Description
Object description
British officer served with Royal Corps of Signals in Middle East, 1929-1939
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of period as officer with Royal Corps of Signals in Palestine, 1932-1939: background to joining Royal Corps of Signals, 1929; posting to Palestine, 1932; origins of conflict with Jewish immigration and land settlement; opinion of nature of Arabs and Jews; his wedding in Jaffa; stories illustrating development of Arab insurgency; opinion of Major Orde Wingate and his activities; inadequate advice on posting; opinion of solar topee helmet; state of health; status of his unit under RAF control; local defence force at wireless station at Sarafand.
REEL 2 Continues: story illustrating inefficiency of Arab guard; troopship voyage from GB to Port Said, Egypt, 1932; character of voyage on RMS Aquitania, 1938; train journey from Port Said to Palestine, 1938; mess gardens; quality of Sudanese servants; technical duties at Sarafand wireless station; attending radar course in GB, 1938; intelligence gathering role of Sarafand wireless station; monitoring situation in Middle East; connections with Jaffa Horse Racing Club; construction of short wave wireless sets.
REEL 3 Continues: reasons for production of own wireless equipment in Palestine; variable range of wireless sets; communications with War Office; decoding activities; monitoring Italian activities, 1935-1936; station personnel at Sarafand and other British units in vicinity; daily routine; visits to historical and religious sites; attitude to carrying personal arms; degree of threat from shooting; reaction to killing of Royal Air Force medical officer; memories of Maria Hertogh riots in Singapore, Federation of Malaya, 1950; employment of servants; use of Arabic language.
REEL 4 Continues: learning Arabic language; description of 'Ramleh Vale Hunt'; nature of accommodation and lifestyle; social contact with British civilians and Royal Air Force personnel; lack of protocol; birth of child and employment of nannies; relations with Arab neighbours; effects of growing tension in Europe and plight of Jewish emigrants to Palestine; degree of awareness of political situation in Palestine; absence of indoctrination in British Army; visits by high command to Sarafand station.
REEL 5 Continues: posting to Aden Protectorate to establish wireless outstation, 1935; co-operation with Royal Navy in establishing post; lifestyle in Aden Protectorate; opinion of British presence in Palestine; attitude to service in Palestine.