Cox, David George Samuel Richardson (Oral history)

British NCO and officer served as pilot with 19 Sqdn, No 12 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 5/1940-9/1941 including Battle of Britain; officer served with 72 Sqdn, No 11 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 5/1942-11/1942; served with 72 Sqdn, Western Desert Air Force and Desert Air Force, RAF in Tunisia, 11/1942-4/1943

REEL 1 Recollections of operations as pilot with 19 Sqdn, No 12 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 5/1940-8/1940 including Battle of Britain: early interest in aviation; enlistment in Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve; joining squadron at RAF Duxford, 23/5/1940; reputation of squadron; quality of leadership; background of pilots; inadequacy of training; problems of operating big wing during battle; first flight in Supermarine Spitfire Mk I , 5/1940; comparison of different marks of Supermarine Spitfire; shooting down of Dornier Do 17 over east coast, 18/8/1940; German raid on RAF Eastchurch, 13/8/1940; attack on Messerschmitt Bf 110 circle over Clacton-on-Sea, 31/8/1940; squadron losses, 31/8/1940. REEL 2 Continues: squadron morale after losses; shooting down Messerschmitt Bf 109 over Thames Estuary, 9/9/1940; memories of Douglas Bader; attacking Dornier Do 17 over Beachy Head after dogfight over London, 11/9/1940; shooting down Messerschmitt Bf 109 over Crowborough, 15/9/1940; dogfight with Messerschmitt Bf 109s, 27/9/1940; his shooting down and bailing out near Ashford, 27/9/1940; treatment by civilians on landing, 27/9/1940; lack of sense of historical nature of the battle; change in attitude after battle; comparison between Royal Air Force and German Air Force pilots; comparison between Supermarine Spitfire and Messerschmitt Bf 109. Aspects of operations as pilot with 19 Sqdn, No 12 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 1/1941-9/1941: fighter sweeps over France; crash landing at Dungeness, 27/6/1941. REEL 3 Continues: superstition among fighter pilots; opinion of fighter sweeps over France, 1941; his attitude towards promotion. Recollections of operations as officer with 72 Sqdn, No 11 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 5/1942-11/1942: posting to squadron at RAF Biggin Hill after period of instructing; reputation of squadron; comparison between 72 and 19 Sqdns; tactics used to deal with Focke-Wulf Fw 190; memories of Squadron Leader Brian Kingcome; incident in which he mistook Focke-Wulf Fw 190s for seagulls; Royal Air Force sector system. Recollections of operations as pilot with 72 Sqdn, Western Desert Air Force and Desert Air Force, RAF in Tunisia, 11/1942-4/1943: transfer to Tunisia, 11/1942; use of Supermarine Spitfire Mk V (Tropical); duties in Tunisia, 11/1942-4/1943; German Air Force strafing of airfield and destruction of squadron aircraft at Souk-el-Arba Airfield, 22/11/1942; use of Supermarine Spitfire Mk IXs against Focke-Wulf Fw 190; shooting down of Junkers Ju 88 which carried out night-time nuisance raids on Souk-el-Arba Airfield. REEL 4 Continues: attitude to leaving Tunisia, 4/1943; strain of campaign in Tunisia on Royal Air Force commanders.