Stevenson, John (Oral history)

British NCO served with D Coy, 2nd Bn Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, 6th Airlanding Bde, 6th Airborne Div in North West Europe, 1944-1945; served with 2nd Bn Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, 6th Airlanding Bde, 6th Airborne Div in Palestine and Transjordan, 1945-1947; served with 1st Bn Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry in Cyprus and Canal Zone of Egypt, 1951-1954; officer served with 1st Bn Green Jackets in Brunei, 1962-1963

REEL 1 Recollections of operations as NCO with D Coy, 2nd Bn Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, 6th Airlanding Bde, 6th Airborne Div in North West Europe, 1944-1945: enlistment in regiment in Northern Ireland, 5/11/1935; memories of D-Day, 6/6/1944; glider landing during Operation Varsity, the crossing of the River Rhine, Germany, 24/3/1945; types of gliders used; casualties during Operation Varsity, Germany, 3/1945; nature of fighting; role as company sergeant major; question of how British Army has changed and relations between officers and NCOs. Recollections of operations as NCO with 2nd Bn Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, 6th Airlanding Bde, 6th Airborne Div in Palestine and Transjordan, 1945-1947: role as regimental sergeant major; move to Palestine, 1945; briefing about Jewish insurgent groups and illegal immigrants. REEL 2 Continues: internal security duties; question of searching vehicles and women; use of 'lightning platoon'; areas of deployment; guarding illegal immigrant camp; character of No 6 Camp in Transjordan; exercise of Transjordan; tour in Jerusalem, Palestine; off duty activities; unit casualties; transfer to 7th Bn Parachute Regt and return to GB, 8/1947; civil disturbances in Tel Aviv, Palestine; clearing women demonstrators. Aspects of period as NCO with 1st Bn Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry in Cyprus and Canal Zone of Egypt, 1951-1954: posting to Egypt after period in Cyprus; duties in Canal Zone; regimental customs. Aspects of operations as officer with 1st Bn Green Jackets in Brunei, 1962-1963: problems collecting unit at Penang, Federation of Malaya, 12/1962; move to Singapore, Federation of Malaya, 12/1962. REEL 3 Continues: journey through jungle in Brunei; duties in Brunei. Attitude to having served in British Army. Question of comradeship in British Army.