English, Ian Roger (Oral history)

British officer served with Carrier Platoon, Headquarters Coy, 8th Bn Durham Light Infantry, 151st Infantry Bde, 50th (Northumbrian) Motor Infantry Div in GB, France and Belgium, 9/1939-6/1940

REEL 1 Background in GB, 1919-1939: family; education; reasons for joining in Territorial Army, 4/1/1939. Aspects of period as officer with Carrier Platoon, Headquarters Coy, 8th Bn Durham Light Infantry, 151st Infantry Bde, 50th (Northumbrian) Motor Infantry Div in GB, 9/1939-1/1940: reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; estimate of German and French strength; degree of training received; training in Charlbury area in Oxfordshire, 10/1939-1/1940. Aspects of period as officer with Carrier Platoon, Headquarters Coy, 8th Bn Durham Light Infantry, 151st Infantry Bde, 50th (Northumbrian) Motor Infantry Div in France, 1/1940-5/1940: role restoring corps reserve line, 3/1940; battalion move to France, 1/1940; opinion of battledress; organisation of Carrier Platoon; description of Bren Gun Carrier; role of Carrier Platoon; opinion of Bren Gun; relations between regular and Territorial Army personnel. REEL 2 Continues: attitude of French civilians towards troops of British Expeditionary Force; impressions of French Army; billeting of troops in France; relations with French civilians in Gondecourt; attending concert parties; visit to battalion by Lord Gort; leave in Lille, France and GB; suspicion of Fifth Column activity. Aspects of operations as officer with Carrier Platoon, Headquarters Coy, 8th Bn Durham Light Infantry, 151st Infantry Bde, 50th (Northumbrian) Motor Infantry Div in France and Belgium, 10/5/1940-20/5/1940: German air activity, 10/5/1940; proposed role of division; move into Belgium, 15/5/1940; positions on River Dendre, Belgium; nature of retreat into France. Aspects of operations as officer with Carrier Platoon, Headquarters Coy, 8th Bn Durham Light Infantry, 151st Infantry Bde, 50th (Northumbrian) Motor Infantry Div during Battle of Arras, France, 21/5/1940: plan of attack. REEL 3 Continues: loss of supporting tanks; advance towards St Pol road; sight of devastated German column; attack on Germans in cemetery; protection of right flank; halting of advance; effect on morale of German Junkers Ju 87 Stuka attack; organisation of defence of Warlus; attempt to make contact with rear; extrication of unit from Warlus; withdrawal to Vimy. Recollections of operations as officer with Carrier Platoon, Headquarters Coy, 8th Bn Durham Light Infantry, 151st Infantry Bde, 50th (Northumbrian) Motor Infantry Div in France and Belgium, 5/1940-6/1940: skirmish involving carrier platoon and losses; withdrawal to Carvin, France. REEL 4 Continues: request for carrier platoon to support French troops at Carvin, France; attempted French counter-attack; battalion movements; withdrawal of French Army Colonial troops; nature of withdrawal towards Vimy; fatigue during retreat; fear of being surrounded at Steenvoorde, France; how Carrier Platoon acted as screen at Woesten, Belgium; sight of German attack on deserted positions on Ypres-Comines Canal, Belgium, 29/5/1940; orders to withdraw into Dunkirk Perimeter and surrounding of C Coy at Woeston, Belgium; destruction of battalion vehicles; defence of Dunkirk Perimeter; German leaflet drop; move to beaches, 1/6/1940; ineffectual nature of German air attacks on sand dunes; abortive plan for counter-attack, 1/6/1940; destruction of surviving Bren Gun Carriers; embarkation arrangements. REEL 5 Continues: crossing English Channel, 1/6/1940; reception on arrival in GB; subsequent attitude towards campaign; suspicion of Fifth Column activity; attitude towards airborne troops; supply of rations and ammunition; question of stage when he realised situation was desperate; impressions of performance of German forces; impressions of the campaign.