Description
Object description
Three ms intermittent diaries (February 1942 – August 1946) recording his service as an NCO with the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) in the UK, India and Burma (November 1941 – August 1946), including his training in the UK (February 1942 – July 1942); the voyage (July 1942) in the troopship, HMT Rangitiki, from the Clyde to Durban, Natal, South Africa via Freetown, Sierra Leone (July 1942 - September 1942); waiting in Durban (September 1942 – November 1942); the voyage in HMT Dilwara from Durban to Bombay, India (November 1942); RAMC Depot at Deolali (November 1942 – January 1945); active service with 189th Field Ambulance (23rd Brigade, 70th Division, later the Chindits) at Manipur Camp, Gaya near Ranchi (January 1943 – May 1943) and Bangalore (June 1943 – October 1943), participating in jungle training, and on operations in Burma on the Arakan front (May 1943 – June 1943) and in the Naga Hills (September 1943 - March 1944); the disbandment of the Chindits (January 1945); and commenting on life on a troopship; his hatred of the war and the class distinctions of the army between privates, NCOs and officers; his duties, notably evacuating the wounded; the need for a change of Government after the war has finished and for nationalisation of industry; the poor treatment of the troops by their officers; his dislike of India; the death of Major General OC Wingate (March 1944); the shock at the loss of a family member; and mentioning a lecture by Major General G W Symes (70th Division) on Chindit operations (September 1943). Also included are: a portrait photograph of Cattell as a Corporal, RAMC (51st (Highland) Division); a photograph of Cattell in tropical kit by a truck; a ms poem about 'The Forgotten Army' (2pp, undated); a ts programme for a variety Concert held by the Hornsey ARP (3pp, February 1941); 2 ts Soldier's Service and Pay Books (Army Book 64); his copy of the book 'RAMC Training, 1935'; 84 photographs (with a ts description, 2pp) of the Chindits (April 1944 –July 1944) in the jungle and crossing rivers, including the local population and transport, notably the use of mules; his Army Identity Certificate (1p, December 1941); ts Furlough Pass to visit London (2pp, July 1942); (his Berthing Card (1p, undated); a Troop Berthing Card, HMT Dilwara (1p, undated); 2 Passes (3pp, September 1942 and October 1942) to leave the Imperial Forces Transhipment Camp, Clairwood, Durban; a ts programme for concerts (4pp) and a a ts ticker (1p, September 1942) for the Theatre Royal Cinema in Durban; a ms airgraph letter (1p, May 1943) from his wife in Highgate, London; a ts transcript (1p,) of a BBC Broadcast (July 1944) about the 23rd Brigade led by "Brigadier Perowne a personal friend of General Wingate"; a ms sketch map of Brigade HQ layout in Ukhrul (1p, July 1944); a ts programme for the Athletics Meetings, 23rd Brigade (3pp, December 1944); a ms letter (2pp, January 1945) from a pen friend, Mrs Dallas, in Durban; ts records (3pp, March 1945) relating to his admission to hospital with malaria; an invitation to the 514th Infantry Brigade REME Workshops Unit Dance (2pp, June 1945); his Medical Inspection Report (1p, July 1945) for glasses; 2 Passes (2pp, August 1945) to leave camp at Ranchi; a Leave pass (1p, September 1945); 4 Furlough Passes (4p, May, June and October 1945), HQ 23rd Brigade; a signed Menu for a 'Victory Dinner', HQ 23rd Brigade (2pp, August 1945); his Soldier's Release Book (November 1945) with a testimonial stating that he was "a conscientious hard working individual able to accept responsibility, trustworthy and honest"; a ts Soldiers' Ticket (2pp, December 1945) for the Bengal – Nagpur Railway (Second Class); Pay Form 48 (1p, December 1945); details of his War Gratuity (Pay Form R.16, 2pp, June 1946); 2 tickets (4pp, April 1950 and March 1951) for the First and Second Reunion Dinners of the 189th Field Ambulance RAMC; and official papers (20pp, February 1951 – September 1951) relating to his training as a reservist with the 638th LAA Regiment RA TA at Morfa Camp, Towyn in Conwy, North Wales, notably a ts Notice to Join for Training (Army Form D 461, 2pp, June 1951) and ts notes (1p, 1951) on 'Hygiene Inspection of Camps' at Towyn, noting that between 1939 - 1945 the British Army suffered 100,000 killed in action while 450,000 died or were discharged owing to disease, of whom "at least half were preventable".
Content description
Three ms intermittent diaries (February 1942 – August 1946) recording his service as an NCO with the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) in the UK, India and Burma (November 1941 – August 1946), including his training in the UK (February 1942 – July 1942); the voyage (July 1942) in the troopship, HMT Rangitiki, from the Clyde to Durban, Natal, South Africa via Freetown, Sierra Leone (July 1942 - September 1942); waiting in Durban (September 1942 – November 1942); the voyage in HMT Dilwara from Durban to Bombay, India (November 1942); RAMC Depot at Deolali (November 1942 – January 1945); active service with 189th Field Ambulance (23rd Brigade, 70th Division, later the Chindits) at Manipur Camp, Gaya near Ranchi (January 1943 – May 1943) and Bangalore (June 1943 – October 1943), participating in jungle training, and on operations in Burma on the Arakan front (May 1943 – June 1943) and in the Naga Hills (September 1943 - March 1944); the disbandment of the Chindits (January 1945); and commenting on life on a troopship; his hatred of the war and the class distinctions of the army between privates, NCOs and officers; his duties, notably evacuating the wounded; the need for a change of Government after the war has finished and for nationalisation of industry; the poor treatment of the troops by their officers; his dislike of India; the death of Major General OC Wingate (March 1944); the shock at the loss of a family member; and mentioning a lecture by Major General G W Symes (70th Division) on Chindit operations (September 1943). Also included are: a portrait photograph of Cattell as a Corporal, RAMC (51st (Highland) Division); a photograph of Cattell in tropical kit by a truck; a ms poem about 'The Forgotten Army' (2pp, undated); a ts programme for a variety Concert held by the Hornsey ARP (3pp, February 1941); 2 ts Soldier's Service and Pay Books (Army Book 64); his copy of the book 'RAMC Training, 1935'; 84 photographs (with a ts description, 2pp) of the Chindits (April 1944 –July 1944) in the jungle and crossing rivers, including the local population and transport, notably the use of mules; his Army Identity Certificate (1p, December 1941); ts Furlough Pass to visit London (2pp, July 1942); (his Berthing Card (1p, undated); a Troop Berthing Card, HMT Dilwara (1p, undated); 2 Passes (3pp, September 1942 and October 1942) to leave the Imperial Forces Transhipment Camp, Clairwood, Durban; a ts programme for concerts (4pp) and a a ts ticker (1p, September 1942) for the Theatre Royal Cinema in Durban; a ms airgraph letter (1p, May 1943) from his wife in Highgate, London; a ts transcript (1p,) of a BBC Broadcast (July 1944) about the 23rd Brigade led by "Brigadier Perowne a personal friend of General Wingate"; a ms sketch map of Brigade HQ layout in Ukhrul (1p, July 1944); a ts programme for the Athletics Meetings, 23rd Brigade (3pp, December 1944); a ms letter (2pp, January 1945) from a pen friend, Mrs Dallas, in Durban; ts records (3pp, March 1945) relating to his admission to hospital with malaria; an invitation to the 514th Infantry Brigade REME Workshops Unit Dance (2pp, June 1945); his Medical Inspection Report (1p, July 1945) for glasses; 2 Passes (2pp, August 1945) to leave camp at Ranchi; a Leave pass (1p, September 1945); 4 Furlough Passes (4p, May, June and October 1945), HQ 23rd Brigade; a signed Menu for a 'Victory Dinner', HQ 23rd Brigade (2pp, August 1945); his Soldier's Release Book (November 1945) with a testimonial stating that he was "a conscientious hard working individual able to accept responsibility, trustworthy and honest"; a ts Soldiers' Ticket (2pp, December 1945) for the Bengal – Nagpur Railway (Second Class); Pay Form 48 (1p, December 1945); details of his War Gratuity (Pay Form R.16, 2pp, June 1946); 2 tickets (4pp, April 1950 and March 1951) for the First and Second Reunion Dinners of the 189th Field Ambulance RAMC; and official papers (20pp, February 1951 – September 1951) relating to his training as a reservist with the 638th LAA Regiment RA TA at Morfa Camp, Towyn in Conwy, North Wales, notably a ts Notice to Join for Training (Army Form D 461, 2pp, June 1951) and ts notes (1p, 1951) on 'Hygiene Inspection of Camps' at Towyn, noting that between 1939 - 1945 the British Army suffered 100,000 killed in action while 450,000 died or were discharged owing to disease, of whom "at least half were preventable".
History note
Cataloguer SNR