Description
Object description
British private served as driver with 1st Bn East Surrey Regt, 11th Infantry Bde, 4th Infantry Div in GB, France and Belgium, 9/1939-5/1940
Content description
REEL 1 Background in GB, 1911-1929: family; education. Aspects of period as driver with 1st Bn East Surrey Regt, 11th Infantry Bde, 4th Infantry Div in GB, 9/1939-10/1939: prior recollection of enlistment and service with East Surrey Regt, 1929-1938; call-up as reservist, 9/1939: problems with poor condition of impressed vehicles; changes in weapons and uniform. Recollections of period as driver with 1st Bn, East Surrey Regt, 11th Infantry Bde, 4th Infantry in France, 10/1939-5/1940: crossing English Channel, 10/1939; accommodation in carbon factory at Halluin; story of near mutiny over 'barracks damage' order; avoidance of identifiable and therefore punishable leader of near mutiny.
REEL 2 Continues: billets at Halluin; training; details of convoy movements; recreational activities; relations with French civilians; French civilians' attitude to war; billets at Tourcoing; impressions of Maginot Line and French pride in it; demonstration of heavy tank; patrols in No Mans Land; second hand story relating to captured Germans; leave in GB. Recollections of operations as driver with 1st Bn East Surrey Regt, 11th Infantry Bde, 4th infantry Div in France and Belgium, 5/1940: German attack, 10/5/1940.
REEL 3 Continues: move from France into Belgium; sight of retreating Guards unit; skirmish in Brussels, Belgium; orders to retreat; discovery of detector units on River Escaut, Belgium; role as commanding officer's driver; role of German Air Force spotter aircraft; German artillery barrage; destruction of Bren Gun Carriers; story of throwing back German stick grenade; retirement to Gort Line; Fifth Column sniping activities; story of accidental drowning.
REEL 4 Continues: situation on Furnes Canal, Belgium including state of 4th Bn Royal Berkshire Regt and effect of German air attacks; sight of small boats off Dunkirk, France; sinking of HMS Wakeful off Dunkirk, France, 28/5/1940; organisation on beach; question of early destruction of anti-aircraft guns; orders for baker to produce bread ration; tearing down of white flags; premature dismantling of French tanks; opinion of ineffectiveness of 5,000 Belgian Army troops present; presence of wounded troops; embarkation; reception on arrival in GB.
REEL 5 Continues: German ground attack on postions on Furnes Canal, Belgium; Germans use of French Army troops as cover during approach; discovery of alcohol supply at Oudenaarde, Belgium; foraging for food.