Parker, Douglas Granger (Oral history)

British officer served as pilot with 884 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in GB and aboard HMS Victorious in Mediterranean, 1942; served with 833 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Stalker in Mediterranean, 8/1943-9/1943; served with 1845 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in US, GB and aboard HMS Slinger on route to Australia, 6/1944-2/1945; commanded 1842 Naval Air Sqdn, 2nd Carrier Air Group, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Formidable, 1st Aircraft Carrier Sqdn in Pacific, 3/1945-8/1945

REEL 1 Background in GB, 1919-1939: family; education; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939. Aspects of enlistment and training with Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1940-1941: call-up to Royal Navy, 6/1940; flying training at No 14 Elementary Flying School, RAF at RAF Elmdon; first solo flight, 3/1941; state of morale amongst trainees; operational training with Fairey Battle at No 1 Service Flying Training School, RAF at RAF Netheravon; conversion to Hawker Hurricane with 760 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Heron, Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton; move to 772 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Landrail, Royal Naval Air Station Machrihanish. Aspects of period as pilot with 884 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1942: basing of squadron at RAF Turnhouse; regular appearance of German reconnaissance aircraft nicknamed 'Weather Willie'; embarkation aboard HMS Victorious, 23/7/1941; contrast between landing on board HMS Argus and HMS Victorious; work of batsmen on aircraft carriers. Recollections of operations as officer with 884 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Victorious in Mediterranean, 7/1942-12/1942: character of Operation Pedestal, 9/8/1942-15/8/1942; his shooting down of two Italian torpedo bombers, 12/8/1942. REEL 2 Continues: German submarine U-73's torpedoing of HMS Eagle, 11/8/1942; opinion of Fairey Fulmar; how HMS Victorious left the convoy in Strait of Sicily; Italian aircraft losses, 12/8/1942; flying Supermarine Seafire F Mk IIc during Operation Torch, 11/1942; intercepting shadowing Junkers Ju 88; narrow escape from torpedoing by Vichy French Navy submarine; treatment of British prisoners of war by Vichy French; abortive plan to use squadron against German submarines in Atlantic. Aspects of operations as pilot with 833 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Stalker during landings at Salerno, Italy, 9/1943: attachment to squadron aboard HMS Stalker, 8/1943; problems of landing on aircraft carrier flight decks; use of Benzedrine. REEL 3 Continues: story of accidental shooting down of American aircraft at Castel Benito, Libya, 9/1943. Aspects of period as pilot with 1845 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in US, GB and aboard HMS Slinger on route to Australia, 6/1944-2/1945: formation of squadron at United States Navy Naval Air Station Brunswick, Maine, US, 1/6/1944; working up with Vought Corsair III in US, 6/1944-8/1944; opinion of Vought Corsair III; voyage aboard HMS Slinger to Australia, 1/1945-2/1945. Recollections of operations commanding 1842 Naval Air Sqdn, 2nd Carrier Air Group, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Formidable, 1st Aircraft Carrier Sqdn, British Pacific Fleet in Pacific, 3/1945-8/1945: character of Operation Iceberg, 4/1945; Japanese method of repairing runways; Kamikaze attacks on HMS Formidable off Okinawa, Japan, 14/4/1945; endurance of American manufactured aircraft used in Pacific; reason for absence of Japanese fighter opposition; targets in Japan; system of picking up ditched aircrew; anticipation of nature of invasion of Japan. REEL 4 Continues: fear of falling into Japanese captivity; lack of air defence over Japan, 7/1945-8/1945; US Army Air Force thousand bomber raids on Japan, 7/1945-8/1945; relations between Royal Navy and US Navy; attitude towards Japanese; reaction to dropping of atomic bombs on Japan, 8/1945; lack of impact on VE Day, 8/5/1945; attitude to General Election in GB, 7/1945.