Willoughby, Peter Bowes (Oral history)

British NCO trained as bomb aimer with RAF in GB and Canada, 1942-1944; officer served with 298 Sqdn, RAF in GB and India 2/1945-8/1945; served with 52 Sqdn, RAF in India and Burma, 1945-1946

REEL 1 Background in Northallerton, Yorks, 1922-1939: family and education; employment. Work preparing for evacuees to Northallerton, 3/9/1939 including sight of evacuees arriving in town. Reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939. Period with Air Raid Precautions, 1940- 1942: role in ARP; father's reaction to German Air Force raid; German Air Force attacks in Northallerton area. Volunteering for RAF, 9/1941. Period of training with RAF in GB, 1942-1943: call up, 9/1942; period at St John's Wood; construction duties at holding camp, RAF Ludlow; move to Initial Training Wing, St Andrews; posting to Initial Flying School, RAF Scone; move to RAF Heaton Park. Voyage from GB to US aboard Empress of Scotland. Period of training with empire Training Scheme in Ontario, Canada, 1943-1944: arrival in Moncton, 7/1943; training at 13 Elementary Training School, St Eugene, summer 1943; meeting future wife; pilot training on Fleet Finches. REEL 2 discipline at St Eugene; lack of rationing, posting to 3 Service Flying School, Brantford; discovery of eye problem that prevented his landing aircraft properly; re-mustering on air bombers' course at Toronto; posting to 31 Bombing and Gunnery School, Picton, relations with civilians in Picton; posting to 1 Central Navigation School, Rivers; commissioning and receiving of wings. Period of training in GB, 1944-1945: return to GB, 6/1944; move to Advanced Flying Unit, RAF Staverton,; crewing up at RAF Ashbourne; witnessing effects of accidental explosion in ammunition dump, Staffordshire; learning he was destined for 38 Group concerned with glider towing and SOE operations; conversion to Halifaxes at RAF Tilstock; opinion of Halifax; sight of Wellington with jet in tail; posting to RAF Matching. REEL 3 Continues: Recollections of operations with 298 Sqdn, in GB and India 2/1945-8/1945: posting to unit at RAF Tarrant Rushton, 1945; training on container dropping and glider towing; problems encountered glider towing and container dropping; role in dropping containers to Resistance in Netherlands; role taking occupation troops Norway, post VE Day; move to Raipur, India, summer 1945; calling off of Operation Zipper re-taking of Singapore, 8/1945. Period with 52 Sqdn, RAF in India and Burma, 8/1945-9/1946: posting to unit, Dum Dum, India, 8/1945; problems organising air drops to villagers in north Burma; search for lost aircrews from 10 Sqdn, Burma, early 1946. REEL 4 Continues: problems receiving rations and supplies via Royal Indian Army Service Corps, Myitkyina, Burma, 1946; move from Digri to Baroda; problems of getting pay at Digri; return to GB for demobilisation, 9/1946; awareness of civilian disturbances in India, 1946; attitude to delay in demobilisation, 1945-1946. Attitude to having served in RAF.