Description
Object description
British NCO served as pilot with 154 Sqdn RAF in GB, Gibraltar, North Africa, Malta and Sicily, 1942-1943, and with RAF Transport Command in North West Europe and India, 1944-1945, including Normandy landings and Operation Market Garden, 1944.
Content description
REEL 1: Aspects of period in GB, 1910-1939: family background and childhood in Thornton Heath, South London; story of seeing Zeppelins and Gothas during First World War; education; description of service with Merchant Navy, 1927-1934; story of employment as salesman for Coca-Cola; reaction to outbreak of war, 3/Sep/1939; reason for joining RAF; story of first flight from Croydon Airport, 1922. Aspects of training with RAF in GB, 9/1939-8/1942: posted to RAF Cardington; interview; question of deferred service and age; tests and medical examination; description of initial flying training at Stratford and Burnaston; number of instructors and pupils; daily routine; educational classes; navigation and map reading exercises including procedure if lost; problem of height; posted to RAF Ternhill for training on Hurricane; description of blindfold test on instruments; comparison of Hurricane and Miles Master; duties as Tiger Moth instructor at Marshalls, Cambridge; posted to RAF Old Sarum for training as Army Corps pilot on Lysander; posted to 239 Sqdn, RAF Gatwick, 2/1942; story of losing way and forced landing in East Grinstead; posted to 225 Sqdn, RAF Thruxton for training with Army co-operation on Hurricanes and Lysanders; opinion of US fighters; description of training on Spitfire; posted to RAF Northolt.
REEL 2 Continues: posted to 154 Sqdn, RAF Wellingore, 8/1942; issued with tropical kit; embarked aboard SS Leinster for Gibraltar, 24/8/1942. Aspects of operations with 154 Sqdn RAF in Gibraltar, North Africa, Malta and Sicily, 8/1942-8/1943: description of aircraft being assembled; problem of not being allowed to fly over Spanish territory; duties as Wing Commander's No. 2; story of flight to Algiers with 90 gallon fuel tank under wing; opinion of conditions at Maison Blanche; Sqdn moved to aerodrome at Djidjelli; duties on convoy patrols; story of supplies being delivered by Royal Navy ship; story about mortally wounded pilot; role of 154 Sqdn during Operation Torch, 11/1942; method of weaving aircraft; reason for 154 Sqdn suffering fewer casualties than other squadrons; billets; Sqdn moved to aerodrome near Bone, 1/1943; opinion of German fighter aircraft; number of operational hours flown in North Africa; question of gunnery skills; role as tactical reconnaissance pilot flying along beach; story about faulty RT set; off-duty activities; relations with ground crew; social life; problem of listening to news of war; description of pursuing retreating Germans over Tunis; opinion of accuracy of German flak.
REEL 3 Continues: further comments on accuracy of German flak; opinion of Mk V Spitfire; story about pilot Paddy Finnegan; multi-national nature of 154 Sqdn; moved to Malta, 6/1943; problem of shortage of rations; state of health; story of Germans filling wells with Epsom salts; reconnaissance role prior to invasion of Sicily; story about forgetting to switch off navigation lights; duties during invasion of Sicily including patrolling beaches and providing air cover for landings; story about falling out of truck and injuring arm, 24/8/1943; returned to GB for medical treatment. Aspects of operations with RAF Transport Command in GB, North West Europe and India, 8/1943-5/1945: description of flying Dakota and comparison of US and British methods of dropping paratroopers; role in towing Hauser gliders during Normandy landings, 5-6/Jun/1944; description of dropping zone; story of three paratroopers not being able to jump; opinion of Dakota; problem of US flak suit being too heavy to wear; number of missions flown during Normandy landings; description of collecting wounded and dropping supplies during Operation Market Garden, Arnhem, Netherlands, 9/1944; story of flying badly burned soldier to Farnborough; description of coming under flak fire while towing glider over Arnhem; opinion of Operation Market Garden and reason for not returning to Arnhem after war; description of crossing Rhine towing a glider; role in bringing 14th Army troops back from India, 1945. Opinion of Spitfire.