Conscripted into the Army, Peter Matthews completed his basic training at Shorncliffe Barracks before being posted to Berlin as part of Operation Plainfare, the British element of the Berlin Airlift. A bout of illness delayed his journey; by the time he recovered, the Russians had closed the roads, railways and rivers, so Peter had to be flown in — a dramatic introduction to a divided city.

In his interview, Peter recalls the Queen’s Royal Regiment’s role in maintaining order and containing the Russian threat during the blockade. He shares vivid memories of a riot at the German Chancellery, of seeing former concentration camp prisoners working alongside SS men, and of being billeted at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium — a poignant billet for a sports lover.

Peter talks candidly about joint guard duties at Spandau Prison, the danger of infection from bodies still buried in the rubble, and the stark contrasts between British and American rations. His reflections on Russian behaviour at the end of the war underline why so much effort was poured into keeping Berlin’s people fed and fuelled — and why this story remains so important to tell.

Air Vice Marshal Larry Lamb served with the RAF for 38 years, he took part in World War II and the Berlin airlift. Larry explains that his interest started when his Aunt bought him a book about the RAF. Larry went on to volunteer to join the RAF in 1941. Larry talks about training, explaining that candidates had to fly a Tiger Moth aircraft in under 12 hours of instruction to proceed. He passed this stage of training, with it only taking 8 hours of instruction. Training continued in Canada and Larry impressed so much that he was eventually put up for commission (made an officer) and was chosen to become a flight instructor. Larry continued as a flight instructor for the rest of the war. After the war, Larry joined Transport Command and went to Germany to fly in the Berlin airlift as a second pilot. During his time as a second pilot, he gained some much needed experience with that type of aircraft. This experience led to him joining No. 47 squadron as a captain, where he continued his work during the airlift. On his first flight in the airlift, he recalls the ‘shambolic’ state of Berlin, describing it as a very sobering experience. He describes that a standard day consisted of two trips, each lasting about two and a half hours there and back. The cargo transported into Berlin was mostly coal, sometimes tobacco. Larry mentions that contact with the Germans was discouraged at the time. Later in life Larry became Vice President of the British Airlift association and in 2008 showed his Royal Highness around the allied museum. Larry also went on to referee top flight international rugby!

Albert Kingham shares his memories of being evacuated from Southend to Nottinghamshire at the age of eight. Albert dreamed of becoming a pilot and witnessed the first dogfight over Southend in 1939. During his four years in Nottinghamshire, he witnessed the bombing of Sheffield and collected shrapnel from crashed planes. At 14, his passion led him to join the Air Training Corps (ATC), where he received training, including parachute exercises, and flew in various aircraft. Albert recalls a memorable flight with a photographer over Germany in 1947, where he witnessed the devastating aftermath of the war in cities like Cologne. In 1948, Albert was stationed at Oakington during the Berlin Airlift, he recounts flying in Dakotas to and from Berlin. After leaving the ATC in 1951, he began a career as a naval tailor, helping produce battledress uniforms, including those worn during the Korean War. Albert’s story is one of bravery, resilience and a love for planes.

John wanted to fly since the age of ten, when, on the top deck of an open trolley bus he saw a Rapide biplane land at Croydon aerodrome. He joined the RAF during WW2 and later served as a signals engineer on the Avro York. Unknown to the crew his aircraft was used as a ‘guinea pig’ test of GCA (Ground Controlled Approach). GCA was a procedure where ground control guides the aircraft in during bad visibility and was widely used during the Berlin Airlift. This enabled aircraft to land every two to three minutes, even during the severe winter weather. During the Airlift John flew 356 trips and only one of these was aborted. One time he flew with a pilot who was so drunk that he was unable to carry out the pre-flight visual inspection but flew correctly once they were airborne. After a crash at Wunstorf which killed the crew, John served as one of the pallbearers at the funeral. He was in his early twenties and never thought about dying, believing that fate played a large part in matters of life and death. On the 60^th anniversary of the Airlift the Berlin Airlift Association went to Templehof airfield in Berlin for a memorial service. Here he was thanked by the elderly and the very young, an experience he found moving. At the time of the Airlift he thought he was only doing his duty but later he became aware of its importance of it to Berliners.

Bella Bailey reflects on her fascinating journey with the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) which changed her life forever. Struggling to find a purpose in post war Britain, Bella decided to join the RAF after discovering a notice for female recruits. Against her mother's wishes, she left home to train at a camp in Winslow. Showing a keen interest for puzzles, she later landed a job as a code messenger at Bletchley park which she thoroughly enjoyed, adapting quickly to the strict accuracy which the role required. Eventually she was posted to a camp in Lubeck, Germany which excited her adventurous spirit. She recalls the train ride through Germany, seeing the devastation caused by the bombings. During the Berlin Airlift, she continued to use a telex machine to send coded messages for important tasks such as reporting what food supplies the planes were transporting from one place to another. Outside of work, she explored Lubeck, learning to relax and have fun with her two friends May and Marj. Despite the tenseness of the atmosphere, the locals were friendly and the soldiers remained civil which made the environment feel safe and comfortable for them. She recalls one mischievous act in which she convinced a pilot to take her to Berlin which could only be done during her twenty four hour shift. Before they could lift off, the corporal caught her and sent her to cookhouse duties for a week. At the time of this interview, Bella has still not visited Berlin. The experience she gained left a profound impact on her life and would benefit her later when given the opportunity to work for the government in the diplomatic wire service. Bella's interview shows the life of a woman who understood discipline, harnessing it effortlessly into their skillset without obstructing her sense of fun and adventure.        

Cornish boy to a Berlin Airlift veteran, Guy Eddy provides an outstanding account of his time in the Royal Air Force. Born in the Cornish countryside to a farming family and leaving school at 16 and a half , he was unsure of what his career would entail at the beginning of the Second World War. Humble beginnings as an RAF Admin Apprentice, Guy knew he wanted to join the force and be a part of the fight to freedom. After 18 months of training in London, he began travelling around the world from India, South Africa and Southern Rhodesia to develop his piloting skill in a variety of vehicles. Guy recalls 'getting his wings' in 1944 and after that, his career in the force excelled with magnificent force. He reflects on his time in the war and the countries his squadron helped. Guy provides an insight into the items traded on the Black Market with one amusing story where some South Africans wanted to trade coffee beans for something more lucrative. Guy reflects on his time as a pilot during the Berlin Airlift with the unusual packages he delivered and believes it was worthwhile job for him. His account highlights the beautiful and tragic events he witnessed as a pilot in the RAF, finishing with his time flying Britannia's. He finds himself transporting radioactive fuel rods from Singapore to Tokyo for the building of Japanese nuclear power stations. It was highly secretive work and also highly likely that Fukishima was one of the recipients. Overall, Guy Eddy had a remarkable career befitting a remarkable man.

Freddie Montgomery recounts her experience in Germany during the Berlin airlift, from being assigned overseas when she was nineteen to the eventual lifting of the blockade during her tenure in the WRAC. Although she initially wanted to become a military policewoman, a position opened overseas, sending her to Germany and then, eventually, Berlin to help during the blockade. Freddie recalls her time in Berlin, primarily working in administration, and her sympathy towards struggling elder Germans, fear of Russian soldiers, and the lack of food during the airlifts. Nevertheless, Freddie reminisces on her time in Berlin with fondness, and explains how the Germans largely welcomed British troops, socialising with other sectors, and enjoying cultural activities like visiting the cinema and playing sports when she wasn't working. Later in life, Freddie became a minister in the Church, which was a choice heavily inspired by her experiences working during the airlift. Despite loving her time in Berlin, Freddie remembers the poverty she saw, and the amount of loved ones she saw die. Freddie's work as a minister still brings her in contact with the Berlin blockade today, as she recounts how she met some German people in the cathedral who expressed gratitude for British aid during the Berlin blockade, and Freddie is similarly aware of the impact of the airlift on her today.

During the Liverpool Blitz, Gordon frequently sheltered from air raids and wore gas masks in school lessons. When the war ended, he recalls people drinking in celebration and making street bonfires from the remnants of bombed buildings. Upon finishing his school exams, Gordon was called up to national service, where he trained as a Clerk GD. After some confusion surrounding his first posting, he was sent to help with the Berlin Airlift at Bückeberg. Following a turbulent flight to Germany, Gordon sought out his assignment. Despite never having left Britain before and with little guidance, he eventually found the medieval palace where 46 Group was headquartered. Gordon describes the ornate building, his German colleagues, and their difficult postwar living conditions. He befriended Heinz, a 19-year-old former member of the Hitler Youth who took him around the village and to local festivals. Gordon was later sent to Lüneburg, where RAF servicemen often clashed with the Army’s Royal Scots Greys regiment. He spent his days running the office, filing documents and communicating with different departments. While many of his contemporaries saw their national service as a waste of time, Gordon fondly remembers experiencing foreign travel and exciting opportunities.

John grew up during World War Two and found it an exciting time. His hometown was bombed, and he witnessed the build-up for D-Day. His brother was killed near the end of the war while working in bomb disposal. When it was time for National Service after the war he joined the RAF and was posted to Wunstorf airfield in Germany. He felt sorry for the Germans when he saw the devastation caused by Allied bombing, which he saw to be worse than that caused by German attacks on Britain. At the airfield he became a lorry driver, helped load the planes and assisted in guarding the airfield.  He enjoyed the work and saw a variety of aircraft, both RAF and civilian, including Yorks, Tudors, Dakotas and Liberators. He found the variety of aircraft interesting but each one presented different loading issues, such as different heights and cargo bay size. As time went on the Airlift became more organised, with less paperwork slowing down the flights. German labourers were used to work on the transports and whilst talking to them many of them said they had served on the Russian front, never on the Western front, against the British or Americans! As part of his ration he received 100 cigarettes a week, and, as a non-smoker, he could trade these on the black market for goods or German marks. His time spent in Germany helped him feel less hostile towards Germans and now he is proud to have been part of the Airlift.

When WWII ended Tom felt joining the army was a waste of time, but started his military service in 1946 nonetheless. He spent the bitter winter of 1946-47 training in Cornwall and later stationed in Germany. Tom reflects upon the dangers faced by British servicemen who went out alone at night in postwar Germany, as well as the prevalence of venereal disease within his company. He was bemused by the extensive security and secrecy surrounding the distribution of the Deutsche Mark. Tom enjoyed his role as a platoon fitter working on wartime wagons, as he didn’t have to go on parade or do any guards. Work during the Berlin Airlift was more strenuous, but servicemen maintained good spirits, determined to stand up to the Russians. He recalls the camaraderie within the army, a near miss when an RAF sergeant taught him to fly a plane, and organising an army football game against Polish displaced persons. Tom is proud of his work in the airlift and believes British actions and discipline broke down barriers with the Germans.

Called up for National Service, Ron Andrews was delighted to join the Royal Air Force and trained as an Instrument Fitter. His first postings took him to RAF Honington and then RAF Oakington, where he worked on Avro York aircraft. He had completed his service and was ready to leave when the Russians blockaded Berlin and Operation Plainfare began. With little warning, Ron was retained and sent to Germany — scraping together kit and equipment on the way.

In his interview, Ron describes the vital role of ground crews in the Berlin Airlift: inspecting and maintaining the aircraft that kept the city supplied. He recalls one flight that could have ended in disaster, and how he filled his downtime fruit picking to the delight of local families.

Although he knew his work was essential, Ron speaks frankly about the personal cost of having his demob stopped. His memories reveal the dedication, frustration and unexpected human connections that kept the Airlift flying.

---