Description
Object description
British officer served with No 20 Supply Coy, Royal Indian Army Service Corps in India and Sudan, 1940; staff officer served with Headquarters, 9th Indian Infantry Bde, 5th Indian Infantry Div in Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Egypt, Iraq and Cyprus, 1940-1942
Content description
REEL 1 Background in India and GB, 1914-1939: family experiences in India; employment. Aspects of training as officer with Indian Army in India, 1939-1940: background to enlistment Indian Army; officer training; membership of Officer Training Corps at school; importance of sport. Aspects of period as officer with Royal Indian Army Service Corps in India, 1940: joining corps; pattern of training at Service Corps School; military driving and maintenance; training in supply; use of mules; rationing in Indian Army; religious observance; question of use of alcohol; mess life, recreation and visit to Khyber Pass; cantonment at Bannu; escorting supply convoy into Tochi.
REEL 2 Continues: use of armoured cars to protect convoys; supplies and ammunition. Aspects of period as civilian in Germany and Austria, 1938: driving across Europe; car accident in Germany; reaction to witnessing Anschluss in Austria, 3/1938; expectations of coming war; attitude of Italians; opinion of impact of fall of France, 1940. Recollections of period as officer with No 20 Supply Coy, Royal Indian Army Service Corps, 5th Indian Infantry Div in India and Sudan, 1940: joining unit, 6/1940; company personnel; organisation; role of company; equipment and weapons; transport and use of underground petrol dump; personal role.
REEL 3 Continues: morale and discipline; reaction of company to overseas posting; security problems; voyage to Sudan aboard HMT Mombasa including troops' sea-sickness, Italian Air Force attack on convoy and convoy escort; initial impressions of Sudan; train journey to Atbara, Sudan; sandstorm at Atbara, Sudan; routine at Atbara, Sudan; Royal Air Force presence and Italian Air Force activity at Atbara, Sudan; company supply work; a case of venereal disease; recreational activities; supply of alcohol and tobacco; use of underground petrol dump; role of company; move towards Gedaref, Sudan; Egyptian contingent.
REEL 4 Continues: conflict with commanding officer over Egyptian officer and background to posting to Headquarters, 9th Indian Infantry Bde; opinion of Egyptian troops'; relations with Sudanese; line of supply; move forward from Gedaref, Sudan. Recollections of period as staff officer with Headquarters, 9th Indian Infantry Bde, 5th Indian Infantry Div in Sudan, 1940-1941: shelter; role at headquarters; personal staff; patrolling activity; hygiene and health; liaison with forward units; daily routine; location of brigade headquarters; terrain near Gallabat; breakfast briefings; Italian Air Force attacks and effects of bombing; equipment in office truck.
REEL 5 Continues: truce at Christmas, 12/1940; confirmation of appointment; aerial activity around Gallabat; story of post-war meeting with Italian pilot; Free French Forces liaison officer; activities of Commando unit; character of Italian withdrawal; clearance of minefields; movement of brigade headquarters; supply company and brigade dump.
REEL 6 Continues: visit to advance dressing station; collection of souvenirs; character of Lieutenent-Colonel Frank Messervy; Recollections of period as staff officer with Headquarters, 9th Indian Infantry Bde, 5th Indian Infantry Div in Eritrea, 1941: move to Keren area; duties of rear headquarters; distance between rear and forward headquarters; communications and use of porters; description of road to Keren; dental treatment in field; terrain; lack of contact with civilians; the Ethiopian Patriots; preparations for Battle of Keren; artillery barrage; fighting to hold Fort Dolgorodoc and resupply problems; movement at night; effect of near miss from shell; taking over duties as staff captain; progress of battle.
REEL 7 Continues: end of Battle of Keren; fatigue during action; attitude of Italian prisoners of war at Keren; communications; number of casualties; headquarters staff; movement of supplies by day; management of demand for supplies; ammunition consumption and types; management of dumps and camouflage; Allied air superiority at Keren; maintenance of supply stocks; use of verbal orders; visits forward; staff at brigade tactical headquarters; local security.
REEL 8 Continues: reaction to breakthrough; preparations for advance; opinion of Italian positions at Keren; roads in Keren area; responsibility for Italian prisoners of war in Asmara; rationing for 12,000 Italian prisoners of war; behaviour of Italian officer prisoners of war; Italian officer prisoner of war camp; discipline by pugilism; acquisition of dog. Aspects of period as staff officer with Headquarters, 9th Indian Infantry Bde, 5th Indian Infantry Div in Ethiopia, 1941: terrain at Amba Alagi; reaction to terms of Italian surrender; use of civilian transport to supply rations; Italian civilian attitudes; application of occupation policy; Eritrean rations; use of Italian interpreter.
REEL 9 Continues: supply en route to Amba Alagi; character of Ethiopian Patriots; conditions at Amba Alagi; lack of sickness; opinion of Bernard Fletcher; Italian morale and political attitudes; rate of exchange in Asmara, Eritrea; social activities in Asmara, Eritrea; nature of voyage to Egypt. Aspects of period as staff officer with Headquarters, 9th Indian Infantry Bde, 5th Indian Infantry Div in Egypt, Iraq and Cyprus, 1941-1942: work on defences on El Alamein Line, Egypt. 1941; move to Iran and onto Iraq; duties as staff captain during march; work of advance party.
REEL 10 Continues: drive to Egypt; duties in Egypt; move to Cyprus; plans for defence of Cyprus; appointment to staff college course at Quetta, India, 1942; embarkation at Massawa, Eritrea for Egypt, 1941; state of fieldworks on El Alamein Line, Egypt, 1941; effect on morale of move to Egypt; description of motorised journey to Iraq; reasons of move to Iraq; character of Kirkuk, Iraq; presence of insect life; state of health of division; importance of tea; Combined Operations training.
REEL 11 Continues: political atmosphere in Cyprus; plans to withdrawal into interior of Cyprus and conduct guerrilla warfare; if Axis forces invaded; expectation of Axis attacks; lessons learnt by 5th Indian Infantry Div during campaign in East Africa, 1940-1941.
