Description
Object description
Australian NCO served as wireless operator/air gunner with 612 Sqdn, RAF in Iceland and GB, 1942-1943; served with 179 Sqdn, RAF in GB and Gibraltar, 1943; officer served with Royal Australian Air Force in Australia, 1943-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Australia, 1919-1939: family; education; degree of understanding of events of First World War; joining militia; attitude towards events in Europe during 1930s; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 9/1939. Aspects of enlistment and training with Royal Australian Air Force in Australia and GB, 1940-1941: reasons for enlistment; period of deferment; impressions of progress of war; reputation of air force.
REEL 2 Continues: allocation to role as air gunner; basic training; fate of those who failed course; Morse Code training; wireless training in aircraft; air gunnery training; move to embarkation camp, 8/1941; selection for service in GB, 8/1941; duties on board troopship; reaction to overseas posting; conditions on board troopship.
REEL 3 Continues: age of service personnel; reception in Vancouver, Canada; reasons for initial refusal to board Empress of Asia; conditions on board Empress of Asia, 1941; character of voyage from Canada to GB; arrival in GB; hearing message about arrival of Australian aircrew from Lord Haw Haw in Bournemouth; first sight of German aircraft during training.
REEL 4 Continues: belief in ultimate Allied victory; story of encounter with British Air Commodore; attending medical board at RAF Halton; air gunnery training at RAF Cranwell; crewing up; operating in Armstrong Whitworth Whitley; co-operation between crew members.
REEL 5 Continues: reaction to hearing of US entry into war at operational training unit at RAF Cranwell. Recollections of operations as wireless operator/air gunner with 612 Sqdn, RAF in Iceland, 1942: sweeps from Iceland; squadron losses; formation of ice on wings; flying suits worn; conditions in aircraft turrets; encounter with Focke Wolf FW 250 Condor; arrival of US personnel in Iceland; relations with Icelanders; weather conditions; living conditions in camp; climbing mountain.
REEL 6 Continues: loss of power during first operational sweep; rations and health; recreational activities; return to RAF Thorney Island in GB for squadron rest period, 8/1942; participation in air raid during Dieppe Raid, 8/1942; performance of Armstrong Whitworth Whitley; method of obtaining navigational drifts; method of exiting turret; anti-aircraft fire; lack of aircrew superstition.
REEL 7 Continues: posting to RAF Wick; problems landing at RAF Wick during first operational sweeps; character of RAF Wick; attending bombing/gunnery refresher course; anti-U-boat patrols; loss of squadron aircraft; problems with turret guns during refresher course; bombing practice; performance of Browning machine guns; opinion of Norwegian; hearing of progress of war; finishing of tour, 2/1943. Recollections of operations as wireless operator/air gunner with 179 Sqdn, RAF in GB and North Africa, 1943: background to joining first inexperienced crew at RAF Chivenor; loss of all Australian squadron crew; composition of his crew; landing at Gibraltar; use of Leigh Light during searches for U-boats.
REEL 8 Continues: German counter measures against Leigh Light equipped aircraft; amusing incident of squadron aircraft lighting up Mediterranean; detachment to Morocco; occasion when aircraft's tyre burst on take off and subsequent landing in Morocco; end of tour, 6/1943; opinion of his crew skills; incident of flying over Madrid, Spain and subsequent commissioning; return flight GB; posting as instructor at end of tour, 6/1943; incident of falling through turret door in Vickers Wellington.
REEL 9 Continues: grounding and return to Australia via US. Recollections of period as officer with Royal Australian Air Force in Australia, 1944-1945: reception on arrival in Australia; giving talks to civilians about progress of war; posting to operations room in Melborne; posting to 20 Sqdn, Royal Australian Air Force; hospitalisation for skin complaint; visit to relations who had become casualties; attitude of civilians to war in Australia; attitude of civilians to service personnel in New York; start of post war career.
REEL 10 Continues: attitude towards Japanese; reaction to end of Second World War; return to civilian life; lessons learnt from service during Second World War; character of service personnel during Second World War.