Hughes, Albert (Oral history)

British civilian worked as chemist at Chemical Defence Research Establishment in St Helens, GB, 1937-1942; aircraftman served with Initial Training Wing, RAF at Scarborough, GB, 11/1942-4/1943; trained as pilot with 16 Elementary Flying School, Burnaston and 4 British Flying Training School, Mesa, Arizona, US, 1943-1944; NCO served with 11 Elementary Flying Training School, Elmden in GB, 5/1944-6/1944; served on canister packing duties at Gaynes Hall in GB, 7/1944-8/1944; served with 22 Elementary Flying Training School, Cambridge in GB, 8/1944-9/1944; served with 9 Advanced Flying Unit, Errol in GB, 11/1944-12/1944; officer served as with Fleet Air Arm at 1 Naval Air Fighter School, Yeovilton in GB, 1/1945-4/1945; served on deck landing exercises aboard HMS Ravager in GB coastal waters, 4/1945; served with Naval Operational Training Unit, HMS Rajaliya, Ceylon, 6/1945-7/1945; served with HMS Narbaron on Manus, Admiralty Islands, 7/1945; served with 1841 Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Formidable, British Pacific Fleet in the Pacific, 8/1945

REEL 1 Background in St Helens, 1921-1937: family; fathers military service with 5th Bn South Lancashire Regt during First World War; father's awards; economic character of St Helens; industrial pollution in St Helens area; education; initial employment, 1936. Recollections of period as chemist at Chemical Defence Research Establishment in St Helens, 1937-1942: obtaining employment as apprentice chemist; work on production of Mustard Gas; work on production of British Anti-Lewisite; formula for British Anti-Lewisite; method of making British Anti-Lewisite; uses for British Anti-Lewisite; story of post-war contamination of British Anti-Lewisite batch with Mustard Gas; instance of Mercury poisoning; effects of Mustard Gas; smell of Mustard Gas; cyanide poisoning and antidotes. REEL 2 Continues: workforce; use of locker rooms; protective clothing worn; incident when he was splashed by Fuming Sulphuric Acid; method used to fight fire in factory; shift system worked; use of factory canteen; incident of overfilling of road tanker containing Mustard Gas; health and safety; amounts of Mustard Gas stored in factory; question of potential use of Mustard Gas during Second World War; method of increasing production of Sarin Nerve Gas; decontamination of Mustard Gas spill. Aspects of enlistment in RAF, 1942: attitude to being in reserved occupation; early interest in aviation and science; reaction to sight of aircraft and airships; purchasing aviation themed books. REEL 3 Continues: memories of seeing Alan Cobham's Flying Circus; attending navigation with Air Training Corps. Aspects of period with Home Guard and Air Raid Precautions in St Helens, GB, 1940-1942: joining Local Defence Volunteers; duties during blackout; introduction on joining Home Guard; composition of unit; leave Home Guard and return to work with Signals Section; incident when member of Home Guard pointed a loaded rifle at officer; joining Air Raid Precautions as air raid warden; role of air raid wardens; balancing work and other duties. Aspects of enlistment and training with RAF in GB, 1942-1943: enlistment, 1942; selection for aircrew at RAF Padgate; attitude to not becoming romantically involved; inoculations at St Johns Wood; issue of uniform and equipment; accommodation at St Johns Wood; pattern of basic training; conditions in tented accommodation at Ludlow; constant use of latrines; cleaning kit during train journey to Initial Training Wing at Scarborough; inspection of rooms; drilling; joining Rugby team. REEL 4 Continues: dinghy drill; orders to drive herd of pigs through streets of Scarborough; degree to which navigation was studied; meteorology; health and hygiene lectures; amusing use of poetry; pattern of training and point in training were aircrew selected. Recollections of flying training at 16th Elementary Flying School, Burnaston, 5/1943-6/1943: billeting at Repton Public School; early training; familiarisation with cockpit instruments; first familiarisation flight; opinion and characteristics of the De Havilland Tiger Moth; visibility in De Havilland Tiger Moth; taxiing aircraft; taking off; keeping aircraft flying in straight and level flight; making simple and steep turns; developing a feeling for flying aircraft. REEL 5 Continues: soloing in De Havilland Tiger Moth; reaction to selection for pilot training; in holding camp at Heaton Park, 6/1943- 7/1943. Voyage from GB to Canada aboard Louis Pasteur, 1943: latrines; working party in galley; arrival in Canada and move to US. Recollections of period of flying training at 4 British Flying Training School at Falcon Field, Mesa, Arizona, 7/1943-2/1944: organisation of the school and courses; characteristics of the Boeing Stearman; pattern of flying training; climbing and descending; stalling; reasons for taking off into wind; spinning the aircraft. REEL 6 Continues: anniversary of his soloing, 3/8/1943; threat of spiders, scorpions and snakes on airfield; ease of navigation in Arizona; instrument flying and importance of trusting instruments; method of navigating in aircraft; types of compasses used; sideslipping; medium turns; precautionary and forced landings; taking off across wind; instrument circuits; use of Link Trainer; parachute training and techniques for abandoning aircraft; starting engine in mid air; spinning on instruments; looping aircraft, slow rolls, barrel rolls, Immelman turns, prohibition on during outside loops. REEL 7 Continues: night flying; incident where aircraft who crashed on top of second one on landing; overshoot practise; pattern of instruction; flying an aircraft; move onto North American Harvard; character of North American Harvard; complex nature of cockpit layout; pre-flight checks; opinion of North American Harvard; spinning North American Harvard; retractable undercarriage; close formation flying; reasons for fatal accidents during night time cross country flights; incident when he set his altimeter incorrectly; night flying. REEL 8 Continues: use of camera guns during dogfights; checking procedure for trainees; increase in night flying; story of overnight cross country exercise; trainees who landed in neutral Mexico; status after final check flight and graduation; position at end of course; provision of wrong maps in final examination; question of commissions; return to Monkton in Canada. Voyage from Canada to GB aboard Andes, 2/1942. Aspects of period as pilot with 11 Elementary Flying Training School in GB, 5/1944: purpose of course; incident during night flying exercise; drafting to five week infantry training course at Whitley Bay; question of trainees going onto operations too quickly; fate of fellow trainee Richard Medhurst during Operation Market Garden. Aspects of period on secret work at Gaynes Hall, 7/1944-8/1944: recruitment to work packing canisters with military supplies. REEL 9 Continues: items placed in canisters; working routine and leave; conditions in sealed camp. Period as pilot with 22 Elementary Flying Training School, Cambridge, 8/1944-9/1944: sight of US bomber formations returning from operations; low flying activities; posting to Harrogate and level of fitness. Recollections of training with Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1944- 1945: background to volunteering for Fleet Air Arm at Harrogate, 11/1944; posting to 9 Advanced Flying Unit at RAF Errol; pattern of training; problems with weather conditions; growing confidence in flying skills and dealing with adverse weather conditions; rum ration on station; number of hours flown; commissioning interview, 12/1944. REEL 10 Continues: posting to 1 Naval Air Fighter School, Yeovilton, 1/1944; initial impressions of Vought Corsair; lack of visibility in Vought Corsair during taxiing; soloing and forced landing practise; characteristics of Vought Corsair; incident of accidentally putting Vought Corsair into spin; high altitude flying; rate of climb and speed; method of instruction; flying in finger four formation; training to intercept aircraft; Vought Corsair vices; armament; gunnery practise from Royal Naval Air Station St Mervyn; deflection shooting; incidents during landing; fatal accident at Royal Naval Air Station, St Mervyn. REEL 11 Continues: preparations for aerodrome dummy deck landings; carrying out aerodrome dummy deck landings in Vought Corsair; role of the batsman; problems with ground mist during aerodrome dummy deck landings; move to Glasgow; deck landings aboard HMS Ravager; arrangements of barrier and arrester hooks aboard HMS Ravager; problems of bent peto tube during deck landings; visibility on taking off from aircraft carriers; sensation on catching hook; operating hook; solving problem on aircraft with defective starter; embarkation leave, 5/1945; story of being in London on the day after VE day, 5/1945. Aspects of flight from GB to Ceylon, 5/1945: flight to Cairo; activities in Cairo. REEL 12 Continues: amusing story of flight in civilian flying boat; origin of name of flying boat; flight across India to Ceylon; passage across Ceylon. Aspects of period as pilot with Naval Operational Training Unit at HMS Rajaliya, 6/1944-4/1944: diving bombing in Vought Corsair; loss of friend Frank Godfrey; low level bombing; low level ground attacks; formation flying; sight of accidents that shortened deck landing exercises on two aircraft carriers; sight of Supermarine Seafire crashing into barrier on HMS Glory; flight to Australia via Cocos Islands. Story of obtaining duty free alcohol ration in Australia. REEL 13 Continues: Period as pilot at HMS Nabaron, Manus, Admiralty Islands, 7/1945: flight from Australia to Manus; character of base; carrying out aerodrome dummy deck landings. Recollections of operations as pilot with 1841 Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Formidable British Pacific Fleet in Pacific, 8/1945: posting to aircraft carrier; role of carriers; decision of formation leader Lieutenant Robert 'Hammy' Gray to attack Japanese destroyers; sight of Gray's aircraft being shot down; problems with throttle and hydraulics on return flight back to aircraft carrier; decision to land on carrier; items carried in flight; orders to report to Admiral Vian; question of formation flown during attack and potential of Gray being shot down by friendly fire; loss of Canadian pilots; attitude of Lieutenant Robert 'Hammy' Gray to attacking targets; question of losses flying at low level; decision to award Robert 'Hammy' Gray the Victoria Cross; question of location in attack and anti-aircraft fire; damage to his aircraft; conditions sitting on deck on standby; organisation of fighter control operations aboard aircraft carrier. REEL 14 Conditions: reaction to end of the war; return to Australia; flights in Australia; return to GB aboard Andes. Decision to return to civilian life. Attitude to having served in the Fleet Air Arm during Second World War.