Interview with Kenneth Roy Oatley

British NCO served as navigator with 267 Sqdn, No 5 Group, Bomber Command, RAF in GB, 1944-1945

REEL 1 Background in Frome, GB, 1923-1940: family; education; membership of 4th (Frome) Bn Somerset Home Guard, 1940. Aspects of enlistment and training with Royal Air Force in GB, Canada and South Africa, 1941-1943: enlistment and call-up to Royal Air Force, 1941; pattern of early training at No 10 Initial Training Wing, RAF Scarborough including priciples of navigation; forced landing at No 19 Elementary Flying Training School, RAF Sealand; move to No 35 Service Flying Training School, RCAF at RCAF North Battleford, Canada; removal from flying training course; return to GB and remustering as navigator; navigational training at No 41 Air School, East London, South Africa, 1942; first experience of night-time navigation; training at No 16 Operational Training Unit, RAF at RAF Upper Heyford, 1943; conversions onto heavy bomber aircraft; lack of faith in pilot. Recollections of operations as navigator with 627 Sqdn, No 5 Group, Bomber Command, RAF in GB, 1944-1945: background to joining squadron at RAF Woodhall Spa; origins of squadron. REEL 2 Continues: pathfinder role of squadron; effectiveness of bombing of Dresden, Germany, 2/1945; targets attacked, 1944-1945; work with development as H2S Radar; competitive atmosphere in squadron; navigational equipment carried; method of exiting De Havilland DH.98 Mosquito; navigational equipment in cockpit; story of marking jetty at Wesel during crossing of River Rhine, Germany, 3/1945; German anti-aircraft fire; opinion of reasons for loss of Wing Commander Guy Gibson in Netherlands, 19/9/1944; reasons for missing attack on Gestapo Headquarters in Oslo, Norway; opinion of meteorological information; final mission to Norway, 5/1945. REEL 3 Continues: atmosphere in squadron and importance of accuracy on hitting target; sight of German V2 Rocket taking off over Netherlands, 1945; items picked up by squadron aircraft during low-level operations; squadron losses; character of his tour; night flying testing. Reflections on service with Royal Air Force, 1941-1945: rations; attitude to service in Royal Air Force; degree of contact with civilian population; social activities; wartime train service; pattern of service in Canada; sinking of destroyer during crossing of North Atlantic; duties during voyage from GB to South Africa; effect of gorging on fruit in East London, South Africa; musical activities in South Africa; amusing story of using old car during leave; question of time taken to get onto squadron; nature of night-time operations. REEL 4 Continues: characteristics of De Havilland DH.98 Mosquito; incident when Gee navigation system failed in aircraft; target marking of Dresden, Germany, 2/1945; post-war squadron reunions; character of his pilot; description of cramped cockpit in De Havilland DH.98 Mosquito; problems of not having toilet during mission to Denmark; attitude to operating in De Havilland DH.98 Mosquito; loss of squadron navigator when his parachute got stuck in escape hatch; attitude towards Germans and bombing of Dresden, Germany, 2/1942; nature of Bomber Command operations, 1944-1945; lack of contact with United States Army Air Force personnel; contrast between United States Army Air Force and Royal Air Force navigational training; attitude to service with Royal Air Force during Second World War; reasons for continuing service with Royal Air Force post-war; return to civilian life. REEL 5 Continues: adjusting to Royal Air Force life on enlistment; American family relatives; attitude towards Germans; photographing of target; aiming point during operation to Dresden, Germany; post-war visit to Dresden, Germany; attitude to bombing of Germany.