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MAIDENHEAD HERITAGE CENTRE Transcript MAIDENHEAD HERITAGE CENTRE Transcript of the Diaries of Capt. J A (Arnold) V Watson O.B.E. By kind permission of his daughter, Mrs Pamela Mainwaring Arnold Watson - Transcribed Diaries [2013.101.1] SUMMARY Capt. Watson joined the Air Transport Auxiliary in June 1940 having sought permission from his then employer Lord Wakefield (Castrol Oil). Although he held a pilot’s licence at the time, he had fewer than the minimum hours for acceptance but was accepted after a flight test. His entire time with the ATA was spent at the Headquarters at White Waltham. Initially he was ferrying, but his skills were recognised and he was later promoted to Airborne Navigation Instructor where, mainly on Oxfords & Ansons, he passed out upwards of 80 pupils, plus a few that he didn’t! However, the most important aspect of his ATA career was to come when he was asked to take over the role of Flying Technical Officer where he was responsibile for flight testing any new aircraft which the ATA were going to be asked to ferry and to provide technical information regarding the flying characteristics which would be set out in Ferry Pilots’ Notes. This involved testing the low speed characteristics of each aircraft in a wide range of weather conditions and all aspects of engine and propeller settings. From time to time, this gave cause for alarm as at times the manufacturer’s own test pilots had not tested some of these aspects. There is no doubt that Watson’s work resulted in the greater safety of many pilots. This is reflected in the fact that, at the war’s end, of the thirteen OBEs awarded to the ATA, he was the only officer below the rank of Commander to be so decorated. Quick links to start of year – 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 Arnold Watson - Transcribed Diaries [2013.101.2] DIARY NO. 1 Transcriber’s notes - 1. This is a transcript of handwritten Diary No. 1 (of three) belonging to Flight Captain Watson who was employed by the ATA from June 1940 to June 1945. 2. The transcript is printed in chronological order, although that part of the diary between February and November 1940 was not written until February 1941 when he decided that the whole story should be known. That part was therefore written with aid of memory and reference to his log book. 3. Explanatory notes or comments, by the transcriber, are in blue. 4. No attempt has been made to correct spelling or improve grammar. It has been transcribed as written. 5. The Diary starts with notes on the inside front cover describing the letting conditions of a property which he presumably owned. Arnold Watson - Transcribed Diaries [2013.101.3] INSIDE FRONT COVER 4 Oaks Av Year or the duration whichever is the shorter. Thereafter one month’s notice either side. (1) No Jewish tenants. (2) No subletting whole or in part. April 14 1941 informed agents rent not less than £100 exclusive of rates. NB LMB suggests we let it “partly furnished” or we may have difficulty in regaining possession. Arnold Watson - Transcribed Diaries [2013.101.4] 15 Nov.1940 I have never kept a diary because I suspected that one might thus develop a tendency to dwell in the past, the days that will never return, instead of thinking of the days to come. But the times we are now living in are so unprecedented that one more change in my way of life will not matter. And indeed a record of daily thoughts & happenings should be valuable in the peaceful years ahead, as an interesting reminder of how we lived in 1940. Moreover, my work as a pilot is probably going to be the most physically exciting interlude in my working career. It still seems extraordinary to me that after 12 years in City offices I should find myself earning my living as a pilot of our fastest aeroplanes. Not so long ago, I used to day dream of such a bliss – but now it has happened, one gets so used to it that 80% of the job is just work. Yet each day is different, & something happens or a story is told that is worth jotting down. It seems a pity that I did not start this journal when war was declared and our world began to rock. Or when I joined Air Transport Auxiliary about June 1st 1940. Then when it was all completely fresh, one’s impressions of a new aeroplane, or a new kind of work, would have been most vivid. But I didn’t. Before I forget it all, I will try to get time to go through my log book and note some things that happened. This I shall put at the back end of this book. So read back of this book first – before coming to Nov 11. So begins the resumé of the period from May to November 1940 Today Feb 18 1941, I begin to try to recall incidents and impressions of flying military types with A.T.A. It is a pity that I did not note them daily at the time. But I did not start this diary until Nov 11th 1940. And, indeed, during the summer I was very tired by the time I got home towards 9 or 10 p.m. We usually were flying until sunset. So let me see what I can remember now –with the aid of my log book. 27 May 1940 Since advertising had been more & more curtailed, I felt more & more that I could be doing something more useful to the country than stay on at Wakefields, amidst the ruins of the Publicity Dept I had so lovingly built up over ten years. It was most disheartening, after the exciting years since 1929, to find that the firm was prohibited by the Petroleum Pool from relying on me to keep the Castrol flag flying. So, for more than one reason, I asked friend Bradbroke whether I would be acceptable as an A.T.A. although I had but 174 hours solo instead of the required 250. Fortunately, the Directors consented to my volunteering and most generously said they would make up my salary & keep my job open, as they did for the other Wakefield men in the services. Brads got me a flight test on a Moth with Chief Instructor Kemp. I had not flown for 10 months (the longest gap since I took my license) so I wondered whether I was too rusty to pass. In fact, I undershot on the approach, but otherwise managed pretty well. Two days later I was indeed thrilled to receive a contract to serve as pilot for that famous company British Overseas Airways – 1 month on probation, then as Second Officer – and to report for duty as soon as possible. It felt like a great change, after working indoors all my life, to be offered such a job. Arnold Watson - Transcribed Diaries [2013.101.5] No office, no staff, no catching trains, no regular mealtimes or evening homecoming. But I welcomed the change & the chance of doing something useful. Way back 1933 when learning to fly, I had anticipated that a Pilot’s License would keep me out of the Army. But I never thought a man with spectacles would be allowed to fly military types. A.T.A. was not visualised then. 4th June 1940 I reported for duty. It was a lovely summer day. To my delight, I was offered a passenger trip in an Anson to Weston super Mare, S. Wales & back. In peace time, I could only afford to buy such a trip about once a year! Then I thought the Anson a large & impressive military aircraft – excellent acceleration on the take off. Little did I expect that I should soon be flying one , and that because the Anson is so safe & simple! But the first landing gave me a fright. I had never seen the modern “power-on” approach & felt sure we were hitting the hedge. 5th June 1940 Next day I had an hour’s dual on a Stinson four seater & then went solo for the first time with a wheel control & the throttle on the wheel pillar. I remember my approaches were very ragged after ten months on the ground. 6 June 1940 My third day was not only very interesting – but almost too exciting. First an Anson taxi to Coventry arriving at the Whitley factory by 10.15. I remember noting with astonishment that the taxi pilot did not use a map all the way. Then across the Irish sea to Belfast in a Whitley with pilot Hood. My job was to wind the wheels down if they stuck up. They didn’t on ours – but they did on a second machine which also made the trip. It was then found that an ordinary broom was jammed up in wheel space behind the engine! We had to bring a Wellington back to Norfolk. The take-off shook me to the core. Apparently there were three tons of petrol on board. When we were indicating 80 m.p.h. we showed no signs of lifting and had covered three quarters of the aerodrome. Just as I thought we were going to hit the fence, Hood heaved & got the front wheels over it! In the middle of the Irish Sea, a warship challenged us with its lamp, before I could find our signal pistol we were out of sight. Then when we landed in Norfolk, the R.A.F.
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