Audio From the Past [E03] - WW2 - James “Ginger” Lacey Interview (1978) 

As a young lad in the 1970s, we grew up with nothing but admiration for these men, Lacey, Stanford-Tuck, Bader, "Johnny" Johnson et al as the higher profiled pilots who representd the hundreds of unsung hero pilots and their tireless supporting ground crews. Nowadays in UK schools run by private corporations kids now have their minds utterly fucked up with gender nonsense and sex education at 5 years of age. There's not a day goes by that I don't thank god that I grew up in the 60s and 70s and had men like these, and my own mother & father to act as my role models.

I met, or rather was in his presence, in around 1978. My dad had his own light aircraft, a gruman tiger i think it was. So as a teenager I used to go go to Paul airfield, a grass strip near Hull. (Sadly no longer exists) My Dad was a club member and as a builder he helped build a hanger for the club aircraft. I was roped in as a labourer and mixed tons of bl....y concrete. Ginger flew in one day and I just remember my dad saying " It's down to him and others like him that you don't speak German"! Dad was totally in awe of him. GL was really friendly but had real charisma and presence.There was a parachute club just starting at the airfield and I remember Ginger said "You only use one of them bloody things if you have flames licking round your arse!" - Brilliant! My Dad was Len Wright who just loved flying. I have fond memories of that day and also Hull Aero Club. I am now 62 and live in France but recently drove out to the site of the old club to find nothing left. Very sad. Happy days and great memories. I often think about those days and the people I met like Tony Gregory, who ran the club, Jock Ramsden who flew for Air Anglia, George Charlton who owned a garage on Hedon Road and Bill Richardson, my dads friend and flying partner. Ian Wright.

What a straight forward honest account, we wil never see the like of these men again.

I loved the random questions. The type of questions I would be asking. Thank god people had the foresight to interview these men. I would love to hear about the men and women that kept these men flying. British understatement at its best. Incredible.

Had the privilege of flying with Ginger in 1976. I had gained my Private Pilots Licence via an ATC Flying Scholarship and upon returning to my home flying club in Bridlington Ginger, the Chief Flying Instructor, checked me out. Subsequently we had several conversations and this interview is typical of them - down to earth and with northern humour. He encouraged me to pursue a career in the RAF which I did for 23 years. Recently I won the Ginger Lacey Trophy at Haverfordwest as part of the British Air Racing Championship - great honour to keep alive the memory of a great man and his colleagues who defended this country at such a critical part of our history.

Epic, clear and easy to understand. An unassuming hero. Amazing sincerity without boasting. He would have been a wonderful man to talk to.

My dad, Ronald Brown used to service Ginger Lacey's Spitfire. Sadly he passed away in 1981 so I don't know any further details.

'There was no chivalry, I preferred to kill someone without them even knowing I was there' Ginger was a true battle hardened killer

fantastic interview, we should be so proud of ordinary people like this guy

I have read his book. "Fighter Pilot" He was one of the best fighter pilots ever.

Love his comment about the Hurricane and opposing German aircraft and what the revisionist historians said about it. Ginger Lacey has been one of my favorite WW2 aces, and I say that as a retired USN aviator who was steeped in the WW2 Navy aces. This is awesome and I have enjoyed listening to it.

My father,who was a contemporary of "Ginger" was also James Lacey.He was in the RAF Regiment.However,my father's greatest moment had been as a member of the firewatchers team who saved the Cathedral during the blitz of Canterbury.Not the heroics of his namesake but his contribution was acknowledged with a service and burial in the Cathedral precincts.I wish they could have met.

I thought the interviewer asked some odd questions but it was still fascinating to hear Ginger Lacey.

What a great interview. Thanks for uploading these.

“How do you get out of an airplane when shot down?”.......”very rapidly!!”...... love it! Atta boy Ginger! So thankful for the service of all of these young folks! We do well to remember them! 👍🏻

What a man, what a hero. It was men like him that made it possible for the UK to win the Battle of Britqin, and for the UK + the Commonwealth countries to get through 1941- 1942 ,basically without allies against the Axis, who seemed unstopable. Yet he is very matter.of.fact and humble about his valor in this interview, with a clever streak of self-irony and humor.

I'm a little disappointed in the interviewer. Clearly minimal research and no proper questions. Just the usual vanilla rubbish. Ginger Lacey, however, brilliant!

amazing interview - really candid. bless them all

The interviewer sounds like a wonderfully delicate person.

My Dad Joseph flew in the 17th squadron in Burma with Ginger.

Thanks Chuck Owl. My cousin is going to make a documentary about Ginger as part of his PhD later in the year so hopefully it will be posted some time after. So great that younger people will get to hear about him.

Brilliant opportunity to hear James "Ginger" Lacey talk and reminisce. Also an insight to the mindset of a wartime Spitfire pilot fighting for and defending his country as a citizen airman. He is extremely patient with the interviewer's inane questions and apparent naivety. Also in September 1940, one German Dornier started heading straight for Buckingham Palace was brought down by Sergeant Pilot Ray Holmes. who'd attempted to shoot it down before running out of ammunition. With no hesitation he rammed the Dornier, with combined speeds in excess of 400mph.

Germany's atrocities were propaganda?

Fantastic interview, thankyou. Especially liked his comment about modern day 'experts' saying after analysis that the British planes were so outmatched. Brilliant, yet absolutely positive someone would pipe up and try to argue with him.

Not to take away ANY of glory or legend from the hero that is James "Ginger" Lacey, but he was not the top scoring British Ace during the Battle of Britain. He was second-highest. Lacey downed 18 "bandits" during the Battle of Britain. Eric Lock (1919-1941) has that honor with 26 air victories during the Battle. But sadly, Lock did not survive the war (like Lacey). In August 1941 Lock ditched his damaged Spitfire in the Channel, and was never found. He was just 22.

1000 hours as a pre-war instructor was a great advantage to flatten the learning curve towards combat pilot. But he was still shot down 9 times. That's a reflection on the oudated Hurricane, not Ginger. AR213.

Training and experience!

Great interview !

Gosh what about Biggles

That interviewer is being creepy

Not a fan of this interviewer.

i've only just seen this, somehow and ginger is my greatx3 cousin in law

Fascinating, thanks .

I knew a couple of guys, always a bit of friction, one had been a pilot sergeant the other a squadron leader.

well i think if i had the privilage to interview ginger lacey or any other pilot i think id ask better questions than this chap' some questions were pathetic.

Absolute legend.

I flew once with Ginger Lacey......I left the aircraft at 3,200 ft over Grindale. Nothing personal☺ Great guy ! ( He told us to stop fidgeting in the back as it was upsetting the aircraft trim 😊)

Lacey Was Awarded The D.F.C Throughout His Career With The Royal Air Force, He Was CO Of No. 501 Squadron From 1939/1940-1941. He Was Told To Have Most Kills At The RAF Finest Hours At The Great Battle Of Britain As Being Surrounded By 5 BF-109's Swarming His Hurricane Non-Stop Shooting Till' He Swung Around And Shot 2 Down By Tail And Wing Causing Disaster To His Cockpit Window Which Gave Him No Choice To Swarm Around, Swooping Down Near His Base When The Observer Corps Saw Him And Called A Flight Lt. To Call Up 4 Hurricanes To Back Him Up, Which He Shot Another Down While Telegrams Were Swooming Around Then The 4 Back Up Hurricanes Were Able To Knock Out The Other 2.

Lacey's comment about the actors when filming the BoB: "I can't get them to cut their hair. In those days, we were all close cropped, and these chaps look like bloody Beatles. They all say they dasn't cut their hair; they'll ruin their image." Bader adds, "Bloody aweful".

God bless you sir. Thanks.

Thanx for posting:-)

Only a small thing but I collect diecast aircraft. Like corgi Aviation Archive. I have one of his in my collection.

Love the Irwin Jacket anecdote.

He doesn't sound at all like I imagined he would. Much deeper voice than I expected. Anyone interested in this period of WW2 should read Len Deighton's "Fighter", "Blitzkrieg," "Blood Tears and Folly", and the fictional "Bomber" and "Goodbye Mickey Mouse".

That was a great listen, thank you

Great ADMIRATION +++++

We owe these brave men so much

Wow, he build Wakefields!

Not too impressed with the interviewer that comes across as rather immature and inexperienced.

who is the interviewer

a couple of areas bad audio

British teeth.

Did he get his teeth organized post WW2