Description
Object description
British officer served with 77 Sqdn Royal Australian Air Force in Korea, 1953; Officer Commanding 23 Sqdn RAF in GB, 1966- 1968; Officer Commanding RAF Gutersloh, Germany, 1968-1970; staff post at Royal College of Defence Studies, 1971; Director Air Staff Plans, 1972-1975; Commandant RAF Staff College, 1975-1977; Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Plans and Policy) SHAPE, 1977-1978; Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, RAF Support Command, 1978-1980; Air Officer Commanding -in-Chief, RAF Strike Command and C-in-C UK Air Forces, 1980-1982; Chief of the Air Staff, 1982-1985; ADC to the Queen, 1982-1985
Content description
REEL 1: Background in London, 1928-1945: family; education; joined RAF as aircraft apprentice, 1945. Aspects of training with RAF in GB, 1945-1951: trained as aircraft fitter; reason for joining RAF; trained as pilot at RAF Crawnwell; aptitude tests; description of training as pilot on Harvard; attitude to replacement of piston engine aircraft with jets; problem of fatal accidents on jet aircraft; comparison of flying piston and jet aircrafts; opinion of training. Aspects of period as pilot with RAF in Germany, 1951-1953: opinion of equipment and resources; opinion of Hawker Hunter. Aspects of period as pilot with 77 Sqdn Royal Australian Air Force in Korea, 1953: flying characteristics of Meteor; armaments; opinion of Sabre and comparison to MiG; reason for volunteering for service in Korea; marriage; returned to GB, 1953. Recollections of period with RAF in GB, 1953-1985: posted as ADC to C-in-C Home Command, RAF White Waltham, 1953-1955.
REEL 2 Continues: question of flying experience for senior officers; description of duties as ADC; posted as Flight Commander to RAF Hunter Sqdn, Oldenburg, Germany, 1957; question of becoming civilian airline pilot; duties as flying instructor and examiner; period of study at RAF Staff College, Bracknell, 1962; posted to Personnel Department, Air Ministry; opinion of efficiency of Department; further comments on period at Staff College, posted as Officer Commanding 23 Sqdn RAF, RAF Leuchars, 1966-1968; opinion of Lightning; nature of duties and responsibilities; opinion of ground crew; description of reconnaissance exercises; promoted to Group Captain and posted as Station Commander, RAF Gutersloh, Germany, 1968-1970.
REEL 3 Continues: attitude to promotion; description of duties and responsibilities as Station Commander, RAF Gutersloh; opinion of organisation; period of study at Royal College of Defence Studies, 1971; composition of students; nature of course work and lectures; amusing story of Johnnie Johnson; memories of other students; attitude to relations with other services; attitude to role as Station Commander at RAF Gutersloh; promoted to Air Commodore and posted as Director Air Staff Plans, 1972-1975; description of role and responsibilities including Tornado programme; attitude to defence cuts.
REEL 4 Continues: opinion of qualities required for Director Air Staff Plans; posted as Commandant RAF Staff College, Bracknell, 1975-1977; description of role and responsibilities; attitude to role of politicians and defence policy; posted as Assistant Chief of Staff (Plans and Policy), SHAPE, 1977-1978; opinion of Alexander Haig; attitude to role at SHAPE; question of national rivalries within SHAPE; chain of command; reason for being posted to SHAPE; posted as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, RAF Support Command, GB, 1978-1980; duties and responsibilities; quality of personnel.
REEL 5 Continues: opinion of RAF skills base and equipment; posted as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief RAF Strike Command and C-in-C UK Air Forces, 1980-1982; attitude to promotion; role and responsibilities; opinion of RAF Strike Command; attitude to sacking staff; contact with government departments and defence expenditure; posted Chief of the Air Staff, 1982-1985; opinion of Michael Heseltine and other ministers.
REEL 6 Continues: further comments on Michael Heseltine and reforms; question of political inexperience of service Chiefs of Staff; role in development of Eurofighter; problem of co-operation with French and Germans; flying exercises; attitude to retirement from RAF.