Description
Object description
British private, NCO and officer served with Royal Army Ordnance Corps in GB and India, 1939-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Kentish Town, GB, 1918-1939: family; details of Kentish Town; education; leisure activities; civilian work; awareness of events in Europe; reaction to outbreak of war and delay to call-up; declaration of war; changes to family after call-up; earlier attempt to join Royal Air Force. Aspects of period as private and NCO with Royal Army Ordnance Corps in GB, 10/1939-5/1941: relationship with fellow recruits; accommodation at Didcot; settling into army life; memories of sergeant major; pattern of training; kit issued; news of war; story of hearing Churchill speech; relationship with civilians in Didcot and Kilmarnock. Aspects of voyage from Kilmarnock, GB, to Bombay, India, aboard Empress of Japan, 1941: escort; story of U-Boat scare; sleeping arrangements; story of attack on NCO; stop in Freetown harbour; rumours on arrival in South Africa; relationship with civilians including treatment of black civilians. Aspects of period as NCO and officer with Royal Army Ordnance Corps in India, 1941-1945: relationship with civilians and conditions in Allahabad; areas posted; train journey to Gohati; climate and conditions.
REEL 2 Continues: journey through Kohima and Imphal including contact with Naga civilians; refugees on road and air activity; assistance in clearing roads; civil unrest duties in Imphal; posting at Milestone 118; story of wash in stream; problems with dengue fever and subsequent commissioning; details of officer training at Dehra Dun, 1943; reason for missing passing out parade; selection for commission; posting to depot at Dehu; story of Japanese invasion scare; contact with British troops withdrawing from Burma; morale; story of Military Policeman; climate and health; malaria precautions; rum ration; rations; further details of dengue fever; relationship with Indian troops and civilians; relationship with Ghurkha troops; activities of unit in Assam; story of accident with truck; opinion of Studebaker truck; story of train journey to Calcutta with American troops; mail.
REEL 3 Continues: knowledge of war in Assam; visits to Kohima; details of roads; contact with Naga civilians; learning and use of Urdu; duties at Dehu; story of bounced cheque; secondment to Indian Army and change in pay; period in Deolali; train journey to Bombay; attack from rat in harbour; news of war in Europe; end of war with Japan; uniform worn in India. Aspects of period as civilian in GB from 1945: state of mother on return; final period of service; civilian work; health problems; accommodation in Earl's Court; near return to army; life in Britain after war; opinion of 1945-1951 Labour Government; opinion and impressions of Generals Slim and Leese; opinion of General Wingate and Chindits.
REEL 4 Continues: attitude to Japanese and Germans; reflections on Second World War.