Chabot, Charles James (Oral history)

British civilian in Siam 1914; officer served with 15 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps in GB, 1915; served with 4 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps on Western Front, 1915-1916; served with 30 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps in Mesopotamia, 1916-1917; served with 39 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps in GB, 1917-1918. Served as instructor at 42 Air School, South Africa, 1940-1941; served as group accident prevention officer in South Africa, 1941-1942; served as accident investigation officer with Burma Command in India and Burma, 1942-1945

REEL 1 Period as civilian living in Bangkok, Siam (Thailand), 1914: reaction to news of outbreak of war at combined British, French and German rugby dinner, c4/8/1914; prior recruitment into Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in GB and rejection on reporting to naval authorities at Singapore, 8/1914; selection for officers training and return to GB. Recollections of attempts to join Royal Flying Corps in GB, 1914-1915: reasons; rejection of initial application due to 'elite' nature of Royal Flying Corps; visit to Wolseley Factory, Birmingham; dislike of aircraft nicknames; visit to Vickers Factory, Crayford including use of sailors to splice bracing wires of Vickers Fighter. REEL 2 Continues: visit to Vickers Factory, Crayford including construction of mahogany propellors by carpenter; ability of French test pilot to tune engines; second rejection by Royal Flying Corps and advice to learn to fly as civilian and join Special Reserve, Royal Flying Corps. Recollections of flying training on Maurice Farman Longhorns at Brooklands, 2/1915-4/1915: makeshift 'dual' instruction aircraft; length of instruction; practises in stripping and re-building Longhorns; first solo flight, 1/4/1915; success in 'taking ticket' for entry into Royal Flying Corps; amusing characters. REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of period at Central Flying School, Upavon, 4/1915-5/1915: nickname 'Bloater' for BE8; motorcycle riding; cross country test and use of railway lines to aid navigation; nature of flying training; relationship with Royal Naval Air Service personnel. Recollections of period as officer with 15 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps at Dover, 6/1915-7/1915: conversion to monoplane flying as prospective fighter pilot using specially adapted 'Penguin' and 'Virgin' Bleriot Monoplanes; taxiing practise in 'Penguin'; origin of nicknames; flying 'straights' in 'Virgin'. REEL 4 Continues: crash landing 'Virgin', punishment and subsequent removal from course; story of collecting BE8 with experimental doped fabric from Farnborough including near arrest as spy by Canadian troops during stop at Folkestone racecourse, forced landing in English Channel and rescue; stability of BE2c. REEL 5 Continues: opinion of Major Philip Joubert de la Ferte. Recollections of period flying BE2 Cs with 4 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps at Baisieux, France, 7/1915-2/1916: disadvantage of Oleo undercarriage; prior flight across Channel and period flying BE2 Cs at St Omer; general role of unit; hangars, self sufficient nature of flights; billets; story of Lieutenant Jack Woodhouse volunteering to drop French spy behind German lines and prior preparations. REEL 6 Continues: story of Lieutenant Jack Woodhouse volunteering to drop French spy behind German lines and his story of difficult return journey after successfully dropping spy. Aspects of period as instructor with Royal Flying Corps at Beaulieu, 5/1917-8/1917: mass production nature of DH6; death of Lieutenant Van Gothem in flying accident; reactions to air raid over Cheapside, London. Recollections of period as flight commander with 39 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps at North Weald, 8/1917-1/1918: attempt to intercept Zeppelins L44 and L52 in BE2 E, 9/10/1917, including improvised Lewis gun mounting. REEL 7 Continues: failed attempt to intercept Zeppelins L44 and L52 in BE2 E, 9/10/1917, including improvised Lewis gun mounting, opening fire and ending of attack due to stalled engine; question of relations between flying and non-flying Royal Flying Corps officers; reprimand over failed interception of Zeppelins from Colonel Higgins at Wing Headquarters, de Keyser's Hotel, Blackfriars; sympathetic interview with General Ashmore over failure to intercept Zeppelins and orders to collect new Bristol Fighter. REEL 8 Continues: assignment by Ashmore to special role on standby to intercept Zeppelins; flying characteristics of BE2 C, Curtiss Jenny and Bristol Fighter; night patrol over London and crash landing in fog; period of hospitalisation in Epping Workhouse; comparison of cockpit positions in Blackburn Kangaroo and Avro Vulcan. REEL 9 Continues: searchlight practice flights with Colonel A A B Thompson. Background to rejoining RAF, 1939: question of restriction to administrative service; effect of death of Thompson, 9/1939; obtaining interview with selection board and story of passing medical despite absence of one kidney; qualifying on Tiger Moth at Anstey; effect of aerobatics in causing sickness and consequent transfer to aircraft delivery duties. Recollections of period as group accident prevention officer in South Africa, c1940-1942: prior attack by Admiral Hipper whilst aboard Orbita in convoy out, 12/1940. REEL 10 Continues: duties flying Northrop A17 A towing drogues for air gunnery training with 42 Air School, RAF at Port Elizabeth; use of slow motion film to determine why faulty drogues broke away in flight; appointment and duties as Group Accident Prevention Officer. Recollections of period as Wing Commander responsible for accident investigation with Burma Command, c1942-1945: circumstances of appointment; freelance nature of appointment operating in India and Burma; beginning investigation into Mosquito wing problem as a result of various flying accidents. REEL 11 Continues: beginning investigation into Mosquito wing problem as a result of various flying accidents problem of unreliability of witnesses memory of accident details; investigation into break up of Mosquito at Ranchi enabling identification of particular faulty wing joint, tracing to responsible sub contractors, subsequent proof supplied to De Haviland manufacturers and correction of fault; question of favourite aircraft flown. REEL 12 Continues: Recollections of period as officer flying BE2 Cs with 30 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps at Shaikh Saa'd, Mesopotamia , Turkey, 6/1916-1/1917: conditions during voyage out; scarcity of aircraft; situation in Kut el Amara area; effects of climate on aircraft; reconnaissance role and direct liaison by message bag with cavalry; story of being shot down by ground fire and rescue by cavalry. REEL 13 Continues: failure of various attempts to destroy superior Fokker aircraft fitted with interrupter gear; story of improvising multiple Lewis gun attachment on BE2 C undercarriage designed to attack Fokker on ground, successful test, subsequent reprimand for frightening cavalry horses and abandonment of concept. Recollections of period as flight commander with 39 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps at North Weald, 8/1917-1/1918: story of Major Allen's introduction of squadron drill parades illustrating Chabot's ignorance of drill. REEL 14 Continues: story of Major Allen's introduction of squadron drill parades illustrating Chabot's ignorance of drill and consequent transfer.