Shipley, Ted (Oral history)

British private served with 6th Bn, North Staffordshire Regt in GB, 1932-1936; served as driver with 426 Bty, 107th Regt, <South Notts Hussars> Royal Artillery in GB, Palestine and North Africa, 1938-1942; served with Motor Section, Headquarters, 107 Bty, <SNH> 7th Medium Regt, RA in North Africa and Sicily, 1942-1943

REEL 1 Background in Lichfield and Nottingham, 1914-1939: work at chemists; recruitment and training with 6th Bn, North Staffordshire Regt, ca 1932-1936; work as chemical worker. Recruitment and training as gunner with 426 Bty, 107th Regt, <South Notts Hussars> Royal Artillery in Nottingham, 1938-1939: reasons; work in stores at Redesdale Camp, 6/1939. Various aspects of periods at Nottingham, Rillington and Panton Hall, 9/1939-1/1940: mobilisation; air raid alarm; duties as officers' mess orderly. Journey to Palestine, 1/1940. Learning to drive in Palestine, 1/1940-6/1940. Various aspects of period at Mersa Matruh, Egypt, 6/1940-1/1941: posting as driver to C Troop, 426 Bty; wagon lines; question of bombing; operations with Dummy Troop, Composite Bty during attack on Italian Maktilla Camp, 12/1940. REEL 2 Continues: operations with Dummy Troop, Composite Bty during attack on Italian Maktilla Camp, 12/1940. Period in Suez Canal area, 1/1941-4/1941: mine spotting role; visits to Port Tewfik. Drive to Tobruk, Libya, 4/1941. Aspects of period at Tobruk, 4/1941-12/1941: opinion of Quad gun towers; wagon line positions; conditions of service; desert faunae; driving officers to observation posts; nature of fighting. Period in Egypt, 1/1942-4/1942. Move to Gazala area, 5/1942. Story of dropping guns into action in Cauldron sector, ca 5/6/1942. REEL 3 Period at wagon lines during Knightsbridge action, 5/6/1942-6/6/1942. Period in Egypt, 6/1942-7/1942: re-equipment with 5.5in guns; promotion to bombardier attached to Motor Transport Section, Headquarters, 107 Bty, <SNH> 7th Medium Regt, RA. Various aspects of operations in North Africa, 7/1942-4/1943: desert conditions; mined vehicle. Various aspects of operations in Sicily, Italy, 7/1943-11/1943. Return to GB, 12/1943. Leaving unit with attack of malaria and subsequent demobilisation, 11/1945. Attacks of malaria, 1945-1947.