Description
Object description
British officer served as instructor with British Army in GB, 1914-1918. Officer served as Director of Ports and Inland Water Transport (IWT) with War Office in GB, 1940-1945, including design and construction of Mulberry harbours
Content description
REEL 1: Background in GB, 1885-1914: family; education at Malborough College; training and employment as civil engineer; description of training and service with Artists' Rifles; mobilised at outbreak of war, 8/1914. Aspects of period as British Army instructor in GB, 1914-1918: question of rising through ranks; role as RSM instructor; demobilised and sent to US. Aspects of period in US, GB and Nigeria, 1918-1940: role purchasing weapons in US; visit to Colt factory; opinion of America; returned to GB and commissioned in Royal Engineers; description of duties as transportation officer with Royal Engineers in GB and Nigeria.
REEL 2 Continues: Recollections of period as Director of Ports and Inland Water Transport (IWT) with War Office in GB, Canada and US, 1940-1945: posted to War Office, 5/1940; question of military and civilian knowledge of engineering; discussion of role in preparations for invasion of Europe; various meeting with Winston Churchill; preliminary ideas for floating harbours and breakwaters; responsibility for commercial ports; question of co-operation with Admiralty; story of meeting with Churchill and War Cabinet and preparations for invasion of Europe, 1943; opinion of Admiralty schemes for floating ships as breakwaters; development of bombardon and Phoenix breakwaters.
REEL 3 Continues: reason for using codeword Mulberry for artificial harbours; story of ships for Free French in Africa and question of secrecy; Churchill's relations with De Gaulle; role in planning meetings for Operation Overlord in Canada and US, 1943; question of construction of Mulberry Harbours in time for planned invasion of Europe; construction of steel Phoenix breakwater in GB; use of various contractors and question of secrecy; memories of draughtsman and artist Terence Cuneo and opinion of drawings.
REEL 4 Continues: question of co-operation with US military; description of design, construction and testing of Mulberry harbours; problem with bomardons; opinion of Americans; story of meeting with Minster of Labour Ernest Bevin and request for military personnel; story of floating cranes; opinion of American Mulberry harbour.