Description
Object description
Two well written ms diaries with ts transcriptions recording his career as an officer with the Royal Horse Artillery (RHA) in France, May - June 1940 (33pp, transcription 15pp), and with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) in Italy, May 1944 (9pp, transcription 10pp), including: his return from leave, May 1940; his attempts to return to his unit, 1st RHA, from a Base Camp near Rouen during the German offensive, May 1940; and his retreat to and evacuation from Dunkirk, May - June 1940, commenting on the chaos caused by the refugees, low morale of the ill-informed troops, the 44th Division, poor conditions, the lack of fight in the Belgian and French Armies, and the destruction in Dunkirk; active service during the Battle of Cassino with the REME attached to the 2nd Lothian and Border Horse (26th Armoured Brigade, 6th Armoured Division) in support of the 4th Division crossing the Gari south of Cassino, 10 - 12 May 1944, and the 78th Division extending the bridgehead, 13 - 19 May 1944; the subsequent advance across the Melfa towards Highway 6 while his regiment was resting, 20 - 27 May 1944; commenting on the plan for enveloping Cassino, the progress of the battle, the heavy casualties incurred against stiff resistance, his duties recovering battle-damaged tanks, and mentioning the 16th/5th Lancers, the 17th/21st Lancers, and the Derbyshire Yeomanry. Also included is an unused Message Form (Army Form C2128), February 1939, and a photograph of him in uniform.
Content description
Two well written ms diaries with ts transcriptions recording his career as an officer with the Royal Horse Artillery (RHA) in France, May - June 1940 (33pp, transcription 15pp), and with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) in Italy, May 1944 (9pp, transcription 10pp), including: his return from leave, May 1940; his attempts to return to his unit, 1st RHA, from a Base Camp near Rouen during the German offensive, May 1940; and his retreat to and evacuation from Dunkirk, May - June 1940, commenting on the chaos caused by the refugees, low morale of the ill-informed troops, the 44th Division, poor conditions, the lack of fight in the Belgian and French Armies, and the destruction in Dunkirk; active service during the Battle of Cassino with the REME attached to the 2nd Lothian and Border Horse (26th Armoured Brigade, 6th Armoured Division) in support of the 4th Division crossing the Gari south of Cassino, 10 - 12 May 1944, and the 78th Division extending the bridgehead, 13 - 19 May 1944; the subsequent advance across the Melfa towards Highway 6 while his regiment was resting, 20 - 27 May 1944; commenting on the plan for enveloping Cassino, the progress of the battle, the heavy casualties incurred against stiff resistance, his duties recovering battle-damaged tanks, and mentioning the 16th/5th Lancers, the 17th/21st Lancers, and the Derbyshire Yeomanry. Also included is an unused Message Form (Army Form C2128), February 1939, and a photograph of him in uniform.
History note
Cataloguer SNR
History note
Catalogue date 1996-09-19
