Interview with Douglas Ross Arrowsmith

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Description

Object description

Australian officer served as pilot with 460 (RAAF) Sqdn, No 1 Group, Bomber Command, RAF in GB, 9/1944-5/1945

Content description

REEL 1 Background in Kadina and Perth, Australia, 1922-1941: family; education; employment; move to Perth, 1939; father's military service during First World War; attitude towards GB; degree of anticipation of coming war and events in Europe; desire to participate in Second World War; call-up for military service; early interest in aviation. Recollections of enlistment and training as pilot with Royal Australian Air Force in Australia and GB, 1941-1943: applying to join Royal Australian Air Force and enlistment at Claremont, 19/9/1941; attitude to participation in Second World War; pattern of basic training; ambition to become pilot; reaction to first flight in aircraft; pattern of flying training; characteristics of Avro Anson; reaction to Imperial Japanese Army Air Force bombing of Darwin, 19/2/1942. REEL 2 Continues: attitude towards Japanese; belief that he would be fighting German forces; fear of failing course; reaction to receiving wings; transfer to Melbourne for embarkation; attending course at RAAF Point Cook; voyage aboard USS West Point from Australia to United States of America; leave in United States of America, including visit to New York. REEL 3 Continues: attitude to going to GB; voyage from United States of America to GB; arrival in Brighton, GB; reaction to sight of Avro Lancaster in distress; recreational activities in Brighton, GB; familiarisation flights in De Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth; joining funeral party on arrival at RAF Fraserburgh; flying training in Scotland; conversion to Vickers Wellington and it's flying characteristics; conversion to Avro Lancaster; crewing up; composition of crew; crew relations; promotion to pilot officer; first visit to London, GB. REEL 4 Continues: degree of contact with civilians in London, GB; further visits to London, GB. Recollections of operations as pilot with 460 (RAAF) Sqdn, No 1 Group, Bomber Command, RAF in GB, 9/1944-5/1945: arrival at RAF Binbrook; first operation as second pilot to Stuttgart, Germany, 19/10/1944; nature of pre-operational briefings; question of how crews with good skills increased their chances of survival; reaction to first operation; effect of exploding aircraft at night; description of bomber stream; flying zig-zag courses to target; crew superstitions. REEL 5 Continues: pre-flight preparations; approach to target; encounter with predicted anti-aircraft fire during daylight raid on Hanover, Germany; German searchlights; duties as pilot; use of Window; navigator's initial reaction to sight of bombing; personal morale; question of going round for second time on target; corkscrew procedure; unexplained night fighter incident; opinion of Avro Lancaster S for Sugar; cancellation of operations, 1/1945; loss of his aircraft and crew. REEL 6 Continues: insignia painted on aircraft; relations with ground crew; dinghy training; degree of escape and evasion training; attitude of his crew; raid on Cologne, Germany; dropping mines off Norway; squadron losses during mine dropping operations; reasons for not using automatic pilot; period under observation by medical staff; conditions during operation over Cologne, Germany; flights over Germany cities after end of Second World War; post-war visit to Cologne, Germany; incident of ground crew being smuggled aboard aircraft for bombing mission. REEL 7 Continues: transporting returning British Army troops from Italy to at end of Second World War; attending British/Australian cricket match at Old Trafford Cricket Ground in Manchester; raid on Dresden, Germany, 13/2/1945; post-war attitude to participating in raid on Dresden, Germany, 13/2/1945; instructional duties after tour of duty; return to squadron; story of flight testing with non-aircrew officer; VE Day celebrations, 8/5/1945; award of Distinguished Flying Cross at Buckingham Palace; reaction to dropping of atomic bombs on Japan, 8/1945. Reflections on service with Royal Australian Air Force: psychological effects of wartime service. REEL 8 Continues: question of talking about experiences; benefits of wartime service; contact with former crew members; attitude to service with Royal Australian Air Force during Second World War.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1990 to the present day (production), Second World War (content), Second World War (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
Bannister, John (Recorder)
Arrowsmith, Douglas Ross (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 2007-05-07
Dimensions: whole: Duration 240, Number Of Items 8
Catalogue number: 30080

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Interview with Douglas Ross Arrowsmith

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