Description
Object description
British officer served on airships with Royal Naval Air Service in GB, 1915-1918; served with Air Ministry in London, GB, 1918-1920; served with School of Naval Co-operation and Aerial Navigation, RAF at RAF Calshot and as navigator aboard Airship R.34 in GB, 1920-1921; served with 267 Sqdn, RAF in Malta and Turkey, 1921-1924; student at Royal Air Force Staff College, Andover, GB, 1924-1925; served as staff officer with Middle East Section, Directorate of Operations and Intelligence at Air Ministry, London, GB, 1925-1928; served as staff officer at RAF Leuchars, GB, 1928-1930; served as staff officer with RAF Headquarters, Mediterranean Air Staff in Malta, 1930-1934; served with Royal Naval Staff College, Greenwich, GB, 1934; commanded 15 Sqdn, RAF in GB, 1934-1935; served as station commander at RAF Abingdon, GB, 1935-1937; served as Air Attaché in Ankara, Turkey, 1937-1939; served as station commander of RAF Leconfield, GB, 1939
Content description
REEL 1 Aspects of period as midshipman with Royal Navy in GB coastal waters, 1913-1915: ambition to join Royal Navy; education at Royal Naval College, Osborne and Royal Naval College, Dartmouth; appointment to HMS Indomitable, 1913; wartime duties as midshipman. Aspects of operations as officer with Royal Naval Air Service in GB, 1915-1918: transfer to Royal Naval Air Service, 1915; training for airship duties on balloons; duties and anti-submarine reconnaissance patrols from Royal Naval Air Station Stranraer; operating Coastal Class Airship C-19 from Royal Naval Air Station Howden, 1916; commanding Royal Naval Air Station Anglesey, 1917-1918; effects of formation of Royal Air Force; 4/1918. Aspects of period as officer with RAF in GB, 1918-1921: reasons for decision to and continue service in Royal Air Force; appointment to Air Ministry to close down airship service.
REEL 2 Continues: reasons for the Air Ministry's first home at Hotel Cecil being nicknamed 'Bolo House'; question of discrimination against former Royal Naval Air Service personnel; attending course at School of Naval Co-operation and Aerial Navigation, RAF at RAF Calshot; posting as navigator to airship R.34. Aspects of period as officer with 267 Sqdn, RAF in Malta and Turkey, 1921-1924: posting to unit in Malta, 1921; role of unit in Mediterranean; reconnaissance role during Chanak Crisis in Turkey; learning to fly; status of naval co-operation. Aspects of period as student at Royal Air Force Staff College, Andover, GB, 1924-1925: passing examination for college, 1924; nature of courses.
REEL 3 Continues: exercise with John Sleesor and Hastings Ismay on problem of passing convoy through Mediterranean; question of France being potential enemy; study topics; two week attachment to Royal Tank Corps; emphasis on a balanced Royal Air Force and it's potential roles; character of vacation essay; lack of relevant literature available in library; failure rate and reasons for students' failure; opinion of course; flying instruction from John Slessor. Aspects of period as staff officer with Middle East Section, Directorate of Operations and Intelligence at Air Ministry in London, GB, 1925-1928: posting to Air Ministry; sources of information; opinion of personnel.
REEL 4 Continues: character and influence of Lord Hugh Trenchard; intelligence mission to assess Turkish Air Force; intelligence mission to prepare plan for defence of Persian oilfields; degree of hostility between Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. Aspects of period as staff officer at RAF Leuchars in GB, 1928-1930: background to appointment; training role of RAF Leuchars; staff duties liaising with Royal Navy. Aspects of period as staff officer with Headquarters Mediterranean Air Staff in Malta, 1930-1934: attitude to posting; duties; organising exercise illustrating inadequate air defences of Malta.
REEL 5 Continues: Royal Navy's attitude to potential of aerial attacks on their ships; gunnery and bombing practice on Malta; reflections on career prospects. Attending Senior Officers' War Course at Royal Naval Staff College, Greenwich, GB, 1934. Recollections of period commanding 15 (Bomber) Sqdn, RAF in GB, 1934-1935: flying refresher course on Hawker Hart prior to joining squadron; reformation of squadron at RAF Abingdon; quality of unit officers; rivalry between squadron and 40 Sqdn, RAF that shared airfield; degree to which commanding officer would plan training programme; individual training programme of flying and bombing practice.
REEL 6 Continues: degree of bombing accuracy; limitations imposed on bombing ranges; navigation training; early trials with gyro compasses; formation flying at Hendon Air Display; communications signals between aircraft; amount of bombing practice; role of air gunners; question of adequacy of air gunner training; types of bombing practiced; annual interception exercise of bomber and fighter squadrons; uncertainty of wartime role; possible targets.
REEL 7 Continues: concern over vulnerability of squadron's Hawker Harts; opinion of Hawker Hind, which 15 Sqdn re-equipped with in 1936. Aspects of period as station commander at RAF Abingdon, GB, 1935-1937: role as station commander; relationship between station commander and squadron commanders; attitude towards role as station commander. Aspects of period as Air Attaché in Ankara, Turkey, 1937-1939: reaction to posting; purpose and preparations for post; initial intransigence of Turkish authorities to his presence; developing closer contacts with Turkish Air Force; assessment of Turkish military strength; success in selling aircraft and lectures he gave to Turkish staff officers.
REEL 8 Continues: reports to Air Ministry. Recollections of period as station commander of RAF Leconfield, GB, 1939: posting to command the station as part of No 4 Group, Bomber Command; intermediary role of station in supplying trained bomber crews to operational squadrons; escorting Turkish aircraft purchasing mission; degree to which he was involved in training programme; preparations as war approached; reaction to approaching war and opinion of Royal Air Force's capabilities; cancellation of bombing raid and change to leafleting raid on outbreak of Second World War, 3/9/1939; start of night bomber training.
