Description
Object description
His illustrated ts account (156pp) of his life (June 1922 – February 1996), notably his background as the son of a vicar (1922 – 1935) and education at Woodbridge School, Suffolk (1935 – 1940), training in the ranks of the Coldstream Guards at Caterham barracks and Pirbright (1940 – July 1941), serving with the 5th Battalion Coldstream Guards in London (from July 1941), applying for a commission, pre-OCTU at Rotham, Surrey, OCTU at Douglas, Isle of Man, service as a platoon commander with the 2nd Battalion the Essex Regiment (25th Brigade, 47th Division) at Highfield near Bournemouth, Southwold and Bournemouth, as Liaison Officer to Brigadier A H Blest (25th Brigade) at Newport, Isle of Wight training for D-Day (no dates); his active service as a platoon commander with the 2nd Battalion Seaforth Highlanders (152nd Brigade, 51st Division) in North West Europe (February 1945 – May 1945), including the fighting in the Reichswald (February 1945) against the Siegfried Line, crossing the Rhine (March 1945) to capture Rees, the advance across Germany (April 1945 – May 1945) culminating in the capture of Cuxhaven (May 1945); the Occupation of Germany (May 1945 - ?November 1945); his transfer by troopship to Rangoon, Burma to serve as GSO3, 82nd (West African) Division (no dates) until his return to the UK (October 1946); his post war career (October 1946 – February 1996), notably emigrating to Rhodesia to serve with the Native Affairs Department (July 1947 – November 1968), during the era of UDI and the arrest of the leaders of the African National Congress (ANC), and moving to South Africa (December 1968); commenting on his training with the Guards, guard duties at Buckingham Palace, St James's Palace and the Bank of England, American troops, officer training, meeting his future wife and her disability pension, his off duty entertainment, his Hausa batman, rationing in the UK; and mentioning RSM R Brittain, General Sir Hugh Stockwell, Sir Peveril William Paulett, Sir Godfrey Huggins, Garfield Todd, Sir Humphrey Gibbs, and Ian Smith. Also included is his illustrated ts account (26pp) and photocopies of 3 volumes (56pp) of his ms diary (March 1945 – May 1945) recording his active service with the 2nd Battalion Seaforth Highlanders in North West Europe (February 1945 – May 1945) and commenting on the assault, the rations, the use of dogs and their handlers, the tactics, the casualties, the German defences notably the machine guns and snipers, training, his CO (Colonel George Dunn), crocodile tanks, German paratroopers, VE Day, the Victory parade in Bremerhaven (May 1945), leave in Brussels (?June 1945), his marriage (July 1945) in Folkestone, Kent.
Content description
His illustrated ts account (156pp) of his life (June 1922 – February 1996), notably his background as the son of a vicar (1922 – 1935) and education at Woodbridge School, Suffolk (1935 – 1940), training in the ranks of the Coldstream Guards at Caterham barracks and Pirbright (1940 – July 1941), serving with the 5th Battalion Coldstream Guards in London (from July 1941), applying for a commission, pre-OCTU at Rotham, Surrey, OCTU at Douglas, Isle of Man, service as a platoon commander with the 2nd Battalion the Essex Regiment (25th Brigade, 47th Division) at Highfield near Bournemouth, Southwold and Bournemouth, as Liaison Officer to Brigadier A H Blest (25th Brigade) at Newport, Isle of Wight training for D-Day (no dates); his active service as a platoon commander with the 2nd Battalion Seaforth Highlanders (152nd Brigade, 51st Division) in North West Europe (February 1945 – May 1945), including the fighting in the Reichswald (February 1945) against the Siegfried Line, crossing the Rhine (March 1945) to capture Rees, the advance across Germany (April 1945 – May 1945) culminating in the capture of Cuxhaven (May 1945); the Occupation of Germany (May 1945 - ?November 1945); his transfer by troopship to Rangoon, Burma to serve as GSO3, 82nd (West African) Division (no dates) until his return to the UK (October 1946); his post war career (October 1946 – February 1996), notably emigrating to Rhodesia to serve with the Native Affairs Department (July 1947 – November 1968), during the era of UDI and the arrest of the leaders of the African National Congress (ANC), and moving to South Africa (December 1968); commenting on his training with the Guards, guard duties at Buckingham Palace, St James's Palace and the Bank of England, American troops, officer training, meeting his future wife and her disability pension, his off duty entertainment, his Hausa batman, rationing in the UK; and mentioning RSM R Brittain, General Sir Hugh Stockwell, Sir Peveril William Paulett, Sir Godfrey Huggins, Garfield Todd, Sir Humphrey Gibbs, and Ian Smith. Also included is his illustrated ts account (26pp) and photocopies of 3 volumes (56pp) of his ms diary (March 1945 – May 1945) recording his active service with the 2nd Battalion Seaforth Highlanders in North West Europe (February 1945 – May 1945) and commenting on the assault, the rations, the use of dogs and their handlers, the tactics, the casualties, the German defences notably the machine guns and snipers, training, his CO (Colonel George Dunn), crocodile tanks, German paratroopers, VE Day, the Victory parade in Bremerhaven (May 1945), leave in Brussels (?June 1945), his marriage (July 1945) in Folkestone, Kent.
History note
Cataloguer SNR