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Interview with Ralph Alfrado Ottey. One
Ralph Ottey was born in Jamaica in 1924. Brought up by his grandparents, he describes his education and family hopes that he would become a teacher. He left school at 16 and a half but was too young to attend teaching college so worked for his uncle…
Interview with Raymond Moore
Raymond Moore flew 31 operations as a flight engineer with 408 Squadron. He describes initial training at Skegness and then further training at Cosford, Halton and St Athan. He describes the crewing-up procedure at Eastmoor and describes the…
Interview with Ronald Last
Ronald Last grew up in Dorset and worked as an apprentice for the local Gas and Water company before volunteering for the Air Force. He attended the reception centre at Lord's Cricket Ground and describes the medical tests and inoculations recruits…
Interview with Roy Maddock-Lyon
Roy Maddock-Lyon was born in Cheshire and when his school was evacuated at the start of the war he began an engineering apprenticeship. He was a part of the Queen’s Messengers, a relief organisation that travelled to bombed cities to take emergency…
Interview with Rusty Waughman. Two
Russell (Rusty) Waughman was born in Shotley Bridge, County Durham. Due to serious poor health as a child his education was interrupted. He describes his training with the Empire Training School in Canada. He was posted to 101 Squadron which was a…
Interview with Stanley Bradford
Stanley Bradford was working in a Reserved Occupation until he volunteered. The three services were represented but as he approached them in turn the army and navy both rejected him because of his work. The RAF said that since he was in Reserved…
Interview with Syd Marshall
Sidney Marshall grew up in Lincolnshire and worked as an agricultural engineer. He volunteered for the Royal Air Force at eighteen and trained as a flight engineer. On his first operation to Duisburg one of his Lancaster's engines was hit by shrapnel…
Interview with Taff Owen
Aneurin ‘Taff’ Owen was born neat Dolgellau, near Penmaenpool in Wales, and joined the Royal Air Force at the age of 18 in 1942. Taff was a farmer’s son and as such was put into a reserved occupation, so some of the areas of the Royal Air Force…
Interview with Thomas Charles Arthur Long
Thomas Charles Arthur Long was born in Quorn, England. He was in the Home Guard and worked at Brush as a draughtsman, also gaining a Higher National Certificate from Loughborough College. He decided to join the RAF being that the only way to get out…
Interview with Thomas Edward Noton
Thomas Edward Noton was born in Greenwich on the 4th of April 1923. Upon leaving school he began a toolmaking apprenticeship, however, before finishing the course, Noton decided to join the Royal Air Force at the age of eighteen. He explains why he…
Interview with Tom Coles
Tom Coles was born in Watford and signed up for the Royal Air Force at the age of 18. He went to Canada for training, a period saddened by the loss of his sister who was in the Womens Auxilliary Air Force. Tom flew Manchesters, then went to 158…
Interview with William Anderson
Flight Officer William Anderson began his service in the Royal Air Force at the age of eighteen when he signed up in Edinburgh. In this interview he speaks about his training, reporting to Lord’s Cricket Ground in London, being paid at the London…
Itinerary on joining
List train times, routes and reporting eventually to depot at RAF Bridgenorth. On the reverse part of a list of names.
James Banks Airman's Service and Pay Book
Contains personal and service information for James Banks
who enlisted for nine years of service 25 April 1935.
Includes leave pass for 13 April 1947 to 19 April 1947.
who enlisted for nine years of service 25 April 1935.
Includes leave pass for 13 April 1947 to 19 April 1947.
James Banks Statement of Service and Certificate of Discharge
Service in the Royal Air Force (25 April 1935 to 23 January 1948), then released as Temporary Flight Sergeant. Mentioned in despatches 14 June 1945. Contains dates of enlistment and discharge as well as personnel details, trade of photographer, his…
John Shipman's Enlistment Notice
To report to No.3 RAF Recruitment Centre Padgate.
John Shipman's provisional acceptance in to the RAF
A brief note accepting John into the RAF.
John Valentine Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve notice paper
Copy of attestation. Includes questions to be put to recruit before enlistment as well as oath and certificate of attesting officer.
Join the WAAF - Help the RAF
A brochure encouraging women to joing the WAAF.
Joining documentation
State pay as under training armourer of two shillings a day and detail joining instructions.
Keith Thompson's very early service
Two telegrams telling him to report to Lord's,
RAF F2150 RAFVR, deferment of call up,
his service number 'ticket' drawn out of a hat and address of someone with a service number fifteen after Keith Thompson's.
RAF F2150 RAFVR, deferment of call up,
his service number 'ticket' drawn out of a hat and address of someone with a service number fifteen after Keith Thompson's.
Leonard Dorricott's wartime letters to his parents
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…
Leonard William Fairbanks' Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve notice paper
Form 2168 including questions to be put to recruit before enlistment as well as oath and certificate of attesting officer.
This item was sent to the IBCC Digital Archive already in digital form. No better quality copies are available.
This item was sent to the IBCC Digital Archive already in digital form. No better quality copies are available.
Letter concerning third batch of Ceylonese joining the RAF
Author (probably Roy J de Niese) gives some information on recruitment and training of Ceylonese volunteers for the RAF. Includes his recruitment and initial training in Ceylon, travel to Great Britain, enlistment, elementary flying training and…
Letter directing Dennis Raettig to attend recruiting centre
![E[Author]RaettigDW410107-0001.jpg](https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/square_thumbnails/319/8265/E[Author]RaettigDW410107-0001.jpg "E[Author]RaettigDW410107-0001.jpg")
Official letter with reference to application to enlist in Royal Air Force Reserve giving instructions for Dennis Raettig to attend recruiting cenre in Hull on 15 January 1941 for vacancy as 'Ach u/t Flight Mechanic (E/A)'.