Bob was in Birmingham when it was bombed during WW2. A love of flying from an early age led him to join the RAF toward the end of the war and he was assigned to Coastal Command. He learned to fly the Sunderland, a four-engine flying boat, but before his training finished, he was sent to Berlin to assist with the Airlift. After qualifying as a pilot, he was assigned to Hamburg on the River Elbe where his squadron assisted in supplying Berlin with food and household goods. On their return trips they sometimes brought back malnourished children for care, as well as German export goods. He saw the Russians as confrontational, while relations were thawing with the Germans. During the period of the Airlift there was no leave for his squadron, but they were close to the centre of Hamburg where they could relax in the evenings. He thought that the Airlift was an important event but that the role of the Sunderland squadrons has received insufficient attention. After further overseas duties his squadron was assigned to Korea where war had just broken out. He flew coastal patrols, aiding the US navy in their search for enemy submarines. The Malayan Insurgency was also occurring during this time and the Sunderlands also helped the British army in their battle against communist guerrillas.  On leaving the RAF he spent many years as a flying instructor with various air forces in the Middle East before taking final retirement in 1976.

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.

Vera Morgan was living in London during the early years of WW2. She vividly recalls the eerie sound of sirens on the day war was declared, though at first, little changed. However, as the Battle of Britain began, bombs became a daily threat. From navigating bomb craters on the way to work, to dealing with incendiary bombs and V-1s, Vera remains remarkably pragmatic when describing these challenging times. Although exempt from military service due to her role at an ammunition factory, Vera was determined to serve. So in 1942 she joined the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF), despite her employer’s objections. Trained as a teleprinter operator, she was stationed at RAF Harwell, then RAF Chicksands from 1943 until the war’s end. Vera shares her experiences of life at Chicksands. Camaraderie with other teleprinters, and a sense of getting the job done helped Vera through the long shifts relaying intercepted messages to Bletchley Park. The uncomfortable living conditions were offset by the social aspects of life, such as dances and socialising with American and British soldiers. Many friendships made then still last, with Vera attending annual reunions with old colleagues. Vera ends with her vivid memories of VE Day. Leaving camp without permission, she hitchhiked to London to join the celebrations. Unfortunately, with such huge crowds, Vera didn’t notice being pick-pocketed! Despite the theft, her excitement wasn’t diminished. For Vera, the joy of being part of such a historic occasion remains a cherished memory that she enthusiastically recounts.