Moore-Searson, Leslie Donald (Oral history)

British civilian member of Air Training Corps in GB, 9/1939-1/1943; student with University Naval Division in Edinburgh, GB, 2/1943-9/1943; naval airman trained with HMS Daedalus, Royal Naval Air Station Lee-on-Solent and HMS St Vincent, Gosport, GB, 9/1943-2/1944; trained as pilot with No 12 Elementary Flying Training School, Goderich and No 31 Service Flying Training School, Kingston in Canada, 3/1944-11/1944; officer trained as pilot with No 9 Advanced Flying Unit, RAF at RAF Tealing, GB, 12/1944-2/1945; served with 714 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Merganser, Royal Naval Air Station Rattray and 710 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Utley, Royal Naval Air Station Ronaldsway in GB, 3/1945-11/1945; served as pilot on station flight duties at HMS Condor, Royal Naval Air Station Arbroath, GB, 1945-1946; served as pilot with 814 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm, HMS Bambara, Royal Naval Air Station China Bay, Trincomalee, Ceylon, 6/1946-9/1946; served with 814 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Venerable in Far East, 1946-1947; served with 814 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Vengeance in Mediterranean and on Malta, 1947-1948; served as Link Trainer Instructor at HMS Seahawk Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose and HMS Blackcap, Royal Naval Air Station Stretton in GB, 4/1948-7/1948; trained as instructor with Central Flying School, RAF at RAF Little Rissington, GB, 1948-1949; served as instructor with Operational Flying School, HMS Fulmar, Royal Naval Air Station Lossiemouth, GB, 1949-1950; attended No 7 Long Jet Course at HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, GB, 10/1950; served with Naval Air Fighting Development Unit, Fleet Air Arm at RAF West Raynham, GB, 1950-1951; served with 800 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Peregrine, Royal Naval Air Station Ford and aboard HMS Eagle in GB coastal waters and Mediterranean, 1951-1953; served as instructor with 759 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose and HMS Fulmar Royal Naval Air Station Lossiemouth in GB, 1953-1954; attended Westland Wyvern Conversion Course at HMS Peregrine, Royal Naval Air Station Ford, GB, 10/1954-12/1954; served with 813 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at Royal Naval Air Station Hal Far on Malta, 1954-1955; staff officer served with Staff of Senior Naval Officer, Northern Ireland at HMS Sea Eagle, Londonderry, Northern Ireland, 1955-1956; commanded 759 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, GB, 1956-1958

REEL 1 Background in Whitton and Brampton, GB, 1925-1943: family; education; early interest in aviation; membership of Air Defence Cadet Corps and Air Training Corps (ATC); first flight with Alan Cobham's Flying Circus; continuing interest in aviation; sight of German Junkers Ju 88 crashing near Whitton; attitude to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939. Recollections of period as NCO with Air Training Corps (ATC) in GB, 9/1939-1/1943: activities with Air Training Corps (ATC); helping clear up after aircraft had dumped it's load of incendiary bombs; description of the Link Trainer; making up ammunition belts; bombing up Short Stirling; opinion of Short Stirling; sight of Short Stirling ground looping; awareness of casualties amongst RAF aircrew at RAF Whitton; impressions of Vickers Wellington; braking systems on Short Stirlings and Avro Lancasters; reasons for joining Fleet Air Arm. REEL 2 Continues: ground instruction; handling weapons; instruction on aircraft recognition; aiding RAF funding activities. Recollections of period as student with University Naval Division in Edinburgh, GB, 2/1943-9/1943: character of university scheme; attending selection board on volunteering for Fleet Air Arm; types of questions asked on selection board; reception on arrival in Edinburgh; nature of training establishment; daily routine; plotting training; degree of naval training; the Arthur's Seat run and other sporting activities; use of seamanship manual; nature of training programme and instructors; drill training and saluting. REEL 3 Continues: graduation. Aspects of period as naval airman at HMS Daedalus, Royal Naval Air Station Lee-on-Solent, GB, 9/1943-11/1943: duties; activities; element of frustration; medical examination; dental work carried out; accommodation; lack of opportunities for recreational activities; bomb damage in Portsmouth. Aspects of period as naval airman at HMS St Vincent, Gosport, GB, 11/1943-2/1944: joining pilots course; pattern of training; stripping down Vickers K Gun blindfolded; instructors; ship recognition; question of drafting to Far East; drill course; daily routine; rowing in cutters; impressions of Chief Petty Officer Wilmott; adjusting to naval lifestyle; opinion of skills learnt as naval airman; examinations at end of course; degree of frustration; drafting onto Commonwealth Air Training Plan in Canada. REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of journey from GB to Canada, 1944: drafting to Aircrew Dispersal Centre (ACDC), RAF Heaton Park, GB, 2/1944; embarkation aboard HMT Acquitania at Greenock; role as 'captain of the heads'; manning anti-aircraft guns; arrival in New York, US; train journey from New York, US to RCAF Moncton, Canada; move to Goderich. Recollections of flying training as naval airman with No 12 Elementary Flying Training School at RCAF, Goderich, Ontario, Canada, 4/1944-6/1944: nature of airfield and surrounding area; accommodation; civilian instructors; ground instruction in theory of flight, meteorology and navigation; pattern of training; attitude towards ground instruction; start of flying instruction; differences between Canadian and British built De Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moths; cockpit instruments in De Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth; communications between pilot and instructor; character of De Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth; swinging propeller to start engine; first flight; restrictions on flying over Goderich. REEL 5 Continues: maintaining straight and level flight; turning aircraft; climbing and descending; effects of gravity on pilot; sensitivity of controls; confidence in flying abilities; glide approaches and side slipping; judging distance to ground from air on landing; pattern of early flying training; stalling the aircraft; recovering from stall; spinning aircraft and recovery; problems with landing; rapid removal of those who failed the course; taxiing the De Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth; taking off; threats during take off including what to do on engine failure; soloing, 12/5/1944. REEL 6 Continues: taking twelve hour test; navigating cross-country; landing away from base; instruction in forced landings; incident of actual forced landing with canopy collapse; threats to be aware of during forced landings; formation flying with two aircraft; accidents; unofficial dogfighting practice; technique for getting out of inverted spin; visibility in the De Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth; effect of wind on an aircraft; instrument flying; leave in US; Chief Flying Instructors (CFI) test; flick rolling aircraft; slow and barrel rolls; looping aircraft; attitude to flying De Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth. Recollections of flying training as naval airman at No 31 Service Flying Training School, Kingston, Ontario, Canada, 6/1944-10/1944: flying North American Harvard Mk II. REEL 7 Continues: pattern of training including ship and aircraft recognition; first flight with RAF NCO pilot; instructors' backgrounds; ratio of dual instruction to solo flying; adjusting to flying North American Harvard Mk II; visibility and taxiing; use of retractable undercarriage; cross-country flights; pre-flight checks; operating variable pitch propeller; noise produced by aircraft; air-to-air gunnery practice; bombing practice; continual assessment and allocation to torpedo bombing training; night flying practice. REEL 8 Continues: flying at night in Canada without blackout; night-time cross-country exercises; failure rate on course; smell and feel of the North American Harvard and other American aircraft; individual personalities of aircraft; dealing with carburettor icing; problems with icing on wings; lack of air combat practice during training; award of wings and promotion to acting petty officer; reaction to acquiring wings; attitude to getting into operational training; voyage aboard HMT Maritania from Canada to GB. Aspects of period attending Commissioning Board at HMS Macaw, Bootle, GB, 12/1944: commissioning board; personal and family's reaction to his commissioning. Aspects of flying training at No 9 Advanced Flying Unit, RAF at RAF Tealing, GB, 12/1944-2/1945: snowy conditions; landing in icy conditions; selection to fly Fairey Barracuda; appointment to instrument course at HMS Godwit, Royal Naval Air Station Hinstock; course at Royal Naval College, Greenwich. REEL 9 Continues: Aspects of training with 714 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Merganser, Royal Naval Air Station Rattray, GB, 3/1945-4/1945: character of Fairey Barracuda; crew of Fairey Barracuda; use of pilot notes; starting engine of Fairey Barracuda; boosting Rolls-Royce Merlin 32 Engine; first flight in Fairey Barracuda including stalling and landing; use of Armstrong Whitworth Whitley to demonstrate engine handling characteristics of Fairey Barracuda; method of measuring wind direction and speed at sea; night flying; formation flying. Aspects of deck landing training at HMS Peewit, Royal Naval Air Station East Haven, GB, 4/1945-6/1945: carrying out Aerodrome Dummy Deck Landings (ADDLs) exercises; bombing practice; method of approach during bombing practice; technique for night bombing. REEL 10 Continues: technique for night-time formation flying; batsmans' use of illuminated bats for night-time landing; role of batsman and signals used; deck landings on aircraft carrier HMS Smiter; reaction to first deck landing; spending night on board HMS Smiter; flying mail to HMS Merlin, Royal Naval Air Station Donabristle; taking off from HMS Smiter; arrangement of arrester wires; operating arrester hook; attitude to having completed deck landings. Aspects of operational training with 710 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm, HMS Urley, Royal Naval Air Station Ronaldsway, Isle of Man, 6/1945-11/1945: journey to Isle of Man; crewing up; anti-submarine bombing practice; proposed role for invasion of Japan; simulating dropping B Bomb; blacking out during dive attacks; sensations whilst diving aircraft. REEL 11 Continues: judging approach angles in Fairey Barracuda; initial problems with dive brakes on Fairey Barracuda; flying with crew; pilot who landed in southern Ireland; opportunity to fly Fairey Swordfish; gunnery practice for telegraphist air gunner; end of Second World War and cancellation of drafting to HMS Colossus, 8/1945. Aspects of period on station flight duties at HMS Condor, Royal Naval Air Station Arbroath, GB, 11/1945-4/1946: duties; types of aircraft flown; flight to RAF Whitton; conversion course on Airspeed Oxford; character of Airspeed Oxford; story of problems with brake pressure in Airspeed Oxford during flight to RAF Little Snoring; handling of Airspeed Oxford; character of Fairey Firefly; transfer from Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR) to Royal Navy; conversion course to Fairey Firefly Mk I at HMS Peewit, Royal Naval Air Station East Haven, GB, 4/1946-6/1946; differences between American and British naval aircraft cockpit instrumentation. REEL 12 Continues: nature of flights from GB to India and onto Ceylon, 1946; impressions of India. Aspects of period as pilot with 814 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Bambara, Royal Naval Air Station China Bay, Trincolmalee, Ceylon, 6/1946-9/1946: accommodation on station; problems with thieving monkeys; squadron change over to Royal Navy personnel; first senior pilot's lack of flying skills; reasons for Royal Navy recruiting pilots directly into Fleet Air Arm; rocket projectile firing practice; formation flying in finger four and use of cross-over turns; aerial combat practice; Fairey Firefly Mk I's armament; low-level flying; flying in tropical conditions; flying clothing worn; survival kit carried. REEL 13 Continues: provision of dingy and it's operation; dingy drill. Recollections of period as pilot with 814 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Venerable in Far East, 1946-1947: joining aircraft carrier, 9/1946; move to Singapore, Malaya; presence of Japanese POWs in Singapore, Malaya; firing rockets into Malayan jungle; swinging compasses ashore; damage to his aircraft in Hong Kong; character of HMS Venerable; nature of ablutions on board; ward room; taking of salt and anti-malarial tablets; conditions on board in tropical climate; organisation of flying operations; storage of aircraft; preparations for flying off; operation of catapult; folding of Fairey Firefly wings and securing their spread. REEL 14 Continues: presence of Japanese shrine near airfield at Singapore, Malaya; ashore in Singapore, Malaya; character of Mobile Airfield at RAF Kai Tek, Hong Kong; rations in Hong Kong; method of increasing beer ration; effects of lack of flying practice; damage to his aircraft aboard HMS Glory; use of aircraft lighter to transport aircraft to carrier; fixing points for craning aircraft on board; composition of and relations with ground crew; role of engineering officer; nature of operational flying; return voyage to GB including bad atmosphere in Cairo, Egypt. Aspects of period as pilot with 814 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Gannet, Royal Naval Air Station Eglinton, Northern Ireland, 5/1947-9/1947: reforming of squadron; introduction of new Fairey Firefly I/FR.1. Aspects of period as pilot with 814 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Vengence and on Malta, 1947-1948: embarking aboard HMS Vengence; flying from Malta; lack of flying from HMS Vengeance; posting to HMS Flycatcher, Royal Naval Air Station Tak Kali; contrast between RAF and Fleet Air Arm methods of landing; amusing story of return voyage aboard SS Taranto from Malta to GB. REEL 15 Continues: Aspects of period as Link Trainer Instructor at HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose and HMS Blackcap, Royal Naval Air Station Stretton in GB 4/1948-7/1948: attitude towards duties; obtaining appointment to Central Flying School; character of Link Trainer. Aspects of period training as instructor with Central Flying School, RAF at RAF Little Rissington, GB, 7/1948-1/1949: pattern of course and its importance; character of Percival Prentice; flying characteristics of De Havilland DH.98 Mosquito; flying De Havilland DH.100 Vampire F.3; character of De Havilland DH.100 Vampire F.3; sensation of taking off in jet aircraft in comparison with piston aircraft; visibility in De Havilland DH.100 Vampire F.3; flying at high altitude; need to watch fuel consumption in jet aircraft; flying Avro Lancaster. REEL 16 Continues: assessment and examination during course; instrument rating examination; examination by instructors; results of Fleet Air Arm pilots on course; significance of completing course; use of 'patter' to explain flight to students; importance of Qualified Flying Instructor (QFI) qualification. Aspects of period as instructor with Operational Flying School, Fleet Air Arm, HMS Fulmar, Royal Naval Air Station Lossiemouth, GB, 1/1949-10/1950: role of Qualified Flying Instructors (QFI); ground instruction with students in crew room; degree of danger; varying student abilities; reasons for failing students; problems students faced with landings; story of pilot who had problems landing on aircraft carriers; importance of pilots understanding and enjoying flight; need for pilots to be youthful; students who were natural flyers. REEL 17 Continues: Aspects of period on No 7 Long Jet Course at HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, GB, 10/1950: purpose of course; high level navigational training; flying with oxygen; effects of oxygen starvation; introduction of pressure breathing. Aspects of period test flying with Naval Air Fighting Development Unit, Fleet Air Arm at RAF West Raynham, GB, 11/1950-5/1951: development of snake climbing pattern and landing; use of sector beam; story of incident when he forced landed low in fuel in zero cloud cover; characteristics of Supermarine Attacker. REEL 18 Continues: Recollections of period as pilot with 800 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Peregrine, Royal Naval Air Station Ford, GB and aboard HMS Eagle in GB coastal waters and Mediterranean, 1951-1953: brief period aboard HMS Starling prior to appointment to squadron; problems with fuel supply from belly tank in Supermarine Attacker; incident when he had problems with fuel supply; incident when his control panel froze; problems with icing; dealing with problems encountered with Supermarine Attacker; Supermarine Attacker's armament; length of working up process; ring bolt problem aboard HMS Eagle; adoption of American batting system; working with US Navy and Royal Netherlands Navy during Operation Mainbrase in North Sea; flying Combat Air Patrols (CAPs) in cold weather; target practice; opinion of Supermarine Attacker; incident when spent cartridge flew into pilots windscreen; aircraft camouflage; immersion suits; helmets; use of catapult to take off from aircraft carrier; incident when American exchange pilot ditched from aircraft carrier; loss of aircraft during fly past for Marshal Josip Tito in Mediterranean. REEL 19 Continues: dealing with engineering problems encountered with Supermarine Attacker. Aspects of period as instructor with 759 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose and HMS Fulmar, Royal Naval Air Station Lossiemouth in GB, 1953-1954: instructional duties; problems with Gloster Meteor T.7; location of instructor in aircraft and visibility; unpressurised nature of aircraft; flying at altitude; characteristics of Gloster Meteor T.7; students adjusting to flying jet aircraft; pattern of instruction; students need to adjust to effect of G force; slowing down in jet aircraft in comparison with piston engined aircraft; instructing navigation on the climb; low-level flying over sea; threat of bird strikes and precautions taken on airfields; reasons for move from Culdrose to Lossiemouth; story of loss of pilot during flight with students from Culdrose to Lossiemouth; character of twin-seat De Havilland DH.115 Sea Vampire T.22. REEL 20 Continues: flying over Spithead Review; incident when fire warning light came on during flight; ease of instructions in De Havilland DH.115 Sea Vampire T.22; opinion of De Havilland DH.115 Sea Vampire T.22; gliding experience at HMS Fulmar, Royal Naval Air Station, Lossiemouth. Aspects of period as pilot with Westland Wyvern Conversion Course at HMS Peregrine, Royal Naval Air Station Ford, GB, 10/1954-12/1954: background to development of Westland Wyvern; vices encountered during development of Westland Wyvern; incident leading to development of ejector seat to work underwater; operation of Martin Baker Ejector Seat; solving of fuel starvation problem; problems with leading edge of wings on Westland Wyvern; character of Westland Wyvern. Aspects of period with 813 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Falcon, Royal Naval Air Station Hal Far, Malta, 1954-1955: operating with armoured units in Libya; stay with tank unit in desert. REEL 21 Continues: reaction to driving Centurion Tank; co-operation with French Navy during Operation Sea Lance at Bizerta, Tunisia; problems of getting back to airfield at Bizerta, Tunisia; problems with hydraulics on return flight to Malta; attempt to mine royal yacht entering Valetta Harbour. Aspects of period as staff officer with Staff of Senior Naval Officer, Northern Ireland at HMS Sea Eagle, Londonderry, Northern Ireland, 1955-1956: attitude to non-flying duties; amusing incident of alarm at barracks. Recollections of period commanding 759 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, GB, 1956-1958: instructing duties; flying Firefly Firefly T.7; opinion of Fairey Gannet; role as commanding officer; integrating West German pilots attached to squadron; skills of West German observers; training observers; problem with Fairey Gannet; visibility Fairey Gannet; reasons for leaving Fleet Air Arm, 10/1958.