Spooner, Robert E.: my Air Force recollections (February 17, 2005)
Interviewer: Nicks, Jennifer
An interview/narrative of Robert E. Spooner's experiences during World War II. Flight Lieutenant Spooner served with the Royal Canadian Air Force. Interview took place on February 17, 2005.
ABSTRACT: Flight Lieutenant Robert E. Spooner Started in the military in the artillery on a non-permanent basis. Was accepted into the Air Force in 1941, sworn in 1941 in Vancouver then sent to Brandon Manitoba for Manning Pool. Once he survived Manning Pool he was assigned guard duty in Rivers Manitoba. Sent to Regina for flight school, (Ground school). Then to High River to fly Tiger Moths. Good aircraft because it was not as stable as larger aircraft, if in trouble it would right itself. Next posting was to service flight school, flew Cessna Cranes. Received his wings in October. Posted to Trenton Ontario for another course to become an instructor. (5 minutes) Posted back to High River to be an instructor, not looking forward to instructing, but he had no choice. Switched training from Tiger Moths to Cornell's. Cornell's were also good aircraft. May 1943 posting overseas to Clareshome to get more time on other aircraft, (Anson's). Sent to Halifax to leave for England. (7 minutes) Ran into a pack of submarines, lobed death charges over the sides all night. Had to continue with the convoy. A destroyer started to escort his damaged ship back and a blimp escorted them the rest of the way. American Paratroopers were onboard so they were not allowed to go ashore, until they convinced them that they could go as a group. Leaving the harbour they damaged their ship again. Flown back, then after waiting they were sent to New York and caught the Queen Mary to Greenwich in Scotland. (10 minutes) Sent to Bournemouth to wait because his services were not needed. Conversion started with Miles Master, Hurricanes, Spitfires, and then Typhoons in Bristol in Western England. No Dual instruction in Typhoons. TRACK2 - The next instructor felt that he had way more flying time and thus could not be taught anything. Sat in the plane to learn where everything was located. Typhoons had a hard swing to the right; he was given instructions on how to fly, after more training posted to a squadron. Post D-Day met up with Allies in Brussels, camped in orchard. Airfields were quite damaged and they still managed to get some flying done. He was needed to protect commander from behind. Took a few operations to find out what war was about. (5 minutes) Shot at so badly one could barely get through it. Commander was hit. Because Commander was killed he became flight commander. He had lots of airtime but was not familiar with the area or procedure. This was his introduction to the squadron. Busting trains to prevent transport of German supplies to the front. (8 minutes) If targets were not hit they had to go back and try to hit them again until they succeeded. TRACK 3 - Jobs were in the Ardennes, Germans were just covering that area, and Allies were extended too far. Given targets of opportunity, (if it moves shoot it). Cologne Cathedral was a marker; it did not get damaged too badly. (2 minutes) Germans had been given lots of practice and the Typhoons had to cross heavily defended areas. Change course every 20 seconds. He was careful to not fly too low to avoid damage. Posted to Goch in Germany, not there very long, but it was safer and closer to where they needed to be. Often they did jobs with reconnaissance cars on the ground. Smoke at the right time indicated the target. TRACK 4 - 438 Squadron, 143 Wing, Second Tactical Air Force. 438, 439, and 440 were all Canadian Squadrons neat to have a good showing for Canada. TRACK 5 - Went near Celli had great number of trips (96) and CO mentions to him that his duty is all over. Ninety-Sixth operation he had radio trouble, opted for one more trip. Tour was originally to be 125 trips but no one was finishing the full 125, crashed or POW or shot out of the sky, tours were reduced to 100 trips. CO could stop ahead of time if he felt the need for it. End of war for F/Lt. Spooner, caught a flight back to England, went to Fighter Command headquarters and was instructed to take leave. VE Day came and he was on leave, went back to Fighter Command sent to Estendown where he had learned to fly the Typhoon. Station was closing, so he went back to Bournemouth, subsided by sneaking into mess without ticket. Three months later on a ship back to Canada. (4 Minutes) Air Force shows you who you can trust, and who will respond well in an emergency. Single engine pilots are visual pilots. Another pilot hit his aircraft and was able to recover from the spin. Took the aircraft home and got an emergency landing. Example of not panicking to ensure survival. (7 minutes) Example of hazards faced. Reactions to emergencies. (10 minutes 30 seconds) 6, 000 - 10, 000 feet is low flack altitudes, Heavy flack will rattle the aircraft, also will obscure the target. (12 minutes) The importance of radio silence. TRACK 6 - Equipment and information that was provided for our pilots. Importance of maintenance people. (2 minutes) Attack on their squadron, managed to get to safety. (5 minutes) Allies able to replace aircraft faster than the Germans, known by pilots. TRACK 7 - Job of Flight Commander description. Losses of CO's - acted as CO but never got rank or pay. Being CO was not a safe job. (3 minutes) Flight commanders did everything that the CO's did. (5 minutes) Bulletin from January 1 operation. (7 minutes) Typhoon worked well at lower altitudes and able to bring down aircraft without ever using guns. (12 minutes) Able to fly after mass destruction, even used RT so enemy could hear them. (14 minutes) Conversion from instructor to flying operations. (15 minutes 30 seconds) Only worried when operations were called off by weather. Flight Commanders did not reside in the same barracks as the Wing. (18 minutes) Wears his DFC for his wing, no one thing earned it for him. TRACK 8 - Reasons for earning his DFC. (1 minute) Mascot was designed by Disney. Wore pins with the Wildcat TRACK 9 - While on a train busting mission, did not know that it was an ammunition train. Everything was up in the air; a piece of shrapnel got lodged in the aircraft and got the gas tank. Thankful that he did his tour on singles did not have to always go through heavy flack. Could get out by using ones head. Only Germans know what Typhoons are. The noise was horrible; just fly by to intimidate the enemy, only time that mortars would stop! (4 minutes) Good war for him.
Rank: Flight Lieutenant.
Interviewee: Spooner, Robert E.
- In Collection:
- 1 sound recording (MP3)
- 51.5, 10.5
- 52.16045, -0.70312
- One original audio cassette ; 1 digital audio MiniDisc in Special Collections.
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- SR_454
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/military-oral-history-collection
- December 13, 2012
- Digital sound recording in .wav format at 16 bits and 44 kHz. In .mp3 format at 56 kbps and 24 kHz. Digitized by JF, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. Interview migrated to digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2012. Migration metadata by KD and MT.
- Rights
- This interview has been posted with the understanding that it may be used for research purposes only. Should the interviewee or their heirs have any objections to this interview being accessible on the Internet, it will be removed promptly. Contact UVic Special Collections for permission if using for other than research purposes: speccoll@uvic.ca
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