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Logbooks
Do you have a WW2 Flying Log Book in your possession?
If so it would be a huge help if you could add logbook entries to our new database. Thank you.
View Logbook entries
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The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website.
Announcements
- 1st of September 2024 marks 25 years since the launch of the Wartime Memories Project. Thanks to everyone who has supported us over this time.
- The Wartime Memories Project has been running for 25 years. If you would like to support us, a donation, no matter how small, would be much appreciated, annually we need to raise enough funds to pay for our web hosting and admin or this site will vanish from the web.
- 16th Jan 2025 - Please note we currently have a huge backlog of submitted material, our volunteers are working through this as quickly as possible and all names, stories and photos will be added to the site. If you have already submitted a story to the site and your UID reference number is higher than
265273 your information is still in the queue, please do not resubmit, we are working through them as quickly as possible.
- Looking for help with Family History Research?
Please read our Family History FAQs
- The free to access section of The Wartime Memories Project website is run by volunteers and funded by donations from our visitors. If the information here has been helpful or you have enjoyed reaching the stories please conside making a donation, no matter how small, would be much appreciated, annually we need to raise enough funds to pay for our web hosting or this site will vanish from the web.
If you enjoy this site
please consider making a donation.
Want to find out more about your relative's service? Want to know what life was like during the War? Our
Library contains an ever growing number diary entries, personal letters and other documents, most transcribed into plain text. |
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Wanted: Digital copies of Group photographs, Scrapbooks, Autograph books, photo albums, newspaper clippings, letters, postcards and ephemera relating to WW2. We would like to obtain digital copies of any documents or photographs relating to WW2 you may have at home. If you have any unwanted
photographs, documents or items from the First or Second World War, please do not destroy them.
The Wartime Memories Project will give them a good home and ensure that they are used for educational purposes. Please get in touch for the postal address, do not sent them to our PO Box as packages are not accepted.
World War 1 One ww1 wwII second 1939 1945 battalion
Did you know? We also have a section on The Great War. and a
Timecapsule to preserve stories from other conflicts for future generations.
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Want to know more about No. 454 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force? There are:2002 items tagged No. 454 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War. |
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WO. Hubert James Wheeler "Horse" Hendy 454 Squadron    Jim Hendy (christened Hubert James Wheeler Hendy) originally came from Southampton and enlisted with the RAF when he reached 18 years of age during WWII. This was quite a change of pace for him as, up to that time, he had been working as a farm hand near Fordingbridge, Dorset where he was still using Suffolk Punch horses to plough the fields.
When his training was complete he was sent to serve with the Australian 454 squadron based in the Middle East, due to the heavy losses incurred by their crews. Here, he teamed-up with three other men also from the UK (Jim Baber, Robbie Robinson and Les Weale), and was given the nickname of Horse which those in-the-know insisted on using for the rest of his life. They flew an adapted Baltimore on reconnaissance missions to photograph enemy positions and prospective targets for the bomber crews. Jim Hendy served as rear gunner and radio operator. Together, they survived an almost unprecedented number of sorties over hostile territory and had a number of close calls, including one of their first outings in which a piece of shrapnel pierced the body of the plane and struck Jim Hendy on the head he remarked at this point that he didn't see much future in this game. Subsequent to this period, Jim Hendy was promoted to non-commissioned warrant officer and continued to serve alongside his very good friend Les Weale, until they were all eventually demobbed after the end of the war in Europe.
Falling on hard times after returning home, Jim Hendy was particularly grateful to Robbie Robinson who helped him to find employment with the GPO, where he worked until he retired. All four crew members remained firm friends after the war had ended and they continued to meet for regular reunions for as long as their health would permit. Jim Hendy and Jim Baber (pilot) remained weekly drinking companions in their home town of Southampton until into their 90s. Jim Hendy was the last surviving member of the crew and died in March 2017 at the age of 95. I hope he knew how much he would be missed by all of his family and friends.
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WO George Townson Agg 454 Sqdn. My father, George Townson Agg, was a Warrant Officer in the RAAF, 454 Squadron. His plane was shot down over the Mediterranean Sea, and he swam to safety from a burning, sinking aircraft to be rescued by an Italian float plane. He was taken prisoner of war and ended up in Stalag IVB. I have a number of mementoes of his time in Stalag IVB, including a diary of the days leading up to the end of the war, and return to England. I would love to hear from anyone who knew my father. Dad died on 30th October 2001, age 82.
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