Thompson, Arthur (Oral history)

Sound: © IWM (9849)

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Sound: © IWM (9849)

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

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Sound: © IWM (9849)

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

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Embed this sound recording for online use under the IWM Non-Commercial Licence
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Sound: © IWM (9849)

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

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Description

Object description

British schoolchild in Southampton, GB, 1914-1918; civilian electrician worked for Supermarine Aircraft Company in GB, 1936-1942; electrician served with Air Transport Auxiliary in GB, 1942-1945

Content description

REEL 1 Background in Swaythling and North Stoneham, GB, 1908-1939: character of his large family; education; memories of First World War in Southampton; his brother's military service during First World War. REEL 2 Continues: apprenticeship as electrician; employment as electrician, 1926-1935. Aspects of period as electrician with Supermarine Aviation Works (Vickers) Ltd Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd in GB, 1936-1942: obtaining employment; checks made on workers going to toilet; attitude of company to union activities; character of R J Mitchell's office; opinion of R J Mitchell; presence during first flight of prototype Supermarine Spitfire at Eastleigh; intensive work regime on Supermarine Spitfires, 1939-1942; effects of German Air Force attacks on factory, 1940; sight of German bombing of factory; starting electrical department in shadow factory; death of electrician during bombing of factory. REEL 3 Continues: question of shelter arrangements at factory; dispersal of main factory into shadow factories after bombing; use of German pressurised instrument in development of Supermarine Spitfire Mk IX; reasons for transfer to shadow factories at Reading and Caversham. Recollections of period as electrician with Air Transport Auxiliary in GB, 1942-1945: background to transfer to Air Transport Auxiliary at No 15 Ferry Pool ATA Hamble, 1942; degree of knowledge of Air Transport Auxiliary; election as welfare officer; attending electrical courses at White Waltham; relations with station engineer; duties with Air Transport Auxiliary; flight with female pilot; accident on airfield; dealing with electrical problems on Commodore Gerald d'Erlanger's yacht at Hamble. REEL 4 Continues: working hours; story of chief engineer's son using Air Transport Auxiliary members uniform for wedding photograph; role as welfare officer; organisation of Air Transport Auxiliary; method of securing aircraft against storms; incident of secrecy surrounding flight to Blackbushe airfield; work on Fairfield aircraft on busy US airfield during D-Day landings; story illustrating use of special technical instructions; leaving Air Transport Auxiliary, 1945; method of starting propeller aircraft; return to civilian life.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1945-1989 (production), Second World War (content), Second World War (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
Stovold, Jan R (Recorder)
Thompson, Arthur (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 1987
Dimensions: whole: Duration 120, Number Of Items 4
Catalogue number: 9849

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Thompson, Arthur (Oral history)

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