Description
Object description
British officer served as pilot with 19 Sqdn, RAF in GB, 1925-1928; attended flying instructors' course at Central Flying School, RAF at RAF Wittering, GB, 1928; served as flying instructor with 605 (County of Warwick) Sqdn, Auxiliary Air Force at Castle Bromwich, GB, 1928-1930; attended engineering course at RAF Henlow, GB, 1930-1932; served as engineer officer with Royal Air Force Depot Karachi, India, 1932-1935; served with 5 Sqdn, RAF in India, 1935-1937; commanded 105 (Bomber) Sqdn, No 1 Group, Bomber Command, RAF in GB, 1937-1939
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Lowestoft and Bungay, GB, 1906-1925: family; education. Aspects of enlistment and training as pilot with Royal Air Force in GB, 1925: reasons for taking short service commission; reputation of Royal Air Force; drinking habits; reception at No 1 Royal Air Force Depot, Uxbridge; posting on probation to training flight with 19 (Fighter) Sqdn, RAF at RAF Duxford. Recollections of period as pilot with 19 (Fighter) Sqdn, RAF at RAF Duxford, GB, 1925-1928: learning to fly; incident during flying examination Flying Officer Richard Atcherley; question of Lord Trenchard's attitude towards short-service commissioned officers; social life and recreational activities; duties in charge of forced landing ground; mess protocol; discipline.
REEL 2 Continues: reasons for flying accidents; accident rate; squadron member who had three accidents in a day; financial constraints on squadron members; mess games; training programme; attending Hendon Air Display; practice camps at Air Firing Camp at RAF Sutton Bridge; use of parachute when his Gloster Grebe came apart in mid-air; characteristics of Armstrong Whitworth Siskin; night flying; flying in cloud; squadron performance; armament of aircraft; use of camera gun; relationships with ground crew; service at RAF Duxford.
REEL 3 Continues: reprimand for low flying. Aspects of period as pilot on flying instructor course at Central Flying School, RAF at RAF Wittering, GB, 1928: importance of training; instrument flying; inverted flying; skills needed by flying instructors. Recollections of period as flying instructor with 605 (County of Warwick), Sqdn, Auxiliary Air Force at Castle Bromwich, GB, 1928-1930: status of squadron; character of personnel; story of accidentally ordering destruction of aircraft; status of squadron amongst auxiliary squadrons; attending engineering course at RAF Henlow to secure permanent commission, 1930-1932; story of formation of small formation team for flying displays, 1930-1932. Aspects of period as engineering officer at Royal Air Force Depot Karachi, India, 1932-1935: duties; flight to GB on leave; spares situation.
REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of period as flight commander with 5 (Army Co-operation) Sqdn, RAF in India, 1935-1937: duties; reforming squadron at Rawalpindi after Quetta earthquake, 1935; communication with ground; nature of army support and air control operations on North West Frontier; technique of bombing assemblies of people; insurgents' armaments; bombing of villages; attitude to participating in ground operations; lifestyle; memories of formation of Indian Air Force at Karachi, 1934; attitude to leaving India. Aspects of period commanding 105 (Bomber) Sqdn, No 1 Group, Bomber Command, RAF at RAF Harwell, GB, 1937-1939: reforming of squadron; training new pilots; reasons for leaving command, 1939; problems with Fairey Battle Mk I; interception exercises; unpreparedness of Royal Air Force for war in 1938; crew of Fairey Battle, Mk I; changing atmosphere as war approached.