Interview with Wilhelm Mohr

Norwegian officer served as pilot with Norwegian Army Air Service in Norway, 1936-1940; escaped to GB, 1940; served as instructor with Norwegian Army Air Service Little Norway training facility in Toronto, Canada, 1940-1941; pilot served with 331 (Norwegian) Sqdn, No 12 Group, and 615 Squadron, No 11 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 7/1941-12/1941; commanded 322 (Norwegian) Sqdn, No 132 Wing, Fighter Command and 2nd Tactical Air Force, RAF in GB, 1942-1944; served as staff officer with No 132 Wing, 2nd Tactical Air Force, RAF in GB and North West Europe, 1944-1945; officer served with Royal Norwegian Air Force in Norway, 1945-1957; served as Secretary to North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Standing Group in United States of America, 1957-1960; served as Deputy Chief of Staff to Chief of Air Force in Norway, 1960-1963; served as Chief of Royal Norwegian Air Force in Norway, 1963-1969; served as Deputy to Commander-in-Chief, Allied Forces Northern Europe, North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), 1969-1979

REEL 1 Background in Bergen, Norway, 1917-1936: family; education; early interest in aviation. Recollections of enlistment and flying training with Norwegian Army Air Service in Norway, 1936-1937: background for selection to flying school; use of 'wash out' system; question of pilot's natural ability; medical requirements for pilots; types of aircraft flown during training; solo flight; seasonal effects on flying in Norway; navigation; opinion of abilities of mechanics; problems of flying on instruments; character of Fokker Scouts and Fokker fighter version; system of accurate bombing; air gunnery training; collection of delivery of messages; choice of posting to Trondheim. REEL 2 Continues: Recollections of period as pilot with Norwegian Army Air Service in Norway, 1937-1940: problems during bad weather during formation flight to Stavanger; system of investigation; effects of poor weather on flights; night flying; precautions against aircraft getting frozen in during night on ice and snow; period of training at Norwegian Military Academy; character of instruction at Norwegian Military Academy; level of tactical training; opinion of air force recruits; role as second in command of squadron on neutrality guard based at Vaernes reporting ships off coast; character of patrols; squadron commitment; management of flying hours; expectations of war, 1939. REEL 3 Continues: Recollections of operations as pilot with Norwegian Army Air Service in Norway, 1940: evacuation of airfield at Vaernes, 9/4/1940; move to Trondheim area; confused situation and loss of commander; flight to Vaernes and commandant's accommodation of German forces; attempt to get artillery fortress to fire on airfield at Vaernes; problems of operating aircraft in snow and method of using reindeer to flatten snow; liaison flights for army; lack of aviation spirit; camouflaging aircraft; choice to go to north or GB; forced landing with hole in fuel tank; method of obtaining fuel; landed at Lesja and attack by German Air Force aircraft; meeting with retreating Norwegians and British troops; orders to speak to Major-General Otto Ruge at Otta; impressions of Major-General Otto Ruge; receiving permission to go to GB. REEL 4 Continues: Major-General Otto Ruge's lack of criticism of British operation and evacuation; reputations of Major-Generals Otto Ruge and Carl Gustav Fleischer; suffering from snow blindness. Aspects of escape from Norway to GB, 1940: German Air Force bombing of first fishing boat; receiving challenge by lamp from Royal Navy warships; landing at Lerwick; reception at RAF Dyce; entertainment in officers' mess and local large house; move to London; commanding Norwegian Army company in Dumfries; discussion of entry into Royal Air Force and recruitment of technicians; decision to create Norwegian Air Force and go to Canada for training. REEL 5 Continues: Recollections of period training with Norwegian Army Air Service in Canada, 1940-1941: attitude to going to Canada; establishment of flying school at Little Norway training establishment near Toronto; types of aircraft flown; assistance from American engineer; use of photographs in English language training; Danish trainees; loss of brother in flying accident; moral effect of Little Norway training facilities; allocation of pilots to different aircraft and later amalgamation of Norwegian Army Air Service and Royal Norwegian Navy Air Service to form Royal Norwegian Air Force, 1944; establishment of 330 (Norwegian) Sqdn in Iceland using Northrop N-3PB Floatplane, 6/1941. Recollections of operations as pilot with 331 (Norwegian) Sqdn, No 12 Group, and 615 Squadron, No 11 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 7/1941-12/1941: move to GB to join No 51 Operational Training Unit, RAF at RAF Cranfield, 5/1941; comparison between British and American fighter aircraft; comparison between Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire aircraft. REEL 6 Continues: use of auxiliary fuel tanks to escort bomber aircraft; tactical training at No 51 Operational Training Unit, RAF at RAF Cranfield; posting to RAF Catterick; air reconnaissance over North Sea; brief posting to 17 Sqdn, RAF; posting to 615 Sqdn, No 11 Group; attacking German coastal shipping from RAF Manston; visits from Prime Minister Winston Churchill; technique for attacks on German coastal convoys; armament of Hawker Hurricane and effective range; importance of keeping formation on attacks; taking command of flight; keeping radio silence on approach; tactical training on ground; French pilots attitude towards Charles de Gaulle on visit and Norwegian pilots attitude towards Norwegian Government-in-Exile; opinion of Royal Air Force operational command; move to Wales; patrolling and German Air Force activity; causes of crash landing. Recollections of operations commanding 332 (Norwegian) Sqdn, No 132 Wing, 11 Group, Fighter Command, RAF in GB, 1/1942-11/1943: initial posting to command squadron with No 12 Group, RAF at RAF Catterick, 1/1942; setting up of Norwegian manned No 132 Wing, RAF at RAF North Weald, 5/1942. REEL 7 Continues: Anglo-Norwegian Defence Agreement; Royal Air Force assessment of Norwegian manned squadrons; role of Wing Commander Scott-Morton at RAF North Weald; role escorting United States Army Air Force and Royal Air Force bomber aircraft, including tactics and distance flown from bomber aircraft; nature of 'Rhubarb' operations; encouragement for pilots and their development; German Air Force tactics used during Allied bomber raids; character of meeting with United States Army Air Force personnel to discuss daylight bombing; effect of senior United States Army Air Force officer's speech; attitude towards American forces. Recollections of operations commanding 332 (Norwegian) Sqdn, No 132 Wing, 2nd Tactical Air Force, RAF in GB, 1943-1944: preparations for invasion of Europe, including attacks on German Air Force reconnaissance aircraft and radar stations in Pas-de-Calais, France. REEL 8 Continues: nature of attacks on German air defences in Northern France; use of Cab Rank system and use of Forward Air Controller; close support work; role of Forward Air Controllers. Recollections of period as administration officer with No 132 Wing, 2nd Tactical Air Force, RAF in GB and North West Europe, 1944-1945: role as administration officer, flying on occasional operations; problems balancing duel role as administration officer; Norwegian Government-in-Exile's opposition to No 132 Wing, RAF being used in North West Europe; reconnaissance of new airfields and setting up mess; relations with civilian labourers in France; prior reorganisation of No 132 Wing from Fighter Command into 2nd Tactical Air Force, 11/1943; effects of separation from ground crews; rations available in mess; deception operations from 12/1943. REEL 9 Continues: formation to attack German airfields; prior recollection of target support operations against coastal shipping with 615 Sqdn; character of attacks against land targets; firing on targets; best range for opening fire; marking positions for Allied troops; use of Cab Rank system; arrival in Normandy, France, 7/1944; move to Advanced Landing Ground, B-16, Villons-les-Buissons, Normandy, France; role looking after ground crews; isolation of ground crews and threat from German stragglers; daily intelligence briefings; living in field; technique for moving forward; character of reconnaissance of airfield south of Osnabrück, Germany. REEL 10 Continues: helping German child wounded by mine; encounter with German forces heading to front line; entering Hanover, Germany and handing over casualty; fear of attack from Allied aircraft; charting airfield; characteristics of forward airfields; end of Second World War in Europe, 8/5/1945 and return to GB. Recollections of period as officer with Royal Norwegian Air Force in Norway, 1945-1957: return to Norway; situation in Norway and role commanding wing; question of future career and advice from Group Commander Douglas 'Zulu' Morris; attachment to Personnel Department in Headquarters, Royal Norwegian Air Force in Oslo. REEL 11 Continues: plans for post-war air force in Norway; reasons for purchase of Supermarine Spitfire and De Havilland DH.98 Mosquito aircraft; discussion of amalgamation of Norwegian Army Air Service and Royal Norwegian Navy Air Service to form Royal Norwegian Air Force, 1944; acquisition of aircraft for air defence; King Haakon VII's opinion of Marshall Aid; need for more personnel to expand air force; role as Chief of Staff to Oslo area commander; training Swedish Air Force personnel in use of radar; control of air defence; North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) integrated air defence system. REEL 12 Continues: lack of arrangements with Denmark; co-operation with Swedish Air Force; attempt to create a Scandinavian defence organisation; achievement of mutual understanding by discussion; Swedish attitude towards over flights by Royal Norwegian Air Force and Soviet Air Force aircraft; question of Swedish neutrality; co-ordination of air defence for Oslo area; question of integration of anti-aircraft defences; terrain limitations on use of Hawk missiles; deployment of aircraft carrier groups during Exercise Mainbrace, 1948-1949; visit to Royal Navy ship; headquarters and command structure. REEL 13 Continues: command centre for execution of operations; choice of De Havilland Vampire aircraft for air defence; reorganisation of stations with arrival of American manufactured aircraft as part of Mutual Aid Programme; co-operation during maritime operations; presence of naval officer in command centre at Bodø; question of structuring naval and air force; army's insistence on close support; role of jet aircraft in close support; use of helicopters for air-sea rescue; question of obtaining Sea King helicopters. REEL 14 Continues: advantages of providing air-sea rescue; development of career ending as Chief of Air Force; characteristics of different sorts of officers; character of Gardemoen Air Base; types of aircraft and helicopters operated by Norwegian Air Force; activities at Gardemoen Air Base; role as air base commander; degree of civilian activities at Gardemoen; Norwegian Army's presence in area; defence plans for airfields; strength of Home Guard in Gardemoen area; question of airfield defence in Norway; attempts to suggest creation of emergency airstrips on road system. REEL 15 Continues: taking command of Rygge Air Base; character of Rygge Air Base; question of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) use of bases and nuclear weapons; story of persuading Americans not to conduct nuclear weapons training in Norway; proposed role of Norwegian Air Force in any conflict. Recollections of period as Secretary of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Standing Group in United States of America, 1957-1960: role as secretary of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Standing Group; impact of President Charles de Gaulle's decision to acquire nuclear weapons and demand for use of French language; French attitude to use of nuclear weapons; discussions on role of newly admitted West German forces in North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO); reasons for West German Air Force's problems with Lockheed F-104 Starfighter and lack of accidents in Royal Norwegian Air Force; meetings in Paris, France; evolution of nuclear strategy and machinery for release of nuclear weapons. REEL 16 Continues: attempts to form consensus on use of nuclear weapons; frequency of meetings; procedure for meetings; living in Alexandria and Georgetown; status and powers of secretary; effect on family life. Aspects of period as Deputy Chief of Staff to Chief of Air Staff, Royal Norwegian Air Force in Norway, 1960-1963: Lieutenant-General Odd Bull's character and personality; role as Deputy Chief of Staff; reasons why unified command system didn't replace joint chief of staff system; his reasons for not supporting unified command system; question of excessive integration of armed services. REEL 17 Continues: Recollections of period as Chief of Royal Norwegian Air Force in Norway, 1963-1969: appointment as Chief of Royal Norwegian Air Force, 1963; arguments against integration of armed forces with reference to sinking of HMS Glorious, 1940; priorities for air force; chances of penetration of air defence; opinion of Soviet Air Force aircraft and pilots; gaps in Nike Air Defence system; provision of air cover for Royal Norwegian Navy and Norwegian Army; plan for reinforcement; pre-planned exercises; attitude of United States Marine Corps to question of control; anti-invasion operations. REEL 18 Continues: effect of weather conditions on operations in north Norway; threat to north Norway from potential Soviet invasion; reasons for lack of air surveillance; emphasis on airfield defence and restoration of airfields. Recollections of period as Deputy to Commander-in-Chief Allied Forces Northern Europe, North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) in Norway, 1969-1979: character of General Robert Bray; background to nomination of General Walter Walker; General Walter Walker's character and qualities; General Walter Walker's relations with Norwegian Minster of Defence; General Thomas Pearson's approach; his relationship with General Walter Walker; General Walter Walker's dislike of politicians; secondary role as Air Commander for Allied Forces Northern Europe; use of bunker at Kolsas; General Walter Walker's style of work.