Interview with Bruce Fraser Vibert

British naval airman trained as pilot with No 24 Elementary Flying Training School, RAF at RAF Luton, GB and No 31 Service Flying Training School, RCAF Kingston, Canada, 1941-1942; midshipman trained with 785 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at Naval Air Torpedo School, HMS Jackdaw, Royal Naval Air Station Crail, 769 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Condor, Royal Naval Air Station Arbroath and 774 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Vulture, Royal Naval Air Station St Merryn in GB, 1942-1943; served with 842 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in GB and aboard HMS Fencer, 8th and 16th Escort Groups in North Atlantic and Arctic, 3/1943-7/1944; served as Deck Landing Control Officer aboard HMS Glory, 11th Aircraft Carrier Sqdn in Pacific, 8/1945-9/1945

REEL 1 Background in Belgium, GB, United States of America, South America, Germany and Yugoslavia, 1922-1941: family; impressions of Germany during late 1920s; effect of death of President Paul von Hindenburg in Germany, 1934; train travel in Nazi Germany; sight Hitler Youth in Germany; education; declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; gathering information for his consular father on ships loading bauxite in Split, Yugoslavia, 9/1939; decision to join Fleet Air Arm during train journey via Milan, Italy, 1939. Aspects of enlistment and training as naval airman with Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1940-1941: selection process; activities prior to call-up; public morale during German Air Force attacks on London, 1940-1941; arrival at HMS St Vincent, Gosport; pattern of training; adjusting to naval training; importance of basic naval training; uniform worn by potential officer cadets; memories of Chief Petty Officer Wilmott; treatment of recruits by instructors. Recollections of flying training as naval airman with Fleet Air Arm at No 24 Elementary Flying Training School, RAF at RAF Luton, GB and No 31 Service Flying Training School, RCAF Kingston, Canada, 1941-1942: drafting to No 24 Elementary Flying Training School, RAF at RAF Luton. REEL 2 Continues: speech by commanding officer prior to start of course; ground instruction; familiarisation flight; character of De Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth; taking off in De Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth; turning aircraft; approach and landing; spinning aircraft and recovery; attitude to spinning aircraft; reaction to soloing; forced landing training; question of not being a natural pilot; cross-country navigation exercises; explanation of term 'crabbing'; move to No 31 Service Flying Training School, RCAF at RCAF Kingston, Canada; importance of navigation for Fleet Air Arm pilots; attitude towards night flying; nature of night flying. REEL 3 Continues: character of North American Harvard; desire to fly Fairey Swordfish; formation flying; effect of training accidents; receiving wings and leave; return to GB. Aspects of training as midshipman with 785 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at Naval Air Torpedo School, HMS Jackdaw, Royal Naval Air Station Crail and 769 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Condor, Royal Naval Air Station Arbroath in GB, 1942-1943: initial impressions of Fairey Swordfish; torpedo attack training with 785 Naval Air Sqdn at Naval Air Torpedo School, HMS Jackdaw, Royal Naval Air Station, Crail; comparison of Fairey Swordfish and Fairey Albacore; deck landing training with 769 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Condor Royal Naval Air Station Arbroath; batsman signals; arrester wire arrangement on aircraft carriers; crash barrier on aircraft carrier. REEL 4 Continues: training on deck landings on River Clyde; duties with 774 Naval Air Sqdn at HMS Vulture, Royal Naval Air Station, St Merryn. Recollections of operations as pilot with 842 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in GB and aboard HMS Fencer, 8th Escort Group in North Atlantic, 3/1943-1/1944: memories of first commanding officer Lieutenant Commander Charles Lamb, 3/1943-4/1943; working up at HMS Daedalus, Royal Naval Air Station Lee-on-Solent; story illustrating rugged nature of Fairey Swordfish; amusing story of carrying Admiral Arthur Lyster as passenger in a Fairey Swordfish; character of escort carriers; duties during the occupation of Lagens, Azores, 10/1943; nature of patrolling from escort carriers. REEL 5 Continues: sources of intelligence that aided operations; dusk patrols; convoy escort duties in North Atlantic. Recollections of operations as pilot with 842 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Fencer,16th Escort Group in North Atlantic, Arctic and English Channel, 2/1944-7/1944: flying equipment worn in Arctic; incident when German submarine opened fire on his aircraft and his reaction; role of squadron; incident when German submarine U-666 surfaced near convoy and it's subsequent sinking in North Atlantic, 10/2/1944; squadron operations in Arctic; his use of rockets to attack two submarines and sinking U-674 during Convoy RA 59 in Arctic, 2/5/1944; method of firing rockets; other attacks on submarines; technique of attacking submarines with a fighter and torpedo bomber; operating in the Arctic; position of escort carrier in convoy; speed at which aircraft could land on and take off from escort carriers. REEL 6 Continues: character of squadron; problems of maintenance of aircraft on escort carriers; crash landings on deck in Bay of Biscay during poor weather, 12/1944; conditions in hangar and ward room during violent storm; patrolling in English Channel after D-Day; role as squadron batsman. Aspects of period as Deck Landing Control Officer (DLCO) aboard HMS Glory, 11th Aircraft Carrier Group, British Pacific Fleet in Pacific, 8/1945-9/1945: problems of landing on in Vought Corsair; batsmans' protection net; clothing worn; dangers of working on flight deck; use of wands to wave aircraft in at dusk; further details of dangers of working on flight deck; attitude to having served with Fleet Air Arm during Second World War.