Description
Object description
British private trained with Reconnaissance Corps in GB, 1/1942-4/1942; private served with 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB and North Africa, 1942-1943; private served in GB and North West Europe, 1943-1944; private and NCO served with 116 Vehicle Coy Royal Army Ordnance Corps, in North West Europe, 1945-1946
Content description
REEL 1 Background in South Shields, GB, 1920-1942: family; education; attempt to work at sea; work with motor engineer and as apprentice joiner; leisure activities; time in sea scouts; effects of depression; attendance in church; signs of approaching war; father's service in First World War; outbreak of Second World War; reactions of civilians to war; effects of war on job; story of an air raid shelter blown onto a roof; fire watching duties; attempt to join Territorial Army in 1940; reason for choosing Royal Artillery; reaction to rejection; medical in Newcastle; call-up papers; choice of regiment; opinion of reason for placement in Reconnaissance Corps; reaction to posting; reaction of family to joining army; service of siblings; journey to Lochmaben and items taken. Aspects of period as recruit with Reconnaissance Corps in GB, 1/1942-4/1942: arrival at Hollis Camp; medical; inoculations; accommodation; NCO in barrack room; sleeping arrangements; heating of barrack room; issue of uniform and equipment including adjustments made to uniform; background of recruits; bullying; morning procedures; breakfast; opinion of rations; army tea; physical training including weather conditions and memories of Larry Gaines.
REEL 2 Continues: pace and opinion of drill; stripping of rifles and learning to shoot; firing of course on range; opinion of what was needed to be an accurate rifleman; training with Bren gun and hand grenades; accidents with grenades; bayonet training; gas precaution training; route marches; formation of march; singing during marches; reception from civilians; lunch; field craft training; organisation of working day; opinion of NCO instructors; contact with officers; tea; cleaning of equipment; selection of stickman; guard duties; fire piquet; leisure activities including visits to Toc H; trips out of camp and details of pay; contact with civilians; searches for fuel; kit inspection; length of course; opinion of training; posting as Reconnaissance Corps to Brancepeth Castle. Aspects of period as private with Durham Light Infantry Depot, 4/1942-5/1942: activities at Brancepeth; change to Durham badges; leave; posting to 16th Battalion.
REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of period as private with 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 5/1942-12/1942: spread of battalion; size of draft; reception from battalion and platoon commander; accommodation; sleeping arrangements; rations; details of guard duties in harbour; story of Canadians returning from Dieppe; story of air raid during march; guard placed on Canadian aircraft; make-up of Bren gun team; stoppages; opinions of Bren gun; range of Bren; opinion of Thompson Sub-Machine Gun; duties and training; exercises including with other units; ten miles in two hours march; weapons carried by bren gun crew; leisure activities and relationship with civilians; story of Regimental Sergeant Major Thomasson being reprimanded by an old lady; memories of Jack Christie and other NCOs; memories of Lieutenant Duck; contact with officers; opinions of Captain George Jobey; contact with Colonel Ware; influence of commanding officers; comradeship and friends; reasons for not wanting promotion; knowledge of destination; leave; return to battalion at Camberley and embarkation leave; preparations for posting abroad; inspection from King George VI.
REEL 4 Continues: journey to Liverpool; boarding of boat; sleeping arrangements; wait for embarkation. Aspects of journey from Liverpool, GB, to Algiers, Algeria, aboard the Derbyshire, 12/1942-1/1943: Christmas dinner; noise from engines; sleeping arrangements; conditions below deck; activities on voyage; knowledge of destination and approach to Algeria including views of Tangiers and Algiers. Aspects of operations as private with 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry in North Africa, 1/1943-3/1943: first impressions of Algiers; duties during disembarkation; march to transit camp; sleeping arrangements; crops around camp; relationship with civilians; weather conditions; activities in camp; journey to front; arrival at Green Hill; relief of Royal West Kents; description of slit trenches and improvements made to them; description of area positioned; German positions; story of shelling Germans shaking blankets; wiring and minefields including presence of Sherwood Foresters; Argyll and Sutherland bren carriers; railway tunnel used by Headquarters Company; deployment of battalion; reactions to shelling; sleeping arrangements; activity during day; air activity; supply of rations; contents of compo rations; description of a hay box; water ration; emergency rations and reasons for eating them; opinion of rations; collection of rations; Stand To; observation post duties; smoking ban; presence of NCOs and officers.
REEL 5 Continues: preparations for reconnaissance patrols; weapons taken on patrol; make-up of patrol; selection of patrol; start and role of patrol; story of a patrol member being taken prisoner and method devised to stop it happening again; details of reconnaissance patrols; role in patrol; shelling during patrols; policy if met Germans; need for silence; method for blacking up; discovery mines were not primed; marking of minefields; rest at Sedjenane; problems with lice and showers; threat from machine guns at Sedjenane; more on lice; latrines at Green Hill and Sedjenane; rations; warnings of German air activity; German break through lines; night march to reinforce Sherwood Foresters; situation at dawn; advance across field to hill; other units present and wait for dark; advance over hill and withdrawal of Germans; transportation of Bren gun with Tom Tunney; wounding during advance including description of wound; condition on waking up; walk back to lines with bomb happy soldier; evacuation with medical staff. Aspects of hospitalisation in North Africa, 3/1943-4/1943: treatment received in tunnel field ambulance; staff of field ambulance; evacuation to 67th General Hospital; treatment received; second hospital stayed in and flight to Algiers; method of eating.
REEL 6 Continues: length of stay in Algiers; issue of uniform; boarding of hospital ship and reason for transfer to GB; voyage to Avonmouth. Aspects of hospitalisation in GB, 4/1943-11/1943: journey to Cardiff Emergency Hospital; opinion of treatment; activities in hospital; transfer to Newcastle-upon-Tyne via Newcastle-under-Lyme; convalescence at Ford Castle and Halifax; medical grading. Aspects of period as private in GB, 11/1943-6/1944: posting to Northern Command Infantry Depot at Whatton Camp; routine; medical problems; posting at Bradford; maintenance duties; deaths of mother and brother; story of going AWOL for brother's funeral; accommodation; arrest in York; return to camp and loss of military police report; punishment; reaction to punishment; period at Whatton Camp; posting to Lewes; units in camp before D-Day; role of camp; departure of units for Normandy; journey to France with Canadian Army; role in France. Aspects of period as private in North West Europe, 6/1944-9/1944: arrival in Arromanches; duties checking vehicles; accommodation; unit and background of comrades; advance behind troops; posted to Bruges; accommodation; duties; reactions to situation; parade after Ardennes breakthrough; journey towards front and equipment carried; help making tea and noise from fighting; return to Bruges.
REEL 7 Continues: news of transfer to Royal Army Ordnance Corps; reactions to posting. Aspects of period as private and NCO with 16 Vehicle Company, Royal Army Ordnance Corps in North West Europe, 9/1944-10/1946: joined Headquarters Company in Brussels; role in Brussels and troops transferred with; interview with commanding officer and selection by Regimental Quarter Master Sergeant; fates of other members of draft; make-up and role of unit; description of vehicle parks; duties in stores including location of stores; relationship with civilians; working hours; leisure activities; contact with troops from other units; role in advance party to Antwerp; spread of company; takeover of billets and story of confiscated books discovered; work with post and rations including civilians employed in camp; work as duty corporal; promotion to NCO; changes following end of war; VE Day celebrations; visits to sergeants mess with NAAFI manager; VJ Day celebrations; demobilisation group; news of release date; journey of York; process of demobilisation and battle dress retained; marriage; return to civilian work; reactions to service.
