Westlake, Charles (Oral history)

British NCO served with 425 Bty, 107th Regt, <South Notts Hussars> Royal Artillery in GB, Palestine and North Africa, 1939-1942; served as officer with 107th Bty, <SNH> 7th Medium Regt, RA in North Africa, Sicily and GB; served with 426 Bty, 107th Medium Regt, <SNH> RA in GB and North West Europe, 1944. Attached to staff of 9th Army Group, RA in North West Europe, 1944

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Nottingham, 1920-1939: family; education at Nottingham High School; Officers' Training Corps activities including summer camps; question of joining regular army; work as articled conveyancing clerk, 1937-1939. Recollections of training as gunner with A Troop, 425 Bty, 107 Regt, <South Notts Hussars> Royal Artillery at Derby Road Drill Hall, Nottingham, 4/1939-9/1939: recruitment by Major Peter Birkin; question of commission; attending Redesdale Camp, 6/1939, including role of ammunition number on 18pdr, bad weather, relationship with ORs and officers. REEL 2 Continues: attending Redesdale Camp, 6/1939, including recreations; relationship with officers and ORs; reactions to approach of war; state of training. Mobilisation and initial period at Derby Road Drill Hall and Hollins Lace Factory, Garden Street, Nottingham, 9/1939: air raid warning; digging trenches. Recollections of training as specialist gunner, 9/1939-1/1940: selection; role as observation post officer's assistant including preparing panorama, sequence of firing orders given and method of ranging; role as gun position officer's assistant including marking out gun positions and laying zero lines. REEL 3 Continues: role as gun position officer's assistant including use of artillery board, use of meteorological telegrams for corrections, preparing gun programmes. Recollections of periods at Rillington and Wragby, 9/1939-1/1940: billets; food rations and subsequent introduction of better qualified cooks; pay and supplementing rations; relationship with local civilians; adequacy of training; question of issue of 18pdrs; regular reservists sent to battery and complement of horses; question of weeding out procedure prior to overseas posting; send off on departure. REEL 4 Journey to Palestine, 1/1940. Recollections of periods at Sarafand, Gedera and Hadera Camps in Palestine, 1/1940-6/1940: first impressions; problem with stealing by Arab civilians; recreations; relationship with Palestinian civilians and question of Arab/Jewish conflict; nature of training; sandstorms disrupting Asluj Firing Camp; state of training; move to Mersa Matruh, Egypt, 6/1940. Recollections of conditions of service and lifestyle at Mersa Matruh, 6/1940-12/1940: improving gun positions and dugouts; bedbug problem; swimming; desert sores; fly problem; latrines; food and water rations. REEL 5 Continues: high level Italian air raids; policy of learning other roles and consequent training as signaller; concert party; recreations and accommodation on leave in Cairo; letter contact with GB; salvaging Italian vehicles from battlefield, 1/1940. Aspects of period in Egypt, 12/1940-4/1941: training for invasion of Rhodes, Greece; issue with 25pdrs; spotting for mines on Suez Canal; opinion of Egyptian bargees; malaria precautions. Drive to Tobruk, Libya, 4/1941. REEL 6 Drive to Tobruk, 4/1941. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine at Tobruk, 4/1941-12/1941: situation; opinion of relative abilities in comparison with 1st Regt, RHA and question of 'bull' and necessary maintenance; positions near El Adem road; battery headquarters; duties as specialist observation post assistant including use of Italian built OP poles, reaction to shell fire, role of signaller, use of panoramas and registered targets, view of German activity, flash spotting and sound ranging used in counter-battery fire. REEL 7 Continues: initial tank attacks, 4/1941; posting as second in command of Sergeant Flint's gun crew; role of layer; question of fatigue; danger of premature misfires when guns were hot; questions of mechanical reliability of 25pdrs; question of shortage of ammunition; dugout; latrines; food rations; state of health; uses of cut down petrol tins; water ration; washing; desert faunae; gun crew daily routine duties; recreations. REEL 8 Continues: recreations; news of progress of war; Stuka dive bomber attacks; anti-aircraft defences; effect of German counter-battery fire; daily routine and night duty; sandstorms and death of Sergeant Flint from sand on lung; opinion of various officers and NCOs including Colonel William Seely and Major Peter Birkin; use of captured Italian artillery; Padre H Parry and religion; relationship with Australian troops; state of morale; preparations for breakout operations ca 10/1941-11/1941 including method of registering targets. REEL 9 Continues: preparations for breakout operations ca 10/1941-11/1941 including preparing fire programme, question of adequacy of briefing and preparation of new gun positions; breakout operations, 11/1941-12/1941; Christmas celebrations; interview as part of selection for officers' training. Recollections of attending with Middle East Officers' Cadet Training Unit at Kasir el Nir Barracks, Cairo and Royal Artillery Base Depot, Almaza, 1/1942-6/1942: origins of cadets; opinion of instructors; nature of all arms and gunnery training; temporary mobilisation to defend Cairo from possible German breakthrough, 6/1942. REEL 10 Continues: news of destruction of SNH at Knightsbridge action, 6/1942; background to securing posting back to SNH. Recollections of period with A Troop, 107 Bty, <SNH> 7th Medium Regt, RA in coastal positions in El Alamein area, 7/1942-10/1942: rebuilding unit; role; opinion of Captains Alan Smith and C J Rickard; opinion of 5.5in gun/howitzers and Matador gun towers; problem with shell driving bands and consequent barrel changes required; temporary move south; camouflage of gun positions; development of 'stonk' firing methods by Colonel Elton; opinion of Elton and dispute over wearing SNH cap badge; preparations for Battle of El Alamein and reaction to improved briefing and planning on arrival of Montgomery. REEL 11 Recollections of Battle of El Alamein, 10/1942-11/1942: nature of bombardment; fatigue and question of officers assisting gun teams; gun programme; recoil system problems; acclimatisation to fatigue; British air supremacy; question of German counter battery fire. Aspects of advance to Tunisia, 11/1942-5/1943: nature of fighting; OP work in Medenine Hills and close escape from dive bomb attack; opinion of 50th and 51st Div and question of deteriorating morale; differing dangers faced by infantry and gunners; unit morale and question of continued Nottingham connections; opinion of Battery Sergeant Major Charles Beardall; situation; opinion of Rommel, Montgomery, Churchill and various British generals. REEL 12 Continues: continuous movement and example of ground conditions encountered; close escapes from bombing; rest period. Practise embarkation of guns during period at Malta, 6/1943-7/1943. Various aspects of operations in Sicily, Italy, 7/1943-11/1943: unopposed landing; relationship with Sicilian civilians; question of damage to property; opinion of US attitudes and equipment during period attached to US artillery unit; comparison of fighting conditions in desert and Sicily; opinion of German nebelwerfer and 88mm gun; period in Messina area; recreations. REEL 13 Journey back to GB, 11/1943-12/1943: reactions; period in Algeria. Periods at Felixstowe, Brighton, Baildon Green and Bournemouth, 12/1943-7/1944: leave and reactions to rationing; question of reformation of 107th Regt and relationship with 7th Medium Regt; posting to C Troop, 426 Bty on union of 107 Bty, <SNH> 7th Medium Regt, RA with 126 Bty, 16th Medium Regt, RA to form 107th Medium Regt, <SNH> RA, 3/1944; relationship with 16th Medium Regt personnel; comparison of 25pdrs and 5.5s; training and question of 'bull'; exercise on Yorkshire Moors; parade in Nottingham; waterproofing vehicles; embarkation at Tilbury Docks, London, 12/7/1944. Aspects of operations in Normandy, France, 7/1944-8/1944: Channel crossing; situation; effects of terrain on nature of fighting; anti-personnel bombs. REEL 14 Continues: effects of terrain on mobility; detachment as liaison officer to 9th Army Group Royal Artillery; role as duty staff officer in control room in allotting targets to batteries; role of headquarters personnel; reactions to advancing through Caen following bombardment; question of contact with French civilians; story of dislocating shoulder during accidental bombing of 9th AGRA headquarters by Allied aircraft; treatment prior to evacuation by air to GB, 8/1944. Aspects of period in GB, 8/1944-4/1946: physiotherapy; duties during various postings to training regts; effect on morale of trainees following VJ day; attending army education course; demobilisation and qualification as solicitor, 4/1946. Post-war service with SNH on re-formation, 1947-1957.