Thorpe, Thomas (Oral history)

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Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
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Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

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Embed this sound recording for online use under the IWM Non-Commercial Licence
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© IWM

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

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Description

Object description

British civilian in Kingston upon Hull, GB, 1914-1918; NCO served with 943 (Balloon) Sqdn, No 33 Group, Balloon Command, RAF in GB, 1939-1942; served as airframe fitter at RAF Seighford in GB, 1942-1944; served on ground duties at Advanced Landing Ground B-65, Maldegem, Belgium and Advanced Landing Ground B-86, Helmond, Netherlands, 11/1944-5/1945

Content description

REEL 1 Background in Kingston upon Hull, GB, 1906-1914: family; education. Aspects of period as civilian in Kingston upon Hull, GB, 1914-1918: sight of German Zeppelins; damage done by bombs from German Zeppelins; anti-aircraft defences; reaction of male population to volunteer for military service, 8/1914; his father's volunteering, 8/1914; send off given to volunteers, 1914; how his mother received news of father's death; looting of German owned butchers; effect of war on living standards; food supply; expectations of victory. Recollections of period as NCO with 943 (Balloon) Sqdn, No 33 Group, Balloon Command, RAF in Kingston upon Hull, GB, 1939-1943: reaction to declaration of Second World War, 9/1939. REEL 2 Continues: joining Royal Air Force Auxiliary Air Force, 7/1939; arrival of call-up papers; initial training; role and function of squadron; early air raid on Kingston upon Hull, 1940; taking command of balloon site in Wendell Street; character of barrage balloon; need to safe guard equipment; bringing down of Royal Air Force training aircraft, 2/1941; Sir Arthur Longmore's visit to site. REEL 3 Continues: further details of Sir Arthur Longmore's visit to site; character of destruction in Kingston upon Hull during German Air Force attacks, 5/1941; question of objectives of bombing; public morale during German Air Force attacks; performance of emergency services; hazards of blackout. Aspects of period as airframe fitter with RAF Seighford in GB, 1942-1944: remustering as airframe fitter; structure of Vickers Wellington. REEL 4 Continues: work as airframe fitter; posting to Belgium, 11/1944. Aspects of period on ground duties at Advanced Landing Ground B-65, Maldegem, Belgium and Advanced Landing Ground B-86, Helmond, Netherlands, 11/1944-5/1945: duties at Advanced Landing Ground B-65 Maldegem, Belgium; salvaging shot down aircraft; treatment of collaborators; transfer to Advanced Landing Ground B-86, Helmond, Netherlands; contact with Dutch civilians; VE Day celebrations, 8/5/1945; duties decorating officers accommodation in chateau near Paris, France, summer 1945.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1945-1989 (production), Second World War (content), First World War (association), Second World War (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
Wood, Conrad (Recorder)
Thorpe, Thomas (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 1987-08-03
Dimensions: whole: Duration 120, Number Of Items 4
Catalogue number: 9923

Object associations

Associated people and organisations

Thorpe, Thomas
Royal Air Force, Balloon Sqdn, 943
Royal Air Force, Group, 33
Royal Air Force, Command, Balloon
Royal Air Force, Station, Seighford
Royal Air Force, Advanced Landing Ground, B-86, Helmond, Netherlands
Royal Air Force, Advanced Landing Ground, B-65, Maldegem, Belgium
Associated places

England, United Kingdom
Kingston upon Hull, East Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom
Belgium
Maldegem, East Flanders, Belgium
Netherlands
Helmond, North Brabant, Netherlands
France
Paris, Département de Ville de Paris, France
Associated subjects

Aircraft, British: Vickers Wellington
Associated themes

Civilian Life and War Work, 1914-1919: Home Front, 1914-1918
Air Operations, 1939-1945: Air Defence of Great Britain, 1939-1945

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Thorpe, Thomas (Oral history)

Description

Object description

Content description

Object Details

Object associations

Associated people and organisations

Associated places

Associated subjects

Associated themes

Our collections information

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