Higginson, Frederick William (Oral history)

British NCO and officer served as pilot with 56 Sqdn, No 11 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB and France, 10/1937-10/1940 including Battle of Britain, 7/1940-10/1940; officer served with 56 Sqdn, No 10 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 11/1940-6/1941; evaded capture in France and escaped to GB, 6/1941-9/1942; served with Engine Handling School at D Napier & Son Ltd in GB, 1942-1943; served with No 83 Group, RAF in GB and North West Europe, 1944-1945

REEL 1 Background in Gorseinon and Swansea, GB, 1913-1929: family; education. Aspects of period as apprentice, aircraftman and NCO with RAF in GB, 1929-1937: period as apprentice metal rigger at No 1 School of Technical Training, RAF at RAF Halton, 1929-1931; memories of T E Lawrence at RAF Worthy Down, 1932; inadequacy of pre-war bombers; selection for sergeant pilot's course at No 5 Flying Training School, RAF at RAF Sealand, 1935; forced landing in which he killed sheep at RAF Duxford. Aspects of period as NCO with 56 Sqdn, No 11 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 10/1937-9/1939: operating from RAF North Weald; flying the Gloster Gladiator; importance of unit museum; preparations to move family during Munich Crisis, 9/1938; use of his personal car as 'squadron car'; re-equipping with Hawker Hurricane Mk I, 6/1938; landing using glim lamps, 6/1939; appearance of variable pitch air screw, 8/1939. Aspects of operations as pilot with 56 Sqdn, No 11 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 9/1939-5/1940: preference for Hawker Hurricane to Supermarine Spitfire for aerial combat; convoy protection work, winter 1939-1940. REEL 2 Continues: problems ships had with aircraft recognition; move to RAF Gravesend, 10/5/1940. Recollections of operations as NCO with B Flight, 56 Sqdn, No 11 Group, Fighter Command, RAF during Battle of France, 5/1940-6/1940: move to Vitry-en-Artois Airfield; failure to shoot down Fieseler Fi 156 Storch east of Brussels, Belgium, 17/5/1940; shooting down of Dornier Do 215, 17/5/1940 and Heinkel He 111, 19/5/1940; attack by German fighter aircraft whilst taking off at Vitry-en-Artois Airfield, 19/5/1940; attempts to destroy equipment and fuel at Vitry-en-Artois Airfield, 18/5/1940; evacuation from Norrent-Fontes to GB, 5/1940; patrolling over Dunkirk; tactics employed over Dunkirk; opinion of complaints from British Army personnel about RAF role over Dunkirk, 5/1940-6/1940; opinion of operating as wing with 151 Sqdn; escorting Bristol Blenheims of No 2 Group, RAF over France, 6/1940. Recollections of operations as NCO with 56 Sqdn, No 11 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB during Battle of Britain, 7/1940-10/1940: shooting down of Dornier Do 17, 15/7/1940; award of Distinguished Flying Medal, 23/7/1940; his method of attacking aircraft from underneath; escorting damaged destroyer in English Channel, 1/8/1940; shooting down Dornier Do 17, 12/8/1940. REEL 3 Continues: crash landing Hawker Hurricane Mk I (P3547) after destruction of Dornier Do 17 over Whitstable, 16/8/1940; shooting down of Dornier Do 17, 18/8/1940; shooting down Messerschmitt Bf 110, 25/8/1940 and Messerschmitt Bf 109 at Herne Bay, 26/8/1940; damage to his aircraft during German attack on RAF Luton, 30/8/1940; destruction of Messerschmitt 109 near Colchester, 31/8/1940; problems engaging Germans during Battle of Britain; commissioning, 24/9/1940; destruction of Dornier Do 17, 14/8/1940; two kills during German raid on Weymouth, 30/9/1940. Aspects of operations as officer with 56 Sqdn, No10 Group, Fighter Command in GB 11/1940-6/1941: re-equipping at RAF Middle Wallop, 11/1940; bomber escort and convoy protection duties, spring 1941. Recollections of evading capture in France, 6/1941-9/1942: bailing out of his damaged Hawker Hurricane Mk IIa (Z2575) near Lille, 17/6/1941; aid received from French civilians in move from Abbeville to Paris. REEL 4 Continues: problems in hiding false papers in toilet; encounter with German officer and NCO on border between Occupied and Unoccupied zones of France, 7/1941; train to Marseilles; accommodation in Marseilles; meeting with Pat O'Leary who ran escape line; how his wife received a message that he was not a prisoner of war; imprisonment in police station at Banyuls-sur-Mer, 4/7/1941; imprisonment in Montpellier and Perpignan Prisons; move to Saint Hippolyte-du-Fort Internment Camp; move to Fort de la Revere Internment Camp, 17/3/1942; organising escape team and plan for escape from Fort de la Revere Internment Camp; escape from Fort de la Revere Internment Camp, 16/8/1942 REEL 5 Continues: aid received from Miss Eva Trenchard's staff at Scotch Tea House in Monte Carlo, 8/1942; move to Canet Plage, 17/9/1942; escape by sea from Canet Plage to Gibraltar; imprisonment in GB prior to debriefing, 9/1942; refusal of RAF to send him to front line squadron. Story of setting up Engine Handling School, RAF at D Napier & Son Ltd engine works in Acton Vale. Aspects of period as officer with No 83 Group, RAF in GB and North West Europe, 1944-1945: formation of unit at RAF Thorney Island and RAF Redhill; flying Fieseler Fi 156 Storch with RAF markings to Normandy, France, 6/1944; role of No 83 Group in North West Europe. Reflections on service with RAF: attitude to serving with RAF in Battle of Britain; attitude towards Germans; memories of Pat O'Leary.