Cribb, Thomas Michael (Oral history)

British sapper served with 318th (Surrey) Anti-Aircraft Coy, 30th (Surrey) Anti-Aircraft Bn, Royal Engineers in GB, 1937-1940; gunner served with 318th Bty, 30th (Surrey) Searchlight Regt, Royal Artillery in GB, 8/1940-8/1942; NCO served with 92nd Light Anti-Aircraft Regt, Royal Artillery, 3rd Infantry Div in GB and Normandy, France, 1942-1944

REEL 1 Background in GB, 1919-1939: family; education; employment. Aspects of period as sapper with 318th (Surrey) Anti-Aircraft Coy, 30th (Surrey) Anti-Aircraft Bn, Royal Engineers in GB, 1937-1940: reasons for enlistment in Territorial Army, 1937; role of searchlight company and equipment; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939. Recollections of period as gunner with 318th Bty, 30th (Surrey) Searchlight Regt, Royal Artillery in GB, 8/1940-8/1942: defence of British cities; wandering around streets of Birmingham during German Air Force attacks; fire fighting on Bristol Docks; narrow escape from bomb dropped on Grimsby; story of how police officer queried public morale standing up to German V1 Flying Bomb attacks, 1944; degree of success his unit had in combating raids especially after introduction of radar; need to locate searchlights outside population centres; transfer of unit from Royal Engineers to Royal Artillery, 1/8/1940; disbandment of unit, 8/1942. Recollections of period as NCO with 92nd Light Anti-Aircraft Regt, Royal Artillery, 3rd Infantry Div in GB, 1942-1944: posting to unit after training on Bofors Gun; clash of political opinion over strikes in wartime during Army Bureau of Current Affairs (ABCA) discussions; preparations for D-Day. REEL 2 Continues: Ordnance QF 40mm Bofors Gun's rate of fire; training with Home Guard; period in holding area in London; attachment to 3rd Infantry Div; damage to liberty ship HMS Sambut by German shelling in Straits of Dover, 6/6/1944; abandoning HMS Sambut; his rescue from sea by motor torpedo boat; German shelling of Dover, 6/6/1944-7/6/1944; reforming of unit at Aldershot, 6/1944. Recollections of period as NCO with 92nd Light Anti-Aircraft Regt, Royal Artillery, 3rd Infantry Div in Normandy, France, 6/1944-8/1944: landing in Normandy, late 6/1944; narrow escape whilst driving through German minefield; in action against German Air Force near Caen; unit casualties from German strafing of slit trenches; isolation of unit from officers; living conditions in Normandy including water shortage. REEL 3 Continues: hygiene and insect life in Normandy; degree of contact with French civilians; attitude towards Germans; shelling by Royal Navy vessels and spotting of fall of shot by Royal Air Force; attitude to presence in Normandy; disposal of unit casualties after strafing by German Air Force; reaction to sight of bodies still floating in sea at Sword Beach, late 6/1944; story of visit to Vienna, Austria, summer 1945.