Pyvis, Ian John (Oral history)

Australian NCO served as pilot with 38 Group, Transport Command, RAF in GB, 1944-1945

REEL 1 Background in Western Australia, 1923-1939: family; story of father's friend encounter with snake; father's medical treatment; life during Depression; attitude towards royalty and Great Britain; general attitude to prospect of war; reasons for choosing Royal Australian Air Force; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 9/1939; opinion of Hitler and Neville Chamberlain. REEL 2 Continues: father's reaction to Dunkirk; fate of neighbours during war; deferment from service after contracting boils; memories of Battle of Britain; attitude to supporting Great Britain. Aspects of enlistment and training with Royal Australian Air Force in Australia, 1942-1943: enlistment, 6/1942; voyage to GB, early 1943; degree of knowledge of war, 1941-1942; reaction to lost of HMAS Sydney; sleeping arrangements; character of other recruits; selection of recruits; reputation of air force; keenness to be pilot. REEL 3 Continues: selection of different categories of aircrew; reception on arrival at flying school; relations with instructor; familiarisation flight; soloing; instrument training; instruments in De Havilland Tiger Moth cockpit; training in Avro Anson; cross country navigation; celebrations on receiving wings and promotion to sergeant; pre-embarkation leave; train journey to Sydney; move to RAAF Point Cook; training as flying controller; story of treatment of politician; move to Port Adelaide. Aspects of voyage aboard SS Umgaini from Australia to GB via New Zealand, Panama and US, 1942: embarking on board SS Umgaini; crew. REEL 4 Continues: ashore in New Plymouth, New Zealand; sailing across Pacific; reaction to Japanese capturing Singapore, 2/1942; recreational activities ashore in Panama; ashore in New York, US; character of convoy across Atlantic; sight of torpedoing of ship; arrival in Cardiff; daily routine on board ship; relations with Lascar crew. Aspects of training as pilot with Royal Australian Air Force in GB, 1942-1944: initial impressions of GB; advertisement for dead personnel belongings in Australia House in London. REEL 5 Continues: reaction to sight of 'chop lists'; attitude towards casualties; recreational activities in Brighton; drilling and gunnery training; posting to RAF Kidlington; problem of stalling with Airspeed Oxford; night flying training; beam approach training; training at operational training unit on Armstrong Whitworth Whitley; nature of crewing up; question of disadvantages of officer and NCO segregation; flying Armstrong Whitworth Whitley; character of first operational training flight dropping supplies to Dijon, France. REEL 6 Continues: method of signalling to resistance; conversion course onto Short Stirling; characteristics of Short Stirling; heights flown during training and operational service; crew superstition; importance of operational training; method of towing gliders; modification of Short Stirling to carry paratroopers; story of operation to bomb Aachen, Germany, 3/1945. REEL 7 Continues: standing by during D-Day operations, 6/6/1944. Recollections of operations as pilot with 38 Group, RAF in GB, 1944-1945: posting to squadron; joining re-supply operation to Arnhem, Netherlands, 9/1944; hits on aircraft from ground fire; anti-aircraft fire over Arnhem, Netherlands; gunner's opening fire on German dispatch rider; damage to aircraft and forced landing; wounding of Royal Army Service Corps dispatcher; flying through anti-aircraft fire; nature of damage to aircraft; ineffectual fighter support on second day of operation; briefing for Operation Market Garden; problems of lack of ground to air communications and locating supply dropping zones. REEL 8 Continues: reaction to first daylight operation; training of crews; night time bombing operations; flying in bomb stream; evasive action; nature of supply operations to Norway; problems of operating over Norway; reasons for squadron losses over Norway; dealing personal problems faced by his bomb aimer; loss of experienced officer to Allied anti-aircraft fire. REEL 9 Continues: attitude towards war situation, 1945; VE Day celebrations, 5/1945. Aspects of return to Australia from 1945: backdating of commissioning; return voyage to Australia; arrival in Fremantle; adjusting to return to Australia; problems of adjusting to civilian life; marriage; attempt to obtain employment in aviation; lack of counselling; question of politician role during wartime; refusal to allow his son to volunteer for Vietnam War; drinking skills acquired whilst doing military service. REEL 10 Continues: attitude to having served with Royal Australian Air Force during Second World War.