Thirwell, James Derek (Oral history)

British officer served as pilot with No 3 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit, RAF in Burma and India, 4/1942-9/1942; served with 194 Sqdn, No 221 Group, RAF, India Command and No 229 Group, Eastern Air Command, RAF in India and Burma, 10/1942-9/1944 served with 147 Sqdn, Transport Command, RAF in GB, 10/1944-8/1946; served with 113 Sqdn, RAF in Palestine, 9/1946-4/1947; civilian pilot/manager for Airworks Ltd in Saudi Arabia, 1968-1972

REEL 1 Background in Sunderland, GB, 1919-1940: family; education; employment; enlistment in Royal Air Force, 3/1940. Aspects of journey from GB to India, 12/1941-3/1942: voyage aboard HMS Foxhound from GB to Malta, 12/1941 including destruction of German submarine U-127 in Bay of Biscay, 12/1941 and crew's confirmation of dead submariners; story of how captain of HMS Arrow, Commander Alec McKillop fired on Royal Air Force British Beaufighter aircraft in Mediterranean, 1/1942; Imperial Airways flight from Egypt to Calcutta, India, 3/1942. Recollections of operations as pilot with No 3 Photo Reconnaissance Unit in India and Burma, 4/1942-9/1942: work retrieving cameras from crashed aircraft in Burma, 4/1942; use of ex-Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force North American Mitchell aircraft for high-level photography; narrow escape from attack by Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service Mitsubishi A6M Zero during first flight to Andaman Islands; use of airstrip at RAF Asansol to save tyre wear; ditching aircraft in River Hooghly to put out engine fire. Recollections of operations with 194 Sqdn, No 221 Group, RAF, India Command and No 229 Group, Eastern Air Command, RAF in India and Burma, 10/1942-9/1944 including Second Chindit Expedition: transfer to squadron, 9/1942; story of collecting of Lockheed Hudson from RAF Cairo West, Egypt. REEL 2 Continues: flying Douglas Dakota in Indian monsoon, 1943; meeting with Major-General Orde Wingate; landing at Broadway Landing Zone to bring out wounded mules; memories of Brigadier Michael Calvert; squadron mascot 'Rupert the Bear' at RAF Agartala; origins of nickname of squadron; problems of landing at Broadway Landing Zone, 2/1944; aircraft accident at Broadway Landing Zone; attempts by Naga hill people to intercept air supply drops; problem of finding landing strips especially Broadway Landing Zone, 2/1944; story of how Major-General Orde Wingate 'talked' a mule into boarding a glider at RAF Agartala; confidence which Major-General Orde Wingate exuded; reaction to receiving news of Major-General Orde Wingate's death in air crash; lack of contact with Chindit passengers; confidence in Pratt and Whitney Engine on Douglas Dakota; contracting hepatitis from living conditions at RAF Agartala; evacuation to GB, 9/1944. Aspects of period as pilot with 147 Sqdn, Transport Command, RAF in GB, 10/1944-8/1946: size of Heathrow Airport, 10/1944. REEL 3 Continues: role flying from Croydon, autumn 1944; aircraft congestion at Brussels, Belgium, 1944; story of flying in Short Stirling, late 1944. Aspects of period with 113 Sqdn, Transport Command, RAF in Palestine, 9/1946-4/1947: role transporting British personnel; attitude of Jewish civilians to role of squadron monitoring refugee boats. Aspects of period as pilot/manager with Airwork Ltd in Saudi Arabia, 1968-1972: role as manager in Dhahran; formation of King Faisal Air Academy, Royal Saudi Air Force, 1968; support for operations on Yeman border; qualities of Saudi Arabian pilots.