Helm, Robert French (Oral history)

British officer trained as pilot at No 12 Elementary and Reserve Flying Training School at RAF Prestwick in GB and No 4 Flying Training School, RAF at RAF Abu Sueir in Egypt, 1938-1939; served with 14 Sqdn, Royal Air Force in Palestine and Transjordan in Transjordan, 1939; served as deputy air attaché in Bucharest, Romania, 5/1940-8/1940

REEL 1 Recollections of enlistment and training with RAF at No 12 Elementary and Reserve Flying Training School, RAF Prestwick in GB, 1938: background to entry on short service commission; posting to No 12 Elementary and Reserved Flying Training School at RAF Prestwick; opinion of De Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth; examinations on ground subjects; discipline; degree of control over direction in which his career would take; receiving 'A' licence; kitting out with uniform; amending copies of King's Regulations and lectures on officerly conduct; pay. Aspects of period of flying training at No 4 Flying Training School, RAF at RAF Abu Sueir in Egypt, 1938-1939: reaction to posting; voyage from GB to Egypt; layout of camp; reception on arrival. REEL 2 Continues: pattern of flying training with Hawker Hart; consequences of stalling on landing; differences between Hawker Hart and Hawker Audax; off duty recreational activities; relations with Egyptian civilians; use of Egyptian servants; flying conditions; navigating in Egypt; attending short navigation course; bombing and gunnery practice; communication with ground; air-to-air communication; manoeuvrability of Hawker Hart and Hawker Audax; an accident at night; arrangements for landing at night; consequences of accidents. Recollections of operations as pilot with 14 Sqdn, Royal Air Force in Palestine and Transjordan in Transjordan, 1939-1940: posting to squadron; character of Vickers Wellesley; blowing up of his train in Palestine; continuation of journey by lorry to Amman; character of airbase and surroundings; story of Fairey Gordon assumed to have crashed over escarpment. REEL 3 Continues: opinion of Arab Legion; accommodation; use of Jordanian servants; visit by King Abdullah I of Jordan to mess; photographic reconnaissance duties; work detecting Jewish immigrant ships; speed restrictions on Vickers Wellesley; flying gear worn; further details of searching for immigrant ships; operations conducted by 6 and 14 Sqdns against Arab insurgents prior to his joining squadron; reaction to outbreak of Second World War and move to RAF Ismailia, Egypt, 9/1939; effects of arm injury. Aspects of period as deputy air attaché in Bucharest, Romania, 5/1940-8/1940: journey to Turkey. REEL 4 Continues: continuation of journey to Bucharest; suspicions of Romanian officer; cancellation of plan to sabotage oilfields at Ploiești; under cover activities of British Embassy; story of how Arthur Forbes became air attaché, 10/1939; illustration of Romanian efforts to appear neutral; possibilities of flying out of Romania; return to Middle East as courier; indications of pro-Axis stance in Romania and Bulgaria; opinion of Romanian forces; status of short service commissioned officers in Royal Air Force.