Interview with William Locke

British telegraphist/air gunner served with 700 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in GB and aboard HMS Belfast in GB coastal waters, 1943; served with 830 and 828 Naval Air Sqdns, Fleet Air Arm in Malta, 1943; served with 838 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1944-1945

REEL 1 Background in Bramhall and Altrincham, GB, 1923-1942: family; education; German Air Force attacks on Altrincham; later experience of German V weapons attacks on Ilford, 1944-1945; opinion of high public morale in London during German Air Force bombing campaign; question of whether V weapons could win war for Germans. Aspects of training as telegraphist/air gunner with Fleet Air Arm, GB, 1942-1943: joining Royal Navy, 1942; reaction to being trained as telegraphist/air gunner after being turned down for pilot training; basic training HMS Royal Arthur, Skegness; continuation training HMS St Vincent, Gosport; move to HMS Kestral, Royal Naval Air Station Worthy Down; amusement when William Joyce 'Lord Haw Haw' claimed HMS Kestrel had been sunk even though it was a shore establishment; training as telegraphist/air gunner; flying with Laurence Olivier; memories of Olivier's wife Vivien Leigh. REEL 2 Continues: air gunnery training at HMS Vulture, Royal Naval Air Station St Merryn; opinion of Fairey Swordfish; reaction to flying in Supermarine Walrus; comparison of flying in Fairey Swordfish, Fairey Albacore and Fairey Barracuda from telegraphist/air gunner's point of view; telegraphist/air gunners' equipment; use of smoke floats. Aspects of period of operational training with 766 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Landrail Royal Naval Air Station Machrihanish, 1/1943: accident in when Fairey Swordfish had engine failure and ditched into North Atlantic, 1943; two and a half days adrift before being picked up by fishing vessel; anti-submarine patrols. Aspects of period as telegraphist/air gunner with 700 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet aboard HMS Belfast in GB coastal waters, 2/1943-3/1943: initial move to HMS Tern, Royal Naval Air Station Twatt, Orkney Islands and then to HMS Belfast; flying in Supermarine Walrus amphibian from HMS Belfast; experience of being catapulted off HMS Belfast. REEL 3 Continues: Recollections of operations 830 and 828 Naval Air Sqdns, Fleet Air Arm on Malta and 821 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Army in North Africa, 3/1943-7/1943: drafting to Malta; voyage from GB to Malta, 3/1943; incident of being wounded when aircraft was shot up by German Air Force Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter aircraft on way back from Sicily, Italy to HMS Falcon, Royal Naval Air Station Hal Far, Malta, 7/1943; conduct of shipping raids against Axis shipping; flying in Fairey Swordfish and Albacore with 830 and 828 Naval Air Sqdns, Fleet Air Arm; desert operations flying in Fairey Albacore with 821 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm; poor facilities and rations at HMS Falcon, Royal Naval Air Station Hal Far, Malta; opinion of Maltese civilians. REEL 4 Continues: medical treatment he received for his wounds, Royal Hospital Haslar, GB, 1943: wish to return to operational flying. Recollection of operations as telegraphist/air gunner with 838 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1944-1945: return to operational flying, 1944; flying anti-submarine and anti-E-boat patrols during Normandy Campaign, 1944; attacking German Navy warships in Cherbourg Harbour, France, 6/1944; spotting flames from German Navy submarine snorkels during patrol in English Channel; telegraphist/air gunners' opinion of Fleet Air Army officers they flew with; Fairey Barracuda accident, HMS Crail Royal Naval Air Station Crail, 7/1945; reaction to having served with Fleet Air Arm during Second World War; question of effects of wartime service.