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The RAF Veterans Archive

Explore the personal recollections of Royal Air Force veterans.

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Still from interview with ww2 bomber command navigator
An interview with

Ken French

Ken is one of those increasingly rare birds, a Bomber Command Navigator. What makes his...
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An interview with

Tony Iveson

Tony Iveson gives a truly amazing account of his distinguished career in the RAF. He...

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An interview with

Hugh Verity

Hugh Verity flew covert cross-channel operations from a top secret RAF base on Britain’s south...

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An interview with

Fred Danckwardt

During World War II, Fred Danckwardt survived 45 Operations with Bomber Command. He then returned...

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An interview with

Jimmy Taylor

Fantastic interview with Spitfire photo reconnaissance pilot who survives an engine failure over Holland.

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An interview with

Craig Kane

Craig is a former RAF Avionics Engineer who cares for his wife Michelle – a...
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An interview with

Brian Bird

One of the few surviving WWII pilots to have flown both the Hurricane and the...

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An interview with

John Cumming

John Cumming served with the RAF in Korea. Initially he was involved in aircraft movement...

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An interview with

Tim Elkington

Wing Commander Tim Elkington was firtunate to survive the Second World war as a fighter...

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An interview with

Ken Plowman

Ken Plowman provides a detailed account of his time as an airman. He set out...

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Still from interview with ww2 bomber command navigator
An interview with

Ken French

A remarkable and inspiring journey that saw Kenneth French, Bomber Command Navigator, survive 38 sorties during World War II

Kenneth French, also known as Ken, was born in Wandsworth, London in 1920. While at school he enjoyed being outdoors and playing sports and fondly remembers his headmaster taking students out on walks in the countryside. This is where Ken learnt to draw maps. After leaving school, Ken used these skills in his job in the War Office, drawing maps for the RAF. His experience there made him want to do more for the war effort, and he volunteered for the RAF in 1941. He started his training in Canada. On the journey there, he recalls guarding American prisoners housed in a make-shift cell in the bowels of the ship. He was stationed in Winnipeg for 4 months before returning home to continue his training. His first operation was a day trip to Emmerich on the Rhine, where he saw an ally plane go down and only one person survive. In another operation, Ken recalls recording 18 friendly aircraft being shot down, and remembers not being able to do anything to help. Over his 38 operations, he witnessed 99 aircraft shot down; still Ken reflects that it was ‘a very gentle’ tour of operations. Ken took part in day and night-time raids, he was always focused on getting the job done and getting his squadron home safely. Whilst carrying out operations in the sky he wouldn’t take notice of any damage done on the ground. But once the war was over and he was stationed in Hamburg, he could see the damage caused by Bomber Command and described it as ‘absolutely horrific’. Ken describes his time in the RAF as a job to be done and he was happy to have survived, putting his survival down to luck and ability.
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Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Tony Iveson

From his dreams of flying as a young lad to the realities of flying in warfare, Tony openly shares his experiences of his time in the RAF, particularly Bomber Command.

Aviation was a passion of Tony’s from a very young age. He was always keen on joining the RAF and enlisted with the volunteer reserve. He has happy memories of the training and the thrill of flying, especially his first time in a Spitfire. Tony recalls in tense detail his first encounter with the Luftwaffe and how he survived a miraculous landing in the sea, something for which he was never trained. At the age of 21 Tony travelled to Durban to become a flight instructor. He remembers this time of adventure in a new country with great fondness although it comes to a somewhat sticky end when Tony is lucky to escape a court martial for crashing a Tiger Moth. More luck is on Tony’s side when his restlessness at being sent back to the UK threatens to see him in trouble again but an amenable Station Commander looks out for him and recommends Tony join the Bomber Command. Tony does so and volunteers for 617 Squadron, aka The Dambusters. Tony was well aware of the squadron’s reputation and, seeing it as a great honour to join, works incredibly hard to maintain those standards. He talks in detail about his training and the mission to take out the German Bismarck-class battleship Tirpitz. Tony dedicates this interview to Bomber Command and reflects on the airmen whose lost lives are now commemorated with a memorial in London, a fitting tribute which means the cost of war should not be forgotten.
Service:
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Hugh Verity

Hugh Verity, an RAF and squadron pilot working with the SOE to carry out missions to France

Hugh Verity, an RAF fighter pilot and later a squadron pilot worked with the Special Operations Executive (SOE), carrying out missions to France. Flying the Westland Lysander, he completed 24 successful operations and 5 more in the Lockheed Hudson. Hugh’s work was vital to the war effort, involving the secret transportation of agents into France and back to the UK. When asked about memorable experiences, Hugh explained he made it his business to not make any. He recalls harrowing stories of his predecessors, one ambushed on the ground in Belgium. But while German forces remained the obvious threat, Hugh tells us that his greatest adversaries as a pilot were fog and mud. The elements made landing on fields extremely difficult and dangerous. Some pilots had no choice to leave their aircraft’s which had sank into the ground. Hugh does recall one significantly tumultuous journey due to fog. Hugh proudly covers his time in the war, talking of the ability of the Lysander, weather challenges, and meeting secret agents he had previously piloted during the war. Hugh’s story captures the intense, clandestine work of RAF pilots working to insert and extract agents in France. For his military efforts Hugh was recognised and decorated for gallantry five times.
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Service:
Interviewed by:
Martyn Cox
An interview with

Fred Danckwardt

He fought bravely for Britain in WW2 and then served throughout the Airlift and conceded that helping the Germans was better than bombing them.

Fred was a teenager when his home was destroyed in a bombing raid. At the age of eighteen he volunteered for the RAF, trained in gunnery and became the tail gunner in a Lancaster bomber. He took part in the nighttime bombing of Germany and, against the odds, survived 45 missions. There were some close moments and during this period he lost most of his friends in combat. After the war he had a recurring nightmare where, among a landscape of crashed aircraft, there was a space reserved for his bomber. At the start of the Berlin Airlift he was posted to Gatow as an intelligence officer, where his unit at first worked in a tent. Despite misgivings regarding its feasibility the Airlift went ahead anyway, initially using Dakotas and building up to larger aircraft. His billet was at the end of the runway, and at first he had trouble sleeping as the noise was constant, 24 hours a day. The Soviets were close by and made things awkward but never directly interfered although the local population were terrified that the Allies would leave them for the Russians. The devastation caused by bombing in Berlin was awful and the civilians were in poverty, although the airlift ration was about the same as those in Britain. While on duty a plane carrying coal crashed on take-off, killing all the crew. He served in Berlin for the entire duration of the Airlift and felt that it was better than bombing the city.
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Service:
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Jimmy Taylor

From RAF trainee to war hero: Jimmy Taylor's journey through aviation and escape

Jimmy Taylor joined the RAF at 19 to avoid being drafted into the army or working in a coal mine. Motivated by his passion for aviation, he secretly enlisted at a recruiting centre in Reading. His training took him across the UK and eventually to Canada and the United States. Jimmy experienced the harsh discipline of American military training, but despite these challenges, he excelled and became an instructor. He volunteered to instruct American cadets, as the RAF needed to supply 10% of its graduates to train new students. Jimmy trained 20 cadets, enjoying every moment, especially teaching formation flying and buzzing the airfield with his students beside him. In October 1943, he returned to England. His role in the Second Tactical Air Force involved long-distance reconnaissance, mapping future battle areas and updating outdated maps with accurate photographs. While weather often hindered flights, he maintained a vigilant watch over German jet airfields, which included managing risks from German radar detection. On one occasion, while photographing airfields near Rhina, he experienced engine failure and opted to bail out, eventually landing in a field in occupied Holland. After avoiding capture, he planned his escape westward toward Utrecht, aware of the dangers posed by locals and the ongoing German occupation.
Service:
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

John Cumming

An RAF veteran based in Iwakuni, Japan, who served in the Korean War and aided with the airborne evacuation of injured troops.

John Cumming shares a wonderful account of his time serving with the RAF in the Korean War from January 1951 to September 1952. Born in Glasgow, John welcomed the freedom offered by conscription and completed his training as a movement officer. Upon receiving his subsequent overseas posting to Iwakuni, the Australian Air Force Base in Japan, he admits he had never heard of the place, nor even Korea! At just 20 years old, John describes his initial work in Iwakuni, which mostly involved aircraft loading and movement. Soon enough, however, John undertook a role which transpired to be the defining work of his time in the Korean War: casualty evacuation. He shares some interactions he had with the plethora of injured troops, often a range of nationalities, that he helped to evacuate from Pusan. He also gives his impression of the American, Australian, and Canadian troops, including Australian female nurses, that he worked alongside. John also dives into tales of some close calls aboard Hastings and Dakotas, as well as stories of days spent partying in Korea, and meeting William Speakman-Pitt, VC. John concludes his account by sharing some insightful comments regarding the popular memory of the Korean War as the ‘forgotten war’, and contends with the repercussions of humanity’s disposition for conflict. John’s story reflects his determination and courageousness as he partook in casualty evacuation of the Korean War: a task far beyond what was expected of him when the RAF sent him to Japan.
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Service:
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Tim Elkington

RAF veteran whose service took him from the Battle of Britain to Russia, the Atlantic and India.

Tim Elkington’s interview offers a compelling glimpse into the life of a WW2 Fighter Pilot. He begins by reflecting on his childhood and the circumstances leading to his arrival as a fresh 19-year-old cadet at Cranwell in April 1940. Only three months later he was posted to No. 1 Squadron at Northolt in North London, where he took part in the Battle of Britain. He was astonished by the minimal training he had received, despite the intense combat he was involved in.
On August 16, 1940, he had a harrowing encounter when he was attacked by a German Messerschmitt 109. The ordeal left him recovering for a period, but he eventually moved on to 134 Squadron, which was assigned to support Russian forces. He prepared to sail to Russia on HMS Argus and later trained Russian pilots for the Eastern Front. Elkington's service continued with a stint on a Catapult Aircraft Merchant ship. Out of 35 ships converted to CAM during the war, 12 were sunk. He didn't fly off much, but when he did, he admits 'it was interesting'! His next posting was to 539 Squadron, a Night Fighter unit where he was less enthusiastic about his role. A subsequent transfer to India saw him join a Hurricane Squadron, arriving after the Japanese threat had diminished, thus avoiding major combat. He reflects on a particularly frightening incident involving a forced instrument landing in thick fog. Elkington retired from the RAF in 1975, leaving behind a rich career of varied and intense experiences. Despite the risk and danger he faced, he reflects gratefully on the ability of RAF pilots to manoeuvre and take action when they are shot at and contrasts it to Navy personnel who were often unable to escape the danger around them. Special thanks to Tim and his wife, as well as Patrick Tootal of the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust, for facilitating this insightful interview.
Service:
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Ken Plowman

From boy to Man: the Aircraft-Obsessive RAF First pilot whose service in WWII will forever live on

Aircraft-obsessive Ken Plowman grew up painting models and flying rubber motored planes across his hometown before deciding to join the Royal Observers Corps at just 16. One year later, he joined the RAF where he trained and served as a First Pilot in the Glider Pilot Regiment during WWII. In this interview, Ken recalls the important moments in his 20 year Flight Lieutenant career, particularly the highlight of his service in Operation Varsity in 1945. Ken was a quick learner and was allowed to fly solo after only 6 hours of Tiger Moth flights. As well as training as a firefighter and a train driver whilst on camp, he became an eager fan of aerobatics. Sadly, a lot of these his comrades lost their lives due to the danger of the job, especially during Operation Varsity as Ken flew to the mission with 440 other gliders and 6000 paratroopers. He considers himself lucky to still be alive as memories of close encounters with Germans, jumping out to avoid crash landings and faulty prop blades fill his memory even to this day. His service to WWII is greatly acknowledged in this interview.
Service:
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
Frame grab from an oral history interview of a British military veteran
An interview with

Mark Harding

From working in Tesco’s, to joining up and then facing the ultimate challenge of becoming paralysed but still fighting on.

Mark Harding recounts his journey from working at Tesco to enlisting in the army at 19, inspired by his father with the aim of protecting the innocent from bullies wherever they were. He began his military career in the infantry, embracing each challenge without looking back. His service took him to conflict zones such as Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq, and ultimately Afghanistan. Mark seized every opportunity to improve his skills, including jungle training in Belize to become a sniper, which proved invaluable during his last two tours.

In 2010, Mark's life dramatically changed when he was shot and paralysed in Afghanistan. Initially treated at Camp Bastion, he was transferred to Selly Oak Hospital and placed in an induced coma. Upon awakening, Mark faced the devastating news that he would never walk again. Refusing to accept this fate, he embarked on a challenging rehabilitation journey, using functional electronic stimulation to aid his recovery.

Mark's determination led him to become the sole disabled member of the GB Dragon Boat racing team, representing his country in international competitions. Additionally, Mark has transformed his experiences into motivational speaking, inspiring and uplifting others with his remarkable story.

Service:
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker