Hamilton, Malcolm Lennox (Oral history)

British officer served as pilot with 10 OTU Special Detachment, RAF on anti-U-Boat operations at RAF St Eval, GB, 1943; served with 619 and 617 Sqdns, RAF in GB, 1943-1944. Commanded 267 Sqdn, RAF in Malaya, 1955-1957

REEL 1 Background in Singapore and GB, 1918-1939: family and education. Membership of Surrey Yeomanry, 1930s. Reasons for joining RAF, 1939 and training in GB, 1939-1942. Recollections of period of pilot training with Arnold Training Scheme in US, 1942: period with 2 Basic Flying Training School, Lancaster, California, 13/3/1942-25/9/1942; meeting with Errol Flynn; relationship with US civilians; acquiring nickname of 'Ploughed Field Hamilton'; question of discipline; incident of British trainee who went absent without leave; pilot's penalty for flying to low; trip to see giant redwood trees; attitude to getting back to GB and into fight. Period with 10 OTU Special Detachment, Coastal Command flying anti-U-Boat operations from St Eval, GB, 22/4/1943-26/5/1943: use of Whitley; nature of operations; damage claim on U-Boat; attitude to operations. REEL 2 Continues: contact with German fighters; explanation of term 'White Whitleys'. Period flying Avro Manchesters with 1654 Conversion Unit, RAF Wigsley, 12/6/1943-3/9/1943. Recollections of operations with 619 Sqdn, 1943-1944: posting to squadron at Woodhall Spa, 4/9/1943; memories of Bill Reid VC; start of operations during Battle of Ruhr, 9/1943; first raid against Hanover, 22/9/1944; raid on Mannheim, 23/9/1943; experience of 'coning'; bombing tactics employed; question of accuracy of bombing and hitting aiming points; use of Wanganuis and Parramattas; danger from German Air Force intruders; problems on raids on Berlin, 11/1943-2/1944; morale in unit and effect of losses of squadron members; memories of Committee of Adjustment and their role collecting possessions of missing air crew. Recollections of operations with 617 Sqdn, 1944: accuracy of his crew's bombing with 619 Sqdn and their wish to transfer to 617 Sqdn; reputation of squadron and opinion of Leonard Cheshire. REEL 3 Continues: memories of Leonard Cheshire and how he tested Hamilton; memories of Mickie Martyn; using Guy Gibson's old aircraft for bombing training; raid on Angouleme, France, 20/3/1944; dropping window during Operation Taxable, 6/6/1944; raid on Saumar Tunnel, 8/6/1944; use of Tallboy bomb during attack on E-Boats pens in Boulogne, 15/6/1944; damage to Lancaster during attack on Boulogne. REEL 4 Continues: sight of first V1s, 15/6/1944; emergency landing at RAF West Malling, 15/6/1944; nature of bomb aimer's wounds, 15/6/1944; story of emergency landing, ca 6/1944; raid on Le Harve E-Boat pens, 14/6/1944; all Jewish crew under Flying Officer Levy; raid on rocket gun site, Gravelines, 19/6/1944; method of attack on V weapon sites, summer 1944; story of birth of first child, 2/1944; disruption to civilian life in London, autumn 1944. REEL 5 Continues: story relating to how Cheshire defended him against attempt to court martial him, autumn 1944; raid on Dortmund-Ems aqueduct, 23/9/1944; raid on Tirpitz, 15/9/1944 including flight to Archangel, 11/9/1944, sight of Sweden, Russians firing on Lancasters; problems with fuel supply, hospitality of Russians, attack on Tirpitz, 15/9/1944, four runs on target in Altenfjord. Second raid on Tirpitz, 29/10/1944. Secondment to Coastal Command, 12/1944. Attempt to go into commercial flying after Second World War and how he missed Berlin Airlift. Period as RAF flying instructor in GB and Rhodesia, 1940s-1950s including flying De Havilland Vampire. REEL 6 Continues: Recollections of period as commanding officer of 267 Sqdn in Malaya, 1955-1957: role of A Flight Percival Pembrokes; role of B Flight Scottish Aviation Pioneers; description of jungle forts; leaving RAF 1957; role as pilot to Turgku Abdul Rahman; lack of insurgent action against squadron's aircraft.