|
Date: |
|
Description: | British photographer served as 1st class aircraft mechanic on photographic duties with Royal Flying Corps and RAF at Northolt, London Colney and Turnhouse,, 1917-1918; served as NCO with Photographic Section, Headquarters, 70th Wing in France, 1939-1940; served with Sqdn at Turnhill, 1940-1945
REEL 1. Background as Camberwell, London, 1899-1917: work as chemist's assistant; attestation and call up into army; successful approach to Squadron Leader Laws requesting transfer as photographer to Royal Flying Corps; interest in photography and experience in self-developing POP prints. Recollections of period training as photographer at Regent Street Polytechnic, London, 1917: prior trade test; methods and chemicals employed in developing and fixing photographic negatives; importance of speed in developing photographs; instructors; prior photographic experience of recruits. Period as 1st class aircraft mechanic on photographic duties at Northolt, London Colney and Turnhouse, 1917-1918: teaching operation of cameras to trainee pilots with No 2 Sqn, Royal Flying Corps; description of plate cameras including method of operation, sight, filters and panchromatic film; methods, chemicals and paper employed in developing and fixing photographs in darkrooms; layout of darkroom huts.
REEL 2 Continues: question of conditions of operation in photographic darkrooms on Western Front; question of photographic exposure time and weather restrictions on flying; preparing and presenting aircraft recognition lantern slide shows; photographic duties and rota of photographic duties; camera aircraft mountings; camera types; Kennedy Giant aircraft; visits to London; recruits under training; aerial firing range; ground photography on move to London Colney; question of destruction of photographs; move to Turnhouse, 1918; reaction to formation of RAF, 1/4/1918; photographing ships and recording experiments in deck landings; cine photography of torpedo trials; film shows; visits to ships and ruse to get cigarettes ashore; Armistice, 11/11/1918. Demobilisation and work as chemist's assistant, 1919-1939. Background to call up as photographer reservist, 9/1939.
REEL 3 Period with Photographic Section, Headquarters, 70th Wing at Rosieres Chateau, France, 1939-1940: story of meeting Squadron Leader Frederick Laws; story of pilot photographing wrong target; propaganda leaflets; German air attacks on airfield; German air attacks during evacuation, 5/1940; reception at Bulford Camp. Period with Photographic Sqdn at Turnhill, 1940-1945: cine-film; use of Williamson automatic cameras; demobilisation and return to work as chemist, 1945. | Publisher: | http://www.iwm.org.uk | Source: | Imperial War Museum | Creator: | Maclean, Albert | Identifier: | http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/o... | Go to resource |
|
|