Wright, Stanley Francis (Oral history)

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Description

Object description

British aircraftman served as plotter at RAF North Weald in GB, 1939-1940; NCO served as radar operator with 600 Sqdn, RAF at RAF Manston, 1940; served as deputy controller with RAF Debden in GB, 1941; served as radar controller at RAF Trimley Heath and RAF Hornchurch in GB, 1942-1943; served with mobile radar stations in GB and North West Europe, 1944-1945

Content description

REEL 1 Aspects of period as aircraftman with Royal Air Force in GB, 1939: background to joining Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in 1938; call-up for service with Royal Air Force, 8/1939; menial work at RAF North Weald, 1939. Recollections of period as plotter with RAF North Weald, No 11 Group, Fighter Command in GB, 1939-1940: description of workings of operations room; work as plotter; use of 'Pipsqueak'; arrival of VHF sets, winter 1939-1940; loss of aircraft defending convoys off east coast, early 1940; superiority of German battle formation in Battle of Britain; workings of Chain Home Low radar station; advantages for Royal Air Force during Battle of Britain; German Air Force attack on airfield and move to Ongar; use of new operations room constructed at RAF Blakehill Farm. REEL 2 Continues: opinion of degree of danger of invasion, 1940; morale during Battle of Britain; training as deputy controller at RAF Bentley Priory including use of ice cream tricycles. Aspects of period as NCO with 600 Sqdn, No 11 Group, Fighter Command, RAF at RAF Manston in GB, 1940: Lack of Morale Fibre (LMF) case; use of Bristol Blenheim in night fighter role; his experience of Airborne Interception (AI) Radar; work in Bristol Blenheim night fighter; deficiencies of Airborne Interception (AI) equipment. Aspects of period as Deputy Controller at RAF Debden, No 11 Group, Fighter Command in GB, 1941: posting to RAF Debden; use Turbine/Helmore light on Douglas Havoc for night fighter work. Aspects of period as radar controller at RAF Trimley Heath in GB, 1942-1943: attending radar controller course at RAF East Moor; posting to station. REEL 3 Continues: failure of new radar interception technique, 1943; attempt to thwart Airborne Interception (AI) equipped Junkers Ju 88. Aspects of period as radar controller with RAF Hornchurch, No 11 Group, Fighter Command in GB, 1943: transfer to station; example of interception instructions; German Air Force Focke-Wulf Fw 190 raids on GB; attachment for 'Channel Stop' work at Dover. Recollections of period as NCO with mobile radar stations in GB and North West Europe, 1944-1945: training at RAF Church Fenton; move to Normandy, France; control of ground attack aircraft; return to GB and resulting postings; introduction to centimetric radar set at Telecommunication Research Establishment at Malvern. REEL 4 Continues: transfer to Netherlands with Type 70 Centimetric Radar for crossing of River Rhine, Germany, 3/1945; prior recollection of attempt to pick up ditched air crew in North Sea from RAF Debden, 1942; organisation of mobile radar stations using centrimetric sets during training at Telecommunications Research Establishment at Malvern; vehicle accident in London on route to Netherlands, 1945; sight of Messerschmitt Me 262; description of period in Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp, Germany, 4/1945; effect of visit to Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp, Germany on his attitude towards Germans. REEL 5 Continues: sight of air attacks on Germans fleeing to Sweden, 5/1945. Short Reel. REEL 6 Continues: Recollections of period as NCO with Royal Air Force in GB and North West Europe, 1939-1945: description of Observers Corps posts in GB; difficulties of aircraft recognition with reference to Battle of Barking Creek, 6/9/1939; witnessing accidental shooting down of Supermarine Spitfires by North American Mustangs; attending subsequent court of enquiry in Brussels, Belgium; food at Southwold, GB; incident of NCO's use of firearm at RAF North Weald; opinion of Westland Whirlwind; Chain Home radar towers; incident of faulty Hawker Hurricane crashing into Bristol Blenheim of 25 Sqdn, RAF at RAF North Weald; general duties; memories of Group Captain Francis Victor Beamish; memories of 'Nobby' Bowen shot down over Malta; contracting diphtheria, 1929. REEL 7 Continues: story of shooting down and death of friend Flying Officer Allan Marshall, 16/1/1945; memories of friend Flight Sergeant Ken Ladds, 58 Sqdn and his shooting down by German submarine U-221 in North Atlantic; recollections of various other personnel; experiences as air controller; mistaken identification of Red Cross ship; various wartime experiences of friends and subsequent post-war lives. REEL 8 Continues: use of Boulton Paul Defiant as night fighter; refinement of Airborne Interception (AI) radar sets during wartime; memories of Squadron Leader Brown; description of early ground control interception stations and personnel; reaction to post-war recall to Royal Air Force as reservist on G Reserve; period at Herstsmonceaux Ground Control Interception Station; memories of John Probert; instructions for landing aircraft from mobile control station in Netherlands; blind bombing using radar.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1990 to the present day (production), Second World War (content), Second World War (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
Wood, Conrad (Recorder)
Wright, Stanley Francis (Interviewee/Speaker)
Dimensions: whole: Duration 135, Number Of Items 8
Catalogue number: 11744

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Wright, Stanley Francis (Oral history)

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