Description
Object description
Photocopies of his ms diary (71pp) recording his service as a signaller in the ranks of the 13th Medium Regiment RA in North West Europe (June 1944 - May 1945), including the journey from Craster to London and by sea to Normandy (June 1944); on active service in Normandy (July 1944 - August 1944); the advance through France, Belgium and Holland (August 1944 - September 1944), notably in the 'corridor' to Arnhem (September 1944); operations in Holland and Germany (September 1944 - December 1944); resting in Belgium and Holland (December 1944 - February 1945), including moving to the Ardennes (January 1945); the invasion of Germany (February 1945 - May 1945), notably the Battle of the Reichswald (February 1945 - March 1945), the crossing of the Rhine (March 1945) and the rapid advance across Germany (March 1945 - May 1945); and commenting on army life; the rations; Allied bombardments and air raids; artillery barrages in support of the front line troops; his duties and off-duty entertainment; the weather; operations and their progress; the constant casualties and loss of friends; the frequent moves of his unit; German shelling; the destruction on the battlefield and in Falaise and Borken; the great welcome from the liberated population; visiting Antwerp; the poor conditions and the lack of food in Holland; celebrating Christmas 1944; crossing the longest Bailey bridge in the world; Russian slave labour; his impressions of a defeated Germany; celebrating the end of the war; and the return to peacetime habits during the occupation of Germany. Also included are photocopies of a photograph of him with two comrades in uniform in 1940 (1p) and his sketches, often humorous (79pp), of his service.
Content description
Photocopies of his ms diary (71pp) recording his service as a signaller in the ranks of the 13th Medium Regiment RA in North West Europe (June 1944 - May 1945), including the journey from Craster to London and by sea to Normandy (June 1944); on active service in Normandy (July 1944 - August 1944); the advance through France, Belgium and Holland (August 1944 - September 1944), notably in the 'corridor' to Arnhem (September 1944); operations in Holland and Germany (September 1944 - December 1944); resting in Belgium and Holland (December 1944 - February 1945), including moving to the Ardennes (January 1945); the invasion of Germany (February 1945 - May 1945), notably the Battle of the Reichswald (February 1945 - March 1945), the crossing of the Rhine (March 1945) and the rapid advance across Germany (March 1945 - May 1945); and commenting on army life; the rations; Allied bombardments and air raids; artillery barrages in support of the front line troops; his duties and off-duty entertainment; the weather; operations and their progress; the constant casualties and loss of friends; the frequent moves of his unit; German shelling; the destruction on the battlefield and in Falaise and Borken; the great welcome from the liberated population; visiting Antwerp; the poor conditions and the lack of food in Holland; celebrating Christmas 1944; crossing the longest Bailey bridge in the world; Russian slave labour; his impressions of a defeated Germany; celebrating the end of the war; and the return to peacetime habits during the occupation of Germany. Also included are photocopies of a photograph of him with two comrades in uniform in 1940 (1p) and his sketches, often humorous (79pp), of his service.
History note
Cataloguer SNR
History note
Catalogue date 2001-03-14