Magnusson, Norman L.: my Air Force recollections (August 28, 1980)

An interview/narrative of Norman L. Magnusson's experiences during World War II. Major-General Magnusson, C.M.M., D.F.C. served with the Royal Canadian Air Force. Interview took place on August 28, 1980.

Interviewer: Thackray, William S.

Rank: Major-General.

ABSTRACT: Maj.-Gen. Norman L. Magnusson, C.M.M., D.F.C. Royal Canadian Air Force Magnusson_N_0103_01.mp3 Born on Apr. 15, 1918. Employed by Lever Bros. in Winnipeg in 1939. Joined the Winnipeg Rifles (militia) in 1940. Applied to the R.C.A.F. as air crew and was accepted early in 1941. After manning depot in Brandon and Initial Training School in Winnipeg he was accepted as an observer. After specialist training he proceeded overseas in spring 1942 as a sergeant observer. Advanced flying school in Scotland and an operational training unit (O.T.U.) in Rutland. There he flew in Handley Page Hampden (bomber) aircraft which, unless flown by a skilled pilot, was likely to produce more than its fair share of casualties. (25:00) Sent to No. 4 Group, R.A.F. Bomber Command where they flew Vickers Wellington bombers. An original member of No. 428 Squadron, R.C.A.F. in Nov. 1942. Operations began in Feb. 1943. Participated in many raids, including the first thousand bomber raid against Essen, while he was still at the O.T.U. Mine-laying. Most large cities in Germany, especially the Ruhr. Sometimes badly shot up. Participated in incendiary raids on Hamburg in 1943, limped home, the aircraft a write-off. Converted to Handley Page Halifax bombers. Crash landed in one due to heavy enemy fighter damage. (45:00) Magnusson_N_0103_02.mp3 Earlier, during an attack on Brest, their Wellington flew so low taking evasive action that they hit an object and lost the port propeller, crash landing in England. First crew in No. 428 Squadron to survive a full tour (Aug./Sept. 1943). Commissioned. Comments on the name "Ghost Squadron". Flew from Middleton St.George after converting to Halifaxes. Navigational errors sometimes caused crews to be lost. Explains the "G" radar navigation aid. Gas consumption had to be nicely calculated against the bomb load. Berlin represented maximum range and required accurate fuel calculation. Navigation aids improved with the new H2S radar. (20:00) Dense fog at landing fields could be burned off through the use of "FIDO", heavy burning of kerosene. Debriefings by the intelligence officer during which the navigator's log was used as the basis for questions: places, events, flak, night fighters, etc. Bad weather might cause "stand-downs" for up to two weeks. Then they took courses, went on leave, and so on. On the other hand, they might make several raids in succession. This was hard on air crew; often they flew on nerves alone. No. 428 Squadron converted to Avro Lancasters in 1945 which performed better. The Halifax had been a real workhorse of considerable reliability. Lancasters with radial engines were very effective. (40:00)

Interviewee: Magnusson, Norman L., b. 1918

In Collection:

• Canadian Military Oral Histories

Contributor

• Thackray, William S.
• Magnusson, Norman L., b. 1918

Subject

• Military history
• Canada. Royal Canadian Air Force
• World War (1939-1945)
• World War (1914-1918)

Language

• eng

Date created

• August 28, 1980

Relation

• Part of the Reginald H. Roy collection of interviews.

Resource type

• Sound

Rights statement

• In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Extent

• 2 sound recordings (MP3)

Geographic coverage

• Germany
• England

Coordinates

• 52.16045, -0.70312
• 51.5, 10.5

Additional physical characteristics

• One original sound tape reel (ca. 90 min.) : 1 7/8 ips, 2 track, mono. ; 1 sound cassette copy : standard, mono. in Special Collections.

Physical repository

• University of Victoria (B.C.). Library

Collection

• Canadian Military Oral History Collection

Provider

• University of Victoria (B.C.). Library

Genre

• reminiscences
• oral histories (literary genre)
• sound recordings
• interviews

Archival item identifier

• MNL_103

Fonds title

• Reginald Herbert Roy fonds

Fonds identifier

• SC104

Is referenced by

• Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/reginald-herbert-roy-fonds

Date digitized

• July 11, 2007

Technical note

• Digital sound recording in .wav format at 16 bits and 22 kHz. In .mp3 format at 64 kbps and 22 kHz. Digitized by AN, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. Transferred from audio reel to audio cassette between 1987-1997. Interview migrated to digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2007. 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

DOI

•  https://doi.org/10.58066/5ne1-hx80

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