The slide Archives
Edward C Rigg.
1949-64
Rarely do i come across complete archives, however Edward has comprehensively documented his life in the RAF and as a civilian. In this part of the archive we explore Edward’s slide collection from 1949 to 1964. This covers his time stationed in Germany just after the Second World War and finishes with his Test Pilot days at the Empire Test Pilots School.
The slide Archives
Edward C Rigg.
1964 - 67
Legacies of Empire
Edward’s slide archive is a visual record of his flying career, with most of the slides taken whilst on operational duty from a personal perspective, shot between the late 1940’s and ending in the 1970’s. However the physical archive contains a written record of both Edward’s time as a test pilot and his time as Wing Commander at Khormakasar airport in Aden, Yemen. Khormakaksar airport was a pivotal artery of the Empire servicing the Middle East, Far East and Africa. Edward’s own archives are a record of the, ‘everyday operational life’, of an individual who was working at and maintaining the cross roads of Empire.
The story box is a collection of printed glass slides which celebrate oral story telling and more personal narrative
I often retell the stories told to me by Edward and add my own interpretation of events, occurrences and consequences. In response to this process of listening to Edward recount his life and times with the help of visual stimuli. Throughout the research I have been developing the ‘story box’ made from a re-purposed WW2 siren case. The storybox will be my personal homage to our shared experiences and will prompt my own failing memory to retrieve and retell the stories and times spent with Edward. This will only be considered a finished body of work at the end of the research period. The role and content of the box has developed from my original intentions and now will contain the most personal, memorable and contentious stories, depicted as more abstract, less literal compositions printed onto glass slides. This was a response to not wishing to publish some of the more sensitive personal stories I have been entrusted with.
Edward leaving School to join the RAF
On Edward’s eighteenth birthday, 21st April 1944, he came out of School just after 4.00 and walked down to town to the local recruiting centre, which was based in Rochdale Town Hall. Edward tells the story in beautiful detail.
Mad Mitch and his Tribal Law
Interview with Edward discussing the archive
Interviews with Edward, discussing his archives and life in the RAF
John and Edward discuss joining the RAF
John and Edward discuss joining the RAF and his first posting to Germany just after the war.
Thames Televisions Vanya Kewley travels to Oman which is in the midst of a war against communist guerrillas and Militia, where she meets British military personnel aiding the local Sultan in his countries war.
How i met Anne
RAF Leconfield interview with Edward regarding how he met Anne
Edward's poem, written for his leaving speech at Boscombe Down
Edward's poem, written for his leaving speech at Boscombe Down.
Recorded 2017
Vampire crash
Empire Test Pilots School
Extended version of the story of Edward leaving the RAF
Extended version of the story of Edward leaving the RAF. A story of chance and fate.
Edward's transfer to Aden
Edward flying to the USA in a short range Viscount