Hammerton, Ian Charles (Oral history)

British officer served with 22nd Dragoons, 79th Armoured Div in GB and North West Europe, 1943-1945

REEL 1 Recollections of period of training as NCO and officer with Royal Armoured Corps in GB, 1939-1943: pattern of training and service prior to 1943; call up with Territorial Army, 1939; lack of uniform; family background of military service; types of tanks trained on including arrival of first Matilda Tank 1940; digging slit trenches at Catterick Camp; invasion scare at Newbiggin; characteristics of Matilda Tank and Lloyd Carrier; start of officer cadet training at Royal Military College, Sandhurst, 1941; duties with 61st Training Regt and character of recruits; tactical training on Salisbury Plain; advanced training in Barnard Castle area; training films; accidents during training; failures of Covenanter Tank air brakes on hills. REEL 2 Continues: problems of using moors for training; incident with runaway Churchill Tank; handling early marks of Churchill Tanks including collision on hill; incident when unit drove tanks through Sedburgh; attending battle school; experiments with Wasp Flame-throwers; live firing exercises; use of opposing forces dressed as Germans during exercise; role as umpire during Operation Spartan; fatal accident during Operation Spartan. Recollections of period as officer commanding 1st Troop, B Sqdn, 22nd Dragoons, 79th Armoured Div in GB, 1943-1944: invitation to join unit at Stow on the Wold, summer 1943; amusing story of driver running over American mess tins; visit from Major General Percy Hobart; role of the 'Funnies'; description of specialised armoured vehicles and equipment; training in Orford training area. REEL 3 Continues: training on procedure to clear lanes of mines; turning in formation; problem in use of compasses; move to Suffolk; issue of Sherman Flail tanks; difficulties of handling flails; method of taking suggestions from all ranks; origins of personnel in unit; character of 1st Troop; character of Sherman Flail Tank; character of Covenanter Tank; repair and maintenance of Sherman Tank; construction of flail mechanism; use of flail as wire cutter; damage to flails from mines; speed when flailing; consumption of fuel; width of lane cleared; visibility when flailing; problems of flailing in mud. REEL 4 Continues: marking of lanes; effectiveness of flail; problems of mines laid under roads; effects of soft ground and damaged flails; incident of mines laid in clumps at Venlo; problems with unmarked multiple mines in North West Europe; German use of sea mines near Bremen, Germany; sensations when mines exploded; hazard from anti-tank guns; flailing practice at Orford; booby traps; clearing mines by hand; safe distance needed from exploding mines; effect on mine blasts; incident of crewman standing on anti-personnel mine; types of German minefields; effect of Teller Mines; German use of false minefields; marked and unmarked minefields; other methods of clearing mines including use of Serpent and Snake equipment; secrecy about destination of invasion force; waterproofing vehicles. REEL 5 Continues: waterproofing flail tank. Recollections of operations as officer commanding 1st Troop, B Sqdn, 22nd Dragoons on Juno Beach, during landings in Normandy, D-Day, 6/6/1944: character of beach landing; method of getting off beach; breaking up of German obstacles; loss of tank in sea water; flailing of mines on sea wall. Reflections on use of flail tanks in North West Europe, 1944-1945: adaptation of communications system; radio discipline; question of use of flail tanks; method of aiming gun. Aspects of preparations for D-Day as officer with 1st Troop, B Sqdn, 22nd Dragoons in GB, 1944: exercises in New Forest; formation of assault teams; amphibious landing exercise in Hayling Island area; in sealed camp at Gosport; embarkation; state of morale in sealed camp; character of briefings; impressions of Canadian troops. REEL 6 Continues: relations with Royal Engineer assault teams; formation and composition of breaching teams. Recollections of operations as officer commanding 1st Troop, B Sqdn, 22nd Dragoons on Juno Beach during landings in Normandy, D-Day, 6/6/1944: use of bulldozer to fill in anti-tank ditch; role of his troop; role of his crew; waiting onboard LCT; relations with Royal Navy; seasickness crossing English Channel; opening sealed orders including photographs; behaviour of Germans at Bernieres-sur-Mer; night of D-Day; sight of Supermarine Spitfire hit by rockets; condition of beach on arrival; effects of high tide; nature of beach sand; role of AVRE tanks with Petard mortars; role flailing around Bernieres-sur-Mer and establishing supply dump; lack of casualties in troop; condition of Canadian troops. REEL 7 Continues: Reflections on use of various tanks, 1939-1945: starting up Vickers Medium Tank; starting up Sherman Tank; character of Dragon Artillery Tractor; protection of armour; refuelling using cans; replenishment with ammunition; incident of smoke bomb in tank; replacement of broken components; reduction in number of flail troops; types of ammunition used; anti-tank gun ranges. Recollections of operations as troop commander with 1st Troop, B Sqdn 22nd Dragoons in Normandy, 1944: attitude towards French civilians; crossing River Orne on Bailey Bridge; use blue tank overalls; character of tank helmet and personal weapon. REEL 8 Continues: supporting 6th Airborne Div; destruction of German Panzer Mk IV; five and movement from cover; sight of 51st (Highland) Infantry Div infantry in retreat after failed attack; troop shoot against Colombelles; reaction of troops to wounding of squadron commander; deployment of tanks; character of German artillery 'stonks'; sound of naval shell; his troop front; infantry formation in advance; range of sight and engagement; reaction to potential of meeting Tiger Tanks; range of troop shoot against Colombelles; protection against artillery and mortars; story of being caught under RAF bombing raid. REEL 9 Continues: instances of psychological casualties; importance of humour in front-line; mail and newspapers; rations; story of capture of German member of 12th SS Hitlerjugend Panzer Div; effect on morale of white bread; pattern of actions from Cresseron; attack on Cheux; amusing story of being in position near Cheux; sight of infantry advancing through cornfields; attitude to being in action; ban from using roads and problems with dust; character of night attack during Operation Totalize, 7/8/1944- 8/8/1944; loss of troop tank and crew; effect of artificial moonlight. REEL 10 Continues: movement across country; story of movement by tank transporter in tunnel under River Scheldt; character of ration packs; bartering with civilians; methods of keeping clean; story of death of unit members during sea bathing; letter writing; bout of dysentry at Luvigny; story of being given calvados by farmer; character of 'O' groups; assault on radar station; foot reconnaissance with French Resistance; method of issuing orders; ground conditions prior to attack on Le Harve; degree of visits by senior officers; unpopular commanding officer; critical level of command; relationships with infantry battalions; incident of being blown off tank by mortar bomb. REEL 11 Continues: character of 'pepper pot' firing; further details of attack on radar station; impressions of German positions and rations; role of unit during Operation Goodwood; sight of Guards Armoured Div's B echelon; hit on tank cupola in action; in action during Operation Totalize; use of light aid detachment to repair tanks; state of health in Normandy. Recollections of operations as troop commander with 1st Troop, B Sqdn, 22nd Dragoons in North West Europe, 1944-1945: advance to Breskins; ABCA pamphlets; billeting in fort outside Antwerp, Belgium; V2 Rocket strike on Antwerp, Belgium. REEL 12 Continues: advance into Netherlands; billeting with pastor in Tiburg, Netherlands; visits to Brussels, Belgium; shortage of food; reception from Dutch civilians; Christmas celebrations, 12/1944; incident of tanks being frozen to ground; performance of Halle Orchestra at Eindhoven, Netherlands; cinema visit; arrival of tank suits; injury recieved from signal cable; sleeping in brick kilns; attack on Venlo, Netherlands; effect of mines on tanks at Venlo; level of German opposition on route to Venlo, Netherlands; disabling of his tank on mine; loss of foot by crew member on mine; evacuation of casualties; leave in GB. REEL 13 Continues: move to Nijmegen, Netherlands; reconnaissance of Siegfried Line; bogging of his tank in farmyard; story of flailing lane in front of 8th Guards Armoured Bde; supporting 8th Guards Armoured Bde in Reichswald Forest, Germany, 3/1945; ground conditions; approach to Cleeve, 2/1945; conditions in Cleve, Germany and surrounding area; incident of being left out overnight; fired on by SS troops in wood; in laager in salient at Xanten. Germany; navigation at night. REEL 14 Continues: character of Reichswald Forest battle; pause in fighting during preparations for River Rhine crossing; opinion of ENSA show; sight of airborne forces crossing Rhine, 3/1945; route into Germany via eastern Netherlands; effects of starvation in Netherlands; loss of flail jibs in squadron; sight of houses looted by 51st (Highland) Infantry Div; attitude towards Germans; character of advance into Germany; wounding by mortar bomb; treatment of wounded German child; foot reconnaissance of Focke Wulf factory; contact with Polish Displaced Persons outside Bremen, Germany; field dentistry; attitude towards new commanding officer; advance into Bremen, Germany; destruction of Churchill AVRE on sea mine on route into Bremen, Germany; sight of civilians and concentration camp survivors; German airburst shelling of column. REEL 15 Continues: attitude towards nearing of end of war; death of subaltern; sight of streams of German troops; in action against German self propelled gun; flanking movement through wood and capture of German officer; effects of premature burst of high explosive shell; supporting infantry advance; orders to cease hostilities; sight of German jet aircraft; effect of sight of Seaforth Highlanders band on German refugees; further details of action against German self propelled gun; street fighting procedure. Recollections of period as officer with 22nd Dragoons and staff officer with 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Div in Occupied Germany, 1945-1946: billeting on airfield at Rottenburg; role guarding Russian Displaced Persons; entertainment by Russian Displaced Persons; duties manning new zonal frontier in Harz Mountains; flood of German refugees from Soviet Zone; handling of German nurses and wounded; behaviour of Soviet Army. REEL 16 Continues: in billets at Wittingen; relations with German civilians after non-fraternisation; role as education officer; work as staff officer with 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Div; court martials; duties during second Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp war crime trials; investigation into accidents; religious activities; situation for German civilians; attitude towards demobilisation and return to civilian life. Effects of military experience during Second World War. Memories of German Air Force attacks, 1/1/1945.