Description
Object description
British petty officer served as telegraphist/air gunner served with 830 Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in GB and aboard HMS Furious in GB coastal waters and off Norway, 1943-1944; served with 827 Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1944
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Glasgow, GB, 1922-1941: family; education; employment; membership of Boy's Brigade; awareness of situation in Europe; memories of outbreak of Second World War; fire watching duties and sight of German reconnaissance aircraft; impact of war on life. Aspects of enlistment and training with Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1941-1943: background to volunteering in Fleet Air Arm; question of qualifications needed to join Fleet Air Arm; family's reaction to volunteering; joining 77 Course at Skegness; move to HMS St Vincent at Gosport; problems mastering Morse Code; move to Royal Naval Air Station Worthy Down for flying training; problems communicating in Blackburn Shark.
REEL 2 Continues: story of losing radio communications over broadcasting station near Bristol; need to use G String during gunnery training in Fairey Swordfish off Cornwall; return to Royal Naval Air Station Worthy Down for radar training; training observers with 783 Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in Scotland; Free French pilots on squadron. Recollections of operations as telegraphist/air gunner with 830 Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in GB and aboard HMS Furious in GB coastal waters and off Norway, 1943-1944: drafting to squadron at Royal Naval Air Station Lee on Solent; character of Blackburn Barracuda; losses during move to Arbroath; squadron work up; move to Royal Naval Air Station Machrinhanish; damage sustained to Fairey Barracuda's tailplain; change in pilot and crewing up; crew layout in Fairey Barracuda; opinion of Fairey Barracuda's armament; torpedo training; squadron flypast and embarkation on board HMS Furious, 1943.
REEL 3 Continues: unsuitability of Supermarine Seafires for carrier operations; character of HMS Furious; removal of telegraphist/air gunners from squadron; accidents experienced in Fairey Barracuda; joining Home Fleet at Scapa Flow; abortive flight due to damaged wheel; re-call to ship after news of Scharnhorst being out of port, 12/1943; further details of HMS Furious' characteristics; accommodation on board; relations between Fleet Air Arm and Royal Navy personnel; sight of Supermarine Seafire taking off with ground crew hanging onto tail, 1/1944; other accidents occurring on same day, 1/1944; leave; grounding of Fairey Barracuda; preparations for attack on Tirpitz; relations with Free French; size of force organised for Operation Tungsten to attack Tirpitz.
REEL 4 Continues: bombs carried on operation; character of attack on Tirpitz; return to carrier; loss of squadron pilot; atmosphere on board after operation; reasons for not carrying out second attack on Tirpitz; return to Scapa Flow; story of ditching whilst attempting to return to HMS Furious; rescue from water; treatment of his crew after ditching; night spent on board HMS Iron Duke prior to return to squadron; meeting with future wife serving with Women's Royal Naval Service.
REEL 5 Continues: unsuitability of Fairey Barracuda as torpedo bomber; losses during attack on convoy off Norwegian fjord, 5/1944; awards for first attack on Tirpitz; transfer to HMS Formidable for attack on Tirpitz; reasons for missing attack on Tirpitz; opinion of HMS Formidable and her crew; return to HMS Furious; loss of squadron leader, 8/1944; losses during abortive attack on Tirpitz, 27/8/1944; problems of bomb hitting propeller of Fairey Barracuda during dives; problems with smokescreen during attacks on Tirpitz. Aspects of operations as telegraphist/air gunner with 827 Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1944: move to Beecles; squadron operations off Netherlands; leaving squadron, 12/1944. Aspects of period as telegraphist/air gunner with Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1945: story of discovery of body of petty officer in crashed Fairey Barracuda; drafting to Northern Ireland.
REEL 6 Continues: fate of telegraphist/air gunner comrades; control tower duties; VE Day celebrations in Arbroath; question of staying on in Fleet Air Arm; difficulties of returning to civilian life; comradeship experienced in Fleet Air Arm; fate of former telegraphist/air gunner; reasons for losses of Fairey Barracudas; attitude to flying; role of 827 Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in Far East, 1945; problems of bailing out of Fairey Barracuda; flying suit worn; opinion of tactics employed by Fleet Air Arm.
REEL 7 Continues: Aspects of operations as telegraphist/air gunner with 830 Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Furious off Norway, 1943-1944: reasons for attacking shipping off Norway; attitude towards Germans; question of evading capture in Norway; second hand story of officer evading capture in Norway; attitude to having served in Second World War.