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.

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.

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Gerald White provides a captivating account of his time in Germany, working as a Technical Adjutant in the RAF during the Berlin Airlift. As a boy, Gerald witnessed the remains of a V-1 flying bomb which exploded onto the grounds of his school during the Blitz. It would not be the last time he would bear witness to such a display. After the war ended, he began training as a young aeronautical engineer. His skillset would lead him to RAF station Gatow in Berlin where he contributed to the repairs of various planes for the Berlin Airlift, including the Dakota and Avro York aircrafts. He experienced a steady workflow at the bustling station but he was no stranger to incidents. He recalls two converted Lancaster planes, one a skyways tanker which blew up on the airfield and an Avro Tudor (belonging to Air Vice Marshall Donald Bennett) which his team managed to recover after it crashed into a sand bank. Unfortunately, a year later, the same Tudor would be involved in the Llandow air disaster, resulting in the tragic deaths of eighty-three people. He describes a strenuous situation involving the removal of a Stratofreighter which was on a course to a welcome reception in Tempelhof before being forced down to the airfield where it got stuck in the tarmac of a runway. Gerald reflects on his time at Gatow fondly, describing it as an astonishing experience. His work in Germany offers insight into the impact of RAF engineers who served on the Berlin Airlift and the significance of the aircrafts they aided.

As soon as he left school in 1943, Bill Evans began a career in precision engineering, working on munitions, making sights for Bren guns and camera guns for aircraft. In 1947, Bill passed the exam to join the RAF for his National Service and began his training in Padgate near Liverpool. Bill shares details of the various stations around the UK where he honed his skills as a flight mechanic before being sent to Buckeburg, the RAF’s HQ in Germany. He recalls the perks of his job, sharing details of the aircraft he worked on and memories of the limited entertainment options in the nearby town of Minden. He also reflects on the black market and how valuable a tin of corned beef had become. It wasn’t until later in life, upon returning to Berlin, that Bill realised the profound impact of the Berlin Airlift on the city's residents. His story is told with the humility characteristic of his generation, who largely saw their hard work and commitment as simply getting on with the job they’d been given to do.

Born in Birmingham, Jean Eastham experienced the first hand horrors of the Birmingham Blitz. With daylight raids and frequent casualties, she was lucky to survive the devastation, but recounts occasions where survival was not guaranteed. After volunteering for her service, Jean travelled to Berlin to help on the Airlift, where she was shocked by the sheer level of destruction. Inside her new accommodation, stationed in the former Olympic Village, she was met with a wave of unseen modern luxuries, including central heating and low-flush toilets, which provided some hope for the journey ahead. As part of the ATS, it was Jean’s responsibility to care for many of the other women involved, managing much of the administrative work like accommodation, pay, and uniforms. Although her status as a woman entailed some restrictions, like the need for an escort outside of the daytime, she and her fellow volunteers worked hard to keep morale high, which was crucial in easing the fears of anxious Berliners.  Like many others, Jean remembers attending the famous Christmas show of 1948, and getting to meet Bob Hope. She recalls being very proud to serve in the ATS, especially because Queen Elizabeth II, then Princess, was also a member. Even after the Airlift, Jean often returned to Berlin, including a visit to Parliament to mark the 50th anniversary of the end of the blockade. Decades later, the Berliners still show their gratitude, and continue to thank Jean for her help. 

Called up to service in 1946, Gordon joined an RAF maintenance unit as an electrician before supporting the Berlin Airlift in Wunstorf, Hanover. He recalls a sweet scent in the air there, which he later speculated may have been the smell of death. Though servicemen experienced some hostility from German residents, Gordon empathised with their situation having seen Liverpool flattened during the Blitz. Interactions with locals were usually cordial, however, and Gordon even befriended and ate with a German family. With aircraft supplies sparse throughout the airlift, maintenance units had to think on their feet and be resourceful. Gordon’s responsibilities included inspecting aircraft, adjusting planes’ carbon par regulators mid-flight, and mending faulty engine magnetos. He describes two plane crashes during his time at Wunstorf, one of which proved fatal. In his time off, Gordon practised photography, relaxed in RAF Malcolm Clubs, and ate in lakeside cafés. As a non-smoker, he rarely spent his own money since cigarettes became currency in postwar Germany. He remembers skiing and tobogganing in the Harz Mountains during R&R breaks. Gordon found his time in the RAF enjoyable and interesting. His story sheds light on Germany’s postwar recovery and the vast operation behind the Berlin Airlift.

David Edwards talks about his service experiences in post war Berlin as a Teleprinter operator sending wireless and telephone messages. David carried out his compulsory National Service in 1947 at RAF in Compton Bassett, and after passing out as Aircraftmen First Class was posted to Germany, with the Air Branch Combined Services Division. David mentions his curiosity at being posted to Berlin after the war, but describes the ‘shocking’ condition of life in the German capital. He describes poignant moments for people living in Berlin at the time, and the ‘impressive’ way they faced life during the joint occupation of allied forces, including the harsh treatment by Russian occupied forces. During his time in the signals office in Berlin, David describes the beginnings of the Berlin Blockade, the development of the air lift, and witnessed first hand the air traffic at the American airbase at Tempelhof. David was also able to use his own time in Berlin for self improvement, finishing his school certificate by learning French; and also learning to touch type, a skill he still uses today for word processing. David was in Berlin just under a year and left just before the blockade finished. He was posted from Berlin to the Island of Sylt, in the North Sea at an RAF training station, before being demobbed.

Ronald Pickersgill came of age during the Second World War. Despite losing his brother he held no animosity towards the Germans, and in his interview he offers a vivid, often humorous picture of life in post-war Berlin. He recalls arriving at a time of runaway inflation — literally burning piles of Reichsmarks — and being confined to camp when the new Deutsche Mark was introduced, a move that helped trigger the Soviet blockade.

Trained first at a base radar station in Wunstorf, Ronald was then moved to the control tower at RAF Gatow, where he logged conversations with incoming and outgoing aircraft. He describes working from a tiny Ground Control Approach caravan, dramatic incidents including a crash with a cargo of coffee and a fatal accident on the runway, and the relentless rhythm of “three-shift” working.

Amid the rationing he remembers Berlin’s Vedin French Restaurant somehow still serving fine food, feeling sorry for the elderly women doing the hardest work, and counting the days to demob. After Berlin he was posted to Westerland to oversee Auxiliary Air Force rocket practice — and tells an unforgettable story about an amorous couple caught on the range.