Interview with Peter Charles Manley

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Description

Object description

British naval cadet at Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, GB, 1970-1971; cadet trained with Royal Navy Elementary Flying Training School at RAF Church Fenton, GB, 3/1971-6/1971; trained as helicopter pilot with 705 and 707 Naval Air Sqdns, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, GB, 8/1971-4/1972; served as pilot with 845 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in GB, aboard HMS Albion and Norway, 5/1972-9/1973; served with 72 Sqdn, RAF in GB and Northern Ireland, 11/1973-2/1976; trained with 703 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Osprey, Royal Naval Air Station Portland, GB, 3/1976-6/1976; served with 829 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Arrow in GB coastal waters and Mediterranean, 7/1976-6/1978; served as instructor with Royal Navy Elementary Flying School at RAF Topcliffe, GB, 8/1978-2/1980; served as instructor with 707 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Heron, Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, GB, 2/1980-4/1982; served as pilot with 848 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm during Falklands War, 4/1982-6/1982; served with 707 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Heron, Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, GB, 7/1982-2/1983; served with 829 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Osprey, Royal Naval Air Station Portland, GB, 2/1983-2/1985; served with Heron Flight, HMS Heron, Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, GB, 1985-1987

Content description

REEL 1 Background in Twickenham, GB and East Africa, 1949-1969: family; family move of East Africa; education in Nairobi, Kenya; employment on leaving school. Aspects of enlistment with Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1969: father’s encouragement of him to join Fleet Air Arm, 1969; attending selection board at RAF Biggin Hill; medical examination; nature of selection process; reasons for preference for service with Fleet Air Arm; employment whilst awaiting appointment to Royal Naval College, Dartmouth. Recollections of period as cadet with Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, GB, 1970-1971: joining as aviation cadet and organisation of course; attitude towards academic studies; seamanship training. REEL 2 Continues: lack of sea time; nature of discipline; encouragement of ‘free thinking’ amongst cadets; types of officer Royal Navy was looking for and encouragement of leadership skills; growing confidence in abilities; instructors; commissioning at end of course; familiarisation flight in college Westland Wasp helicopter; question of degree of aviation knowledge; description of sequence of instruction during flying grading process; practising forced landings. REEL 3 Continues: opinion of De Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk T.10; basic instrument flying; question of need to trust instruments against bodily inclinations; problems when Peto Tube was blocked; importance of spatial awareness; practising forced landings; taking off in De Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk T.10; method of turning aircraft; method of approach to runway in order to land; landing aircraft; reasons for cadets having problems with landings; soloing. REEL 4 Continues: passing out parade at Dartmouth. Recollections of flying training at Royal Navy Elementary Flying Training School at RAF Church Fenton, GB, 3/1971-6/1971: move to school, 3/1971; ground school; pattern of course; navigation in De Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk T.10; heights flown during navigation exercises; character of navigation exercises; practising emergency landings including hazards to avoid; formation flying; aerobatics including barrel rolls and looping. REEL 5 Continues: performing stall turn; stalling aircraft and recovery; spinning aircraft; description of inverted spin; question of pupil over confidence; pre-flight activities including inspecting aircraft; flight tests; failure rate on course and reasons for failure; instructors; question of personality clashes between student pilot and instructor; final flight examination and aerobatic competition; attitude towards receiving wings later in training; roles for failed student pilots. REEL 6 Continues: Recollections of helicopter flying training with 705 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, GB, 8/1971-11/1971: joining course, 8/1971; character of Hiller UH-12E; differences between flying helicopters and fixed wing aircraft; method of controlling helicopter; students who had problems controlling helicopters; handling characteristics of helicopters; familiarisation flight; taking off in helicopter; landing helicopter; techniques for making emergency landings after engine failure; nature of navigation in helicopter. REEL 7 Continues: soloing in helicopter; instrument flying in helicopter; problems hovering helicopter at night over sea; attitude towards flying helicopters; motivation of course members; receiving wings; joining second half of course flying Westland Whirlwind HAS.7; character of Westland Whirlwind HAS.7; flying with crewman; landing helicopter in confined space; landing on sloping ground; flights over sea; low-level flights; importance of knowing limitations of Westland Whirlwind HAS.7; emphasis on navigation training; navigation exercises. REEL 8 Continues: Recollections of operational flying training as pilot with 707 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, GB, 12/1971-4/1972: opinion of Westland Wessex HU.5; training with Royal Marines including embarkation on board helicopter; story of later night stream landing during exercise with US Marines; disembarkation of Royal Marines; underslung loads; story of transporting Argentinean Mercedes-Benz G Class 4x4 during Falklands War, 6/1982; description of ‘Map of the Earth’ flying and fighter evasion; learning to live in the field and evasion exercises; armaments fitted to Westland Wessex HU.5 including missiles, rockets and machine guns. REEL 9 Continues: account of firing of Nord Aviation SS.11 and Nord Aviation AS.12 Missiles from Westland Wessex HU.5; landing on commando carriers; story of landing trials on SS Atlantic Conveyor during Falklands War; use of ‘assault spots’ on commando carriers; story of crash of Westland Wessex HU.5 into sea during assault exercise off Norway; directions received by deck landing personnel. Recollections of period as pilot with 845 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm in GB, aboard HMS Albion and Norway, 5/1972-9/1973: joining squadron at HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, 5/1972; squadron exercises; move twenty five aircraft formation to new base at HMS Heron, Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton; squadron duties. REEL 10 Continues: overseas exercises aboard HMS Albion; winter exercises in Norway; description of operating helicopter in cold weather conditions and mountainous terrain; dealing with changeable weather conditions in Norway; problems of navigating over snowy terrain; winter survival training; reasons for training in Norway; character of cross-country ski training in Norway; camouflaging helicopter; story of engine change in Norway; importance of training in different climates. REEL 11 Continues: Recollections of operations as pilot with 72 Sqdn, RAF in GB and Northern Ireland, 11/1973-2/1976: background to obtaining exchange tour with Royal Air Force; question of limitations imposed by Royal Air Force on flying; operating from RAF Odiham; rotations to Northern Ireland; security arrangements at RAF Aldergrove; flights to Rathlin Island and Scotland; vehicle checkpoint flights; technique for landing at small army detachments; requests he received for flights including interception of fishing boat carrying arms; use of navigation aids, maps and night vision googles; incident of landing in garden during operation; recovery operation under fire on border of Republic of Ireland. REEL 12 Continues: question of inexperience of army patrol in moving through hedge; need to impart experience to for freshly arrived army units; debriefings after flights; pursuit of vehicle that had failed to stop at vehicle checkpoint; landing in fields; threat of ground fire; personal armament available to helicopter crew; attitude to landing near parked cars; types of operations flown; story of deception flight carrying prisoner; restricted flights in urban areas; troop change overs using helicopter; sites which provided high threat level; perimeter flight. REEL 13 Continues: use of Nightsun Light; use of night vision googles; duties transporting Very Important Persons (VIPs); amusing story of flying Harry Secombe around Northern Ireland; overnighting at Bessbrook; disembarkation of troops from helicopter; shadowing of fishing boats; transporting bomb disposal personnel; attitude towards operating in Northern Ireland; adjusting to duties in GB on return from Northern Ireland rotation. REEL 14 Continues: Recollections of training with 703 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Osprey, Royal Naval Air Station Portland, GB, 3/1976-6/1976: appointment to training squadron, 3/1976; attitude towards allocation to flying Westland Wasp; start of conversion training on Westland Wasp; role of Westland Wasp; nature of operational training; description of Westland Wasp including configuration of wheels; use of ‘bear trap’ on frigates; techniques for landing on Type 21 Frigate; incident of abortive take off from frigate during exercise; helicopter landing area on Type 21 Frigates and technique for landing on. REEL 15 Continues: landing on Type 21 Frigate at night; method of taking off from deck of Type 21 Frigate; use of dummy deck at HMNB Portland; need to wear immersion suit; training on ‘dunker’ with Underwater Escape Training Unit at HMS Daedalus, Royal Naval Air Station Lee-on-Solent; character of training squadron; opinion of Westland Wasp. Recollections of period as pilot with 829 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Arrow in GB coastal waters and Mediterranean, 7/1976-6/1978: operating from frigate in Mediterranean; appointment to frigate; storm damage to ship during sea trials in North Sea; composition of aviation team on board; duties on board. REEL 16 Continues: importance of aviation team integrating with ship’s company; organisation of flying programme; crash on deck exercises; practising nuclear depth charging; role of Principle Warfare Officer (PWO) in helicopter operations; technique for dropping torpedo; use of dummy torpedo for training; dropping depth charge; working up process and final examination; exercises at HMNB Portland; nature of tour of Mediterranean. REEL 17 Continues: character of naval exercises; amusing story of exercise off Scotland; memories of Captain Nick Barker; importance of naval captains being aware of aviation; reasons why ship was a ‘happy ship’; accommodation on board; role changing exercises; rest periods and question of fatigue; return to GB after Mediterranean tour including attending fleet review; role of frigate in Cold War; landing Special Boat Service personnel on board submarine HMS Oberon, 7/12/1977; disembarkation to HMNB Portland; independence of role in commanding air personnel on board. REEL 18 Continues: leaving ship, 6/1978. Aspects of period as instructor with Royal Navy Elementary Flying School at RAF Topcliffe, GB, 8/1978-2/1980; familiarisation flight with Britannia Flight at Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, 7/1978; attending instructors’ course at Central Flying School at RAF Leeming; opinion Scottish Aviation Bulldog T.1; attitude towards instructional role; number of students and opinion of instruction process; dealings with students on course; incident of bailing out of Scottish Aviation Bulldog T.1 when student lost control of aircraft during storm; background to leaving course, 2/1980. REEL 19 Continues: Aspects of period as instructor with 707 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Heron, Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, GB, 2/1980-4/1982: background to appointment as instructor; nature of instructional programme. Recollections of operations as pilot with 848 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm during Falklands War, 4/1982-6/1982: background to 707 Naval Air Sqdn reforming as 848 Naval Air Sqdn, 19/4/1982; embarkation on board modified SS Atlantic Conveyor; description of flight deck on board SS Atlantic Conveyor; accommodation on board SS Atlantic Conveyor; communications; movement of stores at Ascension Island; amount of stores carried aboard SS Atlantic Conveyor; awareness of political situation and impression that the operation would take place; nature of voyage from Ascension Island to Total Exclusion Zone, (TEZ) including weather and flying in poor conditions; atmosphere in squadron. REEL 20 Continues: disembarkation from SS Atlantic Conveyor to RFA Stromness, 21/5/1982; move to Ajax Bay, 22/5/1982; joining up as lone aircraft with 845 Naval Air Sqdn; medical evacuation flights; nature of air raids and technique used by helicopters to avoid being spotted; execution of medical evacuation flights; medical evacuation from Top Malo House; accommodation at Ajax Bay; transporting Gurkha troops, 13/6/1982; fraternisation with Gurkhas; nature of squadron tasking; fatigue; story of eating lunch during air raid aboard RFA Stromness; use of Special Boat Service for early air raid warning; reaction to loss of SS Atlantic Conveyor. REEL 21 Continues: variety of tasks performed; preparations for missile attack on Argentinean Headquarters at Port Stanley; story of missile attack on Argentinean Headquarters at Port Stanley; firing second missile and coming under anti-aircraft fire; how missile missed primary target and hit Argentinean Military Intelligence section based in Police Station; fate of second missile; planning for operation to attack Argentinean Headquarters, 11/6/1982; nature of Mallard Tasking picking up Special Boat Service personnel, 6/1982 REEL 22 Continues: embarkation aboard HMS Hermes, 3/7/1982; story of acquiring Mercedes-Benz G Class 4x4 Jeep after conflict; transporting wounded to SS Uganda; story of damage to helicopter from parachute at Port Stanley Racecourse; activities on Falkland Islands after end of conflict, 6/1982-7/1982; problems with loss of clothing on arrival aboard HMS Hermes; leave on return to GB; return to 707 Naval Air Sqdn, 9/1982. Aspects of period as officer with 829 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm at HMS Osprey, Royal Naval Air Station Portland, GB, 2/1983-2/1985 joining squadron, 2/1983; work as examiner; firing collection of out of date missiles; leaving squadron, 2/1985. Aspects of period as pilot with Heron Flight, HMS Heron, Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, GB, 1985-1987: background to obtaining position with flight. REEL 23 Continues: conversion to De Havilland DH.104 Devon at HMS Seahawk, Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose; character of De Havilland DH.114 Heron; types of communication flights carried out including transporting Royal Navy chaplains to Santiago de Compostela, Spain; nature of communication flights; story examination flight for civilian licence from Bournemouth to Guernsey, Channel Islands; obtaining employment in civilian aviation on leaving Fleet Air Arm; attitude towards service with Fleet Air Arm.

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)
Manley, Peter Charles (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 2018-05-21
Dimensions: whole: Duration 690, Number Of Items 23
Catalogue number: 35101

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Interview with Peter Charles Manley

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