Description
Object description
British civilian member of 8th (Hackney) Bn City of London Home Guard in London, GB, 1940-1941; aircraftman trained with No 1 Aircrew Reception Centre, RAF at St John's Wood, London and No 9 Initial Training Wing, RAF in Strafford-upon-Avon, GB, 9/1941-12/1941; trained as pilot with at No 33 Elementary Flying School, RCAF Caron and No 33 Service Flying Training School, RCAF at RCAF Carberry, Canada, 1/1942-7/1942; NCO served as staff pilot with No 31 General Reconnaissance School, RCAF at RCAF Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, 7/1942-1/1944; served with RAF in GB, 1944-1945; NCO and officer served as pilot with 575 Sqdn, No 46 Group, Transport Command, RAF in GB and Italy, 1945-1946; officer served as pilot with 78 Sqdn, RAF in Middle East, 1946; served with Malta Communications Flight on Malta, 1947-1948; served with Communications Sqdn, RAF at RAF Hendon in GB, 1948; served on Avro York Conversion Course at RAF Dishforth, GB, 1948-1949; served with 242 Sqdn, Transport Command, RAF in Germany during Berlin Airlift and at RAF Lyneham, GB, 1949-1950; served with 90 Sqdn, Bomber Command, RAF in GB, 1950-1952; served as detachment commander at RAF Schleswigland, Germany, 1952-1953; served as station adjutant at RAF Cranwell, GB, 1954-1956; commanded Middle East Communications Sqdn, RAF on Cyprus, 1957-1959; senior administrative officer at 71 Maintenance Unit, RAF at RAF Bicester, GB, 1960-1963; served as team leader with Work Study Team, Bomber Command, RAF in GB, 1964-1967; commanded Royal Air Force National Support Unit at Headquarters, Joint Operational Centre, North Atlantic Treaty Organisation in Belgium, 1966-1969; as staff officer with Ministry of Defence, London, GB, 1969-1971
Content description
REEL 1 Background in London, GB, 1922-1939: family life in Prince of Wales Public House in Hackney; pub life; education and employment. Aspects of period as civilian member of 8th City of London (Hackney) Bn, Home Guard in London, GB, 1940-1941: joining Home Guard, 1940; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; wounding by incendiary bomb; encounter with Home Guard from Leyton on Lea Marshes; father's closing of pub on discovery of barge full of dynamite moored outside on tow path; air raid shelter in pub cellar; going to work in Home Guard uniform; character of German Air Force bombing near family pub; further details of German Air Force incendiary bomb incident; amusing wartime slogans; wartime supply of beer. Aspects of enlistment and training with No 1 Aircrew Reception Centre, RAF at St John's Wood, London, GB, 9/1941: reasons for choice of Royal Air Force.
REEL 2 Continues: volunteering for aircrew and selection process; reporting to No 1 Aircrew Reception Centre at Lord's Cricket Ground; accommodation and activities; amusing story of issue of toilet paper; origins of recruits; white strip worn in forage cap by aircrew under training. Aspects of training as aircraftman with No 9 Initial Training Wing, RAF at Strafford-upon-Avon, GB, 9/1941-11/1941: argument with lecturer about father's occupation; treatment of recruit about to marry; basic drill; accommodation; keenness of recruits. Aspects of voyage aboard HMT Bergensfjord from GB to Canada, 12/1941-1/1942: in transit at Aircrew Dispersal Centre, RAF at RAF Heaton Park; accommodation; duties; question of submarine threat. Aspects of period in transit at RCAF Moncton, Canada, 1/1942: arrival at camp; sight of Chinese run laundry; issue of winter clothing; nature of train journey westward. Recollections of flying training as aircraftman with Royal Air Force at No 33 Elementary Flying School, RCAF at RCAF Caron, Canada, 1/1942-3/1942: arrival 1/1942; clearing station of snow.
REEL 3 Continues: flying in winter conditions and clothing worn; flying with open cockpits; initial familiarisation with De Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth; communication with instructor; taxiing De Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth; familiarisation flight; turning aircraft; instruction prior to soloing including circuits and bumps; landing aircraft; spinning aircraft and recovery; soloing aircraft; progression of flying course; looping aircraft; description of De Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth; threats to be avoided when taking off.
REEL 4 Continues: ground school; icing of aircraft; weather conditions; changes at former RCAF Caron. Aspects of flying training as aircraftman with Royal Air Force at No 33 Service Flying Training School, RCAF at RCAF Carberry, Canada, 1942: arrival at station, 3/1942; question of selection to fly twin engined aircraft; character of Avro Anson; improvement in weather conditions; character of airfield and relations with Canadians; ground staff and instructors; loss of accent; sequence of instruction.
REEL 5 Continues: night flying; low-level flying; daily flying routine; reasons for students failing course; gaining flying experience; question of selection of officers; navigation in Canada; formation flying. Aspects of flying training as NCO with RAF and period as staff pilot with No 31 General Reconnaissance School, RCAF at RCAF Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, 7/1942-1/1944: background to posting to school; training as staff pilot flying navigators over sea; swinging aircraft compass; duration of posting to station; pilot who landed on ice flow; technique for belly landing aircraft; amusing incidents that occurred during posting; nature of exercises; need to trust instruments; question of getting lost; threat of German submarines; bottleneck in system; technique for dealing with frozen water droplets.
REEL 6 Continues: hours flown. Aspects of transport flight in Douglas Dakota from Canada to GB, 2/1944: joining Canadian crew at Montreal; delays in stages of flight; explanation of beam approach; arrival in GB and subsequent leave. Aspects of period with RAF in GB, 1944-1945: courses attended during period; posting to operational training unit, 4/1945; opinion of Vickers Wellington. Recollections of period as pilot with 575 Sqdn, No 46 Group, Transport Command, RAF in GB and Italy, 1945-1946: nature of flight examinations on joining squadron; ratings and six monthly checks; opinion of Douglas Dakota; recall during first staged flight to Karachi, India; story of clash with senior officer at RAF Valley; move of squadron to Bari, Italy; Mediterranean routes flown.
REEL 7 Continues: flights into Eastern Europe; story of helping Yugoslavian women working in Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes (NAAFI) at Bari, Italy; attending party with Sadler's Wells Ballet in Vienna, Austria; commissioning from warrant officer to pilot officer; flying senior officers to Rome, Italy; amusing story of having torn trousers repaired by senior officers wife during flight; demarcation between pilot and co-pilot; navigator and wireless operator roles; how squadron crew were arrested by Soviet forces for slogan written on aircraft by Yugoslav ground crew at Bari, Italy; relations with Soviets; lack of documentation carried. Aspects of period as pilot with 78 Sqdn, Transport Command, RAF in Middle East, 1946: posting to squadron at RAF Kabrit, Egypt; circular route flown; request to fly baby giraffe; humidity in Bahrain; taking permanent commission; attending first mess night.
REEL 8 Continues: Aspects as period commanding Malta Communications Flight on Malta, 1947-1948: role of flight; use of Vickers Wellington; memories of Mabel Strickland; story of clash with senior officer over his stopping engines and his subsequent denial of eggs; background to acquiring Avro Anson Mk X; leaving flight, 7/1948. Aspects of period as pilot with Communications Sqdn, RAF at RAF Hendon in GB, 1948: posting to squadron; role and duties; character of Percival Proctor; amusing story of attending Battle of Britain Day, 9/1948. Aspects of period on Avro York Conversion Course at RAF Dishforth, GB, 1948-1949: flight examination; wearing hood for instrument training; lack of difference in flying two engined and four engined aircraft; role of flight engineer; training for engine loss.
REEL 9 Continues: Recollections of operations as pilot with 242 Sqdn, Transport Command, RAF during Berlin Airlift, Germany, 1949: account of background and origins of Berlin Airlift and subsequent start of operations; location of airfields used by RAF and Americans; airfields available in Berlin; description of air corridors; daily routine of flights along air corridor into Berlin; identification of aircraft and cargo on approach to airfield; amusing story of Canadian pilot carrying passengers; cargoes carried into Berlin; use of rolling take offs; turn round on ground; use of Malcolm Club; cargo and passengers taken out; return for second shift.
REEL 10 Continues: shift pattern worked; aircraft maintenance checks at RAF Abingdon, GB; limit on hours for tyres before replacement; sight of burning aircraft on runway at RAF Wunstorf; sight of Douglas C-54 Skymaster taking off on three engines; effects of crosswinds; ground control approaches; record breaking day during Berlin Airlift, 16/4/1949; background to end of Soviet blockade, 5/1945; casualties during Berlin Airlift; background to memorial being placed in Royal Air Force church; coal cargoes; width of air corridors and Soviet interference; interview with German television; Aspects of period as pilot with 242 Sqdn, Transport Command, RAF at RAF Lyneham in GB, 1949-1950: character of Handley Page HP.67 Hastings; medical emergency during first flight; opinion of serviceability of squadron Handley Page HP.67 Hastings; flight carrying servicing crews along trooping route; squadron disbandment, 5/1950.
REEL 11 Continues: Recollections of period as pilot with 90 Sqdn, Bomber Command, RAF in GB, 1950-1952: crewing up at RAF Marham; character of Czech navigator; composition of crew; use of pressurised tunnel in Boeing B-29 Washington; move to RAF Coningsby long distance flight to Malta; character of squadron commander Wing Commander Gus Walker; characteristics of Boeing B-29 Washington including handling. Aspects of period as detachment commander at RAF Schleswigland, Germany, 1952-1953: posting to RAF Schleswigland; presence of Norwegian troops on base; target towing activities; flying De Havilland DH.98 Mosquito; receiving venison from local farmer; brigadier's reaction to hearing news from Korean War. Aspects of period as station adjutant at RAF Cranwell, GB, 1954-1956: role and duties; reaction to first flight in De Havilland DH.115 Vampire. Aspects of period commanding Middle East Communications Sqdn, RAF on Cyprus, 1957-1959: background to posting; lack of availability of married quarters.
REEL 12 Continues: threat from National Organisation of Cypriot Fighters (EOKA); lack of facilities; medical evacuation work; social activities; use of Percival Pembroke to broadcast messages to villages; use of De Havilland DHC-1 Chipmunk to transport senior army officers; attending court martial of personnel for being out of bounds; degree of threat in Cyprus. Aspects of period as senior administrative officer at No 71 Maintenance Unit, RAF at RAF Bicester, GB, 1960-1963: different RAF units based on station; experience of guard duty on atomic train; receiving Order of Member of the British Empire (MBE). Aspects of period as officer as team leader with Work Study Team at Headquarters, Bomber Command, RAF at RAF High Wycombe, GB, 1963-1966: initial reaction to posting to RAF High Wycombe; work on time taken to get Avro Vulcan aircraft airborne at RAF Scampton. Aspects of period commanding RAF National Support Unit for Headquarters, Joint Operational Centre, North Atlantic Treaty Organisation in Belgium, 1966-1969: posting to centre; confused planning of centre; improvement in facilities for Royal Air Force personnel
REEL 13 Continues: relations with Belgian military; attending West German military functions. Aspects of period as staff officer with Ministry of Defence, London, GB, 1969-1971: work with Strike Command, RAF; leaving Royal Air Force, 4/1971.