Interview with William Coster

British naval airman trained as pilot with Fleet Air Arm in GB and Canada, 1940-1943; officer served as pilot with 826 and 820 Naval Air Sqdns, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Indefatigable off Norway, Indian Ocean and Pacific, 1944-1945

REEL 1 Background in Speen, GB, 1923-1939: family; father's military service in First World War; family home and business; early interest in mechanical and aviation matters; education; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; links between Newbury and Royal Navy. Aspects of enlistment and training as pilot with Fleet Air Arm in GB and Canada, 1940-1942: background to volunteering for Fleet Air Arm, 1940; selection process; basic training at HMS Dadealus, Royal Naval Air Station Gosport; start of flying training at No 19 Elementary Flying Training School, RAF at RAF Sealand; characteristics of De Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth; reaction to formation flying at night in Canada; opinion of Fairey Swordfish; crewing up; problems with wings on Fairey Barracuda; characteristics of Fairey Barracuda. Recollections of operations as pilot with 826 and 820 Naval Air Sqdns, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Indefatigable off Norway, Indian Ocean and Pacific, 1944-1945: attacks on German battleship Tirpitz during Operation Goodwood, Norway, 8/1944; opinion of attacks; landing on aircraft carriers. REEL 2 Continues: attacks on oil fields at Palembang, Sumatra, Dutch East Indies during Operation Meridian, 1/1945; shooting down of Japanese fighter aircraft; incident when aircraft had engine failure; further details of attack on oil fields at Palembang, Sumatra, Dutch East Indies, 1/1945; loss of pilots to sharks; narrow escape from bullet hitting aircraft; move to Pacific, 1/1945-2/1945; dive bombing attacks on airfields on Sakishima Gunto Islands, Japan, 3/1944-4/1944; Japanese Kamikaze attack on HMS Indefatigable, 1/4/1945; further Japanese Kamikaze attacks on aircraft carrier; prior recollection of collision at night in Fairey Swordfish; characteristics of Fairey Albacore; commendation from Vice-Admiral Philip Vian; return to GB, 1945; amalgamation of 826 and 820 Naval Air Sqdns; attitude to having served with Fleet Air Arm during Second World War.