Description
Object description
South African officer served as pilot with 32 Sqdn, No 11 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 11/1939-12/1939; served with 603 Sqdn, Nos 13 and 11 Groups, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 12/1939-12/1940 including Battle of Britain; served with Merchant Ship Fighter Unit (MSFU) in GB and North Atlantic, 6/1941-12/1941; served with 257 Sqdn, No 12 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 1/1942-3/1943; served as Sector Gunnery Instructor at RAF Kenley, GB, 9/1943-7/1944; commanded 247 Sqdn, No 124 Wing, No 83 Group, 2nd Tactical Air Force, RAF in North West Europe, 1944; POW in Stalag Luft I, Barth, Germany, 1/1945-4/1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in South Africa and GB, 1920-1939: family; education; visit to his school by Alan Cobham's Flying Circus; story of joining British Overseas Airways Corportion (BOAC), 1946-1948; swimming at school. Aspects of enlistment and training as pilot with RAF in GB, 1939: selection procedure; need for mathematical qualification; start of flying training at No 13 Elementary Flying Training School, White Waltham, 23/1/1939; opinion of De Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth; joining No 1 Course at No 13 Flying Training School, RAF at RAF Drem; flying Hawker biplanes; formations flown by RAF during Second World War; story of shooting down German; story of crash landing in Supermarine Spitfire (N 3196) at Sutton Valence during Battle of Britain, 5/9/1940. Aspects of period as pilot with 32 Sqdn, No 11 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 20/11/1939-15/12/1939: joining squadron at RAF Biggin Hill; problems landing at RAF Biggin Hill.
REEL 2 Continues: Recollections of operations as pilot with 603 Sqdn, Nos 13 and 11 Groups, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 12/1939-12/1940 including Battle of Britain: background to posting to squadron at RAF Prestwick, 25/12/1939; contrast between flying Supermarine Spitfire and Hawker Hurricane; character of squadron; operational flying; initial impressions of Supermarine Spitfire; move to RAF Hornchurch; story of how Flight Lieutenant Al Deere being bombed on airfield; scrambling from RAF Hornchurch; use of shelters during bombing of RAF Rochford; number of flights per day during Battle of Britain; attacking German Dornier Do 17; story of attacking formation of Messerschmitt Bf 109s and flight back to RAF Hornchurch.
REEL 3 Continues: shooting down of Flying Officer Richard Hillary, 3/9/1940; recreational activities in London; story of crash landing in Supermarine Spitfire (N 31960 at Sutton Valence, 7/9/1940; question of Germans not carrying out barrage balloon attacks; leaving squadron, 12/1940; story of crash landing in and problems on take off with Bristol Blenheim with No 4 Aircraft Delivery Flight, 3/1941; later story of pilot who crashed in house in Hawker Typhoon. Recollections of operations as pilot with Merchant Ship Fighter Unit (MSFU) in GB and North Atlantic, 6/1941-12/1941: training with Fairey Battle; rocket arrangement on CAM (Catapult Aircraft Merchant) ships; loading of Hawker Hurricane onto CAM (Catapult Aircraft Merchant) ship in Liverpool; embarking on board first ship; towing Hawker Hurricane through streets; being fired off CAM (Catapult Aircraft Merchant) ship; status of pilots; procedure for landing aircraft.
REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of operations as pilot with 257 Sqdn, No 10 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 1/1942-3/1943: night flying formatting on Douglas Havoc; problems landing Hawker Typhoon at night; opinion of Hawker Typhoon; accident when flight commander Flight Lieutenant Reginald 'Dusty' Miller was killed in flying accident at RAF Warmwell, 8/3/1943; subsequent posting. Aspects of period as Sector Gunnery Instructor at RAF Kenley, GB, 9/1943-7/1944: method of instruction; types of pupils. Recollections of operations commanding 247 Sqdn, No 124 Wing, No 83 Group, 2nd Tactical Air Force RAF in North West Europe, 8/1944-12/1944: taking command of squadron, 26/8/1944; operations against German armour; identification of tanks; approach used to attack armour; firing rockets from Hawker Typhoon MK Ib; attacking trains; attacking German ambulances carrying troops in Falaise Gap, 8/1944; co-operation with army; German anti-aircraft fire; formation flown; commanding squadron from air; attitude to flying at dusk; suitability of Hawker Typhoon Mk IB for ground attack; operational conditions.
REEL 5 Continues: crash landing after attacking German train, 23/12/1944. Aspects of period as POW in Stalag Luft I, Barth in Germany, 1945: interrogation at Dulag Luft, Obereusel; story of buying car with Red Cross parcels after liberation; conditions in camp. Attitude to having served with RAF during Second World War.