Interview with John Oliver Roberts

British midshipman served aboard HMS Renown, Home Fleet in GB coastal waters and North Atlantic, 10/1941-1/1943; served aboard HMS Tartar in Mediterranean, 1/1943-4/1943; officer served aboard HMS Serapis, 23rd Destroyer Flotilla in GB coastal waters, Arctic and in English Channel during Normandy Landings, 10/1943-11/1944; trained as pilot with Fleet Air Arm in GB and Canada, 1945-1947; served as pilot with 800 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Triumph, Mediterranean Fleet in Mediterranean, 6/1947-4/1949; served as pilot with Fleet Air Arm attached to Royal Australian Navy in Australia and aboard HMAS Sydney off Korean Peninsula, 1952-1953; commanding Southern Air Division, Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1954-1955; commanded 803 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Eagle in GB coastal waters, 1/1957-3/1958; served as Commander Air at HMS Goldfinch, Royal Naval Air Station Brawdy, 1958-1959; commanded HMS St Bride’s Bay in Indian Ocean and Pacific, 1960; served as appointer with Fleet Air Arm at Admiralty and Ministry of Defence, London, GB, 1961-1962; served as Chief of Staff to Flag Officer Aircraft Carriers in GB, 1963-1966; commanded HMS Galatea in Far East and GB coastal waters, 1966; as Director Naval Air Warfare at Directorate of Naval Air Warfare, Ministry of Defence in London, GB, 1968-1970; commanded HMS Ark Royal in GB coastal waters, North Atlantic and United States of America, 1971-1972; served as Flag Officer Sea Training in GB, 1972-1973; served as as Chief of Staff to Commander-in-Chief Fleet and Flag Officer, Naval Air Command in GB, 1974-1978

REEL 1 Background in Rawalpindi, India and GB, 1924-1938: family; childhood in Wales; education and sporting activities. Aspects of period as cadet with Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, GB, 1/1938-7/1941: background to joining Royal Navy; selection interview; journey from London to Dartmouth, 1/1938; term system; teaching staff; facilities at Royal Naval College; college houses and house masters; lack of effect of the Second World War on college; training on motor launches. Aspects of operations as midshipman aboard HMS Renown, Home Fleet in GB coastal waters and North Atlantic, 10/1941-1/1943: joining battleship at HMNB Rosyth, 10/1941; story of encounter with leading seaman; move to Scapa Flow; living conditions for midshipmen; supervision of midshipmen; duties in fire director; reasons for move to Iceland; conditions on board battlecruiser off Iceland; use of hammocks; escorting USS Wasp into Mediterranean, 4/1942. REEL 2 Continues: atmosphere in Gibraltar; return to Scapa Flow; participation in Operation Torch, 11/1940. Aspects of operations as midshipman aboard HMS Tartar in Mediterranean, 1/1943-4/1943: joining destroyer at Mers-el-Kebir, French Algeria; watch duties on bridge; comparison between HMS Renown and HMS Tartar including midshipman accommodation; leaving ship in Algiers, French Algeria, 4/1943; escort duties in Mediterranean. Aspects of training as sub-lieutenant with Royal Navy in GB, 4/1943-8/1943: flight from French Algeria to GB via French Morocco, 4/1943 including having dinner with American war correspondent, 4/4/1943; pattern of training; background to becoming anti-submarine officer. Recollections of operations as officer aboard HMS Serapis, 23rd Destroyer Flotilla in GB coastal waters, Arctic and in English Channel during Normandy Landings, 10/1943-11/1944: anti-submarine work on board; attending anti-submarine course prior to standing-by destroyer at Greenock, 10/1943-11/1943; character of S Class destroyers; working up in River Clyde and at Scapa Flow, 12/1943-1/1944; participation in Convoy JW57 , 2/1944 including sighting German submarine and sinking of HMS Mahratta, 25/2/1944; problems with icing on ships. REEL 3 Continues: ashore at Polyarno, Soviet Union, 2/1944; improvements in later convoys with introduction of escort carriers and use of aircraft; reasons for presence of Norwegian servicemen aboard ship; volunteering for flying duties, 11/1944; participation in Normandy Landings off Sword Beach, D-Day, 6/6/1944 including sinking of and bombardment duties; return to Portsmouth, GB; duties off Normandy, 6/1944-8/1944; escorting HMT Queen Elizabeth and HMT Queen Mary in North Atlantic. Recollections of flying training with Fleet Air Arm in Canada and GB, 1945-1947: pattern of flying training in Canada; cancellation of flying training, VE Day, 8/5/1945; visits to New York, United States of America, 5/1945. REEL 4 Continues: flying training in Fairchild Cornell at No 13 Elementary Flying Training School, RCAF at RCAF St Eugene, Canada after grading in De Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth in GB; curtailing of training at No 31 Service Flying Training School, Kingston, Canada; flying training on North American Harvard in GB; training on Fairey Firefly at HMS Merganser Royal Naval Air Station Rattray; accident at HMS Merganser Royal Naval Air Station Rattray; multi-role of naval aircraft; firing rockets from Fairey Firefly; dummy deck landing training; deck landings; role of batsman; role of arrester wires and barrier on aircraft carrier; taking off from aircraft carrier; later catapulting off aircraft carriers; conversion to Supermarine Seafire at HMS Gannet, Royal Naval Air Station Eglington, Northern Ireland and Royal Naval Air Station Milltown; characteristics of Supermarine Seafire. REEL 5 Continues: Aspects of period as pilot with 800 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Triumph, Mediterranean Fleet in Mediterranean, 6/1947-4/1949: appointment to squadron, 6/1947; use of HMS Falcon, Royal Naval Air Station Hal Far, Malta; amusing story of pilot who attempted to fold wings in flight; commanding officer’s crash landing on aircraft carrier; flying clothing worn; visits to Greece and Turkey in Eastern Mediterranean, 7/1947-8/1947; second visit to Turkey, 7/1948-8/1948; visit to Haifa, Palestine, 1948; flight down Dead Sea looking for stolen British tanks, Palestine, 1948; return to GB, 1949. Aspects of period as instructor with Fleet Air Arm at HMS Fulmar, Royal Naval Air Station Lossiemouth, GB, 1949-1951: instructional training at RAF South Cerney; aircraft flown at RAF Little Rissington; description of instructing on instrument flying; solo flying in north of Scotland. Aspects of period as flag lieutenant to Flag Officer Ground Training in GB, 1951-1952: duties; clash with Flag Officer Ground Training over sporting activities. REEL 6 Continues: Aspects of period as officer with Fleet Air Arm attached to Royal Australian Navy in Australia and aboard HMAS Sydney off Korean Peninsula, 1952-1953: background to being attached to Royal Australian Navy; six month training in Australia; move to South Korean waters; amusing story of being caught in minefield on visit to Australian Army in South Korea; socialising in Sydney, Australia; amusing story of United States Navy admiral’s visit to HMAS Sydney; vermin control aboard HMAS Sydney; amusing story of mass formation landing on HMS Ocean in Mediterranean; return flight to GB, 1953. Aspects of period commanding Southern Air Division, Fleet Air Arm in GB, 1954-1955: duties looking after Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve pilots; types of squadron aircraft; amusing story of National Service midshipman pilot who was charged with low-level flying over his old school; Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve weekend flying; story of visit by senior Royal Air Force officer. Aspects of period commanding 803 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm aboard HMS Eagle in GB coastal waters, 1/1957-3/1958: taking command of squadron; death of pilot ejecting at HMS Fulmar, Royal Naval Air Station Lossiemouth. REEL 7 Continues: opinion of Hawker Sea Hawk; effects of introduction of angled deck, mirror deck landing and catapults; problems of with Hawker Sea Hawk’s fuel cap; role commanding squadron; role of senior pilot; squadron composition. Aspects of period as Commander Air at HMS Goldfinch, Royal Naval Air Station Brawdy, 1958-1959: duties; sight of De Havilland DH.100 Vampire crash at HMS Goldfinch, Royal Naval Air Station Brawdy; reasons for pilot loss in late 1950s; Royal Air Force’s attitude towards taking over airfield. Recollections of period commanding HMS St Bride’s Bay in Indian Ocean and Pacific, 1960: preparations for taking command of frigate; how steering ship was influenced by flying experience; importance of co-operation with first lieutenant; role commanding ship’s crew. REEL 8 Continues: taking command of frigate in Singapore, Federation of Malaya, 1960; visit with HMS Cardigan Bay to Untied States Navy in Hawaii, United States of America; visit to Gilbert and Ellice Islands including sporting and recreational activities with locals; voyage from Gilbert and Ellice Islands to Hong Kong; searching for pirates off British Borneo; use of ship’s side party in Hong Kong, then return to GB. Aspects of period as appointer with Fleet Air Arm at Admiralty and Ministry of Defence, London, GB, 1961-1962: role and duties as appointer. Aspects of period as Chief of Staff to Flag Officer Aircraft Carriers in GB, 1963-1966: role and duties as chief of staff. Aspects of period commanding HMS Galatea in Far East and GB coastal waters, 1966: role and duties as Commander D; visit to West Germany. Aspects of period as Director Naval Air Warfare at Directorate of Naval Air Warfare, Ministry of Defence in London, GB, 1968-1970: importance of extending HMS Ark Royal’s service life; role in Fleet Air Arm acquiring Hawker Siddeley Harrier for service in Royal Navy; introduction of through deck cruiser. Aspects of period commanding HMS Ark Royal in GB coastal waters, North Atlantic and United States of America, 1971-1972: fixed duration of commanding aircraft carrier; problems berthing on visit to Hudson River in New York, United States of America, 1/1972. REEL 9 Continues: return to Plymouth, GB; reasons for rapid deployment towards Belize, 1/1972; overflights of Belize by aircraft carrier’s Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer S.2s as show of force to Guatemala, 28/1/1972. Aspects of period as Flag Officer Sea Training in GB, 1972-1973: appointment to role at HMNB Portland; accommodation. Aspects of period as Chief of Staff to Commander-in-Chief Fleet and Flag Officer, Naval Air Command in GB, 1974-1978: appointment as Chief of Staff to Commander-in-Chief Fleet at Northwood, 1974; appointment as Flag Officer, Naval Air Command, 1976; flying in Queen’s Jubilee flypast, 1977; role and duties; size of Naval Air Command; retirement, 1/1978; nature of his naval career at sea and in the air.