Arthur William Doubleday, as a Squadron Leader, Second World War, RAAF and RAF, interviewed by Ed Stokes for the Keith Murdoch Sound Archive of Australia in the War of 1939-45
Accession Number: S00546
Description
(402945) Arthur William Doubleday, as a squadron leader Bomber Command, RAAF and RAF, interviewed by Ed Stokes for the Keith Murdoch Sound Archive of Australia in the War of 1939-45
Speaks of his early life in Wagga Wagga NSW; enlisted RAAF 1940; training at Bradfield Park and Narrandera; EATS Canada; posting to number 27 OTU England; training on Wellingtons; recreation; selection of crews; attributes of Wellingtons and Lancasters; role of navigators and engineers; landing techniques; standard of aircraft maintenance; casualty rates of Bomber Command; leave and recreation; searchlights; pre-flight anxiety; pathfinders; German defences; effect of Window; risk of inflight collisions and being hit by falling incidaries and bombs; thousand bomber raids; civilian casualties in Germany; marriage in England August 1943; tactics used to deceive Germans of intended target; Nuremberg raid; Winter Offensive (October 1943 to March 1944); role and success of Bomber Command; coordination and timing of aircraft waves; management of stress and lack of moral fibre (LMF); asked to take command of 61 Squadron RAF, only Australian to command an RAF bomber squadron; all pilots of 5 Group Bomber Command were commissioned officers; pre-raid conferences; comparison between American close formation and British "gaggle" style of flying; weather; memorable raids; success of OBOE; awarded DSO July 1944; successful daylight raid on radio valve store south of Paris; took command of training school at Litchfield; posted to America to attend staff college course; reaction to news of Japanese attacks in Pacific; Japanese surrender; return to Australia; approached by Country Party to stand for Federal Parliament; post-war employment as Director of Civil Aviation for Queensland; considers the war against Nazi Germany and Japan was necessary and in similar circumstances would do it all again.
Contextual Description
Speaks of his early life in Wagga Wagga NSW; enlisted RAAF 1940; training at Bradfield Park and Narrandera; EATS Canada; posting to number 27 OTU England; training on Wellingtons; recreation; selection of crews; attributes of Wellingtons and Lancasters; role of navigators and engineers; landing techniques; standard of aircraft maintenance; casualty rates of Bomber Command; leave and recreation; searchlights; pre-flight anxiety; pathfinders; German defences; effect of Window; risk of inflight collisions and being hit by falling incidaries and bombs; thousand bomber raids; civilian casualties in Germany; marriage in England August 1943; tactics used to deceive Germans of intended target; Nuremberg raid; Winter Offensive (October 1943 to March 1944); role and success of Bomber Command; coordination and timing of aircraft waves; management of stress and lack of moral fibre (LMF); asked to take command of 61 Squadron RAF, only Australian to command an RAF bomber squadron; all pilots of 5 Group Bomber Command were commissioned officers; pre-raid conferences; comparison between American close formation and British "gaggle" style of flying; weather; memorable raids; success of OBOE; awarded DSO July 1944; successful daylight raid on radio valve store south of Paris; took command of training school at Litchfield; posted to America to attend staff college course; reaction to news of Japanese attacks in Pacific; Japanese surrender; return to Australia; approached by Country Party to stand for Federal Parliament; post-war employment as Director of Civil Aviation for Queensland; considers the war against Nazi Germany and Japan was necessary and in similar circumstances would do it all again.
The Keith Murdoch Sound Archive of Australia in the war of 1939-45
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Part 1 of Arthur William Doubleday, as a Squadron Leader, Second World War, RAAF and RAF, interviewed by Ed Stokes for the Keith Murdoch Sound Archive of Australia in the War of 1939-45
Part 2 of Arthur William Doubleday, as a Squadron Leader, Second World War, RAAF and RAF, interviewed by Ed Stokes for the Keith Murdoch Sound Archive of Australia in the War of 1939-45
Part 3 of Arthur William Doubleday, as a Squadron Leader, Second World War, RAAF and RAF, interviewed by Ed Stokes for the Keith Murdoch Sound Archive of Australia in the War of 1939-45
Part 4 of Arthur William Doubleday, as a Squadron Leader, Second World War, RAAF and RAF, interviewed by Ed Stokes for the Keith Murdoch Sound Archive of Australia in the War of 1939-45
Part 5 of Arthur William Doubleday, as a Squadron Leader, Second World War, RAAF and RAF, interviewed by Ed Stokes for the Keith Murdoch Sound Archive of Australia in the War of 1939-45
Part 6 of Arthur William Doubleday, as a Squadron Leader, Second World War, RAAF and RAF, interviewed by Ed Stokes for the Keith Murdoch Sound Archive of Australia in the War of 1939-45
Donald Ernest Cameron Charlwood, 103 Squadron Bomber Command RAAF and RAF, interviewed by Tim Bowden for The Keith Murdoch Sound Archive of Australia in the War of 1939-45
Discussing reasons for join
Discusses Returned Services League (RSL); enlistment; training; Bomber Command; Pathfinders; training; Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS); aircraft Halifax bombers; RAAF; Royal Air Force (RAF); stress;
Speaks of his pre-war life; enlisted in RAAF in November 1940 aged twenty seven; training in Australia and Canada; December 1944 posted as acting commanding officer 27 OTU; attended Staff College in U
Discusses education; employment; enlistment; training; Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS), airforce training; RAAF; discipline; embarkation; RAAF Royal Air Force (RAF) relations; casualties; aircraft
Discusses education; enlistment; training; embarkation; Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS); casualties; RAAF Canadian relations; No. 97 Squadron Royal Air Force (RAF); aerial operations; stress; naviga
Arthur Robert Hoyle as a flying officer, 460 Squadron RAF Bomber Command, interviewed by Edward Stokes for The Keith Murdoch Sound Archive of Australia in the War of 1939-45.