Thomson, Ewen Cameron (Oral history)

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Description

Object description

British officer served with 1st Bn Northern Rhodesia Regt in British Somaliland, 1940; served with 1st Bn Northern Rhodesia Regt, 21st (East African) Infantry Bde, 11th (African) Infantry Div in Kenya, Italian Somaliland and Ethiopia, 1940-1941

Content description

REEL 1 Aspects of period as officer with 1st Bn Northern Rhodesia Regt Reserve in Northern Rhodesia, 1938-1939: reasons for joining reserve; need for officers with experience of Africans; expectations of coming war; question of threats from Germans and Italians. Recollections of period as officer with Northern Rhodesia Regt in Northern Rhodesia and Tanganyika, 1939-1940: mobilisation, 1939; training of European officer recruits; training syllabus; question of resentment of recruits to training methods; handling of situation; training of African troops; use of 'carriers'; strength and organisation of battalion; opinion of Bren Gun; live firing training; transport. REEL 2 Continues: tactical concepts and training; African troops' field-craft skills; tactical exercises with emphasis on offensive; training routine; how he brought his personal servant with him as batman; accommodation; character of his platoon and quality of his troops; question of quality of 'carriers'; troops' attitude towards 'carriers'; joining advance guard at Moshi, Tanganyika; convoy system; expectation of Italian advance; training at Moshi, Tanganyika; supply system. REEL 3 Continues: officers' mess; local purchase of food; troops' fondness for beer; troops' discipline and recreational activities; medical services; nature of field firing and manoeuvres at Isisb; troops' relations with other African troops; orders to make rapid move to British Somaliland; reaction to news of German successes in Europe; voyage from Mombasa, Kenya to British Somaliland. Recollections of operations as officer with 1st Bn Northern Rhodesia Regt in British Somaliland, 1940: effect of extreme heat at Berbera; move to frontier. REEL 4 Continues: description of outpost beyond Tug Argan; digging of positions and section redoubts; communications by improvised wire system; nature of sangar; types of patrols; presence of Somaliland Camel Corps machine gun detachment; gathering of intelligence; description of positions at Tug Argan; company positions; logistics; construction of road block; communications; news of fall of French Somaliland; Italian Air Force reconnaissance and bombing attacks; Italian attacks on Mill Hill and Knobbly Hill; Italian use of artillery; Italian attack on Black Hill and Knobbly Hill. REEL 5 Continues: repulsing of Italian attacks on Black Hill and Knobbly Hill; orders for counter attack on Italians; approach march and formation used; advance stopped by machine gun fire; morale of troops; terrain of counter attack; formation of advance; intensity of machine gun fire from Italian positions; casualties and withdrawal; taking up defensive position on reverse slope; effect of Italian machine gun barrage and casualties. REEL 6 Continues: character of Italian forces' advance; effects of own fire; effective range of sight from positions; consumption of ammunition; withdrawal of other company and failure of communications; withdrawal to Observation Hill; debriefing by commanding officer; opinion of performance of Italian troops; conditions of troops and casualities; Italian infiltration to rear of positions and presence of sniper; attitude towards firing on Italians at waterhole; Italian attack on Observation Hill, 11/8/1940; effect of distant barrage on morale of African troops; awareness of capture of Observation Hill; award of Victoria Cross to Captain Eric Wilson for defence of Observation Hill. REEL 7 Continues: decision to evacuate after fall of Observation Hill; role commanding rear party and problems with water; measures taken to deceive Italians; dealing with stragglers; orders to rest under cover; rations; attitude to situation and abortive plan for Black Watch to counter-attack; move by vehicle to Berbera; effects of fatigue and supply of beer at Berbera; embarkation aboard HMS Auckland, 15/8/1940; effects of water shortage and value of tea; the smell of Black Watch troops; voyage to Aden, Aden Protectorate; effect of lack of air cover during Battle of Tug Argan; recovery period from effects of action; effect of heat on African troops; voyage to Mombasa, Kenya. REEL 8 Continues: Aspects of period as officer with 1st Bn Northern Rhodesia Regt, 21st (East African) Infantry Bde, 11th (African) Infantry Div in Kenya, 1940-1941: re-equipping in Kenya; leave period; detachment to recruit from non-martial tribes in Northern Rhodesia; techniques of recruiting; support for recruitment driver from radio broadcasts; importance of meat; quality of recruits; effective opposition from Jeheovah's Witnesses; return to battalion on River Tana; question of regular officers being favoured in promotion; retention of NCOs within brigade; qualities of troops from different tribes; inter-tribal conflict; preparations for advance from River Tana; training for fitness. REEL 9 Continues: Recollections of operations as officer with Northern Rhodedia Regt, 21st (East African) Infantry Bde, 11th (African) Infantry Div in Kenya, Italian Somaliland and Ethiopia, 1941: patrols against snipers; training and techniques for clearing mines; night clearance of road to aid advance of West African brigade; use of motorcycles for minesweeping; difficulties of traffic control; threat of Italian Air Force attack; effect of appearance of Royal Air Force aircraft; move to Moyale, Ethiopia; supply problems; supply problems especially water; positions at Moyale, Ethiopia; patrol to El Wak, Italian Somaliland; clearance of minefield and character of mines; attitude of Cape Coloured drivers; description of motorised patrol to El Wak, Italian Somaliland; terrain. REEL 10 Continues: raids on villages to catch Shifta and attitude on arrest; return journey; approach to El Wak, Italian Somaliland; fieldworks at the Italian position including description of defensive wall; mines and their clearance; security measures; overnight stops; water supply; relations between police and troops; character of West African troops; move to Neghelli, Ethiopia; plan for night attack Italian post at Fincha, Ethiopia; approach to objective; lack of artillery support; change in orders to become a patrol; effect of rain on approach march; Italian defences and their opening fire as line reached wire. REEL 11 Continues: character of withdrawal; gathering up abandoned weapons; abortive plans for second attack on Italian positions at Fincha, Ethiopia with artillery support; further details of attack; casualties; effect of abortive attack on morale; African troops attitude towards South African troops; effect on unit morale of C Coy's participation in attack north of Negelli, Ethiopia; South African troops' reaction to skill of African troops during attack; use of armoured cars to support attack; character of Italian forces; surrender of Italian forces prior to attack; formation for attack; reaction to capture of Italian positions north of Negelli, Ethiopia; effect on movement of rains. REEL 12 Continues: African troops' attitude towards short rations; shelter and officers' mess; Italian withdrawal from prepared positions; orders to disarm tribesmen; move to east of Lake Rudolf; character and customs of Meville Tribe; dealings with Meville Tribe; request for British arms from Meville Tribe; cattle raid by second tribe; return to Kenya; preparations to go aboard; desertions. REEL 13 Continues: court martials of deserters; character of deserters; importance of patrolling during East African campaign.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1945-1989 (production), Second World War (content), Second World War (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
de Lee, Nigel (recorder)
Thomson, Ewen Cameron (interviewee/speaker)
Production date: 1984-01-25
Dimensions: whole: Duration 368, Number Of Items 13
Catalogue number: 7367

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Thomson, Ewen Cameron (Oral history)

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