Interviews with Airmen
The following clips were digitized and excerpted from audio cassettes tapes in the Huron County Museum collection. In some cases, former airmen were interviewed on tape, in other cases they recorded their own reminiscences for posterity. In all cases, access to the full interviews may be requested by contacting the Archives at the Huron County Museum.
Most of the clips below are from interviews conducted by Jeanne Muldoon. In the early 1990s, Jeanne conducted interviews with air force veterans around Southwestern Ontario and is best known for leading the initiative to produce Wings of Valour, a response video to CBC’s controversial documentary about Bomber Command, The Valour and the Horror.
Donald Bruce’s recording is courtesy of the Eugene McGee Collection. Eugene McGee donated his extensive collection of material relating to No. 31 Air Navigation School in Port Albert, Ontario to the Huron County Museum in 2010.
Interviews with Training School Attendees
Doug Case
Jeanne Muldoon interviews Doug Case who came to No. 12 Elementary Flying Training School in December 1940. Undated cassette, likely recorded around 1992. Click Here to View Transcript
Herb Davidson
Jeanne Muldoon interviews Herb Davidson who was one of the first instructors at No. 12 Elementary Flying Training School. Click Here to View Transcript
• 01 - Training could no longer happen
Donald Bruce
Donald Bruce from Rye, Sussex, England joined the RAF at the start of WWII and took his navigation training at No. 31 Air Navigation School, Port Albert. During the war, he was shot down and spent three years in a German POW camp. To document his experiences, he recorded a series of thirteen audio cassette tapes between 1977 and 1995. These tapes were given to Eugene McGee and later donated to the Huron County Museum. The following excerpts are from an undated cassette about his time at No. 31 ANS Port Albert. From the Eugene McGee Collection, 2010.0037.157 Click Here to View Transcript
• 02 - Flying for the first time
• 03 - Airplane crash that killed two people
• 04 - Surviving a crash landing
• 05 - Losing an airplane over the lake
• 06 - Purchasing an old 1930 Essex
Don Fink
Jeanne Muldoon interviews Don Fink, a graduate from the first class at No. 12 Elementary Flying Training School. Undated cassette, likely recorded around 1992. Click Here to View Transcript
• 02 - Talking about Air Navigation
• 05 - Inviting Airmen for dinner
Jeff Mellon
Jeff Mellon recalls his time as a former instructor at No. 12 Elementary Flying Training School during the spring of 1944, including one memorable trip to Kitchener. Before coming to Goderich, Jeff was also an instructor at No. 6 S.F.T.S. Dunnville, No. 9 S.F.T.S. Centralia, and No. 9 S.F.T.S. St. Catherines. His reminisces were recorded on a cassette in 1992 and sent to Jeanne Muldoon. Click Here to View Transcript
transcript
Bud Stevenson
Jeanne Muldoon interviews Bud Stevenson about his time at No. 12 Elementary Flying Training School, which started in 1942. Undated cassette, likely recorded around 1992. Click Here to View Transcript
Bill Walkom
Jeanne Muldoon interviews Bill Walkom around 1991. Bill Walkom was at No. 12 Elementary Flying Training School as a student from September 1942 until November 1942. He later became a fighter pilot. Click Here to View Transcript
transcript
Roy Wheeler
Jeanne Muldoon interviews Roy Wheeler who came from England to work at No. 5 Royal Air Force Radio School. Undated cassette, likely recorded around 1992.
Click here to view Transcript. • 01 - Clinton arriving with Equip
