Description
Object description
British NCO served as cameraman and photographer with No 5 Army Film and Photographic Unit in North West Europe, 1/1945-6/1945; served with No 9 Army Film and Photographic Unit in Hong Kong, 1945-1946; served with Army Film and Photographic Unit in Vienna, Austria, 1946
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Brighton, GB, 1921-1939; family. Aspects of period as private with Royal Corps of Signals and 6th Airborne Div in GB and France, 1939-1944: operations as despatch rider in France and evacuation from Dunkirk, France, 5/1940; unsuccessful attempts to transfer to Royal Air Force in GB; training as paratrooper with 6th Airborne Div; volunteering for Army Film and Photographic Unit. Aspects of period as NCO with Headquarters, Army Film and Photographic Unit at Pinewood Studios in GB, 1944-1945: move to Pinewood Studios to start training; prior recollections of Dunkirk Evacuation and training as paratrooper; character of interview board; cine and stills training at Pinewood Studios; film exercises.
REEL 2 Continues: officers in charge of training; question of different pay rates for cine and still cameramen; trade tests for cine and still cameramen; question of joining Association of Cine-Technicians trade union; opinion of training; comparison of types of cameras and reliability; living conditions; daily routine; dress code; battle and gas training; relations with officers; attitude to military discipline. Recollections of operations as cameraman with No 5 Army Film and Photographic Unit in North West Europe, 1/1945-6/1945: move to Netherlands, 1/1945; assignments and coverage of operations; liaison with intelligence officers; use of security pass signed by General Dwight D Eisenhower; story relating to Schutzstaffel (SS) troops in Flensburg, Germany, 1945.
REEL 3 Continues: failure to film arrest of William Joyce at Flensburg, Germany, 29/5/1945; co-operation with intelligence officers; precautions if captured; problem of filming on battlefield; lack of action and attitude to use of recreations; problem of reliability of clockwork camera motor and reloading film; story of incident filming wounded soldier; question of number of feet shot per day; memories of Leslie Evans and other section officers; opinion of section officers; comparison of Army Film and Photographic Unit with American cameramen and equipment; reports on quality of work; use of tripod; opinion of adequacy of training; attachment to 6th Airborne Div for Operation Varsity, 24/3/1945.
REEL 4 Continues: description of glider crashing in Netherlands and casualties, 24/3/1945; question of filming from glider; relations with airborne troops; filming in Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp, Germany, 4/1945 including conditions in camp and care of inmates; relations with Soviet Army troops; question of fraternisation with German civilians; story of signing affidavit to verify filming in Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp, Germany, 4/1945.
REEL 5 Continues: opinion of Hugh Stewart; completion of dope sheets; coverage of events in Denmark, 5/1945; accident with .22 rifle. Aspects of period as photographer with No 9 Army Film and Photographic Unit in Hong Kong, 1945-1946: stories covered including trials of Japanese war criminals; amusing story relating Japanese general; Very Important (VIP) visits; effects of climate; living conditions and messing arrangements.
REEL 6 Continues: relations with war correspondents; explosion at ammunition dump; relations with Chinese civilians. Aspects of period as ; photographer with Army Film and Photographic Unit in Vienna, Austria, 1946: posting to Vienna and description of duties with newspaper in British Zone of Occupation, Austria; organisation of section; living conditions in Vienna; food shortages and black market; relations with Viennese civilians; story relating to Soviet Army officer; return to GB and demobilisation; post-war life and employment as cameraman in film industry; reflections on service with Army Film and Photographic Unit.