Browse Items (257 total)

  • Tags: searchlight

SThompsonPE172099v10052.pdf
Starts with activities on 29/30 August 1944. Some details of first operation (on Koenigsberg [sic]) and daily activities. Mentions being attacked by fighters, seeing several going down in flames and flying over Sweden. Follows with accounts of…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

LJuryE653173v1.pdf
Edwin Jury’s Observer’s and Air Gunner’s Flying Log Book from 10th October 1942 until 20th April 1943. During this time trained as an air gunner. Trained at No. 2 Air Gunnery School and 1659 Heavy Conversion Unit, before being posted for operations…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

BAllisonTAllisonTv1.pdf
Bomber Command wartime memoirs 1939-45 by Ted Allison. He completed 35 bomber operations as wireless operator/air gunner 1941-43, which he described as being looked down upon. The introduction describes his role as a Wop/Ag and how they're replaced…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

YCousinsHL[Ser#-DoB]v1.pdf
Handwritten notes from January to July 1941.

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

A memoir by Peter Hoare of life before the war started.

In accordance with the conditions stipulated by the donor, this collection is available only at the University of Lincoln.

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

BHemmingsKHemmingsKv1.pdf
Ken Hemmings recalls his experiences as a flight engineer during World War II. Many memorable experiences, both fun and frightening, included a Halifax incident where brake pressure was lost, leading to a dangerous fuel collision. Hemmings trained at…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

MWebberKR411562-190625-01 copy.pdf
Completed navigator's log (Form 441) for an operation.
Page one includes details of the aircraft and crew, the route to be flown and the forecast winds.
Pages two and three hold navigational and general observations made during the flight.
Page…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

LReeksA649770v1.pdf
Albert Reeks’ Observer’s and Air Gunner’s Flying Log Book from 20th May 1940 until 19th January 1949. During this time trained as a wireless operator and air gunner.

Trained at No. 4 Bombing and Gunnery School, 12 Operational Training Unit.…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

LCrimminWJ[Ser#-DoB]v1.pdf
Bill Crimmin’s Pilot’s Flying Log Book from 19th June 1941 until 29th December 1944. During this time he trained as a pilot.
Training started at No. 4 British Flying Training School in Phoenix, Arizona. This continued at No. 3 Service Flying…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

MBatchelderHE1262838-190626-07.pdf
Two poems.
A three verse poem by a anonymous author, and a nineteen verse poem describing a bombing raid by John Williams.

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

SHoldenMB651668v10001.pdf
A record of the operations flown by Holden and his pilot, taken from the squadron Operational Record Book and other sources.
Each operation occupies a page and includes date, aircraft, target, take off and landing times, crew list, remarks and…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

SRogersK1579511v10047.jpg
Page 22 of Marjorie Rogers' diary. Three newspaper cuttings covering the intensive bombing of the Ruhr.

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

SRogersK1579511v10044.jpg
Page 24 of Marjorie Rogers' diary.
Marjorie covers Ken's operation on U-boat shelters under construction at Farge.

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

LBatchelderH1262838v1.pdf
Pilot's Flying Log Book for Sergeant H E Batchelder DFM covering the period 2 March 1941 to 11 May 1945 and detailing training flights, air tests and operations. Aircraft flown were Tiger Moth, Oxford, Whitley and Halifax. Harold Batchelder carried…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

BElsonAElsonAv10001.jpg
Warrant Officer Albert Elson (751538) joined the Volunteer Reserves in Derby in 1938 and was called up on 3 September 1939. His operational service began on 26 September 1940. He completed his first tour with 115 Squadron at RAF Marham in 1941, then…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

BDanielsHDaniesHv1.pdf
The memoir contains a summary of Daniels' flying career. He completed initial training at Torquay and his flying training at Bulawayo in South Africa, sailing out on the Reina Del Pacifico and returning on the Empress of Canada. As a navigator he…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

ESlaterWJ[Recipient]R20060415.pdf
Joined the RAF in February 1939 and was eventually selected for training as an air gunner. Writes of training and crewing up at OTU where he flew some operational leaflet and mining operations on Whitleys. Follows a time on Coastal Command and…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

LChristieJO17256v1.pdf
Observer’s and air gunner’s flying log book for J O Christie, wireless operator, covering the period from 23 September 1941 to 13 April 1943. Detailing his flying training, operations flown and instructor duties. He was stationed at 2 Wireless School…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

EBaldwinER-GummersallTBaldwinER-GummersallTv1.pdf
Memoirs of Eric Baldwin and Tom Gummersall of 467 Squadron RAAF RAF Waddington. Eric Baldwin recounts several of his experiences as a mid upper gunner including flying in the wrong direction due to compass problems, parts falling off his aircraft on…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

LIzzardVR419046v1 copy.pdf
Vic Izzard’s Royal Air Force Observer’s and Air Gunner’s Flying Log Book from 26th June 1942 until 2nd July 1945. During this time trained as a rear gunner.
In Australia attended No 1. Recruit Depot, No. 1 Wireless Air Gunnery School, No. 1 Initial…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

SKnoxVD63842v10022.pdf
A communication to the men and women of Bomber Command from Air Chief Marshall A T Harris in which he summarises the impact of Bomber Command. References the disruption of enemy communications, industrial output and submarine training; striking…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

BChandlerRChandlerEBv1.pdf
A biography of Chan's life.
He flew 95 operations as Wireless Operator / Air Gunner, Gunnery Leader and Cameraman with 49 and 617 Squadrons and survived nine days adrift in the North Sea. He earned the Distinguished Flying Cross and a rare Soviet…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

PBellC2501.jpg
Colin Bell spent eighteen months as a newly qualified pilot instructing trainees in America. He completed 50 operations as a pilot on Mosquitos on the Light Night Striking Force.
Colin talks of his entry interview into the RAF, his time at an…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

LClydeJ1125510v1.pdf
J Clyde’s RAF Observer’s and Air Gunner’s Flying Log Book from 26 August 1942 to 23 August 1945, detailing training, operations, instructional and other duties as a Wireless Operator/Air Gunner.
He was stationed at RAF Yatesbury (No. 2 Signals…

Tags: ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;

SThomsonGB1572977v50003.pdf
The first chapter, 'Shot Down', gives a detailed description of being on the flight out to Fankfurt and being shot down on their 20th operation. He goes on to describe his and other crews baling out. The second chapter, entitled 'Escape', describes…

Tags: ; ; ;