Description
Object description
Six British officers, NCOs and guardsmen served with 3rd Bn Scots Guards, 6th Guards Tank Bde in North West Europe, 1944-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of period as officers, NCOs and guardsmen with 3rd Bn Scots Guards in GB, 1939-1944: story of introduction to military life at Guards Depot, Caterham; stories of basic training at Chelsea Barracks; amusing story of advice given to guardsmen on journey to Pirbright on outbreak of Second World War, 3/9/1939; stories of regimental sergeant major; amusing story of officer's first inspection; drafts to other theatres of operations; comradeship in battalion; esprit de corps in armoured battalion; attention to detail; lack of time to discuss matters; amusing story of exchange over radio.
REEL 2 Continues: Recollections of operations as officers, NCOs and guardsmen with 3rd Bn Scots Guards, 6th Guards Tank Bde in North West Europe, 1944-1945: story of waking up wrong man for sentry duty in Netherlands; tank crewman who was skilled at foraging; bartering with French civilians; encounter with Dutch farmer at night; relations with American paratroopers; amusing story relating to speed of advance; rapid advance after crossing River Rhine, Germany; incidents of encounters with German civilians after crossing River Rhine, Germany; advance along German autobahn; opinion of technical support for Churchill Tank; amusing story of officer's nightly inspection; attitude towards German resistance; attitude to being lead tank; technique used to deal with Panzerfausts; role of reconnaissance troop.
REEL 3 Continues: question of expense of Churchill Tank; opinion of Stuart 'Honey' tanks; opinion of 49th Reconnaissance Regt and 15th (Scottish) Div; question of support that tanks can give infantry; sleeping arrangements; contrast between Germans in towns and country; opinion of German troops in 1945; state of Kleve and Gielenkirchen; bombardment of three villages; incident of tank being set on fire during clash with Germans; subsequent arrival of squadron; story of being wounded in head during night advance into town.