Edge, Gerald Richmond (Oral history)

British officer served as pilot with 605 (County of Warwick) Sqdn, Auxiliary Air Force in GB, 7/1936-8/1939; served with 605 Sqdn, Nos 13 and 11 Groups, Fighter Command, RAF in GB and during Battle of France, 9/1939-9/1940; commanded 253 Sqdn, No 12 Group, Fighter Command, RAF during Battle of Britain, 9/1940-10/1940; commanded 605 Sqdn, Nos 11 and 12 Groups, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 12/1940-8/1941; served as staff officer with Desert Air Force in North Africa, 1942-1943; commanded No 84 Group Control Centre, 2nd Tactical Air Force, RAF in GB and North West Europe, 1944-1945

REEL 1 Background in GB, 1913-1936: family; education. Aspects of period as pilot with 605 (County of Warwick) Sqdn, Auxiliary Air Force in GB, 7/1936-8/1939: background to joining squadron, 7/1936; formation of Auxiliary Air Force; character of aircraft and facilities at RAF Castle Bromwich; anticipation of coming war; reaction to news of declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; case of squadron pilot unwilling to fight, 9/1939. Recollections of operations as pilot with 605 Sqdn, Nos 13 and 11 Groups, Fighter Command, RAF in GB and during Battle of France, 9/1939-8/1940: posting to RAF Tangmere; attitude to lack of aerial gunnery practice; shooting down of Dornier Do 17 reconnaissance aircraft over RAF Wick, 9/5/1940; move to RAF Hawkinge, 21/5/1940; opinion of commanding officer Squadron Leader George Perry; atmosphere amongst aircrew at RAF Hawkinge; fatigue experienced after leading squadron over France, 5/1940. REEL 2 Continues: anti-aircraft fire over France; encounter with German Messerschmitt Bf 109 in cloud over France, 23/5/1940; engaging Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive-bombers over Dunkirk, France; incident of shooting down Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive-bomber attacking refugee column in France; ease with which Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive-bomber could be shot down; comparison between performance of Hawker Hurricane Mk I and Messerschmitt Bf 109; escorting bombing raid over Arras, France; escorting Squadron Leader Basil Embry's damaged Bristol Blenheim back to RAF Hawkinge; incident of pilot superstition; his attitude to later use of large formations; lessons learnt fighting over France; Heinkel He 111 captured at RAF Wick; pilot fatigue during Battle of France; withdrawal from RAF Hawkinge. REEL 3 Continues: his attitude towards ace system and accuracy of claims; move to RAF Drem, 28/5/1940; development of head on attacks; description of 'Drem Lighting' system, summer 1940. Recollections of operations commanding 253 Sqdn, No 11 Group, Fighter Command, RAF during Battle of Britain, 9/1940-10/1940: posting to command squadron at RAF Kenley, 5/9/1940; tensions with Flight Lieutenant Bill Cambridge on taking over squadron; administration problems on taking over squadron; question of unnecessary losses during Battle of Britain; flying through jettisoned bombs over RAF Kenley, 19/9/1940; failure to apply lessons learned during Battle of France; question of following ground controller's instructions; attitude to participation in Battle of Britain; attitude towards German Air Force personnel. REEL 4 Continues: prior recollection of narrow escape from cannon shell over France, 5/1940; injury from anti-aircraft fire during Battle of France; question of his score during Battle of France and Battle of Britain; Polish aircrew in squadron; attitude to using 'Tail-End Charlie'; incident of being accidentally shot down by Polish pilot Pilot Officer Wlodzimierz Samolinski over English Channel, 26/9/1940; his injuries on bailing out of aircraft; rescue from sea; hospitalisation for wounds. Aspects of operations commanding 605 Sqdn, Nos 11 and 12 Groups, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 12/1940-9/1941: taking command of squadron at RAF Croydon, 5/12/1940; character of Hawker Hurricane Mk II; visit by Duke of Kent; move to RAF Tern Hill, 3/1941; previous indicipline of Polish pilots at RAF Tern Hill. REEL 5 Continues: crash landing of Avro Manchester at RAF Tern Hill, early 1941; posting to No 73 Operational Training Unit, RAF at RAF Sheikh Othman, Aden Protectorate, 10/1941. Aspects of period as staff officer with Western Desert Air Force in North Africa, 1942-1943: start of Battle of El Alamein, 10/1942; quality of rations; character of Wing Commander Richard Atcherley; circumstances of death of Lady Rosalinde Tedder in air crash at RAF Heliopolis, Egypt, 4/1/1943. Aspects commanding No 84 Group Control Centre, 2nd Tactical Air Force RAF in GB and North West Europe, 1944-1945: setting up of mobile operations rooms; question of staffing levels; accidental sinking by Hawker Typhoons of British minesweepers HMS Britomart and HMS Hussar off Le Havre, France, 27/8/1944; Squadron Leader Al Deere's clash with senior officer in Netherlands, 1944; attitude to end of Second World War, 1945.