Description
Object description
British NCO served with 2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry in GB and North West Europe, 1942-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of background Foxhouse, Townhead and Droylesdon, Manchester, 1923-1943: social circumstances; education; question of approach of war; leaving school on move to Manchester, 6/1939; work as laboratory assistant testing and producing dyes at Courtoulds Dye Works; reactions to outbreak of war, 3/9/1939; filling sandbags for anti-blast walls at factory; work producing camouflage nets and machine gun belts, ca 1943; dye works air raid shelter; effects of German air raids and Manchester Blitz, 12/1940. Recollections of service with Droylesdon Coy, Local Defence Volunteers/Home Guard, 5/1940-9/1942: initial shortage of rifles and uniforms for guard duty; relationship with First World War veterans; drill; rifle training and visits to rifle range; tactical training and exercises; guard posts; defensive plans and positions with Browning machine gun; night routine on guard duty.
REEL 2 Continues: rationing; interviews for assignment to war work and continuation of work at dye works; call up, 17/9/1942. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine at Primary Training Centre, Saighton Camp, 9/1942-11/1942: reception and kitting out; hut accommodation; laying out kit and room inspections; drill; food rations; rifle training and anti-aircraft practice; bayonet training; Bren gun training; exercises on route march; tactical training, PT; relationship with instructors, recruits and officers; lectures; canteens and cinema; visits to Chester; aptitude tests and story of passing Morse code test by guesswork; interviews and physical tests. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine during period as gunner/signaller at 53rd Training Regt at Catterick Camp, 11/1942-3/1943: reactions; reception; revolver and Thompson machine gun training; anti-gas training and gas masks issued.
REEL 3 Continues: signal training including theory, Morse code, operation of 19 wireless set, voice procedure and phonetic alphabet; gunnery training including 2pdr gun, Beza machine gun, firing from mock up turret and on machine gun range; driving and maintenance training; opinion of instructors and rejection of opportunity to become wireless instructor; question of opportunities for commission; visits to Richmond. Recollections of period with No 4Troop, B Sqdn 2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry at Chippenham Camp, Newmarket, 3/1943-6/1943: reaction to posting; train journey; reception and joining B Sqdn on training exercise in Thetford area; acting as gunner in Crusader tank crew with /Wireless Operator Pat Ketteridge and Driver Alex Henderson; characteristics of Crusader; nature of exercises in Thetford and Stamford areas; camp routine; opinion of Lieutenant Peter Webster and Sergeant Truscott.
REEL 4 Period at Rudston Camp and Bridlington, 6/1943-3/1944: hut accommodation; characteristics of Sherman tank including 75mm gun, problem with gunsights, ammunition storage, role as wireless operator/gun loader, role of co-driver, Browning machine gun; exercises and firing on ranges on Yorkshire moors; opinion of Sten gun; move into billets in Bridlington, 10/1943; story of whistling 'The Sash my Father wore'; food rations and salted porridge; visit to Kirkcudbrigshire tanks ranges, 12/1943, including unloading ammunition form railway trucks, story of effects of lack of ventilation during period of continual loading whilst firing from static position and story of Sherman catching fire; Operation Eagle Exercise on Yorkshire moors; story of preparations for inspection by George VI, 3/1944. Period at Warburg Barracks, Aldershot, 3/1944-6/1944: conditions of service; water-proofing Sherman; personal morale; acting as wireless operator in crew with Corporal Alistair McHattie, Driver Ron Forbes and Co Driver Clifford Pember; signs of D Day, 6/6/1944, including Spitfire signal, issue of maps and air activity.
REEL 5 Continues: drive to transit camp at Gosport, 6/1944. Recollections of Channel crossing and landing at Courcelles, Normandy, France, 6/1944: overnight stay in centre of Gosport; boarding Landing Ship Tank; view of landing area; landing; de-waterproofing; move inland. Recollections of period at Cully, ca 16/6/1944-25/6/1944: view of knocked out Sherman; camouflage net; use of tent sheets to make bivouac; question of digging in; compo rations; question of smoking cigarettes; latrines; minimal contact with French civilians; aerial activity. Recollections of attack on Cheux, 26/6/1944-28/6/1944: prior attack by 15th Div; move to start line and firing at German tanks; ditching and assistance from Churchill tank; losing contact with unit; first casualties and personal morale; move forward to join B Sqdn in orchard south of Cheux; explosion and head wound to McHattie; reorganisation of tank crew; move back into night laager; situation, 27/6/1944; view of infantry moving forward; German counter-attack; move back into Cheux; advance towards Grainville; retreat of Reconnaissance Troop; night action on move to west of Cheux; laager, 26/6/1944, including refuelling, re-ammunition, repairs and guard duties.
REEL 6 Continues: occupation of defensive positions, 28/6/1944. Period in reserve positions, ca 29/6/1944-17/7/1944: naval bombardments; moves up to support infantry; German mortar fire, ca 1/7/1944; story of firing .5" Browning at German aircraft; slit trench under Sherman; close escape from German mortar fire; burial of German corpse; opinion of Sherman performance; operation of 19 wireless set in action; move to Gazelle sector, ca 16/7/1944; opinion of Lieutenant Buchanan; briefing for Operation Goodwood; moving HE ammunition to right hand side of Sherman; move to Ranville glider field; visit to glider. Recollections of Operaration Goodwood, 18/7/1944-19/7/1944: move through minefield; preliminary bombardment and cases of shells dropping short; crossing first railway embankment and continued advance; move to left and ditching on log after passing through hedge; engaging German 88mm gun in Cagny sector; view of anti-tank shells in flight; various targets; view of Sherman 'brewing up'; German anti-tank gun concealed in haystack; success in unditching; rejoining troop facing Cagny in isolated position; visit from padre and his use of German POWs to collect wounded; advance of Guards Armoured Division; flank guard role; lack of wireless contact with rest of unit; arrival of Captain Trehearne's Sherman; night retirement to Ransart sector.
REEL 7 Continues: night retirement to Ransart sector; effects of German nigh air raid; awareness of unit's casualties; burial service. Recollections of operations in Normandy, 20/7/1944-17/8/1944: wet conditions; German air attacks on road convoy; rest period at Ardenne Abbey, 22/7/1944-29/7/1944; reinforcements and transfer to 2 Troop, B Sqdn; opinion of Lieutenant Darke; use of No 18 wireless set to communicate with attached infantry; advance on high ground west of Caumont, 30/7/1944; wounded stretcher bearers; tanks losses due to German mines; role acting as Major John Gilmour's headquarters tank; nature of fighting in bocage country; opinion of Gilmour; laager wireless watch duty, 30/7/1944; advance to Vire road, 1/8/1944; assisting Cromwell tanks of Northamptonshire Yeomanry moving along Vire road; advance into Burcy sector, 2/8/1944; situation; story of opening fire on German vehicles; advance onto Le Perrier Ridge, 2/8/1944; discovery of abandoned Panther; role supporting infantry outpost positions and subsequent attempted advance, 3/8/1944-5/8/1944; move back into rest prior to urgent recall on German attacks on Le Perrier Ridge, 6/8/1944; opinion of Corporal Whatnough.
REEL 8 Continues: move back into laager, 6/8/1944; situation on move back onto Le Perrier Ridge, 7/8/1944; confusion during manoeuvre under cover of smoke screen to evade fire from Tigers; German mortar fire; personal morale; opinion of Driver Vic Holden and Gunner Pat Ketteridge; overnight laager; rest period, 8/8/1944-12/8/1944; arrival of reinforcements; bath in stream; move to 15th Div sector; replacement gunner on Ketteridge's promotion; view of corpses during advance on Lassy, 14/8/1944; damage caused by running over German mine; recovery of Sherman and period awaiting repairs, 14/8/1944-16/8/1944; rejoining unit, 16/8/1944; roving guard duty in laagers; replacement of Corporal Whatmore with Lieutenant Monroe; reception from French civilians at Flers; story of bailing out after Sherman hit by panzerfaust whilst operating to near hedge, 17/8/1944, including use of fire extinguisher, death of Lieutenant Monroe, question of wounded Driver Vic Holden leg wounds from German machine gun fire, failed rescue attempt by Sherman Firefly and crawling back.
REEL 9 Continues: crawling back to infantry positions; medical treatment and evacuation to dressing station; ambulance journey; medical treatment n tented hospital; evacuation back to GB. Period in Manchester Royal Hospital, 8/1944-9/1944: prior movements; medical treatment; visitors. Period at Convalescent Hospital at Didsbury, Manchester, 9/1944. Periods at Army Convalescent Depots at Stoke on Trent and Hamilton Race Course, 10/1944-11/1944: PT; passing medical; conditions of service. Period at Holding Units at Catterick and Chippenham Camps, 12/1944-2/1945. Period with 1 Troop, B Sqdn, 2nd F& FY at Ypres, Belgium, 2/1945-3/1945: changes on rejoining unit; characteristics of Comet tank; retraining and joining tank crew as gunner with Corporal Paddy Purcell, Driver Bernard Bartlett and Wireless Operator Thompson; billets; relationship with Belgian civilians; visits to First World War sites.
REEL 10 Period training at Montaigu, 3/1945. Recollections of operations in Germany, 3/1945-5/1945: air activity; crossing Rhine; failed attempt by tank to cross wooden bridge over stream; problems with muddy conditions; story of advance into village including clearing road block, jammed tow rope and firing to keep back German civilians; panzerfaust problem; German air attacks on crossing Dortmund-Ems Canal, 1/4/1945; compo rations and cooking arrangements; supporting infantry attack on Teutoberger Ridge, 2/4/1945; occupying positions along River Weser; German air attack and treatment of shot down Stuka pilot; question of ability to speak German; circumstances death of Major A Loram at Locum; action at Schwarmstedt, 10/4/1945 including firing Beza along hedges, story of crew member finishing off German wounded; sniping casualties, putting out smouldering canvas cover, surrender of German troops and capture of village.
REEL 11 Continues: applying insect powder as anti-typhus precaution when near Belsen Concentration Camp; story of shelling house after panzerfaust attack and necessity of hand traversing gun, 13/4/1945; period left out of battle; return of Corporal Paddy Purcell to command tank; ineffective reconnaissance in force with infantry, ca 16/4/1944; story of shooting lone German during advance on Winsen, 18/4/1945; question of looting; period in reserve; story of clearing house and road block; continuing in truck and looted car after Sherman broke down during advance on Lubeck; movements; billets outside Lubeck; VE Day, 8/5/1945. period at Bredstedt, 5/1945-6/1945: billets; duty at Russian displaced persons camp; parades; non-fraternisation; volunteering for service with 1st F&FY and posting to Far East after disbandment of unit.
REEL 12 Period with B Sqdn, 1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry in Westphalia, 7/1945-8/1946: training on Crocodile Churchill; attitude to possible use of flamethrowers on Japanese; accidental shooting; cancellation of Far East posting after Japanese surrender, 8/1945; situation; physics course; guard duties; question of black market activities; movements; disbandment of unit, 8/1946. Period with 14/20th Kings Hussars at Wuppertal, 9/1946-4/1947: opinion of Chafee tanks; unofficial personal weapons; visit to dye works; German civilian staff; return to GB, 4/1947. Demobilisation, 4/1947. Post-war career; reactions to return to work at Courtoulds Dye Works; question of effects of war service; contacting F&FY veterans and membership of 'South of the Border' F&F Regt Assoc.