Collier, John Howard (Oral history)

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Sound: © IWM

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

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Description

Object description

British aircraftsman served with 56 (R) Sqdn, Royal Air Force Regiment at RAF Wunstorf in during Berlin Airlift, Germany, 1949

Content description

REEL 1 Background in Leicester, GB, 1930-1945: family; education; wartime life in Leicester, 1939-1945. Recollections of period with 56 (R) Sqdn, RAF Regt at RAF Wunstorf during Berlin Airlift, Germany, 1949: attitude towards call-up for National Service; training; posting to Germany; background to situation in Berlin; journey to RAF Wunstorf; background to Air Vice-Marshal Donald Bennett's involvement with Berlin Airlift; description of RAF Wunstorf; lack of storage facilities; living conditions; evacuation plans in case of Soviet advance on RAF Wunstorf; anticipation of war; problems with looting; story of German that hung himself when caught looting pack of butter; security at base; driving duties. REEL 2 Continues: contacts with Corps of Military Police; living conditions for German civilians; good flown in to Berlin; transportation of vehicles by aircraft; sabotage of Soviet radio mast by French forces in Berlin; story of loading Avro York aircraft with dumper truck; question of accidents and casualties; flying into RAF Gatow during Berlin Airlift; returning loads of manufactured goods; relations between American and British service personnel in Germany; living conditions for American service personnel; visits to RAF Fassberg; question of contact with German civilians; change in attitude towards German people. Reflections on experiences in Germany during Berlin Airlift, 1949: contribution of Germans to 50th anniversary celebrations of the Berlin Airlift, 1998. REEL 3 attitude towards calls for medal to be given to airlift veterans; attitude towards being called 'Berlin Hero'; work of ground staff; attitude towards war devastation in Germany; Very Important Person (VIP) visits to RAF Wunstorf; end of Berlin Airlift; attitude towards participation in National Service.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1990 to the present day (production), 1945-1989 (content), 1945-1989 (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
Smith, Lyn E (Recorder)
Collier, John Howard (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 2001-09-03
Dimensions: whole: Duration 90, Number Of Items 3
Catalogue number: 22071

Object associations

Associated people and organisations

Collier, John Howard
Bennett, Donald Clifford Tyndall
Royal Air Force, Royal Air Force Regiment
Royal Air Force, Royal Air Force Regiment, Sqdn, 56
Royal Air Force, Station, Wunstorf, Germany
Royal Air Force, Station, Fassberg, Germany
Royal Air Force, Station, Gatow, Berlin, Germany
British Army, Corps of Military Police
Associated places

England, United Kingdom
Leicester, Leicestershire, England, United Kingdom
Germany
Wunstorf, Lower Saxony, Germany
Fassberg, Lower Saxony, Germany
Berlin, Germany
Gatow, Berlin, Germany
Soviet Union
Associated keywords

Cold War
Associated themes

Air Operations, 1945-1999: Berlin Airlift, 1948-1949

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Object Details

Object associations

Associated people and organisations

Associated places

Associated keywords

Associated themes

Our collections information