Recorded interview of Andrew Raffle by Peter Foulsham (MC 376/508a)
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Document Information
Recorded interview of Andrew Raffle by Peter Foulsham
1
MC 376/508a
1 compact cassette
nd [1998]
2nd Air Division Memorial Library/Oral History Project
Peter Foulsham, Andrew Raffle
Glen Miller music has been redacted from the start and end (00mn 02s to 00mn 28s and 26mn 59s to 27mn 25s) of the recording for rights reasons.
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Description
Starts and finishes with Glenn Miller's 'String of Pearls'. Raffle recalls his first encounter with Americans at scout camp near Snetterton and seeing B-17 'Flying Fortresses' on the airbase. Discussion of aircraft recognition as a hobby and seeing various aircraft including Spitfires. Discussion of British and American aircraft and tactics, including American formation flying behind lead ships and British Lancaster bombers going out one after the other. Description and discussion about tail art and nose art for aircraft identification. Discussion about different experiences of meeting air crews for both men leading to talk about social occasions and the Sampson and Hercules club, Norwich. Foulsham describes working on canteen trucks. Discussion about Norwich VE-Day celebrations. Raffle recalls school [fire]'watching duties on roof and witnessing B-24 crash after enemy attack ['Night of the Intruders', 22 April 1944. Description of this attack and Heigham Street air crash. Discussion about the use of bicycles by American servicemen. Story about Raffle being called in to speak to police for telling his pen pal about an air crash. Discussion about censorship and security. Returns to discussion about aircraft identification, including reference to regular purchase of 'Aircraft Recognition' magazine. Both talk about attempts to join the RAF. Discussion about impact of enemy threat on school life. Discussion about aerial reconnaissance and German use of Junkers 88s for aerial photography along the railway line in 1940, with comments on different camera types. General reflections on enjoyment of wartime and making their own entertainment. Recorded on side A only. For tape insert, see MC 376/508b. For administrative records relating to interview, see MC 376/512.