Description
Object description
British officer served as navigator with 50 Sqdn RAF Bomber Command in GB, 1943-1945.
Content description
REEL 1: Aspects of period in GB, 1922-1942: family background and childhood in Westmorland; awarded scholarship to Trinity College, Oxford, 1941; description of training with University Air Squadron; story of enlisting with RAF in Oxford, 7/1941; called up for active service, 5/1942. Aspects of training with RAF in GB, 5-8/1942: induction process at Air Crew Reception Centre, London; accommodation in barracks; daily routine and training; messing arrangements; attitude to discipline; description of flying training in Tiger Moth; posted to Elementary Air Navigation School, Eastbourne; description of training as navigator; opinion of instructors; posted to Blackpool and issued with tropical kit. Aspects of voyage aboard MV Stirling Castle from Liverpool to Durban, South Africa, 9/1942: opinion of conditions aboard ship; length of voyage; story of German residents throwing stones at British troops in Bahia, Brazil, number of RAF personnel aboard ship; story of not stopping to help sinking Greek ship; disembarked Durban, South Africa, 10/1942. Aspects of training with RAF in South Africa, 10/1942-5/1943: travelled by train to East London; description of training as navigator and second pilot in Avro Anson; selected for commission; description of voyage back to GB escorted by HMS Warspite; story of firing on German ship and reading Morse signals; relations with Italian POWs on ship; anti-British sentiment in South Africa including Afrikaans throwing horseshoes. Aspects of training with RAF in GB, 1943: commissioned; opinion of accommodation in hotel; description of further training as navigator at Advanced Flying School near Dudley including night flying; posted to No. 11 OTU at RAF Westcott; first impressions of Wellington bomber; story of crewing up
REEL 2 Continues: Aspects of operations as navigator with 50 Sqdn RAF in GB, 1943-1945: further comments on crewing up; description of flexible system of command on aircraft; opinion of bomb aimer; importance of log book; question of mutual trust among crew; story of making navigational error over Holland; story of pilot's temporary loss of nerve; nationalities of crew; description of diversionary raid over Heligoland Bight; tested navigation system over Atlantic; opinion of Short Stirling bomber; importance of crew being able to deputize for each other; story of mission with Grp Capt. Leonard Cheshire over Milan; question of damage caused by accurate bombing; post-war friendship with Leonard Cheshire; description of attack by Junkers 88; story of drawing 'circle of uncertainty' on navigation chart (now in IWM); navigation log checked by senior officers on return and found to be accurate; attitude to cases of Lack of Moral Fibre; story of Roman Catholic airmen carrying religious objects during missions; attitude to raids in Pas de Calais area; comparison of tactics for raids over France and Germany; types of targets attacked; further comments on accuracy of bombing.
REEL 3 Continues: story of bombing radar station on morning of D-Day landings in Normandy and being fired on by German soldier with rifle, 6/Jun/1944; question of not knowing about invasion until back in GB; story of listening to King's radio broadcast; debriefing session; description of second mission to Normandy, 6/Jun/1944 and further missions in France, 6-7/1944; total number of missions flown; problem of bad weather preventing missions; description of general briefing and specialist briefing for navigators; liaison with Meteorological Officer during flight planning; lived in married accommodation off station; effect of war on wife; attitude to heavy losses in 50 Sqdn; appointed acting navigation leader; story of empty places at dining table in officers' mess; relations with other crews; question of first sorties being most dangerous and number of missions required to reach maximum efficiency; took pills to stay awake; problem of tiredness affecting judgment; attitude to luck; role planning return flight during raids; returned to OTU as instructor until end of war; story of being trained for possible deployment to Far East theatre, 1945; granted early release from RAF to return to Oxford and complete degree, 10/1945; reaction to being awarded DFC, 10/1944.
REEL 4 Continues: attitude to fear; story of starboard wing catching fire and making emergency landing; opinion of Bomber Command clasp and lack of campaign medal; attitude to bombing of Germany and civilian deaths; effect of wartime experiences on character.