Smith, Owen Charles Bert (Oral history)

British naval airman trained as pilot with No 19 Elementary Flying Training School, RAF at RAF Sealand, GB, No 31 Service Flying School at RCAF Kingston, Canada and No 9 Advanced Flying Unit, RAF at RAF Errol, GB, 1943-1944; officer served as pilot with 785, 767 and 756 Naval Air Sqdns, Fleet Air Arm in GB, Ceylon and Australia, 1944-1945; served with 885 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Ruler in Indian Ocean and Pacific, 5/1945-7/1945; served with 848 Naval Air Sqdn, 2nd Air Carrier Group, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Formidable, 1st Aircraft Carrier Sqdn in Pacific, 7/1945-8/1945

REEL 1 Background in Norwich, GB, 1922-1942: family; education; reasons for joining Fleet Air Arm, 1942; employment as assistant weights and measures inspector; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; membership of Home Guard; German Air Force attacks on Norwich. Recollections of enlistment and flying training with Fleet Air Arm in GB and Canada, 1942-1944: attending selection board; testing for colour blindness; reception at HMS Daedalus, Royal Naval Air Station Lee-on-Solent; nickname for officer cadets; training at HMS St Vincent, Gosport; eating arrangements; opinion of Chief Petty Officer Wilmott; story of mid-air collision at No 19 Elementary Flying Training School, RAF at RAF Sealand; impressions of De Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth. REEL 2 Continues: pattern of flying training with De Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth; attitude to flying; instructors; reasons for trainees failing course; performance of his aircraft after mid-air collision; cross-country exercises; low-level flying; use of three point landing; move to No 31 Service Flying Training School, RCAF Kingston, Canada; forced landing in North American Harvard in cornfield; character of North American Harvard. REEL 3 Continues: pattern of training in Canada; flying Miles Master at No 9 (Pilots) Advance Flying Unit, RAF at RAF Errol; story of crashing Fairey Barracuda with 785 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Jackdaw, Royal Naval Air Station Crail, 7/2/1944; slow rolling Fairey Barracuda; sings song relating to Fairey Barracuda; torpedo bombing practice at Naval Air Torpedo School, HMS Jackdaw, Royal Naval Air Station Crail; role of batsman; deck landing training with 767 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm on HMS Ravager; loss of pilot during dive-bombing practise; contact with Soviet Air Force pilots at RAF Errol; crewing up with 756 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Urley, Royal Naval Air Station Ronaldsway, Isle of Man; training on Isle of Man. REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of period as pilot with 756 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Ukussa, Royal Naval Air Station Katukurunda, Ceylon and HMS Nabberley, Royal Naval Air Station Bankstown, Austrialia, 11/1944-2/1945: posting to squadron; story of having to deliver refridgerator to India flying solo; reasons why Fairey Barracuda was not suitable for tropical operations; arrival of Grumman Avengers and comparison with Fairey Barracuda; glide bombing practise; incident during test flying Grumman Avengers at HMS Nabberley, Royal Naval Air Station, Bankstown, Australia. Aspects of period as pilot with 885 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Ruler in Indian Ocean and Pacific, 5/1945-7/1945: role escorting Royal Navy Fleet Train; anti-submarine patrols; rest period in Australia, 6/1945; dummy Kamikaze attacks. Aspects of operations as pilot with 848 Naval Air Sqdn, 2nd Air Carrier Group, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Formidable, 1st Aircraft Carrier Sqdn in Pacific, 7/1945-8/1945: attacking shipping and airfields; reaction to end of operations; dealing with Japanese anti-aircraft fire; return to Australia.