This week I returned to Ulster Aviation Society Museum (UAS). I was granted permission to photograph the hangars anytime, so just waiting on the weather so I can return around sunset time. I had a good look around the WW2 exhibition to see if I can add anything to my body of work. I was intrigued with the personnel biographies of serving NI pilots, some of their medals, attributes were displayed along with their photo. I’m not sure what I can do with this as they didn’t serve at the airfield locations but rather were from NI. My work focuses on places within Northern Ireland that have WW2 significance. I think for this to link, personnel would have had to serve at one of these airfields in NI. I will confirm with Ernie Cromie if any were the case. I liked the map that was displayed on the wall, which outlined every airfield and the site boarders. I look through their extensive library to see if anything stood out but couldn’t find anything.
http://ulsteraviationsociety.org
I popped into War Memorial NI to speak to the manager about their archive and said she would get back. Couple of days later the Collections Officer got back to me explaining they hold a large amount of items from the WW2 such as a log book, badges, Christmas cards, Aldergrove pass and aerial imagery. I will arrange a date to go in and have a look. I am thinking maybe I could photograph a few of these items and include an ‘artefact’ section within my work.
I also took a look at National Archives website as I was interested in Daily Occurrence Records 540 form, this lists the day to day running from Squadrons and Stations. It is a little tricky to find exactly what I need as there is a cost to view each piece and the scan isn’t very clear with the information. If you search under the Squadron lets say 502 Sqn (based at Aldergrove) it lists every 540 in each month and year but 502 deployed all over the country so the one below was actually at RAF St. Eval (England). I find them interesting though as they hold a look into the past, I just need to decide if worth taking a trip to the National Archives (Richmond) and view some of these items, as this would be the most cost effective way of viewing them.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Critical Research Journal 