Forum Contributor 'Airborne Medic' is currently writing a WWII-themed book and today four amateur reserachers ( including me ) met him at the Public Records Office, Kew to help wade through a mass of files. Great fun to do this in a group, rather than as the usually lonely single-handed pursuit.

Research at the PRO can be an amazing experience ; to suddenly find, deep within a file, an original report to Churchill, signed by Mountbatten, with a furious red-ink rejoinder from the Prime Minister ( 'Report Further ! - WSC' ) and then a final memo on 10 Downing Street headed paper, signed by Churchill.

To hold these original letters in your hand suddenly, for a moment, seems to bring these men from history alive in your imagination......

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"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

Excellent stuff, Martin; my own visit will have to wait until I win the lottery though.
On that note, would forumites in the London area consider the possibility of going to Kew on behalf of some of the rest of us? It's nearly 450 miles away for me, and there must be members closer than me who are still too far way relatively?
I've engaged researchers once or twice in the past and had good service, but unless you know them personally it's still a bit hit and miss.
I know the NA have their own eccentric photocopying charges, but personally I'd be willing to pay the going hourly rate and reasonable expenses. I'm in the fortunate position of being able to state exactly which records I was looking for, which would save mucking about.
I remember about 15 years ago all the relevant wartime records for Scotland were transferred from Edinburgh to Kew, and although there has been talk of sending them back, I'm not sure of the position. I'm in the process of getting another reader's ticket for Charlotte Square (the NAS in Edinburgh), so I'm willing to go have a look for anyone here.
Any thoughts?

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Regards,

Gordon
http://www.freewebs.com/thehistoryvault/
http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y20/Historian/

I have to be careful here - it's a question of time, not money ( photocopies are £0.30 each.... )

'Airborne Medic' set his 'Blitz' up before Christmas ; the problem for all us wage-slaves is lack of leisure time. Whatever happened to that four-day week we were promised back in the '70s....? This is what keeps me from working at the Mossie Museum as much as I'd like.

Gordon, when next I plan to go, I'll drop you a pm......

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"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

Good stuff Martin, it's true, researching in a group can be great fun, particularly with some of the gems you come across. I remember at the RA museum stumbling across some fascinating stuff in their war diaries.

It seems to be the season for research, a friend of mine (Greenjacket on here) seems to spend every waking hour pouring over RFC war daries in Hendon whilst I busily hunt through 900 year old chronicles for anything that may be of use.

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There's no honorable way to kill, no gentle way to destroy. There is nothing good in war. Except its ending.

Cheers Martin- much appreciated.

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Regards,

Gordon
http://www.freewebs.com/thehistoryvault/
http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y20/Historian/

PRO is like a long bike tour...............it takes days and days to really get a feel for the place and then dig through archival work. man I'd love to loiter there from time on end