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Interview with William Anderson
Flight Officer William Anderson began his service in the Royal Air Force at the age of 18 when he signed up in Edinburgh. He recalls his training, reporting to Lord’s Cricket Ground in London, being paid at the London Zoo, and having to quickly…
Interview with Christoph Wagner Brausewetter
Christoph Wagner Brausewetter (b.1929) recalls the hardships civilians endured inside a shelter, the risks involved and the fact they spent more time there than at home. He maintains that the worst year was 1943, when aircraft were no longer able to…
Interview with Margherita Franco
Margherita Franco (b. 1934) describes how an unexploded bomb was found in the garden of their house. She mentions technical terms she learned at that time and describes how her father resorted to the Unione Nazionale Protezione Antiaerea bomb…
Battle of the Espero convoy. Part 7
The searchlight of a Royal Navy vessel casts a yellow beam onto a group of survivors. Some of them are swimming, others are on a raft. In the foreground, a life craft can be seen on the turret on the deck of another ship. A second Royal Navy vessel…
Bombers bound for Bavarian targets are attacked by anti-aircraft fire over Grado
Four aircraft have been coned by searchlights amidst scattered bursts of anti-aircraft fire. The countryside is an indistinct mass of darkness, save for the yellow of the searchlights. Label reads “136”; signed by the author; caption reads…
Interview with Marino Ferrari
Marino Ferrari recalls his early life as an engineer at Pavia arsenal, and later in Catanzaro and Verona. He describes his life as an Italian military internee in East Prussia, working in different lumberyards. Marino speaks with affection of the…
Interview with Renato Maldarelli
Renato Maldarelli (b. 1937) describes the 1943 bombing of Naples. He remembers being woken up by the alarm, his mother wrapping him in a blanket and going down to a cold shelter. He does not recall the fear of being buried alive under his collapsed…
Day raid on Danzig. U-boat yards bombed. 1,700 miles through storms
Newspaper cutting from The Times about a day bombing on Danzig and Flensburg.
Bringing a damaged bomber back from Wilhelmshaven
Sergeant Spencer Lewis Belton is interviewed by a wing commander about his aircraft flying over North Sea to bomb Wilhelmshaven. Mentions a British convoy and intense anti-aircraft fire over Emden. Describes the Wilhelmshaven bombing mentioning many…
97 Squadron operation honours, Milan, 14/15 February 1943
The aircraft is dropping bombs, there is a conventional depiction of an explosion over a river with docks. In the distance searchlights are focused on a target. There is some anti-aircraft fire. The names of the crew are written on the card – 'Sgt…
Tribute to a Pathfinder captain
Tribute to Squadron Leader William G Neal Distinguished Service Order, Distinguished Flying Cross, Croix de Guerre, 1912-2001. Describes how Don Briggs met and was crewed with Bill Neal’s crew who having completed one tour had been selected for a…
Letter to his wife from Herbert Gray.
![EGrayHMGray[Wi]440628.pdf](https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/files/square_thumbnails/107/1042/EGrayHMGray[Wi]440628.jpg "EGrayHMGray[Wi]440628.pdf")
Starts with suggestion that a recent news film of daylight operation to Le Havre, which he was on, gives a good idea of what bombing is like. However as most of his operations were at night he goes on to describe these. Describes emotions and…
Interview with Leslie Temple
Leslie Temple spent four years in the Air Training Corps before joining the Royal Air Force as a radio operator. He completed a tour of 30 operations with 101 Squadron at RAF Ludford Magna, as a German speaking special operator. He describes how…
In remembrance of S/Ldr Kenneth George Bickers DFC (Age 21)
Squadron Leader George Bickers was brought up in a working class family in Southampton during the 1930’s, attended Bitterne Park Boys School and joined the Royal Artillery where he was promoted to Corporal, having taken control of a searchlight…
Charlie Darby’s observer's and air gunner's flying log book
Observer's and air gunner's flying log book for Sergeant Charlie Darby, air gunner from 22 January 1944 to 16 January 1945. Charlie Darby was stationed at RAF Castle Kennedy and RAF Driffield where he flew Anson, Wellingtons and Halifaxes Mk 2 and 3.…
Introduction of Kodakcolor X 1941/1942
Account of problems of accurate bombing, introduction of pathfinders and use of marker flares. Relates use of cameras and photo-flash to obtain aiming point pictures. Goes on to talk on the introduction of colour film by attaching pieces colour film…
Interview with Reg Woolgar
Reg Woolgar was born in Hove. He volunteered for the Royal Air Force in December 1939 and trained as a wireless operator/air gunner. He flew Hampdens with 49 Squadron. His aircraft was damaged by anti-aircraft fire on a mine-laying operation to Oslo…
Interview with Arthur Atkins
Arthur Atkins grew up in Melbourne, Australia. As a Boy Scout, he experienced a flight in an aircraft and knew then he wanted to be a pilot. He transferred from the army to the Royal Australian Air Force and started pilot training in Australia. He…
Operations with 102 Squadron Pocklington and 10 OTU detachment, St Eval
At the back a map showing targets for operations in the Ruhr and rest of Germany as well as France and north Italy. There are two indications for German night fighters damaged and shot down. At the top a newspaper cutting headlined 'Huge explosion in…
Interview with Harry Parkins. Two
Harry shares several memories of his time as a flight engineer in the Royal Air Force. He describes their initial accommodation in luxury London flats, and dinghy training at the local swimming pool. He recounts how, in June 1944, their aircraft was…
A place to remember
Newspaper article about a reunion and flypast at RAF Elsham Wolds. Mentioned are Mike Stedman (I squared), pilot Anseleme Vernieuwe who had escaped from Belgium through France and Spain then Lisbon, rear-gunner Tom Quinlan, flight engineer Walter…
Interview with Philip Bates
Philip volunteered for the Royal Air Force in May 1940. After a short time in Blackpool, he was posted to RAF Cosford where he volunteered for training as a flight mechanic and then fitter. At 86 Squadron, Coastal Command, flying Beauford torpedo…
Interview with John "Jack" Brown
Jack Brown was born, and spent his early life, in Australia, leaving school at 14 and doing odd jobs before joining the civil service and then the RAF. He talks about his initial training before travelling to England and joining 69 Squadron. Jack…
Interview with Thomas Carroll
Tom joined the Royal Air Force as a flight engineer. He did his ground training at RAF Mablethorpe, followed by courses at RAF Locking and RAF St. Athan and speaks highly of the training he received. He went to RAF Lindholme where they crewed up as…
Interview with Gerald John Castleton
John was called up for the Army at 18 but chose to join the Royal Air Force. He passed the exams for direct entry onto the flight engineers’ course. He was then sent to RAF Rufforth where he crewed up. After 10 hours’ training, he took his first…