For all enquiries relating to this site please contact
Peter Garwood: NEW NUMBER as of 21st April 2022 MOBILE 07412-869027
or email me at pgarwood@globalnet.co.uk
Click on the Barrage Balloon or click on the text underlined to navigate the site
UPDATED AND NEW ITEMS 2024
NEW!! Vladimir Putin Plans to Deploy a Balloon Barrage Net to Defend Russian Air Space
NEW!!
93753
Leading Aircraftman Archie Robert Vertigans
NEW!! 855815 Corporal Thomas Reginald Dykes, No.922 Balloon Barrage Squadron
NEW!! Cinefilm Taken by 1123713 Flying Officer Reginald Barrable from 1930 to 1970
NEW!! The Historical Background to the Manufacture and Distribution of the Campaign Medals for WWII.
NEW!! 90495
Wing Commander Charles Edgar Harvey
NEW!! The 1942 Race Issue of The Government
NEW!! Arming of the Cable on Low Altitude Barrage Balloons
NEW!!
BEWARE!
Balloons over Birmingham
NEW!! Group Captain Adam Kropiński, V.M., D.F.C., M.I.D.
NEW!! Bring Blimps Back Project
NEW!! The Balloon Barrage 1936 to 1938
NEW!!
Harrow
District Council versus The Air Ministry and No.3 Balloon Centre
NEW!! Some Uniform Woes of the W.A.A.F
NEW!! How Hydrogen Was Made For The Balloon Barrage.
NEW!! Balloon Losses
NEW!! Section Officer Diana Mary Ware (307)
NEW!! Operation Prank D Day Exercise
NEW!! 1207501 Leading Aircraftman Horace William Eaton
NEW!! The Role of Barrage Balloons in the Ghost Fleet on D-Day
NEW!! Leading Aircraftman Thomas Reginald Dykes
NEW!! Henrik Melder and No.990 Squadron Sri Lanka (Formerly Ceylon)
NEW!! Auxiliary Territorial Services in World War Two
ACCIDENTS & FATALITIES IN BALLOON COMMAND
Balloon Cable Tragedy in Sussex
Barrage Balloon Cable Collisions with Aircraft in WWII
Collisions With Balloon Cables and Squeakers
Damage by Barrage Balloons and the War Damage Commission
Freak Accident with Barrage Balloon Causes Car to Take Off!
Mary Pratt Crushed by Barrage Balloon 1942
The First Fatal Casualty in Balloon Command September 2nd, 1939.
The First Fatalities from a Barrage Balloon Cable
The First Woman to Die on Active Service in the Second World War
BALLOON BARRAGE REUNION CLUB
BBRC - All about us and our history and how to join. UPDATED APRIL 2022
Contacts - Who is who at the BBRC
BARRAGE BALLOONS - HISTORY and TECHNOLOGY
1940 Status Location and Equipment of Balloon Barrage Squadrons between 31st July and 31st August 1940
Abbey Mills Pumping Station with Barrage Balloon aloft.
Auxiliary Territorial Services in World War Two
Balloon Command -Development of Balloon Command in the Great War and Second World War
Balloon Squadron Composition and Orders
Balwnau Amddiffyn - Barrage Balloons at Pembroke Dock in WWII
Barrage Balloons around Barry Area in WWII
Barrage Balloon A. Y. Alessie a short history
Barrage Balloon Manual by LAC Margaret Lindsey
Barrage Balloon Sites in Sheffield
Barrage Balloon Vessels an Introduction
Battle Orders- Balloon Barrages and Squadrons Overseas.
Big Bertha from World war II gets new role in the anti-terrorist war in Cyprus inn 1956
Books on Barrage Balloons and Balloon use in the Wars
Central Trade and Test Board (C.T.T.B.) Questions For Balloon Operators
Champion Balloon Team September 1943 South Wales and The West
Charles Richard John "Tiger" Hawkins AFC
NEW!! Cinefilm Taken by 1123713 Flying Officer Reginald Barrable from 1930 to 1970
Consumption of High Pressure Hydrogen Cylinders by Balloon Command During the War
Damage by Barrage Balloons and the War Damage Commission
Defence of Trains by Barrage Balloons
Duke of Edinburgh Meets Barrage Balloon Club Members to Celebrate 80th Anniversary of the RAF
Edna Joyce Mann meets the Queen
Formation of a Balloon Depot at Kidbrooke
Free Balloon Operations in World War Two
History of Balloons in Warfare - the earliest uses of balloons in warfare.
History of Polish Balloon flight serving with the R.A.F. in Great Britain in WWII
Hull's Own Air Force Station by Len Bacon
If Only They Had Employed a Balloon Barrage at Pearl Harbour and the Falklands
Investigation of Death on Active Service of 630150 Aircraftman 1st Class Nathaniel McGrady
949 Balloon Squadron at Crewe.
Lieutenant Commander William Compton Taylor D.S.C. and the Mobile Balloon Barrage
Location of the first 69 Barrage Balloon Squadrons across Britain in 1940
Memories of a Barrage Balloon Operator written by Jean Shepherd who died 13th February 1997
Policy Regarding Restoration of Static Balloon Barrages -August 1944.*
Post World War One Development of Balloon Barrages*
Senator Joe Kennedy Meets Barrage Balloon Crew in London 1940*
Some History of the Balloon Sheds at Pucklechurch*
The Archive of Warrant Officer Frederick Quinn *
The Development of Balloon Command*
The Origin and History of M Balloon Unit*
The Orkney Balloon Barrage in WWII By Ginny Schroder*
NEW!! The Role of Barrage Balloons in the Ghost Fleet on D-Day*
Theory of Barrage Balloons - Discusses the Principle of Barrage Balloon Flight and Function*
The Number of Barrage Balloons Flown By Balloon Command During The War
The Making of The One Show's "Women's Barrage Balloon Squadron's"*
The Unveiling and Dedication of the Memorial to Balloon Command at The National Memorial Aboretum*
The Very First Women's Auxiliary Air Force Balloon Barrage Operators*
W.A.A.F.S. involved at R.A.F. Chigwell in making and servicing Barrage Balloons*
BALLOON EQUIPMENT
& DESIGN
Articles about Barrage Balloons by David Wintle
Article on Balloon Winches by David Wintle
A Typical Balloon Crew - Staffing and typical routine
Barrage Balloon Oil or Water Manometer
Balloon Cable Cutting Device for Aircraft
Barrage Balloon Winch found and now on display at Wings Museum
Elasticated Cord used inside barrage balloons
NEW!! How Hydrogen Was Made For The Balloon Barrage.
Ropework and Knots used by Barrage Balloon Operators- UNDER CONSTRUCTION
The MK VII Series I Kite Balloon - Its construction and make up -The basic parts*
The Work of Ken Kelly and Eddie Smith in Restoring two Balloon Winch Vehicles to Their Original Condition
BALLOON BARRAGE CENTRES DURING WORLD WAR TWO
No 1 Balloon Centre, Balloon Command, RAF Kidbrooke 1938-1945 Squadrons 901, 902 and 903
No 1 Balloon Centre Balloon Command RAF Kidbrooke 1938-1945 Squadrons 901, 902 and 903
No.1 Balloon Centre, Surbiton Group Photo ( Officers ) 1941
No.11 Balloon Centre, Pucklechurch, Bristol.
BALLOON BARRAGE SQUADRONS AT HOME AND ABROAD
901 Squadron - The First Seven Months of Hell
Walter Mitty Surfaces in No.914 Squadron at Northfield Birmingham
921 Squadron and the Seaforth Balloon Barrage Cylinder Fire 1941
History of No. 924 Balloon Barrage Squadron (East Lancashire) March 1938 to June 1940
History of No. 924 Balloon Barrage Squadron (East Lancashire) June 1940 to December 1942
History of No. 924-930 Balloon Barrage Squadron (East Lancashire) January 1943 to November 1944
929 Squadron Deal with a Breakaway Balloon
Tragic Loss of Life at 933 Barrage Balloon Squadron at Gosport 12th August 1940
937 Squadron, Site 74, The Three Page Girls
938 Squadron Becomes the First English Squadron to Down a German Bomber
952 Squadron and George Baker's Story
966 Squadron Claims first German Bomber at Newport Wales 13th September 1940 Updated February 2011
978 Squadron Pictures - including Leslie Pickett and Ron Cozens
Short Notes on No. 978 Balloon Barrage Squadron
No. 980 Balloon Barrage Squadron Moves from Abadan to Egypt
983 Squadron - Balloon Barrages in Malta
990 Barrage Balloon Squadron during WWII.
R.A.F. & R.Aux.A.F. & W.A.A.F. PERSONNEL
966 Flying Officer Dorothy Mabel Murray Stanley-Turner W.R.A.F.R.O.
1348 Diana Mary Barton -The first woman to Command a Balloon Unit In London
1348 Acting Squadron Officer Diana Mary Barton, O.B.E.
2271 Section Officer Zena Beatrice Taylor
37106 Group Captain John Alexander KENT, DFC and Bar,AFC , Virtuti Militaire (Polish VC)
840141 Leading Aircraftman Purser (Percy) Bush
846454 Leading Aircraftman Frank Orriss 909 Squadron, Balloon Operator.
85715 Pilot Officer George Hutchinson 966 Squadron
90629 Flight Lieutenant Clifford Basil North
100483 Wing Commander Henry Rapoport Rollin M.B., B.Ch., D.P.M.
113547 Flying Officer Douglas GOODWIN
123713 Flying Officer Reginald Barrable
126645 L.A.C. Sidney Southern 965 Squadron
128871 Leading Aircraftman Harry Quittenden 965 Squadron
1298045 Leading Aircraftman Edgar Charles "Taff" Garwood 980 Squadron
134025 Leading Aircraftwoman Celia Mary Morris
136647 Flying Officer Ernest Keeley
195295 Squadron Leader Arthur Egerton Knight 933 Squadron
28245 Flight Sergeant Richard Marrable
354025 WO1 Francis Frew Dunlop M.B.E.
441880 Sergeant Dora Guyll (nee Barnes)
476938 Aircraftwoman 1st Class Marion Jean Hind
512168 Flight Sergeant (Temporary Warrant Officer) James Charles Christopher Cook
513948 Warrant Officer Henry Higgins
519203 Sergeant William Truran
528399 Sergeant John Sanderson 966 Squadron, 936, 966, 972, 977, 986,970 Squadrons
541698 Aircraftman 1st Class Robert Murton 951 Squadron
542358 Corporal Thomas Scott 965 Squadron
548125 Leading Aircraftman Charles David Parry 905, 971, 983, 932/3, 998 Sqdn
647867 Aircraftman 2nd Class Ronald George Lees
647872 Corporal Wilfred Gordon Allen 914 Squadron
74294 Squadron Leader James Martin Warner - his story - Parts 1 to 6
747552 Corporal Norman Bertie Austin James
75282 Squadron Leader Robert Wallis Beresford 978 Squadron India
840931 Corporal Henry Sydenham
840928 Leading Aircraftman Stanley A. Ross 902 Squadron
841773 Leading Aircraftman George Herbert Bennett
843081 Temporary Corporal Leonard Winston Cooper 905 Squadron
844139 Leading Aircraftman Alexander Alfred James Dangar
846554 Eric Williams 909 Squadron East Ham, March 1939 - August 1941
852019 Leading Aircraftman William Aitken Osborne B.E.M., 917 Barrage Balloon Squadron
852848 Leading Aircraftman William Boardman
856676 LAC Raymond George Mumford 935 Sqdn Royal Aux Air Force
857254 Flying Officer Henry Leslie Stuart Lake 924 Barrage Balloon Squadron
858206 Leading Aircraftman John Ronald Buckley, 925 and 974 Squadron
853747 Leading Aircraftman Leonard Ashcroft Bancroft Archive 919 Squadron
864077 Leading Aircraftman William James Davies 933, 932 and 970 Squadron
864902 Corporal Cyril Russell Holman 934 Squadron
872366 Flight Sergeant 872366 William Andrew Burn 978 Sqdn
884128 Aircraftwoman 2nd Class Gladys Wendy Bradwell 941 Balloon Squadron
892229 Leading Aircraftwoman Margaret Callaghan
90443 Wing Commander Richard Harold Berryman
90608 Wing Commander Ralph Risk M.C.& Bar
958322 LAC John PERKINS 902 and 972 Squadrons
1002262 Aircraftman 1st Class John Vincent Elliot Bullough 920 Squadron
1069212 Leading Aircraftman GEORGE (Judd) BIRCHALL *UPDATED AUGUST 2016
1076099 LAC Tom Fraser 908, 910, 929, 948 Sqdn
1105416 Sergeant Daniel Currie “Jock” Hamilton 975 & 980 Squadrons
1109604 Leading Aircraftman Henry Maurice Rowland 916 and 952 Squadrons
1155265 leading Aircraftman Aubrey Irving Moore 11155265 and Balloon Paintings by Peter Wilson.
1155948 Leading Aircraftman Frederick Taylor
1164531 Aircraftman 2nd Class Sidney Frank Garraway
1207501 Leading Aircraftman Horace William Eaton
1279034 Leading Aircraftman George Mayo Lewis
1465905 Leading Aircraftman Ralph John MOSS 961 Barrage Balloon Squadron
2018720 Aircraftwoman 1st Class Dorothy Winifred Oliver
2019493 Leading Aircraftwoman Irene Lucy Whiteside
2027976, L.A.C.W. Dorothy (Doff) Hunt, 904/5 Squadron E Flight.Photo Archive
2029931 Aircraftwoman 1st Class Doreen Marjorie Barron
2031348 Leading Aircraftwoman Eleanor J. Bostock (Nee Howard)
2033198 Leading Aircraftwoman Annie Jane Gutsell
2048680 L. A.C.W. Margaret Rossow (Nee Usher) 919, 921 and 923 Squadron
2050056 Leading Aircraftwoman Hilda Mudd- her story about being a Barrage Balloon Operator in WWII
2050224 Corporal Margaret Amy Jackson (Bidstrup, formerly Rhodes )
2059399 LACW Kathleen Ellen WOOLEY DOB 10/12/1920 919. 921,919/923 Squadrons
2066973 Leading Aircraftwoman Lilian Doreen Dack ( nee Taylor ) and Vera Fox
2072102 Leading Aircraft Woman Irene Hampson (Nee Barlow)
2080759 Leading Aircraftwoman Kathleen Elsie Cooper
2089738 Leading Aircraftwoman Rosina Alice May Cuming
5309321 Corporal 5309321 Samuel William Fowler 952 Squadron
J203547 Leading Aircraftman John William Hufton
Henry Benjamin Banks 901 Squadron.
Leading Aircraftman Joe "Titch" Riley 91Joe9,942,943 squadron
Leading Aircraftman Eric Neville
Alex Hinks 912 Squadron in France 1940
John Baker Archive Main Page including 902 Squadron
Leading Aircraftman Alfred Ives 910 Squadron
Joe Riley 919/ 942 and 943 Squadron
Leading Aircraftwoman Doris Cox, 901, 932, 933 Squadrons
The Frank Verney Archive - courtesy of Peter Verney
OBITUARIES
Obituary 2027787 Corporal Eileen Emily Hollidge
Obituary 2020766 Leading Aircraftwoman Hazel Winifred Barrow (Nee Walker)
Obituary for Alan Keith Rimmer Member No. 402
Obituary 2017049 Leading Aircraftwoman Mary Molly Alice Elizabeth Russell
Obituary Derek Webb, 1927 -2020, President of the Balloon Barrage Reunion Club
Obituary Phyllis Wood President of the Balloon Barrage Reunion Club
BARRAGE BALLOON VIDEOS, FILM AND STILL IMAGES.
Pictures of 965 Squadron in Ternauzern, Holland 1944-45 including Joe Cheneler
Aerial Bodies2022 by Lily Ford
My Mark VIII Balloon still images
Video clips of my Mark VIII Balloon
MISCELLANEOUS
An extract of a story by John Waddington-Feather on Barrage Balloons and their WWII experiences
A Painting by Grace Kingston of a Barrage Balloon
A Research Article on Opticians and Military Service Tribunals in 1916
Arming Balloon Barrage Personnel in 1940.
Balloon Squadrons Play Cricket During the War
Bomb Disposal and the British Casualties of WW2 by Chris Ransted
British Man Sent Secrets of Balloon Barrage to Germany
Doodling at Duxford: a Day out with the V1 Flying Bombs
Eileen Younghusband and One Woman's War
Flying Officer Peter Carter - One of the Forgotten Few
Hanna Reitsch - A German WWII test pilot who has been called "The Century’s Greatest Pilot"
Herbert Johnson 1894- 1957 and RAF Aldwyth Train
How My Sister Won The War by Alan Rimmer
Julian The Tank Bank At Monmouth 1918
Linda
Hervieux and her new book "Forgotten" about an African-American
Balloon Unit on D-day.
Linda Hervieux & the Launch of the Book "Forgotten" at Pomtypool.
Monmouth Flag Repaired and Returned to Monmouth Museum
Pencil Sketch of Barrage Balloons over Cardington
Rev. George Kendall O.B.E. Chaplain to No.910 Balloon Squadron
Richard Jefferson Walters a USA citizen who helped advise on Balloon Barrages prior to WWII
Roof Over Britain -published in 1943 as a public information booklet.
Snippets From The Wartime Papers
Stitching for Victory by Suzanne Griffiths
The Historical Background to the Manufacture and Distribution of the Campaign Medals for WWII.
The Outrageous Scandal of Mr Jack Tagg - a British War Hero
The Parachute Regiment and Barrage Balloons
The Vintage Flight Wild Balloon Winch at 621 Volunteer Gliding Squadron Hullavington
UPDATED!! Tom Flack Interview and Photographs and The Balloon Hangar at Pawlett, Somerset.
William Henry Laurie Was Almost Charged with Treachery and Shot
WWII Valentine Card with "Balloon Barrage"
Youngest Member of a Balloon Crew
BALLOON BARRAGE REUNION CLUB REUNIONS
Annual General meeting at The Union Jack Club 20th September 2007
Ex-Balloon Operators Meet up for their Annual Dinner 2012.
Reunion Pictures - Pictures of past reunions and attending members
PAGES UNDER CONSTRUCTION OR REVIEW
BBRCLUB ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 9TH SEPTEMBER 2015 AT THE RED LION, BASINGSTOKE, HAMPSHIRE RG21 7LX. TEL 01256 328 525. COME AND JOIN US FOR OUR 70TH MEETING!!!!
Leading Aircraftman Stanley JAY 980 squadron
Ronald Bullimore Archive from 910 Squadron
Fallen Heroes of World War II- In Proud and Honoured Memory
Arthur Goldsmith Airman 1st Class, 2nd Balloon Squadron (part of the 7th Balloon Wing).
For the Duration L.A.C. D.J. Roberts story of his wartime exploits in Barry, London and Norfolk during WWII
Wing Commander John Sylvester "Jack" Wheelwright DSC
Can You Help? - A list of queries raised by members and the public about Balloon Barrage Operatives
Links - Some great links to further information on Barrage Balloons
Join the Airship Heritage Trust if you enjoy finding out about "Lighter Than Air" matters.
Wanted: Barrage Balloon or any items associated with Barrage Balloons.
Roll of Honour - Fallen Comrades of Balloon Command
Former Comrades - LAC Purser Bush, Squadrons 901, 948, 982 and 966.
Edgar Garwood and Stanley Jay 980 Squadron
Edna Joyce Mann 904/5 Squadron John Leslie Pickett 906 / 978 Squadron
LAC Joe Riley 919.923.943 Squadron
Urgent!!!! Save Cardington Airfield
For Sale - Articles for sale by the BBRC