Recorded memoirs and opinions of unnamed Norfolk resident, part two of second recording (MC 376/119/2/2)
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Recorded memoirs and opinions of unnamed Norfolk resident, part two of second recording
1
MC 376/119/2/2
1 side of compact cassette
nd [c 1985]
446th Bomb Group
Peter Stimpson
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Unnamed male, possible surname of Barney, recalls his experiences as a groundsman at various American airbases in Norfolk during the Second World War. Comments on incident continued: German fighters followed American aeroplanes back to base and shot them on the runways. Comments on how some local people were more afraid of American aeroplanes crashing than of German attacks and describes the deaths of his Uncle and cousin in an air raid on Lowestoft, Suffolk. Mentions the airship hangars at Pulham, Norfolk, as a landmark for German aeroplanes. Describes Douglas Bader's group shooting down a German aeroplane attacking the hangars. Comments on German pilot crashing at Starston, Norfolk, and burial of the crew there before repatriation to Germany. Comments on seeing the sky full of aeroplanes and numbers of aeroplanes built by the Germans, Americans and British. Production and loss figures of aeroplanes continued. Describes his work clearing bomb damage in London. Anecdote about trip to London in a Singer car with his foreman, Jack. Comments on Jack. Describes an aeroplane landing with no brakes at Tibenham, Norfolk, and waist-gunners using parachutes to slow it down. Comments on aeroplanes landing off the end of the runway and making 'belly' landings. Comments on aeroplane crashes at Tibenham. Comments by Peter Stimpson on Barney's recording. For the preceding recording, see MC 376/119/2/1 and for the first recording, see MC 376/119/1/1-2.