Description
Object description
British naval airman trained as pilot with Fleet Air Arm in GB and Canada, 1941-1942; officer served as pilot with 786 Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at Royal Naval Air Station Crail, GB, 1/1943-2/1943; served with 836 Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in Northern Ireland and Atlantic, 1943-1945; served as test pilot with Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1945-1948; commanded Ferry Flight at Royal Naval Air Station Ansty in GB, 1948-1950; served with 813 Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at Royal Naval Air Station and aboard HMS Implacable in GB coastal waters, 1950-1951; attached to Royal Navy for general seamanship training in GB coastal waters, 1951-1952; served as flying officer aboard HMS Ocean during Korean War, 1953; served as staff officer with Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1953-1959
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Portsmouth and Woking, GB, 1922-1941: family; education; awareness of situation in Europe, 1938; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; employment working with De Havilland Tiger Moths on airfield. Aspects of enlistment and training as naval airman with Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1941-1942: selection interview on volunteering, 2/1941; invasion scare in Home Guard; call up to Gosport; talks from Laurence Oliver and Ralph Richardson; adjusting to training; move to HMS St Vincent; sleeping in air raid shelters; memories of Chief Petty Officer Wilmott; effects of in-growing toe nail.
REEL 2 Continues: elementary flying training near Luton; relations with instructor; soloing at RAF Sealand; pattern of flying training in De Havilland Tiger Moth; recreational activities in Chester; embarkation aboard USS Seaplane Texas in Glasgow, 3/1942; voyage from GB to Canada; flying training on North American Harvard in Ontario; character of North American Harvard; reasons for being placed on charge; pattern of flying training; return voyage from Canada to GB aboard Queen Elizabeth, 10/1942; commissioning on return to GB; move to RAF Errol.
REEL 3 Continues: reasons for volunteering for torpedo bombers. Aspects of period as pilot with 786 Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at Royal Naval Air Station Crail in GB, 1/1943-2/1943: posting to squadron; practice torpedo bombing; characteristics of Fairey Swordfish; flying with instructors; technique for dropping torpedo; accommodation. Aspects of period as pilot with Fleet Air Arm at Royal Naval Air Station, Abroath, GB, 2/1943-3/1943: dummy deck landings; deck landing training on HMS Argus.
REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of period as pilot with 774 Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at Royal Naval Air Station St Mervyn, GB, 3/1943-5/1943: accommodation; duties training air gunners. Recollections of operations as pilot with 836 Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in Northern Ireland and Atlantic, 1943-1945: appointment to Royal Naval Air Station, Maydown; composition of squadron flights; contrast between landing arrangements on grain and tanker MAC ships; number of aircraft allocated to MAC ships; relations between Fleet Air Arm and Merchant Navy personnel; convoy escort duties; occasion when a lump of floating ice was mistaken for U-boat; 9/1943; nature of first convoy, 9/1943; ashore in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
REEL 5 Continues: method of flying control; treatment after incident of floating ice mistaken for U-boat; decline in patrolling and non-flying activities on board including his birthday celebrations, 11/10/1943; flying conditions; landing on; problems with defective fuel; duration of patrols; attitude to service on MAC ships; rivalry with escort carriers; role as batman during first convoy; role as batsman; accommodation on board; decline in shipping losses from 1943; flying off on return to GB; loss of Fairey Swordfish.
REEL 6 Continues: Aspects of period as test pilot with Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1945-1948: duties as test pilot at Royal Naval Air Station Worthy Down; test pilot course; extended leave; taking four year short service commission; flying De Havilland Mosquito; types of aircraft flown in Oxfordshire; amusing incident with motorcycle; accident in De Havilland Mosquito; loss of instruments in De Havilland Mosquito; memories of time at Cullan. Aspects of period commanding Ferry Flight, Fleet Air Arm at Royal Naval Air Station Ansty in GB, 1948-1950: appointment as commanding officer; ferry flight; loss of ferry pilot in Fairey Barracuda Mk V; opinion of Blackburn Firebrand.
REEL 7 Continues: Aspects of period as pilot with 813 Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at Royal Naval Air Station Lee-on-Solent and aboard HMS Implacable, 1950- 1951: composition and squadron; landing on HMS Implacable; cruise to Baltic; characteristics of Blackburn Firebrand; landing accidents in Blackburn Firebrand; reputation of Blackburn Firebrand; background to taking permanent commission, 1949; memories of Admiral Vian; amusing story of encounter with senior officers; winter cruises; searching for lost submarine. Aspects of period as officer aboard destroyer in GB coastal waters, 1951-1952: attitude to destroyer service; duties on board.
REEL 8 Continues: Aspects of period as flying officer aboard HMS Ocean off Korea, 1953: appointment to aircraft carrier; question of suitability as flying officer; voyage from Malta to Japan, 4/1953; operational rotation off Korean coast and working routine; return voyage; situation off Korea; use of catapult. Aspects of period as staff officer with Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1953-1959: staff work for division and at Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose; decision to leave Fleet Air Arm, 1959; prior recollection of salute from US aircraft carrier off Korea, 1953; reasons for leaving Fleet Air Arm, 1959.
