SAAF Spitfire pilot interview: John Martin
Vložit
- čas přidán 7. 09. 2024
- John was a WW2 Spitfire pilot and served in Italy 1944/45. He finished his operational tour with 150 combat sorties but came out of this safely.
I did this interview at his home in Johannesburg on 12/5/2013.
Thanks to John for his kindness during my visit and for telling his story in front of the camera.
Rest in peace John. It was an absolute privilege to have known you.
This gentlemen feels honoured to be interviewed... such astounding modesty. Incredible people, thank you for capturing their memories..
I really enjoy the style of these vids and the reality of service these brave pilots share with us. As a retired military member, the memories of service are full of non-exciting duty and the occasional day that stands apart. A small insignificant event may carry weight. Airplanes were not all about one dog fight after another. They were temperamental machines that often failed for any of a multitude of reasons. You’d never consider buying a car that broke down or needed repair as often and you can’t pull an airplane over to side of the road to replace a spark plug. Parts were in short supply and even if you got replacement parts, they might not always fit and aircraft mechanics needed to make things work one way or another. So much is missing from what come to mind for a WW2 pilot.
Tinus I really enjoy this interview with John Martin. Amazing fellow. I'm always amaze how they remembered so much detail of their war days.
Great job Tinus.....
delightful story's and a delightful gentleman ,Thankyou )
An excellent interview. Thanks, mate.
Thank you for sharing your story 👍❤️🇿🇦
Thanks Rich!
Thanks Michael!
My first experience of flight in the 1960s was one of those A-frames as he calls them. We knew them as the Slingsby Primary Glider, at school in Nottinghamshire, but we never got higher than about 50 feet then had to land it again before flying away from the launch site!
Slingsby T38 Grasshopper, based on the prewar German SG38 Schulgleiter. We had one at school as well in the 1970s. When the RAF sold them some went to Germany.
Johns operational experience as a Fighter Pilot of never seeing a German aircraft was shared by many.
thanks for sharing this oral history
A true gentleman.
thanks Tinus....another amazing interview....
This is amazing. Thanks for sharing!
Wonderful
Yes Mr Finney who told that has a lot of wit but sadly he is very ill at the moment. I am so thankful we got all his desert stories.
Okay!
👊💎🍸!!
me is 16 :)
Another good first-hand account, but a shame this one went on so much about his religious beliefs.
my Dad said there are no non believers on the beaches in Normandy
There are no atheists in an open boat
Amazing to me how such a smart lucid guy would rationalize a god, and know that an enemy and him asked for the same protection and then this god would choose who lived or died. Such a ridiculous way to think. Religious brain washing is so powerful. Buck
@@lesbuckwalter8988 - here is a challenge for you. Read the Gospels. Then update your comment!
@@zachary9294 When I was waiting in the expectation of going into action in Angola during the summer of 1976 I prayed that I would get out of the contact unharmed. Which I did. This gentleman was obviously a deep thinker. The possibility of impending death has a way of concentrating one's thoughts.