Humber

Extracts from 'Nearly a Somebody' part 1

Gradually we became an integrated crew, I map read to the target, to aim small bombs on some Somerset mud...

Wartime in Grimsby

We had to use the shelter hurriedly on several occasions when they bombed the docks, using bright parachute...

Lucky Kids Growing Up in WW2

As children my brother sister and I saw bodies, limbs, wrecked and burned houses, buses and a bombed...

A Halifax Rear-Gunner

After training, he was promoted to Flight-Sergeant and posted to Melbourne airfield in Yorkshire in August...

Episodes from an Uncertain Memory 2 'Name Dropping'

The 9th Super-heavy Battery R.A. was in the station yard somewhere near Hull where gun crews were engaged...

Hard Times

One day, one of my school friends came home on leave from the Women's Land Army looking all healthy and...

When Ships Are Lost

My father was an engineer in the Merchant Navy during the war — I often feel that the Merchant Navy...

Rationing

What a splendid opportunity for my fellow travellers - some of their families must have enjoyed a rare...

One Fateful Night: Bombing of Kingston-upon-Hull

On the night of 19/20 May 1942 at about 12:30 AM, My Father, Mother and younger Brotherand myself were in...

Ship Repairs in Hull

During the war I worked as an apprentice at Brigham & Cowans Ship Repairs in Hull, East Yorkshire. One...

Called to the Colours

From the Preliminary Training Corps at Beverley those of us selected for posting to the Royal Armoured...

W/O "Nick" Nicholson 35 Sqn Pathfinder

At the request of General Eisenhower, RAF Bomber Command were asked to disrupt German lines of...

A Child's War: In Hull

I lived in Hull, in East Yorkshire, with my mother and father at 24 Claremont Avenue. By the time mother...

Memories of WW2 as an Evacuee

We must have stopped with at least 6 families that I can recall some must have been near the Aerodrome at...

My memories of the days before and during the second world war: A Child in Kingston Upon Hull

My fathers father had for years worked on the Hedon Road area docks as a Pit-Prop carrier,, that were used...

World War 2 and My Life in Hull

Beverley was our most frequent destination, since one of Annie's sisters, Laura, and her husband, Rob...

An easy war in the Royal Artillery (Part 1)

It later became known as the Home Guard and was mainly staffed by young men who had not yet entered the...

So you want to be a flier - An air gunner's story - Part 3: Chapters 11 to 12a

The Wing Commander Flying convened a meeting and each Section Leader reported their availability, from...

So you want to be a flier - An air gunner's story -Part 4: Chapters 12b to 13

His name was Wray, his nickname Hoppy, for he had the reputation of arriving at a Bomber Squadron...

Sunshine and Showers

The cows were hand milked by Neil, who came down from the village every day, providing us with our fresh...

Childhood Reflections

I lived with my family in Alexandra Road on Newland Avenue in Kingston upon Hull, East Yorkshire... Whilst...

A Collection of Memories by John Rawlings - Chapter 8

Each convoy was led by an officer and the meal lorry by a corporal... In his capacity as the War Office...

The Gunners

One of the great developments of the war was radar, and so German aircraft flew in extremely low from the...

Memories of WW2 as a Child in Withernsea

Some German aircraft flew over to bomb Kingston upon Hull, one must have tried to hit the lighthouse, and...

Manchester Bomber Crash in Holmpton, East Yorkshire 14th January 1942 - Part 2

Eric was killed along with the rest of the crew on Wednesday 14th January 1942 when his Avro Manchester...

When the Shells Started Falling - - - - - -

Narrow Squeak number five Our first camp was near a village called Laxton in East Yorks, On our night off...