Description
Object description
British NCO served with 2/5th Bn Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regt (Sherwood Foresters) in GB, France, Belgium, North Africa, Italy, Middle East, Greece and Austria, 1939-1946
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Derbyshire, GB, 1918-1939: family; moves of family and death of mother; education; civilian work in Chesterfield; knowledge of approaching war; joining of Territorial Army. Aspects of period as NCO with 2/5th Bn Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regt (Sherwood Foresters) in GB, 6/1939-5/1940: formation of battalion including medical; details of pay; spread of battalion; officers in battalion; background of NCOs; promotion to acting unpaid lance corporal clerk; drill night training; role of drill; discovery of promotion to Acting Company Quarter Master Sergeant; training for role during annual camp at Holyhead; preparation of pay sheets; pay parades; details of duties; kit inspections and replacement of lost items; contents of stores; ordering and drawing of rations; supervision of cooks.
REEL 2 Continues: learning on job and help from Sergeant Major; practical knowledge from childhood; supply of meals; other staff under his supervision; memories of Regiment Sergeant Major Jones and story of near sacking; roles of battalion quarter masters; proficiency in work; role of adjutant; relationship with regular soldiers; warning received before posting in France and reason for it; mobilisation; outbreak of war; organisation of billets; accommodation; duties in early stages of war; equipment shortages; duties of company at Totley; daily allowance and items bought; location of company headquarters; issue of rations; pay parades; paperwork; length of Totley posting; time at Duvalls guarding quarry; supply of rations from Derby; posting at RAF Hucknall; activities of battalion; story of Lieutenant Quarter Master Hammond's search for him.
REEL 3 Continues: posting at Kedleston Hall; problems with snow; daily drill parade; duties feeding camp and complaints from troops; story of fraying temper and warning received; changes following warning; story of Leicestershire reinforcements; preparations for posting abroad; departure of Regiment Sergeant Major Jones; relationship with Regiment Sergeant Majors; details of sergeants mess; drinking among sergeants; attitude toward work; journey to France. Aspects of operations as NCO with 2/5th Bn Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regt (Sherwood Foresters) in France and Belgium, 5/1940-6/1940: posting at Rennes; role of battalion including memories of Jewish refugees at camp; changes to duties; company transport and weapons; advance into Belgium; setting up of headquarters in cinema; arrival of rations; details of withdrawal from town including activities of battalion while in town; journey into France; splitting up and actions of company; description of stuka attacks; dumping of truck in Loos; refugees on road; suspected fifth columnist activity in Tournai; immobilisation of vehicle; story of meal made during withdrawal.
REEL 4 Continues: sources of rations including story of raiding Lord Gort's abandoned supplies; contact with French troops; group feeding with rations found; size of group; looting of houses; panic among civilians; knowledge of destination; reception from civilians; story of French General; sleep gained during withdrawal and activities of battalion; own activities; methods of transport to coast; arrival at Téteghem; scenes over coast; events during stay at Téteghem; march to Dunkirk; scenes in town and on beaches including story of plane shot down; march along pier and knocking off French troops from it; boarding of boat; details of voyage to GB and reactions to situation during operations and at Dunkirk.
REEL 5 Continues: story of milking cow. Aspects of period as NCO with 2/5th Bn Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regt (Sherwood Foresters) in GB, 6/1940- 12/1942: arrival in Dover; reception on arrival and card sent home; journey to Belle Vue; reformation of battalion; loss of troops as casualties and POWs; story of near capture in France; story of Sikh troops seen in French wood; leave; reception from civilians in Lancashire; duties including details of records kept and lost; confidence in role; posting to Rochdale; organisation of billets; relationship with civilians; reinforcements including formation of E Company; opinion of reinforcements; relationship with older troops including old manager Jack Booth; posting to Haddington; location of company offices; accommodation; manoeuvres including role with rations; story of visits to farm; equipment situation; details and opinion of sten gun; officers in battalion; relationship with Regiment Sergeant Major White; winter conditions in Galashiels; memories and opinions of Regiment Sergeant Major "Tara" Hennessy.
REEL 6 Continues: involvement with football and running teams; story of boxing for the company; story of fight in Norfolk; story of double dose of jollop in tea including details of Galashiels accommodation; story of Jim Cresswick's court martial and reaction of troops; problems with move to East Dereham; memories of Lance Corporal Harry White; visit of Lord Ironside; posting to Wymondham; story of battalion band's instruments being crushed; stories of ensuring company was not tarnished during handovers; manoeuvres; coastal defence duties at Caister-on-Sea; loss of minefield; bombing of laundry including laundry duties; activities of battalion; memories of company troublemakers Privates Bill and Casban.
REEL 7 Continues: postings in Ashford and Lydd; air raid; formation of draft for Singapore; arrival and opinion of Regiment Quarter Master Sergeant "Lofty" White; details of pay course attended in Camberley; interview on return; work as pay instructor including extra pay received; further details of pay course; issue of rations to guards; sports; offers of promotion; posting to Folkestone; duties of battalion; taking parades; accommodation; Christmas 1941; marriage including opinion that would not get killed; story of dog taken home; activities of battalion; attitude toward posting abroad; reasons for not wanting a posting in Burma; posting to Aldershot; visit of King George VI; preparations for VIP visits; preparations for posting abroad.
REEL 8 Continues: train journey to Liverpool. Aspects of journey from Liverpool, GB, to Algiers, Algeria, aboard HMS Derbyshire, 12/1942- 1/1943: send-off from dockers; story of falcon cared for by Gerald Summers; memories of Gerald Summers; details of ship; accommodation; conditions for troops; rations; preparation for issue of khaki drill; lectures; opinion of lectures; lifeboat drill and close proximity of a torpedo; lifejackets; policy on picking up survivors; position of ship within convoy; story of first casualty; length of voyage; scenes on sea; news of destination; lectures on terrain and civilians; situation in Algeria. Aspects of period as NCO with 2/5th Bn Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regt (Sherwood Foresters) in North Africa, 1/1943-2/1943: landing at Algiers and route march out to Maison Caree; impressions of North Africa; rations including iron rations; supply of rations; supply situation when in action; opinion of dry rations issued and building up of reserve ration; length of time at Maison Caree; issue of meals and rations during journey to front; cooking equipment; hygiene and trapping of flies.
REEL 9 Continues: opinion of landscape; disembarkation at Djebel Abeleid; shelter taken in olive grove; air raid; move out of olive grove; description of improvised bath; memories of Nobby Clark. Aspects of operations as NCO with 2/5th Bn Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regt (Sherwood Foresters) in North Africa, 2/1943-5/1943: location of B Echelon at Sedjenane; story of air raid; collection and transport of rations; details of compo rations; further details of transporting items from B Echelon including description of cooker; activities during day; accommodation; air raids and cover taken; story of a Stuka attack; story of an electric storm; trips to company at front including memories of Captain Holbrook; collection of mail and requests from troops; situation at Sedjenane; memories of Battle of Sedjenane; withdrawal to Tabarka; action of C Company at Tamara; replacement of sergeant major; manning of bren gun; death of Captain Holbrook; activities during advance of German troops.
REEL 10 Continues: effects of hailstorm; details of battle; mortaring of cooker; protection of pay books; firing of bren gun; activities of German troops; disappearance of shell-shocked troops and promotion of company commander; situation at dusk; German setting up of machine-gun and reading of names from captured pay books; story of journey to farmhouse; company commanders conference; withdrawal to Tabarka; capture of wounded troops left behind; arrival of German POWs; loss of troops; state of POWs; morale in battalion. Aspects of period as NCO with 2/5th Bn Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regt (Sherwood Foresters) in North Africa, 5/1943-9/1943: return to Algiers; reinforcements; memories of and changes made by Colonel Hefford; opinion and background of reinforcements; duties; rest period; parade with Churchill in Tunis; leisure activities; journey to Bizerte; wait for embarkation; reason for not attending concert parties; sports; activities; story of air raid on harbour; voyage to Salerno; air activity on landing; members of battalion on ship; rations during voyage. Aspects of operations as NCO with 2/5th Bn Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regt (Sherwood Foresters) in Italy, 9/1943-2/1944: scenes on beaches; arrival in orchard; actions of 13 Platoon C Company; supply and issue of rations at Cava de' Tirreni.
REEL 11 Continues: attachment of Arab carriers; arrival in village; problems supplying company and details of G1098 Stores; navigation; story of mortar attack while supplying a meal; wounding of Private Casban; crossing of Volturno; opinion of supply system; transport used in different situations; cleaning of clothes; advantages of jeep; situation on Garigliano; reaction to shelling; terrain; use of mules; evacuation of casualties; need for flexibility; weather; use of railway lines and problems with mines on roads; story of near escape from glass mine; story of staff sergeant killed by mine.
REEL 12 Continues: effects of weather; description of dugout and method of heating; story of dressing down from Lieutenant Quarter Master Hammond; quality of drivers; navigation; daily meetings; opinion of fellow Company Quarter Master Sergeants including attitude of regular soldiers to Territorial troops; journey to Egypt. Aspects of period as NCO with 2/5th Bn Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regt (Sherwood Foresters) in Middle East, 2/1944-8/1944: mirages; activities on arrival in Egypt; leave in Cairo; story of talk in sergeants mess in Qassassin camp; details of camp at Nathania; problems from sandstorm; role of battalion; issue of rations to patrols in Haifa; situation in Palestine; football; exercises; story of jokes played on one soldier; posting in Syria; news of Rome's fall; return to Italy and reaction. Aspects of operations as NCO with 2/5th Bn Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regt (Sherwood Foresters) in Italy, 8/1944-12/1944: arrival in Naples; arrival in camp; reunion with and story of Jack Woodward; routine; lectures.
REEL 13 Continues: casualties and reinforcements; arrival and memories of Privates Bill and Casban; keeping count of troops in platoons and building up of spare rations;; description of office at Montevecchio; relationship with civilians; story of night in bed; fleas in Rimini Post Office; anti-flea treatment of uniform; cleanliness; morale; mail; attempts to improve morale; story of suspected self-inflicted wounds; troops losing nerve; signs of battle weariness; own morale; story of praying while under fire; cases of desertion; casualties; role in Greece; flight in Douglas Dakota via Brindisi. Aspects of period as NCO with 2/5th Bn Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regt (Sherwood Foresters) in Greece, 12/1944-4/1945: arrival in Salonica; accommodation; ELAS presence; skirmishes in hills; activity on beaches; relationship with civilians.
REEL 14 Continues: duties replacing and repairing kit; parade; inspection from Colonel Welshman; sergeants mess Christmas; incidents; entertainments; alcohol in sergeants mess; story of drunken activities in warrant officers and sergeants club; subsequent hangover; letter from club owner and collection made for him; football; care needed when travelling in country; journey to Athens; accommodation; story of drunken sergeant; memories of Ezra Knight; cooking facilities; sports day; journey to Italy. Aspects of period as NCO with 2/5th Bn Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regt (Sherwood Foresters) in Italy, 4/1945-5/1945: reactions on return; movement towards front; story of troops killed in San Marino; clearing up and burial of bodies; VE Day celebrations; problems during journey to Austria. Aspects of period as NCO with 2/5th Bn Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regt (Sherwood Foresters) in Austria, 5/1945-3/1946: arrival and items found in St Peters; German propaganda films watched.
REEL 15 Continues: silk screen sent home; details of journey to GB for leave; leave; return journey with Colonel Welshman and offer of regular post in army; reasons for not staying on; opinion of Colonel Welshman; refusal of offer; promotion to Regiment Quarter Master Sergeant; reaction to leaving C Company; posting and location of offices in Leibnitz; bartering system to secure buildings; duties; working hours; problems with one member of staff; story of condemned American hams; towel fiddle; leisure activities; relationship with civilians; issue of rations; work of rations corporal; memories of German batman Willy Burger; table tennis; story of visit to Vienna; memories of Tony Waterfall; story of sorting out drunken troops; demobilisation group; demobilisation at Ibrox Park; loss of souvenirs at customs. Aspects of period as civilian in GB from 1946: return to family business and problems with father; motorbike accident and hospitalisation; moves of family and civilian work.