description
Object description
British officer served with 4th Bn Royal West Kent Regt in GB and North West Europe 1932-1940. Captured at Morbecque 27/5/1940: POW
Content description
REEL 1 Background and initial military training, 1905-1931: military interest aroused by First World War; training with OTC at Haileybury, 1919-1923; training with OTC at Cambridge University, 1923-1926; training with Observer Corps and equipment of plotting centres. REEL 2 Continues: reactions to visit with British Gliding Association to Germany; attitude to pacifism. Recollections of service with 4th Bn, Royal West Kent Regt at Maidstone, 1932-1939: recruitment; lack of government financial support; standard of training; nature of Territorial Army; fitness and individual training; sand table exercises; lack of equipment; fear of German air attacks after Munich crisis; anti-sabotage precautions. REEL 3 Continues: expansion of TA; attending company commander's course at Staff College, Camberley; tactical knowledge; mobilisations, 24/8/1939; guarding important points; problems with untrained recruits; expectation of German air attack; incident with sentries; morale; local purchase of food rations; transport; move to Axminster, 23/10/1939; battle training; lack of equipment; uniform. REEL 4 Continues: patrol training; effects of bad weather; expectations of war; absorption of reservists; replacement as company commander; abortive move to Southampton; possibility of posting to Finland; brigade exercises. REEL 5 Recollections of period in France, 4/1940-5/1940: voyage out; difficulties on posting to command D Coy; route march; work on defensive positions at Bailleul; VIP visit; company position; terrain and nature of defensive works; rumours. Recollections of operations in France and Belgium, 5/1940: German attack, 10/5/1940; march into Belgium; reaction of Belgian civilians. REEL 6 Continues: fifth column sniping activities; rumours of parachute attacks; defensive positions at Oudenarder; refugees; search for snipers; defensive position on railway embankment; method of choosing positions; German dive bombing attacks; withdrawal; German shellfire; German attack across canal; coming under British fire during counter-attack.
REEL 7 Continues: consolidation of position; German attacks; casualties; withdrawal to Courtrai; night march; ignorance of overall situation; move by lorry via Lille to Vieux Berquin; defensive positions facing west; outposts; ignorance of German positions; exhaustion of brigadier; successful advance under fire to capture Morbecque. REEL 8 Continues: confused nature of fighting in Morbecque; withdrawal disrupted by German ambush and flank attacks; isolation of D Coy; taking refuge in woods; attempt to escape; capture by Germans and medical attention; reflection on fighting at Morbecque.
