Description
Object description
British civilian member of Communist Party of Great Britain in GB, 1939-1941; private served with Royal Artillery in GB, 1941-1942; officer cadet at Royal Military College, Sandhurst in GB, 1942; officer served with 5th Reconnaissance Regt, Reconnaissance Corps, 5th Infantry Div in Italy, Palestine and North West Europe, 1943-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in GB, 1910-1939: family; education; early interest in left wing politics; membership of Communist Party of Great Britain from 1932. Aspects of period as civilian member of Communist Party of Great Britain in GB, 1939-1941: reaction to declaration of Second World War, 9/1939; lack of reaction from British authorities to his volunteering; question of suspicion of authorities towards him; his reaction to debate in party about attitude to be taken towards war.
REEL 2 Continues: living conditions for populace in Coventry, 1940-1941; German Air Force bombing of Coventry, 11/1940; effect of bombing on services and work attendance; attitudes of population towards war; attitude in factories to trade unionism in wartime; description of term 'shadow factories'; discussion with Rajani Palme Dutt about whether Alexander should go into armed forces; opinion of restrictive practices in industry, after 6/1941.
REEL 3 Continues: reaction to conscription to army. Aspects of enlistment and training as private with Royal Artillery in GB, 1941-1942: attitude to service; evidence that he was a watched man; transfer from signals training unit to radar mechanic training; recommendation for commission. Aspects of officer training at Royal Military College, Sandhurst in GB, 1942-1943: reasons for choosing Reconnaissance Corps; initial Officer Cadet Training Unit training; impressions of cavalry cadets; demand of informal left wing group for harder course; ceremonial passing out parade.
REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of period as officer with Reconnaissance Corps in GB and French Algeria, 1943: posting to holding unit; army's attitude towards officers' children born out of wedlock; posting to Algeria; hostility of local population in French Algeria. Recollections of operations as officer with 5th Reconnaissance Regt, Reconnaissance Corps, 5th Infantry Div in Italy, 1943-1944: posting to unit in Sicily; re-organisation of unit; problems caused by Field Marshal Harold Alexander's rapid promotion; move to Italian mainland; composition of unit; method of advancing northwards; encounter with No 1 Demolition Sqdn, Popski's Private Army; change in role; rescue of wounded British prisoner of war.
REEL 5 Continues: return of Italian landlords in wake of Allied armies; Allied policy towards partisans; incident of spoiling of attack on German unit by over-eager Italian partisan; opinion of French Army colonial troops; reinforcement of landings at Anzio; impressions of Allied firepower; sight of German midget submarines; problems of fighting in The Fortress; problems with American mines; heavy British casualties; question of absurdity of Guards officers display of insignia. Aspects of period as officer with 5th Reconnaissance Regt, Reconnaissance Corps, 5th Infantry Div in Palestine, 1944: reasons for move to Palestine; Jewish shopkeeper's anti-Arab remark.
REEL 6 Continues: Recollections of operations as officer with 5th Reconnaissance Regiment, Reconnaissance Corps, 5th Infantry Div in North West Europe, 1944-1945: move to Belgium via France, late 1944; reception from civilians in Ghent, Belgium; advance towards Baltic Sea; liberation of labour camp at Travemünde, Germany; placing of Norwegian police at his disposal; description of survivors; reaction of German troops to being captured by British; VE Day celebrations, 8/5/1945. Aspects of period as election candidate for Communist Party during General Election in GB, 1945: background to standing as Communist candidate for Coventry East; soldiers' testimonial given to him during election; close Labour Party/Communist relations in campaign; sense of need for social change in GB. Reflections on service with 5th Reconnaissance Regiment, Reconnaissance Corps, 5th Infantry Div during Second World War: German Air Force jet attack, 1945.
REEL 7 Continues: army educational work in Germany after election, 1945; comparison between soldiering in XV International Bde and British Army; lack of discrimination against him as Communist in fighting units.
