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Description: | British officer served as pilot with 20 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps in France, 1918; served with 111 and 142 Sqdns, RAF in Palestine and Egypt, 1919-1920; served with 55 Sqdn, RAF in Egypt, Turkey and Iraq, 1920-1921
REEL 1 Background in GB, 1898-1916: family; education. Aspects of period as officer with Artist Rifles, 3rd Bn West Yorkshire Regt and Royal Flying Corps in GB, 1917-1918: enlistment in Artist Rifles; posting to West Yorkshire Regt; duties as gas officer; training with Royal Flying Corps; introduction of Gosport Tube; gunnery training. Aspects of operations as pilot with 20 Sqdn, Royal Flying Corps in France, 1918: posting to squadron; operating Bristol Fighters; nature of aerial combat in France; award of Distinguished Flying Cross; opinion of Bristol Fighter; reasons for invaliding back to GB. Aspects of period as officer with RAF in GB, 1919: administrative training; supervising closure of station at Turnberry; application for permanent commission. Aspects of period as pilot with 111 and 142 Sqdns, RAF in Egypt and Palestine, 1919-1920: reaction to posting to Middle East; journey from GB to Palestine via Egypt.
REEL 2 Continues: initial posting to 111 Sqdn, RAF at RAF Ramleh, Paletine; description of RAF Ramleh; posting to 142 Sqdn, RAF at Suez in Egypt; reasons for re-numbering of squadron to 55 Sqdn. Recollections of period as pilot with 55 Sqdn, RAF in Egypt, Turkey and Iraq, 1920-1921: social activities; amount of flying undertaken; description of drinking game 'Cardinal Puff'; duties as armaments officer; introduction of De Havilland DH 9 As; medical treatment received in Suez; attitude to service in Middle East; description of squadron's journey to Maltepe, Turkey, 1920; attack of malaria.
REEL 3 Continues: hospitalisation for malaria in Constantinople, Turkey; arrival of trained armaments officer; rejoining squadron and embarking aboard HMS Ark Royal; nature of voyage from Turkey to Iraq aboard HMS Ark Royal; origin of squadron's spearpoint crest; hospitalisation for sandfly fever in Basra, Iraq; paddle steamer voyage to Kut el Amara as land communications cut by Arab revolt; rejoining squadron at RAF Baghdad West; character of EP Tent; complement of squadron; aircraft numbering; reconnaissance flight in De Havilland DH 9 A to check railway line, 11/1920.
REEL 4 Continues: subsequent rescue by accompanying aircraft after forced landing, 11/1920; futility of carrying "blood chits"; take off in aircraft in face of hostile Arabs, 11/1920; organisation of RAF in Iraq; method of starting aero-engines; refuelling De Havilland DH 9 A; problems with heat in Iraq; uniform worn; origin of squadron motto; detachment of B Flight to Mosul, 1/1921; introduction to area around Mosul; description of punitive bombing raids; story of rescuing downed aircrew after forced landing.
REEL 5 Continues: problem of landing after rescue; award of Distinguished Flying Cross; bombing operations; fire risk when destroying aircraft on ground; bombing techniques; horseback expedition to check whether innocent villages had been bombed; visit to Kurd village; bombing of Ramanduz; construction of Arab huts; journey in motor convoy to Shargat; living conditions in Mosul; procurement of supplementary rations; cold weather conditions in Mosul; dressing for dinner in mess; polo playing on airfield at Mosul.
REEL 6 Continues: recreational activities at Mosul; relations with army personnel; communications between ground and air; duties of squadron's other ranks; atmosphere in squadron; reasons for RAF not allowing army wives in Iraq; length of officers commissions; financial restraints on RAF; senior officers; RAF pay, promotion and allowances; financial difficulties after marriage; return to GB via India, 1921; outbreak of food poisoning in Mosul; RAF lack of professional organisation and training; assessment of effectiveness of RAF in Iraq.
REEL 7 Continues: lack of contemporary realisation of nature of policy of air control and purpose of British presence; delays in post and availability of newspapers. | Publisher: | http://www.iwm.org.uk | Source: | Imperial War Museum | Creator: | Groom, Victor Emmanuel | Identifier: | http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/o... | Go to resource |
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