Carter, Stewart Louis Anderson (Oral history)

British officer served with 2nd Bn Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regt in North West Europe, 1939-1940. Evacuated from Dunkirk, 5/1940

REEL 1 Recollections of recruitment and service with Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regt in GB, 1931-1939: reasons; effects of expectation of war; training with tanks; gas raining; unit organisation and weapons; route marches; relationship with civilians; Irish soldiers; conscript and reservist drafts; outbreak of war, 3/9/1939; mobilisation; use of NCOs to command platoons. Recollections of period in France, 9/1939-5/1940: journey out; billets. REEL 2 Continues: relationship with French civilians; move to Belgian frontier sector; conditions of service; constructions of Gort line defensive positions including pill boxes, trenches, barbed wire, dugouts, use of machine guns and mortars; antitank weapons; winter conditions; billets; daily routine; training; artillery; mines; period in Maginot Line including contact with French troops, patrols, foraging for food, German activity and positions. REEL 3 Continues: period in Maginot Line including patrol tactics, sentries and visit by George VI; return to Gort Line positions; Christmas celebrations, 25/12/1939; concert parties; leave; morale; expectations of German attack; anti-aircraft training. Recollections of operations in France and Belgium, 5/1940: advance into Belgium; positions on River Dyle; reconnaissance patrols; refugees; absence of Belgian troops; digging in; German attack on right of front; circumstances of withdrawal after French fell back. REEL 4 Continues: German attack on French positions; withdrawal to Brussels; rearguard duties; defensive positions; German air attacks; refugees; collapse of Belgian Army; withdrawal; lack of contact with German ground forces; forced march to avoid being surrounded; accidentally coming under fire from British troops at Kerkehove; demolition of bridge with civilians still crossing; Belgian attitude to defeat; defensive positions on Escaut; forced marches; conditions of service during retreat; confused situation near coast; defensive position on Lys; morale; French troops at Poperinghe. REEL 5 Continues: confused situation near coast; effects of German mortar fire; casualties; question of weapon effectiveness; withdrawal to Bray Dunes; embarkation of troops from beaches; shortage of boat oars; orders to move to Dunkirk; digging in as protection from German air attacks; march to Dunkirk; situation; embarkation from mole; dispersal of unit on ship; disarming on arrival at Dover; question of RAF activity over Dunkirk; documentation and recovery after campaign; state of knowledge of campaign in GB; troops morale; lessons of campaign including value of basic training.