Description
Object description
Ts memoir (6pp, written in summer 2006) recording his experiences in the ranks with the Royal Corps of Signals in the UK and in North West Europe (February 1943 - December 1945), including his background living in Evercreech and working as a mason building hospitals in Shepton Mallet in Somerset, Nissan Huts at Marston Park near Frome in Somerset for troops returning from Dunkirk, and building huts for munitions workers working in the disused underground quarries at Corsham in Wiltshire (September 1939 - February 1943); being called up and training at the RAMC Barracks at Fleet near Aldershot in Hampshire (February 1943 - March 1943); attending a driving course at Prestatyn in Flintshire, Wales (no dates); transferring to the RCS (no date) and serving with the 50th Construction Section RCS, 21st Army Group, as a signaller finding faults in the telephones and cabling, training in London at Raynes Park near Wimbledon (until May 1944) and in Canning Town (May 1944 - June 1944) and on active service in France, Holland and Germany (June 1944 - May 1945), notably landing in Normandy on Gold Beach (7 June 1944) and the advance across Europe to Hanover and Minden (?August 1944 - May 1945) and the occupation of Krefeld near Dusseldorf (?May 1945 - December 1945, when he was demobilised early "as building workers were urgently wanted back in Britain" for the post war reconstruction); and commenting briefly on his duties; waterproofing all vehicles prior to D-Day; travelling to Normandy; having his wallet stolen and being reported missing as a result; the rations; the rationing of food and water in Normandy; problems with supplies during the rapid advance through Belgium and Holland; the treatment of soldiers who suffered from 'battle fatigue'; the starving population in Breda, in the Netherlands; the casualties from mines and wandering into a minefield; the use of artificial fog to cross the Rhine; and the policy of non-fraternisation. Also included is a photocopy of an undated ts article (1p) in the Mid Somerset Newspapers Supplement describing the loss of his wallet and his "meritorious service" holding various offices with the Royal British Legion in Somerset from 1946 onwards.
Content description
Ts memoir (6pp, written in summer 2006) recording his experiences in the ranks with the Royal Corps of Signals in the UK and in North West Europe (February 1943 - December 1945), including his background living in Evercreech and working as a mason building hospitals in Shepton Mallet in Somerset, Nissan Huts at Marston Park near Frome in Somerset for troops returning from Dunkirk, and building huts for munitions workers working in the disused underground quarries at Corsham in Wiltshire (September 1939 - February 1943); being called up and training at the RAMC Barracks at Fleet near Aldershot in Hampshire (February 1943 - March 1943); attending a driving course at Prestatyn in Flintshire, Wales (no dates); transferring to the RCS (no date) and serving with the 50th Construction Section RCS, 21st Army Group, as a signaller finding faults in the telephones and cabling, training in London at Raynes Park near Wimbledon (until May 1944) and in Canning Town (May 1944 - June 1944) and on active service in France, Holland and Germany (June 1944 - May 1945), notably landing in Normandy on Gold Beach (7 June 1944) and the advance across Europe to Hanover and Minden (?August 1944 - May 1945) and the occupation of Krefeld near Dusseldorf (?May 1945 - December 1945, when he was demobilised early "as building workers were urgently wanted back in Britain" for the post war reconstruction); and commenting briefly on his duties; waterproofing all vehicles prior to D-Day; travelling to Normandy; having his wallet stolen and being reported missing as a result; the rations; the rationing of food and water in Normandy; problems with supplies during the rapid advance through Belgium and Holland; the treatment of soldiers who suffered from 'battle fatigue'; the starving population in Breda, in the Netherlands; the casualties from mines and wandering into a minefield; the use of artificial fog to cross the Rhine; and the policy of non-fraternisation. Also included is a photocopy of an undated ts article (1p) in the Mid Somerset Newspapers Supplement describing the loss of his wallet and his "meritorious service" holding various offices with the Royal British Legion in Somerset from 1946 onwards.
History note
Cataloguer SNR
History note
Catalogue date 2007-05-02