Gick, Philip David (Oral history)

British officer trained as pilot with Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1939-1941; served with 825 Sqdn aboard HMS Victorious in Atlantic, 1941 and aboard HMS Ark Royal in Mediterranean, 1941 including sinking, 11/1941; served with 815 Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in North Atlantic and Mediterranean, 1941-1942 ; served as Commander Air aboard HMS Vindex in Atlantic and Arctic, 1943-1944; served with Admiralty in London, GB, appointing Fleet Air Arm aircrew for Korean War, 1950-1952

REEL 1 Background in GB, 1913-1938: family; education. Recollections of period with Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1938-1941: reasons for enlistment in Fleet Air Arm, 1938; reaction to declaration of war, 3/9/1939; attitude of most naval personnel to Fleet Air Arm's role; torpedo training 1939-1941; moves from Gosport to Abbottsinch and Crail; technique for dropping torpedoes; qualities required of torpedo pilots; opinion of Swordfish. Recollections of operations with 825 Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in Atlantic and Mediterranean, 1941: working up, Macrahanish; joining HMS Victorious, 5/1941; attack on Bismarck, 5/1941; opinion of Bismarck; nightime anti U-Boat work in Mediterranean flying from HMS Ark Royal; sinking of HMS Ark Royal, 11/1941. REEL 2 Continues: Recollections of operations with 815 Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in Mediterranean, 1941-1942: nightime anti-U-Boat work in Mediterranean; night attack on U-Boat in middle of convoy sailing to Tobruk, spring 1941; problems of operating from desert bases including Sidi Birani; invaliding home; use of Benzedrine by Fleet Air Air pilots. Period at Admiralty introducing MAC ships, 1942-1943. Recollections of operations as Commander Air from HMS Vindex in Atlantic and Arctic, 1943-1944: nightime anti-submarine work in Atlantic. REEL 3 problems posed by German schnorkels; degree of success achieved against U-Boats; Russian concert party, Murmansk. Orders to go to Far East, 1944. Period with School of Naval Air Warfare, St Merryn, 1944. Liberation of Hong Kong, 1945 including re-establishing law and order. Period with Admiralty appointing Fleet Air Arm aircrew for Korea, 1950-1952.