Interview with John Reginald Cass Young

British officer served as adjutant/instructor with 41 Sqdn, No 11 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 7/1939-10/1939; pilot with 603 Sqdn, No 11 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 10/1939-5/1940; served with 249 Sqdn, No 11 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB and during Battle of Britain, 5/1940-8/1940; served as an instructor with Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 8/1940-6/1941; commanded Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Flight, No 13 Group and 289 Sqdn, No 13 Group, RAF in GB, 6/1941-3/1942; served as instructor with 141 Sqdn; No 13 Group and 96 Sqdn, No 9 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 3/1942-11/1942; served as instructor with Empire Central Flying School, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 11/1942-6/1943; served as instructor with 29 and 264 Sqdns, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 6/1943-11/1943; served with 108 Sqdn, RAF in French Algeria, 1/1944-3/1944; commanded 153 Sqdn, No 325 Wing, Desert Air Force, RAF in French Algeria and Italy, 3/1944-7/1944; commanded 108 Sqdn, RAF and Mediterranean Night-Fighting Force, Balkan Air Force, RAF on Malta, Egypt, Greece and Aegean Sea, 7/1944-2/1945

REEL 1 Background in GB, 1915-1936: family; education; attempt to start Royal Navy career; question of his Chinese origins; marriage. Aspects of period as officer with 10 Sqdn, No 4 Group, Bomber Command, RAF in GB, 1936-1938: method of concealing martial status; flying Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mk.I at RAF Dishforth; studying engineering at St Catherine's College, University of Cambridge, 1938-1939. Aspects of period as instructor with Royal Air Force in GB, 1939: his recall to active list, 1/6/1939; instructing duties at RAF Brough. Aspects of period as adjutant/instructor with 41 Sqdn, No 11 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 7/1939-10/1939: first flight in Supermarine Spitfire from RAF Catterick, 8/1939; problems with oil leaks from De Havilland manufactured propellers; knowledge gleaned from reading of secret Fighter Command manual AP1300; attitude towards him by squadron members. Recollections of operations as officer with 603 Sqdn, No 11 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 10/1939-5/1940: posting to squadron at RAF Turnhouse, 10/1940. REEL 2 Continues: question of moving problematic commanding officers; story of receiving orders to survive and instruct squadron on safely returning to base, 7/1939; previous experience of solo night flying when working for a B licence; question of anticipations of Battle of Britain; memories of Flight Lieutenant George Denham and Pilot Officer Colin Robertson. Recollections of operations as officer with 249 Sqdn, No 11 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 5/1940-8/1940 including during Battle of Britain, 1940: move to RAF Church Fenton as instructor under Squadron Leader John Grandy, 15/5/1940; memories of Squadron Leader Ronald Kellett; experiencing sinus problem, summer 1940. REEL 3 Continues: day as Yellow Leader at RAF Leconfield and consequences of policy of limited response; states of readiness; use of external batteries; character of dispersal hut; impressions of Squadron Leader Douglas Bader; question of policy divide regarding how the battle should be fought; question of what makes a good commanding officer of a fighter squadron; escape of German Air Force reconnaissance aircraft, 7/1940; sinus problems he encountered. Aspects of period as instructor to 306 Sqdn, No 12 Group, Fighter Command, RAF, 8/1940-10/1940: meteorlogical problems in North Yorkshire; duties with unit; test set for him by Squadron Leader Ronald Kellett; question of frustration at not intercepting German reconnaissance aircraft; recuperation holiday at Buckie, 8/1940; opinion of Polish pilots; details of 'Pipsqueak' radio transmitter. REEL 4 Continues: quality of Polish pilots, 9/1940. Aspect of period as instructor with 312 (Czechoslovak) Sqdn, No 9 Group, Fighter Command, RAF, 3/10/1940-14/10/1940: posting as instructor to squadron at RAF Speke; character of 312 (Czechoslovak) Sqdn. Aspects of period as instructor with 308 (Polish) Sqdn, No 9 Group, Fighter Command, RAF formation of 308 (Polish) Sqdn at RAF Baginton; death of Squadron Leader Davies in collision with balloon cable, 10/1940. Aspects of period as instructor with 317 (Polish) Sqdn and 406 (RCAF) Sqdn, No 13 Group, Fighter Command, RAF at RAF Acklington, GB, 3/1941-6/1941: night operations with 317 (Polish) Sqdn, RAF; work with 406 (RCAF) Sqdn, RAF, 4/1941-6/1941. Aspects of period commanding No 13 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Flight and 289 Sqdn, No 13 Group, RAF in GB, 6/1941-3/1942: work rehabilitating pilots for action in 289 Sqdn, RAF at RAF Kirknewton; contents of letter he received from Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Aspects of period as instructor with 141 Sqdn; No 13 Group and 96 Sqdn, No 9 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 3/1942-11/1942: posting to 141 Sqdn, RAF at RAF Acklington; story of spinning Bristol Beaufighter; circumstances of his removal from squadron, 15/5/1942. Aspects of period as instructor with Empire Central Flying School, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 11/1942-6/1943: technical duties with Empire Central Flying School, RAF at RAF Hullavington, 27/11/1942-16/6/1943, Aspects of period as instructor with 29 and 264 Sqdns, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 6/1943-11/1943: incident of loss of cockpit lighting with 29 Sqdn, RAF at RAF Bradwell Bay; intruder work with 264 Sqdn, RAF from RAF Fairwood Common. REEL 5 Continues: delivery of agents to Czechoslovakia with 264 Sqdn; loss of pilot during raid on Eindhoven, Netherlands; evading of order to limit number of operations; staff course for Combined Operations in Scotland, 11/1943-12/1943; prohibition from operations over Europe. Aspects of operations as flight commander with 108 Sqdn, RAF in French Algeria, 24/1/1944-10/3/1944: role as flight commander; convoy protection duties; outcome of court martial for shooting down a Royal Air Force aircraft, 1/4/1944. Recollections of operations commanding 153 Sqdn, No 325 Wing, Desert Air Force, RAF in French Algeria and Italy, 3/1944-7/1944: taking command of squadron in French Algeria, 3/1944; move to Foggia, Italy, 11/4/1944; effect on anus of fighter operations; his investigation into losses of Royal Air Force bombers over Hungary; clash with superior officer; pest infestation at Foggia, Italy; United States Army Air Force operations from Foggia, Italy. REEL 6 Continues: how he handed over squadron, 15/7/1944. Recollections of operations commanding 108 Sqdn, RAF and Mediterranean Night-Fighting Force, Balkan Air Force, RAF on Malta, Egypt, Greece and Aegean Sea, 7/1944-2/1945: move from Malta to Egypt; thwarted move to Turkey; operations over Aegean Sea including shooting down of German Air Force aircraft; move to Greece, 10/1944; how his squadron was besieged at Lefkada Island, Greece; problems caused by arrangements for defence of Kifissia, Greece; role of squadron in attacking Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS) positions in Athens area; effectiveness of Bristol Beaufighter Mk.VI in ground attack role; behaviour of American journalist and he dealt with him. REEL 7 Continues: how his spell with Balkan Air Force came to an end, 1/1945; story of period as president of Royal Air Force court martials; hospitalisation for pneumonia in Italy, 1945. Aspects of period as captain with British Overseas Airways Corporation, 1945-1948: flying last British Army troops out of Palestine, 5/1948; spying mission in Israel; attitude to having served in Royal Air Force during Second World War.