Description
Object description
British clerk served with Air Raid Precautions in Chesterfield, GB, 1938-1940; signalman served as teleprinter operator with Royal Corps of Signals in GB, 1941; served with 48th Teleprinter Operating Section, No 2 Coy, Line of Communications Signals, Royal Corps of Signals with Headquarters, Eighth Army in North Africa and Italy, 1941-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Brampton, GB, 1916-1938: family; education; obtaining initial employment; learning shorthand/typing; employment as clerk with police force. Aspects of period as clerk with Air Raid Precautions in Chesterfield, GB, 1938-1940: formation of Air Raid Precautions, 1938; gas instruction and use of stirrup pump; issue of gas masks; construction of warden posts and headquarters; learning Morse Code.
REEL 2 Continues: reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; siren alert, 3/9/1939; duties, 1939-1940; entertainment provided for Air Raid Precautions. Aspects of enlistment and training as signalman with Royal Corps of Signals at Signal Training Centre, Catterick Camp in GB, 1940-1941: call-up, 30/5/1940; pattern of training; adapting to army life; training as teleprinter operator; description of teleprinter and its operation; teleprinter ratings. Aspects of period as teleprinter operator with Royal Corps of Signals in GB, 1941: initial posting to Edinburgh; posting to Putney, London; incident during German air raid.
REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of voyage aboard HMT Strathaird from GB to Egypt 5/1941-6/1941: hearing of sinking of HMS Hood, 5/1941; rough sea conditions; reception in Cape Town, South Africa. Aspects of period as signalman with Royal Corps of Signals in Egypt, 6/1941-7/1941: arrival in Egypt, 6/1941; acclimatisation period in Egypt. Recollections of period as teleprinter operator with 48th Teleprinter Operating Section, No 2 Coy, Line of Communications Signals, Royal Corps of Signals with Headquarters, Eighth Army in North Africa, 1941-1943: posting to Maaten Bagush Camp, Egypt; rota system worked in signal office; line from Headquarters, Eighth Army to Headquarters, Middle East Command in Cairo, Egypt; story illustrating bad lines and necessity of keeping a copy of messages sent; causes of bad lines; question of use of teleprinters as opposed to wireless communication.
REEL 4 Continues: coded messages; relative urgency classifications of messages; story of getting lost in desert whilst on duty; question of teleprinter reliability and maintenance; daily routine; effects of climate and cold at night; problems with flies; rations; prevalence of dysentery; personal health; personal morale; lack of contact with senior officers; move to Buq Buq, 12/1941; establishment of teleprinter in 3 Ton Bedford Truck; separation of headquarter vehicles; importance of digging personal slit trench.
REEL 5 Continues: establishing air leader service between Tobruk, Libya and Cairo, Egypt, 12/1941; importance of photograph of girl at home; contact with home; parcels from home and smoking pipe; learning to ride motorcycle on airfield; withdrawal from airfield to map reference in desert; withdrawal to El Alamein Line, 1942; briefing from General Bernard Montgomery prior to El Alamein battle; impressions of General Bernard Montgomery; character of artillery barrage at of El Alamein, Egypt, 23/10/1942; teleprinter work during opening phases of Battle of El Alamein, 10/1942; advance towards Mersa Matruh, Egypt; British Army hygiene.
REEL 6 Continues: opinion of Italian hygiene in former camp at Mersa Matruh, Egypt; visit by Prime Minister Winston Churchill; impressions of General Freddie De Guingand prior to Battle of Mareth, Tunisia, 1943. Recollections of operations as teleprinter operator with 48th Teleprinter Operating Section, No 2 Coy, Line of Communications Signals, Royal Corps of Signals with Headquarters, Eighth Army in Italy, 1943-1945: background to move to Sicily, 1943; concert performances; move onto Italian mainland; German Air Force raid on Bari, 1943; Italian population collecting razor fish; reaction to General Bernard Montgomery leaving Eighth Army; move to Caserta; opinion of American teleprinter operator's method of sending message.
REEL 7 Continues: relations with Italian civilians; watching forces football match; memories of hearing of German surrender at Udine, 5/1945; degree of contact with American and South African personnel; hospitalisation on return to GB, 8/1945; later duties with 49th (West Riding) Divisional Signals in Germany, 1946; demobilisation and return to civilian employment, 1946.