Ellwood, Aubrey Beauclerk (Oral history)

British officer served with Royal Naval Air Service on Western Front and GB, 1916-1918; served as pilot with 114 and 31 Sqdns, RAF in India, 1920-1924; served with 1 School of Technical Training at Halton, GB, 1924-1930; student at RAF Staff College, Andover, GB, 1930; served with 31 Sqdn, RAF in India, 1931-1934; served as staff officer with Headquarters, India Command, RAF in New Dehli, India, 1934-1936; student at Imperial Defence College, London, GB, 1937; served with Directing Staff at RAF Staff College, Andover, GB, 1938-1939

REEL 1 Background in GB, 1897-1915: family; education. Aspects of period with Royal Naval Air Service in France and GB, 1916-1918: pattern of service in France; U-boat reconnaissance operations off Scotland; reaction to amalgamation of Royal Flying Corps and Royal Naval Air Service, 1918; degree of consciousness of RAF's insecurity as independent force. Aspects of period as officer with School of Air Fighting at Freeston, GB, 1918-1920: reasons for taking permanent commission; attitude to training duties. Recollections of period as officer with 114 and 31 Sqdns, RAF in India, 1920-1924: voyage from GB to India; posting to 114 Sqdn, RAF at Ambala; living conditions. REEL 2 Continues: postings prior to posting to 31 Sqdn, RAF at Peshawar, 1921; living conditions at Ambala and Peshawar; social life and recreations; reconnaissance and escort duties; character of bombing raids on rebellious villages; effects of spares shortages caused by RAF economies. Recollections of period as administrative officer with 1 School of Technical Training, RAF Halton, GB, 1924-1930: posting to school; duties. REEL 3 Continues: workshop training and education for apprentices; criteria for selecting potential officers; staff relationship with apprentices; role of end of term reports; apprentices' recreations; value of service; quality of apprentice intake. Aspects of period as student at RAF Staff College, Andover, GB, 1930: value of course; nature of instruction and exercises to develop military appreciation skills; special study on air power and international law. Aspects of period as officer with 31(Army Co-operation) Sqdn, RAF in India, 1931-1934: attitude to posting, 1931; initial impressions of Quetta. REEL 4 Continues: contact with civilians; developments in army co-operation; method picking up messages from ground; replacement of Bristol Fighters with Westland Wapiti. Aspects of period as staff officer with Headquarters, India Command, RAF in New Dehli, India, 1934-1936: developing air route to Singapore including updating route book and staging posts; responsibility for Viceroy, Lord Willingdon's personal aircraft; relationship with army and question of air control of North West Frontier. REEL 5 Continues: visit to Quetta after earthquake, 1935; return to GB, 1936. Aspects of period as student at Imperial Defence College in London, GB, 1937: organisation and purpose of course; attitudes towards air power; exercises; question of inter-service planning; importance of course. Aspects of period with directing staff at RAF Staff College, Andover, GB, 1938-1939: role teaching potential staff officers; efforts to keep up to date; establishment of war courses, 1939.