Description
Object description
British officer served with 3rd Bn Royal Tank Corps in GB, 1928-1929; served with 3rd Armoured Car Coy Royal Tank Corps in Egypt, 1930-1933; served with Transjordan Frontier Force in Transjordan and Palestine, 1933-1936
Content description
REEL 1 Aspects of period as officer with 3rd Bn Royal Tank Corps in GB, 1928-1929: background prior to joining Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Camberley; commissioning into Royal Tank Corps; training at Bovington and Lulworth Camps; service with battalion's experimental light tank company; role of experimental light tank company in contemporary tactical thinking. Recollections of period as officer with 3rd Armoured Car Coy, Royal Tank Corps in Egypt, 1930-1933: posting to Egypt, 1930; company organisation; system of troop postings overseas; kitting out for foreign service; disembarkation at Alexandria and initial impressions of Egypt; character of troopship voyage from GB to Egypt.
REEL 2 Continues: visits to Gibraltar and Malta during voyage from GB to Egypt; accommodation in Alexandria; necessity to carry arms; relations with Egyptians; lifestyle and weekly routine; problems with insect infestations; size of unit and separate accommodation; officers' messing arrangements; soldier servants; regular kit, equipment and vehicle inspections; internal security role; description of Rolls-Royce Armoured Car including unofficial crowd control equipment carried, reliability and maintenance; patrols in Western Desert.
REEL 3 Continues: purpose of desert patrols; rations and water; contacts with police and Arabs; communication between armoured cars; maps used; increasing expertise with experience; duration and direction of patrols; simple nature of troops' lifestyle; patrol rosters; tea drinking with men; barrack routine; training of versatile multi-skilled crew; illustrations of officers' financial responsibility for mistakes; buying ammunition for extra training; Lewis Gun maintenance.
REEL 4 Continues: training to mitigate effects of accidents; return to Cairo to rejoin main body of company; period of inactivity due to lack of vehicles; messing arrangements in Cairo; description of Abbassia Barracks; prohibited areas in Cairo; sporting and social activities; daily routine and duties; posting as adjutant to brigade training camps; background to posting to Transjordan Frontier Force, 1933; long range reconnaissance trips in Egypt.
REEL 5 Continues: navigation during reconnaissance trip to Luxor; reflections on service in Egypt. Recollections of period as officer with Transjordan Frontier Force in Transjordan, 1933-1936: further details of posting to Transjordan Frontier Force; journey to headquarters at Zerka and reception on arrival; character of accommodation; organisation and responsibilities of British and Jordanian officers in unit; organisation of squadron, half squadron and troop; description three ton Crossley load carrier and its crew.
REEL 6 Continues: uniform and equipment worn and weapons carried; partial mechanisation of Transjordan Frontier Force; introduction of Commer Light Armoured Car; military routine at Zerka; ethnic and geographical origins of recruits and their early training; first contacts with lifestyle of Arab troops; payment and expenditure of troops; description of creating guide tracks in desert to facilitate navigation and delineate frontier.
REEL 7 Continues: relations with Arab tribes and influence of John Glubb's desert police; contacts with Arab Legion and Royal Air Force; patrols from Zerka including communications, duration, rations and contact with Bedouin; recreational activities at Zerka; sense of isolation during posting to Ma'an, 1933-1935; move from Zerka to Ma'an, 1933; description of Ma'an Camp; personnel in Ma'an Camp; Arab officers; story of problems with troops whilst he was in temporary command; his responsibility as British officer.
REEL 8 Continues: contrast between terrain at Ma'an and Zerka; duties at Ma'an including supervising Saudi Arabian frontier and track marking; international incident caused by accidental crossing of Saudi Arabian border by unit, 1935; meeting with local tribes; frequency of patrols and their use to practise tactics; protection of weapons in desert; realisation of armours' role in desert; routine and recreation at Ma'an; leave allowances; patrols and camps at Aqaba.
REEL 9 Continues: visitors to mess at Ma'an; food in mess. Recollections of operations with Transjordan Frontier Force in Palestine, 1936: posting to Palestine, 1936; duties patrolling Jordan Valley; ineffective efforts to stop Arab infiltration into Palestine; narrow escape from insurgents on patrol; degree to which troops' were reliable whilst operating against Arabs; procedure before opening fire; relations with police and civilian communities; unofficial intelligence gathering in Jerusalem; operating with British units; patrolling oil pipeline; return to GB, 1936; relations in unit.
REEL 10 Continues: low political awareness of Arab troops and Jordanian officers; role of British and Transjordan Frontier Force in Middle East.
