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Interview with Mike Cope
Mike is the adopted brother of James (known as Sonny) who was in the Royal Air Force with 460 Squadron. The crew were all English apart from the Australian pilot. James was a wireless operator/mid-upper air gunner. Mike was seven in 1943 when his…
Interview with Frederick Joseph Keith Martin
Keith Martin was working for an agricultural machinery merchants in Shrewsbury when the war started. This was classed as a reserved occupation but when he was nearly 20, he decided to volunteer for the Royal Air Force in April 1942 and was selected…
Interview with Christopher George McVickers
Christopher ‘Kit’ McVickers was working at the steelworks before he volunteered for aircrew. He trained as a wireless operator and was posted to 218 Squadron based at Woolfox Lodge. His pilot refused to fly and was replaced with a new pilot. The…
Interview with Jack Robertson Millin
Jack Millin was working for his father as a painter and decorator before he volunteered for the RAF. He was a Civil Defence bicycle messenger and joined the ATC. When he joined the RAF he trained as a wireless operator/air gunner and was posted to…
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 Geoff Payne
Geoff Payne has his first experience of the Royal Air Force with the Air Training Corps, at RAF Wyton in Cambridgeshire, where he had one of his first experiences of military humour. He joined in 1943 at the age of 17 and a half hoping to become a…
Interview with Sidney James Richards
Sydney James Richards was born in Greenwich, London and was working in a drawing office in the Arsenal before joining the Royal Air Force. He was originally intending to join the Navy but changed his mind as he decided he preferred aircrew. He did…
Interview with Lawrence Clark Rogers
Lawrence Rogers joined the Royal Air Force at 17, and trained to become a wireless operator. He served with 218 Squadron at RAF Woolfox Lodge and then with 75 Squadron, flying in both Ansons and Lancasters, He eventually completed 32 operations with…
Interview with Ron Saunders
Ron Saunders joined the RAF as a wireless operator rear gunner and served on 114 Squadron during the war. Remembers, as a little boy, seeing the airship R 101 and the Hindenburg flying in the distance. Describes his training in England and in Egypt…
Interview with Walter Raymond Stevenson
Walter Stevenson lived in a village where the only employment was at the local mine. He was working as a blacksmith there when he volunteered for the RAF on his eighteenth birthday. Walter trained as a wireless operator/air gunner with Coastal…
Interview with James Christian Mortensen
Born on 27 December 1924 in Aigburth Liverpool, James was 15 when war broke out in Europe. He intended to join as a pilot, navigator, bomber aimer in 1943 but due to shorter waiting list and training time he trained to become a wireless operator at…
Tom Wharmby's crew biographies
Four biographies of 199 Squadron servicemen killed in action, with notes regarding the inscriptions on their headstones.
Flying Officer Ronald Herman Downes Cook, wireless operator/ air gunner;
Sergeant Ronald Hughes, navigator;
Sergeant John…
Flying Officer Ronald Herman Downes Cook, wireless operator/ air gunner;
Sergeant Ronald Hughes, navigator;
Sergeant John…
Ronald Herman Downes Cook
A head and shoulders portrait of Flying Officer Ronald Herman Downes Cook. On the reverse 'Ronald H.D. Cook. 199 Sqd. Flying Officer'.
This item was provided, in digital form, by a third-party organisation which used technical specifications and…
This item was provided, in digital form, by a third-party organisation which used technical specifications and…
Ronald Herman Downes Cook
A three quarters length image of Ronald Herman Downes Cook. He is standing wearing a Sidcot suit. On the reverse 'Ronald H.D. Cook 199 Sqd. Flying Officer'.
Interview with Donald Raymond Harris
Donald was born in Acton, London. He stayed at school until he was fourteen and then worked as a tea boy/general help for O. C. Summers, a firm that laid gas mains in Slough. When that job ended, he worked for another ganger in Shepherds Bush. …
Andy Andrews’ navigator’s, air bomber’s and air gunner’s flying log book
Navigator’s, air bomber’s and air gunner’s flying log book for P F Andrews, wireless operator/air gunner, covering the period from 16 August 1943 to 13 December 1945. Detailing his flying training, operations flown and post war flying. It also…
Max Barry's Wellington Crew
Five aircrew wearing battledress and side caps in front of a corrugated iron hut. three have visible brevet (one pilot and two half brevet). Captioned 'Max Barry's Wellington Crew, 1,2,3,4,5, Church Broughton 27 OTU, November 1943, 1 Max Barry, air…
Just Another Tailend Charlie
A memoir written by Cliff Watson divided into 20 chapters.
The Earliest Years.
Born in Barnoldswick, then in Yorkshire, now in Lancashire in 1922. His father ran a wireless business until 1926. He describes his years at schools and a move to…
The Earliest Years.
Born in Barnoldswick, then in Yorkshire, now in Lancashire in 1922. His father ran a wireless business until 1926. He describes his years at schools and a move to…
Dafoe Digest
The first issue of The Dafoe Digest, a magazine produced by No 5 Bombing and Gunnery School, Dafoe. Each section on the base has had a chance to write a short article about their activities.
Book 1, Commencing My Life in the R.A.F. up till the End of I.T.W.
First of David Geach's diaries, covering training in London, Brighton and St. Andrews from 9 February 1942 to 16 June 1942.
Fred Hooker's Service Record
Issued to Fred Hooker detailing his service record.
Charlie Waterman and Fred Hooker
Fred Hooker, in uniform and Charlie Waterman in a suit and tie (and with corsage). It is captioned 'Charlie Waterman who saved me from burning aircraft'.
Letter to Mrs H Redgrave from Harry
Harry writes to Jessie telling her of elements of his service life & duties including navigating a Hampden from Finningley to Hendon, and his input to their domestic life.
Peter Hazeldene memoir
Peter's RAF service with 57 Squadron is detailed. This was his second tour and he lists his new crew:
Flt Lt J B P 'Tuesday' Spencer, 20 years, Pilot from Greenside, Co Durham
Sgt W D E West, 21 years, Mid Upper Gunner, from Barking, Essex
Sgt H…
Flt Lt J B P 'Tuesday' Spencer, 20 years, Pilot from Greenside, Co Durham
Sgt W D E West, 21 years, Mid Upper Gunner, from Barking, Essex
Sgt H…
Peter Hazeldene's Log book
Peter Hazeldene's air gunner’s flying log book covering the period from 28 August 1940 to 13 May 1945. Detailing his flying training and operations flown as air gunner. He was stationed at RAF West Freugh (4 BGS), RAF Upper Heyford (16 OTU), RAF…