Forces War Records Blog

In the whole of the Second World War, only two men succeeded as operational fighter pilots in the RAF after losing both legs. Douglas Bader was one, and his story is well-known indeed, he has been described as one of the Royal Air Forces most famous pilots. The other was Colin Hodgkinson. READ MORE HERE:

RAF Navigator Ken Dodwell tells us how he met his future wife, serving during the Second World War and how one high-risk bombing mission nearly tore them apart.

If you thought the Catholic Women’s League was only interested in helping Catholics, think again. Bernie Townsend, Chairman of the Services Committee of the league, explains just why the charity received recognition from the British, French and Belgian governments in the First World War and was found in every theatre of war in the Second.

The Doodlebug was a thing of nightmares, a pilotless weapon which droned ostentatiously overhead and, with its sudden silence, heralded disaster. The V2 was worse.

The Second World War really began with the Treaty of Versailles, but France and Britain missed numerous opportunities along the line to halt its dawning as the Nazi Machine gathered steam.

Dunkirk was either a crushing failure or a period of miraculous deliverance, depending on the way you look at it and whose story you are listening to. One thing is for sure, though, a lot of brave people risked their lives to make sure that over 366,131 French and British troops made it to safety.

World War 2 led to over two hundred thousand British casualties and POWs. Click here to find out more about Forces War Records casualty lists 1939-1945

Forces War Records launching a new project to help restore British war memorials

British and Canadian Forces liberate Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp on 15th April 1945.

Forget the Great Escape; what was the run-of-the-mill, day to day life like for the prisoners at Stalag Luft III? Read on to find out.