Interview with Charles Edghill

Trinidadian NCO served as observer with 78 Sqdn, No 4 Group, Bomber Command, RAF in GB, 7/1942-9/1943; prisoner of war in Dulag Luft Interrogation Centre, Oberursel and Stalag IV-B, Mühlburg in Germany, 9/1943-4/1945

REEL 1 Background in Trinidad and GB, 1921-1940: family origins in Trinidad; family life in Trinidad, 1921-1932; race relations in Trinidad; allegiance of Trinidadians to Britain; move to GB, 1932; education in Wales during 1930s; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; his mother's attitude to her sons joining armed forces; story of brother's role in war and loss of cousin in Caribbean, 1944. Recollections of enlistment and training with Royal Air Force in GB, 1940-1942: reasons for remustering as observer; observer training. REEL 2 Continues: sporting activities; invasion concern on Isle of Man, 1940-1941; tendency of Commonwealth personnel to gravitate towards each other's company; question of what term 'colonial' meant in GB during Second World War; how Royal Australian Air Force personnel were allowed to wear shoes on operations; air crash he survived near Elgin, 1/1942; background to taking role as bomb aimer with Operational Training Unit during 1000 Bomber Raid on Bremen, Germany, 25/6/1942-26/6/1942; raid on Bremen, Germany, Germany, 25/6/1942-26/6/1942; emergency landing at RNAS Crail after raid on Bremen, Germany, 25/6/1942-26/6/1942 and immediate posting to 78 Sqdn, RAF. REEL 3 Continues: Recollections of operations as NCO with 78 Sqdn, No 4 Group, Bomber Command, RAF in GB, 1942-1943: opinion of Armstrong Whitworth Whitley; raid on Dusseldorf, Germany in which aircraft returned with four thousand pound bomb hung up, 7/1942; attitude to flying Handley Page Halifax; surviving crash in Handley Page Halifax (DT525) at Wass, GB, 6/11/1942; injuries received in crash; coning of his aircraft by searchlight over Flensburg, Germany, 23/9/1942; return to squadron after recovery from injuries, 7/1943; reaction sight of large numbers of Royal Air Force bombers being shot down during raid on Aachen, Germany; importance of getting an established on operations; shooting down of his aircraft during raid on Munich, Germany, 6/9/1943. REEL 4 Continues: bailing out of stricken aircraft, descent and landing, 6/9/1943. Recollections of period as prisoner of war in Germany, 9/1943: initial treatment by German captors, 6/9/1943; interrogation by Hitler Youth members, 6/9/1943; attempt to get him to talk about 'Window' and to defuse 2000 lb pound bomb, 6/9/1943; his stoning by German civilians; attempt of German police officer to get a testimonial from him; move to Dulag Luft Interrogation Centre, Oberursel and nature of interrogation, 9/1943; introduction of stool pigeon at Dulag Luft Interrogation Centre, Oberursel. REEL 5 Continues: Recollections of period as prisoner of war in Stalag IV-B, Mühlberg, Germany, 10/1943-4/1945: transfer to camp; conditions in camp; Christmas in camp, 25/an guards; prisoner of war morale in camp, 12/1944; story of his escape from camp and recapture early 1944; attitude of Germans to respect shown by Indian prisoners of war to British prisoners of war, 1944; liberation by Soviet Army, 4/1945. REEL 6 Continues: question of Allies not dropping food to prisoners of war in Stalag IV-B after liberation; behaviour of Soviet Army troops; attitude towards Germans during Second World War; comradeship amongst prisoners of war; aid given to American prisoners of war captured during Ardennes Offensive, 12/1944; effect of his experiences during Second World War.