Tony Pickering, born in 1920, vividly recounts how his passion for aviation was ignited at the age of 16 when a Royal Air Force plane made an emergency landing near his home in Leicestershire. This pivotal moment inspired him to join the RAF Volunteer Reserve in 1938, where he began flying Tiger Moths before advancing to Hurricanes and Spitfires. Tony served with 501 Squadron during the Battle of Britain, flying Hurricanes to intercept German bombers. On one mission, his aircraft was critically damaged by enemy fire, forcing him to parachute out over Surrey. Undeterred, he quickly returned to action, playing a vital role in Britain’s defence against Nazi air attacks. Later in the war, he flew escort missions for bombers over France and transitioned to flying Spitfires, which he continued to pilot for the rest of the conflict. Beyond combat, Tony took on roles as a test pilot, instructor, and gunnery trainer, contributing to the RAF’s operational strength and the training of future pilots. His interview provides a vivid account of the diverse roles undertaken by RAF pilots during the war, offering an enduring testament to the courage, adaptability, and dedication of those who defended Britain’s skies.

For Mary Overill, the war offered opportunities for life and work far beyond the bounds of her rural upbringing… although her first posting upon joining the WAAF sent her only 22 miles away to Plymouth! Six months later, Mary was posted to RAF St Eval in Cornwall where she worked with Squadron Leader Shackleton, son of the famous explorer, and she shares her memories of life and work during this time. In 1943, Mary was called to the Air Ministry in London, where she signed the Official Secrets Act and began working at the Cabinet Office Cipher Office (COCO). She vividly recalls operations there, and how regularly she saw Winston Churchill ‘disappearing off somewhere else’ in the building. Mary also shares memories of living in London during the war, navigating the dangers of bombings and experiencing the joy of VE Day. Her stories provide a glimpse into her extraordinary life during wartime, both at the RAF bases of her service and in the heart of London itself.

Sam was well travelled and hitch-hiked through Germany in 1938-39, where the atmosphere seemed to change as war neared. After joining the RAF in 1941, he was sent to Canada for training before heading to RAF Leuchars in Scotland where he hunted enemy submarines. Following a relatively uneventful period of wartime flying, Sam used his navigator training to join a charter aircraft company flying around Europe. He was then sent to fly planes rescuing Hindu refugees from persecution during the 1947 partition of India. Sam subsequently captained civilian planes during the Berlin Airlift. Unlike RAF pilots who took commands from operations officers, he was responsible for deciding when weather conditions made flying too treacherous. He recalls near crashes with a Russian plane flying off course and an RAF York whose pilot disobeyed tower landing commands. He worked hard during the airlift and had little time for leisure while flying 3 flights per day and sometimes at night. After returning to Jersey in December 1948, Sam joined a civilian carrier that later became British Airways. His account sheds valuable light on the essential role civilian charter companies played in the Berlin Airlift.