Fielding, Walter James (Oral history)

British sapper served with 22nd Bomb Disposal Coy, Royal Engineers in GB, 1940-1942

REEL 1 Recollections of operations as sapper with 22nd Bomb; Disposal Coy, Royal Engineers in GB, 1940-1942: call-up, 10/1940; reaction to discovery that he was allocated to bomb disposal company; character of basic training in Halifax and bomb disposal training at Hipperholme, end 1940; tackling first bomb at Wickford near Chelmsford, 1/1941; dealing with second bomb in Chelmsford; anti-handling device on bomb at Abbot's Ford Manor near Colchester; shoring up at Goldhanger; work in Great Baddow area; danger of buried anti-aircraft shells; problems of sandy soil in Colchester area; dealing with bombs in Frinton area including NCO removing fuse against orders; move to Leiston; contrast between ground in Essex and East Suffolk; techniques for fuse extraction; ranks who worked on fuse extraction; aftermath of dealing with bombs in Leiston area; question of discipline in unit; air raid on Lowestoft, c5/1941. REEL 2 Continues: problems of digging for bombs in Lowestoft; use of German bomb to collect money for war effort at Saxmundham; German bombing of Saxmundham; attempt to deal with two 1000 Kg bombs in Stowmarket and their subsequent discovery post-war; dealing with bombs at Trimley Marsh; bomb cemetery at Ipswich; rest period at Shenfield; dealing with butterfly bombs in Ipswich area and loss of unit members, 8/1941; German fuses; move to Colchester area, 3/1942; German Air Force attack on Ipswich, 5/1942; course on steaming out fuses, 4/1942; use of magnet to stop timers on bombs; dealing with carbon monoxide menace in camouflays; types of timbering needed; danger of collapsing hole at Little Clacton. REEL 3 Continues: dealing with nine pound bomb in Harwich area; formation of camouflays; disposition of bomb disposal in East Anglia; chest pain problem and reaction of medical service, 8/1942; question of becoming casualty; psychological effects of wartime work on bomb disposal; public esteem for bomb disposal men; story of unit meal on an accumulated kitty.