Description
Object description
British guardsman trained with Guards Depot, Caterham, GB, 1933-1934; NCO served with 4 Coy, 1st Bn Welsh Guards in London District, GB, 1934-1936; served as instructor with Guards Depot, Caterham, GB, 1936-1938; served with 1st Bn Welsh Guards in London District, GB, 1938-1939; served as instructor with Guards Depot, Caterham, GB, 6/1939-10/1939; served with 2nd Bn Welsh Guards in London District and Aldershot Command, GB, 10/1939-4/1940; served with 2nd Bn Welsh Guards, 20th Independent (Guards) Infantry Bde in GB, 4/1940-9/11941; served with 2nd (Armoured) Bn Welsh Guards, 6th Guards Tank Bde in GB and North West Europe, 9/1941-4/1945; served with 1st Bn Welsh Guards, 1st Guards Bde, Palestine Command in Palestine, 1945-1948; NCO and officer served with 1st Bn Welsh Guards in GB and Germany, 1948-1961
Content description
REEL 1 Background in GB, 1916-1933: family. Recollections of enlistment and training as guardsman with Guards Depot, Caterham in GB, 1933-1934: reasons for enlistment; family reaction to enlistment; sporting activities; medical examination; joining squad; drawing kit; uniform; description of barrack room; food; physical development during training; drill; physical training; weapons training; bayonet training; continuing education.
REEL 2 Continues: description of daily routine during basic training including meals; nature of barrack room inspections; relations with instructors; degree of contact with officers; off duty activities; inspections on walking out; leave on passing out; marching to fifes and drums. Recollections of period as NCO with 4 Coy, 1st Bn Welsh Guards in London District, GB, 1934-1936: allocation to company at Wellington Barracks; daily routine; tailoring of uniforms; ceremonial duties.
REEL 3 Continues: issue of ammunition at time of Jarrow March, 10/1936; average age of guardsmen; national identity of regiment including presence of Welsh speakers; bayonet training; training on Lewis Gun and with grenades; map reading exercises; tactical training; battalion training at Pirbright; field training and exercises; training with tanks; anti-aircraft drills; promotion and decision to stay in army; daily routine at Wellington Barracks; pay; education; awareness of situation in Europe.
REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of period as period as NCO instructor with Guards Depot at Caterham in GB, 1936-1938: duties as squad instructor; character of recruits; organisation of training; accommodation and sergeants' mess; involvement in Royal Tournament. Aspects of period as NCO with 1st Bn Welsh Guards in London District, GB, 1938-1939: return to battalion; duties; predictability of leave and duties; attending small arms course at Small Arms School at Hythe, 4/1939-6/1939 including use of Bren Gun, Lewis Gun and Ordnance SBML 2 Inch Mortar. Aspects of period as NCO instructor with Guards Depot at Caterham in GB, 6/1939-10/1939: return to depot; duties in charge of Boys' Squad; outbreak of Second World War, 9/1939. Aspects of period as NCO with 2nd Bn Welsh Guards in London District and Aldershot Command, GB, 10/1939-4/1940: selection for promotion; duties at Tower of London; introduction of battledress; training; move to Camberley.
REEL 5 Continues: Recollections of period as NCO with 2nd Bn Welsh Guards, 20th Independent (Guards) Infantry Bde in GB, 4/1940-9/1941: expedition to cover evacuation of Dutch Royal family from Netherlands; reasons for missing expedition to Boulogne, France, 5/1940; reforming of battalion; discipline during two month posting to brigade headquarters, promotion to company sergeant major; anti-invasion duties; formation of motorcycle platoon; duties as platoon commander; relations with company commander; division of responsibilities; his company commander; effect of war on pace of training; run walks. Recollections of period as NCO with 2nd (Armoured) Bn Welsh Guards, 6th Guards Tank Bde in GB, 9/1941-6/1944: conversion of battalion to an armoured one; character of armoured training.
REEL 6 Continues: character of gunnery training on ranges; tactical training at brigade level; comparison between Crusader, Centaur and Cromwell Tanks; characteristics of Cromwell Tank; opinion of the M4 Sherman Tank; tactics in advance; formations used; exercises including Exercise Spartan; duties as troop sergeant major; squadron headquarters; means of control in action; place of squadron leader during action; liaison with infantry troops; organisation of battle groups; reconnaissance role and techniques.
REEL 7 Continues: methods of tactical instruction; courses; promotion to drill sergeant major; system of resupply by echelons; sight of invasion fleet at Brighton, 6/1944; waterproofing vehicles; embarkation at Gosport. Recollections of operations as NCO with 2nd (Armoured) Bn Welsh Guards, 6th Guards Tank Bde, in Normandy France, 6/1944-8/1944: landing on Normandy beaches; visit to Bayeux; impressions of Normandy; resupply duties with B Echelon; tented accommodation, weather and rations; personnel in B Echelon; communications; moving up towards Caen; formation on move; delivery of supplies; sight of German prisoners of war.
REEL 8 Continues: battle move south east of Caen; degree of action seen; lack of problems with navigation; flow of news; visit by General Dwight D Eisenhower; off duty activities. Aspects of operations as NCO with 2nd (Armoured) Bn Welsh Guards, 6th Guards Tank Bde, in North West Europe, 8/1944-4/1945: arrangements for rapid advance to Brussels, Belgium; entry into Brussels, Belgium; surrender of German unit to Belgian Resistance; advance to Elst in Netherlands; German air attack at Eindhoven, Netherlands; Christmas dance; move to Ardennes, 12/1944; advance into Germany via Reichswald Forest.
REEL 9 Continues: crossing River Rhine, Germany, 3/1945; injuries during road accident going on leave; rejoining battalion at Cuxhaven, Germany after end of war; reconverting back to infantry role; civil population. promotion to regimental sergeant major; attitude to joining 1st Bn Welsh Guards; attitude to potential participation in war against Japan; sporting activities. Recollections of operations as NCO with 1st Bn Welsh Guards, 1st Guards Bde, Palestine Command in Palestine, 1945-1948: move to Palestine; treatment of replacements; cordon and search operations; arms finds; searching both Arab villages and Jewish settlements; intelligence and Palestine Police; character of camps; off duty activities.
REEL 10 Continues: awareness of political situation; discovery of murdered Palestine Police Force policemen; local leave and home leave; duties; transport and patrols; move to Sarafand, 1947; home leave; preparations for withdrawal; signs of trouble in Haifa; inter-communal raids. Aspects of period as NCO with 1st Bn Welsh Guards in GB and Germany, 1948-1951: return to GB; preparations for King's Birthday parade and subsequent cancellation; move to Germany, 1950; battalion duties in Germany; degree of conscripts in battalion; terms of engagement; family connections in regiment. Aspects of period as officer with 1st Bn Welsh Guards in GB and Germany, 1956-1961: returning as quartermaster lieutenant; duties and staff.
REEL 11 Continues: absorption of specialists from corps; paymaster and clerks; transport officer; pattern of career as quartermaster and staff officer; changes in Welsh Guards since 1945; forms of discipline; characteristics of good soldiers and NCOs; qualities required by officers; leadership; changes in equipment and introduction of new weapons; value of drill; character of Welsh Guards.