Interview with Robert Blackley

British policeman served with Metropolitan Police in London, GB, 1936-1942; officer served as flight engineer with 625 Sqdn RAF in GB, 1944-1945; prisoner of war in Dulag Luft Interrogation Centre, Oberursel and Stalag VII-A, Moosburg, Germany, 3/1945-4/1945

REEL 1 Background in Scotland, GB, 1914-1939: family; education; employment with Scottish General Omnibus Company; description of work as driver; wages. Recollections of period as policeman with Metropolitan Police in London, GB, 1936-1942: reason for joining Metropolitan Police, 1936; induction procedure; accommodation; uniform; haircuts; inspections; discipline; nature of basic training; gas training; posting to Grays Inn Road Police Station, 13/2/1936; accommodation; memories of first day at Grays Inn Road Police Station; parades; beats; use of beat book; early arrests; story of gaining PSV driving licence, 1939; duties as police driver. REEL 2 continues: preparations for war; weapons training; memories of declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; transfer to Metropolitan Police Garage, Bow Road Police Station, 10/6/1940; duties as motorcyclist and driving loudspeaker car warning of German Air Force raids; question of carrying rifle and ammunition; blackout regulations; description of German Air Force raid on Barking, 8/1940; roping off roads and erecting warning signs; amusing story of local official; use of Morse Code; story of arresting looters; incident of running over civilian at Bethnal Green; description of German Air Force raid, 7/9/1940; role in rescue work. Recollections of enlistment and training as flight engineer with Royal Air Force in GB, 1942-1944: background to applying to join Royal Air Force as pilot and problem of age, 1941; question of commission. REEL 3 Continues: reason for volunteering as flight engineer; reaction of family to his volunteering; nature of training as flight engineer; advantage of previous training; beconing top student on course; crewing up procedure at No 1656 Heavy Conversion Unit at RAF Lindholme, near Doncaster; commissioning; memory of crew members; amusing story of training flight over Bristol Channel; role of flight engineer on Avro Lancaster aircraft; attitude to being officer; accommodation; question of class distinction in Royal Air Force. Recollections of operations as flight engineer with 625 Sqdn, No 1 Group, Bomber Command, RAF in GB, 1944-1945: training flights; briefings; story of pilot and problem with throttle settings on first operation. REEL 4 Continues: question of fuel capacity; attitude to loss of aircraft; question of personal morale; engine fires; threat of German anti-aircraft fire and German Air Force fighter aircraft; problem of take off and landing in large numbers; danger from own bombers overhead; attitude to stress and cases of Lack of Moral Fibre (LMF); description of operation to the Ruhr, Germany; story of 625 Sqdn post-war memorial at former RAF Kelstern; reaction to death of Australian aircrew; role during daylight operation to Cologne, Germany, reason for transferring as Pathfinder crew; nature of operational flight in Avro Lancaster B.Mk III (PB158) to Germany, 2/3/1945, including joining bomber stream, height and speed, problem with anti-aircraft fire and damage to aircraft, releasing flares to guide fighter aircraft escort, aircraft catching fire and baling out; problem with parachute on bailing out, 2/3/1945. REEL 5 Continues: landing in field and capture by German Army artillery unit; interrogation; opinion of behaviour of American prisoners of war; story of freeing trapped German Army soldier after air raid; cooking oats. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Dulag Luft Interrogation Centre, Oberursel, Germany, 3/1945-4/1945: interrogation; problem of lack of food; transportation away from camp by cattle truck; Allied air raid and death of German Army anti-aircraft gunner; presence of political prisoners and treatment by German guards; eating potato peelings; march to Munich area; problem of Allied air attacks and movement at night; Red Cross parcels. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Stalag VII-A, Moosburg, Germany, 4/1945: arrival at camp; liberation by United States Army troops, 4/1945; problem of Waffen-SS units continuing to fight in area; journey from Germany to GB; delousing at RAF Westcote, 4/1945. REEL 6 Continues: Aspects of post-war life and employment: posting as Motor Transport Officer with Royal Air Force to Cairo, Egypt, 1945-1946; demobilisation, 1946; rejoining Metropolitan Police at Metropolitan Police Garage, Bow Road Police Station; question of continuing service with Royal Air Force; employment with Metropolitan Police at B3 public carriage office and as police driving instructor at Hendon Police College.