Description
Object description
Australian NCO served as pilot with 17 Sqdn, Nos 11 and 13 Groups, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 2/1941-7/1941; NCO and officer served as pilot with 134 Sqdn, No 151 Wing, RAF in GB, Northern Ireland and Soviet Union, 7/1941-1/1942; officer served as pilot with with 77 and 25 Sqdns, Royal Australian Air Force in Australia, 3/1942-4/1943; served with 76 Sqdn, No 73 Wing, Royal Australian Air Force in Australia and Papua New Guinea, 1/1943-12/1943; served as instructor with Royal Australian Air Force in Australia, 1/1944-8/1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Claremont, Australia, 1917-1939: family origins; family; education; reasons for leaving school; move to sheep station; effects of Depression; ties to British Empire; degree of knowledge of First World War; life in northern Western Australia; move to Perth, 1937; anticipation of coming war; joining 16th (Cameron Highlanders of Western Australia) Bn, Citizen Military Forces.
REEL 2 Continues: mobilisation with 16th (Cameron Highlanders of Western Australia) Bn, Citizen Military Forces, 9/1939. Recollections of enlistment and training as aircraftman and NCO with Royal Australian Air Force in Australia, Canada and GB, 1940-1941: background to enlisting in Royal Australian Air Force, 27/4/1940; selection process; motivation for enlistment; reception on arrival for training; flying training; familiarisation flight with instructor; reaction to flying; pattern of flying training; embarkation for Canada, 9/1940.
REEL 3 Continues: joining first course of Empire Air Training Scheme; voyage from Australia to Canada including stop-over in Fiji; arrival in Vancouver, Canada; reception received from Canadians; ground subjects studied; pattern of flying training at No 2 Service Flying Training School, Royal Canadian Air Force at RCAF Uplands, Canada; preference to becoming a fighter pilot; degree of knowledge of war; receiving wings and promotion to sergeant, 9/12/1940; nature of voyage in convoy from Canada to GB, 12/1940; arrival in Glasgow, GB; degree of understanding of situation in GB.
REEL 4 Continues: accommodation in London, GB, 12/1940; watching German Air Force raid; social activities in London, GB; opinion of British civilian behaviour during German Air Force bombing campaign; spirit of civilians sheltering in London Underground stations; second hand story of bomb disposal; move to No 6 Operational Training Unit, RAF at RAF Sutton Bridge; visit by police officer after taking photograph of picture of aerial combat; story of receiving nickname 'Nobby' on arrival with 17 Sqdn; advice received from instructor; flying Hawker Hurricane aircraft.
REEL 5 Continues: story of first flight in poor weather; accommodation on Royal Air Force bomber station. Recollections of operations as pilot with 17 Sqdn, Nos 11 and 13 Groups, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 2/1941-7/1941: posting to squadron at RAF Debden, 2/1941; fate of Australian airmen trained with; arrival at RAF Debden and familiarisation with area; radar calibration work; story of first encounter with German Air Force over Thames Estuary; abortive second encounter with German Air Force; prior recollection of firing at towed target during training.
REEL 6 Continues: firing Hawker Hurricane's armament; proximity of German Air Force pilots during aerial combat; squadron move to No 13 Group, RAF in Scotland; deployment to Shetland Isles; shooting down German Air Force Heinkel He 111 bomber aircraft; concern with fuel supply after encounter; reaction to shooting down first aircraft; attempt to intercept German Air Force bombers attacking airfield; starting smoking; scrambling.
REEL 7 Continues: tactics employed by German Air Force Messerschmitt Bf 109 pilots; operational duties; opinion of German Air Force fighter pilots; threat from Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter aircraft; reaction to squadron losses; problems with weather; lack of interest in overseas postings. Recollections of operations as pilot with 134 Sqdn, No 151 Wing, RAF in GB, Northern Ireland and Soviet Union, 7/1941-1/1942: volunteering for secret duties with Operation Benedict; voyage aboard HMS Argus from GB to Soviet Union, 7/1941-8/1941; number of aircraft shot down; taking off from aircraft carrier HMS Argus; problems with compass due to proximity to North Pole.
REEL 8 Continues: landing on airfield at Vaenga, Soviet Union, 8/1941; fellow squadron pilots; duration of squadron service in Soviet Union; incident of aircraft crashing on take off; frequency of encounters with German Air Force; escorting Soviet Air Force bomber aircraft; contact with Royal Navy submariners; use of alcohol and social activities; washing facilities; amusing story of wing commander's visit to steam room; problems with his aircraft engine during bomber escort mission; attitude to potential of being shot down; prior recollection of hospitalisation in Scotland; return voyage to GB aboard HMS London, 12/1941.
REEL 9 Continues: role recording bombardment of German installations in Norway during return voyage aboard HMS London, 12/1941; squadron casualties in Soviet Union; reforming squadron in GB; leave in London; operational flights from RAF Ballykelly in Northern Ireland, 12/1941-1/1942; contact with home in Australia; promotion to flying officer on return from Soviet Union; reaction to Japan's entry into Second World War; opinion of Supermarine Spitfire. Recollections of period as pilot with 77 and 25 Sqdns, Royal Australian Air Force in Australia, 3/1942-4/1943: nature of return voyage from GB to Australia, 2/1942, via United States of America.
REEL 10 Continues: reaction to fall of Singapore, Malaya, 15/2/1942; initial posting to 77 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force; opinion Bell P-39 Airacobra; posting to 25 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force in Sydney area, 5/1942; marriage, 6/1942; visit to Australian aircraft designer to see his designs; background to posting to 76 Sqdn. Recollections of operations as pilot with 76 Sqdn, No 73 Wing, Royal Australian Air Force in Australia and Papua New Guinea, 1/1943-12/1943: background to posting to Papua New Guinea, 5/1943; lecturing United States Army Air Force aircrew on close escort work; squadron's operational role; attacking ground targets; problems of navigating and locating airstrip in Papua New Guinea; loss of squadron member during ground attack operation.
REEL 11 Continues: responsibilities as flight leader; incident of pilot who got into inverted spin; attitude of United States Army Air Force personnel to aircraft; attitude to attacking targets; problems navigating over Papua New Guinea; question of 'gremlins'; quotes poem about cartoon character 'Pilot Officer Prune'; physical state whilst serving in Papua New Guinea; strafing Japanese barge; operating conditions from Papua New Guinea; need to guard aircraft from pilfering; landing at airstrip at Port Moresby and request by United States Army Air Force personnel for alcohol; collision between two aircraft; need for precision when attacking target; change in commanding officer.
REEL 12 Continues: background of pilots who returned to Australia; attitude towards casualties; effect of attacks on Imperial Japanese Navy transports at Milne Bay; return to Australia, 12/1943; loss of Squadron Leader Keith 'Bluey' Truscott, 28/3/1943; situation in Papua New Guinea. Aspects of period as instructor with Royal Australian Air Force in Australia, 1/1944-8/1945: posting to RAAF Mildura; students' keeness; imparting experience to pupils; relations with Americans; attitude to returning to active service.
REEL 13 Continues: degree of knowledge of war in Pacific and Europe; victory celebrations, 1945; attitude to dropping of atomic bombs on Japan, 8/1945; destruction of Lend-Lease aircraft. Aspects of demobilisation and return to civilian life, 1945: question of remaining in Royal Australian Air Force after Second World; return to civilian occupation; opinion of situation in Middle East, 2003; question of motivation for fighting; lessons learnt from service with Royal Australian Air Force and Royal Air Force.
REEL 14 Continues: sings various songs relating to service with Royal Australian Air Force and Royal Air Force.