Description
Object description
British private, NCO and officer with 1st Cadet Bn Durham Light Infantry, 1929-1939; officer cadet served with Northumberland Fusiliers in GB, 1939-1940; officer cadet trained with Royal Scots Officers Cadet Training Unit in GB, 1940; officer served with 10th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, Iceland and France, 1940-1944; officer served with 1st Bn Royal Leicestershire Regiment in North West Europe, 1944; officer served with 4th Bn, York and Lancaster Regt, in North West Europe, 1944-1945; officer served with 4th Training Brigade in Germany, 1945-1947
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Co Durham and Northumberland, GB, 1910- 1939: family; education including effects of First World War; Zeppelin air raid; leisure activities during war; work in various shops in Tyne and Wear area. Aspects of period as private, NCO and officer with 1st Cadet Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, c5/1929-10/1939: meeting hall; fund raising for new drill hall; interview; reason for joining; uniform issued; drills learned; firing of rifle at Whitburn and at drill hall; opinion of what makes an accurate marksman; opinion of Ross rifle; activities on weekend camps and opinion of exercises; size of D Company; background of cadets; selection of NCOs; promotion to lance corporal; officers in battalion; voyage from Hull to Zeebrugge; camp at Ypres; scenes on battlefields; visits to cemeteries; ceremony at Menin Gate; contact with civilians; stories from officers; evening activities; age of cadets; promotion to 2nd Lieutenant; involvement with fundraising tattoos; drill hall; duties training cadets; relationship with cadets; posted as A Company commander.
REEL 2 Continues: recruitment of cadets; opinion of Territorials; officers' mess; background of officers; promise of commissions and new law of Hore- Belisha; commission interview in Newcastle; call-up into army; cap ribbon; joining of Northumberland Fusiliers. Aspects of period as officer cadet with Northumberland Fusiliers in GB, 10/1939-2/1940: confused reception from unit and accommodation; command of squad; reaction to basic training; relationship with recruits; posting to Royal Scots OCTU in Dunbar. Aspects of period as officer cadet with Officer Cadet Training Unit in GB, 2/1940- 7/1940: basic training; training to command a platoon; field training; man management training; reception from commanding officer; reason for cutting course shirt; defences built on coast; reason for not extending course; commission and leave; choice of regiment; allowance for kit; details of uniform. Aspects of period as officer with 10th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 7/1940-9/1940: situation in battalion and joining of battalion at Dawlish including service of battalion in France; opinion of Colonel Marley; interview with Major Marty Morrison and posting in D Company; role of 2nd Lieutenant; defences built on coast; description of building a pillbox; citing of pillboxes.
REEL 3 Continues: mining of beach; length of time building defences; training with troops; opinion of troops; rivalry between Yorkshire and Durham troops; relationship with Sergeant Matty Thompson; characters in platoon; story of a route march; accommodation; company officers' mess; opinion of Marty Morrison; friends among officers; reason for not drinking much; threat of invasion; air activity; relationship with civilians; knowledge of destination and train journey to Hamilton; reactions to posting and role in Iceland. Aspects of journey from Hamilton, GB, to Reykjavik, Iceland, aboard the Ulster Monarch, 9/1940: details of ship; population of ship; conditions onboard; duties during voyage; accommodation; seasickness; length of voyage; story of first sighting of Iceland; orders from commanding officer. Aspects of period as officer with 10th Bn Durham Light Infantry in Iceland, 9/1940-12/1941: arrival in Reykjavik; first impressions of Iceland; attitude of civilians; leisure activities; voyage to Blönduós; disembarkation of troops onto fishing boat; voyage into and role in the Húnaflói fjord; arrival in and description of Bordheyri; method of disembarkation.
REEL 4 Continues: first impressions of Bordheyri and hiding of civilians; weather conditions; unloading of stores; height of fjord and security of communications; description of houses; accommodation and sleeping arrangements; relationship with civilians; order to keep troops away from local girl; reconnaissance of area and start of work on defences; overcoming problems with snow and refusal of troops to work in it; defences built; weapons; meeting with Royal Marines and setting up of 4" naval guns at Reykascholi; terrain; manning of 4" naval guns; provisions given to Royal Marines; working and daylight hours; reveille; breakfast; supply of rations; delivery of ruined vegetables; tinned rations; rations available locally; indoor tasks; building of cookhouse; activities in recreation centre; outdoor work; tea break; darkness; activities following end of working day; discipline; visit of General Curtis; move to Reykascholi school building; building of sauna including problems created by sauna; defences set up; arrival of 25lb artillery support; settling in of artillerymen; work of Royal Engineers and Royal Marines; concern for German landings in Húnaflói fjord; story of soldier with pneumonia.
REEL 5 Continues: story of storm while collecting coal and coke; weather conditions; story of visit from Lord Gort; visit to company headquarters and relief from full company; posting to Blönduós; location of Blönduós; situation in Blönduós outpost at Skagaströnd; accommodation; description of Blönduós; relationship with civilians; winter clothing issued; opinion winter clothing's use in a battle situation; opinion of likelihood of a German attack including rumours of an earlier patrol; effects of adverse weather conditions and methods of coping with them; burning down of cookhouse; conditions in accommodation; dangers of leaving huts; burial of stores hut during blizzard; conditions for civilians and animals; recovery of village following blizzard; chimneys used by locals during blizzards; rescue of troops at outpost; state of outpost troops.
REEL 6 Continues: night temperatures; problems with frostbite; coping with cold at outpost; role of outpost; reason for cessation of rum ration for sentries; defences built; attitude of troops to building defences again; exercises including problems with artillery guns; care of personal weapons; keeping troops alert; lengthening of days; leisure activities; stories of riding ponies; terrain; description of the northern lights; creation of maps including story of an argument during process; story of driving along a cliff top on a frozen road; cocktail party organised; rations bought from civilians; changes in leisure activities after winter; relationship with civilians; length of time at Blönduós; relief from Canadian troops; posting at Keflavík; problems on journey to Keflavík; building of aerodrome including accommodation; role of Canadian troops in area; large mountain exercise; civilian and Royal Engineers involvement in building of airfield.
REEL 7 Continues: course attended at Hythe; weapons shortage in army; opinion and reliability of Vickers and Bren guns; opinion of Thompson Sub-Machine and Sten guns; opinion of Boyes anti-tank rifle; other arms seen on course; length of course; leave; return to battalion at Keflavík; relationship with American troops; comparison of American and British messes; opinion of American mess procedure; news of and reaction to return to GB; reasons for preference for postings in GB; preparation for journey and disembarkation; reactions to situation. Aspects of journey from Reykjavik, Iceland, to Gourock, GB, aboard the Polaris, 12/1941-1/1942: description of ship; disappearance of ship from convoy; whale watching. Aspects of period as officer with 10th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1/1942-6/1944: arrival and leave; accommodation in Carmarthen; reinforcements; training and exercises; discussion of battle drill; battles school course at Barnard Castle; story of accident with bren guns; casualties allowed in training; role of exercise on which accident occurred.
REEL 8 Continues: details of 49th Division battle school near Knighton; reason for posting on course; training with and opinion of 3" mortar; exercises during course including story of accident causing deafness in one ear; stories from exercises that resulted in posting as motor transport officer; sorting out of motor transport administration including motor transport course attended at Tenby; opinion of previous officer; vehicles in section; NCOs and drivers in section; maintenance staff; efficiency drive and general inspection; uses of vehicles; reliability of Bedford trucks; journeys made to Hamilton; waterproofing of vehicles including test; posting in Halesworth; accommodation.
REEL 9 Continues: marriage; driving and maintenance course at Keswick; driving experience and initial reluctance to become transport officer; invasion training; posting in Thetford; signs of imminent invasion; preparations for move; boarding of ships in London; crossing of Channel. Aspects of operations as officer with 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry in France, 6/1944- 8/1944: change in weather after arrival in France; wait off coast for landing; disembarkation; movement up beach; removal of waterproofing; air activity on beach; readiness for battle and make-up of 70th Brigade; beach landed on and proximity to assembly area; role of unit at St Pierre; role during action; process with supplying rations to troops; make-up of B Echelon; knowledge of battle; proximity to front during battle; camouflage of vehicles; accommodation; role of batman; sleep at St Pierre; constant movement of battalion; visits to base for motor supplies and problems getting sleeping; reasons for destruction of vehicles and vehicles lost; issue and opinion of Jeeps; use of Jeeps; location of trucks.
REEL 10 Continues: problems with gaining supplies; casualties and reinforcements; knowledge of locations and actions of troops; importance of role as motor transport officer; enjoyment of work; difficulties of gaining supplies; depletion of battalion; news of brigade's disbandment; reaction to news; reason for disbandment; role in disbanding battalion; news of vacancy with 2nd Battalion Essex Regiment; arrival during Battle of Le Havre and discovery there was no vacancy; posted to Leicestershire Regiment; role during Battle of Le Havre; activities following battle. Aspects of operations as officer with 1st Bn Royal Leicestershire Regt in North West Europe, 9/1944-11/1944: activities of battalion on arrival; posting as 2nd in command of carrier platoon; relationship with Captain Brown; experience with carriers; flamethrowers; knowledge of carrier tactics; advance towards Belgium; contact with civilians; movement through Belgium; reason for need to take Antwerp; line formed on Turnhout Canal; sudden posting as motor transport officer to Hallamshire Bn. Aspects of operations as officer with 4th Bn York and Lancaster Regt in North West Europe, 11/1944-5/1945: reason for posting; exercise on arrival; state of transport; situation in Holland; activities during flooding including accommodation at Zetten railway station; story of rescuing a snowcat from a German patrolled area; description of a snowcat.
REEL 11 Continues: efficiency of battalion and opinion of Colonel Hart-Dyke; welcome from battalion; occupation of flooded areas; difficulties supplying troops with ammunition; problems with mines; crossing of Rhine; advance to Utrecht; details of POWs captured; VE Day celebrations; story of reception in a Dutch village; period in Ede. Aspects of period as officer with Hallamshire Bn York and Lancaster Regt in Germany, 5/1945-12/1945: clearance of maternity home in Recklinghausen; relationship with civilians; black market; length of time at Recklinghausen; role in break-up of unit. Aspects of period as officer with 4th Training Brigade in Germany, 12/1945-7/1947: posting in 4th Training Brigade at Lipstadt; make-up of unit; role and courses organised; role of courses; rank; paperwork; attitude of troops; period wife was in Germany; intention to stay in army; offer of civilian work in South Shields; reason for leaving quickly; return to army; posting in Royal Army Ordnance Corps and length of time with unit.