description
Object description
Australian officer served as pilot with 72 Sqdn, RAF in GB, 1937-1940; served with 212 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit, RAF in GB, 4/1940-7/1940; commanded 72 Sqdn, RAF in GB, 7/40-10/41; served as station commander at RAF Manston, GB, 11/1942-4/1943; various station commander postings with RAF in GB, 4/1943-8/1944; commanded HQ 148 Mobile Airfield in North West Europe, 1944-1945. Various RAF postings, 1949-1971
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Canberra, 1917-1935: family; question of loyalty to GB; reaction to threat of war; potential of Japanese threat ; motivation for joining RAAF, 1/1936; story of Amy Johnson's aircraft landing in a field near to school. Training at Point Cook, 1/1936-1/1937. Recollections of training in GB, 1937, impressions of GB, move to 9 Flying Training School at Thornaby, 3/1937, training on Hawker Furies. Recollections of period with 72 Sqdn, 6/1937-10/1941: flying Gladiators and Spitfires at Church Fenton; opinion of British; nature of RAF training scheme and expansion; characteristics of Spitfires; contrast between Gladiators and Spitfires; Munich Crisis, 1938; reaction to outbreak of war, 3/9/1939; posting to 212 Photographic Reconnaissance Sqdn RAF, in Corsica and South of France, 4/1940-7/1940, photo-reconnaissance role, Italian attack, return to GB, 7/1940; posting to 72 Sqdn; recollection of first action, 10/1939; wounded in action with Heinkel 111; patrols at Acklington; move to Biggin Hill, 8/1940; air attacks on Biggin Hill; move to Croydon; accommodation and messes; relationship with civilians; daily routine during Battle of Britain, including wake up ,dispersal, scramble and flight control in air; story of attacking large German formation whilst at Acklington; attack formations and question of relevance of pre-war tactics.
REEL 2 Continues: story of being shot down twice and wounded; reaction to being shot down and wounded, 9/1940; question of loss of friends; meeting senior officers and aces; opinion of Germans; award of DFC, 12/1939; sweeps across France, 1941; question of moral, 1941; opinion of Churchill and Royal Family; role of squadron during sweeps; question of number of victories; move to Group HQ, 1941; question of personal moral and responsibility; sweeping formation; meeting with Hughie Edwards V.C.; attitude of RAF Pilots. Recollection of various RAF postings in GB and France, 1942-1945: promotion to Wing Commander; command of RAF Manston; move to Orkney; role of intercepting high level German meteorological flights; command of HQ 148 Mobile Airfield reaction to being made Station Commander; role of Station Commander at Manston; impressions of Caen, 8/1944; role of Mobile Airfield Commander; move to Lille; move Staff College GB.
REEL 3 Continues: VE celebrations at Manston, 8/5/1945; question of fighter pilots marrying; posting to Cairo 1946. Discharge and return to Australia. Work as civil servant for Austalian Government, 1947- 1949. Recollections of post war career in RAF, 1949-1971: return to RAF as acting Sqdn Leader,1949; command of fighter squadron Northern Ireland, 1950-1951; move to Germany, 1952; impressions of Germany; move to Allied Air fighting Development Unit , West Drayton; Period as Wing Commander, RAF Leuchars, 1956-1957, including characteristics of Hawker Hunter, duties, tactics and quality of pilots; move to HQ Fighter Command, Bentley Priory; move to Allied Air Force Central Europe, France; question of loss of seniority; courses; opinion of French; posting as Station Commander RAF Odiham; posting to Transport Command; posting to Dehli; retirement from RAF, 2/1/1971. Background to job with BAC; question of national identity; opinion of Commonwealth.
