Description
Object description
British officer served with Special Investigations Branch, Corps of Military Police in Brest, France, 2/1940-4/1940; served with 102nd Provost Coy, Corps of Military Police, Headquarters, I Corps in France and Belgium, 5/1940-6/1940
Content description
REEL 1 Background in GB, 1906-1939: father's employment; employment; careers with Royal Navy and Metropolitan Police. Aspects of period as officer with Special Investigation Branch, Corps of Military Police at Brest in France, 2/1940-4/1940: formation of unit; prior recollection of outbreak of Second World War, 3/9/1939; role preventing theft of military supplies from docks; crimes of violence; organisation of military police work. Aspects of period as officer with 102nd Provost Coy, Corps of Military Police, Headquarters, I Corps in Douai, France, 4/1940-5/1940: transfer to I Corps; civilians spying for Germans; accommodation; contrast between military and civilian police work.
REEL 2 Continues: Recollections of operations as officer with 102 Provost Coy, Corps of Military Police, Headquarters, I Corps in France and Belgium, 5/1940-6/1940: start of German attack on Douai, France, 10/5/1940; reasons for requesting posting company moving to forward areas; night move to Grammont, Belgium, 10/5/1940-11/5/1940; arrival in Brussels, Belgium, 11/5/1940; congestion on roads caused by refugees; accommodation in convent; organisation for routes for artillery; provision of guard for shot down German aircraft; dealing with congestion at Tournai, Belgium; sight of devastation in Armentieres, France; dealing with German prisoners of war.
REEL 3 Continues: dealing with casualties under fire at Armentieres, France; how civilians left Armentieres; burial of casualty; leaving Armentieres; abandonment of equipment during retreat towards coast; problems of getting personnel to abandon vehicles at La Panne, Belgium; story of being challenged by military policeman; arrival at company headquarters at La Panne, Belgium; attempt to impose order amongst troops; narrow escape from strafing German aircraft; hazard from frightened horses; attempt to organise embarkation at Bray Dunes, France; construction of lorry pier.
REEL 4 Continues: question of shooting of suspected civilian spies; description of lorry pier; embarkation of troops from lorry pier; discipline on beaches; encounter with drunken Royal Army Medical Corps orderly who had lost out during drawing of lots to stay behind; driving to Dunkirk, France, 31/5/1940; evidence of Fifth Column activity; attachment to General Harold Alexander's headquarters in Dunkirk, France; incident of telling colonel to abandon vehicle; encounter with French officer over rations; issuing rations to retreating troops; orders received from General Harold Alexander to collect rifles for embarking troops.
REEL 5 Continues: destruction of vehicle; casualties amongst French Colonial troops; embarkation aboard HMS Windsor, 2/6/1940; reception on arrival in Newhaven, GB.