The RAF Stories Big Weekend took place on the 2nd & 3rd of November, where organisations across the country invited local people into their venues, and recorded their connections to the Royal Air Force. Over 150 stories were submitted across the weekend, in this feature, we have handpicked a small selection to demonstrate the breadth of stories captured. A big thank you to all involved!
RAF Stories Big Weekend
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Hidden by the Dutch for 3 months
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The Pilot was a cheeky young cockney
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Beginners luck!
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A story of landing an RAF Hercules at the wrong airport in Riyadh
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On my way to fly spitfires
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Johnny Johnson and Douglas Bader
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A potential slogan for all RAF engineers.
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They didn't get the message!
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A 15 year old flying a plane!
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Following dad around
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‘.... and then there was silence’
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Horrible misjudgement in the mess hall
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Mid Air Collision over North Norfolk
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East Germany adventure
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The Story of a Young Lad from Pudsey
Operation Catechism - sinking the Tirpitz
Operation Catechism was a British air raid of World War II that resulted in the final destruction of the fearsome German battleship Tirpitz. As one of the most powerful battleships in the world at the time, the Tirpitz represented a lethal threat to the Atlantic shipping convoys that kept Britain supplied with food, weapons and materials.
On the night of 12th November 1944 when specially adapted Lancaster bombers of the RAF’s elite 617 and 9 Squadrons attacked Tirpitz in a remote fjord near Tromsø in Norway.
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When I arrived The Tirpitz was already rolling over
Kurt Schulze -
I'm out of ammunition. I'll see you in Valhalla!
Heinrich Ehrler -
Churchill wanted that ship destroyed
Derek Payne -
The crew at the airfield had no idea what was going on
Kurt Schulze -
We are all human beings
Kurt Schulze -
The armchair generals were all phoning us
Kurt Schulze -
I was a bit worried about my eyes
Benny Goodman -
I was captain of the aircraft with no operational experience at all
Benny Goodman -
You'll have no armour and only two guns. You'll be going after The Tirpitz.
Benny Goodman -
The navigators deserve all the praise
Benny Goodman -
It was a dark night, low clouds and raining
Benny Goodman -
W1048 sank 92ft to the bottom of a lake
Ewan Burnet -
The crew was of absolute importance
Philip Tetlow
Everyday Heroes
In one way or another, servicemen & servicewomen often find themselves in situations that require courage, whether this be to undertake a dangerous mission, to overcome a challenge or to deal with fear, personal struggles or loss. This collection of stories explores the many ways in which courage is shown in the day to day life of RAF personnel.
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We were under attack, but no-one stopped playing cards.
Chris Annetts -
Exposed to the greatest danger, he refused to back down.
Mark Johnson -
I can still see his face as if it was yesterday.
Carl Austin-Behan -
There were death threats. But I'm still here.
Flt. Lt. Gareth Davies -
I won't let my autism be a disadvantage.
Daniel Pearce -
He held fire while the German crew bailed out.
Mark Johnson -
Get up and put your trousers on.
Katherine Du Plat-Taylor -
I admitted I was gay. They could have sent me to prison.
Carl Austin-Behan -
Mum's parachute didn't open. She never jumped again.
Candida Adkins -
I saw a sport that was failing.
Flt. Lt. Gareth Davies -
I was just relieved I could open my eyes.
Stuart Robinson
The Berlin Airlift - 70 Years
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Someday we'll have enough food. But if we lose our freedom we'll never get it back
Gail Halvorsen -
The MIGs were looking for a reason to shoot us down
Peter Pilkington -
The Soviets desperately wanted us out of Berlin
Aldon Ferguson -
The will to succeed
Dr. Harold E. Raugh, Jr. -
We slept under the wings
Brian Conway -
It had been set up to breed a super race
Brian Conway -
We were doing something with a purpose
Dr. Harold E. Raugh, Jr. -
The Victors and the Vanquished
Dr. Harold E. Raugh, Jr. -
They were young, they could dance, they had money
Aldon Ferguson -
The Russians had cut off everything
Aldon Ferguson -
Stalin realised he wasn't going to succeed
Brian Conway -
Your parachutes are frightening the chickens!
Mercedes Simon -
My mother always hoped that I'd be able to thank you one day
Vera Mitchrich -
We unloaded twelve tons in just over three minutes
Brian Conway -
I was just a kid off the farm, but I'd heard all about the RAF
Gail Halvorsen -
Nearly seventy people lost their lives
Brian Conway -
You realise that you've saved peoples' lives
Brian Conway -
The Germans would steal coal
Brian Conway -
It was an air controller's nightmare
Dr. Harold E. Raugh, Jr. -
The first confrontation of The Cold War
Dr. Harold E. Raugh, Jr. -
The West Berliners were going to be starved out
Dr. Harold E. Raugh, Jr -
Stalwart leaders and stout-hearted soldiers
Dr. Harold E. Raugh, Jr. -
Nobody has that many planes anymore
Dr. Harold E. Raugh, Jr. -
Tunner learned from the airlift in Southern China
Dr. Harold E. Raugh, Jr.
Top Ten RAF Stories
From the everyday to the extraordinary, RAF Stories celebrates all experiences of the RAF. This collection highlights the wide scope of the project, with stories of friendship, courage, tragedy and triumph.
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My experiences in Iraq had become a constant, invasive thought
Paul Twitchell -
I hadn't even had my ears pierced
Rachel Williamson -
Could you drop a nuclear bomb?
John Peters -
It's so difficult for a mum to hand your son over to the RAF
Emma Knutzen -
My 21st birthday present was to still be alive
Roy Finch -
55,000 souls on board
Air Cdre Paul Godfrey -
Churchill wanted that ship destroyed
Derek Payne -
The Dengineers built me a WWII plane themed den
Phillip Langham -
I'm going to call you Hopscotch.
Flt Lt Joan Ochuodho -
296 Squadron has a very proud history