Description
Object description
British aircraftman served with RAF Transport Command, Hawarden, GB, 1953; detached for tests at Research Centre, Porton Down, GB, 1953; served as assistant air traffic controller attached to 637 Sqdn, RAF, Lynham, 1953-1954
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of background in Thornton Heath and Croydon, 1934-1952: family background and social circumstances; education Archbishop Tennison School, South Croydon, 1934-1950; effects of war, 1939-1944, including German air raids, Anderson shelter, personal morale, BBC broadcasts and coded messages, German 'Lord Haw Haw' broadcasts, story of incendiary bomb hitting house, story of bomb exploding in grandparents' garden, story of parachute bomb dropped in daylight raid, souvenir collecting from bomb sites and question of German booby traps, food, sweets, clothes and water rationing.
REEL 2 Continues: effects of war, 1939-1945, including story of German aircraft strafing Thornton Heath High Street, nature of V1 raids and stories of various close escapes, praying for family survival, evacuation following beginning of V2 raids and story of baby sister caught on potty outside of Morrison shelter during air raid; evacuation to Exmouth 1944-1945, including departure and train journey, billets with family, conditions, attending school, relationship with local children, presence of US soldiers and Royal Marines, enjoyment of countryside, VE Day street party, 8/5/1945.
REEL 3 Continues: evacuation to Exmouth 1944-1945, including disappearance of troops prior to D Day and return to Thornton Heath, 5/1945. Recollections of period in Thornton Heath, 1944-1952: bomb damage and bomb sites; VJ Day street party, 15/8/1945; Boys Brigade parties and drill competitions, 1946-1952; football and cricket activities; work as office by with oil company, 1950-1952; sporting activities; background to call up for RAF, 10/1952, including prior rejection on failing tests with Fleet Air Arm and decision on to apply for air crew after passing aptitude tests. Recollections of reporting to Recruit Receiving Centre, RAF, Padgate, 10/1952-11/1952: reception; kitting out; hut accommodation; drill; father's advice; food rations.
REEL 4 Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine at Hednesford, 11/1952-12/1952: hut accommodation; morning routine; food rations; PT; relationship with instructors; weapons training with rifle, bayonet and Bren gun; story of amusing drill incident; lectures on gas warfare and gas chamber test; assault course; volunteering for overseas service and subsequent posting to GB; interview and rejection of possibility of commission in administrative role; relationship with recruits; preparing for room and kit inspections.
REEL 5 story of exercise in defending airfield; posting as operations clerk; passing out parade as aircraftman I; pay. Recollections of period as operations clerk with Ferry Sqdn, Transport Command, RAF, Hawarden, 1/1953-4/1953: role of unit; role arranging flight routes; flights in various aircraft; transport arrangements on leave; daily routine duties; VIP visits; food rations; cricket activities; background to volunteering for tests into effects of common cold on service personnel. Account of period undergoing tests at Research Establishment, Porton Down, 4/1953-5/1953: train journey and reception; role of Royal Army Veterinary Corps personnel running military camp; reactions to initial briefing on nature of tests.
REEL 6 Continues: reactions to initial briefing on nature of tests; various intelligence, aptitude and medical tests; tests of substances dripped onto shirt material pads attached to arms; test of being exposed to sarin nerve gas in gas chamber on Salisbury Plain, including briefing, removal of gas masks, hosing down, severe headaches and loss of vision; return to Porton Down; repetitions of various intelligence, aptitude and medical tests continued symptoms and consequent lack of sleep; receiving antidote and gradual recovery; question of disappearance of Aircraftman Kelly; question of nature of tests; question of recovery and assessment of prior arm tests; subsequent headaches; return to unit. Recollections of period as operations clerk with Ferry Sqdn, Transport Command, RAF, Hawarden, 5/1953-7/1953: continued headaches relating to tests; secrecy after signing official secrets act; training and passing test as air traffic controller; promotions to Senior Aircraftsman; story of Sea Vampire crash.
REEL 7 Continues: story of Sea Vampire crash. Recollections of period attached to 637 Sqdn, RAF as SAC in Control Tower, Lynham, 7/1953-10/1954: nature of role of station as 'master airfield'; composition of control tower staff; role as air traffic controller's assistant including operation of switchboard in flight information room, emergency frequencies, giving meteorological and navigation information to pilots, pilot training flights, passing flight plans to destination airfields and logging calls; control room equipment; radar sets; promotion to corporal, 1/1954; watch system and food rations; role as watch commander; story of collapse of Hastings undercarriage on landing; story of massed landing by Lancasters; story of SOS call from doomed pilot of Percival Proctor; story of Viking taking off in fog, subsequent SOS, location of crash site, question of reduction of casualties due to rear facing seats and cause of accident.
REEL 8 Continues: duties running runway caravan checking runway and undercarriage of aircraft landing; story of Tiger Moth problem with glider tow rope; stories of visits to pubs; sporting activities; nature of corporals' mess; story of NCO using aviation fuel for car; story of officer who had been junior to Barnes in civilian work; question of signing on as regular with prospect of commission; demobilisation, 10/1954. Post-war career: return to work with oil company; call up as reservist to Watton, 1956, including problems finding uniform, presence of US Air Force, role in control tower and release; story illustrating reaction of recruits to former wartime rear gunner at Lynham, 1953-1954; increasing interest in Porton Down experiments and receiving official listing of tests, 2002.
REEL 9 Continues: interview with Wiltshire Police concerning tests at Porton Down and death of Aircraftsman Maddison, 5/1953; membership of Porton Down Veterans Assoc; question of securing compensation for Aircraftsman Maddison's family; dispute over wording of original request for Porton Down tests; results of police investigation; attending as witness at reopened inquest into unlawful killing over death of Aircraftman Maddison, 2005; verdict of unlawful killing and question of compensation claims; attitude to Porton Down tests.
