BROWN, MIKE (IWM interview)

British NCO pilot served flying Horsa with E Sqdn, Glider Pilot Regt based in GB, 1944-1945. Took part in D Day and Arnhem operations, 1944; POW in Germany, 1944-1945

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Wolsingham, Welwyn Garden City and Mill Hill, London, 1923-1942: family background and social circumstances; education at Christ Hospital, Horsham; outbreak of war, 3/9/1939; fire watching at school; Morrison air raid shelter; German air raids; rationing; work for father's timber firm, 1941-1942; background to volunteering for Royal Armoured Corps, 1/1942; service with Home Guard, 1941. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine with 58th <Young Soldiers> Training Regt, RAC at Bovington Camp, 1/1942-7/1942: reception and kitting out; hut accommodation and room inspections; food rations; drill; PT; weapons training; relationship with recruits and instructors; driving and maintenance course including Bren carrier; gunnery course on 2pdr gun including use of turret simulator, firing at Lulworth range and gun drill; wireless course including Morse code and voice procedure. REEL 2 Continues; wireless course; exercises with Bren carrier in Ringwood Forest; canteen; preparing for kit inspections; cinema. Recollections of period with C Sqdn, 110 Regt, RAC at Skipton, Howes, Catterick and Otley, 7/1942-9/1943: background to unit former status as infantry; mill billets; reception; acting as wireless operator during exercises; nature of Valentine tank and crew roles; move to Hawes; training as gunner/mechanic; relationship with tank crew; exercises on moors; routine maintenance on Valentine; question of promotion; role as driver/mechanic; move to Catterick Camp; camp theatre; move to Otley Camp; role of unit supplying drafts for North Africa; change in unit role to advanced training; moor fire; story of problem with reverse steering on steep hill; background to disbandment of unit and volunteering for Glider Pilot Regt; attending selection board at Doncaster Racecourse, ca 9/1942, including medical, interview and pass rate; special friend. REEL 3 Reception and interview on reporting to GPR Depot, Fargo Camp, 10/1943. Recollections of training on Tiger Moth with 21 Elementary Flying Training School, Denham and Booker, 10/1943-1/1944: question of training 2nd pilots for D Day operations; ground training; familiarisation flight dual flying training including flying controls, and instruments, circuits and bumps, spinning, take off and landing; first solo, 12/1943; restrictions on solo flying to circuits and bumps; opinion of Tiger Moth; passing course and promotion to corporal. Period flying Hotspur glider with 3 Glider Training School, Stoke Orchard and Wanborough, 11/1943-12/1943: first impressions of Hotspur; dual instruction including importance of high tow position, towing by Miles Master, take off, casting off tow and landing; flying solo. Recollections of period as second pilot flying Horsa with E Sqdn, GPR based at Brize Norton and Down Ampney, 3/1944-6/1944: training with 1st pilot acting as instructor; opinion of Horsa; memories of 1st pilot Staff Sergeant Bert Holt; promotion to sergeant and nature of sergeants' mess; prior conditions of service at Booker; drinking habits. REEL 4 Continues: night flying; move to Down Empney; sharing airfield with units of RAF Transport Command; exercises in mass take off, flying in pairs towing with Dakotas and landings; training as 2nd pilot. Recollections of participation in Operation Mallard landing at Ranville, Normandy, France, 6/6/1944-7/6/1944: closure of airfield; identification stripes on Dakota and Horsa; prior briefing; issue of toggle ropes, 24 hour food ration packs and invasion currency; secrecy; composition of load personal morale; flying kit and headphone communications with towing aircraft; briefing from Colonel Chatterton on success of Pegasus Bridge operation; take off at 18/00, 6/6/1944; taking turns to fly Horsa; flight out and view of D Day concentration of armour and shipping; view on approach to landing zone; question of anti-glider posts; landing, opening tail section and unloading troops and jeep under German mortar fire; question of level of infantry training as glider pilot; move to GPR rendezvous; opinion of Major Peter Jackson; digging slit trenches; weapons carried; situation overnight, 6/6/1944-7/6/1944; relief by Commandos; crossing Pegasus Bridge and evidence of fighting during march back to beaches, 7/6/1944; evacuation by landing craft to GB; personal morale and absence of casualties. REEL 5 Continues: reception on return and question of second mission; Period at Down Empney, 6/1944-9/1944: opinion of new 1st pilot Staff Sergeant Bob Gear; reception on leave; ferrying in replacement gliders; briefings for various aborted operations. Recollections of flying Horsa during Operation Market Garden landings at Arnhem, Netherlands, 18/9/1944-24/9/1944: prior briefings; and reaction to distance of Drop Zone from Arnhem bridges; load of platoon of King's Own Scottish Borderers; confinement to camp; personal morale; take off and flight with first wave; approach to LZ; cast off and landing at Wolfhaeza at 13.00, 18/9/1944; disembarking KOSB; assisting in removal of tails of nearby gliders; GPR rendezvous in woods; move to Wolfhaeza lunatic asylum and presence of inmates; reporting to act as runner at Wing Headquarters; situation; checking location of E Sqdn on bicycle; move to Oosterbeek; house used as Wing HQ; locating HQ, Air Landing Bde and reporting location to HQ, 6th Airborne Div, Hartenstein Hotel, Oosterbeek; guard duties and situation overnight, 18/9/1944-19/9/1944; move of WINg HQ; into central Oosterbeek; escorting padre; taking messages to HQ, E Sqdn, GPR; 24 hour food rations and shortage of water; German mortar fire. REEL 6 Continues: story of taking stretcher to HQ, E Sqdn, GPR, 24/9/1944; situation; story of being wounded in leg by German tank machine gun and taken prisoner. Recollections of initial period as POW in Netherlands, 24/9/1944-2//10/1944: treatment in German first aid posts; move to Ede; move to Appledore summer palace hospital; state of leg. Train journey to Germany, 2/10/1944-6/10/1944: conditions; question of attempting to escape. Period at Stalag XI B, Fellingbostel, 6/10/1944-27/10/1944: reception and registration; hut accommodation and latrines; US air raid and shooting of glider pilot; visit by padre; opinion of Regimental Sergeant Major Lord; medical treatment for leg; train journey to Sagen. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine during period at Stalag Luft VIII B, Safan, Poland, 30/10/1944-8/2/1944: hut accommodation; food and method of sharing; Red Cross parcels. REEL 7 Continues: roll call; walking perimeter and relationship with prisoners; news from camp wireless; reading books; educational classes; cold conditions; theatrical activities; issue with uniform; question of parcel and letter contact with GB; relationship with German and Polish guards; medical treatment of leg; question of escape; cooking activities; move between compounds; German reprisals for treatment of German POWs, 1/1945; question of reduction in food rations; view of refugees and RAF POWs passing camp. Recollections of march to Bad Orb, Germany, 8/2/1945-10/3/1945: state of leg; weather conditions; debris left by RAF POWs; overnight stops and res days; prisoner shot by guard; gifts of food from German civilian; view of shot down US aircraft; overnight stops; story of singing; shortage of water; lice problem. REEL 8 Continues: dysentery attacks. Period at Stalag IX B, Bad Orb, loss of weight and state of health; presence of US POWs; food; state of health and leg problems; cancellation of further march due to meningitis outbreak; reduction sin food and Red Cross parcels; reactions to liberation by US soldiers, 2/4/1945; US food rations. Flight in stages back to GB, 4/1945. Period prior to demobilisation, 4/1945-1/1946: reception; telegram to family; problems with legs swelling up and hospitalisation, 4/1945-5/1945; VE Day celebrations, 8/5/1945; leave; hospitalisation and convalescence; duties in RAF postings office; demobilisation, 1/1946. Post-war career: training as surveyor; work for timber firm; effects of war service; membership of Glider Pilot Regiment Assoc and Not Forgotten Assoc.