Ebanks, John (Oral history)

Jamaican NCO served as navigator with Training Command, RAF in GB, 1941-1944; served with 139 Jamaican Sqdn, RAF in GB, 1944; served with 571 Pathfinders Sqdn, RAF, 2/6/1944-10/11/1944. Various postings with RAF, 1944-1953

REEL 1 Background in Jamaica, 1919-1941: family; education; reaction to threat of war; opinion of British; question of British Government's post war immigration policies; question of contrast between tolerance shown by British to West Indians during war and afterwards; story relating to wartime rationing; story of taking leave in Wales.; reasons for enlistment; listening to Churchill's 'we'll fight them on the beaches' speech; fear of German intentions; reasons for wanting to join RAF; opinion of listening to world war one veteran's stories; story relating to loss of Mosquito's engine over North Sea during service with 571 Sqdn in 1944; opinion of Air Vice Marshall Bennett. REEL 2 Continues: Recollection of period with RAF Training Command, 1941-1944: arrival in GB and initial training at St James, London, 1941; question of high standard of Jamaican education; attitude to becoming a navigator; aircrew training at RAF Cranwell, 1942; reaction to first flight; wireless operators course; flight training at Marshall Airfield Cambridgeshire; story of crash landing in Avro Anson; move to Navigation School at RAF Bridgenorth; story of being reported for falling asleep in class; reaction to a Canadian posting; move to Isle of Man; rejection of commission; question of demobilisation; posting to Pilot Instructor School at RAF Upavon; story of death of colleague; story of second crash landing. REEL 3 Continues: question of training accidents. Period with 139 Jamaican Sqdn at RAF Upwood, 1944: story of Jamaican pilot preferring to fly De Havilland Mosquitoes rather than Avro Lancasters; posting to 139 Sqdn flying Mosquitoes; reaction to pilot's lack of confidence in Ebanks navigation skills; move to Number 1665 Marshalling School and crewing up with pilot, 2/6/1944. Recollection of period with 571 Pathfinder Sqdn operating Mosquitoes at RAF Oakington, 2/6/1944-10/11/1944: move to RAF Oakington; nicknames; aspects of first operational trip to Hamburg, 14/6/1944, including, briefing, reaction to first operation, being over target and story of failure to jettison bomb; characteristics of Mosquito; question of reaction to accidents; question of RAF elitism; role of 571 Sqdn; use of four thousand pound bombs; story of bombing Heligoland after an abortive mission. REEL 4 Continues: story relating to usefulness of debriefings; question of personal moral; question of psychological effects of war; reaction to death of friend on operations; story of seeing a V2 rocket launch at night; 50th operation over Hanover 10/11/1944; question of flying with an unfamiliar pilot; failed attempt to volunteer for second tour of operations. Various RAF postings,1944- 1953: move to Transport Command; reaction to award of Distinguished Flying Medal for operational tour; posting to RAF Benson as Accounts Officer; story of defending an NCO accused of stealing. REEL 5 Continues: volunteering for a tour of Malaya; duties; reaction to service in Malaya, 1950-1953.