Beldam, Alexander Roy Asplin (Oral history)

Sound: © IWM (34503)

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All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Accepted Non-commercial Use

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All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Accepted Non-commercial Use

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Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
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Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.
1496632757
Order this sound recording under fair dealing

All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.
2090569432
Order this sound recording under fair dealing

All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.
987479714
Order this sound recording under fair dealing

All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.
1256011670
Order this sound recording under fair dealing

All Rights Reserved except for Fair Dealing exceptions otherwise permitted under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised.

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

Description

Object description

British naval airman trained as observer with No 52 Observers Course, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Daedalus, Royal Naval Air Station Lee-on-Solent and HMS St Vincent, Gosport in GB and HMS Goshawk, Royal Naval Air Station Piarco, Trinidad, 1943-1944; midshipman served as observer with 848 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Formidable in GB coastal waters and Mediterranean, 9/1944-3/1945; officer served as observer with 848 Naval Air Sqdn, 2nd Carrier Air Group, Fleet Air aboard HMS Formidable, 1st Aircraft Carrier Sqdn, British Pacific Fleet in Pacific, 3/1945-6/1945

Content description

REEL 1 Background in London, GB, 1925-1939: family; father's pioneering sports photography work; family's naval background; early interest in aviation; background to enlistment in Fleet Air Arm; education; awareness of political situation in Europe during late 1930s. Aspects of period as schoolchild in GB, 1939-1942: sight of British Union of Fascists (BUF) blackshirts being chased, 3/9/1939; narrow escape from German bomber; encounter with elderly lady who wasn't aware of Second World War in rural Suffolk; story of farmer dealings with Irish labourer; rationing; military presence in Suffolk. REEL 2 Continues: Aspects of enlistment and training as observer with 52nd Observer Course, Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1943: selection process; allocation to observer training; basic training at HMS Daedalus, Royal Naval Air Station Lee-on-Solent; character of first instructor; issue of uniform; accommodation; navigation training at HMS St Vincent, Gosport; stories relating to presence of experienced recruit on course; learning semaphore; further communications training at HMS Raven, Eastleigh; attending gunnery course at Chatham; origins of fellow recruits; voyage from GB to US. REEL 3 Continues: arrival in US and move to Miami; impressions of US. Aspects of training as observer with No 52 Observer Course, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Goshawk, Royal Naval Air Station Piarco, Trinidad, 1943-1944: pattern of training; principles of navigation learnt; plotting track across map; use of ship as point of navigation at sea; story of aircraft carrier changing course during service with 848 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in Indian Ocean; character of Percival Proctor; narrow escape from crash of Percival Proctor; navigation work in aircraft; opinion of Fairey Swordfish; communication with pilot; sporting activities; opinion of course and daily routine; meteorology training; weather conditions; examinations; commissioning on return to GB. REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of period as midshipman with Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1944: V1 Flying Bomb attacks whilst attending Royal Naval College, Greenwich; lecture on escape and evasion at Royal Naval College, Greenwich; appointment to RAF Drem for radar calibration work; fate of pilot at RAF Drem. Recollections of voyage as observer with 848 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Formidable from GB to Australia via Mediterranean, 9/1944-3/1945: appointment to squadron; memories of pilot Sub-Lieutenant Don Jupp; anti-submarine search; character of Grumman Avenger; how squadron commander received nickname at Gibraltar; story of aircraft carrier stripping gear on one of propeller shafts; voyage in merchant ship to Egypt whilst aircraft carrier receiving repairs. REEL 5 Continues: flying operations from Egypt; incident of problem with aircraft compass; continuing voyage to Far East; incident of ship changing course in Indian Ocean; arrival at Sydney, Australia, 3/1945; effect of carrying torpedo on aircraft. Recollections of operations as observer with 848 Naval Air Sqdn, 2nd Air Carrier Group, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Formidable, 1st Aircraft Carrier Sqdn, British Pacific Fleet in Pacific, 3/1945-6/1945: joining British Pacific Fleet; bombing Japanese airfields on Sakishima Gunto Islands, 4/1945; description of typical bombing operation; sight of pilot bailing out over harbour and his subsequent rescue; effects of fitter accidentally firing guns of aircraft in hangar; attitude towards Japanese anti-aircraft fire; Japanese Kamikaze attack on aircraft carrier, 4/5/1945; wounding of Sub-Lieutenant Don Jupp in Kamikaze attack and his subsequent death, 16/5/1945. REEL 6 Continues: problems experienced flying with replacement pilot; subsequent crash into HMS Formidable island with replacement pilot; degree of damage caused to HMS Formidable's deck by Kamikaze attack; attitude of ship's complement to Kamikaze attacks; attending burial at sea of victims of Kamikaze attacks; return of HMS Formidable to Sydney, Australia, 6/1945. Aspects of period as observer with Fleet Air Arm in Australia and Hong Kong, 1945-1946: initial appointment as photographic officer to mobile airbase in Australia; appointment to Hong Kong to make report; attachment to Air-Sea Rescue squadron in Hong Kong; character of Supermarine Sea Otter; conditions at RAF Kai Tek; stealing of huts by Chinese civilians; return journey from Hong Kong to GB via Australia. REEL 7 Continues: demobilisation on return to GB. Account of career in law and marriages. Attitude towards service with Fleet Air Arm during Second World War and post-war contact with former commanding officer.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Creator: IWM (Production Company)
McDonough, Richard (Recorder)
Beldam, Alexander Roy Asplin (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 2015-11-18
Dimensions: whole: Duration 140, Number Of Items 7
Catalogue number: 34503

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