Steele, John William Jackson (Oral history)

British officer served as chaplain with Royal Army Chaplains' Department attached to 1st Anti-Aircraft Bde, British Expeditionary Force in France, 9/1939-5/1940; served with 11th Armoured Div in GB, 1941-1942; served with Headquarters, First Army in North Africa, 1942-1943; served with Chaplains' Battle School, Second British Army, Church Stowe, GB, 9/1943-6/1944; served as chaplain with Second British Army in North West Europe, 6/1944-5/1945

REEL 1 Aspects of period as chaplain with Royal Army Chaplains' Department in GB, 1931-1939: background to becoming an army chaplain; role of army chaplains, pattern of service; number of army chaplains to various army units; reaction to hearing declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; attitude towards pacifists. Aspects of period as chaplain with 1st Anti-Aircraft Bde, British Expeditionary Force in France, 9/1939-5/1940: movement of brigade to France; first sight of German armour, 5/1940; escape by ship from Calais, 5/1940; refusal of British port authorities to accept ship carry explosives. Memories of Major-General Percy Hobart, whilst serving as chaplain with 11th Armoured Div in GB, 1941-1942. REEL 2 Continues: Recollections of period as chaplain with Headquarters, First Army in North Africa, 1942-1943: amphibious landing training in GB prior to Operation Torch, 1942; landing at Algiers, French Algeria, 11/1942; story of shooting expedition with sheikh; supervision of chaplains; arrangements for providing news to troops; knowledge of American set back at Kasserine Pass, Tunisia; relations between British and American troops; a German atrocity; contrast between British First Army and British Eighth Army clothing; attitude of United States Army chaplain met in North Africa. Aspects of period as officer with Chaplains' Battle School, British Second Army, Church Stowe, GB, 9/1943-6/1944: establishment of school, 9/1943; need to breakdown 'weekend feeling'. REEL 3 Continues: his concern over use of 'revenge weapons' and question of morality in war; eve of battle dedication service, 5/6/1944. Recollections of period as chaplain with British Second Army in North West Europe, 6/1944-5/1945: his landing in Normandy, France, 7/6/1944; degree of contact with French civilians in Normandy, France; reaction to sight of remains of German Army at Falaise, France; liberation of Brussels, Belgium; story of duck shoot; German V2 Rocket hits near Brussels, Belgium; encounter with captured German Air Force pilot near Nijmegen, Netherlands; impassibility of road to Arnhem, Netherlands, 9/1944; opinion of inflexible methods used by German Army. REEL 4 Continues: crossing bridge over River Weser, Germany; visit to Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp, Germany; attending German surrender ceremony at Lüneburg Heath, Germany, 4/5/1945; fishing exploits during the campaign; revenge taken by Displaced Persons on German civilians; relations between different dominations of chaplain during Second World War; annual D-Day remembrance service; British Second Army Thanksgiving Service on conclusion of hostilities in North West Europe on Lüneburg Heath, Germany, 5/1945.