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A veteran interview with

Jimmy Taylor

Fantastic interview with Spitfire photo reconnaissance pilot who survives an engine failure over Holland.

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About Jimmy Taylor

Jimmy Taylor joined the RAF at 19 to avoid being drafted into the army or working in a coal mine. Motivated by his passion for aviation, he secretly enlisted at a recruiting centre in Reading. His training took him across the UK and eventually to Canada and the United States.

Jimmy experienced the harsh discipline of American military training, but despite these challenges, he excelled and became an instructor. He volunteered to instruct American cadets, as the RAF needed to supply 10% of its graduates to train new students. Jimmy trained 20 cadets, enjoying every moment, especially teaching formation flying and buzzing the airfield with his students beside him.

In October 1943, he returned to England. His role in the Second Tactical Air Force involved long-distance reconnaissance, mapping future battle areas and updating outdated maps with accurate photographs. While weather often hindered flights, he maintained a vigilant watch over German jet airfields, which included managing risks from German radar detection. On one occasion, while photographing airfields near Rhina, he experienced engine failure and opted to bail out, eventually landing in a field in occupied Holland. After avoiding capture, he planned his escape westward toward Utrecht, aware of the dangers posed by locals and the ongoing German occupation.

Credits

Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
Reviewed by:
Gemma Suyat

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

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Home | Veterans | Jimmy Taylor

A veteran interview with

Jimmy Taylor

Jimmy-taylor-e1588707330940

Fantastic interview with Spitfire photo reconnaissance pilot who survives an engine failure over Holland.

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Cite this interview:

MLA Style:
Taylor, Jimmy. A Veteran Interview with Jimmy Taylor. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee, 28 Feb. 2012 https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/jimmy-taylor/. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.
APA Style:
Taylor, J. (2012, February 28). A Veteran Interview with Jimmy Taylor [Interview by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee. Retrieved July 15, 2025, from https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/jimmy-taylor/
Chicago Style:
Taylor, Jimmy. 2012. A Veteran Interview with Jimmy Taylor. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee, February 28. Accessed July 15, 2025. https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/jimmy-taylor/
Harvard Style:
Taylor, J. (2012). A Veteran Interview with Jimmy Taylor. [Interviewed by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee, 28 February. Available at https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/jimmy-taylor/ (Accessed: 15 July 2025)
Vancouver Style:
Taylor, J. A Veteran Interview with Jimmy Taylor [Internet]. Interview by M. Bisiker. Legasee; 2012 Feb 28 [cited 2025 Jul 15]. Available from: https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/jimmy-taylor/
An interview with

Dick Arscott

Dick flew aircraft into Berlin during the Airlift and on some occasions was harassed by Soviet aircraft, including simulated attacks and a game of ‘chicken’.

Dick joined the RAF in 1942, aged 19, and flew allied transport aircraft in the Far East, supplying Allied troops in the jungle. After the war he was in Transport Command, operating in Germany and Poland. He was due to go on leave, but the Soviets had just blockaded Berlin, and instead he began flying Dakota transports into Berlin from western Germany. Initially only two transports were involved but this built up rapidly despite the ‘organised chaos’ of the early days. Soon the pilots were working 18-hour days, flying three to four return flights to Berlin daily. During the winter the weather was bad, although not as severe as Dick had experienced during the war. A wide variety of cargoes were carried, from coal to disassembled bulldozers and hay for the Berlin Zoo. On the return flights light export goods and unwell German children were carried. Later he flew the Avro York, a larger aircraft with greater capacity than the Dakota. On at least two occasions there was a mix-up, and a Dakota was loaded with a York’s cargo. They managed to get to Berlin but only with the engines running at maximum power. The Soviet air force harassed the Allied aircraft, sometimes firing their guns over the planes, other times buzzing them as close as twenty feet. On one occasion Dick got tired of this behaviour, turned his plane around and flew directly at the Soviet aircraft, which took evasive action. He thinks that the Airlift prevented another war.
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Service:
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Vera Morgan

Joining the WAAF at 19, life at RAF Chicksands was a mix of hard work and a colourful social life.

Vera Morgan was living in London during the early years of WW2. She vividly recalls the eerie sound of sirens on the day war was declared, though at first, little changed. However, as the Battle of Britain began, bombs became a daily threat. From navigating bomb craters on the way to work, to dealing with incendiary bombs and V-1s, Vera remains remarkably pragmatic when describing these challenging times. Although exempt from military service due to her role at an ammunition factory, Vera was determined to serve. So in 1942 she joined the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF), despite her employer’s objections. Trained as a teleprinter operator, she was stationed at RAF Harwell, then RAF Chicksands from 1943 until the war’s end. Vera shares her experiences of life at Chicksands. Camaraderie with other teleprinters, and a sense of getting the job done helped Vera through the long shifts relaying intercepted messages to Bletchley Park. The uncomfortable living conditions were offset by the social aspects of life, such as dances and socialising with American and British soldiers. Many friendships made then still last, with Vera attending annual reunions with old colleagues. Vera ends with her vivid memories of VE Day. Leaving camp without permission, she hitchhiked to London to join the celebrations. Unfortunately, with such huge crowds, Vera didn’t notice being pick-pocketed! Despite the theft, her excitement wasn’t diminished. For Vera, the joy of being part of such a historic occasion remains a cherished memory that she enthusiastically recounts.
Service:
Interviewed by:
Martyn Cox
An interview with

Bill Evans

Memories from a young flight mechanic’s life and work during the Berlin Airlift, including some surprising insights into black market swaps of the day.

As soon as he left school in 1943, Bill Evans began a career in precision engineering, working on munitions, making sights for Bren guns and camera guns for aircraft. In 1947, Bill passed the exam to join the RAF for his National Service and began his training in Padgate near Liverpool. Bill shares details of the various stations around the UK where he honed his skills as a flight mechanic before being sent to Buckeburg, the RAF’s HQ in Germany. He recalls the perks of his job, sharing details of the aircraft he worked on and memories of the limited entertainment options in the nearby town of Minden. He also reflects on the black market and how valuable a tin of corned beef had become. It wasn’t until later in life, upon returning to Berlin, that Bill realised the profound impact of the Berlin Airlift on the city's residents. His story is told with the humility characteristic of his generation, who largely saw their hard work and commitment as simply getting on with the job they’d been given to do.
Service:
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker