Last night I discovered this excellent two-part 1981 programme “Wind In The Wire” from Radio New Zealand’s “Spectrum” series in which Nigel Piper was interviewed about his flying in the RFC before and during the First World War. Fantastic! He worked before the war at Farnborough with Samuel Cody which makes it a super compliment to the “I Saw Them Fly” programme that Sounds Historical is airing at the moment! (See my previous posting on that).
But in the war Nigel flew reconnaissance flights and then fighter ops in BE2c’s. At some point he then volunteered for some clandestine work behind the lines in which he deliberately made himself a POW, and would slip out of the POW camp to gather intelligence to send in coded messages back to the Allies – a real life Hogans Heroes! This is a superb interview, well worth a listen.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/spectrum/audio/20149219/wind-in-the-wires-part-1
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/spectrum/audio/20149220/wind-in-the-wires-part-2
By: Sabrejet - 7th May 2015 at 14:56
That’s where it seems to deviate a tad from what he says in the interview: his recollection of the death of his friend occurred on the same sortie as he was made POW.
But a bit of digging shows him as observer with 4 Sqn in late 1914, then with 15 Sqn, again as observer in 1916.
Intriguing. I’ll look him up next time I’m at Kew.
By: Dave Homewood - 7th May 2015 at 14:03
I thought Piper trained as a pilot as well? I got the impression he was flying alone during his three shootdowns where he escaped.
By: Sabrejet - 7th May 2015 at 12:50
Piper’s interview is very interesting: shot down 17th January 1916 as an observer. Some of the references to him being deliberately made POW are a bit far-fetched, since he was ‘just’ an observer. However it also begs the question of why he was an NCO at this time since he claims to have learnt to fly pre-war and was also supposedly involved with the RAF at Farnborough pre-war.
Still an interesting interview, but it does make me wonder if this chap’s life story was ever documented in depth?
By: Dave Homewood - 7th May 2015 at 12:09
Also excellent from the Spectrum series in 1981 is this fascinating, frank and amazing two-part interview ‘Career By The King’s Shilling’, in which Jack Perkins interviewed Colonel George Lee about his training as a soldier in Britain and his fighting in the trenches of Belgium during 1918! Its really worth a listen.
By: Dave Homewood - 7th May 2015 at 12:02
If you liked this, definitely seek out the 1955 ‘I Saw Them Fly’ series I mentioned too:
http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?134756-quot-I-Saw-Them-Fly-quot-Fantastic-Recorded-Memories-of-Farnborough-s-Beginnings&p=2220829&highlight=#post2220829
By: Sabrejet - 7th May 2015 at 09:05
What a wonderful find! And you can download the MP3s too. Really made my day – many thanks!
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May 7, 2015 at 8:44 am