Pook, Jeremy John (Oral history)

British officer trained as pilot at Royal Air Force College, Cranwell and with 4 Flying Training School, RAF Valley in, GB, 1963-1967; student on flying instructors course at Central Flying School, RAF Little Rissington in GB, 1967; served as flying instructor at RAF Leaming in GB, 1967-1970 served on 146 Day Fighter/Ground Attack Course with 229 Operational Conversion Unit at RAF Chivenor in GB, 1970; served with 208 Sqdn, RAF in Bahrain, 1970-1971; served with Harrier GR 1 Course, 233 (Harrier) Operational Conversion Unit at RAF Wittering in GB, 1971-1972; served with 20 Sqdn, RAF at RAF Wildenrath, Germany, 1972-1975; served as instructor with 233 (Harrier) Operational Conversion Unit at RAF Wittering in GB, 1975-1977; served as flight commander with 306 Sqdn, Royal Netherlands Air Force at RNLAF Volkel in Netherlands, 1977-1980; served as flight commander with 1 (F) Sqdn, RAF at RAF Wittering in GB, Belize and during Falklands War, 1980-1983; served as instructor with C Sqdn, TTTE at RAF Cottesmore in GB, 1984-1987; served as instructor on Standards Sqdn at RAF Cottesmore, GB, 1988-1992; commanded Tornado Flight Simulator at Tornado Ground School at RAF Cottesmore in GB, 1993-1997; civilian instructor on flight simulator at RAF Wittering in GB, 1997-2007

REEL 1 Background in Teignmouth and Plymouth, GB, 1945-1963: family; education; flying De Havilland Tiger Moth as cadet, 1962; acquiring private pilots licence. Aspects of enlistment and training with RAF in GB, 1963-1966: selection for pilot training; flying aptitude tests; training at Royal Air Force College, Cranwell; flying De Havilland Chipmunk and De Havilland Jet Provost; pattern of flying training and ground courses; opinion of training at Royal Air Force College; survival course; graduating as pilot; percentage of graduates who would fly fight aircraft move to 4 Flying Training School at RAF Valley for fighter pilot course; opinion and character of Folland Gnat T1 Trainer; reaction to posting as instructor at end of fighter course at RAF Valley. REEL 2 Continues: Aspects of period on instructors course at Central Flying School, RAF Rissington, GB, 3/1967-7/1967: attitude to attending course; opinion of instructors and pattern of training; participation in unofficial aerial combat; flying Vickers Varsity; attitude of course instructors to students; interview with commandant. Aspects of period as instructor at 3 Flying Training School, RAF Leaming, GB, 1967-1970: background to posting; aid received from older instructors to improve personal standards; organisation of flying instruction; question of RAF ethos of there not being bad pupils only poor instructors; checks and balances involved in training pupils; dealing with foreign students; pupil who had problems with airsickness; role as aerobatic instructor and air display work; effects of work load during period; reasons for rejection of offer to join Red Arrows Display Team at end of tour. REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of period as pilot on 146 Day Fighter/Ground Attack Course with 229 Operational Conversion Unit at RAF Chivenor in GB, 1969-1970: posting to course; opinion of Hawker Hunter, Mk V1; air to air gunnery training; problems with brakes on Hawker Hunter Mk VI; bombing training on range; firing rockets; combat tactics; danger of stalling in Hawker Hunter Mk VI; flying suits worn; survival aids carried in aircraft and attending survival course; story of attending survival courses in Germany during 1970s. Recollections of operations as pilot 208 Sqdn in Bahrain, 1970-1971: posting to RAF Muharraq; character of squadron and operational task; range of operations; character of squadron. REEL 4 Continues: sense of historical connection with past; relations with civilians; taking motorcycle test; disbandment of squadron, 1971. Aspects of period on Harrier GR1 Course with 233 Operational Conversion Unit at RAF Wittering, GB, 1971-1972: wish to fly Harrier; purpose of course; hover training; difficulties of landing Harrier GR 1; pattern of training; filming of every flight; watching of film containing clips of various mishaps and accidents; threat of bird strike on Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR 1; development of tactics. Recollections of period as pilot with 20 Sqdn, RAF at RAF Wildenrath in Germany, 1972-1975: posting to squadron; organisation of squadron; role of squadron; field exercises; land away flights with NATO airforces; evaluation exercises. REEL 5 Continues: lack of restrictions on flying and military presence in Germany; attempts by Warsaw Pact to entice NATO aircraft over border; changes to Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR 3; operating in reconnaissance role; updates to Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR 3; leaving squadron. Aspects of period as instructor with 233 (Harrier) Operational Conversion Unit at RAF Wittering in GB, 1975-1977: attitude to posting as instructor; nature of training; need to improve air combat training; pattern of conversion course training and role as instructor; common mistake with students during training; problems of landing Hawker Siddeley in wrong place; posting away from unit as exchange officer with Royal Netherlands Air Force, 1977. REEL 6 Continues: Aspects of period as flight commander with 306 Sqdn, Royal Netherlands Air Force at RNLAF Volkel in Netherlands, 1977-1980: character of airfield; conversion onto Lockheed F104 Starfighter; prevalence of English language amongst Dutch personnel and his wish to learn Dutch; night flying over Germany; squadron casualties; gunnery work on range; character of Royal Netherlands Air Force in contrast to RAF. Recollections of period as flight commander with 1 (F) Sqdn, RAF at RAF Wittering in GB and Belize, 1980-1982: introduction of laser target marker and restrictions on use; air to air refuelling; introduction of night refuelling training; role as flight commander flying Hawker Siddeley GL3s; operational role of squadron in Europe. REEL 7 Continues: detachment as flight commander with 1417 Flight in Belize; nature of operations; hurricane evacuation to US; return to GB; deployment to Europe for exercises. Recollections of operations as flight commander with 1(F) Sqdn, RAF during Falklands War, 1982: preparations for deployment and proposed role; conversion of BAe Harriers to operate at sea; air combat training with French Air Force; awareness of skill levels of Argentinean Air Force pilots; nature of air combat; dropping cluster bombs and firing rockets on range; practice firing of Sidewinder Missile; practice ski ramp launches; range of Hawker Harrier GR 3; flight from GB to Ascension Island, 3/5/1982. REEL 8 Continues: military activities at Ascension Island; voyage from Ascension Island to Falklands Islands on board Norland; period on Atlantic Conveyor; change in role to ground attack; transfer from Atlantic Conveyor to HMS Hermes; landing on aircraft carrier; effect on operations of relations between RAF and senior naval personnel on board HMS Hermes; number of squadron members on board HMS Hermes; brief training period prior to operations; first operation to attack fuel dump at Fox Bay on West Falkland, 20/5/1982; reaction to completion of first operation; hearing of loss of forward air controller during cross decking helicopter crash; briefing for operations, 21/5/1982; taxi-ing BAe Harrier backwards; attack on Argentinean helicopters near Mount Kent, 21/5/1982; attitude of Admiral Sandy Woodward to operation. REEL 9 Continues: attitude of naval personnel to RAF fighter pilots; lost of squadron member Jeff Glover, 21/5/1982; reconnaissance of Dunrose Head, 21/5/1982; opinion of system of air control on HMS Hermes; problems with IFF, 21/5/1982; reaction to and preparations for four aircraft attack on Goose Green; account of attack on Goose Green, 22/5/1982; aftermath of attack; first squadron night landing; briefing for attack on Port Stanley; accommodation aboard HMS Hermes; loss of Gordy Batt; allocation of flight commanders and wingmen; tactics used for armed reconnaissance in Port Howard area, 23/5/1982. REEL 10 Continues: results of armed reconnaissance of Port Howard; fear of accidental attack by BAe Sea Harriers; failure of weapons on one aircraft; reaction to news of capture of Jeff Glover; failure of Royal Navy to understand importance of reconnaissance photographs; results of raid on airfield at Port Stanley, 24/5/1982; incident of BAe Sea Harrier landing on with hung up bomb; states of readiness; plan for combined attack with Fleet Air Arm aircraft on Port Stanley airfield; role observing attack on Port Stanley airfield; reaction to hearing of sinking of HMS Coventry, 25/5/1982; missile alarm on board HMS Hermes and loss of Atlantic Conveyor, 25/5/1982; effect of moving Task Force away from Falkland Islands; abortive mission, morning, 26/5/1982; armed reconnaissance missions in front of troops, 26/5/1982; contrast between photo-reconnaissance and armed reconnaissance missions. REEL 11 Continues: attacking Argentinean helicopter on armed reconnaissance, 26/5/1982; effects of not having experienced forward air controllers for attack on Goose Green, 27/5/1982; reaction to BBC broadcast on British intention to attack Goose Green; problems with forward air controllers at Goose Green; shooting down of Bob Iveson, 27/5/1982; flying reconnaissance mission, evening 27/5/1982; armed reconnaissance, afternoon, 28/5/1982; attack on Argentinean positions at Goose Green, dusk, 28/5/1982; success of attack on Goose Green; recovery of Bob Iveson; attempt to locate Argentinean radars, 29/5/1982. REEL 12 Continues: reaction to performance during attack on suspected Argentinean radar position, 30/5/1982; attack on Port Stanley airfield with Paveway Laser Guided Bombs, 30/5/1982; account of ejecting from aircraft into sea after receiving damage during attack on Wall Mountain, 30/5/1982; rescue and return to HMS Hermes and reunion with Bob Iveson. REEL 13 Continues: arrival of reinforcements and forward landing strip at San Carlos becoming operational, 1/6/1982; effect of poor weather conditions on operations, 2/6/1982-5/6/1982; failure of Bob Iveson's Head up Display on take-off from ramp, 5/6/1982; character of Exocet reconnaissance mission, 5/6/1982; repeat of Exocet reconnaissance mission, 6/6/1982; chaotic nature of operations, 7/6/1982; attack on Sapper Hill, 7/6/1982; Bob Iveson's back injury; Peter Squire's crash landing on forward air strip; amusing story of having to fill out mission report after attacking target, 8/6/1982; first landing on forward air strip, 9/6/1982. REEL 14 Continues: description of forward air strip at San Carlos and its operational limitations; reasons for disruption of Paveway Laser Guided Bomb trials; problems with communications; lack of understanding by Royal Navy of ground attack operations; relations with Fleet Air Arm pilots aboard HMS Hermes; operations carried out by naval Sea Harriers; importance of air reconnaissance for army operations; damage to Murdo McLeod's aircraft, 12/6/1982; execution of first successful Paveway Laser Guided Bomb attacks on Port Stanley airfield, 13/6/1982. REEL 15 Continues: how 1st Bn Scots Guards opened fire on his aircraft, 13/6/1982; reaction to Argentinean surrender, 14/6/1982; squadron aircraft remaining, 14/6/1982; activities after surrender; victory flypast, 2/6/1982; move to Port Stanley airfield, 4/6/1982; return flight to GB, 6/7/1982-7/7/1982; leave on return to GB; psychological condition after war; return to Falkland Islands. Aspects of period as pilot with 1 (F) Sqdn, RAF in GB, 1982-1983: psychological effects of experiences during war; division of squadron between those who had been to Falklands and those who had not; changes to aircraft after war; leaving squadron, 3/1983. Aspects of period as instructor with 233 (Harrier) Operational Conversion Unit at RAF Wittering in GB, 1983-1984: posting to unit as instructor; fatal accidents during tour including loss of John Leeming; attitude to completion of tour and BAe Harrier. Aspects of period as instructor with C Sqdn TTTE and Standards Sqdn at RAF Cottesmore in GB, 1984- 1992: character of Panavia Tornado. REEL 16 Continues: instructional duties on Panavia Tornado GR 1; transfer to Tornado Standards Squadron; multi-national nature of unit; duties training instructors and writing reports; question of training as airline problem; effect of health problems on flying career; role commanding Tornado Flight Simulator at Tornado Ground School at RAF Wittering in GB, 1993-1997. Aspects of period as civilian instructor with Flight Simulator at RAF Cottesmore in GB, 1993-2007: flying simulators; changes in various BAe Harriers marks; changes in operational procedures of Fleet Air Arm pilots; relations between Royal Navy and other services; opinion of BAe Harrier GR 9; attitude to work.