Interview with Thomas Clifford Iveson

British NCO served with 616 Sqdn, No 12 Group, Fighter Command, RAF during Battle of Britain, 9/1940-10/1940; served as flying instructor with Empire Air Training Scheme in Southern Rhodesia, 1941-1943; officer served with 617 Sqdn, No 5 Group, Bomber Command, RAF in GB, 7/1944-2/1945

REEL 1 Background in York, GB, 1919-1938: family; education. Aspects of period as NCO with Royal Airforce Volunteer Reserve in GB, 1938-1939: enlistment, 1938; Flying Blackburn B-2 from Brough Airfield, 1938-1939; reaction to listening to decalaration of Second World War in Royal Station Hotel, Kingston upon Hull, 3/9/1939. Aspects of training as pilot with Royal Air Force in GB, 1939-1940: move to No 4 Initial Training Wing, RAF at Bexhill-on-Sea, autumn 1939; flying Miles Master at No 5 Flying Training School, RAF at RAF Sealand, early 1940. Aspects of period as flying instructor with Empire Training Scheme in Southern Rhodesia, 1941-1943: nature of flying conditions; question of support for Britain's war effort in Southern Rhodesia; nature of accidents. Recollections of operations with 616 Sqdn, No 12 Group, Fighter Command, RAF during Battle of Britain, 9/1940-10/1940: joining unit in RAF Kenley, 2/9/1940; move to RAF Coltishall; ditching after running out of fuel chasing Junkers Ju 88 off Cromer in North Sea, 16/9/1940; method of ditching Supermarine Spitfire in sea; morale of unit; question of qualties needed by fighter pilots; waiting for call to scramble; belief that GB would win Second World War; attitude towards German Air Force pilots. Story of how taxi-ing accident led to his being sent back from Southern Rhodesia to GB, 1943 REEL 2 Continues: Recollections of operations as pilot with 617 Sqdn, No 5 Group, Bomber Command, RAF in GB, 7/1944-2/1945: recruitment to Bomber Command, RAF Banff, 8/1943; invitation to join squadron; memories of Group Captain Leonard Cheshire at RAF Woodhall Spa, 7/1944; composition of crew; method of crewing up; contrast in flying Supermarine Spitfire and Avro Lancaster; reception in received in squadron; daylight attack on German submarine pens in Brest, France, 7/1944; use of Stabilising Automatic Bomb Sight; attack on German battleship Tirpitz launched from Yagodnik Airfield in Soviet Union, 11/9/1944; second and third attacks on German battleship Tirpitz launched from RAF Lossiemouth, 11/1944; problems of getting shot up aircraft back from raid on German submarine pens at Bergen, Norway, 1/1945. REEL 3 Continues: question of superstition among aircrew; opinion of North American Mustang; nature of squadron operations; morale in squadron; competence of squadron aircrews. Aspects of period as pilot with British Overseas Aircraft Corporation in GB, 1945: flying Avro Lancastria from GB to Australia; passengers he piloted.