Myers, Thomas (Oral history)

British NCO served with 6th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1939; served with 10th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, North West Europe and Iceland, 1939-1943; served with 6th and 9th Bns Durham Light Infantry in North West Europe, 1944-1946

REEL 1 Background in Spennymoor, GB, 1920-1939: education; Boys Brigade activities. Recollections of work at Dean and Chapter Colliery, Spennymoor, 1934-1939: various duties, cause of accidents and lack of proper training, union, wet conditions; putting and payment. REEL 2 Continues: payment; management; tradition of working in mines; period working at Hull cattle market for high wages, recall home to be with family and return to mining; lifestyle and recreations. Recruitment as territorial to C Coy, 6th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry at Spennymoor drill hall, GB, 1/5/1939: reasons and ignorance of approach of war; basic training in drill, rifle, and fieldcraft including hand signals; weekend trips to Whitburn camp for range firing, bedding issued and group firing; pride in Durham Light Infantry; attitude of some NCOS. Call up and billeting at home, 1/9/1939. REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of organisation, kitting out and assignment to newly created 15 Platoon, D Coy, 10th B, Durham Light Infantry in GB, 2/9/1939-3/9/1939. Recollections of period with 10th Bn Durham Light Infantry at Spennymoor, GB, 9/1939-12/1939: initial training with Regimental Sergeant Major George Wilson; story of first guard duty illustrating lack of organisation; reactions to declaration of war, 3/9/1939; accommodation; issue of rifle; learning drill; relationship with NCOs and officers; Bren, rifle and grenade training. Recollections of period as private with 10th Bn Durham Light Infantry at Bishops Castle, GB, 1/1940-3/1940: posting to Bishops Castle; changes in accommodation and lifestyle; supply of meals; sleeping arrangements; duties; rations; training programme; organisation of weapons training. REEL 4 Continues: gas drill; air attack precautions; promotions up corporal including attending NCO course. Aspects of period as NCO with 10th Bn Durham Light Infantry at South Shields, GB, 3/1940-4/1940: field engineering course at Stokesby including over simple nature of instruction to ex-miners and refusal of training; football and boxing activities; digging air raid shelters for civilians; recreations; relationship with civilians at Bishop Auckland and South Shields; entertainment provided by local council; role as corporal; relationship with other ranks; recollections of officers. REEL 5 Continues memories of eccentric officer and Regimental Sergeant Major George Wilson; question of route marches and use of light infantry pace; opinion of training. Aspects of period as NCO with 10th Bn Durham Light Infantry in France, 1940: posting to France, 4/1940: civilian send off; boat journey; landing at Le Havre and train journey to Languetot; story of NCOs visit to nearby village to get extra supplies for troops, friendly reception from French civilians, getting drunk, arrest and mild disciplining received. Recollections of period at Nunq airfield, 4/1940-5/1940: digging defences; tactical training; weapons firing courses. REEL 6 Continues recollections of period at Nunq, 4/1940-5/1940: story of hearing German aircraft whilst battalion guard commander, 12/5/1940. Move to Abbeville, 13/5/1940: patrolling airfield in fog; digging latrines. Recollections of move to position south east of Arras and subsequent retreat, 17/5/1940-31/5/1940: lack of proper defensive measures; shuttle service withdrawal method; foraging for food and impromptu ratons issued; reorganisation into Marley Force at Gondecourt, 22/5/1940-25/5/1940; role of senior officers and NCOs; acting as platoon sergeant in defensive actions; Junkers Ju 87 Stuka attacks; travelling across country; rearguard duty; confusion and state of morale. Recollections of period attached to Bren gun team guarding Royal Army Service Corps convoy, 5/5/1940: duties; extra rations; case of premature bridge demolition. REEL 7 Continues recollections of period attached to Bren gun team guarding RASC convoy, 25/5/1940-31/5/1940: Junkers Ju 87 Stuka attacks; destroying trucks and stores near Dunkirk. Recollections of evacuation from La Panne, France, 31/5/1940: scene on beach; evacuation from pier; lack of enemy attack during crossing. Reorganisation of battalion and concentration at Oakhampton, 6/1940, including assessment of performance during campaign in France, 5/1940: confusion due to lack of information; question of performance of officers and NCOs; promotion to sergeant in D Coy; question of battle training and fitness. Recollections of preparing beach defences, daily routine and lifestyle during period at Dawlish, GB, 6/1940-9/1940: reception from civilians; necessity of allowing holiday makers on beach; laying mines; weapons firing practice; interview with fiction writer; covering defensive positions; varying states of readiness; relationship with civilians. REEL 8 Continues recollections of preparing beach defences, daily routine and lifestyle during period at Dawlish, GB, 6/1940-9/1940: relationship with civilians; cricket match at asylum; drinking habits; training; minefield accident. Aspects of posting with 10th Bn Durham Light Infantry to Iceland and voyage out, 9/1940: reaction; seasickness; first impressions; bell tent camp near Reykjavik; division of battalion into companies. Recollections of conditions of service during periods as detached company at Reykoskoli, 1940: uncompleted roads and nature of terrain; preparing defensive positions. Recollections of month on detached platoon duty at Bordini wireless station: march past of Icelandic civilians led by eccentric NCO; rations; relationship with Icelandic civilians. REEL 9 Continues recollections of month on detached platoon duty at Bordini wireless station, ca 1940: arrival of army signallers; defences; relationship with Icelandic civilians; recreations; special rations; reaction to radio news of HMS Hood sinking; false alarms of German attacks. Continues recollections of conditions of service during period as detached company at Reykoskoli, 1940: absence of practical training; absence of officers; detached lookout section; issue of winter uniform; effect of winter conditions and short days; question of effect of absence of women. Recollections of conditions of service during period at Borganess, 1941: concentration of battalion; erecting and improving huts; sergeants' mess; visiting lookout sections; story of failure to guard NAAFI canteen supplies from stealing on supply boat; ignoring minor pilfering from stores by Other Ranks to supplement their rations; NAAFI provision for ORs; football activities; story of battalion posting confused between Iceland and Ireland. REEL 10 Continues recollections of conditions of service during period at Borganess, 1941: tactics employed in section, platoon, company and battalion attack training; inspection by Gort; pony reconnaissance section; visit and inspection by Churchill; ski and mountain training and possible role in Norway. Recollections of special arctic training on course at Greenland, 1941: survival techniques; casualties incurred; role of instructor Peter Scott; relevance of training. REEL 11 Continues recollections of period at Borganess, 1941: battalion charectors; NCOs course in military theory; entering Icelandic forces sports at Reykjavik; relationship with Icelandic civilians. Recollections of period at Reykjavik, 1941-1942: replacement in billets by US Marines; work building airfield; posting to C Coy; exchanging whisky for food with US Navy; US aircraft crashing on airfield; relationship with US Marines; GB leave; changes in NCOs and officers; return to GB and reaction, 3/1942. Recollections of training, conditions of service and lifestyle during periods in training at Carmarthen, Wales, 3/1943-1944: changes in officers and RSM. REEL 12 Continues recollections of training, conditions of service and lifestyle during periods at Carmarthen, 3/1943-1944: drill; company training with artillery support in Black Mountains area; success on attending advanced physical training course at Saton camp near Chester; background to becoming battalions unofficial physical training instructor and sergeants' mess caterer attached to Headquarters Coy; story of getting drunk prior to musical PT display; daily routine and duties as PT instructor and sergeants' mess caterer including use of whisky to exchange for supplementary mess rations under supervision of RSM, question of minor fiddles by NCOs, building assault course and running mess bar. REEL 13 Continues recollections of training, conditions of service and lifestyle during periods at Carmarthen, 3/1942-1944: duties as sergeants' mess caterer including running bar, role of president of mess committee, guest nights, financial accounting, financial perks and battalion dance night; relationship with civilians and ATS; opinion of seeing 'Desert Victory' and training films; posting to A Coy; changes in officers and RSM; period mountain training at Hamilton, Scotland, 2/1943. Recollections of attending 49th Division Battle School at Penlanddaiys, 1943: camouflage training; drill to memorise equipment everyone carried. REEL 14 Continues recollections of attending 49th Division Battle School at Penlanddaiys, 1943: drill to memorise equipment everyone carried; battle drill for various attack circumstances. Recollections of attending street fighting school at Birmingham, 1943: weapons and tactics of house clearance; grenade accident. Continues recollections of attending 49th Division Battle School at Penlanddaiys, 1943: accident during landing raid exercise; use of live ammunition in exercises; danger of blocked rifle barrels; question of realism of exercises; cut hand; practising command skills; minimal chance of becoming officer as ex-miner. Opinion of new weapons introduced, 1941-1944: Thompson machine gun; Sten gun and its mechanism. REEL 15 Continues opinions of new weapons introduced, 1941-1944: Sten gun; sticky bombs; PIAT; smoke grenade. Recollections of period at Kington, 1943: battle drill for various attack circumstances; drill to memorise equipment everyone carried; role in training exercises; PT including use of logs and boxing; relationship with Other Ranks and attitude to discipline; opinion of officers; relationship with civilians; role training Home Guard and opinion of their military standard. REEL 16 Continues recollections of period at Kington, 1943: opinion of military standards of Home Guard; transfers from battalion to Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers; replacement of older officers and NCOs. Period in camp at Barrow in Furness, 1943. Recollections of battalion attending street fighting school at Birmingham, 1943. Aspects of period at Hamilton, 1943: assault craft practice; invasion training at Rothsea Island; realisation of role as invasion troops. Aspects of period in Eastern Woods, Norfolk, 3/1944-4/1944: training; story of meeting Gary Cooper and Clark Gable; view of tin foil radar baffle; morale and question of knowledge of German war crimes. Move to south coast camp in wood, 4/1944-5/1944: prohibited movement outside camp; reaction to news of reserve role of 49th Division. Recollections of conditions during voyage on Landing Craft Infantry to France, 11/6/1944-12/6/1944. Recollections of bicycles issued at Hamilton, 1943: training rides; drill procedure. REEL 17 Continues: modifications; training exercises. Recollections of landing at Gold Beach, Normandy, 12/6/1944: move to rendezvous point and abandoning bicycle; confused situation. Recollections of operations in St Pierre sector, Normandy, 16/6/1944-24/6/1944: situation; attack under fire and adequacy of support; German mortar fire; method of establishing defensive positions; question of using barbed wire; role of standing patrols; food rations; story of leading reconnaissance patrol including preparations, methods employed, meeting colonel and end of patrol; case of sentry court martialled for sleeping. Recollections of operations in Rauray sector, Normandy, 25/6/1945-31/6/1944: situation; treatment of corpse; attack under fire and discovery of hidden German sniper. REEL 18 Continues: killing hidden German snipers; further attack; threat of German tanks; receiving slight grenade wounds in throat and side. Circumstances of evacuation as wounded to GB, 31/6/1945. Recollections of period in ex-workhouse hospital in Liverpool, 6/1944: reception and medical treatment; activities as senior NCO; visit to pub and reception from civilians. Story of posting with draft to report to Green Howards in France and circumstance of ignoring orders and reporting to join A Coy, 6th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry near Amiens, 9/1944. Recollections of period in Amiens sector, France, 9/1944: successful attack; story of visiting estaminet and liaisons with French women. Reception from French and Belgian civilians during advance to Brussels, Belgium, 9/1944. Recollections of period in Brussels, 6/9/1944-8/9/1944: civilian reception. REEL 19 Continues recollections of period in Brussels, 6/9/1944-8/9/1944: civilian reception; barrack accommodation; reaction to treatment of women collaberator; suspicion of resistance groups' motives. Recollections of operations in Gheel sector, Belgium, 8/9/1944-12/9/1944: briefing and initial advance, 9/9/1944; defensive positions established; shelling; state of morale and military efficiency of 6th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry in comparison to 10th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry; opinion of George Wood; capture of Gheel, ca 10/9/1944; story of German counter attack, being cut off and escape to join 8th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry. REEL 20 Continues :escape to join 8th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry lines overnight; stand to against further German attacks; rejoining 6th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry. Period of reorganisation, 12/9/1944-17/9/1944: promotion to Company Sergeant Major of A Coy; question of role of officers in action; decorations awarded; failure of attempt to secure court martial of NCO accused of cowardice through having briefed witnesses; Recollections of advance into Holland and operations in Nijmegen sector, Netherlands, 9/1944-11/1944: view of air assault; situation and initial movements; blocked communication roads; entry into Nijmegen and position by bridge; illustrations of opinion of US troops; crossing Nijmegen bridge, 2/10/1944; attack to capture farmhouse; wet conditions. REEL 21 Continues: defensive positions and fighting around raised road; story of surrender of German POW; period in reserve; opinion of CQMS George Robson; taking over US positions at bridge and differences in approach; food and apecial rations supplied by Robson; crawl communication trenches; visit by divisional general and story of him securing RAF support; reactions to shell fire and question of value of experience; latrines; British paratroops and agents passing through lines; rest period in Nijmegen including visit by Durham Light Infantrty band, running course for junior NCOs. REEL 22 Continues: rest period in Nijmegen including visit to dance and reaction to Dutch treatment of woman collaborator; taking over lines from US troops and illustration of differences in methods and resources available; problems in positioning outpost patrol and its capture by Germans. Background to news of disbandment of 50th Division, 11/1944: state of unit morale; running course for NCOs returning to GB as instructors; story of drinking contest with Robson, his dispute with RSM, Robson's arrest for striking RSM and subsequent reprieve. Recollections of initial period on transferring to B Coy, 9th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry at Nijmegen, Netherlands, 11/1944: reasons for volunteering; reorganisation and composition of battalion; initial impressions of John Mogg; state of morale; efforts to build up personal relationships in unit; drill standard. REEL 23 Continues: circumstances of replacement as CSM and posting as Platoon Sergeant Major to 10 Platoon, B Coy; relationship with officer, NCOs and ORs. Move to acclimatise with tank units as part of 131 Brigade, 7th Armoured Division in Belgium, 12/1944: communication with tanks; question of command responsibilities between infantry and armour units; use of adapted Sherman tanks as transport; role of infantry and armour. Recollections of various operations in Sittard area and Roer triangle, Netherlands and Germany, 12/1944-2/1945: successful attack; establishing defensive positions in houses; German night attack and fighting within house; German ruse in wiring corpses for sound to simulate cries of wounded; artillery officer's demonstration of accuracy of 25pdrs; relief by American troops; capture of Dieteren and Susteren, 16/1/1944; establishing defensive positions; visit by Mogg; effect of German 88 shellfire and capture of German signal and observation team; repulsing German counter attack on bridge site; attitude to Royal Engineers; attitude to fighting; situation. REEL 24 Continues: situation; value of tank support; story of patrol to test ground conditions for tanks including plans, preparations, setting off butterfly bomb, unsuitable ground conditions, dispute with officer over direction and reporting to battalion headquarters; being relieved by guards and opinion of various regiments; night alarm incident; reconnaissance patrol; food and sentry arrangements at Christmas. Recollections of period in reserve, 12/1944: comparing concert party; organising civilian chidren's party; training; abandonment of threatened charge for honourable desertion for taking draft to 6th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry rather than Green Howards in 1944. REEL 25 Continues: relationship with civilians and giving them food. Recollections of operations at St Jooste in Ruer triangle, 21/1/1945: situation; O group plans; ambush by Germans and retirement; street fighting and use of grenades against machine gun posts; later award of DCM and reactions; opinion of Montgomery and his speech to medal award winners. Period in reserve at Weert, 1/1945-3/1945: recreations; existence of stealing from GB parcels; opinion of rear echelon troops; briefings on Rhine crossing and expected nature of German opposition. Recollections of initial operations on crossing Rhine, 28/3/1945: bridge crossing at Wesel covered by smoke screen; briefing by Mogg; successful advance covered by tanks. Recollections of operations at Stadtlohn, Germany, 29/3/1945-31/3/1945: plan for 'Y' attack; advance covered by tanks; battle drill clearing of house; capture of Germans and killing SS troops remaining in cellar. REEL 26 Continues: discovery that cellars were actually pillboxes; success of German panzerfaust against tanks; incidents from street fighting; support from tanks; attitude to German troops and unwillingness to take risks to take POWs; consolidation of positions; food situation; value of tank support and tactics employed; lone reconnaissance patrol on captured motorbike. Recollections of operations during advance towards Hamburg, Germany, 1/4/1945-2/5/1945: arrival of new company commander; reserve role; searching farm and 'smell' of German troops; account of capture of town including situation, using tanks to cover flanks, Mogg's involvement at platoon level and absence of company commander, discovery and destruction of schnapps store and finding German hospital. REEL 27 Continues: account of capture of town including establishing defensive positions, standing patrol, successfully ambushing large SS patrol, German night attack on unprepared battalion headquarters and reserve company, discovery of German civilians in radio contact, dispute with company commander over his absence from front line and private bodyguard in contrast to Mogg; operations at Ibbenburen, 2/4/1944 including situation, orders, individual attacks by Germans, attack supported by tanks on houses, refusal of German surrender, shooting survivors and reasons, question of 'bloodlust' in action, use of tanks against houses, tanks accidental firing on British positions at night, killing German making individual attack. REEL 28 Continues: operations at Ibbenburen, 2/4/1945 including detecting and shooting of Germans disguised as British staff officers, opinion of padres, dispute with padre over shooting of Germans, sniping of tank commanders, dispute with company commander over his continued absence from front line illustrated by attack on bridge failing from lack of support and German opposition from Hanover officer cadet battalion; reactions to briefing from Mogg on strategic situation; visit by Salvation Army canteen van; liaisons with German women; discovery whilst on patrol with Mogg of German observation post and question of shooting occupants in civilian dress; occupation of Hittfeld following bombardment; promotion to company sergeant major; leading carrier patrol to Hamburg and accepting surrender from police force; looting various valuables from General Wolz and his cavalcade on their way to surrender negotiations. REEL 29 Continues: looting various valuables from General Wolz and his cavalcade on their way to surrender negotiations; entry into Hamburg. Move to German/Denmark border, ca 5/1945: situation; role attempting to stop Germans returning to Germany; village billets. Situation on move to Berlin, 7/1945. Recollections of period detached as instructor to divisional training school at Brunswick, Germany, 1945: reactions to return to sergeant rank and later promotion to sergeant major; establishing school's HQ in nearby castle; role training junior NCOs; relationship with German civilians and story of protecting them from Poles released from camps. Recollections of period in Berlin prior to demobilisation, 1946: reasons for rejection of opportunity to become regular; methods of obtaining goods for sale on black market; illustration of scale of profits of one NCO black marketeer. REEL 30 Continues recollections of period in Berlin prior to demobilisation, 1946: illustration of scale of profits of one NCO black marketeer; attitude of German civilians and absence of men; stories illustrating relationship with Russian troops. Return to GB for leave and demobilisation, 1946: handing in kit; changing large sum of money into GB currency; helping NCO black marketeer smuggle substantial sum into GB and payment; return to civilian life and work in pit. Aspects of post war service in territorials and on rejoining regulars in training role with Durham Light Infantry, 1949-1969. Attitude to war service, comradeship and ex-servicemen's associations.