Description
Object description
British officer commanded Peshawar Bde in India, 1936-1938; served as Military Governor in Jerusalem, Palestine, 1938-1939; commanded Western Desert Force in Libya, 1940-1941
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of the planning and conduct of the First Libyan Campaign as commander of Western Desert Force in Libya, 1940-1941: reaction to being appointed to command Western Desert Force; initial instructions from General Henry Wilson; impressions of 4th Indian Infantry Div and 7th Armoured Div; role in planning a five day raid against Italian forces; dealing with General Archibald Wavell's orders to exploit any advantage of the raid.
REEL 2 Continues: degree of security for the operation; rehearsal for attacks on Italian camps at Nebeiwa and Tummar; role of divisional staffs in successful advance to Italian lines; method of controlling armoured forces under his command; question of influence of Basil Liddell Hart's writings; control of supplies.
REEL 3 Continues: tactics employed at Sidi Barrani, Egypt and against other defended forts; tactics employed against strongly defended ports at Bardia and Tobruk; tactics employed for attack at Beda Fomm; reaction to implications of removal of 4th Indian Infantry Div from Western Desert Force; problems encountered with the removal of 4th Indian Infantry Div and replacing it with 6th Australian Infantry Div; question of campaign in Western Desert being a minor campaign.
REEL 4 Continues: gradual erosion of the armoured force; comparison of Italian defence of Bardia and Tobruk; estimation of role and efficiency of Italian Tenth Army; opinion of Italian troops; importance of well trained troops; conditions for British forces in Libya; question of potential advance to Tripoli; question of General Wavell's awareness of ease with which Tripoli could have been taken; effect of operations in Greece on Libyan campaign.
REEL 5 Continues: question of temptation to drive on to Tripoli; British command structure in North Africa; problems occurring from the command structure; changes in command structure visits from General Archibald Wavell; impressions of General Archibald Wavell.
REEL 6 Continues: reasons for the defeat of Italian forces in Libya; the role of the Italians at Nibeiwa. Aspects of operations as Military Governor in Jerusalem, Palestine, 1938-1939: instigation of plan to retake the Old City from the hands of insurgents; method of stopping insurgent attacks on railways, road transport and Navy, Army and Air Force Institute (NAAFI). Aspects of operations as commander of Peshawar Bde in India, 1936-1938: organisation of training exercises.
REEL 7 Continues: technique for advancing up valleys. Recollections of the planning and conduct of the First Libyan Campaign as commander of Western Desert Force in Libya, 1940-1941: question of frequency that senior officers should visit the front; reaction to taking up position at General Officer Commanding (GOC) Egypt, 2/1941; administrative role in Egypt; method of conducting operations in Western Desert; impressions of taking responsibility for command and casualties.
REEL 8 Continues: question of the loneliness of command; importance of the success of the First Libyan campaign; effect on British morale of success of the campaign; question of public perception of his role; tactics employed during campaign; role of 7th Armoured Div; opinion of Major-General Percy Hobart.