Pike, Thomas Geoffrey (Oral history)

British cadet trained as pilot at Royal Air Force College Cranwell, GB, 1923-1925; officer served as pilot with 56 Sqdn, RAF in GB, 1925-1928; attended instructor's course at Central Flying School, RAF at RAF Wittering, GB, 1928-1929; served as instructor with No 5 Flying Training School, RAF at RAF Sealand and Central Flying School, RAF at RAF Wittering, GB, 1929-1930; attended engineering course at RAF Henlow, GB, 1930-1932; served as engineer officer with Royal Air Force Depot Middle East, RAF Aboukir, Egypt, 1932-1934; served as instructor with No 4 Flying Training School, RAF at RAF Abu Sueir, Egypt, 1934-1937; student at Royal Air Force Staff College, Andover, GB, 1937-1938; served as instructor with No 10 Flying Training School, RAF at RAF Tern Hill, GB, 1938-1939; served as staff officer with Directorate of Organisation at Air Ministry, London, GB, 1939

REEL 1 Recollections of period as cadet at Royal Air Force College, Cranwell, GB, 1923-1924: background prior to joining Royal Air Force College; standard of flying instruction; lack of effective selection system; reputation of Royal Air Force officers; ground instruction; sporting activities and recreations; behaviour and status of senior cadets; mess arrangements; reasons for cadets leaving course; leave and pay. Recollections of period as pilot with 56 Sqdn, RAF in GB, 1925-1928: posting to squadron at RAF Biggin Hill, 12/1925; replacement of Gloster Glebe with Armstrong Whitworth Siskin. REEL 2 Continues: role in charge of Transport Section; individual aircraft; attitude to introduction of parachutes; encouragement of pilots to fly as much as possible; quality of squadron leaders and disadvantages if they did not fly; training programme including air gunnery; participation in Hendon Air Displays; drinking habits and influence of First World War veterans; short and permanent commission pilots; move to RAF North Weald, 1/1928; attitude of squadron members to 29 Sqdn, RAF; social life. Aspects of period attending instructor's course at Central Flying School, RAF at RAF Wittering, GB, 1928-1929: attitude to posting; effectiveness of course. Aspects of period as instructor with No 5 Flying Training School, RAF at RAF Sealand, GB, 1929: posting to unit, 1/1929; effectiveness of Central Flying School (CFS) system; pupils unable to master flying. REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of period as instructor with Central Flying School, RAF at RAF Wittering, GB, 1929-1930: posting to school, 8/1929; preference for teaching beginners. Aspects of attending engineering course at RAF Henlow, GB, 1930-1932: posting to course; theoretical and practical studies; promotion received for Central Flying School and engineering qualifications. Aspects of period as engineering officer with Royal Air Force Depot Middle East, RAF Aboukir, Egypt, 1932-1934: posting to depot, 10/1932; duties and role of workshops; problems with Fairey IIIF's wings; lifestyle; trips to Cairo. Aspects of period as instructor with No 4 Flying Training School, RAF at RAF Abu Sueir, Egypt, 1934-1937: background to posting to school, 11/1934; duties and lifestyle; use of bells to indicate time; training Egyptian Air Force pilots; flying training duties in Hawker Harts in desert conditions. Aspects of period as student at Royal Air Force Staff College, Andover, GB, 1937-1938: return to GB, 1/1937; combined exercises; visit to Germany. REEL 4 Continues: impressions of Germany; inter-service relationships. Aspects of period as instructor at No 10 Flying Training School, RAF at RAF Tern Hill, GB, 1938-1939: posting to school, 1/1938; atmosphere as war approached; initial impressions of early model Supermarine Spitfire. Aspects of period as staff officer with Directorate of Organisation at Air Ministry, London, GB, 1939: duties organising expansion of Royal Air Force; amusing story of false alarm on outbreak of Second World War, 3/9/1939.