Quelch, Frank (Oral history)

British NCO served with 233 and 333 Btys, 59th Anti-Tank Regt, Royal Artillery in GB and Normandy, 1939-1944

REEL 1 Background in Ryde and Portsmouth, 1920-1939: family; education; employment; enlistment in Territorial Army, 1939. Recollections of period as NCO with 233 Bty, 59 Anti-Tank Regt, Royal Artillery in GB, 1939-1943: mobilization, 9/1939; reaction to outbreak of war, 9/1939; move to King Edward's School in Southampton, 11/1939; adjusting to army life; move to Longleat; story of runaway gun; relations between other ranks, NCOs and officers; accident during firing of 2 Pounder; training with mock tanks; incident during practice firing of 6 Pounder; crew of 6 Pounder; aircraft recognition lectures; tactical training on ranges; opinion of training; billeting at Bath Arms at Longleat, winter 1939-1940. REEL 2 Continues: move to Warminster; billeting at 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; story of promotion to bombardier; billeting in Chatham; move to Herne Bay; amusing story of avoiding church parade; initial problems with telescopes on 6 Pounders; introduction of 17 Pounder in Margate area, 1943; crew of 17 Pounder; belief in Allied victory; current affairs lectures; weight of 17 Pounder. REEL 3 Continues: maintaining and camouflaging vehicles; billeting in Margate area; pattern of training in Goudhurst area; live firing training in sea; preparations for invasion of Normandy; V1 attacks in Tilbury area; embarking on board Empire Duke at Tilbury. Recollections of operations as sergeant with 233 Bty, 59 Anti-Tank Regt, Royal Artillery, 43rd Div in Normandy, 6/1944- 7/1944: landing in Normandy, 20/6/1944; procedure for disembarking; initial impressions of Normandy; threat from German snipers; reaction to sight of German dead; move to Cheux. REEL 4 Continues: sight of Auster observation aircraft shot down by German fighter aircraft; visit to knocked out German track; defensive role of anti-tank guns; under fire from Canadian shells at Carpiquet airfield; move to Hill 112; sight of dead Germans on hill; unit casualties on hill; engaging German Panther tank; sight of group of German tanks; under German multi-barreled mortar fire; reaction to shell shocked NCO; wounding by mortar fire, 18/7/1944; evacuation for wounds. Recollections of hospitialisation for wounds in GB, 1944: character of Channel crossing in LST; move to 4th Canadian Hospital at Aldershot; move to Seacroft Hosptial, Leeds. REEL 5 Continues: story of visit from his family and girlfriend; gradual recovery at Scarcroft Hospital, Leeds; move to Queen Alexandria's Hospital, Cosham; medical re grading. Aspects of period with Royal Artillery in GB, 1945: posting to Woolwich; reasons for going absence without leave; posting to Gosforth; return to civilian employment, 8/1945. Aspects of period as NCO with RAF in GB, Ceylon, Cyprus and Northern Ireland, 1951- 1974: reasons for joining RAF, 1951; pattern of basic training at RAF Bridgenorth; posting to RAF St Eval; night exercises; RAF exchanges; posting to Ceylon; daughter's encounter with snake; maintenance duties in Ceylon; opinion of service with RAF; return to GB. REEL 6 Continues: start of unrest in Northern Ireland at RAF Aldergrove; story of taking driving test in RAF; attitude to having served with RAF; leaving RAF, 1974; return to civilian employment after 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 US and Canadian troops; memories of victory celebrations, 1945; comparison between civilian attitude towards wounded soldiers in Leeds and Portsmouth, 1944-1945; reasons for not getting army pension.