Wray, John Basil (Oral history)

British officer served as pilot with 53 (Army Co-operation) Sqdn, Army Co-operation Command, RAF in GB, 1937-1939; served with 53 Sqdn, No 52 Wing, Advanced Air Striking Force, RAF in France, 9/1939-12/1939; served as instructor with No 1 Service Training School, RAF at RAF Netheravon in GB, 1940-1941; served with 25 Sqdn, No 12 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 1941-1942; served with 137 Sqdn, No 11 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 9/1942-1/1943; served as fighter liaison officer with Headquarters, VIII Fighter Command, Eighth Air Force, United States Army Air Force and with 181 and 174 Sqdns, No 12 Group, RAF in GB, 1/1943-5/1943; commanded 137 Sqdn, No 11 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 5/1943-12/1943; served as staff officer with Headquarters, No 13 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in Newcastle upon Tyne, GB, 1/1944-6/1944; served with No 150 Wing (Tempest), Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 7/1944-8/1944; commanded Manston Wing, 2nd Tactical Air Force, RAF in GB, 8/1944-9/1944; commanded Nos 125 and 122 Wings, 2nd Tactical Air Force, RAF in North West Europe, 9/1944-4/1945; served as staff officer with Middle East Air Force, RAF in Egypt, 1945-1948

REEL 1 Background in GB and Australia, 1917-1935: family; family move to Australia, 1927; visits to Munich, Germany, 1933-1934; sight of British Union of Fascists activity in Crouch End, early 1930s; enthusiasm of Germans for Nazi regime, 1933-1934; first flight at Blackpool, 1921; development of early interest in flying at RAAF Point Cook in Australia; return to GB after death of his father, 1930; employment; enlistment in Royal Air Force, 1935. Recollections of period as pilot with 53 (Army Co-Operation) Sqdn, RAF in GB, 1937-1939: role of squadron as army co-operation squadron; change of squadron to two-seater fighter squadron during Munich Crisis, 9/1938; shortage of air gunners, 1938-1939. REEL 2 Continues: use of lipstick to mark windscreens of Hawker Hector; role of squadron on re-equipping with Bristol Blenheim Mk IV; how pilot and rear air gunner communicated; degree of proficiency of navigators in 1939; arrangements for transfer to France on outbreak of Second World War, 3/9/1939; question of loading ammunition tanks into aircraft for move to France at RAF Odiham, 9/1939. Recollections of operations as pilot with 53 Sqdn, No 52 Wing, Advanced Air Striking Force in France, RAF, 9/1939-12/1939: flight from RAF Odiham, GB to Rheims Airfield, 9/1939; navigation failure over Le Tréport during flight; landing at Plivot Airfield; reception from French civilians. REEL 3 Continues: socialising with French farmers at Plivot; billeting with French family; difference between Advanced Air Striking Force and Air Component of British Expeditionary Force; contact with French Army officers and civilians; opinion of quality of French Army; planning of night reconnaissance operation to Hanover, Germany; French Air Force identification system; execution of reconnaissance operation to Hanover, Germany and return to Vitry-en-Artois; sight of Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter attacking French Air Force Dewoitine D 520 over Metz Airfield, 10/1939; uneventful reconnaissance operation to Hanover, Germany; decision to conduct reconnaissance operations in daylight. REEL 4 Continues: realisation that reconnaissance flight tactics needed to be varied; transfer to Poix near Amiens; his unsatisfactory experience of being shaved by female barber at Poix; his hospitalisation for concussion during football match at Poix, late 1939; orders to fly Bristol Blenheim Mk IV to Amiens-Glisy, Airfield, 12/1939; crash landing at Crécy-en-Ponthieu Airfield after being hit by French anti-aircraft fire, 12/1939. Aspects of period as instructor with No 1 Service Flying Training School, RAF at RAF Netheravon, GB, 1940-1941: posting as instructor, 1/1940; position of instructor and student in Fairey Battle Mk I; German Air Force Messerschmitt Bf 110 attack on his Fairey Battle Mk I over Salisbury Plain and subsequent crash landing, 7/1940; amusing question of whether this incident should qualify him as a Battle of Britain pilot; desperation to get back to operational squadron; volunteering for eye test for night vision capacity and how he managed to get a pass in Torquay, 1941. REEL 5 Continues: Recollections of operations as pilot with 25 Sqdn, No 12 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 1941-1942: posting to squadron; first contact with brothers David and Richard Atcherley; taking command of A Flight; effects of German Air Force attack on RAF Wittering, 1941; story about David Atcherley and unexploded bomb; memories of Basil Embry and his radar operator Peter Clapham; opinion of Boulton Paul Defiant and its use as night fighter; role of Turbinlite equipped aircraft; night fighter tactics employed by Richard Stevens of 151 Sqdn at RAF Wittering; move of squadron to temporary airfield at Ballyhalbert near Belfast; move to RAF Church Fenton, early summer 1942; problems operating Bristol Beaufighter at night; doubts about using black colouring for night fighters; Peter Scott's idea that night fighters should be white; recamouflaging and equipping his Bristol Beaufighter Mk VI with new gunsight. REEL 6 Continues: action against Dornier Do 17 and subsequent crash landing after flying through balloon barrage over Kingston upon Hull, 8/1942; interception of Royal Air Force Armstrong Whitworth Whitley near North Coates, 8/1942; use of 'Mother' and 'Father' blind landing facilities; problems landing in fog at RAF Kirton in Lindsey; his pressurising Basil Embry to remain on operations. Recollections of operations as pilot with 137 Sqdn, No 11 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 9/1942-1/1943: posting to squadron as supernumerary squadron leader at RAF Manston; character of Westland Whirlwind; production history of Westland Whirlwind; how 263 and 137 Sqdns, RAF used Westland Whirlwind; performance of Westland Whirlwind Mk I. REEL 7 Continues: nature of Rhubarb operations and targets; execution of Rhubarb operations; character of attacks on German coastal convoys with Westland Whirlwind; operating individually or in pairs; night-time attacks on targets in France; targeting by German long range guns at Calais, France; leaving squadron, 1/1943. Aspects of period as fighter liaison officer with Headquarters, VIII Fighter Command, Eighth Army Air Force, United States Army Air Force and 181 and 174 Sqdns, No 12 Group, RAF in GB, 1/1943-5/1943: posting to Headquarters VIII Fighter Command at Ascot; role instructing American pilots; problems with Supermarine Spitfires allocated to VIII Fighter Command; organising Rhubarbs with novice American pilots over France; posting to 181 Sqdn, RAF; problems with overhaul of Rolls-Royce Sabre Engine; character of and problems with Hawker Typhoon Mk I; brief posting to 174 Sqdn, RAF. Recollections of operations commanding 137 Sqdn, No 11 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 5/1943-12/1943: taking command of squadron at RAF Manston; unsatisfactory nature of Westland Whirlwind Mk I. REEL 8 Continues: narrow escape from accident with bomb; reasons for conversion to Hawker Typhoon, 7/1943; arrangement with Squadron Leader Roland Beamont to get his pilots trained; use of Walmer Castle Public House in Southend-on-Sea; reaction to news that squadron would be equipped with Vultee Vengeance; attending RAF Biggin Hill's '1000 Hun' party at Grosvenor House Hotel, London; problems of overloading of Hawker Hurricane Mk IV with cannon/rocket armament; disciplining of WAAF for losing service bicycle at Southend-on-Sea; harmonizing Hawker Hurricane Mk IV's weapons for ground attack; warheads used with rockets; why rockets preferred to cannon on Hawker Hurricane Mk IV. REEL 9 Continues: escape from Focke-Wulf Fw 190 using extra boost during rocket attack on train; accident with firing of rocket from standing aircraft at RAF Manston, 8/1943; treatment of German pilot captured after accidentally landing at RAF Manston; German Air Force hit and run 'scalded cat' attacks on London, 1943; decision to attack bases used by German Air Force hit and run raiders with Westland Whirlwind; liaison with Y Service for attacks; execution of attacks on German Air Force bases; capture of second German Air Force Focke-Wulf Fw 190 and pilot who landed by accident at RAF Manston; handling of captured pilot. REEL 10 Continues: decision to carry out Operation Twitch the first ground attack by Hawker Hurricane Mk IV against canal in South Beveland, Netherlands, 9/1943; planning Operation Twitch; reasons for aborting Operation Twitch twice prior to obtaining fighter cover; effects in changes in command of squadrons participating in Operation Twitch; dating of leading lady of 'Flarepath' show and arrangement he made with commanding officer of 164 Sqdn, RAF if he was killed during operation; execution of Operation Twitch; damage to his aircraft and slight wounding; outcome of Operation Twitch. REEL 11 Continues: lessons learnt from Operation Twitch; encounter with French commandos in the Walmer Castle Public House, Southend-on-Sea; briefing for Operation Starkey; result of Operation Starkey, 11/1943; further social contact with acting fraternity; night-time clash with Focke-Wulf Fw 190 near Abbeville, France; attacks against fixed German V1 Flying Bomb sites in France; reasons for withdrawal of Hawker Hurricane Mk IV from operations. Recollections of operations as staff officer with Headquarters, No 13 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 1/1944: posting to headquarters, 1/1944; participation in amphibious exercises in Moray Firth. REEL 12 Continues: attempt to intercept German Air Force reconnaissance aircraft over Caithness-Moray Firth; visit by Sir Stafford Cripps; amusing story involving turbulence, eggs, dead sheep and two hitch hiking seamen. Aspects of period as pilot with No 150 Wing, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 7/1944-8/1944: formation of No 122 Wing 'Tempest Wing' at RAF Newchurch; attachment to wing as supernumerary wing commander at RAF Newchurch; German V1 Flying Bomb interception work and his narrow escape from German V1 Flying Bomb in Ashford area; dangers of readjusting to operations. Recollections of operations commanding Manston Wing, RAF in GB, 8/1944-9/1944: composition of wing and memories of Squadron Leader Joseph Berry the leading V1 Flying Bomb interceptor pilot; taking command of wing at RAF Manston; orders to attack German Air Force at Leeuwarden, Netherlands and subsequent ditching of pilot in sea off Ramsgate. REEL 13 Continues: character of German anti-aircraft fire; orders to attack German V2 Rocket target in The Hague area, Netherlands, 9/1944; discovery of target he had been given had a red cross on it and subsequent attack on wooded area hitting ammunition dump in The Hague, Netherlands, 9/1944; search for V2 Rocket convoys in Netherlands, 9/1944; breaking off anti-V2 Rocket attack on discovery it was tram cars, 9/1944; escorting Bristol Beaufighter attack on ships at Den Helder, Netherlands; improvements to runway at RAF Manston; impressions of airborne troops at RAF Manston, 9/1944; role of wing during Operation Market Garden, 9/1944; sight of glider formation during Operation Market Garden; protecting distressed glider. REEL 14 Continues: influence of weather on Operation Market Garden; escorting Boeing Fortress attempting to upset direction of German V2 Rocket. Recollections of operations commanding Nos 125 and 122 Wings, 2nd Tactical Air Force, RAF in North West Europe, 9/1944-4/1945: move of Tempest Wings to Belgium and renaming of wing; visit to Century Hotel in Antwerp, Belgium; sight of German atrocity and treatment of collaborators; reaction to production of large quantity of food at private party in Antwerp, Belgium; German use of anti-personnel bombs in Antwerp, Belgium; commandeering of cars by Belgian Resistance; move to Grave, Netherlands; Messerschmitt Me 262 attacks on No 126 (RCAF) Wing, RAF at Grave, Netherlands; digging of slit trench; problems ground crews had coping with Hawker Tempest; move of wing's Hawker Tempests to Advanced Landing Ground, B-80, Volkel, Netherlands and replacement with Supermarine Spitfire Mk XIVs at Advanced Landing Ground, B-82, Grave, Netherlands: Geoffrey Page's crash in Supermarine Spitfire Mk XIV at Advanced Landing Ground, B-82, Grave, Netherlands. REEL 15 Continues: explanation of Geoffrey Page's crash; defence of Nijmegen Bridge, Netherlands and German use of Messerschmitt Me 163; taking command of No 122 Wing on Wing Commander Roland Beamont being shot down, 12/10/1944; character of runway at Advanced Landing Ground, B-80, Volkel, Netherlands; concern over vulnerability to attack of Advanced Landing Ground, B-80, Volkel, Netherlands; German shelling of and German V2 Rocket attack on Advanced Landing Ground, B-80, Volkel, Netherlands; nature of operations from Advanced Landing Ground, B-80, Netherlands; character of Messerschmitt Me 262 attacks; patrolling German Air Force airfields used by Messerschmitt Me 262 in Osnabrück area, Germany; wing successes against German Air Force, 17/12/1944; his shooting down of Messerschmitt Me 262 into River Rhine, Germany, 3/11/1944; mess party thrown for local children at Volkel, Netherlands, 17/12/1944. REEL 16 Continues: attacking Arado Ar 234 over Liège, Belgium during Ardennes offensive, 12/1944; testing anti-glare googles; his second Messerschmitt Me 262 over Belgium, 12/1944; fate of Advanced Landing Ground, B-80, Volkel, Netherlands during German Air Force attack on Netherlands, 1/1/1945; success of German Air Force Messerschmitt Me 262; German opposition experienced during his last three operations over Dutch-German border, 4/1945. Recollections of period as staff officer with Middle East Air Force, RAF in Egypt, 1945-1948: posting to headquarters in Egypt, 1945; role of Middle East Air Force; attachment to 3rd Infantry Div in Iraq, 1946; decision to deploy British Indian Army troops with Force 401 near Basra, Iraq; planning for air lift of from Iranian airfields; how he obtained information on Iranian airfields; situation in Palestine, 1947-1948. REEL 17 Continues: reconnaissance visit to Aqaba, Transjordan with Middle East Joint Planning Staff; Egyptian Air Force attack on RAF squadron at RAF Ramat David in Palestine, 22/5/1948; interception of Egyptian squadron on return attack and interview with Egyptian air commodore who thought that Israelis were in control there.