Interview with William Reeks

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Description

Object description

British civilian in London, GB, 1939-1941; naval airman trained as observer with Fleet Air Arm in GB and 750 Naval Air Sqdn, HMS Goshawk, Royal Naval Air Station Piarco, Trinidad, 1941-1943; officer served as observer with 852 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in US and aboard HMS Nabob in GB coastal waters and off Norway, 2/1944-8/1944; served with 855 Naval Sqdn, No 157 Wing, Coastal Command, RAF at RAF Hawkinge, GB, 9/1944-10/1944; served with 848 Naval Air Sqdn, 2nd Air Carrier Group, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Formidable, 1st Aircraft Carrier Sqdn, British Pacific Fleet in Pacific, 2/1945-5/1945

Content description

REEL 1 Background in GB and France, 1922-1939: family; education; anticipation of Second World War; reaction to Munich Crisis, 9/1938; employment as clerk. Aspects of period as civilian in London, GB, 1939-1941: air raid warning after declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; role manning council rest centres; description of rest centres; belief in ultimate Allied victory; work in rest centre during heavy German Air Force raids; German Air Force bombing of Hackney area; joining 51st (Chingford) Bn Essex Home Guard, 1940; training with Home Guard; manning pill box on Outer London Defence Line; character of Home Guard; work with council. Aspects of enlistment as naval airman with Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1941: volunteering as observer with Fleet Air Arm; selection procedure; period of deferment. Recollections of training as naval airman with Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1941-1942: drafting to No 52 Observers Course at HMS Daedalus, Royal Naval Air Station Lee-on-Solent; issue of uniform; accommodation and origin of recruits. REEL 2 Continues: move to HMS St Vincent, Gosport; drill; seamanship training; flag signal training; character of instructors; signal training at HMS Raven, Royal Naval Air Station Eastleigh; keenness of recruits. Aspects of training as observer with 750 Naval Air Sqdn, HMS Goshawk, Royal Naval Air Station Piarco, Trinidad, 1942-1943: voyage from GB to Trinidad via United States of America; accommodation and daily routine; types of aircraft used; radar training; character of navigation training; communication training; clothing worn during flying training; training to spot for fall of shot; observer equipment. REEL 3 Continues: background of pilots; intensive nature of training; return to GB via United States of America, 3/1943. Aspects of training as observer with Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1943: officer training at Royal Naval College, Greenwich; appointment to HMS Peewit, Royal Naval Air Station East Haven; clothing worn whilst operating in Fairey Swordfish; difficulties of navigating in open cockpit; communicating with pilot; weather conditions over North Sea; first deck landing; astro-navigation training; voyage aboard HMT Queen Mary from GB to United States of America. Aspects of observer training with 852 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in United States of America, 1943-1944: impressions of commanding officer Lieutenant Commander Bobby Bradshaw; relations between aircrew and ground crew; crewing up; interior of Grumman Avenger and crew positions; crews' opinion of Grumman Avenger. REEL 4 Continues: working up exercises; responsibilities of crew members; arrangements for Christmas break, 12/1943; flight across United States of America to join escort carrier HMS Nabob in San Francisco, 2/1944; crossing North Atlantic, 4/1944. Aspects of operations as observer with 852 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Nabob in GB coastal waters and off Norway, 5/1944-8/1944: training in Scotland; minelaying Operation Offsping off coast of Norway, 8/1944; accommodation on board escort carrier; relations and division of duties between naval and Fleet Air Arm personnel on board; briefing prior to operations; proposed role of squadron during Operation Goodwood the attack on the German battleship Tirpitz, 8/1944; torpedoing of HMS Nabob by submarine U-354 in Barents Sea, 22/8/1944; return voyage to Scapa Flow, GB, 22/8/1944-27/8/1944. Aspects of operations as observer with 855 Naval Air Sqdn, No 157 Wing, Coastal Command, RAF at RAF Hawkinge, GB, 9/1944-10/1944: role of squadron attacking German coastal vessels in North Sea. REEL 5 Continues: patrol area along coast of Netherlands; operating at night; method of attacking coastal vessels; reporting vessels to strike aircraft; disbandment of squadron, 10/1944. Recollections of operations as observer with 848 Naval Air Sqdn, 2nd Carrier Air Group, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Formidable, 1st Aircraft Carrier Sqdn, British Pacific Fleet in Pacific, 2/1945-5/1945: voyage from GB to Ceylon; joining HMS Formidable at Ceylon, 2/1945; role of squadron attacking Sakishima Gunto Islands, Japan, 4/1945; method of attacking airfields; number of airfields attacked; ditching in sea after aircraft was damaged by anti-aircraft fire; period in dinghy and rescue by United States Navy flying boat; journey to Sydney, Australia for survivors' leave; ditching in sea; rumours of fate of airmen in Japanese hands; provisions to pick up downed airmen; duties with Fleet Requirement Unit (FRU) in Australia; attitude to end of Second World War, 15/8/1945; demobilisation, 1946; attitude to having served with Fleet Air Arm during Second World War. REEL 6 Continues: post-war meeting with American crews who found his crew in Pacific; return to civilian life, 1946.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1990 to the present day (production), Second World War (content), Second World War (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
McDonough, Richard (Recorder)
Reeks, William (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 2008-06-12
Dimensions: whole: Duration 160, Number Of Items 6
Catalogue number: 31392

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Interview with William Reeks

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