Hingston, Bob (Oral history)

British officer served with 426 Bty, 107th Regt, <South Notts Hussars> Royal Artillery in GB, Palestine and North Africa, 1938-1941; hospitalised in Egypt, South Africa and GB 1941-1943; served with Northfield Hospital, GB, 1943-1944; served with 4th Field Training Regt, RA in GB, 1944-1945; served with various units in GB 1944-1945 including photographic interpretation, Medmenham

REEL 1 Background in Radcliffe on Trent and Barton, 1907-1917: father's status as lace manufacturer; ill health as child; social conditions; governess. Period at Oakleigh Hall Preparatory School, Cirencester, 1917-1921. Period at Lancing School, 1921-1925: question of educational progress; opinion of Officers' Training Corps training; question of bullying. Work as accountant in London, 1926. Period as director with father's lace manufacturing firm in Nottingham, 1927-1939: effects of prevailing economic depression, question of position in Nottingham 'society'; cricket activities; rock climbing activities. REEL 2 Continues: rock climbing activities; riding and hunting; driving Ford V8; interest in farming. Background to recruitment and training with 426 Bty, 107th Regt, <South Notts Hussars> Royal Artillery, 4/1936-9/1939: father's service in army, 1914-1918; initial sympathy and rapid disillusionment with fascism; question of joining RAF or Royal Navy; acceptance of commission offered by Colonel Holden, 1936; reception from officers; kitting out with uniform; training in theory of gunnery; relationship with ORs and NCOs; question of officers learning gun drill. REEL 3 Continues: attending Larkhill Camp, 7/1936, including duty checking guns were on line, use of miniature range and officers' mess life, opinion of various officers including Captain Colin Barber and story of acting as observation post officer; drinking habits; opinion of Adjutant Major Edward Batt; opinion of non-firing camp at Bridlington, 1937; attending camps at Redesdale, 1938 and 1939, including role in developing device for unreeling telephone wire in attempt to win signalling cup and success in using system which linked firing of separate troops despite scepticism of senior officers. REEL 4 Continues: opinion of Major William Barber; opinion of new recruits, 1938-1939; opinion of various officers including Lieutenants Charles Laborde; story of recruiting officer posted to 150th Regt, <SNH> RA; detachment with group of officers for training exercises with 1st Regt, RHA on Salisbury Plain; reactions to Munich emergency, 1938 and approach of outbreak of war, 1939. Recollections of mobilisation and initial period in Nottingham, 9/1939: preparing kit; father's reaction; signing in ORs; hotel billet; reaction to air raid alarm; role in organising establishment of officer's mess; Batt's attitude to delegation; promotion to command C Troop, 425 Bty. REEL 5 Recollections of period at West Heslerton, 9/1939-11/1939: billets; question of ORs' food rations and officers' administrative inexperience; opinion of Sergeant Majors Charles Beardall and Claude Earnshaw; inadequate transport; officers; 18pdr gun drill with Battery Sergeant Majors Charles Bennett and Wrigley; relationship with civilians; separation from rest of unit in Rillington; 426 Bty officers mess; question of personal fitness; news of move to Market Rasen area; drive to Wragby, 11/1939. Recollections of period at Panton Hall, 11/1939-1/1940: billets; background to selection of 4.5in howitzers in preference to Mark II 18pdrs for 426 Bty; rejection of opportunity to be adjutant and opinion of Captain Roland Bourne; opinion of conscript and regular drafts; story of Bombardier W A Lakes' reluctance to accept promotion. REEL 6 Continues: opinion of Gunner Albert Ellis; weeding out process; effect of vaccinations; preparations for overseas posting. Journey via France to Palestine, 1/1940: departure from Panton; opinion of Major William Barber; ill health amongst officers; train journey from Cherbourg to Marseilles; opinion of Medical Officer J Finnegan; voyage aboard HMT Devonshire. Recollections of periods at Sarafand, Gedera and Hadera Camps, Palestine, 1/1940-6/1940: first impressions; state of unit morale; tent accommodation at Gedera; sea bathing; cricket match at El Mughar. REEL 7 Continues: cricket match at El Mughar; question of relationship with Arab/Jewish civilians; role with advance party on move to Hadera; opinion of 4.5in howitzers; exercises; problems in using radios; riding lessons; mounted exercise with cavalry unit; opinion of Brigadier Keith Dunn and story of his disciplining Captain Colin Barber; question of commissioning promising ORs; attending Asluj Firing Camp including sun burn, opinion of Australian troops, organising shoot without preliminary registration fire, camouflage netting and development technique for driving in sand. REEL 8 Continues: dispersal of camp on Italian declaration of war; relationship with officers including Captain Frederick Porter; officers' mess and drinking habits; reaction to news of North West Europe campaign, 6/1940; train journey to Mersa Matruh, Egypt, 6/1940. Recollections of period at Mersa Matruh, 6/1940-7/1940: absence of briefing; initial camp; sandstorms; state of defences; posting to command wagon lines; digging in vehicles; cookhouse; fly problem; latrines. REEL 9 Continues: making Aldershot oven; inadequate NCO. Detachment to 4th Regt, RHA in Fort Capuzzo area, 7/1940-8/1940: opinion of Colonel John Campbell; duties at observation post; desert sore; opinion of regulars; nature of operations. Recollections of period at Mersa Matruh, 8/1940-1/1941: posting to command C Troop; gun positions at Balaclava Hill; fusing ammunition; orders forbidding men to run during Italian high level air raids; improving defences; stories illustrating reactions to Italian high level air raids; success of RAF Hurricanes in countering air raid ca 10/1940; comparison of efficiency of 425 and 426 Btys including opinion of Major William Barber and relevance of close contact with regimental headquarters. REEL 10 Continues: officers' mess; sailing boat; effects of replacement of Barber with Major Gerry Birkin on efficiency of 426 Bty; Birkin's opinion of various officers. Account of operations against Italian Maktilla Camp, 12/1940: prior posting to command newly formed X Troop, 426 Bty; opinion of 18/25pdrs; opinion of various officers and NCOs; move to Rackham Bay as F Troop of Major Bob Daniell's Composite Bty; opinion of Daniell; journey along coastal road, ca 7/12/1940-8/12/1940; plan of attack; dispositions in front of Maktilla Camp; effects of naval bombardment; successful shoot at Italian battery, 9/12/1940; methods of ranging and issuing fire orders from OP; move to establish OP and inability to forward news of Italian withdrawal, 9/12/1940-10/12/1940. REEL 11 Continues: view of Italian retreat, 10/12/1940; Italian shell fire on OP; temporary command of E Troop; move along coastal road, 10/12/1940; tea from regular cook; liaison with Coldstream Guards; providing smokescreen for elements of 6th Royal Tank Regiment and bombardment of Italian camp prior to their surrender, 11/12/1940; salvaging Italian transport and relationship with Italian transport officer; Italian POWs; presence of brother with 4th Indian Div; return to Mersa Matruh. Period in Suez Canal area, 1/1941-4/1941: mine spotting duties for magnetic mines; role as battery captain; story of HMS Indomitable running aground; story illustrating relationship with Royal Navy; opinion of Major Walton and his relationship with senior officers at Mersa Matruh, 1940. REEL 12 Continues: opinion of Major Walton and his relationship with senior officers at Mersa Matruh, 1940; question of officers' parties; opinion of newly issued 25pdrs and Quad gun towers; strategic situation and question of invasion of Rhodes, Greece; role in development of packs as opposed to stretchers to carry radio equipment; posting to command D Troop; emergency preparations for move to Tobruk, Libya. Leaves in Cairo including visit to Pyramids, 1940. Drive to Tobruk, 5/4/1941-10/4/1941: replacement of Major Lysons by Major Daniell; opinion of various NCOs; acceleration of pace after passing Sollum escarpment; readiness to drop into action. REEL 13 Continues: final approach to Tobruk; readiness to drop into action; passing across mined causeway. Recollections of period at Tobruk, 4/1941-10/1941: situation in Eagle Crossroads sector, 10/4/1941; initial gun positions; move into positions interspersed with 1st Regt, RHA near El Adem road in Palestrimo sector; relationship with officers of 1st RHA; gun position and command post; nature of former Italian defensive positions; establishment of OP near perimeter west of El Adem road; registration of prominent points without firing; composition of OP team; difficulty in establishing radio communication; false alarm at OP, 11/4/1941; method of registering zones of fire; terrain; view of German tank attack from OP, 11/4/1941. REEL 14 Continues: failure of German tank attack, 11/4/1941; use of OP pole east of El Adem pole; question of liaison with Australian troops; role of Troop Sergeant Major Claude Earnshaw and Bombardier Harold Harper in running gun position; role of OP officer's assistant; reports of events during German tank and infantry attack, 14/4/1941; story illustrating relationship with Australian troops; use of captured Italian artillery; Stuka raids on D Troop gun positions; detachment with D Troop to western perimeter to help counter German attack, ca 2/5/1941-3/5/1941, including situation, firing at German mortar team and question of organising bombardment in support of Australian counter attack. REEL 15 Continues: repair of radio; return to El Adem gun positions; daily routine and duties at OP including story of signaller asleep on duty, food rations, view, bringing guns forward to shoot at German transport on El Adem escarpment road, restrictions on ammunition, dispute over reports of German advanced defence works constructed along El Adem road, successful shoots from OP in No Mans' Land on to German transport movements in valley in front of El Adem escarpment, policy of encouraging all NCOs to act as OP assistants, difficulty in giving accurate situation reports, difficulty in flash spotting German batteries; opinion of Major Daniell, Captain Porter and Major Gerry Birkin; question of Troop Sergeant Major Earnshaw's suitability for commission and background to him failing officers' cadet training course in Cairo; opinion of Captain Ivor Birkin. REEL 16 Continues: opinion of Lieutenant Fleming; background to promotion of Troop Sergeant Major Lake; opinion of various officers and NCOs including Battery Sergeant Major Charles Beardall; liaison with battery headquarters; criteria in moving D Troop gun positions; efforts to maintain unit morale including abolishing reveille and introducing gunpit cooking of food rations; officers' mess; rest camp; question of organising recreations for ORs; state of morale; letter contact with GB; role censoring letters; intervening as officer in disputes between ORs and former employers in GB; recreations including reading; water ration; shortage of cigarettes. REEL 17 Continues: effects of shortage of cigarettes; question of discipline problems; sea water distillery; attack of jaundice and treatment by Medical Officer Finnegan at Regimental Headquarters to avoid being posted away from unit; effects of return of Major William Barber as battery commander and consequent return to replace Captain Laborde as commander of D Troop; digging positions for British tanks; situation, 10/1941; role as forward observation officer in tank with 4th Tank Regiment during operations in Bir el Azazi sector, 10/1941; effects of German counter battery fire hitting gunpit; abandoning OP due to German shell fire; story of coming under machine gun fire; new scaffolding OP; shelling on 1st Regt, RHA scaffolding OP; story of being wounded in leg by direct hit whilst up OP pole. REEL 18 Continues: story of being wounded in leg by direct hit whilst up OP pole, subsequent rescue and evacuation via Australian regimental aid post back to Tobruk Hospital, 10/1941; telegram to parents; evacuation aboard HMS Kandahar from Tobruk Harbour and voyage to Alexandria; story of Major William Barber driving over mine; question of relative competence of Majors Gerry Birkin and William Barber in command of 426 Bty. Period at No8 General Hospital, Alexandria, ca 10/1941-3/1942: awareness of dirty state; development of septicaemia as result of jaundice attack in Tobruk; state of leg; arrival of casualties from breakout from Tobruk, 11/1941-12/1941; hospitality from British Egyptian civilian; electrical physiotherapy treatment; visits to unit on their return from desert. Period as artillery instructor at Middle East Tactical School, ca 3/1942-4/1942: Colonel William Seely's role in securing position; role in explaining artillery role to infantry officers; question of relative efficiency of observed and timed programme methods of artillery support; lecture on German attacks on Tobruk, 4/1941; story of meeting Captain Quentin Hogg and question of intellectual capacity of officers. REEL 19 Continues: story of meeting Hogg and question of intellectual capacity of officers. Period in hospital at Cairo, ca 5/1942-6/1942: continued serious condition of leg; operation on leg nerves and subsequent immobility; reaction to news of destruction of unit at Knightsbridge action, 6/1942. Evacuation aboard Hospital Ship Atlantis to, South Africa, ca 6/1942: insistence on taking crutches; meeting Lieutenant Ivor Birkin and effects on him of Major Gerry Birkin's death; conditions; drinking vintage brandy. Period in Pietermaritzburg Hospital South Africa, ca 1942: conditions; story illustrating hospitality of South African civilians; club; desire to return to Middle East and insistence of doctors on return to GB. Voyage back to GB, 1942-1943: route; question of submarine threat; and carrier escort; initial impressions on arrival. Period of home leave, 1/1943-3/1943: return to rank as lieutenant and story of meeting former NCO now ranked as major. REEL 20 Continues: giving lecture on active service conditions to Home Guard; state of leg; category 'B' grading following medical board. Period as training officer and registrar at Northfield Military Hospital, 1943-1944: continuation of physiotherapy programme on leg; status as psychiatric hospital; opinion of patients; question of importance of support for patients from their female partners; lack of organised training programme; question of nature of patients' mental problems; state of shell shock patients; relationship with colonel; organisational role as hospital registrar; reactions to visit to SNH at Brighton, 3/1944; replacement with RAMC officer as registrar due to status as artillery officer; opinion of various administrative changes introduced; subsequent minimal role. Period with A Bty, 4th Field Training Regt at Larkhill, 9/1944: background to posting; new developments whilst attending refresher gunnery course including increased technicalities, opinion of 5.5in gun and use of concentrated fire; nature of training. REEL 21 Continues: story illustrating nature of training; question of quality of recruits; question of relationship between officers returned from active service and those on continual home service; story of Major William Barber's reaction to officers on continual home service in his unit; attending photograph interpretation course including methods and infantry officers inexperience in map reading. Period with Photographic Interpretation Unit at Medmenham, ca 4/1945-6/1945: method of interpreting strips of aerial photographs; examples of pillbox missed on photograph; home leave on VE Day, 8/5/1945; use of aerial photographs in reconstruction programme for Germany; question of overseas service and post-war army service. Period with camp for returned British gunner POWs in Sussex, ca 1945: opinion of POWs; story of bicycle stolen from local unit and unjustified reputation for having resolved situation ; working on local farm to gain experience for intended post-war career; presence of returned POWs from Army Air Corps; reactions to Labour Party victory in General Election, 1945. REEL 22 Demobilisation, ca 10/1945: speed of process; demobilisation suits. Post-war career: reasons for leaving family firm to farm in Tenbury Wells area; state of leg; period in Rhodesia.