Description
Object description
British civilian member of 8th (Holsworthy) Bn Devonshire Home Guard in Holsworthy, GB, 1940-1941; aircraftman served with Royal Air Force and Royal Air Force Regiment in GB, 1941-1943; officer served with No 124 Wing Signals, RAF in GB and North West Europe, 1943-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of period as member of 8th (Holsworthy) Bn Devonshire Home Guard in Holsworthy GB, 1940-1941: volunteering for Local Defence Volunteers, 1940; unit personnel; local home guard area; taking command of No 1 Coy; kitting out of unit; arrival of boxes of rifles; Molotov Cocktails; visit to gun demonstration in Plymouth; mishap with rifle during patrol; mounting ceremonial military funeral; grenade throwing practice; plans for ambushes; attitude towards Germans and spirit in Home Guard; question of effectiveness of Home Guard.
REEL 2 Continues: call-up to Royal Air Force, 1941; disciplinary incident. Aspects period as aircraftsman with Royal Air Force and Royal Air Force Regiment in GB, 1941-1942: volunteering for air gunnery armament work in Wales; his idea for a retractable pillbox for airfield defence and it's reception; volunteering for Royal Air Force Regiment; commando training on Isle of Man, 1942-1943; his removal with disability from Royal Air Force Regiment. Recollections of period as officer with No 124 Wing Signals, RAF in GB and North West Europe, 1943-1945: posting to mobile signals unit, 1943; working with Royal Air Force mobile hospital; wintering in Eindhoven area, Netherlands, 1944-1945; securing brandy supplies for Christmas, 12/1944.
REEL 3 Continues: advance into Germany, 4/1945; orders to set up communications centre in former German Army headquarters at Flensburg, Germany, 5/5/1945; journey to Flensburg, Germany; landing of German aircraft at Flensburg, Germany; crossing from Flensburg, Germany into Denmark; how he heard that Joseph Goebbels racehorses were brought to Denmark and how he refused request to take them back; fraternisation with Danish civilians; fraternisation with Danish civilians after VE Day, 5/1945; bartering with Danish civilians; setting up communications centre on Sylt Island, Germany where German naval POWs had mutinied, 5/1945.