Black and white postcard of the airport.
The airport control tower photographed by the Scottish Sunday Express.
1997.189.8
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Tag Archives: other means of communication
1997.189.9
Polish airmen from RAF 304 Squadron in 1942
Photograph of Polish airmen from RAF 304 Squadron in 1942.
Courtesy of Mr Mike Hughes
Polish airmen from RAF 304 Bomber Squadron are shown here taking a break from servicing their Wellington aircraft. After the Nazi-Soviet victory in Poland in 1939, a large part of the Polish Air Force was evacuated, eventually being withdrawn to the United Kingdom.
Polish pilots were among the most experienced in battle, most of them having fought in the 1939 September campaign in Poland and the 1940 Battle of France. In addition, pre-war Poland had set a very high standard of pilot training.
Created in 1940, 304 Squadron was based briefly on Tiree in the spring of 1942, flying Wellingtons on anti-submarine duties. The squadron was one of fifteen in the RAF manned by Polish airmen, the most famous being 303 Squadron which claimed the highest number of enemy kills during the Battle of Britain.
Black and white photograph of a Polish aircrew in 1942.
Polish aircrew from RAF 304 Squadron based on Tiree in 1942 take a break from servicing the Wellington aircraft in the background. (Photograph from Mike Hughes in Filing Cabinet 2 drawer 1)
1997.189.18
Black and white photograph of an airborne Halifax.
A Halifax aircraft from RAF 518 Squadron airborne over Tiree during World War II. (Photograph from Mike Hughes in Filing Cabinet 2 drawer 1)
1997.189.20
Black and white photograph of an RAF crew based on Tiree during World War II.
RAF crew from 518 Squadron photographed during World War II in front of a Halifax aircraft. L-R: Harry Coxhead (W/Op); Bill Piree (Flt Eng.); Jack Masters (Navigator); ? Jamieson (2nd pilot); Paddy Wilson (Pilot); Bill Stafford (W/Op, Australian): ? Joudray (W/Op, Canadian); Sgt Fred Gee (Met. Air Obsr). (Photograph from Mike Hughes in Filing Cabinet 2 drawer 1)
1997.189.21
Black and white photograph of an RAF crew based on Tiree during World War II.
RAF crew from 518 Squadron under a Halifax aircraft during World War II. (Photograph from Mike Hughes in Filing Cabinet 2 drawer 1)
1997.189.25
Black and white photograph of a Halifax crew during World War II.
Crew from RAF 518 Squadron working on a Wellington aircraft at Tiree areodrome in 1942 during World War II. (Photograph from Mike Hughes in Filing Cabinet 2 drawer 1)
1997.189.27
Flight Lieutenant Max Bacon and his aircrew from RAF 518 Squadron
Photograph of Flight Lieutenant Max Bacon and his aircrew from RAF 518 Squadron.
Courtesy of Mr Mike Hughes
Flight Lieutenant Arthur ‘Max’ Bacon (4th left) and his aircrew from RAF 518 Squadron are pictured beside their Halifax which was lost on operations over the Atlantic in January 1945.
RAF 518 Squadron arrived on Tiree in September 1943 to fly weather reconnaissance missions in long-range Halifax aircraft. Twice a day flights ‘Bismuth’ and ‘Mercer’ left Tiree for a ten-hour-long trip out into the Atlantic at either 20,000 or 50 feet.
Pressure to fly was relentless and in 1944 518 Squadron flew every day but two. Often icing and waves 100 feet high made this dangerous. 518 Squadron lost twelve aircraft during their spell on Tiree. That night in January, Max and his crew disappeared without trace.
Black and white photograph of Flight Lieutenant Max Bacon and his aircrew during World War II.
Flight Lieutenant Max Bacon (4th left) and his aircrew from RAF 518 Squadron beside their Halifax which was lost on operations over the Atlantic on 21/1/1945. Far right: F/Sgt Tony Porazka (Met. Air Obs., Polish). (Photograph from Mike Hughes in Filing Cabinet 2 drawer 1)
1997.183.2
Black and white photograph of the Tiree Association Sports Day.
Tiree Association Sports Day, 1927 or 1928. Since its foundation in 1900, the Tiree Association has organised an annual Sports Day on Tiree which continues to this day. In 1927 or ’28, Captain A. N. Kingwill was hired to fly the first plane to the island, bringing with him the day’s newspapers. Short flights on the plane were on offer at 2/6d (12p) a time and Captain Kingwill gave a display of stunt-flying. Hugh MacKinnon, a local contractor from Crossapol (pictured behind the wheel of his car in E24) presented him with a medal.
1997.148.3
Balck and white photograph of the postmistress and postmen at Scarinish Post Office in 1919.
The postmistress and postmen at Scarinish Post Office in 1919. L-R: (back) Margaret Robertson, Scarinish (postmistress); Lachland MacNeill; Donald MacKechnay; Hugh Lamont, Ruaig; (front) Archie MacLean, Scarinish; Donald MacDougall, Kilmoluaig; John Munn, Baugh.
1997.148.6
Scarinish Post Office in 1919
Photograph of the postmistress and postmen at Scarinish Post Office in 1919.
Courtesy of Mr Angus MacLean
The postmistress, Margaret Robertson (centre right), is pictured seated beside veterinary surgeon, John MacDougall, outside the old Post Office in Scarinish which was originally established in 1802
The postal service was extremely irregular and uncertain until 1863 when mail packets were conveyed to and from Tiree at public expense. Telegraphy arrived in Tiree two years too late for reporters covering the Crofters’ War in 1886. They had to resort to carrier pigeon to send urgent despatches.
The first telephones were installed in Tiree in the mid-1920s but were restricted to official use for the transmission of telegrams. In 1941 the first public call box was installed at Crossapol for the benefit of the airfield construction workers.
Black and white photograph of the postmistress and postmen at Scarinish Post Office in 1919.
The postmistress and postmen at Scarinish Post Office in 1919. L-R: (standing) Archibald MacLean, `Bayview`, Scarinish; Donald MacDougall, Kilmoluaig; (in carriages) Hugh Lamont, Ruaig; Mary MacNeill; Jack Munn, Heanish; John MacDougall, vet; Margaret Robertson, Scarinish (postmistres); unknown; unknown. (Original photograph – 1997.178.1)