Description
Object description
British aircraftman served as electrician with 603 Sqdn RAF in GB and North Africa, 1942-1944; NCO served as rear gunner with 37 Sqdn RAF in Italy, 1944-1945
Content description
REEL 1: Background in Scotland, 1922-1939; family; education; sporting activities; employment; awareness of international situation during 1930s; reaction to outbreak of war, 9/1939; question of enlisting with Territorial Army; service with Home Guard; reaction of mother to war; memory of newsreels; attitude to Germans; reason for volunteering for RAF, 5/1941; enlistment procedure. Aspects of training with RAF in GB, 1941-1942: basic training; accommodation in tents; washing facilities; attitude to communal living; opinion of food; opinion of NCOs; memory of dental inspection; communication with home; drill; technical training as electrician; posted to 1 COTU, Solway Firth, 5/Dec/1941.
REEL 2 Continues: memory of leave in London; posted to 603 Sqdn RAF, Peterhead, 4/Apr/1942, Recollections of operations with 603 Sqdn RAF in North Africa, 1942-1944: description of journey to Egypt via South Africa; period in Durban; tropical kit and uniform; posted to transit camp; memory of German POWs; description of camp; role of ground crew; problem of heat; posted to Nicosia, Cyprus; daily routine and duties; relations with local civilians; story of applying for air crew; interview; description of voyage to Alexandria, Egypt; conditions aboard ship; story of bully beef; question of discipline; moved into Western Desert by truck; living conditions; attitude to Arabs; duties servicing Beaufighters.
REEL 3 Continues: story of first flight in Beaufighter; medical examination for air crew; accommodation in tents; description of conditions in escarpment; problem of sand storms; relations with other airmen; daily routine and duties servicing aircraft; attitude to loss of aircraft; recreational activities; description of 18-week air gunnery course, 4/1944; question of rank; pay; flying training in Avro Anson; gunnery practice on drogues and targets; posted to OTU, Palestine; attitude to death of friends; opinion of pilots.
REEL 4 Continues: crewed up; further gunnery training; posted to 178 Sqdn RAF on conversion course to Liberators, 10-12/1944; comparison of Wellington and Liberator; bomb load and guns on Liberator. Aspects of operations with 37 Sqdn RAF in Italy, 17/Dec/1944-21/May/1945: posted to Foggia, Italy; flying clothing; heated suit and slippers; gloves; helmet and R/T; description of Liberator; role as rear gunner; crew; relations with Italian civilians; opinion of US Air Force; attitude to Americans; story of incident in restaurant; weather conditions; accommodation in tents; problem of cold; daily routine; briefing; pre-flight checks; story of aborted take-off.
REEL 5 Continues: comparison of role of ground crew and air crew; description of dropping supplies to Yugoslav partisans; story of one aircraft dropping bombs on another; description of night raid; problem with bomb doors; story of Group Captain flying on mission; question of communication with other aircraft; description of attack by German fighters over Hungary; question of fear.
REEL 6 Continues: attitude to killing Germans; description of conditions in Liberator gun turret; religious and political beliefs; attitude to communists; memory of final operation; social life; returned to GB and demobilised, 1946. Reflections on period of service with RAF.