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Description: | British officer served as pilot with 19 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps in GB and Western Front, 1915-1918
REEL 1 Transfer from Royal Artillery to Royal Flying Corps, 12/1915. Flying training in GB, 1916. Period with 19 Sqdn, RFC on Western Front, ca 1916-1918: aircraft flown including BE2 C and Sopwith Camel; flying controls; unit composition; bombing role; unit's role in dropping spy and pigeons for communication behind German lines; relationship with officers including Albert Ball; flying uniform and use of warming device; movements; casualties; testing of Guardian Angel parachute during period at No 2 Balloon Training Depot at Richmond Park, 1918; personal morale; armament of BE2 C.
REEL 2 Continues: reconnaissance role; bombing role and use of aerial photography to monitor results; effects of high winds on flying; question of flying accidents and danger from fire; opinion of Fokker aircraft; question of nature of dogfights and confirmation procedure; relationship with Australian and Royal Naval Air Service squadrons; question of air supremacy; ground crews; introduction of disintegrating linked cartridges for Vickers machine gun; pilot casualty rate; relationship with French civilians and story of being charged money for water; story of meeting school friend.
REEL 3 Continues: story of meeting school friend and getting drunk; relationship with French civilians; visits by Trenchard, King of Montenegro and Prince of Wales; German anti-aircraft and artillery fire. Background to recruitment and basic training as gunner with Royal Artillery, 1/1915: reasons; attitude to Germany; question of motives behind outbreak of war and profiteering; underage status; failure of previous attempt to join up; story illustrating value of previous drill training on joining RFC. | Publisher: | http://www.iwm.org.uk | Source: | Imperial War Museum | Creator: | Beard, Charles Alfred Ernest | Identifier: | http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/o... | Go to resource |
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