Fulljames, Reginald (Oral history)

British officer served as pilot with 53 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps on Western Front, 1917; served with 6 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps on Western Front, 1917; served as flying instructor with No 5 Training Depot, RAF in GB, 1918

REEL 1 Recollections of enlistment and training as officer into Royal Flying Corps in GB, 8/1916-2/1917: recruitment; training as pilot, 8/1916-2/1917; dual and solo flights on Maurice Farnham; period with No 1 (Reserve) Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps at Gosport; learning how to recover from spin during dual instruction with Major Smith-Barry and opinion of his methods; question of adequacy of flying training; dangers of taking off; frequency of forced landings; aircraft flown; crash on taking off in Graham White Box Kite; attitude to flying; flying in bad weather. REEL 2 Recollections of period as officer flying BE2 E's with 53 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps based at Bailleul, France, 2/1917-10/1917: inadequacy of machine gun angled to miss propeller; observation duties and reasons for pilots taking over role leaving observer to act solely as rear gunner; story of being attacked by patrol of Albatross led by Richtofen and method of escape employed; forced landing after petrol tank had been hit; story of running out of petrol during important reconnaissance mission and gliding back; story illustrating relationship with infantry; evading anti-aircraft fire; artillery observation role and advantages of aircraft over balloons. REEL 3 Continues: artillery observation role; photographic missions; question of contact patrols with infantry. Recollections of period as flight commander with 6 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps, 10/1917-12/1917: question of selection of observers; drinking habits; question of award of decorations to army co-operation squadrons in contrast to fighter squadrons; opinion of RE8. Hospitalisation in GB, 1/1918. Period as flying instructor with No 5 Training Depot, Stamford, 4/1918-8/1918: story of inexperienced pupil accidentally disconnecting dual control of DH6. REEL 4 Continues: story of inexperienced pupil accidentally disconnecting dual control of DH6; use of Gosport Tube. Aspects of career with RAF, 1928-1941: permanent commission in RAF; studying aeronautical engineering at Cambridge University, 1918-1920; cricket activities; postings to India; impressions of Sir Philip Games; anonymity granted Airman T E Lawrence working as fitter in Aircraft Depot, RAF, Karachi, India, c1935; story of Trenchard visiting units in 1917 and 1941; specialisation in technical training; opinions on necessity of international collective military force to prevent war.