Interview with Roland Barry Roper

British apprentice at No 1 School of Technical Training, RAF at RAF Halton, GB, 1950-1954; served as aircraftman at RAF Helmswell in GB, 1954-1956; NCO served with 284 Sqdn, RAF at RAF Nicosia in Cyprus, 1956-1958; served with Engineering Wing, RAF Dishforth, GB, 1958-1959; served with C Flight, Metropolitan Communications Flight at RAF Northolt, GB, 1959-1963; served with Aircraft Servicing Flight, Engineering Wing at RAF Odiham, GB, 1963-1964; served with 225 Sqdn, RAF in Borneo, Malaysia, 1964-1965; served with No 38 Group at RAF Odiham, GB, 1966-1967; served with 209 Sqdn, RAF in Sarawak, Borneo, Malaysia, 1967-1968 and at RAF Changi, Republic of Singapore, 1968-1969; served with Engineering Wing at RAF Odiham, GB, 1969-1972; served with RAF Kai Tak in Hong Kong, 1972-1974; served with 202 Sqdn at RAF Acklington and RAF Leconfield , GB, 1974-1976; served as Search and Rescue Wing in charge of engine bay at RAF Finningley, GB, 1976-1981

REEL 1 Background in GB, 1934-1950: family; education; reasons for joining Royal Air Force; membership of Air Training Corps; father's business; activities and relevance of Air Training Corps. Recollections of enlistment and training as apprentice at No 1 School of Technical Training, RAF at RAF Halton, 1950-1954: entrance examination; aptitude tests; medical examination; opinion of educational tests; Royal Air Force approach to tests; arrival at RAF Halton; induction; 'fag' system; issue and alteration of uniform; footwear; accommodation; supervision by senior apprentice; system of 'entries' into school; kit displays and inspections; restrictions on apprentices; rations available including 'pom'. REEL 2 Continues: other food available; work in kitchens; regulation mug; incidents at the tea urn; question of resistance to seniors; overseas apprentices and arrangements for devotions; organisation of apprentices; sense of identity founded on 'entry'; feeding arrangements; Pakistani apprentices at school; origins of English apprentices; NCO's method of dealing with fights; personal attitude towards discipline; treatment of defaulters; show parades; inherited equipment from seniors; reaction of apprentices to discipline; compulsory early morning run; march to workshops; evening work and activities; weekend activities; basic workshop training; metal working training. REEL 3 Continues: sporting activities; emphasis on games; basic weapon training; range work; types of weapons trained on; gas drill on course run by Royal Air Force Regiment; education during first year; methods of teaching; re-coursing on apprentices; reasons for his own re-coursing; system of assessment and testing; size of instructional groups; preparation for Third Line Servicing; different engines worked on and stripping them down; gaining experience at airfield; degree of instruction of other trades; conduct of final examinations; passing out ceremonies; choice of postings. REEL 4 Continues: apprentices mostly posted to RAF St Athan; posting to RAF Hemswell; character of passing out parade. Recollections of period as junior technician at RAF Hemswell, 1954-1956: arrival and reception at RAF Hemswell; role with Second Line Servicing on Avro Lincoln; character of First, Second and Third Line Servicing; method of testing for metal fatigue; management of aircraft hours to match inspection requirements; worked as part of integrated team under NCO; types of tools used; preference for flexible hours; relationship with NCOs; distance from airfield to civilisation; bounty for signing on for twenty two years; bargaining power concerning postings; contact with aircrew; reasons for Royal Air Force not continuing sergeant rank aircrew; relations with NCO aircrew. REEL 5 Continues: spy flights taking place from airfield; degree of knowledge of cold war, other conflicts and atomic strategy; use of reserve of spare aircraft; problems of aircraft corrosion; types of metal used Avro Lincoln; reconditioning engines; system to control use of spare parts; damage to propellers; method of inspection; accommodation on airfield; use of personal tool kit; reasons for change in policy towards tool kits; use of American tools; recreation on and off the airfield; relations with civilians; activities of National Service conscripts. REEL 6 Continues: allocation of accommodation; feeding arrangements and quality of food including local purchase; memories of station commander Group Captain John Searby. Recollections of operations as corporal technician with 284 Sqdn, RAF at RAF Nicosia in Cyprus, 1956-1958: preliminaries to posting; flight from GB to RAF Nicosia; destruction of aircraft flown in by insurgents; reaction to reports in Daily Mirror newspaper about situation in Cyprus; training for security duties; familiarisation procedure; issue of new equipment; briefing for security duties; guards tested by Royal Air Force Regiment; patrols and static guards; type of fences used; shooting incidents and explosions; role as guard commander; scale of guards; character of early morning guard; effects of boredom; length of guard duties; bombing incident on board Handley Page HP.81 Hermes on night of arrival; civil airport facilities; areas out of bounds in Nicosia; need to be armed off duty. REEL 7 Continues: baby sitting duties in married quarters; patrols in Nicosia; facilities for entertainment in Nicosia including alcohol; role maintaining Bristol Type 171 Sycamore Helicopter; controls and handling of Bristol Type 171 Sycamore Helicopter; types of pilots who flew helicopters; degree of danger flying helicopters prone to engine failure and overheating; inspection of helicopters; shift system; night flying; character of early shift including briefing, ground run, adjustment of trim using ballast and winch checks; maximum capacity loading for helicopter; problems of deplaning from helicopter by rope; risks on mountain roads and accident caused by voluntary helper; promotion to corporal technician. REEL 8 Continues: organisations of operations against National Organisation of Cypriot Fighters (EOKA) including measures taken to conceal direction of operation; delivery of troops by helicopters; carrying capacity of Bristol Sycamore; damage to rotor blades; structure of rotor blades; repair rotor blades; tracking and balancing rotor blades; setting pitch; flight checks; rotor blade failure rate; reasons for damage to rotor blades; materials used in construction of rotor blades; shape changes in rotor blades; paint finishes on rotor blades; landing arrangements during operations; dangers to troops; incident of discovery of National Organisation of Cypriot Fighters (EOKA) hide; death of insurgent Marcus Drakcos, 18/1/1957; opinion of Marcus Drakcos and Georgios Grivas. REEL 9 Continues: attitude towards National Organisation of Cypriot Fighters (EOKA) insurgents; insertion and supply of observation posts including delivery of orders in tobacco tins; incident when British Army officer damaged helicopter blades; National Organisation of Cypriot Fighters (EOKA) intelligence and areas of activity; stripping down aircraft for operations; degree of contact with British Army units; security of Royal Air Force bases and married quarters; National Organisation of Cypriot Fighters (EOKA) attacks on Nicosia Airfield; degree of knowledge of situation on rest of island; impact of Daily Mirror stories on service families; sight of Archbishop Makarios III en route to Seychelles; limitations of Bristol Type 171 Sycamore Helicopter; congestion of traffic on airfield RAF Nicosia during Operation Musketeer, 10/1956-11/1956; damage caused to helicopter after being parked on tar hard standing; accommodation of troops on airfield; use of Westland Whirlwind helicopter; role of unit as air sea rescue and carrying photo-reconnaissance material; effect of sand on helicopters. REEL 10 Continues: effects of shift from military to political solution; use of crop spraying equipment; change to deplaning equipment; cable laying modification; risk of modifications; night flying; landing arrangements; difficulties of judging height; risk of vortex rings and effects; incident when rotor cut off leg of Royal Marine NCO; use of flares to illuminate ground at night; method of navigating at night; use of SARAH beacon; gradual relaxation of military effort. Recollections of period as corporal technician at Engineering Wing, RAF Dishforth in GB, 1958-1959: background to posting to unit; proposed work servicing Blackburn Beverley. REEL 11 Continues: characteristics of Blackburn Beverley; character of RAF Dishforth; working shifts; role of Salvation Army; work on detachment to RAF Abingdon; exercise at Vaernes in Norway; relations with Norwegian civilians and military; character of Norwegian Liaison Officer; amusing story of disposal of waste from aircraft; duration of exercise; question of alcohol in Norway. Recollections of period as Corporal Technician and Senior Technician with C Flight, Metropolitan Communications Sqdn at RAF Northolt, GB, 1959-1963: reaction to posting; comparison between Bristol Type 171 Sycamore HC.11 and Bristol Type 171 Sycamore Mk.14 Helicopters. REEL 12 Continues: accident with Bristol Type 171 Sycamore HC.11; his duties with Metropolitan Communications Squadron; servicing of Douglas Dakota used for Very Important Person (VIP) flights; character of leading edge 'boots' on Douglas Dakota; problems replacing glass cockpit on De Havilland Devon; character of Percival Pembroke; purpose of documentation unit at RAF Northolt; character of Very Important Person (VIP) Reception Area; providing Douglas Dakota for Queen Elizabeth II's visit to Nepal; opinion of Douglas Dakota; types of Very Important Persons (VIP's) and aircraft that visited airfield; helicopter route into Battersea Heliport including use of Decca Navigation System; first line and second line servicing; promotion to senior technician, 1961; arrangements for taking leave; move into sergeants' mess; rarity of loss of rank in Royal Air Force; status and character of warrant officers. REEL 13 Continues: reintroduction of NCO/airmen aircrew; senior technician and sergeant's trade qualifications; treatment of disciplinary offences; treatment of senior NCOs after receiving disciplinary punishment; studying for specialist technical examinations; character of examinations; technical publications and importance of amendments; importance of cleared landing zones for helicopters; techniques for landing Bristol Sycamore Helicopter; circumstances of aircrew serving at RAF Northolt; civilianisation of RAF Northolt, 1961; question of decline of standards with civilian contractors. Recollections of period as senior technician with Aircraft Servicing Flight, Engineering Wing at RAF Odiham, GB, 1963-1964: posting to unit; reasons for sight being centre for helicopter flying. REEL 14 Continues: role servicing Westland Whirlwind Helicopters for 225 Sqdn, RAF; problems with dirt in Westland Whirlwind's engines; treating engines to prevent salt corrosion; character of Triplex West mobility exercise to Libya; state of helicopters during exercise in Libya; living conditions during exercise; sight of battlefields in Libyan Desert; effect on aircrew of being volunteered for extra work and hearing of posting to Malaysia. Recollections of voyage as NCO with 225 Sqdn, RAF aboard HMS Bulwark from GB to Sarawak, Borneo, Malaysia, 1964: background to posting; ordered to embark helicopters aboard HMS Bulwark. REEL 15 Continues: preparing Bristol Type 192 Belvedere Helicopter to fly off at Aden, Federation of South Arabia; Royal Marine exercise in Libya; circumstances of stabbing aboard HMS Bulwark during voyage in Mediterranean; taking aboard Chinese personnel and empty beer barrels from HMS Albion; loss of casualty off Malacca, Malaysia; incident over aircraft logbooks on arrival in Singapore, Malaysia; problems flying off HMS Bulwark to RAF Kuching; character of Nord SS-II missile; role running sergeant's mess on voyage; differences in discipline in British Army and Royal Air Force; alcohol available on board; conditions in engine room. REEL 16 Continues: conditions on board ship including film shows. Recollections of operations as NCO with 225 Sqdn, RAF in Sarawak, Borneo, Malaysia, 1964-1965: character of RAF Kuching; accommodation; effect of Christmas messages on troops; facilities in Kuching; role commanding detachment to Lundu; effect of climate on tools and equipment; effects of heat exhaustion and sunburn; discovery of new species of insects; messing facilities and rations; use of Indonesian prisoner of war as cook; role of 1/6th Queen Elizabeth's Own Gurkha Rifles in Lundu area; importance of aiding local population; use of bathroom scales to check weight of aircraft loads; supporting Gurkha operations; strength of Gurkha patrols and ambush parties; incident of Indonesian attack on Gurkha patrol; award of Military Medal to Gurkha NCO; siting of guns in support of ambushes. REEL 17 Continues: method of combating Indonesian incursions; local forces; operational facilities and personnel at Lundu; fuel and water supplies; sale of kerosene and water mixture to local population; caste system amongst Gurkhas; role of Bristol Type 192 Belvedere Helicopter; flying hours; Special Air Service operations; incident when helicopter was overloaded on Special Air Service rescue mission; problems with overloading; Indonesian attack on Lundu; incident when helicopter was attacked by Indonesians; losses to accidents; defensive positions; conduct of intelligence briefings; move to Simanggang; conditions and facilities at Simangang. REEL 18 Continues: films available; air component at Simanggang; collection of Indonesian dead; character of Indonesian prisoners of war; relations with civilians; problem of continuity on squadron relief; impressions of Royal Greenjackets; reluctance to leave Borneo; Chinese trading procedures; value of visitors to mess funds; hospitalisation with ear infection; return to No 38 Group at RAF Odiham and subsequent duties, 1966-1967; servicing Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer aircraft. Recollections of period as chief technician with 209 Sqdn, RAF in Malaysia, 1967-1968: posting to RAF Seletar; detachment to Penang; character of jungle in north Malaysia; weather and flying conditions; comparison of flying on mainland Malaysia and Borneo; airfield at Labuan. REEL 19 Continues: three week photographic deployment to Borneo; operational and photographic techniques; state of airfields maintained by civilians; contents of pilot's directory; story of technical difficulty with Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer; cannibalisation of wrecked aircraft Recollections of period as chief technician at RAF Changi, Republic of Singapore, 1968-1969: conditions in Singapore and nature of posting; finishing tour after squadron disbandment; work servicing engines at RAF Changi; use of Chinese and Indian civilian workers; taking charge of engine bay after evacuation of NCO in charge; importance of keeping records; character of Chinese and Indian civilian workers; handing over to Republic of Singapore Air Force. REEL 20 Continues: breaking up aircraft for scrap; use of Scottish Aviation Single Pioneer in Laos; Royal Air Force policy on sending older types of aircraft to overseas stations. Aspects of period as chief technician in charge of engine bay with Engineering Wing at RAF Odiham, 1969-1972: duties; use of independent checks; stripping down and rebuilding engines; working routine; staff considerations; dealing with emergencies; maintaining snow blowers; failure of scheme to obtain promotion. Recollections of period as chief technician with Engineering Wing at RAF Kai Tak in Hong Kong, 1972-1974: taking all paperwork, tools and test bed from RAF Odiham; selection of personnel; character of the Early Failure Detection Centre. REEL 21 Continues: constant workload; need to balance damaged compressors; limitations of RAF Kai Tak; installation of wreck removal trolley; need for suitably qualified successor; attitude towards senior engineering officer leaving Royal Air Force to work for civilian company in Hong Kong; management of postings; living conditions in Hong Kong; comparison between postings in Singapore and Hong Kong; leave in Thailand; career considerations on return from Hong Kong; changes in character of RAF; effect of unaccompanied overseas tours. Aspects of period as Chief Technician with 202 Sqdn at RAF Acklington and RAF Leconfield, 1974-1976: background to posting to Search and Rescue airfield; Royal Air Force pay during 1970s; reasons for interest in collecting books with specific relevance to Borneo; finding married quarters at RAF Dishforth. REEL 22 Continues: working routine at RAF Acklington; consequences of Royal Air Force being top heavy; question of seniority, rank and authority; working practises at RAF Leconfield; staffing requirements; awareness of personality traits of ground crew; major tasks on shift; conditions in crew room; preparations by pilot; getting aircraft ready for scramble; preparations by winch man; procedure on a scramble; actions of navigator; stand by crew; arrangements for cover; instances of going off line including helicopter nearly ditching in River Humber; control system for tool kits; use of copper drift; instance when copper drift was lost and helicopter was put off line; applied to be posted to engine bay. REEL 23 Continues: secret plans to hand RAF Leconfield to British Army; consequences of secrecy for junior ranks. Recollections of period as chief technician in charge of engine bay at RAF Finningley, 1976-1981: move to RAF Finningley, 1976; types of work carried out in engine bay; setting up engine bay and test bed; independent checks; advice to servicing flights at detached stations; contact with manufacturers; character of Early Failure Detection Centre; health monitoring of engines; character of staff and 'A Techs'; nature of work; considered working as Tech Author; attending small business course; lack of problem in adjusting to civilian life; pensions and age of retirement; need to clean engines and cleaning fluids; requirements for washing of aircraft. REEL 24 Continues: attitude to using Rivernase cleaning fluids; annual meeting of all flight NCOs; attitude to having served with Royal Air Force; benefits of training as apprentice with No 1 School of Technical Training, RAF at RAF Halton.