Leng, Maurice Equity (Oral history)

British NCO served as pilot with 73 Sqdn, No 67 Wing, Advanced Air Striking Force, RAF in France, 5/1940-6/1940; served with 73 Sqdn, 11 Group, RAF in GB during Battle of Britain, 7/1940-9/1940; served with 73 Sqdn, Air Headquarters Egypt, RAF in North Africa, 1/1941-4/1941; officer served as ferry convoy leader on Takoradi Route in West Africa, 4/1941-9/1941; served as instructor with 335 and 336 Sqdns, Royal Air Force Middle East and Middle East Command, RAF in Palestine, 9/1941-7/1942; served with No 2 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit, RAF in Egypt, 8/1942-9/1942; prisoner of war at Stalag Luft III, Sagan, Germany, 10/1942-1/1945

REEL 1 Background in Muswell Hill, London, GB, 1913-1938: family; education; employment. Aspects of period with Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in GB, 1938-1939: reasons for enlistment with Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve; eagerness to fly during summer 1939; difference in attitude between Royal Air Force and Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve pilots. Aspects of period as pilot with Royal Air Force in GB, 1939-1940: training at RAF West Freugh, 12/1939-5/1940; work ferrying aircraft with No 4 (Continental) Ferry Unit, RAF from GB to France, 5/1940. Recollections of operations as pilot with 73 Sqdn, No 67 Wing, Advanced Air Striking Force, RAF in France, 5/1940-6/1940: posting to squadron, 29/5/1940; strafing attack on German Air Force airfield; question of pilot morale; question of pilots fear in combat and story of later crash landing his aircraft in Crete, Greece, 30/9/1942; treatment of squadron psychiatrists; circumstances of being shot down over Crete, Greece whist operating with No 2 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit, RAF, 30/9/1942. REEL 2 Continues: memories of Edgar 'Cobber' Kain; character of operations in France; opinion of French Air Force; retreat through France including abandonment of Royal Army Service Corps at Le Mans; loss of ground crew during sinking of HMT Lancastria, 6/1940; return to RAF Church Fenton, 6/1940. Recollections of operations as pilot with 73 Sqdn, No 11 Group, Fighter Command in GB during Battle of Britain, 7/1940-9/1940: story of being shot down and bailing out at night near Beverley, 25/8/1940; false attribution given to him for being first pilot to shoot down a German aircraft at night; move to RAF Castle Camps; encounter with large German Air Force fleet over London, 8/1940. REEL 3 Continues: incident of being attacked over Gravesend and forced landing at RAF Gravesend, 14/9/1940; lack of sense of Battle of Britain as separate entity; attitude towards Germans; comparison between Hawker Hurricane and Messerschmitt Bf 109 in aerial combat; reads details of squadron losses from reference book; his shooting down by Messerschmitt Bf 109 near Sittingbourne; 23/9/1940; bailing out of aircraft, 23/9/1940; hospitalisation in Chartham and treatment of comatosed pilot; question of shooting at parachuting pilots. Aspects of period as pilot with 73 Sqdn, RAF on Takoradi Ferry Route, West Africa, 1/1941: voyage aboard HMS Furious from GB to Takoradi, Gold Coast, 12/1940-1/1941. REEL 4 Continues: aircraft accident during take off from HMS Furious; route flown, 1/1941; hazards of ferry route; modifications to aircraft for desert operations; threat of attacks from Vichy French; contracting malaria; contact with civilians in Takoradi. Gold Coast sickness amongst ferry pilots. Aspects of operations as pilot with 73 Sqdn, Air Headquarters Egypt, RAF in North Africa, 1/1941-4/1941: attitude to operating against Italians; desert conditions; commissioning, 4/1941. Aspects of period as ferry convoy leader on Takoradi Ferry Route in British West Africa, 4/1941-9/1941: transfer to ferry work; first meeting with new commanding officer; crashing Bristol Blenheim Mk IV in Egypt, 9/1941. REEL 5 Continues: Aspects of period as operational training instructor with 335 (Greek) and 336 (Greek) Sqdns, Royal Air Force Middle East and Middle East Command, RAF in Palestine, 9/1941-7/1942: posting to Lydda; character of pilots with Royal Hellenic Air Force. Aspects of operations as pilot with No 2 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit, RAF in Egypt, 8/1942-10/1942: recruitment to unit by Adrian Warburton; unit losses. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Stalag Luft III, Sagan, 10/1942-1/1945: memories of Roger Bushell; organisation of Great Escape; lack of respect shown to Germans by prisoners of war; theft of German officer's despatch case; events on night of Great Escape, 24/3/1944-25/3/1944; hearing news of execution of Royal Air Force prisoners of war after Great Escape, 3/1944-4/1944.