Laws, Frederick Charles Victor (Oral history)

British NCO served with Coldstream Guards in GB, Egypt and Sudan, 1905-1912; served as experimental photographer with Royal Flying Corps, 1912-1914; served with 3 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps and Headquarters, Royal Flying Corps on Western Front, 1915; served as officer with School of Photography at Farnborough, GB, 1915-1916; served with Headquarters, Royal Flying Corps on Western Front, 1916-1918; served with Directorate of Research, Air Ministry, London, 1919-1923: served at School of Photography at Farnborough, 1923-1933; civilian worked in air survey in Australia and GB, 1933-1939; served with Photography Section, Headquarters, RAF in France, 1939-1940; served as Deputy Director of Directorate of Photography, Air Ministry, 1940-1946

REEL 1 Recollections of service with Coldstream Guards, 1905-1912: prior interest in photography; enlistment underage, 22/2/1905; journey out to Egypt, 1905; photographic activities initially using Kodak Bullseye box camera, developing quarter plate prints and selling prints to soldiers; seeking role as signaller and signals store man to get darkroom facilities of promotion to preserve private income from photographic activities; move to Khartoum, Sudan, 1907; over-coming climatic problems for photography; improving camera and developing equipment from sales and published photographs; status as photographer and signaller; return to GB, 1912; Recollections of service as air photographer with Royal Flying Corps at Farnborough, 1912-1914: background to volunteering, interview with V A Barrington-Kennett and question of lack of prior promotion, 8/12/1912; trade test; rapid promotion to sergeant; story of signalling with heliograph to French aircraft in Egypt; reaction to initial posting to Airship Sqdn; posting to Experimental Flight, 1913; initial darkroom facilities and cameras at Headquarters of Military Wing; belief in necessity and successful experiments in fitting Watson camera to secure overlapping photographs from Beta airship; development and subsequent use of panchromatic plates; mobilisation to 3rd Squadron at Larkhill, 7/1914; crash landing in hop field with Captain Hubbard; fixed focus cameras; initial lack of interest on active service in aerial photography; story of photograph illustrating detail visible on photographs; initial movements and varied duties; posting to 9 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps. Recollections of period as flight sergeant with Experimental Photographic Section, 1st Wing, Royal Flying Corps, 2/1915-11/1915: development of 'A' type camera for fixed aerial photography; role in establishment of photographic sections at 2 and 3 Wings; initial rejection of commission. REEL 2 Continues: role in establishment of photographic sections at 2 and 3 Wings; subsequent commission into Lincolnshire Regt seconded to Royal Flying Corps, 7/11/1915; question of lack of experience of aerial photography of Lieutenants J T C Moore-Brabazon and C D M Campbell. Recollections of period at School of Photography, No 1 Aircraft Park, Farnborough, 11/1915-9/1916: disorganised situation on arrival; increased reliance on aerial photography; use of photographic studio trailers and cellars of French chateaus as studios; development of 'L' and 'LB' cameras; specifications of 'A', 'B', 'L', 'LB' and 'BM' cameras; introduction of squadron photographic sections and consequent expansion in training requirement; opinion of photographic development boxes; makeshift methods of developing washing and drying prints; mosaic created from pictures taken over lines; question of various aerial photographic pioneers. Recollections of service as air photographer with Royal Flying Corps at Farnborough, 1912-1914: question of awareness of military value of aerial photography for reconnaissance; administrative role of Lieutenant J H Fletcher; experimental role; question of fitting of camera in gondola of Beta airship; experiments in photography from various aircraft; experiment in developing plate using photographic development box during flight in Bleriot. REEL 3 Continues: experiment in developing photographic plate using development box during flight in Bleriot; question of fixing negative; post-war introduction of F8 film camera. Period with 3 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps, 7/1914-2/1915: significance of loss of fixed Watson aerial camera in Henri Farman in air crash with Captain Hubbard ; refusal of initial offer of commission; lack of photographic role during retreat from Mons, 8/1914-9/1914; acting as liaison officer to anti-aircraft battery and question of commission in Royal Artillery; Kenross press camera and poor results due to inadequate developing facilities; posting to 9 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps, 11/1914-2/1915. Recollections of period as flight sergeant with Experimental Photographic Section, 1st Wing, Royal Flying Corps, 2/1915-11/1915: lecturing to observers and experiments in fixing 'A' camera to floor and side of BE2 C; role in establishment of photographic sections at Headquarters of 2 and 3 Wings. Recollections of period at School of Photography, No 1 Aircraft Park, Farnborough, 11/1915-12/1917: question of role of Lieutenants C D M Campbell. and J T C Moore-Brabazon; organisation of photographic officers and services on Western Front; interpretation of aerial photographs; question of responsibility for advances in aerial photography; promotion to warrant officer 1st class; 'E', 'C' and 'P' cameras. REEL 4 Continues: qualification for observer's and pilot's wings. Recollections of period at School of Photography, No 1 Aircraft Park, Farnborough, 11/1915-9/1916: training officers in administration of photographic section; question of experience of photographers; darkroom facilities; lecturing observers and question of skill required as camera operators; mechanism of plate-changer of 'L' camera; camera manufacturers; technical specifications of film, camera and exposure; 'K', red and infra-red filters; question of qualification as observer through demonstration flights over lines; qualification as pilot flying BE2 C, 1915; post-war flying experience. Recollections of period at Headquarters, Royal Flying Corps, St Omer, 9/1916-11/1918: role as equipment officer supervising equipment and technique; composition of photographic sections of corps squadron; distribution of photographs; comments on pre-war photograph of Royal Flying Corps; illustrations of value of aerial photography; question of low level oblique photographs; provision of photographic sections for training units in GB. REEL 5 Continues: number of photographs taken; reaction to formation of RAF, 1/4/1918; promotion; question of anti-aircraft fire; problems with plates overlapping; photographs recording results of bombing raids of Independent Air Force, 1918; camera fittings on various aircraft; use of simple bombsight to line up photographs; question of air-to-air photography; question of stereo photography and overlap required; timings of aerial photographs; camera gun based on Lewis gun; question of private photography; manufacturers of panchromatic film; use of photographic developing box; quality of photographic paper; makeshift methods of washing prints; developing prints in dishes; carbide print enlargers and generators; question of photographic command structure. REEL 6 Continues: question of photographic command structure; easel print enlargers; question of developers used; question of photographic activities of Royal Naval Air Service; contact with Edward Steichen commanding photographic services of US Air Force; opinion of various claims of photographic innovation made by Lord Brabazon. Period with Directorate of Research, Air Ministry, London, 1919-1923: role in development of F8 roll film camera; attending international congress at Brussels, Belgium; inspection tour of units in Egypt, 1922; story of experiences after forced landing with engine failure in DH10 in desert. Period commanding School of Photography, Farnborough, 1924-1930 and 1933: unit role; declining importance of aerial photography and cancellation of F8 camera project; inspections by King George V and Secretary of State for Air Sire Philip Sassoon; opinion of Hugh Trenchard; background to retirement from RAF, 9/1933. Period on aerial survey work for Western Mining Corporation, Australia, 1933-1936: question of return to RAF with additional experience; continued membership of Ordnance Survey Committee. REEL 7 Continues: use of DH Dragon aircraft; adapted Williamson cameras used for survey work and reasons for use of focal plane shutter cameras, 1914-1918; locally produced Kodak film after failure of US supplied Kodak panchromatic film; selection of team; establishing base at Kalgoolie; use of locally produced Kodak film after failure of US supplied Kodak panchromatic film; wireless communications system and squared map system to regulate survey; photographic survey of areas possibly containing gold deposits informed by geology; operational heights; clarity of early morning photographs; lens filters; contacts with various air survey pioneers; interpretation work on photographs; personal involvement in gold mining enterprise; awareness of approach of war and return at request of RAF to GB. REEL 8 Continues: awareness of approach of war and return at request of RAF to GB; rejection of inadequate offer of RAF posting . Period as director with Williamsons, 1937-1939: acting as management director; question of inadequate position offered by RAF. Recollections of period with Photography Section, Headquarters, RAF, France, 11/1939-2/1940: inadequacy of the F24 camera and replacement with F8 camera; development of F52 camera; opinion of Sydney Cotton; necessity of fitting cameras in Spitfires for high speed reconnaissance; question of need for Directorate of Photography, Air Ministry; question of aircraft carrying cameras and absence of reconnaissance function; maps. Recollections of period as Deputy Director of Directorate of Photography, Air Ministry, 1940-1946: role and status; story of meeting Secretary of State Archibald Sinclair over rejection of new system for printing large prints devised by Peregrine Churchill; self sufficient mobile photographic sections; background to development by H E Stringer of F52 camera to replace inadequate F24 camera; continued use of F24 camera in bombers; role as chairman of Photographic Research Committee; comparison of photographic methods in First and Second World War including use of twin cameras and automatic developing process of film; photographs of V1 sites. REEL 9 Continues: photographs of V1 sites; separate photographic interpretation section; heated camera lens system; expansion in photographic work, 1939-1945. Period as managing director of Fairey Air Surveys and Photo Finish Recording Company, 1947-1963: nature of survey work; question of photogrametical work; retirement. Question of assistance to US photographic directorate and consequent award of Officer of Legion of Merit, 1941-1945. Recollections of service as air photographer with Royal Flying Corps at Farnborough, 1912-1914: question of use of man carrying kites for photography ; question of Samuel Cody's success in aircraft performance competition, 1912; airship sheds; question of photograph collection. Photographic methods employed in work with Photo Finish Recording Company, 1947-1963. <Barrington-Grey: question of purpose of interview>. REEL 10 Recollections of service as air photographer with Royal Flying Corps at Farnborough, 1912-1914: view of Samuel Cody's fatal crash on Balls Hill: opinion of Samuel Cody; question of use of Cody kites for photography; story of flight in balloon over Ramillies Barracks, Aldershot; question of location of School of Photography; poor state of original airfield. Comments on miscellaneous photographs including Henry Farman aircraft and camera fittings, photographic darkrooms, examples of early reconnaissance photographs using Press, 'A' and 'C' cameras, lorry and trailers equipped as photographic darkroom and various officers. REEL 11 Comments on miscellaneous photographs including various officers, Laws, specialist underwater mineshaft camera.