Awaiting The Return Of Aircraft

Heroes Remember

Awaiting The Return Of Aircraft

Transcript

We had to go on interrogation when the crews came back, and talk to the person who was operating the radar, either the bomb aimer or the navigator, to see what, if there are any problems, because sometimes you get things happening at high altitude that didn’t happen on the ground. So you were in the briefing office and watching the tension grow as time went, and there was still one or two aircraft hadn’t landed, and those young men, knowing that tomorrow night they had to go back and do it again. This is the memory that sticks with me, is how they reacted.

Description

Mr. Campbell describes the tension that is felt within the interrogation office on a return mission awaiting the return of aircraft.

Phil Campbell

Mr. Campbell was born on August 1, 1922 and raised on a farm in Lloydminster, Saskatchewan. At age 18, he entered aircrew training school and later became qualified as a radar mechanic with the air force. He joined the Bomber Command and travelled to England, spending most of his service time in North Yorkshire. In September 1945, Mr. Campbell returned to Canada and was released from service. He enrolled at the University of Alberta and obtained a degree in agriculture. In May 1949, Mr. Campbell held the position of Research Scientist in the agricultural laboratory of the University of Alberta. During his career, his involvement in various aspects of international trade negotiations took him to many parts of the world. Mr. Campbell retired in 1989 and immersed himself in volunteer work. He dedicated much of his time to writing a book in support of radar technology and the important role it played in the war effort.

Meta Data