Kitson, Reubin Haig (Oral history)

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Description

Object description

British policeman served with Palestine Police Force in Palestine, 1/1937-2/1938; civilian worked for Rootes Securities Ltd in Speke, GB, 1938-1939; NCO served with Royal Corps of Signals, 55th (West Lancashire) Infantry Div in GB, 1939-1940; served with Royal Corps of Signals, Western Desert Force in North Africa, 1940-1941; served with Royal Corps of Signals in India and Burma, 11/1941-10/1942; served with Royal Corps of Signals, 26th Indian Infantry Div in India and Arakan, Burma, 11/1942-4/1944

Content description

REEL 1 Background in Glasgow, GB, 1916-1936: family and education; employment. Recollections of period with Palestine Police Force in Palestine, 1/1937-2/1938: arrival in Palestine, 1/1937; emphasis on sport during training; issue of arms; rules of conduct towards civilians; contact with Arab civilians; attitude to having to evict Palestinians from their land; composition of Palestine Police Force; contact with Jewish civilians; rioting following hanging of Palestinian; accurate stone throwing by Arabs; searching villages for insurgents; reaction to treatment of civilians. REEL 2 Continues: reasons for leaving police, 2/1938; German support for Arab insurgents; morale; patrolling with dogs; rules for opening fire; communal fighting in Jaffa, 2/1937; opinion of role of British in Palestine; attitude to serving in Palestine and question of personal danger experienced; police casualties in 1937; road patrols between Haifa and Tel Aviv; Arab ambush tactics; opinion of British Army's role in Palestine; reasons for returning to GB. Aspects of period as civilian aircraft worker at Rootes Securities Ltd in Speke, GB, 1938-1939: gaining employment as fitter; work on aircraft; working hours; riveting work. REEL 3 Continues: question of attitude of workers; female workers. Aspects of period as NCO with Royal Corps of Signals, 55th (West Lancashire) Infantry Div in GB, 1939-1940: joining Territorial Army, 4/1939; usefulness of previous experience with Palestine Police Force; desire for promotion and promotion to sergeant; drill instruction of officers; opinion of qualities of officers. Recollections of period with Royal Corps of Signals, Western Desert Force in Egypt and Libya, 1940-1941: constructiion of overland telegraph route; opinion of Egyptian Army troops; problems of constructing telegraph line; German Air Force attacks on telegraph line; build up for advance on Italian forces; contact with Italian prisoners of war; condition of Italian prisoners of war; contrast between German and Italian prisoners of war. REEL 4 Continues: impressions of British retreat towards Tobruk, Libya, 1941; sight of fighting between 4th Indian Infantry Div and German troops, near Tobruk, Libya; reaction to posting to India, 11/1941; role as line of communications troops. Aspects of period as NCO with Royal Corps of Signals in India and Burma, 11/1941-10/1942: voyage from Egypt to India, 11/1941; problems encountered in attempts to reach 17th Indian Infantry Div in Burma; contracting malaria; sight of retreating troops from Burma. Aspects of period as NCO with Royal Corps of Signals, 26th Indian Infantry Div in India, 10/1942-3/1943: formation of division; use of mules; impressions of Indian National Congress party, 1942; reputation of Imperial Japanese Army, 1942. REEL 5 Continues: Recollections of operations as NCO with Royal Corps of Signals, 26th Indian Infantry Div in Arakan, Burma, 3/1943-4/1944: move into Arakan; role of advance brigade headquarters; role and duties operating signals station; problems with radio sets; nature of action in Arakan, 1943; contact with Burmese civilians; state of troop's health; problems of issuing British rations to India troops; withdrawal and period of jungle training in India; nature of Imperial Japanese Army attack in Arakan, 2/1944; Imperial Japanese Army sniping of Ngakyedauk Pass; visits by Lord Louis Mountbatten; opinion of General William Slim; move into Admin Box and onto Buthidaung area; problems of night moves. REEL 6 Continues: medical treatment for illness in India, 1944; return to GB, 1945; attitude to having served in Second World War.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1945-1989 (production), Second World War (content), Interwar (association), Second World War (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
Wood, Conrad (Recorder)
Kitson, Reubin Haig (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 1989-04-26
Dimensions: whole: Duration 175, Number Of Items 6
Catalogue number: 10688

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Kitson, Reubin Haig (Oral history)

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