Daniell, Robert B T (Oral history)

British officer served with 1 Bty, Royal Field Artillery in GB, 1920-1921; served with 34th Bty, 16th Bde, RA in India, 1922-1931. Experiences as big game hunter in both India and Africa. Served with 3rd Regt, Royal Horse Artillery in Middle East, 1939; served with Daniell's Composite Bty of 107th Regt, <South Notts Hussars> RA and 8th Field Regt, RA in attack on Maktilla Camp, 12/1940; served as second in command at Regimental Headquarters, 107th Regt, <SNH> RA in North Africa, 1941-1942; served in command of 13th Regt, <Honourable Artillery Company>, RA in North West Europe, 1944-1945. Present at relief of Belsen Concentration Camp, 15/4/1945

REEL 1 Background in Anglesey, Wales, 1901-1920: interest in shooting game; effects of First World War; education; attending Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst; meeting George V on commission into Royal Artillery, 1920. Period with 1 Bty, Royal Horse Artillery at Aldershot Barracks, 1920-1921: story of getting drunk in officers' mess at RAF Farnborough; family's former connections with India and opium trade to China; volunteering for service in India. Recollections of period with 34 Bty, 16th Bde, RA at Kirkee, India, 1922-1931: arrival of unit from service in Iraq; difficult relationship with officers and consequent concentration on hunting activities; failure to capitalise on distinguished family contacts in India; success at steeplechase riding in GB. Recollections of hot season visit to Himalayan hill station, 1920: recovery from dysentery attack; story of meeting English governess to Indian maharajah; story of failed attempt to shoot man-eating tiger, 'Manaula'. REEL 2 Continues: story of failed attempt to shoot 'Manaula'; missing chance to shoot rare antelope; journey with Gurkhas into Tibet including pace of march, rope bridges, near accident whilst shooting near precipice, question of unreliable Tibetan guide and refusing to cross rope bridge; report of shooting of 'Manaula' and reason for man-eating tendency. Recollections of period with 34 Bty, 16th Bde, RA at Kirkee, India, 1922-1931: necessity of bribing Indian guides prior to tiger shoot; story of success in shooting tiger whilst on foot despite obstruction of Indian guide and subsequent preservation of hide as trophy; story of pig sticking large boar at Gujarat; danger posed by gangrene if mauled by leopard; story of treating gangrene case. REEL 3 Continues: story of treating British woman with dysentery during train journey across India; activities at Gymkhana club; story of winning tent peg sticking trophy at All India Horse Show at Delhi, 1926; attending horse riding course; origins of difficult relationship with officers; selling horses and subsequent dispute over transport costs. Recollections of extended leave visiting District Officer Frank Sporral in Masai reserve, Kabaii, Nyanza, <South of Uganda> ca 1926-1927: story of nearly sinking during storm during voyage out; Masai situation and efforts to install artesian wells; truck journey across bush area; story of getting lost whilst hunting and rescue by Masai warrior apparently illustrating 'thought transference'; Masai bodyguards; arrival of artesian well equipment and expedition to prepare track through bush for it. REEL 4 Continues: prevalence of game; close escape whilst following rhinoceros track; question of shooting lions; Masai village and inadequate well for their cattle; story of Masai leaving Daniell's rifle behind; acting as scout; shortage of water; polluted water hole; story of abandoning pursuit of elephant into waterless area of bush and difficult journey back to polluted waterhole; game licence; precautions necessary in shooting elephants; lack of reaction on return to unit; success of expedition in reaching river; story of failing to shoot dangerous bull buffalo; crossing river on leaving expedition to return to India; reports of subsequent deaths of Sporral and his party whilst attempting to shoot bull buffalo; difficulty with all meat diet; journey to success in reaching railway. REEL 5 Continues: train journey to Tanga; period in coastal area; lion's roar; motivation for hunting and question of trophies; story of getting drunk in Arab nightclub; voyage on slave dhow to Zanzibar; missing passage to India due to hangover; voyage as deck passenger aboard coaster to Seychelles; smell of trophy heads; hospitality of French civilians at Seychelles; lack of reaction on return to unit; role as ADC to Governor Lord Lloyd; return to GB, ca 1931. Aspects of service in GB, 1931-1939: training recruits at Royal Artillery Base Depot, Woolwich. Posting with 3rd Regt, RHA in Middle East, 1939-1940: period detached on anti-insurgent patrols with M Bty in Palestine, 1939-1940; return to Egypt, 6/1940; inadequacy of Skoda anti-tank guns; promotion to major. Account of operations against Italian Maktilla Camp in command of Daniell's Composite Bty of 107th <South Notts Hussars> RA and 8th Field Regt, RA as part of Selby Force, 12/1940: situation; composition of battery. REEL 6 Continues: officer's failure to mark out gun positions; use of Verey lights to range naval fire onto camp; effects of shell fire on camp; surrender of Italian troops and General Gallini; story of being bitten by dog which developed rabies and subsequent serum injections in Cairo. Period with unit in Egypt, ca 1941-1942: watching for mines on Suez Canal; training for invasion of Rhodes, Greece. Recollections of posting as second in command to Regimental Headquarters, 107th Regt, <SNH> RA and journey from Cairo to Tobruk, Libya, 4/1941: emergency nature of move; opinion and relationship with ORs, NCOs and officers including Padre H Parry, Majors William Barber and Peter Birkin. REEL 7 Continues: convoy discipline enforced; overnight stop; removing signals post in path of German advance; success of ruse employing accompanying lorries' headlights to scare off German troops across road; preventing any units leaving on arrival. Recollections of period in Tobruk, 4/1941-12/1941: initial positions interspersed with 1st Regt, RHA; dugout at top of escarpment; opinion of Australian troops; role concentrating artillery fire on gap in wire to isolate German tanks who had broken through from supporting infantry, 14/4/1941; photographing abandoned Mark IV near dugout and informing Cairo headquarters; attempt to treat German wounded in anti-tank ditch; daily routine duties; parcels brought in destroyers from wife in Alexandria. REEL 8 Continues: food rations and opinion of cook; shortage of cigarettes; reason for only drinking tea; Stuka dive bombing attacks; permitting Parry to hold church services in former grain bier; opinion of Parry; personal morale; opinion of Medical Officer J Finnegan; use of captured Italian artillery; construction of scaffolding tower observation post and story of rescue of Captain Bob Hingston from platform following direct hit by shell; state of unit morale; question of sandstorms; moving guns into forward positions; opinion of 25pdr gun/howitzer; story of nervous infantryman newly arrived in Tobruk, ca 10/1941; failure of initial breakout attempt, 6/1941; success of breakout operations, 11/1941-12/1941. Re-equipment, reorganisation and training in Egypt and move up as part of 22nd Armoured Bde to Gazala area, 1/1942-5/1942: tanks issued; organisation into boxes. REEL 9 Continues: shortage of radio and reliance on flag signals to manoeuvre in desert; opinion of British tanks in contrast to German Mark IVs. Recollections of operations in Knightsbridge sector, 27/5/1942-5/6/1942: initial situation and moves to support tank units, 27/5/1942; overrun of 520 Bty gun positions by German tanks; Parry's role in evacuating wounded; escape and role in organising Support Group, 22nd Armoured Bde in Knightsbridge escarpment sector; role during operations in Knightsbridge escarpment sector, ca 28/5/1942-1/6/1942; withdrawal of German tanks; meeting divisional reconnaissance officer; rescue of group of British POWs; meeting brigadiers of 5th Indian Div; conference with Major General Herbert Lumsden; firing barrage prior to move forward; dive bomber attack on Lumsden's headquarters; move forward into Cauldron sector, ca 5/6/1942. Recollections of operations, 5/6/1942-6/6/1942: nature of gun positions and success in repulsing initial German tank attacks, 5/6/1942. REEL 10 Continues: lack of contact with Colonel William Seely; German shell fire; meeting Colonel de Graz and his failure to realise German units had got behind gun position; orders from brigadier not to withdraw from positions under any circumstances; question of ammunition shortage; problem in German tanks firing hull down into gun positions; shortage of ammunition charges exploded by machine gun fire; wound to Lieutenant Graham Slinn; forming makeshift gun crews; inadequate position taken up by Indian infantry units; German staff car on gun position; reasons for abortive attempt to move 425 Bty guns to form 'square' formation with 426 Bty; firing Lieutenant Alan Chadburn's gun at German tank; story of successful attempt to escape; destruction of truck by German flank guard. REEL 11 Continues: destruction of truck by German flank guard; refusal to surrender to German soldier who considered it impossible to walk across desert to British lines; value of previous experience without water when in Africa; story of rescue in desert by British armoured car unit; reporting to Lumsden; refusal of offer by Auchinleck of command of Tobruk garrison. Recollections of story of rescuing train full of Jews en route to Belsen Concentration Camp whilst in command of 13th Regt, <Honourable Artillery Company> RA in Normandy, France, ca 6/1944: prior ambush in narrow roads by German units; discovering cattle trucks full of Jews; shooting uncooperative French driver; difficulty in emptying packed cattle trucks. Account of entry by tank crew into Belsen Concentration Camp, ca 15/4/1945: prior refusal of truce offered by Germans; German warnings of poison gas and typhus in Belsen sector; captured German officer; breaking through gate and into camp office; meeting Josef Kramer; situation; ditch full of corpses; prevailing smell; conditions in camp hospital building; opening doors of inmates' huts; brief contact with Irma Griese. REEL 12 Continues: shooting camp guards for shooting Jewish inmates; view of gas ovens; German guard's refusal to check pile of corpses; breakfast; requesting medical and military assistance; food situation; view of Griese sorting out corpses during subsequent tour of camp with General Roberts and Brigadier Roscoe Harvey, ca 17/4/1944; opinion of Germans.