Interview with Frank Quelch

British NCO served with 233rd Bty, 59th (Duke of Connaught's Hampshire) Anti-Tank Regt, Royal Artillery, 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Div in GB and Normandy, France, 1939-1944

REEL 1 Background in Ryde, Isle of Wight and Portsmouth, GB, 1920-1939: family; education; employment; enlistment in Territorial Army, 1939. Recollections of period as NCO with 233rd Bty, 59th (Duke of Connaught's Hampshire) Anti-Tank Regt, Royal Artillery, 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Div in GB, 1939-1944: mobilisation, 9/1939; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; move to King Edward's School in Southampton, 11/1939; adjusting to military life; move to Longleat; story of runaway gun; relations between other ranks, NCOs and officers; accident during firing of Ordnance QF 2 Pounder Anti-Tank Gun; training with mock tanks; incident during practice firing with Ordnance QF 6 Pounder Anti-Tank Gun; crew of Ordnance QF 6 Pounder Anti-Tank Gun; aircraft recognition lectures; tactical training on ranges; opinion of training; billeting at Bath Arms at Horningsham, winter 1939-1940. REEL 2 Continues: move to Warminster; billeting in Welwyn Garden City; amusing story of meeting former civilian who lived in Welwyn Garden City during Second World War; move to Chatham; memories of Operation Tiger; inter-unit rivalry; technique for getting gun ready for action in six seconds; driver mechanic course at Gillingham, 12/1941; character of Loyd Carrier; anti-gas training and mine training; promotion to bombardier; billeting in Chatham; move to Herne Bay; amusing story of avoiding church parade; initial problems with telescopes on Ordnance QF 6 Pounder Anti-Tank Gun; introduction of Ordnance QF 17 Pounder Anti-Tank Gun at Margate, 1943; crew of Ordnance QF 17 Pounder Anti-Tank Gun; belief in Allied victory; current affairs lectures; weight of Ordnance QF 17 Pounder Anti-Tank Gun. REEL 3 Continues: maintaining and camouflaging vehicles; billeting in Margate area; pattern of training in Goudhurst area; live firing training into sea; preparations for invasion of Normandy; V1 attacks in Tilbury area; embarkation aboard SS Empire Duke at Tilbury. Recollections of operations as NCO with 233rd Bty, 59th (Duke of Connaught's Hampshire) Anti-Tank Regt, Royal Artillery, 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Div in Normandy, France, 6/1944-7/1944: landing in Normandy, 20/6/1944; procedure for disembarking; initial impressions of Normandy; threat from German Army snipers; reaction to sight of German dead; move to Cheux. REEL 4 Continues: sight of shooting down of Taylorcraft Auster observation aircraft by German Air Force fighter aircraft; visit to knocked out German tank; defensive role of anti-tank guns; under fire from Canadian Army artillery at Carpiquet Airfield; move to Hill 112; sight of dead German troops on Hill 112; unit casualties on Hill, 112; engaging German Panther Tank; sight of group of German tanks; under German multi-barrelled mortar fire; reaction to shell shocked NCO; wounding by mortar fire, 18/7/1944; evacuation for wounds. Recollections of hospitalisation for wounds in GB, 1944-1945: crossing English Channel crossing in landing ship tank; move to 4th Canadian General Hospital at Aldershot; move to Seacroft Hospital, Leeds. REEL 5 Continues: story of visit from family and girlfriend; gradual recovery at Seacroft Hospital, Leeds; move to Queen Alexandra's Hospital, Cosham; medical regrading. Aspects of period as NCO with Royal Artillery in GB, 1945: posting to Woolwich, London; reasons for going absence without leave; posting to Gosforth; return to civilian employment, 8/1945. Aspects of period as NCO with Royal Air Force in GB, Ceylon, Cyprus and Northern Ireland, 1951-1974: reasons for joining Royal Air Force, 1951; pattern of basic training at RAF Bridgnorth; posting to RAF St Eval; night exercises; Royal Air Force exchanges; posting to Ceylon; daughter's encounter with snake; maintenance duties in Ceylon; opinion of service with Royal Air Force; return to GB. REEL 6 Continues: start of unrest in Northern Ireland at RAF Aldergrove; story of taking driving test with Royal Air Force; attitude to having served with Royal Air Force; leaving Royal Air Force, 1974; return to civilian employment, 1974. Reflections of service with Royal Artillery in Second World War: reaction to being under mortar fire; question of not wanting to become officer; opinion of Germans; attitude towards United States Army and Canadian Army troops; memories of victory celebrations, 5/1945; comparison between civilian attitude towards wounded soldiers in Leeds and Portsmouth, 1944-1945; reasons for not receiving army pension.