Description
Object description
British private and NCO served with 1/5th Bn Leicestershire Regt in GB, 1932-1940; NCO served with 1/5th Bn Leicestershire Regt, 148th (Territorial) Infantry Bde in Norway, 5/1940
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of period as private and NCO with 1/5th Bn Leicestershire Regt in GB, 1932-1940: joining Territorial Army, 1932; family background; tactical ideas devised from First World War; mechanisation; impact of call for volunteers to got to Finland; attitude towards Soviets; embodiment in battalion; conversion to Bren Gun; use of Lewis Gun for anti-aircraft defence; mortars; mobilisation and guarding factory; issue of passes; arrest of 'spies'; origins of company members; terms of engagement; absorption of conscripts.
REEL 2 Continues: discipline of conscripts compared to territorials; attending mortar and platoon commander's courses; relations with territorial officer students; platoon command; character of regular reservists; deficiencies in equipment; crash out exercise; motorisation; morale; uniform; NCO platoon commanders; messing arrangements and accommodation; training at Durham.
REEL 3 Continues: deployment of battalion; life at Raby Castle; character of accommodation; rations; medical services and use of ambulance to carry ammunition; route marches; reaction to initial orders to move to France; entraining; reaction to change in orders to move to Norway; initial embarkation on cruiser at Rosyth and removal to camp on shore; transit accommodation on board HMS Orion. Recollections of operations as NCO served with 1/5th Bn Leicestershire Regt, 148th (Territorial) Infantry Bde in Norway, 5/1940: embarkation on board HMS Carlisle; voyage from GB to Norway.
REEL 4 Continues: first sight of Norway; disembarkation at Andalsnes; night spent in huts; duties as acting company sergeant major; impressions of scenery and people; taking train from Åndalsnes to Otta; strafing attack by German aircraft; use of vehicles to move southwards; overnight stay in farm; convoy discipline; deployment at Åsmarka; attack on Åsmarka; firing smoke to screen off artillery; character of positions; difficulties caused by snow; communication by runner; under German artillery fire.
REEL 5 Continues: effect of shellfire; retirement under fire; arrival in Lillehammer; taking up position on outskirts of Lillehammer; reasons for failure of mortar; sight of Germans advancing; clothing worn and fatigue; retiring under shellfire and discovery of wrecked Norwegian artillery battery; sight of burnt aircraft on lake; overnight stop; machine gunning by German tanks; condition of roads; loss and rediscovery of his platoon at Tretten; taking up positions in buildings at Tretten and deployment.
REEL 6 Continues: use of road block; covering approach of Germans; German advance on road; shelling by German artillery; Bren Gun position betrayed by tracer; firing on German light tank with Boys Anti-Tank Rifle; co-ordinated German attack using tanks and artillery; decision to surrender on being surrounded; capture by Germans; sight of German horse drawn transport; under Norwegian Army mortar fire; treatment by German captors; bus to Oslo; voyage to Stettin, Germany; lessons of campaign.