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Description: | British airman served as coxswain on SST3 airship with Royal Flying Corps over North Sea, 1917-1918; served with Kite Balloon Section mine spotting in Mediterranean, 1918-1919
REEL 1 Background in Norwich, 1900-1917: outbreak of war, 4/8/1914; background to brothers' recruitment to 7th Bn Norfolk Regt, death of two brothers on Western Front, 13/10/1915, story of meeting man who buried them, effects on family and Morton's reaction; signing up using mother's forged signature to join Boys Section, Royal Flying Corps, 9/1917; football game at airship base; call up and journey via London to Aldershot, 9/1917; work as boy rigger at aircraft factory; first flight. Stories illustrating ignorance of military lifestyle on reception at Aldershot Barracks, 9/1917. Period of training at Wendover and Cranwell, RAF, 1918. Recollections of period at Howden, 1918: initial work as rigger and background to appointment as coxswain on Airship SST 3; story of conversation with Elizabeth, Duchess of York (Queen Mother) concerning George VI service at Cranwell, 1918; value of military training.
REEL 2 Continues: types of airships; story of fire in airship shed and question of causes; crew and construction of Submarine Scout airship; personal morale; role as rigger; story of inexperienced US aircrew illustrating importance of use of ballast in landing; use of trail rope in landing; communications; anti submarine convoy escort patrols over North Sea; superiority of Zeppelins; cold conditions and flying uniform; anti submarine convoy escort patrols over North Sea; opinion of US and British pilots.
REEL 3 Continues: formation of RAF, 1/4/1918; background to destruction of R101; story of kicking German POW illustrating Murton's hatred of Germans; effects of brothers' death on family; Armistice Day celebrations, 11/11/1918. Demobilization and post war career. Period spotting mines with kite balloon section with Duchess of York in Dardanelles area, 1919. Story of post-war trip on Duchess of York converted into pleasure cruiser. | Publisher: | http://www.iwm.org.uk | Source: | Imperial War Museum | Creator: | Smith, Lyn E | Identifier: | http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/o... | Go to resource |
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