Interview with John Druce Sayer

British officer served as pilot with 811 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in GB and aboard HMS Biter in Atlantic, 9/1941-8/1943; air gunnery officer with Fleet Air Arm at HMS Daedalus, Royal Naval Air Station Lee-on-Solent and HMS Blackcap, Royal Naval Air Station, Stretton in GB, 10/1943-4/1945; served as pilot with 827 Naval Air Sqdn aboard HMS Triumph, Mediterranean Fleet in Mediterranean, 12/1945-4/1946

REEL 1 Background in Hong Kong and GB, 1920-1939: family; early education in GB; reasons for wanting to go into the Royal Navy; education as Shrewsbury School. Aspects of enlistment and training as pilot with Fleet Air Arm in GB and Canada, 1940-1941: ease with which he got into Fleet Air Arm; flying training in Canada; commissioning on return to GB; selection for torpedo training at Royal Naval Air Station, Crail. Recollections of period as pilot with 811 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in GB, 9/1941-2/1943: joining squadron at HMS Daedalus, Royal Naval Air Station Lee-on- Solent, 9/1941; characteristics of Vought Chesapeake; re-equipping with Fairey Swordfish at HMS Condor, Royal Naval Air Station Arbroath; operations to mine ports in Netherlands, France and Belgium; night navigation. REEL 2 Continues: marriage; mining operations off coast of France; opinion of suitability of Fairey Swordfish for mining operations. Recollections of operations as pilot with 811 Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Biter in North Atlantic, 2/1943-9/1943: joining escort carrier, 2/1943; tactics employed against German Navy submarines; attack and subsequent sinking of U-203 in North Atlantic, 25/4/1943; prior recollection of training to attack German submarines; operating in North Atlantic; further details of attack on U-203 in North Atlantic, 25/4/1943; introduction of rockets; prior recollections of period as dive-bombing squadron operating Vought Chesapeake aircraft. REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of period as air gunnery officer with Fleet Air Arm at HMS Daedalus, Royal Naval Air Station Lee-on-Solent and HMS Blackcap, Royal Naval Air Station, Stretton in GB, 10/1943-4/1945: duties as air gunnery officer; posting to HMS Daedalus, Royal Naval Air Station Lee-on-Solent. Aspects of period as pilot with 827 Naval Air Sqdn aboard HMS Triumph, Mediterranean Fleet in Mediterranean, 12/1945-4/1946: drafting to light fleet carrier, 1/1945; characteristics of light fleet carriers; characteristics of Fairey Firefly. Aspects of period as officer with Royal Navy in GB, 1947-1948: transferring to General Service; cricketing activities with Combined Services Cricket Team; pattern of appointments after service aboard HMS Triumph; injuries sustained during bailing out of Supermarine Seafire, 1947; attitude to ending of flying career; adjusting to service on board frigates. Recollection of operations as pilot with 811 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Biter in North Atlantic, 2/1943-8/1943: joining escort carrier, 2/1943; nature of convoy escort duties; operating Fairey Swordfish. REEL 4 Continues: tracking German submarines; change in tactics employed against German submarines; introduction of rockets; withdrawal of German Navy submarines from North Atlantic, 8/1943; stoker who watched his landings; speed of escort carrier; composition and location of crew in Fairey Swordfish; aircrew picked up by HMT Queen Mary; problems with fog off coast of Canada; question of strain during operations; background to loss of Fairey Swordfish aircrew; reiteration of story of bailing out Supermarine Seafire, 1947. Reflections on service as pilot with Fleet Air Arm, 1940-1947: other duties on board carrier HMS Triumph, 12/1945-4/1946; attitude to flying. REEL 5 Continues: Recollections of service as officer with Royal Navy in GB, Mediterranean and Far East, 1948-1970: posting to anti-submarine frigate, 1948; background to appointment as instructor with Royal Marines, 1950; further details of cricketing activities with Combined Services Cricket Team; question of how cricketing activities enhanced his naval career; playing against Australian cricketers in Singapore, Federation of Malaya, 1962; opinion of duties aboard HMS Oakham Castle; appointment to HMS Meon, 1953; amphibious exercises in Mediterranean; opinion of Lord Louis Mountbatten; story of playing United States Embassy personnel at cricket; influence of cricket on his life; transporting German circus from Malta to Sicily, Italy; further impressions of Lord Louis Mountbatten. REEL 6 Continues: promotion to commander and placing onto 'dry list', 12/1955; attitude to appointment to Personnel Department, Admiralty, London; role commanding barracks at HMS Terror, Singapore, 1962-1967; attitude to appointment to Royal Air Force Staff College, Bracknell; question of leaving Royal Navy for civilian life; appointment as naval attaché to Bangkok, Thailand, 1967-1970; role as advisor to Royal Thai Navy; other duties as naval attaché including representing British industry; purchase of British frigate by Royal Thai Navy appointment as Senior Schools Liaison Officer on retirement from Royal Navy, 1970. REEL 7 Continues: types of schools visited; haul down report on retirement as Senior Schools Liaison Officer, 1980; question of motivation of students joining Royal Navy university course; award of Order of the British Empire; opinion of Royal Navy, 2003.