Description
Object description
British wireless operator served as wireless operator at North West Signals Centre, Haydock, GB, 1953-1954; detached for tests at Research Centre, Porton Down, GB, 1954
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of background in Bootle, Liverpool, 1930-1953: family background and father's military service, 1914-1918; social circumstances; awareness of conditions of Irish population; education and sporting activities at Bootle Grammar School, 1942-1949; reactions to outbreak of war, 3/9/1939; brief evacuation to Southport, 1939; story of visit to French ships in Gladstone Dock, 1940; impact of naval casualties; issue of gas masks; blackout; Anderson shelter; view of German bomber intercepted by RAF; nature of German air raids, 1940-1941, including direct hit on Bootle Cooperative air raid shelter, 5/1941, collecting shrapnel, effects of stick of bombs on street, direct hit on home, view of low flying Heinkel and subsequent demolition of house.
REEL 2 Continues: move to Ormskirk; storage of furniture; billet in Southport, 5/1941-1/1942; return to Bootle, 1/1942; continuation of German air raids; playing on bombsites; work as paperboy; food rationing and black market activities; presence of US troops and Rhodesian RAF; recreations and sporting activities including cinema, theatre and watching football matches; barrage balloons; street parties; educational qualifications; attending and abandoning planning degree at Durham University, 1949-1952; deferment of national service as student, 1949-1952; call up procedure for air crew with RAF, 12/1952. Period at Air Crew Reception Centre, Padgate, 12/1952-1/1953: reception; kitting out; status as potential aircrew; hut accommodation; food rations. Period on Air Crew Assessment at Hornchurch, 1/1953: medical.
REEL 3 Continues: PT; psychometric and intelligence tests; rejection for aircrew service. Period as potential officer at Hednesford, 1/1953: first impressions and conditions of service; relationship with recruits; football activities; relationship with instructors; drill; weapons training; PT; preparing for room and kit inspections; breaking arm on leave; competition between flights; question of signing on for 3 years to gain commission; selection for wireless training. Period training as wireless operator as wireless operator at No 1 Radio School, Compton Basset, 4/1953-10/1953: learning Morse code.
REEL 4 Continues: assignment to hut based on sporting ability; wireless training with civilian lecturer; exercises setting up mobile wireless unit; training in cipher. Recollections of period as wireless operator at North West Signals Centre, Haydock, 10/1953-12/1954: role receiving and distributing teleprinter messages; decoding; underground nature of centre; shift system; receiving and redirecting telephone messages; story of wireless operator released early from national service as prominent scientist; relationship with WAAFs; living at home and hitch-hiking from Bootle; question of secrecy; story of saluting Queen; attending moral rearmament course at RAF Padres Centre including reaction to prevalent Anglo-Catholicism.
REEL 5 Continues: story of undergoing tests at Research Establishment, Porton Down, 5/1954, including background to volunteering, 4/1954, train journey, reception, hut accommodation, presence of RAF volunteers, briefing, medical and fitness tests, question of secrecy, establishment personnel and lack of scientific rigour in tests, effects of mustard gas blister test on arms and gas mask tests whilst sweating; story of fight between recruits at Compton Basset; anticipation of demobilisation; sporting activities; demobilisation, 12/1954. Post-service career: assistance in finding professional appointment; attitude to military discipline; review of career as public health inspector including story of inspecting Cavern night club premises, Matthew Street Liverpool, 1957.
REEL 6 Continues: review of career as public health inspector including story of inspecting Cavern night club premises, Matthew Street Liverpool, 1957; question of effects of tests at Porton Down including identifying nature of tests, 1957 and subsequent increasing awareness of serious nature of tests; membership of Porton Down Veterans Assoc, ca 2002-2007; scientific submissions to PDVA on nature of mustard gas as mutating agent; possible effects of mustard gas in triggering skin and prostrate cancer; comparison of mustard gas cancer triggering effects with asbestos and cigarettes; question of compensation case; attitude to Porton Down tests and military of Defence attitude to compensation of service personnel.