Wood, Stanley Delville (Oral history)

British NCO served with 1/5th Bn Durham Light Infantry (54th Searchlight Regt) in GB, 1939-1940; officer cadet trained with No 133 Officer Cadet Training Unit at Shrivenham, GB, 1940-1941; officer served with 28th (Essex) Searchlight Regt, Royal Artillery, 29th (East Anglian), 37th and 56th Anti-Aircraft Bdes, 6th Anti-Aircraft Div in GB, 1941-1942; served as radar calibrator attached to 264 Sqdn, Air Defence of Great Britain, RAF in GB, 1943-1944; served with 1st Bn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers in India, 1944-1945; served with 2nd Bn Durham Light Infantry, 8th Infantry Bde, 2nd Infantry Div in Burma and India, 1/1945-12/1945

REEL 1 Background in Willington, GB, 1916-1939: family; education, employment in steel industry; interest in sport. Aspects of period as gunner with 1/5th Bn Durham Light Infantry (54th Searchlight Regt) in GB, 4/1939-8/1939: joining Territorial Army at Darlington, 4/1939; nature of training; character of equipment; employment of searchlights. Recollections of period as gunner and NCO with 1/5th Bn Durham Light Infantry (54th Searchlight Regt) in GB, 1939-1940: mobilisation and move to Bridlington, 9/1939; role of unit wiring Bridlington Pier, 3/9/1939; living conditions, winter 1939-1940; promotion to lance-corporal; first German Air Force attack; aircraft spotting and use of listening device; daily routine; deputation from Bridlington's mayor asking for searchlight to be moved. REEL 2 Continues: living conditions; independent nature of unit; initial contact with German aircraft; opinion of officers; memories of Captain Harry Brown; relations with civilians; daily routine; attending course at Huddersfield; transfer to headquarters at Filey; role in charge of physical training. Aspects of training as officer cadet with No 133 Officer Cadet Training Unit at Shrivenham, GB, 1940-1941: training in officer duties; lack of failure amongst officer cadets; military tailors; leave. Recollections of period as officer with 28th (Essex) Searchlight Regt, 29th (East Anglian), 37th and 56th Anti-Aircraft Bdes, 6th Anti-Aircraft Div, Royal Artillery in GB, 1941-1942: reception on joining unit at Hastings; moving around between different searchlight sites; introduction of radar to searchlight unit; role of searchlight units and lack of contact with anti-aircraft sites; operation of searchlight to aid night fighters. REEL 3 Continues: relations with troops; memories of batman Timmy Green; duties of batman; relations with local civilians; frequent action; system for warning against German aircraft on route to London; transfer of equipment from sites. Aspects of period as radar calibrator attached to 264 Sqdn, Air Defence of Great Britain, RAF in GB, 1943-1944: orders to report to Astral House, London; joining squadron at RAF West Malling; role as airborne radar calibrator; incident were pilot flew over France; return to unit. Aspects of period on infantry training course at Dunbar, GB, 1944: nature of training; live fire training; posting to Far East; voyage from GB to India, summer 1944. REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of period as officer with 1st Bn Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers in India, 1944-1945: initial impressions of India; attachment to unit; sport; living accommodation; employment of bearer; lack of unrest amongst Indian civilians; nature of jungle training near Bhophal including issue of jungle green uniforms, medical precautions taken, navigating in jungle, rations, opinion of training, supply problems and weapons carried; move to Comilla. Recollections of operations as officer with 2nd Bn Durham Light Infantry, 8th Infantry Bde, 2nd Infantry Div in Burma, 1/1945-12/1945: reception with unit; memories of Lieutenant-Colonel W S 'Tank' Waterhouse; morale in unit; allocation to platoon. REEL 5 Continues: role and duties; help recieved from platoon NCOs; nature of Imperial Japanese Army resistance; terrain in central Burma; advance on narrow frontage in triangular formation; communication by radio; night-time defensive positions; Imperial Japanese Army rearguard tactics; lack of air support; area of operations north west of Mandalay; divisional objective to cross River Irrawaddy; attitude of troops towards Japanese forces; lack of instruction manuals; officer conferences; composition of platoon; medical problems; tactics employed during advance; threat from mines and booby traps including wired bombs in road; night-time rations and guard duties; patrolling. REEL 6 Continues: morale and casualty rate; adjusting to action in open terrain; question of references to being ' Forgotten Army'; question of influence of religion; regional composition of unit; orders to cross River Irrawaddy, 2/1945; digging in to reconnoiter River Irrawaddy; artillery support for crossing; sight of rocket firing Hawker Hurricanes; lack of Japanese opposition crossing River Irrawaddy, 24/2/1945; tank support in bridgehead; finding Japanese suicide bomber in hole in ground; accidental wounding of troops by tank fire; character of Imperial Japanese Army rearguard troops; blocking action on road and railway in bridgehead; Imperial Japanese Army officer and batman killed during blocking action; withdrawal to India; hearing of end of war in Europe on landing craft on route to Rangoon, 8/5/1945; lack of opposition to landings at Rangoon, 5/1945; issue of detailed maps; condition of Rangoon; patrolling in city; move to Pegu area; hearing of atomic bombs being dropped on Japan, 8/1945; return to India, 9/1945. REEL 7 Continues: provisions for wounded troops; contracting fever and throat infection; supply problems; lack of Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes (NAAFI) facilities; opinion of troops; lack of casualties; opinion of NCOs; memories of Captain P F Greenwell and Lieutenant-Colonel W S Waterhouse; lack of reinforcements; reaction to atomic bombs being dropped on Japan, 8/1945; parades in Hyderabad, India; social activities in Bombay, India, contact with Indian National Army whilst controlling Rangoon Central Jail; sight of floggings and shootings; law and order situation in Rangoon, late 1945; return to GB, early 1946. Aspects of demobilisation process at Sedgefield, GB, 1946: forms completed; issue of civilian clothing; gratuity issued; lack of medal issue; reasons for claiming medals.