Description
Object description
Australian NCO served as wireless operator/air gunner with 223 Sqdn, No 232 Wing, Western Desert Air Force and Desert Air Force, RAF in North Africa, 2/1942-6/1943; served with No 71 Operational Training Unit, RAF at RAF Ismailia, Egypt, 6/1943-1/1944; officer served with 55 Sqdn No 263 Wing, Desert Air Force, RAF in Italy, 3/1944-11/1944
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Western Australia, 1921-1938: family; daily life on farm at Spencer's Brook; education at Guildford Grammar School, Guildford, Perth; interest in entomology; attitude to being Australian and opinion of GB; activities as cadet with Australian Army Cadets. Aspects of period as private and NCO with 16th (Cameron Highlanders of Western Australia) Infantry Bn, Citizens Military Forces in Australia, 1938-1940: enlistment in Citizens Military Forces, 1938; memories of Munich Crisis, 9/1938; opinion of British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, 1938.
REEL 2 Continues: promotion to lance corporal; uniform and equipment; outbreak of Second World War, 3/9/1939; mobilisation and issue of live ammunition; role patrolling around Rottnest Island; curfew; description of defences. Aspects of enlistment and training with Royal Australian Air Force in Australia, 1940-1941: background to enlistment; medical; training in Morse Code; attitude to Germans; opinion of quality of aircraft; selection for Empire Air Training Scheme; basic training; posting to No 1 Wireless Air Gunners School at RAAF Ballarat.
REEL 3 Continues: description of training and types of wireless equipment; Morse Code; training in Douglas DC 2; description of Radio Transmission (R/T) system; first flight; physical training; description of gunnery training using drogues; opinion of Fairey Battle; personal morale; story of interview for commission; route march; posting to Middle East, 6/1941.
REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of voyage aboard HMT Queen Elizabeth from Australia to Egypt, 6/1941; living conditions on board; messing arrangements; opinion of food; arrival at Suez, Egypt. Aspects of period on draft with Royal Air Force in Egypt, 7/1941: attitude to being transferred to Royal Air Force and question of pay; issue of tropical kit; story of Italian prisoners of war; opinion of food; sleeping in desert; opinion of Italians and German forces; visit to Cairo.
REEL 5 Continues: Aspects of training as wireless operator/air gunner with 211 Sqdn RAF at Wadi Gazouza, Sudan, 8/1941-1/1942; crewing up; description of training on Bristol Blenheim Mk.IV; crash during formation flying exercise; injuries and medical treatment; opinion of Marconi Wireless Sets; description of gun turret on Bristol Blenheim Mk.IV; attitude towards Japanese; problem of German Air Force fighter aircraft.
REEL 6 Continues: gunnery exercises using drogues. Recollections of operations as wireless operator/air gunner with 223 Sqdn, No 232 Wing, Western Desert Air Force and Desert Air Force, RAF in North Africa, 2/1942-6/1943: posting to squadron, 2/1942; characteristics of Martin Baltimore B.II; problem with gun turret; crewing up; story of aircraft crashing on landing; opinion of pilot; further training; navigational flying over desert; bombing practice and bomb loads; bombs on sticks; bombing raid on Benghazi, Libya; damage to aircraft from anti-aircraft; story of crash landing in German minefield, 6/1942; problem of parachutes in Martin Baltimore.
REEL 7 Continues: story of rescue from minefield; debriefing; attitude towards death of friends; problem of low morale; effects of bombs; personal morale; flying height and evasive manoeuvres; story of meeting General Bernard Montgomery.
REEL 8 Continues: nature of opening artillery barrage during Battle of El Alamein, Egypt, 23/10/1942; bombing raids during Battle of El Alamein, Egypt, 10/1942-11/1942; bombing attacks on Deutsches Afrika Korps tanks and Axis airfields; story of shooting down German Air Force Focke-Wulf Fw 190; problem of firing guns whilst flying in box formation; question of fighter escort; relations with British Royal Air Force personnel; messing arrangements; role taking supplies to fighter squadrons; move to Derna, Libya; description of high-level bombing raids on Crete, Greece, 1/1943.
REEL 9 Continues: further training and exercises; dummy attacks made by Royal Air Force Supermarine Spitfire aircraft; story of growing loofah; leave in Alexandria, Egypt; problem of anti-aircraft fire; recreational activities; transfer to Tunisia, 3/1943; bombing raids on Mareth Line, Tunisia; night raids on German positions and landing grounds in support of ground troops; problem of water; bombing landing barges.
REEL 10 Continues: question of co-operation with United States Army Air Force; bombing of German gun positions; comparison between Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Force and facilities; description of various bombing raids on Pantelleria Island, Italy; reaction to shooting down Italian Macchi fighter aircraft; posting to Egypt, 6/1943; problem of engine gills on Martin Baltimore. Aspects of period as wireless operator/air gunner with No 71 Operational Training Unit, RAF at RAF Ismailia in Egypt, 6/1943-1/1944: posting to No 71 Operational Training Unit at RAF Ismailia; role as wireless operator/air gunner operating in Avro Anson; posting to 55 Sqdn RAF, 1/1944.
REEL 11 Continues: description of various low-level flying exercises over desert; gunnery and night flying exercises; problem of contracting pneumonia journey to Italy. Recollections of operations as officer with 55 Sqdn, No 263 Wing, Desert Air Force, RAF in Italy, 3/1944-11/1944: journey to squadron at Biferno; practice bombing runs; summary of various bombing raids on road and rail bridges and German forces' positions; description of night raids on German convoys.
REEL 12 Continues: role in bombing raid at Monte Cassino; recreational activities; relations with Italian civilians; summary of further bombing operations on German communications and positions; liberation of Rome, 5/6/1944; description of being under fire from anti-aircraft fire and rockets; move to Tarquinia, 6/1944 and impressions of surrounding area.
REEL 13 Continues: coastal patrols in Leghorn area; attack on German transport lines at Bologna; question of presence of German opposition; problem of searchlights; description of attacking barges; story of being awarded Distinguished Flying Cross, 1945; role in reconnaissance flights over Southern France prior to Allied landings, 8/1944; use of Window; visit by King George VI.
REEL 14 Continues: story of explosion of United States Army Air Force aircraft on airfield; further bombing operations in Italy; question of keeping to bomb line; reconnaissance missions; question of identifying targets; summary of bombing operaitons, 8/1944-9/1944; bombing of targets in Rimini area; story of last operation, 25/9/1944; problem with back injury and medical treatment; squadron re-equipping with Douglas Boston aircraft in Italy, 10/1944.
REEL 15 Continues: attitude to end of operational flying. Aspects of period as officer with Royal Australian Air Force in GB, 1945: posting to GB, 1/1945; description of medical treatment and convalescence in Brighton; German V2 Rocket attacks; civilian morale; social life and recreational activities; story of return voyage to Australia including conditions aboard HMT Nieuw Amsterdam.
REEL 16 Continues: VE Day celebrations aboard HMT Nieuw Amsterdam, 8/5/1945. Aspects of post-war life and employment in Australia: story of journey back to family farm; problem of readjusting to civilian life; demobilisation; employment; problem of back injury; VJ Day celebrations, 15/8/1945; reflections on period of service with Royal Air Force.