Description
Object description
British NCO flight engineer served flying Halifax with 635 Sqdn, RAF, based in GB and operating over North West Europe, 1944; served with 78 Sqdn based in GB and France and operating over North West Europe, 1944-1945; served flying Lincoln with 57 Sqdn, RAF in GB and Malaysia, 1949-1950; served flying Shackleton with 42 Sqdn, RAF in GB and Oman, 1957-1961; served flying Shackleton II with 224 Sqdn at Gibraltar, 1961-1963
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of background in Alnwick, 1924-1943: family background and social circumstances; education; review of various jobs, 1938-943; outbreak of war, 3/9/1939; fire watching; service with Air Training Corps, Duke's School, Alnwick, 1941-1943, including training, uniform and visits to airfield; volunteering for RAF and acceptance for training as air gunner. Reporting to Air Crew Reception Centre, Lords Cricket Ground, St John's Wood, London, 3/1943-4/1943: question of prevalence of regional accent; initial impressions of London; billets; kitting out; dill; vaccinations; remustering as flight engineers after failing night vision. Period at 21 Initial Training Wing, Torquay, 1943: hotel billets; nature of training.
REEL 2 Period at No 4 School of Technical Training, RAF, St Athans, 9/1943-3/1944: conditions of service; nature of engineering training; practical exercises on Stirling and Halifax; role of flight engineer; relationship with ORs and question of regional accents; opinion of civilian instructors; assessment and qualifying as sergeant flight engineer. Period flying Halifax with 1663 Heavy Conversion Unit, RAF, Rufforth, 3/944-6/1944: formation of crews; training flights as 2nd flight engineer; formation of crew and training flights with Pilot Flight Lieutenant Bruce Williams, Flight Sergeants Bomb Aimer Eric Caslett, Wireless Operator Ross Perry and Mid Upper Gunner Dusty Graham; nature of Halifax II and V. Period with Navigation Training Unit, Warboys, 6/1944-7/1944: role of flight engineer in Lancaster; flights in Halifax and Oxford. Recollections of period flying Lancaster with 635 Sqdn, RAF, Downham Market, 7/1944-12/1944: conditions of service; role of flight engineer leader; question of status as new crew within pathfinder unit; nature of typical daytime raid on Paris, France, 10/8/1944, including notification, briefing, flying and escape kit and role of ground crew.
REEL 3 Continues: nature of typical daytime raid on Paris, France, 10/8/1944, including importance of pre-flight inspection and checks, question of superstition, take-off routine, flying independently within bomber stream, role maintaining lookout and engine and fuel log books, German anti-aircraft fire, straight and level approach to target, dropping bombs and photograph, story of giving wounded rear gunner morphine and field dressing, flight back, landing procedure, handover to ground crew, debriefing and crew meal; replacement Rear Gunner Warrant Officer Les Sharp; relationship with crew; teetotalism; raids in support of army operations in Caen sector, Normandy, 8/1944; nature of night raids over Germany including German AA fire over Ruhr area, personal morale, threat from German nightfighters corkscrew evasive manoeuvre; question of casualties; background to punishment posting after crew committed navigational error and bombing wrong target during raid on Sohsterberg, Netherlands, 3/9/1944; reactions to leaving unit. Recollections of flying Halifax III with 78 Sqdn, RAF at Breighton, 9/1944-3/1945: reception and conversion fights on Halifax.
REEL 4 Continues: comparison of Lancaster and Halifax III; mining operations; story of engine failures and feathering propeller during raid on Hagen, Netherlands, 2/12/1944; question of approach of end of war; repeated raid on targets; question of fatigue and leave; length of tour and use of points system; final raid of tour, 3/3/1945; nature of sergeants' mess; relationship with officer air crews; question of drinking habits. Period at No 10 Navigational School, RAF in GB, 1945-1947: initial role on searchlights; role as clerk; unofficial flights in Anson. Refresher course at No 4 School of Technical Training, RAF, St Athans, 1947. Period as flight engineer flying Lincoln at Hemswell, 7/1948-11/1948: prior administrative post; opinion of Lincoln; training flights. Period with 230 Operational Conversion Unit, RAF, Lindhome, 11/1948-3/1949: conversion course on Lancaster and Lincoln; forming crew with Pilot Flight Sergeant Jimmy Dagger.
REEL 5 Continues: nature of course. Period flying Lincoln with 57 Sqdn, RAF, Waddington, 4/1949-3/1950: opinion of Lincoln; training flights; air crew sergeants' mess; death of Flight Sergeant Jimmy Dagger in flying accident; annual training deployments to Shalufa, Canal Zone, Egypt; forming crew with Pilot Flight Sergeant Whitaker; opinion of Squadron Leader Peter Brothers. Period on Operation Musgravve bombing based at Tengeh, Malaya, 3/1950-6/1950: flight out; hut accommodation; nature of bombing raids against insurgents in jungle; low flights over troops for morale purposes; story of nearly crashing during dive; story of low flying over USS Boxer; memories of Squadron Leader Peter Brothers and his attitude as former fighter pilot; playing cards; flight back to GB. Period at Waddington, 7/1950-4/1951: background to leaving unit on conversion to B29; background to securing posting to Gunnery School. Period flying Lincoln at Central Gunnery School, RAF, Leconfield, 4/1951-12/1954: question of aircrew status; fighter affiliation exercises; story of broken arm and injuries during crash landing, 26/11/1951.
REEL 6 Continues: hospitalisation, 11/1951-12/1951; sick leave and ground duties, 12/1951-10/1952; initial nerves on resumption of flying duties, 10/1952; operation on arm following problems with fingers. Period flying Lincoln with Bombing Trials Unit, West Freugh, 12/1954-5/1957: renewed problems with arm and 2nd operation; role testing bombs. Period converting to Shackleton at No 7 Maritime Operational Training Unit, Coastal Command, Kinloss, 6/1957-11/1957. Period with 42 Sqdn, RAF, St Evel, 11/1957-4/1961: opinion of Wing Commander Basil Parsons; long range operational flights; period flying bombing missions against insurgents in Oman based at Sharjah, 8/1958-9/1958; return to St Eval; move to St Morgan; endurance flights to assess effects of fatigue. Period flying Shackleton II with 224 Sqdn, Gibraltar, 5/1961-11/1963: accommodation; routine flights in Mediterranean and Atlantic; story of crew stranded in Portugal and subsequently carrying precautionary money and kit.
REEL 7 Continues: detachment to monitor Polish ship during Sputnik trials; long distance flights to boost unit flying hours; visit from doctor to assess fitness of air crew and reaction to being grounded; last flight, 12/11/1963. Period of training and service as air traffic controller with RAF, 1963-1964. Reactions to leaving RAF, 1965. Post-service career: career as air traffic controller and value of RAF experience; acclimatisation to civilian lifestyle; membership of RAF Assoc a, Air Crew Assoc and 78 Sqdn Assoc.