Hopthrow, Harry Ewart (Oral history)

British NCO served as wireless operators with Signal Service, Royal Engineers attached to Headquarters, 30th Div on Western Front, 1917-1918; served as officer with various Royal Engineer units in GB, 1925-1939; served as Deputy Assistant Director of Works, General Headquarters BEF in France, 1939-1940; served as ADoW at GHQ Home Forces, GB1940-1941; served as Deputy Chief Engineer at Headquarters, Western Command, GB, 1941; served as Controller Military Works Services, War Office, London, GB, 1941-1942; served as Director of Fortifications and Works, GB, 1942-1945

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Gainsborough, GB, 1896-1915: family circumstances; childhood; family military connections; early education; education at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, 1906-1910; sailing on River Trent; developing interest in engineering; discipline at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School; reasons for move to Municipal Technical Day School, Lincoln, 1910-1912; development of work ethic; work as apprentice in drawing office with packaging company, 1912-1915. REEL 2 Continues: work as apprentice apprentice in drawing office with packaging company, 1912-1915; studying steam engineering at night school; recreations; view of launch of HMS Amazon at Southampton Docks, c1908; effects of outbreak of war whilst on boating trip, 4/8/1914; background to attempts to enlist underage into Royal Engineers, 1914 including reasons; reasons for initial rejection, prior drill instruction at school and second rejection with heel problem; question of effects of war on packaging company; training with St John's Ambulance Brigade; acting as Boy Scout master. REEL 3 Background to recruitment as wireless operator with Royal Engineers at Central Recruiting Office, Great Scotland Yard, London, 29/6/1915: answering newspaper advert; passing medical; problem over railway warrant on train to London; procedure; parents' and employers reactions. Period with 1st Provisional Coy, Wireless Boys, Royal Engineers at St Mary's Barracks, Chatham Barracks, GB, 6/1915-7/1915: barrack accommodation; initial home sickness; kitting out; drill; kit inspections; food rations; relationship with recruits, initial homesickness. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine during period at Maryhill Barracks, Glasgow, 7/1915-2/1916: barrack room; move into former married quarters; method of learning Morse code at Telegraph School, Glasgow Post Office including practice in sending, receiving and problems of older recruits. REEL 4 Continues: question of awareness as child of Boer War, 1899-1902; prior kitting out with uniform and equipment at Chatham; recreations during weekend passes in Glasgow; relationship with civilians; post office instructors; development of Morse sending 'hand'; fire at nearby munitions works; pay and expenditure. Period at Biggleswade, 2/1916-6/1916: billets; drill; special friend; route marches; opinion of NCOs and officers. Period training as wireless operator at Wireless School, Worcester and Malvern, GB, 6/1916-3/1917: learning wireless procedures and question of differences from telephone signallers; question of use of ciphers; training in use of trench, pack, wagon and lorry wireless sets. REEL 5 Continues: training in lorry wireless set; learning wireless procedures; lectures from officer instructor and singing broadcasts by his wife as exercise; question of progress in voice wireless transmission; restricted role as wireless operators; method of erecting and earthing aerials; posting to lorry wireless set; Morse code speed tests; recreations; billets at Malvern; effects of measles epidemic at Worcester; nature of training; method of using Playfair and Field Ciphers; training in drill for local military funerals and dispute over miss-firing rifles at funeral; visits to Worcester Cathedral; composition of lorry wireless section; method of erecting aerial on setting up lorry wireless; diahhorrea problems; ignorance of conditions on Western Front. REEL 6 Journey out to Infantry Base Depot at Rouen, France, 13/31917-14/3/1917: prior inclusion in cancelled drafts; kitting out; crossing aboard Princess Alexandria; period in camp; train journey. Period as wireless operator with Wireless Coy attached to General Headquarters at Montreuil and Advanced GHQ at St Pol; 3/1917-1917: relationship with French civilians; recreations; training messages passed between lorry wireless sets parked on golf course at Le Touquet; standby role; setting up long range receiver to pick up press messages; prior role in intercepting Zeppelin wireless messages during period at Malvern; recreations; conditions of service; minimal contact with staff; characteristics of lorry wireless set; rota system; nature of training messages sent; wireless frequencies monitored and procedure. REEL 7 Continues: question of interference with interception of signals by direction finding stations; question of use of telefunken wireless and opinion of German wireless equipment; research into intercepting Fullerphone messages; state of roads and priority of signals traffic; lectures; recreations and football; background to failed application to join Royal Naval Motor Boat Reserve; question of awareness of nature and causes of mutiny at Etaples, 9/1917; efficient railway arrangements at Etaples. Recollections of period with Wireless Section, Divisional Signals Coy, Headquarters, 30th Division in Ypres area, 9/1917-1/1918: background to policy of attaching wireless sections to divisional signals; lack of contact with divisional signals officer; question of lack of wireless role in static positions; ladder telephone line system employed at front and disparaging attitude of signal personnel to wireless; opinion of wireless officer. REEL 8 Continues: opinion of wireless officer; problems with food rations during periods in line; opinion of officers; original lone operation and increase in size of wireless team following visit by officer during period at Torrakins Farm wireless station, Messines sector, 10/1917; move to German pillbox at Gun Farm, Messines sector, 10/1917; German shellfire; question of carrying equipment and taking over wireless equipment on move into line; wireless watch rota and duties; ground wireless power buzzer used by infantry signallers; location of wireless stations at battalion, advanced brigade or brigade headquarters; method of operating trench wireless set; exchanging dugouts on changeover of infantry units; rat problem; lice problem; mice living in wireless set; initial use of emergency food rations and subsequent rations from neighbouring infantry units; water supply; washing and mobile baths; shaving; uniform. REEL 9 Continues: latrines; tours of duty with brigades; period at Gun Farm; German shellfire; neighbouring line signal office; attack of trench fever and period in field ambulance hospital; birthday celebrations at Bailleul, 13/11/1917; move to Renninghelst, 11/1917; nearby railway gun and ammunition dump; period at wireless station at Stirling Castle, 12/1917; letter and parcel contact with GB; rum ration; carrying parties taking up accumulators; erection of sausage aerial to pick up German signals; failed attempt to visit canteen in Ypres; move to Somme area, 1/191. Recollections of period in Somme area, 1/1917-: taking over in quiet sector formerly held by French; wireless silence; question of introduction of valve amplifiers; passing examination as skilled wireless operator; duties at divisional directing station including use of Wilson transmitter, role of station and arrangements for repair or replacement of faulty trench wireless sets; question of increase in wireless range at night and effects of weather; method of intervening as divisional directing station. REEL 10 Recollections of journey to Somme area, 1/1918: story of driver's loss of nerve during German air raid; nature of pave roads; delay at railhead; train journey; view of leaning Virgin statue at Albert; detraining at Corbie; duties with portable electrical lighting generator lorry; close escape from bomb; story of wiring electrical lights for divisional commander; damage caused prior to withdrawal of German troops. Recollections of period in Somme area, 1/1918-3/1918: question of cleaning up after previous occupation by French troops; lectures from wireless officer; strict wireless silence on move into line; GB leave, 3/1918, including watching 'Chou Chin Chou' show in London and question of civilians ignorance of conditions on Western Front; initial divisional headquarters at Dury; ground conditions. Account of German offensive and subsequent retreat from St Quentin sector, Somme area, 21/3/1918-4/8/1918: review of divisional forward wireless arrangements including trench set at Epine d'Alon, power buzzer at Manchester Hill and personal role using trench set and power buzzer with relay station team at Savy Quarry; situation and reserve infantry positions in sap at Savy Quarry, 20/3/1918; beginning of German preliminary bombardment; nature of messages passed form forward units. REEL 11 Continues: increasing German shell fire and consequent move into sap; strength of wireless and power buzzer signals; effects of German shell hitting entrance to air shaft; story of prior visit to Manchester Hill power buzzer station, 20/3/1918; lookout above sap and view of approach of German troops; destruction of wireless equipment immediately prior to capture of sap by German troops; question of resisting capture; absence of wireless officer; question of minimal role of wireless during action; question of 'ZZZ' wireless message sent immediately prior to capture; period in sap with German soldiers; British bombardment prior to attack; composition of group of British POWs; attack by 17th Bn, Manchester Regt and success in escaping on re-capture of Savy Quarry; retreat and story of meeting lost soldiers at Etreux; prior surrender of former German captors on British attack at Savvy Quarry; story of soldier's refusal to leave cavalry greatcoat retreat towards Dury; reception on arrival at Dury; cases of looting and drunkenness during retreat through Ham; lack of wireless duties during retreat to Hengest. REEL 12 Continues: temporary evacuation of Hengest on arrival of German cavalry patrol; re-occupying Hengest; question of supplies; question of congested roads; continuation of retreat to Saleux; train journey to St Valery sur Somme; explanation and demonstration sending by Hopthrow on wireless practise buzzer of 'ZZZ' message sent from Savvy Quarry, 21/3/1918; faster demonstration of sending at aprox 12 word a minute; standard non-coded operating signals; review of composition of 30th Div including senior divisional and brigade officers, Liver Bird cap badges and XVIII Corps badges; opinion of various ORs, NCOs and officers of wireless section including character of wireless operators and NCOs, failure of officer to appoint replacement NCOs and story of NCO unable to control men and question of wireless operators attached to Manchester Hill. REEL 13 Continues: opinion of various ORs, NCOs and officers of wireless section; period of reorganisation at St Valery sur Somme; story of Canadian deserter acting as camp warden. Recollections of period in Ypres area, 4/1918: prior movements; wireless station at Souvenir House; quiet nature of sector; meeting souvenir hunter searching for German corpses; move to Varner Farm; lack of warning from brigade and personal morale in retreat following German Lys offensive, 9/4/1918; types of German shellfire including howitzers and gas shells; question of use of wireless and power buzzers; dental problems; death of cousin. Period at St Quentin la Motte Croix Baillie Rue, 4/1918: practising on sounder; attack of scabies; story of billet in brothel. REEL 14 Continues: visit to French civilian friends at Montreuil; training on loop wireless; use of Crossley boxcar to transport wireless. Aspects of advance, ca 9/1918-11/1918: period at Headquarters, Second Army at Mount Cassel; hospitalisation with infection of cellular tissue on legs, 9/1918; increasing use of wireless as advance outpaced telephone system whilst attached to Headquarters, 89th Bde; elephant iron shelter; importance of knowing location; using German aerial mast and spark gap to improve signal; forwarding 46th Div signals; sending some messages in clear, 10/11/1918-11/11/1918; question of break of communications during moves; supply system; promotion to second corporal; sergeants' mess; reaction of liberated Belgian civilians; assisting in restarting civilian electrical generators; story illustrating keenness of cavalry unit to get into action despite advance news of imminent Armistice, 10/11/1918; reactions to news of Armistice, 11/11/1918. REEL 15 Various aspects of service on Western Front, 54/1918-11/1918: wireless situation during retreat following German Lys offensive, 4/1918; divisional casualties and consequent cadre status; opinion of new signal officer; SOS wireless message from sinking HMS Panther; situation and casualties in Ypres area; development of open warfare conditions and consequent increase in wireless traffic, ca 10/1918-11/1918. Recollections of period in Remescure, 11/1918: exclusion from advance into Germany; building camp. Background to demobilisation whilst on leave in GB, 10/2/1910. Post-war career: problems on returning to work as apprentice in drawing office with packaging company; question of securing work in wireless and effect of introduction of valve transmission; studying in mechanical engineering at Loughborough College, ca 1920-1923; mental effects of war service; background to securing initially unpaid employment as pupil civil engineer at Leeds, ca 1923-1925; securing work with Synthetic Ammonium and Nitrates Imperial Chemical Industries at Billingham, ca 1925; securing commission with Supplementary Reserve, Regular Army Reserve of Officers; training Inglis bridges with 55 Coy, RE at Catterick; posting to 106 Coy, RE at Bright Street Drill Hall, Doncaster. Recollections of service as officer with 107 Coy, RE at Middlesborough, ca 1925-1935: appointment as adjutant; question of appointment of NCOs; policy of recruiting ex-soldiers; effects of severe economic depression on Teeside in encouraging recruitment due to food rations supplied on weekend camps. REEL 16 Continues: question of partly regular status of unit and pay in contrast to territorials; passing regular army promotional qualification exams; duties; problems with drill hall; nature of drill night training; summer camp projects; review of work as civil engineer as project manager constructing ammonium chemical plant and facilities for ICI at Billingham, 1925-1935; question of effects of promotion to major in command of unit. Move to erect and manage building block factory plant for ICI at Silvertown, London, 1935: problems with viability of selling building blocks; providing recreations for boy labourers; closure of plant. REEL 17 Period at as pupil civil engineer at Leeds, ca 1923-1925: opinion of chief engineer; recreational lectures; assisting office boy in attempt to gain degree; marriage and stories of honeymoon in Paris, 1925. Period at ICI Headquarters, Millbank, London, 1936-1939: role lobbying industry and political parties with regard to provisions within Factories Act, 1937; review of role in representing ICI and major customers at town planning inquiries; minimal role during brief period attached as officer with Searchlight Coy, RE at Croydon; effects of Munich crisis whilst participating in public inquiry on Canvey Island, 9/1938; question of ICI role in manufacturing explosives and ammunition. Period as major to join 7 Coy, RE at Colchester, 8/1939-9/1939: mobilisation, 15/8/1939: ,opinion of colonel; question of mechanisation; exercises in building pontoon bridge over River Medway. REEL 18 Continues: exercises in building pontoon bridge over Medway; mobilisation, 4/9/1939; military role of unit; question of lack of experience of officers in big projects. Period with No 1 General Base Depot, RE, Aldershot, 9/1939: prior false air raid warnings, 3/9/1939; reception from commanding officer; wife's move to Tunbridge Wells; duties introducing new padres to army including cap badge, story of padre placed under arrest, parade and characters. Period in Brittany, France, : 9/1939-10/11939: opinion of commanding officer; battledress. Period as Deputy Assistant Director of Works, General Headquarters, BEF in Arras area, 10/1939-4/1940: reception; role in securing supply and organising engineering stores; opinion of Major General Pakenham Walsh and Brigadier C J S King; dispersed nature of GHQ; gardening enthusiasm of gunner officer. REEL 19 Continues: problems in transport of engineering stores; French interpreter; duties; move into Arras; question of role in providing materials for construction of pillboxes to extend Maginot Line; opinion of Duke of Gloucester; supply of corrugated iron from neutral Belgium; locating sources of gravel and sand for pillbox concrete; role supplying materials required for building airfields; strength of RAF; recreations; opinion of French Army; purchase of limestone quarry from French owners; story illustrating opinion of Lord Gort. REEL 20 Continues: opinion of senior GHQ staff officers including review of their specialisations and subsequent careers; billets; nature of officers' mess; centralisation of staff at Arras; billets; French liaison officer; German air raids on Arras; visit to Armistice train at Compiegne; view of sunk passenger ship in Le Havre harbour; story of meeting Italian woman suspected of being spy during visit to Rouen. REEL 21 Continues: story of meeting Italian woman suspected of being spy during visit to Rouen; inspecting camouflage net factory at Rouen; inspecting new engineers store depot; question of continued friendship with Italian woman suspected of being spy; establishment of underground Advanced GHQ in Lille area; movements of AGHQ due to German offensive, 5/1940; strategic situation; story of being sent to determine situation of party of sappers at St Pol including view of column of refugees, reception from officer commanding and organising their move to Dunkirk; story of despatch rider running into German area; replacement of inadequate Commander Royal Engineers of Headquarters, 50th Div; question of reputation of territorial divisions; opinion of Corps commanders; failed attempt to organise French counter-attack from St Amand; question of demolition of bridges; absence of engineering duties and decision to destroy stores and equipment; question of status and consequent early move back to Dunkirk; question of pessimism at GHQ; reaction to Stuka air attacks. REEL 22 Recollections of evacuation from Dunkirk, 26/5/1940-27/5/1940: situation; embarkation from Dunkirk mole; question of control of embarkation procedure; story of assisting in unloading of petrol from cargo ship; question of effects of fatigue; story of taking message back for officer. Initial movements in GB, 5/1940-6/1940: journey by train to Aldershot; handing in GHQ war diary in London; story of threatening guard requesting pass; story of unfeasible proposal from civilian to sabotage German airfields; question of conditions of service during 'Phoney War' in France in contrast to London; posting to supervise storage facilities at railway sidings in Liverpool. Period as Assistant Director of Works at GHQ Home Forces at Nether Hall, St Paul's School, Hammersmith and Whitehall, 6/1940-3/1941: daily routine; role as president of officers mess; story illustrating character of Ironside; Ironside's concentration on construction of beach defences; opinion of Ironside and Alanbrook; relationship with Director of Works, C J S King. REEL 23 Continues: officer's servants; officers' mess; role of Phantom teams; story of desertion and court martial of mess corporal from ATS; billets; attack of prickly heat; various ideas for beach defences; selection of positions for GHQ Lines based on rivers; ;question of involvement with pillbox siting and design; Alanbrooke's introduction of mobile system of defence; Alanbrook's reaction to General Staff appreciation forecasting defeat in possible German invasion; assisting Coat's Mission in provision of safe house for Royal family in Macclesfield area; precautions against German fifth columnists; provision of Royal Engineer unit to assist after direct hits from German bombs on London Underground stations; 12/1941; move into underground headquarters next to Cabinet War Rooms in Whitehall; night duty in engineer's office and story of meeting Churchill; opinion of underground headquarters; background to German use of parachute bombs on London. REEL 24 Continues: use of scaffolding to catch German parachute bombs if dropped over Whitehall; story of testing Canadian rubber mat laid to create instant airfields, ca 1941; question of failure of PLUTO oil pipelines to France; question of use of flares to light airfield runways at night; role locating possible sites for deep dugouts; question of effects of blast on open ended tunnels; use of black smoke generators for artificial blackout; recall and retirement of elderly officers; successful test prior to use of tubular scaffolding on beaches to prevent landing; promotion to Deputy Chief Engineer, Home Forces, 11/1940; initial acceptance of redesign of Ingles Bridge and question of reason one collapsed with fatalities and consequent use of Bailey Bridge. Period as Deputy Chief Engineer at Western Command, 3/1941-6/1941: background to posting; situation and role; acting as technical advisor in event of German air raid at Runcorn. REEL 25 Continues: acting as technical advisor and assistance from ICI engineer in event of German air raid at Runcorn. Period as Deputy Controller Military Works Services, War Office, ca 5/1941-2/1942: role of Works Services and historical responsibility of Royal Engineers; nature of problems originating in open contracts negotiated in haste to provide militia camps on introduction of conscription, 1939; staff assembled by Controller of Military Works Services C J S King; relevance of civilian engineering experience; re-organisational role including construction cost accounting system. Period as Brigadier Director of Fortifications and Works, War Office at Romney House, Marshall Street, London, 2/1942-4/1945: background to initial posting as Deputy Director and creation of post Director of Engineering Stores; opinion of previous Director General Buchannan; nature of responsibilities at home and outside theatres of war; first news of requirement to supply camps for 1,500,000 US troops; illustrations of use of former military and civilian contacts to supply specialist staff; development of standard pattern army camp; removal of redundant architect officer; story of consulting engineer complaining of been over-paid; monitoring role; review of special depot, underground storage and reservoir projects. REEL 26 Continues: review of prior role in re-organisation of works services with district organisation and central mechanised accounting; review of directorate staff officers; problems in relationship with regular officers; role and staff of initiating offices, FW1 and FW2; role and staff of coastal defence office, FW3; role and staff of design office, FW4; role and staff of administrative, instruction and accounting office, FW6; role of surveyor of works office in producing standardised plans; civilian office staff; specialist officers in electrical works and sewage plants; visits to works and boilers installed at ordnance depot at Bicester. REEL 27 Continues: visits to underground and surface ammunition depots constructed at Corsham mines; water supply problems at surface ammunition depot at Kinlayton; problems with reservoir construction in remote area to supply Faslane base; stories illustrating refusal to undertake local works which town councils attempted to pass over to army; visits to try to examine penetration of German shells fired at Dover fortifications; visits to 'Winnie' and 'Pooh' railway guns firing at Calais and difficulties in arranging suitable camouflage due to security problems with contractors; visit to prevent naval scheme to tie up old battleships and inspect Mulberry Harbour piece constructed at Faslane base; story of rejection of stoves offered to army; first news of requirement to supply camps and supporting services for 1,500,000 US troops and initial estimations of cost by King; specifications for standard designs of depots built for US troops. REEL 28 Continues: higher specification required for US camps and equipment; labour supply used in building camps; question of liaison with US engineers; building hospitals for US camps; problems in securing water supplies for camps; providing camps for British troops; attempt to fit damp course to Nissen huts; story of rejecting idea of fitting damp courses to ATS latrines; special workshops facilities provided for US Army; story of local contractor imprisoned for forging accounts and his daughter's connection with senior British officer; laying tank tracks in preparations for D Day; calculations on penetration of shells based on theoretical mathematics and subsequent visit to see practical results on German coastal fortifications in France; sending specialists to examine issues of electricity supply and fortifications; activities of specialist sent to investigate water supply at Malta and Gibraltar. REEL 29 Continues: force of sappers sent out to Falkland Islands and their visit ashore at Montevideo, Uruguay; question of effect of climate on Royal Engineer presence in Caribbean; question of involvement in providing defences for Christmas Island and Madagascar; background to British preventative invasion of Portuguese Azores; role in providing guns and engineering specialists for coastal defence works at Lisbon, Portugal; review of abilities and characters of heads and senior staff of various FW departments. REEL 30 Continues: review of abilities and characters of heads and senior staff of various FW departments; system of using civilian contractors quoting for competitive contracts; smaller term contracts based on 'book' of set prices; story illustrating difficult relationship with supervising works finance department; story of securing right to requisition water supplies; use of bed manufacturers to supply steel for reinforced concrete pillboxes; background to design of Romney hut for large scale storage and subsequent canvas roof modification; relationship with subordinate officers; daily routine; state of morale; question of responsibility for repair of recreational piers partially demolished during war; question of taking up positions as Deputy Engineer Chief, India and decision to take release leave, 4/1945. Value of pre-war legal training in taking up position as Assistant Secretary of ICI, 1945-1958. REEL 31 Period as Brigadier Director of Fortifications and Works, War Office at Romney House, Marshall Street, London, 2/1942-4/1945: story of visit to German POW camp; visit to army camp to investigate fatalities caused by double bunks; visit to US administrative centre; visits to School of Military Engineering at Ripon; attending meetings of Inventions Board and awards granted to inventors; attending meetings of Army Hygiene Advisory Committee and story of possible cure developed to cure scrub typhus epidemic in Burma; acting as chair of committee running Royal Engineers Journal; visit to Chief Engineer of Southern Command; daily morning routine including reading précis of correspondence, directors' conference to report to quartermaster general at War Office, visits to War Office map room and illustrations of nature of meetings attended; attending occasional military film shows and lectures; liaison with Director of Works, RAF; use of telephone; story of securing right to requisition water supplies. REEL 32 Continues: illustrations of nature of meetings attended; question of securing final payment of accounts with civilian contractors; use of ATS personnel in accounting; nature of correspondence with overseas stations; lunch and question of drinking habits; afternoon meeting with departmental heads; story of intervening to help with civil servant's matrimonial problems with US NCO; story of gift of stately home from Mr Courtauld to War Office; sending inspection team to report on reasons for German successful defence of Calais; overcoming problem with RAF anti-aircraft training domes leaking. Hopthrow Dictaphone recording of him reading summary of his service career in Royal Engineers, 1915-1945. REEL 33 Continuation of Hopthrow Dictaphone recording of him reading summary of his service career in Royal Engineers, 1915-1945.