Colin Cottle

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A veteran interview with

On the Berlin Airlift Colin Cottle was part of Air Formation Signals who were a branch of the army that supported the airforce

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About Colin Cottle

Colin Cottle describes what it was like to grow up during WWII, when the Blitz meant camping out in the basement, plane spotting and finding shrapnel on the way to school. When the war ended, many young people struggled to find work so Colin signed himself up to the army, aged 16, and was swiftly sent to the front line of the Berlin Airlift as a mechanic, helping to get often overloaded allied planes to Soviet-controlled areas of the city.

Colin shares details of the devastating impact war had had on the German landscape, and how life inside the military bases changed with the arrival of the Americans and their all-you-can-eat breakfasts and nightly trips into town. He also shares fascinating insights into the black market, where cigarettes and coffee were a strong currency for the impoverished locals, and explains how these clandestine trades took place and what he would do with the cash.

Many years after his service, Colin chanced upon others who served in Fassberg at a book talk on the Berlin Airlift. A deeply emotional trip back to the base with them served as a reminder that, although he was just 18 years old, he played an important role in the history of the Cold War.

Credits

Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
Reviewed by:
Caroline Barratt

Transcripts:
Please note that transcripts and closed captions in the video player are automatically generated by Vimeo.

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