and became a refrigeration engineer.
John’s wife describes how the Canadian crew attended their wedding and helped organise their honeymoon nine days before the war ended.
The family observe that John rarely discussed his wartime experiences; he did what had to be done.
John’s grandson recalls John’s love of model aircraft and shares his own research on 427 Squadron. He notes how the station records became more serious as the war progressed and losses grew. He recounts some of the stories John told him and how John was shocked by a photograph in a book, which recorded an incident he had experienced. He comments on the dangers they faced outside and during operations.
The family visited Yorkshire Air Museum for John’s 90th birthday and went in a Halifax, which is described as narrow and uncomfortable.
The family expresses their views about Bomber Command and the role it played.
]]>
Julian Maslin]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Cathie Hewitt]]> Sally Coulter]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Great Britain]]> England--Yorkshire]]> 1945-05-08]]> 1947-06]]>
Barry Jackson]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Tracy Johnson]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> Canada]]> Great Britain]]> Norway]]> Atlantic Ocean--Skagerrak]]> Scotland--Moray]]> On one of his operations he arrived over France to drop supplies to the French resistance but, in the absence of a reception committee, returned home and successfully repeated the trip the next night.
After converting to Lancasters, his first trip was to Duisburg but he forgot to operate the bombing master switch which meant they had to go around again and work their way back into the main bomber stream. James considers himself very fortunate to have survived that episode.
He speaks warmly of his crew but admitted that on the morality of mass bombing he had a dispute with his engineer and actually came to blows.
In December 1944, he completed his 30th operation to the Oberhausen oil refinery but became ill with tonsillitis and hospitalised. On recovery he spent time at RAF Feltnell training new crews on the ‎Gee-H navigation system.
James was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross and after demob spent time as a clerk before joining Quantas Airways as an air navigation officer. Unfortunately the training was too complex for him and he left to pursue a career as a salesman for 25 years.
James speaks at length of his strong feelings on the importance of the role that Bomber Command carried out, which was not recognised by the leaders, and considers that the enemy were not the German people but the Nazis.
]]>
Barry Jackson]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Hugh Donnelly]]> Terry Holmes]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Great Britain]]> England--Norfolk]]> England--Suffolk]]> France]]> Canada]]> Germany]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> Germany--Oberhausen (Düsseldorf)]]> Germany--Duisburg]]> 1944]]>
Nicky Barr]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal New Zealand Air Force]]> Canada]]> Great Britain]]> New Zealand]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> Adam Purcell]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Australia]]> France]]> Great Britain]]> United States]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> France--Juvincourt-et-Damary]]> 1944]]> 1945]]> Dan Ellin]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Dawn Studd]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Civilian]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Tom Ozel]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Christine Kavanagh]]> Pending review]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> Germany]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> Germany--Oberursel]]> Poland]]> Poland--Żagań]]> 1941]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]>

]]>
Pam Locker]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Julie Williams]]> Pending review]]> Pending OH summary]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> 1941]]> 1942]]> 1943]]> 1944]]> 1945]]>
Julian Maslin]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Hugh Donnelly]]> Pending review]]> Pending OH summary]]> eng]]> Sound]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Air Force. Fighter Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Lincolnshire]]> 1944]]> 1945]]>