Donald Briggs]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Sue Smith]]> David Bloomfield]]> eng]]> Text]]> Text. Memoir]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Great Britain]]> England--Cambridgeshire]]> France--Tours]]> Germany]]> France]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> 1944]]> 1944-06]]> 1944-07]]> 1944-07-18]]> 1944-07-30]]> 1944-08]]> 1944-08-07]]> 1944-08-08]]> 1944-08-15]]> 1945]]>
The second photograph is a target photograph with flak or photo flashes obscuring the blurred image. Six bombs are seen on the left side. Bottom centre right another bomber is seen flying towards bottom right. The ground below is rural, with fields and minor roads. Caption on bottom is only partial: [S] 'pils 7/8.6.44// NT. 5": 8000'. [arrow]']]>
IBCC Digital Archive]]> Stuart Cummins]]> Geolocation impractical]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Germany]]> Germany--Cologne]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]> 1944-06-07]]> 1944-06-08]]>
The first is a target photograph taken at high level. Bombs are visible falling to centre left. A railway is seen running left to right in the bottom half, with marshalling yard in the centre. Below the railway is a river running parallel to railway. Top half shows open fields with road running left to right above the railway. On the right top a road runs bottom to top and a village where roads cross.
The second is an oblique aerial photograph of the Südbrücke bridge over the Rhine in Cologne. The river is running from top right to bottom left. In the centre running diagonally from top left to bottom right is the destroyed Südbrücke bridge. Only the left and right bank abutments and the central tower are standing, the deck has completely disappeared under water. Several small craft are in the water or moored to jetties. Bomb craters are visible around the left abutment.

Identification kindly provided by Marco Fasolato.]]>
IBCC Digital Archive]]> Stuart Cummins]]> Geolocated (cumulative polygon)]]> Pending identification. Places]]> eng]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Germany]]> Germany--Cologne]]> Germany--Ruhr (Region)]]>
Great Britain. Royal Air Force]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Stuart Cummins]]> eng]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> 1944-06-14]]> 1944-06-15]]> Great Britain. Royal Air Force]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Stuart Cummins]]> Geolocated]]> eng]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> France]]> France--Nevers]]> 1944-07-15]]> 1944-07-16]]> 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]]>
IBCC Digital Archive]]> Stuart Cummins]]> Geolocated]]> eng]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> France]]> Atlantic Ocean--English Channel]]> France--Amiens]]> 1943-06-22]]> 1943-06-23]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Stuart Cummins]]> Geolocated (cumulative polygon)]]> eng]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Atlantic Ocean--English Channel]]> France--Dunkerque]]> France]]> On the left a reconnaissance photograph orientated with east at the top. On the left side of the airfield with a single runway 13/31 running from bottom left towards the centre. A perimeter track runs round the airfield. At the top is a square built up area and to the right side aircraft dispersal with a small number of aircraft and small hangers. To the right side of the photograph is farmland with fields.

On the right a target photograph showing the whole of the airfield on the left side and open farmland on the right. The photograph is orientated with heading 150 degree at the top. A single runway 13/31 runs slightly angled from centre towards top left. The airfield has a perimeter taxiway which runs all the way round. At the top left is a square built up area. On the right side of the airfield is a dispersal area with hangars. Explosions can be seen on and just to the right of these. On the left side of the airfield two taxiways lead off the perimeter. The top one has dispersal areas spurred off it. The bottom one leads across a public road and has off airfield dispersal pans spurred from it. Bomb craters are visible in several locations, particularly near the top of the runway, with two craters in the runway itself.

Captioned 'Caen Carpiquet (Aero)'.]]>
IBCC Digital Archive]]> Stuart Cummins]]> Geolocated]]> eng]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> France--Caen]]> France]]>

On the second page an aerial vertical photograph of the same area from slightly higher. Bomb explosions can be seen across the middle in the area where the canal leads to the dock basin. Captioned 'No 2, Den Helder'.]]>
IBCC Digital Archive]]> Geolocated]]> eng]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Atlantic Ocean--North Sea]]> Netherlands--Den Helder]]> Netherlands]]>
IBCC Digital Archive]]> Geolocated]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Atlantic Ocean--North Sea]]> Netherlands--Den Helder]]> Netherlands]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Geolocated]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Royal New Zealand Air Force]]> Atlantic Ocean--North Sea]]> Netherlands--Rotterdam]]> Netherlands]]> 1943-04-04]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Geolocated]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Royal Australian Air Force]]> Royal New Zealand Air Force]]> Atlantic Ocean--North Sea]]> Netherlands--Rotterdam]]> Netherlands]]> 1943-03-22]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Geolocated]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Atlantic Ocean--North Sea]]> Netherlands--Rotterdam]]> Netherlands]]> 1943-03-28]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Stuart Cummins]]> Geolocated]]> eng]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Atlantic Ocean--North Sea]]> Netherlands--Rotterdam]]> Netherlands]]> 1943-03-28]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Geolocated]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Atlantic Ocean--North Sea]]> Belgium--Zeebrugge]]> Belgium]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Geolocated]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> France--Morlaix]]> France]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Geolocated]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Atlantic Ocean--English Channel]]> France--Boulogne-sur-Mer]]> France]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Geolocated]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> France--Caen]]> France]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Geolocated]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> France--Caen]]> France]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Geolocated]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> France--Caen]]> France]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Geolocated]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> France--Caen]]> France]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Geolocated]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Netherlands--Maassluis]]> Netherlands]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Geolocated]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Atlantic Ocean--English Channel]]> France--Cherbourg]]> France]]> IBCC Digital Archive]]> Geolocated]]> Photograph]]> Royal Air Force]]> Royal Air Force. Bomber Command]]> Atlantic Ocean--English Channel]]> France--Cherbourg]]> France]]>