Fenton, Alfred Ernest (Oral history)

British officer served as navigator with 102 Sqdn, No 4 Group, Bomber Command, RAF in GB, 11/1942-7/1943

REEL 1 Background in Kingston upon Hull, GB, 1917-1939: family; education. Aspects of period as civilian in Kingston upon Hull, GB, 1939-1940: job selling air raid shelters for Hull Corporation; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; question of lack of recognition for German Air Force bombing of Kingston upon Hull; public morale during German Air Force attacks. Recollections of enlistment and training with Roya; Air Force in GB and South Africa, 1940-1942: joining Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 1940; basic training at Blackpool; period at No 10 Initial Flying Wing, Scarborough; tension between Durham Light Infantry and Royal Air Force personnel aboard HMT Duchess of Richmond during voyage from GB to South Africa; flying training at No 4 Flying Training School, RAF at Bulawayo, South Rhodesia; navigational training at No 45 Air School, South African Air Force at Oudtshoorn, South Africa; relations with Boers in Oudtshoorn, South Africa, 1941. REEL 2 Continues: bomb aiming and air gunnery course at No 43 Air School, South African Air Force at Port Alfred, 1941; role of Toc H in Johannesburg; return voyage aboard SS Empress of Australia from South Africa to GB, 1942; impressions of Randolph Churchill; crewing up at RAF Harwell, 1942; reasons for missing 1000 Bomber Raid. Recollections of operations as navigator with 102 Sqdn, No 4 Group, Bomber Command, RAF in GB, 11/1942-7/1943: joining squadron at RAF Pocklington; morale in Bomber Command; composition of his air crew; abortive attempt to bail out over Essen, Germany, 12/3/1943; box anti-aircraft barrage experienced over Wilhelmshaven, Germany, 19/3/1943; problems with chandelier flares over Berlin, Germany, 27/3/1943; low-level operations against Schneider Works at Le Creusot, France, 19/6/1943; reaction to loss of friends; period instructing navigators after end of tour; reaction to award of Distinguished Flying Cross; importance of keeping in bomber stream. REEL 3 Continues: use of flight plans; navigational errors which could occur in flight; debriefing after raid; navigational techniques used; cases of Lack of Moral Fibre (LMF); role of Roman Catholic chaplain at RAF Pocklington.