Description
Object description
British officer served with 1st Bn Kings Yorkshire Light Infantry, 15th Infantry Bde in France and Norway, 1939-1940
Content description
REEL 1 Aspects of period as officer with 1st Bn Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry in GB and France, 1939-1940: background to joining army and service in India and Burma during 1930s; joining battalion on outbreak of Second World War, 9/1939; mobilisation and move to France, 9/1939; duties during Phoney War, 1939-1940 including morale; impressions of French Army on Maginot Line; incident of accidental fire-fight with Senegalese battalion; limitations on activity on Maginot Line; importance of marching; strength and establishment; reservists. Recollections of operations as officer with 1st Bn Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, 15th Infantry Bde in Norway, 1940: behaviour of platoon sergeant-major and inexperienced young officers; orders to move to Norway, 16/4/1940; preparations for move; reaction to plan; meetings with Lord Gort and Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain.
REEL 2 Continues: impact on morale of visit by Lord Gort; journey to Scotland; issue with cold weather clothing; changes in command and plan to take Trondheim Airfield; chaotic initial embarkation; attitude of troops to move to Norway; degree of information about Norway; voyage to Norway; diversion to Åndalsnes and landing at Molde; journey by fishing boat down fjord and attack by German aircraft; arrival at Åndalsnes; train journey to Dombås and German Air Force attacks; arrival in Dombås; effect on morale of German Junkers Ju 87 Stuka attacks; deployment at Dombås and acquiring entrenching tools; accidental shooting of Norwegian Army troops.
REEL 3 Continues: orders to rejoin battalion at Otta; rejoining battalion at Kvam; reconnaissance of positions; terrain around Kvam; deployment of battalion and his company; communications; problems digging in; orders not to fire at German Air Force aircraft; effects of rum issue and shortage of rations; view of valley from positions; cold conditions at night; sight of Norwegian Army troops withdrawing and German Army column on road; forward companies opening fire on German Army column; development of German attack; morale of troops; forward companies withdrawal.
REEL 4 Continues: receiving reinforcements on left flank; his shooting of German Army officer during reconnaissance; start of German attack; withdrawal of B Company; firing on Germans and lull in fighting; discovery that battalion headquarters had vanished; withdrawal along slopes and encounters with Germans; move to Otta; strength of company; train journey to Dombås; deployment at Dombås; 1st Bn Green Howard (Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own Yorkshire Regt) withdrawal through company; advance of singing German Army column; orders to withdraw into Dombås.
REEL 5 Continues: train crash on journey from Dombås; march to Verma; character of withdrawal; by train to Åndalsnes; wrecking party on dockside at Åndalsnes; voyage from Norway to GB; impressions of campaign; recovery of battalion in GB; start of training programme; absorption of new recruits; removal of some officers and NCOs; lessons learnt from Norwegian Campaign.