Argent, William Charles (Oral history)

British boy mechanic and naval mechanic served with Royal Naval Air Service in GB, 11/1915-3/1917; NCO served as observer-wireless operator with 14 Sqdn, Royal Naval Air Service and 214 Sqdn, RAF at Royal Naval Air Station Portland, 4/1917-11/1918; fireman served with Auxiliary Fire Service in London, GB, 1938-1941

REEL 1 Background in Caldecott and London, GB, 1899-1914: family; education. Aspects of period as civilian in London, GB, 1914-1915: voluntary hospital work as boy scout at King's College Hospital; attitude towards outbreak of First World War, 4/8/1914; his support for white feather giving. Aspects of period as boy mechanic and naval mechanic with Royal Naval Air Service in GB, 11/1915-3/1917: enlistment at boy mechanic, 11/1915; discipline; instruction in naval procedure; posting to HMS Daedalus, Royal Naval Air Service Central Training Establishment, Cranwell, 1/1916; trip in kite balloon; posting on promotion to leading mechanic to School of Gunnery, Royal Naval Air Station Eastchurch, 1/1917; training at School of Gunnery, Royal Naval Air Station Eastchurch; initial posting to Royal Naval Air Station Calshot. Recollections of operations as NCO observer-wireless operator with 14 Sqdn, Royal Naval Air Service and 214 Sqdn, RAF at Royal Naval Air Station Portland in GB, 4/1917-11/1918: posting to squadron at Royal Naval Air Station Portland, 4/1917. REEL 2 Continues: anti-submarine patrols; attitude to flying over the sea; occassions when submarines spotted; his failure to report escaped German prisoner of war in dinghy; number of ditchings; use of carrier pigeon on ditching south of Lyme Regis, 9/7/1917; types of seaplanes operated by squadron; patrol areas; question of quality of pilots he flew with; relations with pilots; effects of Royal Naval Air Service and Royal Flying Corps amalgamation, 1/4/1918; bombing of German submarine off Portland Bill, 25/3/1918; question of sabotage of bombs at Royal Naval Air Station Portland, 3/1918; attacks on suspected submarines; sight of burning survivors from torpedoed tanker, 20/7/1918; convoy escort work. REEL 3 Continues: escort of troopship HMT Olympic, 12/5/1918; posting to Royal Naval Air Station Fort Grange, Gosport, 6/1919; celebrating Armistice Day at Portland, 11/11/1918; lack of impatience about demobilisation, 1919. Recollections of period as fireman with Auxiliary Fire Service in London, GB, 1938-1941: joining Auxiliary Fire Service, 1938; duties dealing with evacuee children at West Norwood; opinion of ambulance crews; German Air Force bombing of West Norwood and Streatham areas; bombing out of family home at Herne Hill, 1941; public morale; attitude to German tactics in bombing London; lack of criticism of government; reasons for resigning from Auxiliary Fire Service; attitude of professional firemen towards auxiliaries. REEL 4 Continues: work of regular firemen; return to work as quantity surveyor and work training members of Air Training Corps after Second World War.