Description
Object description
British NCO served with 2nd Bn King's Royal Rifle Corps, 30th Motor Bde in GB and Calais France, 4/1940-5/1940; prisoner of war in Stalag VIII-B, Lamsdorf, Germany, 6/1940-1/1945
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of period as NCO with 2nd Bn King's Royal Rifle Corps in GB, 9/1939-4/1940: prior recollection of service with 1st Bn King's Royal Rifle Corps in GB and India, 1927-1935 and expectation of war as civilian in GB, 1935-1939; reaction to recall as army reservist; situation at mobilisation centre; equipment shortages; weapons and uniform; introduction of Bren Gun Carrier; coastal defence role of unit; use of bugle calls; fear of German parachutist attack.
REEL 2 Continues: training as equipment repairer at Colchester Garrison; reaction of army reservists to recall; character of regiment; organisation of headquarters; strength of unit; mortars; training parades; boot repair. Recollections of operations as NCO with 2nd Bn King's Royal Rifle Corps, 30th Motor Bde at Calais, France, 22/5/1940-26/5/1940: night alarm and orders to move; ignorance of destination; German Air Force attack during voyage aboard MV Royal Daffodil from GB to Calais; situation on arrival on quayside at Calais.
REEL 3 Continues: unloading ship; attempts by French to rush ship's gangway; deployment in town; issue of grenades; fires in town; question of reason for deployment; orders to split into small groups if necessary; occupation of town outskirts and lack of contact with neighbouring companies; destruction of stores and transport in German Air Force attack; positioning of headquarters in inner perimeter and its dispersal into small groups; proficiency with rifle; sight of burning buildings in the Citadel; taking shelter in cellars and discovery of party of drunken Frenchmen; German Army machine gun fire during advance; story of meeting wounded Captain Airey Neave; inability to establish headquarters in proper company position; advance of German Army infantry into town; effects of shortage of rations and fatigue; shortage of ammunition; German Army use of sub-machine guns.
REEL 4 Continues: casualties inflicted on German Army infantry; taking up final positions in railshed at Gare Maritime in docks; ineffective nature of fixed Boys Anti-Tank Rifle; effect of presence of German armour; end of fighting; orders to surrender, 26/5/1940. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in France and Stalag VIII-B, Lamsdorf, Germany, 5/1940-6/1940: stealing of personal effects by Germans; assembly of prisoners of war; march out of Calais, France; question of French behaviour during action; civilian attitude towards prisoners of war; conditions during march; German security measure; reception from German civilians; train journey to Lamsdorf; conditions in Stalag VIII-B, Lamsdorf, Germany.
REEL 5 Continues: Aspects of operations NCO with 2nd Bn King's Royal Rifle Corps, 30th Motor Bde at Calais, France, 22/5/1940-26/5/1940: effects of German mortar fire and their use of aerial reconnaissance spotting; Junkers Ju Stuka 87 dive-bombing attacks; absence of British armour; German Army artillery fire; casualties caused by German Army snipers; medical arrangements; corpses; water and food supply. Aspects of period as prisoners of war in Stalag VIII-B, Lamsdorf, Germany, 6/1940-1/1945: slow recovery from effects of campaign in camp; working parties; food; later farm work in Bavaria; evacuation of camp, 1/1945.