Interview with Keith Martin Cologne Simmons

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Description

Object description

British cadet served with Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, GB, 1/1959-6/1961; midshipman served aboard HMS Ashton in Mediterranean and Persian Gulf, 9/1961-9/1962; trained as pilot with No 1 Flying Training School, RAF at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, GB, 10/1962-3/1963; trained as helicopter pilot with 705 and 847 Naval Air Sqdns, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, GB, 4/1963-11/1963; served as pilot with 846 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm during Indonesian Confrontation in Borneo, Malaysia, 11/1963-10/1964; served with 706 Naval Air Sqdn at HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station, Culdrose, GB, 12/1964-3/1965; served with 829 Naval Air Station, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Mohawk in Persian Gulf, 3/1965-5/1965; served with 829 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Penelope in GB coastal waters and Mediterranean, 5/1965-3/1966; served as Assistant Staff Aviation Officer with Headquarters, Flag Officer Sea Training, HMNB Portland, GB, 3/1966-9/1966; served as staff pilot with 829 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Osprey, Royal Naval Air Station Portland, GB, 10/1966-3/1967; served with 829 Naval Air Sqdn aboard HMS Gurkha in GB coastal waters, Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf, 5/1967-5/1968; served as staff instructor with Headquarters Flight, 829 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Osprey, Royal Naval Air Station Portland, GB, 6/1968-1/1970; commanded HMS Gavinton in Persian Gulf, 1970-1971; served as staff officer with Flag Officer Naval Air Command in GB, 1971-1972; served as senior pilot with Headquarters Flight, 829 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Osprey, Royal Naval Air Station Portland, GB, 1971-1972; served as examiner with Flag Officer Carriers and Amphibious Ships at Portsdown, GB, 1973-1974; served as pilot with 829 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Antrim in GB coastal waters, Mediterranean and Baltic Sea, 1975-1976; served as naval air advisor with High Commission in Malaysia, 1979-1983; served with Second Sea Lord’s Personal Liaison Team in GB, 1983-1985; commanded Underwater Weapons Acceptance Unit at Admiralty Research Establishment at Portland, GB, 1986-1990

Content description

REEL 1 Background in GB, 1940-1958: family; education; interest in Royal Navy and aviation. Aspects of period as cadet with Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, GB, 1/1959-6/1961: background to applying to join Royal Navy, 1/1959; attitude towards period at college; boat work; academic studies; discipline; prior experience with Combined Cadet Force at Charterhouse School, Godalming; composition of Dartmouth Training Sqdn and duties aboard HMS Carron in First Cod War; question of seasickness; attitude towards sea training; pattern of college terms; use of hammocks aboard HMS Carron; accommodation in Royal Naval College; ‘quick change punishment’; use of midshipmans’ gunroom. REEL 2 Continues: promotion to midshipman; flying training at HMS Goldcrest, Royal Naval Air Station Brawdy; story of later desire to become a naval aviator; prior recollection of joining tall ship race; duties aboard HMS Vigilant with Dartmouth Training Sqdn in sixth term; relations between chief petty officer instructors and midshipmen; midshipman’s attempt to play April Fool practical; passing out parade; cars owned at college. Aspects of period as midshipman aboard HMS Ashton in Mediterranean and Persian Gulf, 9/1961-9/1962: duties on board; accident with minesweeper's gun; duties as correspondence officer and divisional officer; preference for small ship service; conditions in Persian Gulf. REEL 3 Continues: interest in flying; methods of minesweeping; size of Royal Navy presence on Malta; recreational activities on Malta; obtaining watch keeping certificates and applying for flying training. Aspects of flying training with No 1 Flying Training School, RAF at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, GB, 10/1962-3/1963: Royal Navy’s need for helicopter pilots; effects of bad winter on training, 1962-1963; familiarisation flight; importance of acquiring airmanship; attitude towards spinning De Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk T.10; circuits and bumps; taxiing and taking off in De Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk T.10; initial problems landing aircraft; time taken to solo and instructors. REEL 4 Continues: character of De Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk T.10; soloing aircraft; opinion of course members; navigation; restrictions on flying in bad weather; instrument flying; attitude towards aerobatics; eight-point roll, looping and barrel roll; navigational exercises; night flying; reasons for failing last handling test. Aspects of training as helicopter pilot with 705 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, GB, 4/1963-7/1963: need for co-ordination when flying helicopter; flights in Hillier Helicopter; importance of acquiring airmanship. REEL 5 Continues: pattern of training on Westland Whirlwind HAR.7; problems with hay fever; obtaining ‘wings’. Aspects of training as helicopter pilot with 847 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in GB, 7/1963-11/1963: pattern of operational flying training with squadron; reaction of commanding officer to his appointment to 846 Naval Air Sqdn in Borneo, 11/1963; contrast in flying Hillier and Westland Whirlwind Helicopters; formation flying in helicopter; instrument flying in helicopter; load lifting and troop drills; anti-submarine training at HMS Osprey, Royal Naval Air Station Portland. Recollections of operations as pilot with 846 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm during Indonesian Confrontation in Borneo, Malaysia, 11/1963-10/1964: flight from GB to Kuching; familiarisation training at Kuching including confined area landings and ridge landings; deck landing training on HMS Albion. REEL 6 Continues: return to Sabah, 1/1964; base facilities and airfield; maintenance of helicopters; squadron rotation, 3/1964; method of tasking helicopters; supporting 1/10th Bn Gurkha Rifles; number of Gurkhas and Royal Marines that could be carried in Westland Whirlwind HAS.7; navigation in Borneo; importance of awareness of location of border; description of jungle landing sites; encounter with python whilst constructing jungle landing site; relations with Gurkha troops; relocating local indigenous people by helicopter; medical evacuations; lose of squadron Westland Whirlwind HAS.7 (XN 262) which ditched during casualty evacuation in Cowrie Harbour, Sabah, 16/5/1964. REEL 7 Continues: nature of Indonesian border; weather and climatic conditions; refuelling helicopter; handover flight with commanding officers of 1/10th Bn Gurkha Rifles and 40 Commando, Royal Marines; squadron helicopter losses; question of performing forced landing in jungle; story of dropping lead weighted message bag on planter’s home; leaving ceremony; satisfaction in flying helicopters operationally; reasons for flying in pairs; commanding officer’s reaction to his medical evacuation of marine from 40 Commando, Royal Marines; method of starting Westland Whirlwind with cartridge; embarkation aboard HMS Bulwark, 10/1964; opinion of performance and reliability of Westland Whirlwind HAS.7; speed of change in helicopter development during 1950s-1960s; lifting capability of Westland Whirlwind HAS.7. REEL 8 Continues: disbandment of squadron in Singapore, Malaysia, 10/1964-11/1964. Aspects of period as pilot with 706 Naval Air Sqdn at HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, GB, 12/1964-3/1965: appointment to squadron, 12/1964; flying Westland Wasp; characteristics of Westland Wasp; converting to Westland Wasp. Aspects of period as pilot with 829 Naval Air Station, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Mohawk in Persian Gulf, 3/1965-5/1965: background to joining frigate; return to GB; death of pilots he relieved. Aspects of period as pilot with 829 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Penelope in GB coastal waters and Mediterranean, 5/1965-3/1966: appointment to frigate; flying civil servant onto Fair Isle; responsibility for flight aboard frigate; attitude towards receiving flying pay; method of tasking; composition of maintainers; description of flight deck aboard Tribal Class frigate and aboard HMS Penelope; balancing flying programme; technique for landing on frigate; night landings; role of Flight Deck Officer (FDO). REEL 9 Continues: pattern of service with HMS Penelope; trials work with submarine; trials work carried out by HMS Penelope; operating from HMS Osprey, Royal Naval Air Station Portland; character of 829 Naval Air Sqdn; leaving HMS Penelope, 3/1966. Aspects of period as Assistant Staff Aviation Officer with Headquarters, Flag Officer Sea Training, HMNB Portland, GB, 3/1966-9/1966: attitude to appointment, 3/1966; role and duties. Aspects of period as staff pilot with 829 Naval Air Sqdn, HMS Osprey, Royal Naval Air Station Portland, GB, 10/1966-3/1967: reaction to appointment to role; work with Flag Officer Sea Training programme. Aspects of period as pilot with 829 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Gurkha in GB coastal waters, Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf, 5/1967-5/1968: joining ship, 1/5/1967; voyage from GB to Persian Gulf including participation in Beira Patrol, 7/1967-9/1967; flight to Khuriya Islands to determine if populace wanted to be part of Oman or Yemen; basing at Bahrain; description of mock torpedo attack. REEL 10 Continues: patrols to search for contraband in dhows; reasons for patrolling Persian Gulf; transfer of helicopter to HMS Aurora, 4/1968. Aspects of period as staff instructor with Headquarters Flight, 829 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Osprey, Royal Naval Air Station Portland, GB, 6/1968-1/1970: nature of instructional duties; use of Portland Frigate Sqdn; instrument flying; incident of instructing student in fog; incident of being reported for low-level flying; formation flight at Royal Naval College, Dartmouth; delivery flight in poor weather to Northern Ireland via RAF Valley. Aspects commanding HMS Gavinton in Persian Gulf, 1970-1971: commanding minehunter; minehunting in Persian Gulf; injury to diver; character of minehunter; problem with sea snakes. REEL 11 Continues: attitude towards commanding minehunter; salination plant on board minehunter. Aspects of period as staff officer with Flag Officer Naval Air Command in GB, 1971-1972: appointment as project officer for Prestwick in GB, 2/1971-10/1971; reasons for moving 819 Naval Air Sqdn from Northern Ireland to Prestwick; work as project officer. Aspects of period as senior pilot with Headquarters Flight, 829 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Osprey, Royal Naval Air Station Portland, GB, 1971-1972: appointment to squadron. Aspect of period as examiner with Flag Officer Carriers and Amphibious Ships at Portsdown, GB, 1973-1974: role inspecting operational ships; inspection of HMS Endurance in Falkland Islands; inspection of HMS Hydra at Fiji. Aspects of period as pilot with 829 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Antrim in GB coastal waters, Mediterranean and Baltic Sea, 1975-1976: joining frigate; character of Westland Wessex HAS.3; operating Westland Wessex HAS.3 and role of observer; operating from HMS Antrim; clash with captain; participation in Cod War aboard RFA Olwen, 12/1975-1/1976. REEL 12 Continues: story of evacuation of injured seaman from Norwegian ship off Greenland, 4/1976; award of Air Force Cross for actions; return to HMS Antrim, 5/1976; visit to Stockholm, Sweden; amusing story of exercise in Mediterranean. Aspects of period as officer with Second Sea Lord’s Personal Liaison Team in GB, 1983-1985: worldwide duties. Aspects of period as naval air advisor with High Commission in Malaysia, 1979-1983: role and duties; extension of duties. Aspects of period commanding Underwater Weapons Acceptance at Admiralty Research Establishment at Portland, GB, 1986-1990: role and duties; leaving Royal Navy, 9/1990; types of weapons dealt with and use of acceptance committee; role as Queen’s Messenger; attitude to service in Royal Navy.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1990 to the present day (production), 1945-1989 (content), 1945-1989 (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
McDonough, Richard (Recorder)
Simmons, Keith Martin Cologne (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 2017-07-23
Dimensions: whole: Duration 360, Number Of Items 12
Catalogue number: 34984

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Interview with Keith Martin Cologne Simmons

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