Description
Object description
Australian officer served as pilot with served with 1437 Strategic Reconnaissance Flight in Italy, 8/1943-10/1943; served with 225 Sqdn, RAF in Italy, 10/1943-2/1943; served with 213 Sqdn, No 254 Wing, Balkan Air Force, RAF in Italy, 11/1944-5/1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Australia, 1920-1939: family; education; father's service in First World War; question of loyalty to GB; effects of Depression; knowledge of European situation and rise of Adolf Hitler in Germany; interest in aviation; memory of declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939. Aspects of training as aircraftman with Royal Australian Air Force in Australia, 7/1941-8/1941: pattern of basic training; attitude towards Germans; morale; reaction to French capitulation, 22/6/1940.
REEL 2 Continues: opinion of Prime Minister Winston Churchill; voyage aboard HMT Queen Elizabeth from Australia to Ceylon, 1941; conditions aboard ship; attitude towards Japanese; period in transit in Egypt; conditions in camp in Egypt. Aspects of flying training with Royal Australian Air Force in Southern Rhodesia and Egypt, 1941-1942: flying training on De Havilland Tiger DH.82 Moth; opinion of German Air Force aircraft.
REEL 3 Continues: problem of tonsillitis; pattern of training at No 27 Elementary Flying School, RAF at Induna and No 22 Service Flying Training School, RAF at Thornhill, Southern Rhodesia; flying training on North American Harvard; commissioning, 3/1943; problem of appendicitis; opinion of Link Trainer; method of recovering from spin; accidents during training; incident of pilot bailing out of aircraft during training; opinion of bomber pilots; description of journey to No 71 Operational Training Unit, RAF at Ismailia; training on Hawker Hurricane; story of King Farouk I.
REEL 4 Continues: Recollections of operations as pilot with 225 Sqdn, RAF in Italy, 10/1943-2/1944: role of squadron gathering intelligence for Eighth Army; description of roles as weaver, number two in flight and liaison with British Army; problem of anti-aircraft fire; story of losing tail-plane; observation of German Army troop movements; story of operation over Yugoslavia, 12/1943-2/1944.
REEL 5 Continues: Aspects of operations as pilot with 1437 Strategic Reconnaissance Flight in Italy, 8/1943-10/1943: nature of airfield used; German Air Force attack on airfield in Italy; attitude to prospect of death; problem of lack of aircraft; description of Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vc and it's flying characteristics. Recollections of operations as pilot with 225 Sqdn, RAF in Italy, 10/1943-2/1944: problem of ground fire and anti-aircraft fire; description of dropping reconnaissance photographs to Headquarters, Eighth Army; attitude to Italian surrender, 9/1943; question of Italian pilots joining Royal Air Force squadrons; opinion of rations.
REEL 6 Continues: communications with home in Australia; move to airfield near Naples; role in gathering intelligence; question of aircraft recognition; reconnaissance operations over Anzio; co-operation with Royal Artillery batteries; problem with flaps and undercarriage on Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vc; question of quality of tyres on Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vc.
REEL 7 Continues: photographic reconnaissance operations with Royal Navy; sight of Mount Vesuvius erupting. Aspects of period as instructor with No 74 Operational Training Unit, RAF at RAF Aqir in Palestine, 2/1944-11/1944: posting to No 74 Operational Training Unit, RAF; role as instructor; opinion of pilots; training pilots in air-to-ground gunnery and night flying; story of flying Supermarine Spitfire to French Syria; low flying and aerial combat training; story of Polish pilots under training; reaction to hearing of landings in Normandy, France, D-Day, 6/6/1944; baling out drill.
REEL 8 Continues: question of being shot down and captured; escape kit; comparison of baling out from Supermarine Spitfire and Hawker Hurricane; problem of baling out of North American Mustang Mk.III and avoiding tailplane. Recollections of operations with 213 Sqdn, No 254 Wing, Balkan Air Force, RAF in Italy, 11/1944-5/1945: flying North American Mustang Mk.III; role of squadron as part of Balkan Air Force; formations of four; role of leader; opinion of North American Mustang Mk.III; speed; bomb load; description of dive bombing bridge; method of strafing trains and motor transport; problem of aircraft being hit by debris.
REEL 9 Continues: story of picking up Supermarine Spitfire pilot; gunsight on North American Mustang III; description of strafing targets in Yugoslavia; near miss with Martin Marauder; occasion of flying escort to Field Marshal Harold Alexander during visit to Belgrade, Yugoslavia; problem of cold weather; use of still and cine cameras; story of using money from escape kit; question of competition among pilots; role as senior flight commander; story of pilot hit in mouth by bullet; attitude to casualties; daily routine and duties; discipline; question of drinking alcohol; attitude towards German forces; story of strafing German Army Kubelwagen.
REEL 10 Continues: story of pilot taken prisoner of war; attacking Gestapo facility; opinion of Josip Tito and Yugoslav Partisans; question of using tracer bullets; description of gunsight and aiming at target; attacks on harbour at Pola, Italy and problem of anti-aircraft fire; morale in squadron and question of offensive attitude; incident of ammunition panel on North American Mustang Mk.III exploding.
REEL 11 Continues: problem of ammunition panels on North American Mustang Mk.III; incident of squadron pilot crash landing in North American Mustang Mk.III; attitude to effectiveness of operations; reaction to news of German surrender, 5/1945; voyage back to Australia, 12/1945. Aspects of post-war life and employment in Australia: reflections on end of Second World War, 8/1945.
REEL 12 Continues: question of finding employment; attitude to Korean War; problem of adjusting to civilian life; reaction to being awarded Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC); reflections on period of wartime service with Royal Air Force.