Description
Object description
Australian officer served as pilot with 200 Sqdn, Coastal Command, RAF in West Africa, 1943-1944
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Tasmania, Australia, 1922-1939: family; education; family circumstances during 1930s; family attitude to Great Britain; degree of knowledge of First World War; leaving school, 1937; employment; early interest in aviation; background to applying to join Royal Australian Air Force; degree of knowledge of political situation in Europe; opinion of Neville Chamberlain; attitude to possibility of coming war.
REEL 2 Continues: reasons for enlistment; employment; amusing story of obtaining driving licence. Aspects of enlistment and training with Royal Australian Air Force in Australia, Canada and GB, 1941-1942: initial volunteering for reserve, 12/1940; disruption to training at 1 Initial Training School, Summers Camp; start of flying training, 4/1942; degree of knowledge of wartime events, 1940-1942; reputation of air force; background to return to civilian life, 1946; pattern of initial training at 1 Initial Training School; reaction to flying De Havilland Tiger Moth; friendship with Canadian instructor; treatment of VD patients; increasing flying hours at RCAF Monkton; incident of flying above cloud level.
REEL 3 Continues: opinion of flying Avro Anson; end of course, 12/1942; attitude to flying; story of unveiling of post war memorial to Australian and New Zealand in Calgary, Canada; reaction to accidental deaths in training; delay with further training at School of General Reconnaissance in Canada, 1943; character of voyage from Canada to GB aboard Louis Pasteur; reaction to arrival in Australia; initial impressions of GB; in reception centre in Brighton; officer training school at Sidmouth; situation in GB; recreational activities in London; visit to relatives in Scotland.
REEL 4 Continues: posting to West Africa. Recollections of operations as pilot with 200 Sqdn, RAF in West Africa, 1943-1944: posting to Waterloo in Sierra Leone; crewing up; prior recollection of reaction to gaining wings and time in US, 12/1942; familiarisation with area and landing strips.
REEL 5 Continues: squadron role and duties; impact of Consolidated B24 Liberators on war in the Atlantic; aftermath of sinking of ship by U-boat, 12/1943; airfields used by squadron; nature of reconnaissance flights; squadron member's attack on U-boat, 1943; winding up of operations, 2/1944; role of crew; flying routine and extra duties; recreational activities; disposal of Lockheed Hudsons; reasons for changing over from Lockheed Hudsons to Consolidated Liberators; return to GB. Aspects of period as officer with Royal Australian Air Force in GB, US and Australia, 1944-1946: posting to Headquarters, Royal Australian Air Force in London; fate of crew; posting to Consolidated Liberator conversion course in US; cancellation of US contract to supply Australians with aircraft; return to Australia on ship with Prime Minister; attitude to leaving GB.
REEL 6 Continues: posting to RAAF Western Junction, 1944; appointment as commanding officer at RAAF Western Junction, 1944-1946; reaction to return to Australia, 1944; sale of De Havilland Tiger Moths at RAAF Western Junction, 1946; reaction to not taking part in D-Day; VE Day celebrations, 5/1945; attitude to dropping of atomic bomb; story of post war aid given to Canadian widow to find his Australian pilot. Aspects of operations as pilot with 200 Sqdn, Coastal Command, RAF in West Africa, 1943-1944: spotting U-boat and attacking; number of times depth charges dropped; nature of squadron operations; story of visit to his civilian employers on return to London, 1944. Attitude to serving with Royal Australian Air Force during Second World War.