Mansbridge, Stanley H.: my Air Force recollections (May 15, 1987)
Interviewer: Torrie, Tom
An interview/narrative of Stanley H. Mansbridge's experiences during World War II. Wing Commander Mansbridge served with the Royal Air Force. Interview took place on May 15, 1987.
Rank: Wing Commander.
ABSTRACT: Wing Commander Stanley H. Mansbridge Royal Air Force Mansbridge_S_0105_01.mp3 (Side 1) Born on May 29, 1918 in Folkestone, England; father a member of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. In May 1939 he joined the R.A.F. Voluntary Reserve, but was not called up until spring 1940. Began the usual air crew training program with an aside in ground defence duties at an airport near Edinburgh. At Prestwick in 1941 he was asked to volunteer as an Observer since there was a shortage of personnel with that specialty. After courses in navigation, bombing, and air gunnery he was commissioned and posted to an Operational Training Unit where he was crewed up with a South African pilot. Posted to No. 49 Squadron of 5 Group, Bomber Command. "Easier" first operational flight turned out not to be! Describes preparations for a raid. Used Handley Page Hampden medium bombers in 1941/42. An unusual aircraft. The effect of briefings, preparations, then cancellation of operations on air crew. Conditions, recreational and otherwise, available to air crew during stand-downs. Promoted to flying officer after six months. First tour was two hundred hours of operational flying (in his case thirty one flights). Appointed a navigational instructor at an O.T.U. (operational training unit) which he found tedious. Returned to No. 49 Squadron after nine months. During first thousand-bomber raid on Cologne he was temporarily crewed up in an unfamiliar Vickers Wellington bomber. In Feb. 1943 posted to a conversion unit for radar operators. Promoted to flight lieutenant and squadron bombing leader which meant he could pick his raids and aircraft (as a staff officer). Often flew with the squadron commander. Mansbridge_S_0105_02.mp3 Attacked the radar works at Friedrichshafen, a small, directed attack of fifty-eight aircraft. Flew on to Algiers, a twelve and one-half hour flight to an American air base which turned out to be awkward as the Americans did not expect them. (45:00) On the return they attacked the Italian naval base at La Spezia. Participated in the first major attack on Peenemunde where the Germans perfected and manufactured their flying bombs. The third wave of bombers, of which he was part, suffered a considerable number of casualties. Second tour ended. As a squadron leader he was involved in the problems caused by target markers drifting with the wind and thus contributing to inaccurate bombing. Explains. Selected for the R.A.F. Staff College in Aug. 1944. Promoted to wing commander. Posted to the planning staff at R.A.F. bomber headquarters. Involved in planning the well-known attack on the rail centre of Dresden (at Russian request). Postwar mass flights over Germany "to show the flag". Major operation returning P.O.W.'s from Europe using Avro Lancaster bombers. Planning for small bomber force for the Pacific, but difficult to persuade the Americans that this was necessary. Declined a permanent R.A.F. commission. Demobilized in Feb. 1946. Comments on Brest harbour attack during first tour. (47:00) Mansbridge_S_0105_03.mp3 (Side 2) Mining operations. Comments on national "mix" of air crews and their great comradeship. (09:00)
Interviewee: Mansbridge, Stanley H., b. 1918
- In Collection:
- 3 sound recordings (MP3)
- 52.16045, -0.70312
- 51.5, 10.5
- One original sound tape reel (ca. 120 min.) : 1 7/8 ips, 2 track, mono. ; 2 sound cassette copies : standard, mono. in Special Collections.
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- MSH_105
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/reginald-herbert-roy-fonds
- July 11, 2007
- 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
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