Description
Object description
British NCO and officer served as rear gunner with 207 Sqdn RAF in GB, 1943-1944
Content description
REEL 1: Aspects of training with RAF in GB, US and Canada, 1939-1943: story of joining RAF and passing out of Air Crew Attestation at RAF Cardington; reason for wanting to be a pilot; attended night school; called up and posted to Initial Training Wing at RAF Hatfield, 6/1941; description of flying training on Tiger Moth; posted to US for further flying training; failed advanced training course for pilots and posted to train as air gunner in Trenton, Canada; reaction to failing pilot's course; reason for choosing to be air gunner; returned to GB and posted to RAF Kinloss; description of crewing up. Aspects of operations with 207 Sqdn RAF in GB, 1943-1944: description of first operation to Duisburg Germany, 3/1943; problem of not flying with own crew; description of role as mid-upper gunner during raid; reason for regarding first operation as a 'piece of cake'; story of raid with own crew on Frankfurt; description of flying at low level and coming under anti-aircraft fire; reaction to seeing aircraft exploding; problem of being caught in searchlights; returned to RAF Langar and aircraft written off; description of first raid on Hamburg and use of window for first time; description of further raids on Hamburg and casualties; attitude to role as rear gunner; reason for preferring to fly with own crew; importance of flying discipline; attitude to destruction of Hamburg and death of civilians; role of Bomber Command in precision bombing towards end of war; description of practising bombing time and distance runs before raid on Peenemunde, 8/1943; nature of briefing prior to raid; opinion of success of raid; description of raids on Berlin; problem of intense cold in rear gun turret due to removal of Perspex canopy and cases of frostbite; role as rear gunner looking for enemy fighters and sending instructions to pilot; question of feeling isolated in rear turret.
REEL 2 Continues: reaction to end of first tour of 30 operations and dispersing of crew; posted to Operational Training Unit at RAF Silverstone as fight gunnery instructor, 1943; attitude to role as instructor; story of volunteering for second tour with same pilot, 1944; attitude to marriage during war; effect of losses on crew morale; attitude to death; story about sergeant pilot accused of cowardice being stripped of rank in front of whole squadron; attitude to treatment of cases of Lack of Moral Fibre; opinion of senior officers and high command; reaction to raid on Dresden, 2/1945.