Sanderson, Eric Horace (Oral history)

British NCO served as air gunner with 158 and 578 Sqdns, RAF in GB, 1943-1944; POW in Stalag Luft VI, Heydekrug and Stalag 357, Fallingbostel, Germany, 1944-1945

REEL 1 Background in Blackpool, GB, 1923-1940: family; education; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939. Aspects of enlistment and training as air gunner with RAF in GB and Canada, 1941-1943: enlistment in RAF, 1941; pattern of training in GB and Canada; behaviour of French Canadians to RAF personnel; conditions for training in Canada; voyages across Atlantic; crewing up at 24 Operational Training Unit, Long Marston, 4/1943; method of taking drift in gun turret; opinion of Browning Machine guns and Boulton Paul gun turrets; initial preference for Avro Lancaster over Handley Page Halifax; interior of Handley Page Halifax; fighter affiliation training; attitude to active service. Recollections of operations as rear gunner with 158 Sqdn, RAF in GB, 1943: joining squadron at RAF Lissett, 2/7/1943; first operation to Aachen, Germany, 7/1943; use of Wanganui flare marking; firestorm during raid on Hamburg, Germany, 7/1943; predicted anti-aircraft fire and German method of using searchlights. REEL 2 Continues: character of raids on Hamburg, Germany, 7/1943-8/1943; use of Window; character of raid on Peenemunde, Germany, 10/1943; evasive action taken on return to Peenemunde; precision call for raid on Peenemunde; anti-aircraft damage to engine during raid on Berlin, Germany and emergency landing at RAF Coltishall; 'Darkie' emergency landing system; close encounter with Messerschmitt Me 110 during raid on Hanover, Germany; incident of mistaking Bristol Beaufighters for Junkers Ju 88s over coast of Netherlands; raid on railway tunnel at Modane on French-Italian border; short posting to 51 Sqdn, RAF at RAF Snaith, 12/1943. Recollections of operations as air gunner with 578 Sqdn, RAF in GB, 1944: formation of squadron at RAF Burn; memories of Cyril Barton VC; raid on Schweinfurt, Germany. REEL 3 Continues: opinion of master bomber system of marking; avoiding Focke Wulf Fw 190 during raid on Berlin, Germany; occasion when aircraft was nearly bombed by Avro Lancaster; case of air gunner who complained his eye sight had gone and eventually refused to fly; shooting down of his aircraft by Junkers Ju 88 night fighter during raid on Frankfurt, Germany, 22/3/1944; his escape from stricken aircraft. Aspects of period as POW in Germany, 1944: wounds sustained after parachute descent; capture by German Volkssturm; treatment on capture. REEL 4 Continues: arrival of members of crew in police cell in Wetzlar; hostile crowd in Frankfurt, 3/1944; treatment in Holmark Hospital; smell of suppurating burn wounds; interrogation in Holmark Hospital; move to Obermasfeld Hospital. Aspects of period as POW in Stalag Luft VI, Heydekrug and Stalag 357, Fallingbostel, 1944-1945: reaction of POWs to announcement of shooting of Great Escapers; method of baiting German guards; memories of Dixie Deans; removal to Thorn Camp, Poland on approach of Russians; under German Air Force control; stricter control of RAF than British Army by guards at Thorn, 7/1944; removal to Stalag 357, Fallingbostel, REEL 5 Continues: attempt to march POWs out of Fallingbostel; liberation by Guards Armoured Div, 16/4/1945; return to GB, 4/1945; reception of POWs in GB.VE Day in Blackpool, 5/1945. Memories of 1945 Election.