Description
Object description
British aircraftman and officer served with Royal Air Force in GB, US and Canada, 1940-1943; officer served as navigator with 100 and 550 Sqdns, Bomber Command, Royal Air Force in GB, 1943-1944; served with Royal Air Force in GB, 1944-1947
Content description
REEL 1: Background in Essex and London, GB, 1922-1940: family; memories of childhood in Becontree including scenes of Zeppelin and funerals; hospitalisation with diphtheria in Romford; awareness of social differences; scrumping; news of father's arrest; story of family home being struck by lightning; community; education; journey home from school; financial situation and memories of father's drinking; envy among neighbours; memories of mother; details of fish business owned by aunt including pet dog; memories of crooked uncle and politician uncle; politics of parents.
REEL 2 Continues: examples of independent behaviour; civilian work; details of gang at King's Cross; problems with boils and teeth including other visits to doctors and costs; family homes; searches for accommodation; relationship with police; awareness of events in Europe during 1930s including joining of Auxiliary Fire Service; father's reaction to potential war and to outbreak of war; duties with Auxiliary Fire Service including outbreak of war; reactions to outbreak of war; changes to life after start of war; reasons for joining Royal Air Force; problems faced by lack of education.
REEL 3 Continues: process of joining Royal Air Force including post offered and reaction of mother. Aspects of period as aircraftman with Royal Air Force in GB, 8/1940-10/1941: opinion of training and service; learning to drill in streets of Blackpool including relationship with civilians; accommodation; relationship with army; story of journey back from leave; learning Morse code later in Blackpool; length of induction course; period as batman at Lossiemouth; story of first flight; story of air raid; wireless theory course at Yatesbury; settling into military life; superiority felt as air crew; pay parade; discipline; rations; relationship with civilians; leisure activities; details and opinion of course undertaken at Yatesbury; story of first official flight; guard duties.
REEL 4 Continues: awareness of wider war; morale and fear of invasion including story of later exercise on south coast; learning of Morse code in Blackpool; proficiency with Morse including story of taking test for others; daily routine; application to become pilot while in Lossiemouth; details of posting to Lichfield in radio maintenance; leave including breaking of elbow; posting to Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood; accommodation; supply of meals; problems making bed; activities at Lord's; pattern of training at Newquay and Heaton Park; discovery of posting to US; opinion of training received in GB. Aspects of voyage from Gourock, GB, to Halifax, Canada, 12/1941: details of ship; sleeping arrangements; organisation of meals including seasickness; scenes from deck; length of voyage; knowledge of situation regarding U- Boats; guns onboard; activities during voyage; relationship with crew. Aspects of period as aircraftman with Royal Air Force in Canada and US, 12/1941-12/1942: reactions on arrival; conditions during train journey to Moncton; period at Moncton including change in situation after Pearl Harbour; posting and train journey to Turner Field in Florida.
REEL 5 Continues: details of and activities at Turner Field including reveille and bugle playing; staff in camp including perceived threat of invasion; relationship with Americans; rations and supply of meals including impressions of segregation; posting to and details of Lakeland and aerodrome; details of training including learning to fly; system of discipline and punishments; differences between American and British troops including on parade; relationship with American troops and civilians; civilian attitude to war including media coverage in US; introduction to cockpit; process of learning to fly including first solo flight.
REEL 6 Continues: clothing worn in cockpit; time spent in air; preparations for flight; other activities including lifesaving test; climate; crops in area; camp perimeter guard; parachute training; story of not wearing belt; accidents in training; story of being thrown out of basic training including organisation of course and problems with instructor; posting as navigator; further details of basic training including story of strike; details and opinion of Vultee BT- 13 Valiant; reactions to situation; contact with family; news of being thrown off course; story of journey to Trenton in Ontario including visit to New York.
REEL 7 Continues: clashes between fascists and communists in King's Cross area, 1936-1938, including reasons for supporting communists; method of sending mail; delivery of milk; details of Trenton; leave; train journey to Chatham in New Brunswick; details and opinion of Chatham; test of blackout on Canadian eastern seaboard; opinion of Avro Anson; story of crash and subsequent interview; relationship with civilians; details and opinion of navigation course undertaken including methods of navigation; fitness training; proficiency required; passing out parade; news of commission as pilot officer; uniform and badges worn; opinion of navigation course including comparison with American navigation training; further opinion of Avro Anson.
REEL 8 Continues: description of Avro Anson; reactions to end of pilot training and to role as navigator; relationship between crew members in air and on ground; relationship with civilians including attitude to training; winter conditions including story of hunt; problems with navigation; scenes of northern lights; accommodation; living conditions; delay of departure; details of voyage to GB aboard the Andes. Aspects of period as officer with Royal Air Force in GB, 12/1942- 10/1943: accommodation in Bournemouth; air activity; route marches; period with Canadian 1st Division; short posting and accommodation in Harrogate; completion of navigation training in Dumfries including accidents; flying in Scotland; importance of wind.
REEL 9 Continues: length of posting in Dumfries; further details of training; planes being introduced to bomber squadrons; changes to crew; formation of crew; problems with bomb aimer including debriefing after bomb aimer bailed out of plane; problems faced after bomb aimer bailed; activities with heavy conversion unit; details of navigational aid, GEE; location of and activities with heavy conversion unit; story of first operation in Vickers Wellington; story of exercise; use of oxygen and chemical latrine; gaining familiarity with aircraft; posting to squadron at Grimsby. Aspects of operations as officer with 100 and 550 Sqdns, Bomber Command, Royal Air Force in GB, 10/1943-10/1944: details of posting and Avro Lancasters; visits to local post office; formation of and transfer to 550 Squadron; presence of Australian air force; area around RAF Grimsby and story of air testing a plane.
REEL 10 Continues: role of squadron; description of take-off; number of flights; approach to Berlin including routes taken; work of pathfinder force; story of bomb aimer missing marker; rumours of captured bombers; story of attack from suspected captured Avro Lancaster; effects of attack including scenes over Berlin; description of return flight including story of German airfield; attack from anti-aircraft guns in Netherlands and dropping of chaff; method of navigation; approach to and landing at RAF Woodbridge; disembarkation including congratulations and rum received; casualties from raid; fuel left in aircraft; breakfast the morning after; train journey to squadron; subsequent problems sleeping and convalescence in Cleveleys; refusal of NCOs to fly again; discussion of citation of award made to pilot.
REEL 11 Continues: results of raid; special jobs undertaken for 550 Squadron including visit to Northern Ireland and theory about preferential treatment received; details of operational flights; problems with weather reports, 17/12/1943; details of arrivals from Berlin; roots of stress; including briefings and preparations for flight; relationship among crew; morale including story of leave in Cleethorpes; question of success of raids and thought about victims; concerns during bombing raids; methods of navigation including improvisation; story of training exercise; navigation at high altitude.
REEL 12 Continues: knowledge of Normandy landings; morale; clothing worn and comfort during bombing raids; escape items and energy tablets; temperatures in plane; attacked points on Avro Lancasters; problems with escape points; grounding. Aspects of period as officer with Royal Air Force in GB, 10/1944-8/1947: details of post held at RAF Finningley; reaction to end of war; details of administration course undertaken; work shutting down airfields including de Havilland Mosquito flights; attitude to Germans; reflections on Second World War including ill preparedness.
REEL 13 Continues: 1945 General Election including opinion of Winston Churchill. Aspects of period as civilian in GB from 1947: further education; reflections on war service; atmosphere in Britain following war including civilian work; opinions of bomber command.
