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.