Description
Object description
British cadet at Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, GB, 1942-1946; midshipman served aboard HMS Nigeria, 1946-1948; officer trained as pilot with Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1950-1951; served with 827 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Eagle in GB coastal waters, 1951-1952; various appointments with Fleet Air Arm in GB and Mediterranean, 1953-1957; served with 820 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in Northern Ireland and aboard HMS Hermes in Far East, 1958-1959; served as pilot on attachment to United States Marine Corps at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, United States of America, 1959-1961; commanded 845 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air at HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose in GB and aboard HMS Albion in Far East and in British Borneo during Indonesian Confrontation, 1962-1963; served as staff officer with Ministry of Defence, London, GB, 1964-1966; served as Assistant Defence Attaché (Navy) with British Embassy in South Vietnam, 1966-1967; served as staff officer at Joint Warfare Establishment at Old Sarum, GB, 1967-1968; served as Commander Air at HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, GB, 1968-1969; served as Commander Air with HMS Albion in Far East, 1970-1972; served as staff officer with Ministry of Defence, London, GB, 1973-1974; student with Canadian National Defence College at Kingston, Ontario, Canada, 1975; served as Naval Attaché/Adviser in Canada, 1976-1978; served as staff officer with Headquarters, Commander-in-Chief's Fleet, Northwood, GB, 1979-1980; served as Naval Attaché in The Hague, Netherlands, 1981-1983
Content description
REEL 1 Background in London, GB, 1928-1942: family; education. Aspects of period as cadet at Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, GB, 1942-1945: attitude towards period at college; selection procedure for college; character of education received; discipline; importance of sport; move of college to Bristol and Eaton Hall; initial reaction to arrival at college, 1942; cadet cruises; opinion of experiences. Aspects of period as midshipman aboard HMS Nigeria in South Atlantic, 1946-1948: duties escorting HMS Vanguard during Royal Tour of South Africa; encounter with King George VI; examinations and need to keep journal; watch keeping; accommodation; supervision of midshipmen.
REEL 2 Continues: duties as midshipman; midshipman examinations; question of background to choice of Royal Navy; interest in flying; attending sub-lieutenant courses including flying experience; opinion of De Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth. Aspects of flying training with Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1950-1951: pattern of flying training; formation flying; instrument flying and need to believe instruments; attitude towards flying; choices of types of aircraft at end of course; opinion of Supermarine Seafire.
REEL 3 Continues: problems landing Hawker Sea Fury. Aspects of period as pilot with 827 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Eagle in GB coastal waters, 1951-1952: character of Blackburn Firebrand; problems with Blackburn Firebrand and disbandment of squadron, 11/1952. Aspects of period as pilot with Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1953-1957: anti-submarine role of Fairey Firefly from HMS Gannet, Royal Naval Air Station Eglinton, Northern Ireland; demarcation of roles between pilot and observer; jet conversion course; contrast between jet and piston engined aircraft; appointment to Junior Officers Air Course (JOAC) at HMS Daedalus, Royal Naval Air Station Lee-on-Solent; attending night fighter course at RAF Leeming; ear problems whilst serving with 891 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm; duties aboard HMS Surprise in Mediterranean; helicopter training with initial difficulties flying helicopters; control of helicopters. Aspects of period as pilot with 820 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in Northern Ireland and aboard HMS Hermes in Far East, 1958-1959: nature of anti-submarine role of helicopters; character of Westland Whirlwind; engine failure in Westland Whirlwind; prior recollection of ditching Hawker Sea Fury at HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose.
REEL 4 Continues: embarkation aboard HMS Hermes; operating helicopters in tropical conditions; nature of service aboard including social activities. Aspects of period as pilot on attachment to United States Marine Corps at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, California, United States of America, 1959-1961: journey to California; types of helicopters flown; advanced state of United States Marine Corps thinking on amphibious operations; opinion of United States Marine Corps; relations with United States Marine Corps personnel; attitude towards attachment and lessons learnt. Aspects of period commanding 845 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air at HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose in GB and HMS Albion in Far East, 1962: formation of squadron, 1962; picking up 42 Commando, Royal Marines in Singapore, Federation of Malaya, 12/1962. Recollections of operations commanding 845 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in British Borneo during Indonesian Confrontation, 1962-1963: move to British Borneo, 12/1962.
REEL 5 Continues: introduction of rule for squadron helicopters to fly in pairs; flying and tasking ethos; character of his second in command; delivering food to kapongs; state of maps; navigation in jungle; inserting troops into jungle; need for air crewman in helicopter; air crewman's reaction to flying in bad weather; directing officer to create weight ratio tables for helicopters; character of Westland Wessex HU.5; problems of hovering in tropical conditions; carry capacity of Westland Wessex HU.5; maintenance of helicopters and opinion of maintenance crews; support from HMS Albion; attitude to command; life in jungle base.
REEL 6 Continues: performance of pilots and maintenance crews; Royal Air Force attitude towards flying and ethos of Fleet Air Arm; question of supporting role of Fleet Air Arm; amusing story of ratings' relations with 'women' in Kuching; attitude of squadron members to service in Borneo; sleeping; carrying personal weapons; question of abusing helicopters' capabilities; carrying external loads; relations with local populace; attitude towards commanding squadron in Indonesian Confrontation; performance of 846 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm's Westland Whirlwind helicopters. Aspects of period as staff officer with Ministry of Defence, London, GB, 1964-1966: attitude towards appointment to ministry; role and duties; need for replacement of Westland Wessex HAS.3 Helicopter and trip to United States of America to visit helicopter manufacturers; writing requirement for Sikorsky Sea King Helicopter.
REEL 7 Continues: question of Royal Navy's response to replacement of aircraft carriers. Aspects of period as Assistant Defence Attaché (Navy) with British Embassy, Saigon, South Vietnam, 1966: appointment to role; visits to American bases; contrast in approach of Australian and Americans in Vietnam; attitude of American media towards American military; American use of helicopters; opinion of Viet Cong; mining of shipping entering Saigon Harbour; duration of appointment; use of armed helicopters. Aspects of period as staff officer at Joint Warfare Establishment, Old Sarum, GB, 1967-1968: duties; question of Royal Navy and British Army relations; question of state of Royal Navy's press relations in contrast with Royal Air Force. Aspects of period as Commander Air at HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, GB, 1968-1969: role as Commander Air; review of air traffic procedures; establishment of 24 hour air-sea rescue for general public; use of Westland Sea King for air-sea rescue work.
REEL 8 Continues: Aspects of period as Commander Air aboard HMS Albion in Far East, 1970-1971: appointment to HMS Albion; managing helicopters on aircraft carrier's flight deck; incident of helicopter accident on flight deck; personnel on flight deck and embarkation of Royal Marines; prior recollection of work with Joint Helicopter Development Unit at Old Sarum. Aspects of period as staff officer with Ministry of Defence, London, GB, 1972-1974: writing staff requirement paper for introduction for Merlin Helicopter; attitude towards second time in Ministry of Defence. Aspects of period as student with Canadian National Defence College at Kingston, Ontario, Canada, 1975: nature of course; expansive visit during course. Aspects of period as Naval Attaché/Adviser in Canada, 1976-1978: appointment and role; character of Royal Canadian Navy; character of Canadian joint forces and question of attitude of Canadian officers; promotion of gas turbined Royal Navy ships.
REEL 9 Continues: Aspects of period as staff officer with Headquarters, Commander-in Chief Fleet, Northwood, GB, 1979-1980: role and duties; planning for purely British national emergency rather than North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) one; memories of Admiral Sir Henry Leach. Aspects of period as Naval Attaché in The Hague, Netherlands, 1981-1983: appointment, 1981; story illustrating importance of social aspects of role; need to gain intelligence of underwater capabilities of Argentinean aircraft carrier ARA Veinticinco de Mayo formerly the Dutch HNLMS Karel Doorman; story of participation in court martial prior to retirement from Royal Navy, 1984; attitude towards service with Royal Navy.
