Richardson, Charles Leslie (Oral history)

British officer served with Royal Bombay Sappers and Miners in India, 1931-1938; served as instructor with Staff College, Haifa, Palestine, 1941; staff officer with Headquarters, Special Operations Executive in Cairo, Egypt, 1941-1942; staff officer served withart Headquers, 8th Army in North Africa, 1942-1943; staff officer served as Deputy Chief of Staff with US 5th Army in Italy, 1943-1944

REEL 1 Aspects period as officer with Royal Bombay Sappers and Miners in India, 1931-1938: attractions of India service; work as garrison engineer at Nasirabad in Rajputana; duties and leisure activities during period in charge of Chitral Detachment; his first contact with Brigadier Eric ‘Chink’ Dorman-Smith at Simla, 1936. Aspects of period as instructor with Staff College, Haifa, Palestine, 1941: how Brigadier Dorman-Smith asked for him to become instructor; story of how Brigadier Dorman-Smith was removed from staff role with 8th Army and subsequent chequered career. Recollections of period as staff officer with Headquarters, 8th Army in North Africa, 1942-1943: his appointment to headquarters, early 1942; orders to acquire General Norrie’s plan to defend El Alamein line; atmosphere at Tactical Headquarters during Axis advance, 1942. REEL 2 Continues: question of misunderstanding that there was a first El Alamein battle; fate of Green Howards during improvised counter attacks, 1942; visit by Prime Minister Winston Churchill; arrival of General Montgomery; effect of Montgomery’s initial speech; comparison between state of morale at Tactical Headquarters and in units; Montgomery’s public relations organisation; summoning of troops for Battle of Alam Halfa, summer 1942; prior knowledge of German plans for Alam Halfa; reaction to failure to follow up Battle of Alam Halfa with counter attack; interpretation of Montgomery’s phrase ‘stage managing’; his role during deception plan Operation Baytown prior to Battle of El Alamein. REEL 3 Continues: description of Operation Baytown; importance of security during Operation Baytown; disruptive effects of desert storm during Operation Baytown; his ideas for pursuit of retreating Axis forces after Battle of El Alamein. Aspects of period as staff officer with Headquarters, Special Operations Executive in Cairo, Egypt, 1941-1942: background to appointment as G1, Operations; drops of agents from submarines on occupied coasts; his dissatisfaction with methods of receiving signals from Yugoslavia; dispatching agents behind Axis lines in Libya. REEL 4 Continues: plan to attack defences of Tobruk using German Jewish troops serving with British forces. Recollections of period as Deputy Chief of Staff with Headquarters, US 5th Army in Italy, 1943-1944: his meeting with General George Patton; pre-Salerno landing conferences and how General Mark Clark conducted proceedings; his visit to Salerno beach-head and how he was marooned in Salerno Bay, 9/1943; return ashore with headquarters at Salerno; how General Mark Clark rallied his retreating troops at Salerno; Royal Navy bombardment at Salerno; opinion of role of Royal Navy and US Airborne forces at Salerno; his meeting with General Alexander on his arrival at Salerno, 9/1943; political pressure during planning prior to landings at Anzio, 1944. REEL 5 Continues: situation for Allied command at Anzio; overall summary of working with US 5th Army. Aspects of period as staff officer with Headquarters, 8th Army in North Africa, 1942-1943: pursuit of the Afrika Korps after the Battle of El Alamein; alacrity with which Montgomery moved to relieve pressure on the US Army at Kasserine; his work as acting Chief of Staff, 8th Army during final battle in Tunisia, 1943; co-operation from Royal Navy for Sicilian landings, 7/1943; reasons for pace at which Montgomery conducted Sicilian campaign, summer 1943.