Description
Object description
Canadian officer served as pilot with 433 Sqdn RAF in GB, 1943-1944; served with RAF in GB, 1947-1960
Content description
REEL 1: Background in Manitoba, Canada, 1921-1941: family; childhood and daily life on farm; education; employment on farm; reason for joining Air Force; story of attempting to enlist with Royal Canadian Air Force, 1939; food rationing; memory of Pearl Harbour, 12/1941; enlistment with Royal Canadian Air Force, 1/1942. Aspects of training with Royal Canadian Air Force in Canada, 1942-1943: medical; description of basic training; accommodation; memory of first flight; Initial Training School and selected for pilot training; Elementary Flying School and first solo flight; flying training on Tiger Moth and Cessna Crane; cross-country exercises; map reading and navigation; story of flying over family farm; presented with wings; leave; posted to depot at Halifax, Nova Scotia.
REEL 2 Continues: description of voyage to GB, 3/1943; accommodation and messing arrangements; guard duty; story of ship taking evasive action due to submarines; arrived in Glasgow; first impressions of GB; memory of bread; billets; problem of contracting pneumonia. Aspects of training with RAF in GB, 1943: posted to Whitley Bay; billets; route marches along beach; posted to Pilot Refresher Flying Unit, Ramsbury, 5/1943; general duties; story of taking wrong train; posted to 24 Operational Training Unit, RAF Honeybourne; description of crewing up; cross country training; problem of engine supercharger; opinion of Commonwealth Training Scheme.
REEL 3 Continues: posted to 1664 Heavy Conversion Unit. 11/1943; training exercises; story of crash of aircraft and loss of crew. Aspects of operations with 433 Sqdn RAF in GB, 1943-1944: posting to 433 Sqdn RAF; flying training on Handley Page Halifax; opinion of H2S radar system; first operational missions over Berlin without crew, 1/1944; bomber streams; further missions over Berlin with crew, 2/1944; dropping mines over Kiel, 3/1944; story of losing power in engine over Berlin, 3/1944; flying height; problem of fuel supply; emergency landing; question of feathering engine; reason for engine losing power; problem with H2S during mission over Nuremberg, 3/1944.
REEL 4 Continues: memory of aircraft being shot down; seat position in cockpit; leave; question of stress; concentration bombing on railways and marshalling yards; description of corkscrew manoeuvre; description of mission over Essen, 4/1944; role in operations during D-Day landings, 6/1944; memory of invasion fleet; bombing raids on German positions in France; comparison of day and night raids; question of accuracy of bombing.
REEL 5 Continues: story of dropping mines over Lorion, France, 6/1944; problem of searchlight beam; question of completing tour and points; various memories of crew members; period as instructor with Operational Training Unit, 10/1944. Aspects of period with Royal Canadian Air Force in Canada, 1945-1947: returned to Canada, 1/1945; further training as instructor, 4/1945; various postings in Canada as instructor; story of Liberators being crushed after end of war.
REEL 6 Continues: Aspects of period with RAF in GB, 1947-1960: story of joining RAF in GB, 1947; posted to Pilot Refresher Flying Unit; story of flying Spitfire; role as instructor for apprentices at RAF Cranwell, 1948-1950; further training at navigation school; description of pressure pattern flying and flying by giro; story of problem with oil tanks; description of trips to Gibraltar; food and rationing; description of role in testing bombs and fuses.
REEL 7 Continues: role in training cadets; description of duties with flying Lancaster with RAF Coastal Command; problem of decompression at high altitude; description of role during H bomb tests on Christmas Island, 1957-1958; flying over test area and enforcing exclusion zone; description of explosion of H bomb; collection of debris and dust for analysis; role with air ferry squadron 1960. Various aspects of civilian life and employment.
REEL 8 continues: Further comments on period of war service: question of rank and promotions during war; attitude to flying same aircraft; post-war reunions; story of brother's wartime service; communication with home. Reflections on period of war service.
