MacGregor, James: my Air Force recollections (November 24, 2006)
PublicInterviewee: MacGregor, James
Interviewer: Young, Craig
An interview/narrative of James MacGregor's experiences during World War II. Flight Lieutenant MacGregor served with the Royal Air Force. Interview took place on November 24, 2006.
Rank: Flight Lieutenant.
ABSTRACT: Flight Lieutenant James MacGregor James MacGregor, known as Lucky, originally started flying with the RAF number 1 group, with the 12th squadron. After flying 4 missions, he joined Pathfinder duties. They were a part of an elite group that was handpicked from all the groups in Bomber Command. July 7th 1943. And joined the elite group November 11th, 1943. Trained with the RCAF near Halifax in Canada. Stated as Air gunner, was trained as a morass code operator, but halfway through he volunteered to be a Gunner as they were in short supply. People with highest marks were graduated as pilot officers the lower have sergeant officers, difference was 2 dollars a day. He was good with accurate gunner. Received a Victoria cross metal. Flew 56 missions, only 55 of which were recorded in the flight log as his last mission was off the books as he filled in so that his crew was not shorted a gunner. Pathfinder tours were only 20 missions. They had to do 1 tours, and could volunteer for a 2nd, and before they were sent home after that unless it was approved by a high commander. James almost finished his 3 tour, before he received a call from high command and told him he was grounded. This was because a lady in the prairies went to her local MP and complained that her son had died after doing 2 missions and was doing a third when her neighbors son was still alive after doing 2 missions. English RAF served the entire war. Pathfinders scattered 500 pounders to weaken the enemy's defense. He had a three year twitch, because his nerves were shot. James describes himself as the odd bog that beat the odds. Odd bog being the spare gunner. Getting into the air force he had 3 train wrecks, 3 boats sunk, 3 cars collisions, 3 aircraft collisions (even married 3 times). Got the nickname Lucky. Wing Commander Wilson offered him 100 pounds to fly his last mission with him. Lucky asked him what is wrong with you gunner. He said nothing, everyone knows you always make it back. Lucky did not go and they never returned. Dortman in Ruhr valley. He flew in Lancasters. 6 groups in bomber command. (not true) Because the RAF was not hitting their targets. They formed Pathfinders which was 8 group. Scarlet fever, but trained for the dam buster groups. Pathfinders marked targets and kept marking the target by marking with flairs. Cookies were 4,000 pounders, no one wanted to carry. One guy would go out on missions and never go to targets. He would peel off and fly up and down the North Sea. He would talk to the crews and find out what happened. A double IFF, tracked him and caught him. The whole crew was sent to a "Glass House". Did not hit or beat them, but terrorize them. Ex. Have a tower with a hose on it, with a bucket on each end, and had to constantly refill the buckets for hours at a time. The point was to break the spirits. Lack of Moral Fiber. Were the cowards, and shot during the first world war. When asked if the men that turned back were cowards, he said no, he explained a time when the magnets were off in his plane. He felt like a traitor. There was a communal commitment to do what they could for the cause. (Presentation) One problem with the Oral interviews is the Veterans could get off topic quite easier. Their thoughts are boggled and jump around from topic to topic sometimes and it was easy to lose his train of thought. Most missions at night. 5 or 6 day time missions. Did not feel safer flying at night, because could have collision or get lost and run out of petrol. Bombed Hanover. They took pictures on their runs. Cookie with incinerators. 64.000 pounds was maximum weight. Bomb load depended on how much fuel was necessary to make the trip. Peek-a-boo Breakwell 12:50 practical joker. On one of the Hanover Missions the Bomb went through the Elson Can and they did not tell him that a bomb went through part of the aircraft. When they landed, he fell through the Elson Can (toilet) and was not allowed back on the car trip home because he smelt so bad. 23 min on 3rd. Asked if he was comfortable staying in the war. Called Butcher Harris, head of Bomber Command. During the interview he reflected on the bombing raid of Worms, which was a wounded restoration place. He felt that it was "not war, it was Murder, But that was a part of working for Bomber Harris, aka Butcher Harris". He could have left, at any time, but stayed. Thousand Raids were just raids to them, "to press it was wow look what we just did". ME 110 they had four 20 mm cannons. Could hit them form a thousand yards out. MacGregor could hit him from six thousand yards out. MacGregor's Guns were fast and could put out 76 bullets a second. He hit the ME 110, who was hiding just bellow them. ( 30 Min on 3rd recording) The RAF bombers job was not to shot down planes, but only to defend the bombers. Told the plane that there was a fighter out there, was right behind them. The ME 110 then sank down 100 feet. I ME 1110 got 11 air craft in 15 min, when they were landing. He was worried about this and noticed that since he was hiding under them, trying to avoid radar. MacGregor could not get his guns on him, so the pilot dove to the starboard and shot the ME 110, who then got out of there, because he was so shot up. They even looked for the plane, but could not find him. The ME 110 left quickly often as soon as they realized they were dealing with a talented gunner. MacGregor, scared off fighters on a few occasions. Oldest was the pilot at the age of 23 and finished the war with 75 missions. Cologne was deputy master bomber that night. Skipper wanted to find a way to not hit the Cathedral. They were up at 18,000 ft. we will go down to 2000 and going to light it up. Told Master bomber that they were going to be lightning 2 and that they were not to bomb that area. The Germans shot at them, but never hit MacGregor's plane. He thought that the Germans knew what they were doing, so they fired wide. They had to fire because there Skipper got recommend for the distinguished service order for this act. (1 hour) Accuracy Used H2S Radar which helped with accuracy. They dropped a flair (thunder flash) with their bombs. As a gunnery he was "marked at a 44% accuracy, which was unheard off" Precision bombing or area bombing. Find target, and call in someone to light it up. Also used mosquito planes to drop flares. The mosquito used OBOE strategy which was to cross a target with flares to help line up the target. The key was to keep the target market. Americans carpet bombs. If the lead plane was off then they were all off. The RAF used strategic bombing, which did hit innocent people who were brought from outside countries as slaves. He lost his train of thought when he mentioned this (presentation). The Americans used tactical bombing, hitting moving targets. The Americans used a staggered formation, which had the sky covered with fire. And there job was to take out the German air force. The RAF was tactical bombing. The invasion 3 objectives. 1 surprise, 2 supremacy of the air, and 3 communication which covered roads, wires, and most important the railways. The Viaducts built by the Romans was what the train tracts ran over, They were not damaged by standard bombs. But the Tall Boy bombs, which were used to penetrate the submarine pens. (Presentation) Hitler had a spy and the RAF new it. Hitler was informed about the Nuremburg raids. The Tall Boy was used. They dive bombed with a tall boy which went 2000 ft into the earth and blew the bridge. These Tall Boys, were used to destroy the bridges prior to the invasion to stop the Panzers from going down. The spy told Hitler that the invasion was at Calais. Obvious place, so short of distance. Hitler kept panzer division here with 88 mill. They dropped boxes of Chap which showed up on German radar, and it looked like the invasion. The Germans in the south told German command that the invasion was happening and they said no that is the fake. If the Panzers division made it down to Normandy, they never would have made it off the beach. Recalls the V-1 that uses simple Jet engines to bomb London. Ernest Hemingway asked Churchill, "is it true you drink enough scotch to sink a British battle ship". Churchill waved a fork at him and said sir it is people of your ilk spreading false rumors that could lose this war. I will have you know I drink enough scotch to sink the whole god dam British fleet".
- In Collection:
- 3 sound recordings (MP3)
- 48.4359, -123.35155
- Original recordings (CDA) on compact discs (CD) in Special Collections.
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- MJ_513
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/military-oral-history-collection
- January 18, 2013
- Digital sound recording in .wav format at 16 bits and 44 kHz. In .mp3 format at 56 kbps and 44 kHz. Digitized by JF, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. Interview migrated to digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2013. 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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