Mursell, Peter (Oral history)

British civilian served as pilot with Air Transport Auxiliary in GB, 1940-1941; commanded No 6 Ferry Pool ATA Radcliffe, GB, 1941-1943; served as Director of Training at Headquarters, Air Transport Auxiliary at ATA White Waltham, GB, 1943-1945

REEL 1 Background in GB, 1930-1939: family; education; learning to fly at Hamble Airfield; flight to India; flight to Spain; damage to his light aircraft. Recollections of period as pilot with Air Transport Auxiliary in GB, 1940-1945: reasons for not being accepted for Royal Air Force; question of flying with glasses; reporting to Maidenhead, 5/1940; conversion course on Miles Magister; lack of engineering training; first aircraft flown; flight in Fairey Battle Mk I to France, 6/1940; return flight to GB in technically unserviceable Hawker Hurricane, 6/1940; uniform worn; ferrying duties, 1940; postings, 1940-1941; ranks and organisation of Air Transport Auxiliary. Recollections of period commanding No 6 Ferry Pool ATA Ratcliffe in GB, 1941-1943: flying Supermarine Spitfires from ATA Ratcliffe, 1941; attitude to commanding unit; former senior service officers flying with Air Transport Auxiliary. REEL 2 Continues: duties as commanding officer; reaction to casualties; need for pilots to use their judgement when flying in poor weather conditions; character of pilots; question of complicated nature of cockpits; presence of foreign pilots in Air Transport Auxiliary; opinion of female pilots; monitoring pilots progress; discipline; social activities; pilots leaving organisation; flying duties; leave; accidents at ATA Ratcliffe; forced landing in Miles Magister; confidence in aircraft standards; move to ATA White Waltham as chief instructor, 1943. Recollections of period as Director of Training at Headquarters Air Transport Auxiliary, White Waltham in GB, 1943-1945: duties; recruitment of female pilots; reasons for recruiting pilots from Royal Air Force; changes in method of approach when landing in Supermarine Spitfire; training programme. REEL 3 Continues: further details of duties as Director of Training; flying training programme; flying Gloster Meteor; ferry flights to North West Europe, 1944-1945; impressions of devastated Germany; relations with Royal Air Force; leaving Air Transport Auxiliary, 1945.