Pevan, Murray (Oral history)

British NCO trained as pilot with No 6 Advanced Flying Training Unit, Windrush, Oxfordshire, 1945

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Hackney and Cricklewood, London, 1923-1942: Jewish family background, social circumstances and question of anti-Semitism; education; cycling activities; interest in flying; reactions to outbreak of war, 3/9/1939; evacuation with brother to Kings Lyn, 9/1939-6/1940, including billet family, sharing school and disruption to education, relationship with local children, question of anti-Semitism and return to London, 6/1940; work as office boy, 1940; work as clerk for Ministry of Aircraft Production, Welburn Place, London, 1940-1942; story of close escape from German land mine and family move out of London; blackout; Anderson shelter and effects of land mine detonation; living with aunt in Cricklewood; rationing; recreations; training with Air Training Corps and prior training with OTC at school; background to recruitment as air crew into RAF on deferred service; call up, 9/1942. REEL 2 Period at Air Crew Reception Centre, Lords Cricket Ground, St John's Wood, London, 9/1942-10/1942: reception; flat accommodation; making bed; cleaning latrines; kitting out; drill and story of near accident with lorry; story of theft of gas mask and subsequent arrest on suspicion of involvement in murder of prostitute committed by airman; relationship with recruits and question of anti-Semitic bullying; avoiding church parade; vaccinations. Conditions of service in tent accommodation at No 27 Elementary Training Wing, RAF, Ludlow, 10/1942-11/1942. Recollections of period with No 5 Initial Training Wing, RAF, Torquay, 11/1942-4/1943: hotel billets; morning routine; lectures; PT and cross country runs; training on Browning machine gun and hand grenades; Morse code training; recreational visits to Torquay including story of being arrested for wearing shoes, attending town hall dances and cinema. REEL 3 Recollections of period flying Tiger Moth with No 22 Elementary Flying Training School, RAF, Cambridge, 4/1943-7/1943: grading school system to assess pilots; flying kit; familiarisation flight; nature of Tiger Moth including instruments and flying controls; taxiing; theory of flight as applied to take off; circuits and bumps including method of turning in flight and landing; grading tests; spinning and method of recovery; low flying; fights with university students. Period at 31 Personnel Dispersal Centre, RAF, Heaton Park, Manchester, 7/1943-8/1943: reasons for overseas flying training; news of approval for flying training in Canada. REEL 4 Voyage aboard Empress of Scotland to Halifax, Canada, 8/1943: first impressions; sailing alone; latrines; conditions; arrival at Halifax; train journey to Monckton. Period at Monckton, 8/1943: conditions of service, hospitality of Canadian civilians/. Recollections of period flying Fairchild Cornell Trainer with 33 EFTS, RAF, Moosejaw, Saskatchewan, 8/1943-10/1943: train journey via US; nature of Cornell; dual flying lessons; first solo, 24/8/1943; side-slipping; steep turns; methods employed in cross country navigation exercises; night flying; instrument flying; aerobatics including loops and rolls; subsequent assessment as suitable for training for multi-engine aircraft; Links Trainer flight simulator; question of assessment as average pilot. Period flying Oxford at 36 Service Flying Training School, RAF, Penhold, Alberta, 10/1943-2/1944: nature of Oxford. REEL 5 Continues: training in action in event of engine failure and abandoning aircraft; opinion of instructors; organisation of courses; winter conditions including problem with oil freezing up overnight and danger of icing up in flight; night flying accident and loss of Oxford crashing into frozen lake; minor accidents; cross country flights; ground training and lectures; exams and failure rate; passing out as sergeant pilot and question of commissions; leave in Chicago, US. Voyage back to GB, 3/1944. Period at Harrogate, 3/1944-7/1944: over-supply of pilots; minimal duties. Refresher course flying Tiger Moth at No 7 EFTS, Desford, 6/1946-7/1946. Refresher course flying Oxford with No 21 Advanced Flying Unit, Tattenhall, 8/1944-9/1944: night navigation in blackout conditions; importance of importance of accurate instrument flying; wireless security arrangements; detachment on course with 1534 Beam Approach Training Flight, RAF, Shawbury, 9/1944. REEL 6 Continues: canteen; detachment to Reserve Flight at Perton. Recollections of period at No 7 Flying Instructors School, Upavon, 12/1944-3/1945: question of selection and reception; nature of station; question of lack of operational experience; relationship with flying instructors; flying in instructor's seat; method of instruction and learning official script; ground training and specialisations; method of slow flight precautionary landings; origins of pilots undergoing instruction; exams and qualification as flight sergeant flying instructor. Recollections of period as flying instructor at No 6 Advanced Flying Training Unit, Windrush, 4/1945-7/1945: reception; hut accommodation; sergeants' mess; background to formation of Tiger Force for deployment in Far East; role converting single-engine to multi-engine pilots; relationship with pupils and chief flying instructor; flying skills of pupils; dispute with French pupil refusing to carry out flying exercises as ordered; danger of flying collision and instructing over specific area; VE Day celebrations, 8/5/1945; initial continuation of intense flying instruction; closure of airfield, 7/1945. REEL 7 Continues: reads example of instructor's script for landing of Oxford; method of destabilising aircraft to check on pupil's ability to locate source of flying problems; responsibility for success of pupils. Period as lorry driver with various RAF units in Germany and Netherlands, 1945-1946. Demobilisation, 5/1946.