Description
Object description
Ts memoir with few dates (103pp) recording his service as an NCO with the Royal Corps of Signals in the UK, North Africa and Italy (May 1940 - June 1946), including serving with the Boy Scouts in Fulham at the outbreak of war; his call up into the RCS and basic training in Diss, Norfolk (from May 1940); service with the Signal Section of the 23rd Field Regiment RA (77th Division and 2 AGRA) in Croydon, St Mary Cray, Kent; and Chagford and Pit House at Chudleigh in Devon UK (no dates); embarkation overseas from Glasgow in the overcrowded BOISVAIN (the Dutch KMP cargo boat) to Algiers, Algeria (?November 1942); active service in North Africa (November 1942 - September 1943), notably the actions at Medjez-el-Bab in Tunisia (January 1943) where his unit lost its first casualties, Kasserine Pass (February 1943), Longstop Hill (April 1943); and the pursuit to Tunis (April 1943 - May 1943); in Italy (September 1943 - May 1945), including the landing at Salerno (September 1943), the Battle of Cassino (February 1944 - April 1944), and, as part of the 24th Guards Brigade (South African Armoured Division), advancing on Rome, Arezzo and Florence through the Hitler, Gustav and Trasimene Lines (April 1944 - August 1944), in support of the 43rd Gurkha Lorried Infantry Brigade (1st Armoured Division, 56th Division and then 10th Indian Division) moving through the Gothic Line (August 1944 - September 1944) to the Senio River (September 1944 - November 1944); and then the final advance to Padua (February 1945 - May 1945); the occupation of northern Italy until his demobilisation (May 1945 - June 1946); and commenting on army life; the conditions, the rations; his duties; his off-duty entertainment, notably sight seeing; his comrades, NCOs and officers; the LDV; a visit from the Education Corps to do psychological tests; the WVS; the Blitz on London; being strafed and dive bombed by German aircraft; relationships with the local inhabitants; the US and French Armies; celebrating Christmas, 1943; meeting and getting permission to marry a local girl, his future wife, from Udine and honeymooning in Merano (April 1946). Also included is a short ts history (36pp) of the 23rd Field Regiment RA (September 1939 - May 1946) by Sergeant R B Swatman, Chief Clerk.
Content description
Ts memoir with few dates (103pp) recording his service as an NCO with the Royal Corps of Signals in the UK, North Africa and Italy (May 1940 - June 1946), including serving with the Boy Scouts in Fulham at the outbreak of war; his call up into the RCS and basic training in Diss, Norfolk (from May 1940); service with the Signal Section of the 23rd Field Regiment RA (77th Division and 2 AGRA) in Croydon, St Mary Cray, Kent; and Chagford and Pit House at Chudleigh in Devon UK (no dates); embarkation overseas from Glasgow in the overcrowded BOISVAIN (the Dutch KMP cargo boat) to Algiers, Algeria (?November 1942); active service in North Africa (November 1942 - September 1943), notably the actions at Medjez-el-Bab in Tunisia (January 1943) where his unit lost its first casualties, Kasserine Pass (February 1943), Longstop Hill (April 1943); and the pursuit to Tunis (April 1943 - May 1943); in Italy (September 1943 - May 1945), including the landing at Salerno (September 1943), the Battle of Cassino (February 1944 - April 1944), and, as part of the 24th Guards Brigade (South African Armoured Division), advancing on Rome, Arezzo and Florence through the Hitler, Gustav and Trasimene Lines (April 1944 - August 1944), in support of the 43rd Gurkha Lorried Infantry Brigade (1st Armoured Division, 56th Division and then 10th Indian Division) moving through the Gothic Line (August 1944 - September 1944) to the Senio River (September 1944 - November 1944); and then the final advance to Padua (February 1945 - May 1945); the occupation of northern Italy until his demobilisation (May 1945 - June 1946); and commenting on army life; the conditions, the rations; his duties; his off-duty entertainment, notably sight seeing; his comrades, NCOs and officers; the LDV; a visit from the Education Corps to do psychological tests; the WVS; the Blitz on London; being strafed and dive bombed by German aircraft; relationships with the local inhabitants; the US and French Armies; celebrating Christmas, 1943; meeting and getting permission to marry a local girl, his future wife, from Udine and honeymooning in Merano (April 1946). Also included is a short ts history (36pp) of the 23rd Field Regiment RA (September 1939 - May 1946) by Sergeant R B Swatman, Chief Clerk.
History note
Cataloguer SNR
History note
Catalogue date 2006-05-18