Radmore, Guy Townsend (Oral history)

British officer served with 59th (4th West Lancashire) Medium Regt, Royal Artillery, II Corps in GB, France and Belgium, 9/1939-5/1940; served as signals officer with K Section, Headquarters Coy, 5th Parachute Bde, 6th Airborne Divisional Signals in GB and North West Europe, 1943-1945; commanded Signals Section, Special Air Service Bde in North West Europe, 3/1945-5/1945; civilian special constable in Georgetown, British Guiana, 1947

REEL 1 Background in Calcutta, India and GB, 1920-1939 family; education; employment; commissioning into 55th (West Lancashire) Divisional Signals, Territorial Army in Liverpool, 3/1939; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939. Aspects of operations as signals officer with 59th (4th West Lancashire) Medium Regt, Royal Artillery, II Corps in France and Belgium, 9/1939-1940: story of journey from Nantwich to Avelin, France, 9/1939; living conditions in Avelin, winter 1939-1940; deployment of guns at Villeneuve-d'Ascq near Lille, France; crossing into Belgium, 13/5/1940; arrest of Belgian Fifth Columnists; withdrawal towards Dunkirk, France, 5/1940; foraging for food; orders to destroy vehicles at Killem-Lynde area, France, 27/5/1940; impressions of retreating British Army troops; firing guns; sight of beaches at Dunkirk, France, 31/5/1940; evacuation from mole at Dunkirk, France, 31/5/1940; arrival in Dover, GB, 1/6/1940; nature of train journey from Dover to Cardiff, GB, 1/6/1940. Aspects of period as signals officer with K Section, Headquarters, 5th Parachute Bde, 6th Airborne Divisional Signals in GB 1943-1944: background to volunteering for brigade signals including interview with Lieutenant-Colonel Desmond Smallman-Tew, 1943; training at Airborne Forces Depot, Hardwick Hall; parachute training at No 1 Parachute Training School, RAF at RAF Ringway. REEL 2 Continues: training at Bulford; exercise in preparation for Normandy invasion; training alongside commandos at Littlehampton; effects of salt deficiency on commandos; effect on morale of postponement of D-Day, 4/6/1944; attitude of naval personnel attached to unit for D-Day. Recollections of operations as signals officer with K Section, Headquarters Coy, 5th Parachute Bde, 6th Airborne Divisional Signals in Normandy, France, 6/1944-8/1944: his parachute drop, D-Day, 6/6/1944; atmosphere on drop zone, D-Day, 6/6/1944; rendezvous in quarry near Ranville, D-Day, 6/6/1944; establishing radio link; work of Corporal Waters at Bénouville Bridge; arrival of Lord Lovat's 1st Special Service Bde at Bénouville Bridge, D-Day, 6/6/1944; German shelling at Le Mesnil, 6/1944; friendly fire incident with 51st (Highland) Infantry Div at Bréville-les-Monts; divisional advance, 17/8/1944; German booby trap on wedding dress model; in action at Pont l'Eveque, 8/1944. REEL 3 Continues: advance across Seine Valley, France, 8/1944; return to GB, 8/1944. Aspects of operations as officer with K Section, Headquarters Coy, 5th Parachute Bde, 6th Airborne Divisional Signals in North West Europe, 12/1944-2/1945: rapid deployment from GB to Belgium, 25/12/1944; occupation of Chateau Royal d'Ardenne, Houyet, Belgium, 31/12/1944; German resistance at Bives in Ardennes, Belgium; wild boar shoot; in line on River Maas, Netherlands, 2/1945. Recollections of operations commanding Signals Section, 1st Special Air Service Bde in North West Europe, 3/1945-5/1945: taking command of signals section, 3/1945; story of tearing up one of Brigadier Michael Calvert's offensive signals; abortive attempt to cross River Rhine, Germany in aircraft; problems with Dutch Resistance over postponed operation, Netherlands; drunken Soviet personnel in Norway. Aspects of period as special constable with police force in Georgetown, British Guiana, 1947: work as special constable in Georgetown; duties during Cheddi Jagan's demonstration march.