Interview with Stanley Hollingsworth

British aircraftman and officer trained as pilot and bomb aimer with Royal Air Force in GB and Canada, 1942-1944; officer served as bomb aimer with 195 Sqdn, No 3 Group, Bomber Command, RAF in GB, 10/1944-5/1945

REEL 1 Background in Liverpool and Sale, GB, 1921-1941: family; details of education; employment; interest in cycling; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939. Aspects of period as civilian in Sale and London, GB, 1939-1942: attempt to volunteer as despatch rider with Royal Corps of Signals; membership of Home Guard. Aspects of enlistment and training as aircraftman with Royal Air Force in GB, 1942: volunteering for Royal Air Force; family move to Kenton; attending medical selection for navigator training. REEL 2 Continues: reporting to No 1 Aircrew Reception Centre, RAF at St John's Wood, London; road construction duties at Ludlow; pattern of training with No 9 Initial Training Wing, RAF at Stratford-upon-Avon including learning Morse Code; volunteering for flying training. Aspects of flying training with Royal Air Force in GB and Canada, 1942-1943: initial flying training at RAF Desborough; in transit at Aircrew Dispersel Centre, RAF at RAF Heaton Park, near Manchester; familiarisation training and flight; making turns in aircraft; taking off; circuit and bumps; reaction to soloing; voyage aboard HMT Andes from GB to Canada; in transit camp at RCAF Moncton; clothing worn. REEL 3 Continues: familiarisation flight at RCAF Stanley; lack of difference between Fleet Finch and De Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth; forced landing training; instrument flying; spinning aircraft; night flying; problems with instructor during conversion to twin engined aircraft at No 8 Service Flying Training School, RCAF at RCAF Moncton. Aspects of period training as bomb aimer with Royal Air Force in Canada and GB, 4/1943-9/1944: remustering as bomb aimer, 4/1943; visits to Quebec City, Canada and New York, United States of America; bombing training with Mk IX bomb sight; move to No 4 Air Observer School, RCAF at RCAF London, Canada; visits to Detroit, United States of America; role of bomb aimer; commissioning at end of course; return to GB. REEL 4 Continues: move to No 7 Personnel Reception Centre, RAF at RAF Harrogate and leave, 12/1943; move to Sidmouth; familiarisation flights in GB; crewing up; high-level bombing practice; training on Link Trainer; disappearance of pilot due to problems with Short Stirling. Recollections of operations as bomb aimer with 195 Sqdn, No 3 Group, Bomber Command, RAF in GB, 10/1944-5/1945: formation of squadron at RAF Witchford, 1/10/1944; character of airfield, accommodation and mess; how crew socialised together off duty; reaction to first operation to Hamburg, Germany, 20/11/1944; formatting on Gee (H) aircraft to bomb through cloud; flying through anti-aircraft box barrage; number of day/night operations flown; sight of German night and jet fighters; night raid on Neuss, Germany, 11/1944; bombing on markers; method of dropping bombs from aircraft and use of Mk XIV Bomb Sight. REEL 5 Continues: description of preparations for typical raid including briefing; reasons for urinating on tail wheel of aircraft; duties as bomb aimer; preparations for flight; position on take off; communication in aircraft; character of bomber stream; approach to target; degree of effect on aircraft of dropping bombs; checking for hang ups; question of jettisoning of bombs over English Channel at time of American bandleader Major Glenn Miller's disappearance, 15/12/1944; relaxing on leaving target area; photographing of target and acting as bombing leader; question of creep-back; activities on return to base; pattern of operations, 11/1944-1/1945; night raid on Dessau, Germany, 3/1945. REEL 6 Continues: occasions when he was involved in abortive missions and treatment of pilot; bombing of Heligoland, Germany, 1945; heavy bomb loads carried; use of mascot; use of toilet; engine fire; food supply drops during Operation Manna over Netherlands, 4/1945-5/1945. Aspects of period as officer with Royal Air Force in GB and Germany, 1945-1946: attitude to end of Second World War in Europe, 8/5/1945; meeting future wife at dance hall in Selby, GB; posting to security control duties at RAF Northolt, GB; marriage, 24/12/1945; duties in Germany; visit to Berlin, Germany; provision of photographs of bomb damage to Air Ministry in London, GB; demobilisation, 8/1946; attitude to having served with Bomber Command during Second World War.