Interview with Patrick Victor Collier

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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.
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Description

Object description

British policeman served with Metropolitan Police in London, GB, 1939-1941; trained as pilot with Royal Air Force in South Africa and Southern Rhodesia, 1941-1943; NCO served as pilot with 621 Sqdn, British Forces in Aden, RAF, Aden Protectorate, 1943; served with 294 Sqdn, Mediterranean Air Command, RAF and Mediterranean Allied Air Forces in Middle East, 1943-1945

Content description

REEL 1 Background in Chelsea, London, GB, 1919-1939: family; education; employment. Recollections of period as policeman with Metropolitan Police in London, GB, 1939-1941: joining police; training at Peel House; accommodation at Peel House; opinion of instructors; pay; attitude towards declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; memories of PC Brown; German Air Force bomb that dropped on North Woolwich Railway Station; nature of outbreak of Second World War; wartime organisation of police force; beginning of German Air Force bombing campaign, 9/1940; impact of German Air Force on East End; work of emergency services. REEL 2 Continues: difficulties faced by Fire Service; story of German Air Force bomb that landed on school. Recollections of enlistment and training with Royal Air Force in GB, South Africa and Southern Rhodesia, 1941-1943: reasons for joining Royal Air Force; recruitment procedure; lectures; posting to South Africa and Southern Rhodesia; attitude of South Africans towards Royal Air Force personnel; flying training; flying accidents; aerobatics; cross-country flights; completion of training; general reconnaissance course; dangers of torpedo dropping and mine laying. REEL 3 Continues: return to GB. Aspects of operations as pilot with to 621 Sqdn, British Forces in Aden, RAF in Aden Protectorate, 1943: training flights in Vickers Wellington in GB; initial posting to North Africa, 1943; move to Aden Protectorate; anti-submarine duties and escorting convoys; relation with senior officers; use of glide path indicator; landing accident. Recollections of operations as pilot with 294 Sqdn, Mediterranean Air Command, RAF and Mediterranean Allied Air Forces in Middle East, 1943-1945: posting to squadron in Palestine; commission procedure; reasons for not accepting commission; comparison of Vickers Wellington and Vickers Warwick aircraft; air-sea rescue operations from Benghazi, Libya; story of finding downed crew; use of Identification Friend of Foe (IFF) device to communicate. REEL 4 Continues: harassing German submarines off British Somaliland; posting as test pilot at RAF Heliopolis, Egypt; flying Avro Anson aircraft; memories of George Bentley; demobilisation; aspects of post-war career with Metropolitan Police.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1990 to the present day (production), Second World War (content), Second World War (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
Butler, Steve (Recorder)
Collier, Patrick Victor (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 2001-12-11
Dimensions: whole: Duration 110, Number Of Items 4
Catalogue number: 22391

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Interview with Patrick Victor Collier

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