Browse Items (39 total)

  • Tags: physical training

AHubermanA160329.mp3
Alfred Huberman volunteered for the RAF when he was eighteen and trained as an air gunner. He describes the training and emphasises how physically hard it was. He flew 31 operations from RAF Elsham Wolds in Lancasters. These included operations over…

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AHabberfieldM180111.mp3
Margaret Habberfield was born in 1923. At sixteen she joined the Royal Air Force after giving her age as eighteen. She began her six-week general training at Harrogate and was billeted with around 20 other girls. Margaret was then posted to RAF…

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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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AHaighG150902.mp3
George Haigh was already a keen footballer when he volunteered for the Royal Air Force and became a physical training instructor. He was posted to RAF Morecambe where he provided basic training to new recruits. He discusses the mixed level of fitness…

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PParryHP1609.jpg
Hugh Parry was born in Oswestry and joined the Air Force in April 1943 and volunteered to be an air gunner. Knowing that there was a height restriction on air gunners of six feet he hid his height by wearing baggy trousers. After training, he was…

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EBoldyDABoldyAD400522-0001.jpg
Letter from David Boldy to his father about being in the Royal Air Force, with details of training at Uxbridge and at RAF Bridgnorth. He bought a silver cigarette case with Royal Air Force wings.

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MAllenDJ1880966-150702-010001.jpg
States physical fitness rating and swimming test for Derrick Allen.

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No 3 School of Physical Training. Group of men arranged in seven rows, the first cross-legged, the second seated, the other rows standing. Mixture of white and striped T-shirts. Names printed underneath. George Haigh is in second row from back,…

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Formal group School of Physical Training No 2 Flight, arranged in seven rows, front row cross legged, second row sitting, remaining rows standing. Dressed in a mixture of shorts, T shirts or topless. Two officers are in uniform. George Haigh is in…

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PJonesWC18020012.jpg
Two RAF forms issued to William Jones.
Form 1835A Physical Fitness Record.
Included is 'Achievement Scales' with annotations in the Good range.
Form 667B Flying clothing card.

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MLeadbetterJ163970-160421-140001.jpg
A card issued to John for recording his fitness.

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MColeFIG1817994-170709-010002.jpg
RAF Form 1835A recording Ivor's fitness records.

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EGortonHGortonLCM440220.pdf
He writes of activities at RAF Silverstone and encloses a bank statement from the National Provincial Bank Limited showing he is £149.9.7 in credit.

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BBrabinHWBrabinHWv1.pdf
Harry joined the Royal Australian Air Force on 25 June 1942 as a wireless operator/air gunner and received his initial training in Australia before going to Canada for his trade training.

He sailed on the SS Johan Van Barneve to San Francisco and…

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ERedgraveHCRedgraveJM400104-0001.jpg
Letter and envelope from Harry Redgrave to his wife Jessie. Harry has passed his Maths exam and is on the list to be sent to Prestwick (after an initial confusion).

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EWynnIAWynnK410329-0001.jpg
Thanks her for parcel and states he has received first pay. Asks after his son and goes on to describe training and food. Discusses financial affairs and mentions other nationalities that are training.

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BUreILUreILv1.pdf
A detailed autobiography by Ivan Ure.

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EDoughtyJCDoughtyW[Date]-030001.jpg
Thanks her for parcel. Not much news. Comments on weather and PT, running in local area. States he was going on Halifax.

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PMcNallyC1701.jpg
Charles McNally spent his childhood in Dundee and Airdrie, Scotland. He began work at the Post Office as a Telegram Boy before joining the engineering department. This meant he now worked in a Reserved Occupation and he struggled to get permission…

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EDorricottLWVarious41-42.pdf
Note book containing 84 pages of letters covering the period 1 September 1941 to 4 July 1942. It covers his training in the UK, Canada and the USA. He describes, in detail, his social life and eating arrangements but very little about the actual…

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ATaylorJ150916.mp3
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 and although this was a reserved occupation he volunteered for aircrew. After his initial…

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BCuthillMSFHCuthillMSFHv1.pdf
Margaret Cuthill's account of her time in the WAAF. At the age of 17 she volunteered for the WAAF and was enrolled as a teleprinter operator. She was sent to Wilmslow for training. After four weeks of drill and physical exercise she was posted to…

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BPotterPLPotterPLv20001.jpg
Describes training at Bridlington, Lindholme and Sandtoft including navigation, Morse code, wireless and radio, basic piloting and gunnery as well as physical training. Mentions move to Bridgnorth. Finally to Pembrey for training on aircraft, moving…

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BPotterPLPotterPLv20002.jpg
Gives account of time at Bridlington which included training on basic navigation, bomb aiming, wireless operating and morse code. Also included physical training and drill. Mentions training on machine guns and then moved on to Lindholme, Pembrey,…

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ELampreyPGuntonW[Date]-35.pdf
Peter Lamprey reports that his crew turned back with an un-serviceable aircraft from operation to Berlin but that he was subsequently involved in a ferocious attack on Berlin with four hundred planes bombing inside 15 minutes. On their return they…

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