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Dan Ellin

@danellin.bsky.social

3.1K followers 1.1K following 1.5K posts

Historian, Gremlinologist, musician, and father. IBCC Digital Archivist. All views my own. He/him.

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Dan Ellin @danellin.bsky.social · Nov 10

My article Lack of Moral Fibre in RAF Bomber Command and Popular Culture @britjnlmilhist.bsky.social is here: journals.gold.ac.uk/index.php/bj...

A ‘Lack of Moral Fibre’ in Royal Air Force Bomber Command and Popular Culture | British Journal for Military History

journals.gold.ac.uk

Dan Ellin

@danellin.bsky.social

This evening I have mostly been listening to Jim Capaldi.

Jim Capaldi 'whale meat again' album cover and a record on a record player.

January 31, 2026 at 8:28 PM

Dan Ellin

@danellin.bsky.social

More talks about the future of RAF Scampton.

It's:

"A unique community rooted in aviation heritage, actively celebrating and promoting aviation activities"

"A significant opportunity to build sovereign capability for UK defence and space sectors"

and

a £2.1 billion opportunity

Hmm.

Renewed excitement in vision for RAF Scampton as investor interest grows

Fresh momentum is building around the ambitious redevelopment plans for the former RAF Scampton as disposal of the site is imminent.

www.west-lindsey.gov.uk

January 30, 2026 at 10:27 PM

Dan Ellin

@danellin.bsky.social

Aircrew in front of a Stirling during training #OTD 30 Jan 1945.
John Taylor Brittain (kneeling left) later flew operations as a Lancaster mid-upper gunner with 195 Squadron from RAF Wratting Common. #History #WW2 @ibccdigitalarchive.bsky.social @nmtdambusters.bsky.social

Seven aircrew in two rows with four standing and two kneeling in front of the rear fuselage of a Stirling. In the background right is another Stirling.
IBCC Digital Archive item #9963

the reverse '30/1/45, From Left to Right, Back Row, Pilot, Bomb Aimer, Engineer, Wireless Operator, Rear Gunner, Front Row, Mid-Upper Gunner, Navigator, Names in order of above, Warrant Officer D S Brown, Flying Officer J Vincent, Sergeant C H Bergh, Sergeant M B Fletcher, Sergeant E R Fletcher, Sergeant J T Brittain, Flight Sergeant J C Ward (New Zealander)'.

January 30, 2026 at 10:01 AM

Dan Ellin

@danellin.bsky.social

Wakey wakey tablets anyone?

1943 British RAF Emergency Flying Ration MK 2 Military Survival MRE Food Review Time Capsule

YouTube video by Steve1989MREInfo

www.youtube.com

January 30, 2026 at 9:17 AM

Dan Ellin

@danellin.bsky.social

My eyes are going like Desperate Dan's

Interpretation: A new paradigm in Response to Current Developments" by Nicole Deufel placed on a laptop keyboard, with handwritten notes and underlining on the paper. A mug with Desperate Dan cartoon character and a computer screen displaying a PowerPoint presentation in the background. Desperate Dan has a googly eye stuck on.

January 28, 2026 at 4:20 PM

Dan Ellin

@danellin.bsky.social

Pages from an album of photographs taken by LAC Arthur George Standivan following the liberation of Belsen. On International Holocaust Remembrance Day, think about how this happened. Let's try to stop it happening again.
#holocaust #WW2 #HISTORY

Three photographs, one showing sign attached to a tree pointing the way to Belsen. The other two show the sign erected at the entrance, one at distance the other a close up. This sign gives a short description of the purpose of the camp.
ENTRANCE BELSEN CAMP

WOHLBEKANNTE CONZ – BELSEN BERGEN

This is the site of THE INFAMOUS BELSEN CONCENTRATION CAMP
liberated by the British on 15 April 1945.

10,000 UNBURIED DEAD WERE FOUND HERE.
ANOTHER 13,000 HAVE SINCE DIED.
ALL OF THEM VICTIMS OF THE GERMAN NEW ORDER IN EUROPE,
AND AN EXAMPLE OF NAZI KULTUR.
IBCC Digital Archive item #36430

two photographs, one with three individuals, one with four show some of the female Belsen guards and supervisors. One is marked with a cross, captioned 'Irma Grese, (hanged)'.
IBCC Digital Archive item #36413

A number of bodies, one naked, the others covered by blankets. Captioned 'Victims of Belsen, who died later, 35 were dying each day'.
IBCC Digital Archive item #36406

January 27, 2026 at 3:21 PM

Dan Ellin

@danellin.bsky.social

This is one of the Operational Record Books mentioned. All transcribed by one of our wizard volunteers, and word searchable!
@ibccdigitalarchive.bsky.social

January 25, 2026 at 9:22 AM

Dan Ellin

@danellin.bsky.social

Janey Godly on a golf course holding a sign saying Trump is a Cunt. A Police officer is standing next to her.

January 23, 2026 at 7:57 PM

Reposted by Dan Ellin

Edzard Ernst

@edzard.bsky.social

January 22, 2026 at 5:32 PM

Reposted by Dan Ellin

JMcN

@jmcn.bsky.social

Another jam packed pod from @merrynwalters.uk and @andyaitch.bsky.social. Monkeys and school shoes, or the lack thereof. Shoes that is, not monkeys. As an aside I recall @spitfirefilly.bsky.social and @danellin.bsky.social did a presentation on GOMORRAH at WHWFV or F. Grim stuff.

News Of The War Pod @newsofthewar.bsky.social · 9d

🚨New episode of #NewsoftheWar?! Yes please!

This week, the burning issue is, how d'you pronounce a short word like 'Foggia' ~ and if THAT doesn't give you an ear worm, then wait til you hear what else was happening on 28th September 1943...
@andyaitch.bsky.social @merrynwalters.uk

January 23, 2026 at 6:02 PM

Dan Ellin

@danellin.bsky.social

I've had a butchers at the @ibccdigitalarchive.bsky.social's analytics.
Over the last month the archive has had around 7,000 users.
Most found us from Google, 380 came from Social media, 143 from the IBCC, and 51 from Wikipedia. Others came from Ancestry & YouTube, and aviation sites.

a cartoon of spongebob with the word analytics written on it

Alt: SpongeBob Square Pants with the word analytics written on a rainbow

media.tenor.com

January 23, 2026 at 4:53 PM

Dan Ellin

@danellin.bsky.social

Sign up for this folks!
Everything Aviation Cultures does is wizard, it's global, and it's free! @jamesjhistory.bsky.social @jdkightly.bsky.social @kristenauthor.bsky.social

Aviation Cultures Conference @avculturesconf.bsky.social · 12d

Session plan is here:

3>

Session plan of times, speakers and topics for Print the Legend

January 22, 2026 at 8:23 AM

Dan Ellin

@danellin.bsky.social

I'm sorry @jamesjhistory.bsky.social was grounded and wasn't able to record this one, and I'm also sorry I wasn't free to be a spare bod on the pod again. This is another sterling episode, this time with Jonathan Falconer on the Stirling. Now to listen to the new one on the Mossie... #History #WW2

NEVER MIND THE DAMBUSTERS @nmtdambusters.bsky.social · 18d

Good morning! NOBODY talks about the Short Stirling ... Apart from us! Today we have a whole episode devoted to this magnificent (and surprisingly adaptable) beast
www.buzzsprout.com/2327200/epis...

January 21, 2026 at 3:17 PM

Reposted by Dan Ellin

NEVER MIND THE DAMBUSTERS

@nmtdambusters.bsky.social

Morning! Who doesn't love a De Havilland Mosquito?? Listen to the incredible story of the "wooden wonder" as told by John Lilley from The People's Mosquito project - new episode out today! For Mozzie aficionados everywhere...
www.buzzsprout.com/2327200/epis...

January 21, 2026 at 8:28 AM

Dan Ellin

@danellin.bsky.social

This morning I have mostly been arranging for folks to bring collections to the @ibccdigitalarchive.bsky.social to be digitised. I'm very excited about one in particular...

winnie the pooh is sitting at a table with a spoon and a jar of honey .

Alt: Disney's Winnie the Pooh is sitting at a table with a spoon and a jar of honey in antici --------------- pation.

media.tenor.com

January 20, 2026 at 11:20 AM

Reposted by Dan Ellin

IBCC Digital Archive

@ibccdigitalarchive.bsky.social

A happy donor, on seeing their collection published in the archive. "Thank you so much for this. I have circulated it to family and friends, and all are impressed – not just by the content but also the work you have done."

a little girl wearing sunglasses and a blue dress is dancing in a hallway .

Alt: A little girl wearing sunglasses and a blue dress is dancing in a hallway.

media.tenor.com

January 19, 2026 at 9:06 AM

Dan Ellin

@danellin.bsky.social

Arthur Ernest Biscoe trained in Canada and flew operations as a pilot with 605 Squadron. One of his photo albums covers his training and instructing in North America beginning #OTD 19 Jan 1942. #History The @ibccdigitalarchive.bsky.social contains
his log books, letters, photographs, and two albums.

Album page with colour photo of Arthur in uniform standing in a wood and the caption:
Hi-ya everybody!!! –
– and now that I’ve introduced myself, can I tell you about my stay in Canada? – I can? – oh good – now let me see, I landed at Halifax on January 19th. 1942 after a painful trip across. We duly arrived at Moncton N.B. where we stayed for a few days and from then on I got busy with my camera –
IBCC Digital Archive item #23411

January 19, 2026 at 8:53 AM

Dan Ellin

@danellin.bsky.social

Got some of the family together for pies and a wander around town this afternoon.

From left to Right: Richard, Toon, Hannah, Mrs E, Beth, Morgan, Hannah, and Dan. Cathedral archway in the background.

January 18, 2026 at 6:08 PM

Reposted by Dan Ellin

Bomber Command Historia

@avrolancaster.bsky.social

For info, I have uploaded all the IX Sqn ops and crews to my website in the last month, so you can check all the Sqns ops.

This was the op you mentioned:

www.avro-lancaster.info/Wseries/w4157

W4157

www.avro-lancaster.info

January 17, 2026 at 2:27 PM

Dan Ellin

@danellin.bsky.social

Ground personnel and 9 Squadron Lancaster WS-V W4157 'Barbara Mary', named after the nieces of F/L James Cowen RNZAF, the pilot of a previous crew. The aircraft, pilot F/S Gibson RCAF, and 7 crew were lost without trace on an op to Berlin 17/18 Jan 1943. #History #OTD

12 airmen and Lancaster 'Barbara Mary' A mix of air and ground crew standing in front of a Lancaster.
On the reverse 'Barbara Mary, 9 Squadron Lancaster W4157 WS-V Lost on raid to Berlin 17/18 January 1943. Flown by F/S Gibson RCAF and crew., all were lost. It was named after the two nieces of the pilot of a previous crew, F/L James Cowen RNZAF'.
[undecipherable]
Barnacle
Smith
Wellgress
[undecipherable]
The Boss
Whitehouse
Franklin
Williams
Wilkins
[undecipherable]
[undecipherable]
IBCC Digital Archive item #44383

January 17, 2026 at 11:45 AM

Dan Ellin

@danellin.bsky.social

The @ibccdigitalarchive.bsky.social contains over 1,100 items that have been categorised as 'artwork'. We've recently had a couple of emails from a chap complaining that the depiction of an event in one painting is not accurate...
For art's sake!

A pencil drawing of a Lancaster bomber with the two starboard engines on fire. The aircraft is caught in searchlights and flak is exploding around it. It has a roundel on the fuselage with the identification letters N and I either side.
IBCC Digital Archive item #43873

Pencil drawing caricature of P J Hogan, an RAAF officer wearing peaked cap and holding a glass. On the reverse 'Believe it or not but it is supposed to be me in a pub in Edinburgh one night'.
IBCC Digital Archive item #31981

Lancaster with a German Dornier 217 night fighter in the foreground. Another Lancaster caught in searchlights at the top right with other Lancasters and flames in the background. Captioned 'Augsburg 44', and signed by 'HOH'.
IBCC Digital Archive item #3592

The Eder, Möhne and Sorpe operation.
A Lancaster flies over the explosion of an Upkeep bouncing bomb against a dam. A second aircraft has been hit by anti-aircraft fire and is plunging towards the water, engulfed in flames and smoke. A third Lancaster is visible on the right with a bomb visible below it.
Label translated:
Caption translates as: “16 May 1943, 9.28 pm. The first British Lancaster involved in operation Chastise took off from Scampton, carrying the RAF Lieutenant Colonel Guy Penrose Gibson. He was the night pilot of impossible operations: at first on the North of Italy, then on the Rhur dams. They tried the rotating bomb, or the bouncing one, a cylindrical device which measuring 1.5 metres in height, 1.27 metres in diameter, weighing 4,196 kilograms, and with an 2.992 kilograms explosive charge. 18 bombers attacked the Möhne, Sorpe and Schwelm [sic} dams in three waves. On the third attempt they hit the dam in Eder. They collapsed and 110 million cubic metres of water rushed downstream. The anti-aircraft artillery fired point blank, shooting down eight bombers out of nineteen. On 20 September 1944, Guy Penrose Gibson, who was honoured with the “Victoria Cross”, was shot down in action as “master bomber” over Rheydt.”
IBCC Digital Archive item #215

January 16, 2026 at 9:14 AM

Dan Ellin

@danellin.bsky.social

4269 Bomber Command aircrew were killed flying in Stirlings during the war. All things Stirling in the @ibccdigitalarchive.bsky.social can be found using the 'Stirling' tag. #History #WW2

Stirling taking off
Just airborne, aircraft flying over photographer.
IBCC Digital Archive item #34576

Stirling with air and ground crew
Nine airmen siting and standing on the cockpit and fuselage of a Stirling. One man is leaning from the cockpit window. engine trestles are visible in the background.
From information kindly provided by the donor. 'WP-P (Peter) BK784 with air and ground crew "Jock" Guyan centre with legs crossed'. 1943.
IBCC Digital Archive item #34572

A port/front side view of a Stirling with a second Stirling flying overhead.
IBCC Digital Archive item #23313

Air-to-air photograph of a Stirling from below dropping containers, some with parachutes deployed, others deploying. Bomb doors are open, flaps extended.
IBCC Digital Archive item #1166

January 14, 2026 at 5:14 PM

Dan Ellin

@danellin.bsky.social

I dunno why Mrs E put her brolly there, but I also don't know why the cat chose to sit under it.

Niska the cat sitting under an open umbrella on a living room carpet. The cat is black and white, the umbrella is green with dragon flies on it, and the carpet is grey. Plants on a coffee table in the foreground, unit with records and ornaments and another plant in the background.

January 14, 2026 at 8:40 AM

Reposted by Dan Ellin

Jamie McTrusty

@jamiemctrusty.bsky.social

After seeing these incredible pictures posted by Dan, I was curious to see what became of the wireless operator, who in the Halifax was stationed in the nose along with the bomb aimer and navigator. They were not wearing their parachutes and had been thrown out following the collision.
🧵1/3

Dan Ellin @danellin.bsky.social · 19d

Halifax MZ465 MH-Y hit Halifax LL590 L8-L over France #OTD 13 Jan 1945, losing a nine foot section of the nose and killing the navigator Thomas S H Whitehouse and air bomber David Hauber. Three were killed on board LL590. MZ465 landed at RAF Ford in Sussex. #History @ibccdigitalarchive.bsky.social