Bracken, Hugo Hastings (Oral history)

British officer served as observer with 715 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Suffolk in GB coastal waters, Arctic and Norway, 9/1939-4/1940; commanded 701 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in Norway and Iceland, 1940; served with 827 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in GB and Arctic, 1941; prisoner of war in Oflag X-C, Lübeck, Oflag VI-B, Warburg, Stalag Luft III, Sagan, Oflag XXI-B, Schubin and Stalag III-A, Luckenwalde, Germany, 8/1941-5/1945

REEL 1 Aspects of period as officer with Fleet Air Arm, 1934-1939: background to naval service prior to joining Fleet Air Arm, 1934; dual commission in Royal Navy/Royal Air Force; types of aircraft used during training; pilot/observer training. Recollections of operations as observer with 715 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Suffolk in GB coastal waters, Arctic and Norway, 9/1939-4/1940: duties with Northern Patrol; question of Fleet Air Arm's state of preparedness for war; damage to Supermarine Walrus on taking off from HMS Suffolk's catapult; spotting duties over Stavanger Airfield, Norway, 17/4/1940. Recollections of operations commanding of 701 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in Norway and Iceland, 1940: taking command of squadron; clash with Captain Guy D'Oyley-Hughes of HMS Glorious over landing Supermarine Walrus without arrester hook; reconnaissance flight over Kirkenes, Norway; role of Hawker Hurricanes of 46 Sqdn, RAF; behaviour of British Army in Norway; embarkation aboard HMS Ark Royal; opinion of organisation of evacuation of Norway; degree of contact with Norwegians; morale after evacuation of Norway. REEL 2 Continues: establishment of bases in Iceland, 1940; anti-submarine patrols; relations with Icelanders. Aspects of operations as senior observer with 827 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in GB and Arctic, 1941: appointment to squadron; period as staff officer with Admiralty; rejoining squadron for Operation EF, the attack on Kirkenes, Norway, 30/7/1941; story of being shot down during attack on German shipping in Kirkenes harbour, 30/7/1941; reaction to capture by Germans, 30/7/1941; story of post-war visit to recover parts from Fairey Albacores shot down during raid on Kirkenes, Norway, 1989; question of making an early escape; attitude of Germans and their attempt to adopt the V sign. REEL 3 Continues: Recollections of period as prisoner of war in Dulag Luft Interrogation Centre, Oberursel, Oflag X-C, Lübeck and Oflag VI-B, Warburg, Germany, 8/1941- 9/1942: interrogation at Dulag Luft Interrogation Centre, Oberursel; conditions in Oflag X-C, Lübeck; story of removal to Oflag VI-B, Warburg and hiding of prisoner of war in unfinished camp who subsequently escaped; conditions in Oflag VI-B Warburg and mass escape, 30/8/1942; contact with Major-General Victor Fortune; amusing story of Commander George Beale's arrest for wearing new uniform on parade; German guard's behaviour on having leave stopped; Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Stalag Luft III, Sagan, Germany, 9/1942-10/1942: removal to camp, 9/1942; financial effects of Germans not allowing Royal Air Force NCOs to work. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Oflag VI-B, Schubin, Germany, 10/1942-4/1943: removal to camp, 10/1942; escape attempts from camp; illicit wireless sets in Stalag Luft III, Sagan. REEL 4 Continues: Recollections of period as prisoner of war in Stalag Luft III, Sagan, Germany, 4/1943-1/1945: return to East Compound of camp, 4/1943; source of Red Cross parcels; conditions in camp; memories of Anthony Barber; amusing story concerning the reading of 'The Order for the Protection of German Women'; character of Wing Commander Douglas Bader; story of learning of the shooting of Royal Air Force escapees after the Great Escape, 3/1944; reaction to Great Escape, 3/1944; difficulties of escaping from camp; educational opportunities in camp; use of code to send information to GB; question of suicide and homosexuality; relations with American and other prisoner of war nationalities. REEL 5 Continues: prior recollection of state of Soviet prisoners of war in Oflag VI-B, Warburg; pay situation for prisoners of war; uselessness of camp money and importance of cigarettes; hearing of the Allied invasion of Normandy, France, 6/1944; German fear of Soviet Army; prior recollection of effect on morale of sinking of HMS Repulse and HMS Prince of Wales, 10/12/1941; evacuation of camp, 1/1945. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Stalag III-A, Luckenwalde, Germany, 1/1945-5/1945: character of camp; wish of other prisoner of war nationalities that Royal Air Force prisoners of war take over control of camp; arrival of Soviet Army; situation in camp after liberation; arrival of American troops and refusal of Soviet Army to release prisoners of war; story of funeral organised by Soviets. REEL 6 Continues: Reflections of period as prisoner of war in Germany, 8/1941-5/1945: opinion of the Aldington/Tolstoy repatriation issues; reaction to order issued early in the war that Fleet Air Arm pilots were to open fire on parachuting German aircrew; repatriation to GB, 1945; lessons of prisoner of war experience; loss of promotion during period as prisoner of war; details of his campaign to obtain remuneration for prisoner of war pay.