Interview with Robert Thorn Needham

1773780422
Use this audio under Non-Commercial licence

Embed this sound recording for online use under the IWM Non-Commercial Licence
By embedding this audio file you agree to the terms and conditions of the IWM Non-Commercial Licence, including your use of the attribution statement specified by IWM. For this item, that is:

© 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.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

Embed

<iframe src="https://www.iwm.org.uk/embed/?id=80020603&media_id=103340" height="430" width="480" frameborder="no" scrolling="no"></iframe>
243770799
Use this audio under Non-Commercial licence

Embed this sound recording for online use under the IWM Non-Commercial Licence
By embedding this audio file you agree to the terms and conditions of the IWM Non-Commercial Licence, including your use of the attribution statement specified by IWM. For this item, that is:

© 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.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

Embed

<iframe src="https://www.iwm.org.uk/embed/?id=80020603&media_id=103341" height="430" width="480" frameborder="no" scrolling="no"></iframe>
1594921631
Use this audio under Non-Commercial licence

Embed this sound recording for online use under the IWM Non-Commercial Licence
By embedding this audio file you agree to the terms and conditions of the IWM Non-Commercial Licence, including your use of the attribution statement specified by IWM. For this item, that is:

© 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.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

Embed

<iframe src="https://www.iwm.org.uk/embed/?id=80020603&media_id=103342" height="430" width="480" frameborder="no" scrolling="no"></iframe>
1467861516
Use this audio under Non-Commercial licence

Embed this sound recording for online use under the IWM Non-Commercial Licence
By embedding this audio file you agree to the terms and conditions of the IWM Non-Commercial Licence, including your use of the attribution statement specified by IWM. For this item, that is:

© 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.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

Embed

<iframe src="https://www.iwm.org.uk/embed/?id=80020603&media_id=103343" height="430" width="480" frameborder="no" scrolling="no"></iframe>
1615115971
Use this audio under Non-Commercial licence

Embed this sound recording for online use under the IWM Non-Commercial Licence
By embedding this audio file you agree to the terms and conditions of the IWM Non-Commercial Licence, including your use of the attribution statement specified by IWM. For this item, that is:

© 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.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

Embed

<iframe src="https://www.iwm.org.uk/embed/?id=80020603&media_id=103344" height="430" width="480" frameborder="no" scrolling="no"></iframe>
1608013559
Use this audio under Non-Commercial licence

Embed this sound recording for online use under the IWM Non-Commercial Licence
By embedding this audio file you agree to the terms and conditions of the IWM Non-Commercial Licence, including your use of the attribution statement specified by IWM. For this item, that is:

© 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.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

Embed

<iframe src="https://www.iwm.org.uk/embed/?id=80020603&media_id=103345" height="430" width="480" frameborder="no" scrolling="no"></iframe>
977144304
Use this audio under Non-Commercial licence

Embed this sound recording for online use under the IWM Non-Commercial Licence
By embedding this audio file you agree to the terms and conditions of the IWM Non-Commercial Licence, including your use of the attribution statement specified by IWM. For this item, that is:

© 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.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

Embed

<iframe src="https://www.iwm.org.uk/embed/?id=80020603&media_id=103346" height="430" width="480" frameborder="no" scrolling="no"></iframe>

Description

Object description

British NCO served as loadmaster with 24 (Commonwealth) Sqdn, RAF in GB and during Berlin Airlift, Germany, 1946-1948

Content description

REEL 1 Background in GB, 1928-1946: family; education; evacuation to Lake District; air raids; visiting Manchester after German Air Force raids, 12/1940; education at Trent College, Long Eaton; story of collecting shells and making rockets with explosives; joining Air Training Corps; parents' pre-war flying activities; parents' war work. Recollections of period as NCO with 24 (Commonwealth) Sqdn in GB, 1946-1948: training as air quartermaster/loadmaster; loadmaster's duties. REEL 2 Continues: father's links with pre-war German jeweller; attitude towards conscription; reasons for joining Royal Air Force; attitude towards training; variety of aircraft used by Royal Air Force; loadmaster training; shortage of aircraft; flying over Palestine; flying freight into Federation Malaya during Malayan Emergency; flying Ernest Bevin, Hugh Dalton and Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery; description of Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery's aircraft. Recollections of period as loadmaster with 24 (Commonwealth) Sqdn, RAF during Berlin Airlift, Germany, 1948: secondment of squadron crews to Berlin Airlift; story of collision between Soviet Air Force aircraft and British European Airways aircraft; role of Air Commodore Reginald Waite in devising Berlin Airlift. REEL 3 Continues: flying into RAF Gatow with Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, journey to RAF Wunstorf by aircraft, summer 1948; contrast in conditions at RAF Wunstorf and RAF Bassingbourn in GB; accommodation at RAF Wunstorf; Nazi memorabilia collected by British servicemen; black market; attitude of German people towards Nazi past; role of German Civil Labour Organisation; relations between British service personnel and German civilians; attitude towards other allies, Americans, French, Poles during Berlin Airlift; relations with German civilians; language difficulties; loading systems; problems with transporting meat, vegetables and coal; transporting German civilians out of Berlin. REEL 4 Continues: transporting civilians out of Berlin; evidence of war devastation in Germany; attitude of German civilians towards British; preparations at RAF Fassberg and RAF Lübeck in case of Soviet advance; duties on diplomatic run to Warsaw, Polish People's Republic; cold war situation; contacts with Soviet Union during 1950s; invitation to party at Kremlin, Moscow, Soviet Union; attitude towards Communism. REEL 5 Continues: use of term Iron Curtain rather Cold War during Berlin Airlift; political attitudes among British service personnel; system of rank in Royal Air Force; pressure on Royal Air Force personnel during Berlin Airlift; problems with French Air Force Junkers Ju 52 aircraft; story of how Soviet transmitter was blown up by French forces in Berlin; system of air traffic control; system of beacons; navigating by tuning into 'Deutschland Sender'; Soviet Air Force harassment of aircraft during Berlin Airlift; impact of participation in Berlin Airlift on his plans for future career; story of German and British service personnel coming to terms with wartime experience. REEL 6 Continues: story of member of German Civil Labour Organisation that had been in Scutzstaffel (SS); willingness of German people to talk about war; knowledge of Holocaust, 1948-1949; Displaced Persons working with Royal Air Force during Berlin Airlift; development of anti-Soviet attitudes; impact of Berlin Airlift experience on his life; assessment of importance of Berlin Airlift. Recollections of civilian life and employment, post-1948: attending Quaker meetings; attending university and becoming probation officer; social work; impact of Berlin Airlift; attitude towards religion; question of whether Quaker Peace Testimony is now out of date. REEL 7 Continues: question of whether Quaker Peace Testimony is now out of date; belief that Berlin Airlift was a moral use of military force.

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)
Needham, Robert Thorn (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 2001-07-20
Dimensions: whole: Duration 210, Number Of Items 7
Catalogue number: 22070

Object associations

Our collections information

We have over 1.7 million object records online, and we are adding to this all the time. Our records are never finished. Sometimes we discover new information that changes what we know about an object, such as who made it or used it. Sometimes we change how an object is interpreted. We sometimes make mistakes in our spelling, transcription or categorisation, or miss information out of our records.

Read more about our collections and the information we hold. Developing our collections information

If you have concerns about the language in this record, or you have information to improve it, please share your feedback.

We receive a lot of comments and can't respond to each one, but we do read them all and will respond where we can.