Description
Object description
British officer served with Royal Engineers in India, 1947; student at Staff College, Camberley in GB, 1947-1948; served as staff officer with Italo-Yugoslav Boundary Commission, Allied Military Government in Free Territory of Trieste, 1948-1949; served as staff officer in British Garrison in Hong Kong, 1949-1950; commanded Malayan Scouts in Federation of Malaya, 1950-1951
Content description
REEL 1 Aspects of period as officer with Royal Engineers in India, 1947: problems on deciding course of career after 1945; reconnaissance of routes suitable for taking tanks; aiding Indian Army's operations against Hyderabad; reconnaissance of North West Frontier with view to defence against Soviet Union. Aspects of period as student with Staff College, Camberley in GB, 1947-1948: problems adjusting to course; opinion of course; memories of Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery during planning of exercise.
REEL 2 Continues: Britain's world wide military responsibilities after Second World War; further memories of Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery. Aspects of period as staff officer with Italo-Yugoslav Boundary Commission, Allied Military Government in Free Territory of Trieste, 1948-1949: duties; attitude towards Italians and Yugoslavs; implementation of Marshall Plan in Free Territory of Trieste; how staff work helped in development of personal skills.
REEL 3 Continues: work as co-ordinator of Allied intelligence; recovery of body of soldier shot on Italian-Yugoslav frontier. Aspects of period as GI (Air) with British Garrison in Hong Kong, 1949-1950: role and duties. Recollections of operations commanding Malayan Scouts in Federation of Malaya, 1950-1951: initial duties in writing report on situation in Malaya; situation described to him by General John Harding; memories of Malcolm MacDonald; strength of insurgents; belief that British force should live in jungle; formation of 21st Special Air Service Regt.
REEL 4 Continues: his proposals for defeating insurgency and recommendation of Sir Gerald Templer; formation of Rhodesian Special Air Service; opposition to formation of special forces; difficulties in starting up regiment; occasions when he was ambushed; rivalry between Army and Police; lessons learnt from patrolling with 2nd Bn Scots Guards; grievances held by Chinese about new constitution; success of insurgents; problems faced by police force.
REEL 5 Continues: opinion of Malaya aristocracy; difficulties of reporting to three senior officers; problem of breaking down traditional army discipline; pressures of raising and training new force; methods employed by insurgents; use of aboriginals; training of unit; use of helicopters; plan for unit to attack main insurgent camps; description of insurgent camps.
REEL 6 Continues: plan to use chemical analysis of water to locate insurgent camps; Royal Air Force bombing raids on jungle; best locations for ambushes in jungle; success of using medical officers attached to unit; use of balloons for signalling; state of communications; work of Sir Robert Thompson; dealing with medical problems amongst Malay Regt personnel; use of booby trapped weapons supplied to insurgents; his rivalry with other officers.
REEL 7 Continues: problems of not having an administration officer; sleeping in hammock in jungle; amusing story of how his jungle habits spoilt his efforts to influence his superiors; problems of police work; opinion of Malay Regt and other units; difficulties in British/Chinese relations; impact of State of Emergency on British world status; opinion of national servicemen; question of insurgent's Communist ideology. Aspects of period as instructor with Australian Independent Coys in Australia, 1941: transaction with Commander Charles Drage; position of Lieutenant-Colonel John Mawhood in Australia.
REEL 8 Continues: attitude towards work of Major-General Vernon Sturdee. Degree of contact with Quit India movement in Jhansi, India, 1942.