Venn, Francis John (Oral history)

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1936145831
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Description

Object description

British officer served with RAF as Russian interpreter in GB and Germany, 1944-1948

Content description

REEL 1: Background in India and GB; father's service in Royal Flying Corps and RAF; family; education in GB; story of enlistment with RAF on Russian Language Scheme, 1944; problem of squint and not being selected for air crew; reason for choosing Russian language training; memory of evacuation of Eastbourne College, 1940; question of being sent to Canada; memory of seeing German bombers; attitude to Russians; memory of German Jewish refugees. Aspects of period with RAF in GB, 2/1944-1945: enlistment as aircraftman; reception centre; basic training at Skegness; drill; PT; posted to London and Russian language training at School of Slavonic Studies; memory of Armenian tutor; joined Society for Cultural Relations with USSR. REEL 2 Continues: description of tuition; opinion of other students; memory of Lisa Hill; story of visit to Paris after liberation, 1944; officer training at RAF Cosford; commissioned and posted to SHAEF HQ, Bushy Park. Aspects of period with RAF in Germany and GB, 1945-1948: posted to 8301 Air Disarmament Wing in Osnabruck, Germany, 5/1945; memory of refugees; accommodation; description of duties as linguist; description of duties with POWs and Displaced Persons at Fallingbostel camp; memory of visiting Belsen camp. REEL 3 Continues: description of 'Liberty runs' to Belsen; question of repatriation of POWs and Displaced Persons; story of illicit alcohol and effects; attitude to repatriation policy; attached to British 5th Div Army HQ, Brunswick; accommodation; story of Russian Major Naratov; role as interpreter at trial; memory of visit to Moscow; various postings with British Army units in Germany; duties attached to anti-tank unit in Harz Mountains; liaison with Russians; attitude to Russians; question of fraternization with Germans. REEL 4 Continues: question of movement between Allied zones; posted to RAF unit at Gatow, Berlin; duties as Assistant Adjutant; memory of visit to Hitler's bunker and Chancellory in Berlin; problem of transport; living conditions for German civilians; posted to London and duties as interpreter/liaison officer with foreign air attaches; social life and entertaining Soviet delegation; story of visit to Moscow with Field Marshal Montgomery, 1/1947; description of Moscow and accommodation; opinion of food. REEL 5 Continues: memory of Soviet marshals; question of visiting Soviet military installations; memory of visit to Lenin's tomb; returned to GB; press coverage of visit; presented with signed photograph of Montgomery; opinion of Montgomery.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1990 to the present day (production), 1945-1989 (content)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
Smith, Lyn (Recorder)
Venn, Francis John (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 2004-06-09
Dimensions: whole: Duration 150, Number Of Items 5
Catalogue number: 27056

Object associations

Associated people and organisations

Venn, Francis John
Montgomery, Bernard Law
Royal Air Force
Associated events

31/5(41).1
Associated places

GB, England
DE
DE & Berlin
DE & Osnabruck
DE & camp, Bergen Belsen
SU
SU & Moscow
Associated themes

Cassette

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Object Details

Object associations

Associated people and organisations

Associated events

Associated places

Associated themes

Our collections information