Description
Object description
British private served with Grenadier Guards in GB, 1939-1941; NCO served with No 4 Commando in GB, 1942-1944 including Operation Abercrombie, the raid on Neufchatel-Hardelot, France, 11/4/1942 and Operation Jubilee, the raid on Dieppe, France, 19/8/1942; served with No 4 Commando, 1st Special Service Bde in Normandy, France, 6/1944-8/1944; served with No 4 Commando, 4th Special Service Bde at Walcheren Island, Netherlands, 31/10/1944-2/11/1944; served with No 4 Commando, 4th Commando Bde in Germany, 5/1945-10/1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in London, GB, 1921-1939: family; education; joining Merchant Navy. Aspects of period as private with Grenadier Guards in GB, 1939-1941: reasons for volunteering, 8/1939; discipline; charge for 'associating with women'; attitude to joining demonstration platoon. Aspects of enlistment and training with Commandos in GB, 1941-1942 reasons for volunteering for Commandos; fear of being returned to unit; his suitability for Commandos. Recollections of period as NCO with No 4 Commando in GB, 1942 and during Operation Abercrombie, the raid on Neufchatel-Hardelot, near Boulogne, France, 21/4/1942-22/4/1942: posting to No 4 Commando at Troon; importance of training; character of Operation Abercrombie; abortive first attempt to get into Neufchatel-Hardelot; second attempt on Neufchatel-Hardelot; sight of action at sea; hand-to-hand combat with German Army sentry; calling off of operation.
REEL 2 Continues: reaction to German shelling of motor torpedo boat; character of publicity for Operation Abercrombie; story of training for amphibious operation at St Ives; role as life saver at St Ives; training with mules; training for abortive raid on Netherlands; preparations for Dieppe Raid. Recollections of operations as NCO with No 4 Commando during Operation Jubilee, the raid on Dieppe, France, 19/8/1942: proposed role of commando troops; under German fire on landing; importance of moving forward during beach assaults.
REEL 3 Continues: story relating to remarks about rations during sea crossing; method of crossing barbed wire; prior recollections of sniper training in Scotland; technique for clearing stopages on Bren Gun; accident with hot barrel of Bren Gun; reaction to receiving air support from Royal Air Force; elimination of German Hess artillery battery at Varengeville-sur-Mer; orders to return to beach; opinion of role of Lord Lovat; route taken to beach; opinion of role of Royal Navy; re-embarkation.
REEL 4 Continues: question of shooting of German prisoners of war; evacuation from beach and return to Newhaven; reflections on Operation Jubilee. Aspects of period as NCO with No 4 Commando in GB, 1943-1944: parachute training and testing folding bicycles; amusing story of ribald chamber pot; speed marching training; preparations for D-Day landings; problems with weather and seasickness. Recollections of operations as NCO with No 4 Commando, 1st Special Service Bde in Normandy, France, D-Day, 6/6/1944: channel crossing; unit's objectives; sense of security in steel landing craft; effect of shell fire on first assault wave; getting off the beach; weight of equipment carried; corpses on beach; German defences; reasons for rapid departure from beach.
REEL 5 Continues: advance into Ouisterham; street fighting; linking up with airborne troops at Bénouville Bridge; sight of abandoned gliders on landing ground. Aspects of period as NCO with No 4 Commando, 1st Special Service Bde in Normandy, France, 6/1944-8/1944: digging prepared positions on left hand flank of beachhead; burns accident; length of time spent in positions; character of terrain; German booby traps; smell of death in Normandy countryside; degree of sniping success; participation in fighting patrols.
REEL 6 Continues: account of narrow escape during patrol; story of ambush of German column; capture of German weapons; duties guarding General Bernard Montgomery's headquarters. Aspects of period as NCO with No 4 Commando, 1st Special Service Bde in GB, 8/1944-10/1944: return to GB, 8/1944; reaction of unit to attachment to a Royal Marine Commando.
REEL 7 Continues: Recollections of operations as NCO with No 4 Commando, 4th Special Service Bde at Walcheren Island, Netherlands, 31/10/1944-2/11/1944: plans for attack on Walcheren, Island; strength of German defences; character of landing; street fighting in Flushing; attack on Dromberg; question of quality of German opposition; large scale German surrenders; occupation of Beveland; story of damage to Auster Air Observation aircraft; memories of one of the unit characters.
REEL 8 Continues: discovery of German midget submarine and dead crewman. Aspects of period as NCO with 4 Commando, 4th Commando Bde in Germany, 5/1945-10/1945: attitude towards non-fraternisation order at Recklinghausen; shooting wild pig to feed German civilian population; demobilisation procedure. Further details of fighting at Flushing, Netherlands, 31/10/1944-2/11/1944.