Armstrong, Paul (Oral history)

British officer served with 6th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1938-1940; officer served with Durham Light Infantry Depot in GB, 1940; officer served in GB, France and Belgium in 1940; officer served with 2nd Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1940-1941; officer served with 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1941; officer served with Northern Command Corps Headquarters in GB, 1941; officer served with 687 Artisan Works Coy Royal Engineers in GB, 1941-1942; officer served with 695 Army Troops Coy Royal Engineers in GB, North West Europe and Germany, 1942-1945

REEL 1 Background in Bishop Auckland, GB, 1914-1938: family; primary and grammar education; death of father and upbringing by mother; pocket money; opinion of education; discipline; pride in school; teaching of local history and closure of pit; listening to radio and reading; leisure activities; description of Bishop Auckland including houses lived in; childhood friends; attendance at church; attendance and activities in boy scouts. REEL 2 Continues: scout uniform; scoutmaster; discipline; father's service in territorial army and First World War; uncles and teachers in Durham Light Infantry; patriotism; family holidays in Redcar; night classes after leaving school; work in Bishop Auckland Urban District Council surveyors office; plan of palace drawn for Bishop of Durham; working week; annual leave; details of pay; reason for leaving job; work for estate agents; details of pay; travel abroad; night classes taken including reasons for learning German; attitude of civilians to Germany; story of application for work as designer; details of job; end of night classes. REEL 3 Continues: weariness of German threat and involvement with League of Nations including trip to Geneva; reasons for joining Territorial Army; more on involvement with League of Nations including eventual disillusionment with movement; flight in de Havilland Tiger Moth and decision to not join RAF; events in Europe in 1938 and break with League of Nations; attitudes of youths met from other European nations to events of day; reasons for deciding to join Territorial Army and Durham Light Infantry; mother's reaction to his joining army; brothers in armed forces; interview with Colonel Hutchinson; references gathered for entry. Aspects of period as officer cadet with 6th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 10/1938-3/1939: activities at drill nights; chaotic nature of life and determination to see it through; medical; role of Regimental Sergeant Major; drills learned; drilling of fellow cadets; TEWTs with Peter Jeffreys; attitude toward Army Manual of Infantry Training; stories of mistakes made during weekend training; lack of change in infantry training and tactics. REEL 4 Continues: use of Light Infantry; transport in 6th Battalion; details of TEWTs; effect of withdrawal on morale; description of drill hall; pace of drill; receiving of commission and army number. Aspects of period as officer with 6th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 3/1939-12/1939: uniform and equipment bought from allowance including first inspection and sword drill; badges worn; details of officers mess; activities in mess; hierarchy in mess demonstrated by stories of meeting Sir Ronald Adam and General Alexander; mess bills; mobilisation; sleeping arrangements; details of pay; supply of rations in Bishop Auckland and at Whitburn; posting in Chipping Norton; officers mess and accommodation; mess charge; organisation and conditions in mess; deputation to demand pay; vote to rid mess of civilian chef and effects. REEL 5 Continues: President of the Messing Committee's work including equality in mess and staff in mess; rations; accommodation; payment for drinks; details of pay; details of batman including memories of first batman George Butler; problems with acquiring food and rink for mess; period as President of the Messing Committee; organisation of company mess; cutting out officers in debt; differences in mess before war; attendance at court of enquiry into misuse of National Servicemen in Hamelin 1950; army cook who replaced civilian chef in Oxfordshire; staff under officers; special nights in mess including uniform worn; traditions in mess; role in Chipping Norton; methods of advance in section; fire and movement and moving in same direction; methods of changing direction; difficulty of British soldier to take things seriously; opinion of NCOs; training as a attalion before war. REEL 6 Continues: organisation of training and description of manoeuvres; opinion of training area at Chipping Norton; platoon rivalry; memories of Joe Makepeace; use of Light Infantry pace; route marches of 100 miles in three days; formations in company training; weapons and transport in platoon; exercises in larger formations; deciding factors in movement; observing officers; make-up of a platoon including description and opinion of Boyes anti-tank rifle; equipment taken into battle; weapons in a section and platoon; transport of weapons; weapons practice and training; ammunition carried by troops; transport in battalion including freezing of vehicles; embussing and debussing training including with imaginary vehicle; accidents in training; inspections; loss of unfit troops; opinion of padre Rice; responsibility to troops including description of bivouacs; duties of orderly officer; story of reprimand for criticising Regiment Sergeant Major; inspection of guard and explanation of quarter guard; story of troops unhappy with his stickman selection. REEL 7 Continues: training for patrols; method of keeping warm; embussing and debussing; details of route marches including Light Infantry pace; foot inspections; withdrawal training; battalion exercises; equipment situation including weapons in battalion; proficiency required with bren guns; bayonet training; transport in division and attitude of senior officers toward mobility; inspection from King George VI; impression of commanding officers; relationship with civilians and troops; accommodation of section; fight against gambling among troops; problems arising from gambling; relationships between local women and troops; cooking of meals; issue of rations; supervision of meals; discipline and punishments. REEL 8 Continues: accommodation of officers; story of hunt attended; relationship with civilians; sports including targeting of officers during matches; visits to Oxford; difficulties with training; memories of a Platoon Sergeant Major Harry Cruddace; reason for ditching rank of platoon sergeant major; opinion of NCOs; removal of older troops from battalion; separation of a father and son joining together; opinion of medical officer Val Wardle; method of getting round being in a reserved occupation; story of later discharge of miners from 2nd Battalion; opinions and memories of officers in battalion; memories and opinions of NCOs; backgrounds of troops; leave; posting received following leave in Meadowfield; mail; censorship of mail; opinion of censorship and court martial duties. REEL 9 Continues: Aspects of period as officer with Durham Light Infantry Depot in GB, 12/1939-3/1940: training of drafts including accommodation of officers and troops; equipment situation; background of troops; details of unit; memories of fellow officer in unit; gathering of draft for transport to France; make-up of draft including memories of other officer in draft. Aspects of period as officer in France, 3/1940-5/1940: journey to Cherbourg; first impressions of French troops; truck journey to Rouen; description of camp; memories of Private Morton; improvements made to sanitation; activities in Rouen; currency rates and champagne gunfire; relationship with civilians and Scottish troops; opinion of Sergeant Major Etherington; baths in Rouen; methods of relieving of boredom in camp; keenness of troops to see action including during later withdrawals; rations. Aspects of operations as officer in France and Belgium, 3/1940-5/1940: bombing of Rouen; reasons for delay in going into Belgium; orders to join 151 Brigade; train journey toward brigade and reason for switching to road; refugees on roads. REEL 10 Continues: arrival in Pois and orders from Military Police; talk with Major Kenyon and attempt to link up with French troops; reason for withdrawal to Neufchatel; role of formation joined; route of march to Rouen; rations; confusion and fear among civilians; march through night to Rouen; story of Junkers Ju 87 Stuka attack; reactions of himself and troops to attack; march discipline; tanks seen crossing Seine; return to Rouen camp and march to Elbeuf; establishment of line; supporting arms; weapon situation including opinion of Boyes anti-tank rifle; state of troops; story of rations bought; passing of German tanks; actions of French troops; story of stationary train at Pont-Audemar; contact with officers looking for 2nd Battalion and news of successful evacuation from Dunkirk; help from sergeant major in dealing with troops unable to continue with march; orders to not fire at aircraft; defence of bridge at Elbeuf including opinion of chances against German Army; letters given by troops; orders to join Major Kenyon at Burg le Roi; story of Tim McGorran and relieving troops. REEL 11 Continues: maintenance of march discipline; story of RAF unit in wood and Westland Lysander crash; German tactics; orders to form force; navigation; knowledge of situation; troops concern for refugees; formation of units at Rouen; position taken in line; details of force in command of; earlier attempt to draw rations; description of a petrol dump and its destruction; organisation of march; opinion of Sergeant Major Etherington; officers in group; position taken on River Seine south of Elbeuf; disappearance of French troops from line; withdrawal to Elbeuf impossibility of position given in Elbeuf; letters given by troops; passing of German tanks; German sidecar fired on; relief from Tim McGorran; movement away from Elbeuf; realisation of situation and belief that they would not be evacuated but form a new front; rations gained from civilians; arrival in Lisieux; boarding of train and talk with driver; reactions during journey; arrival in Cherbourg; boarding of a Destroyer and refusal to throw away at rifles; troops on ship and opinion of French railways and army; speed of Destroyer. Aspects of period as officer in GB, 6/1940: joy of troops on arrival in Southampton and story of night in cemetery; responsibility during time in France. REEL 12 Continues: reception in Southampton; train journey to Ryton; accommodation; leave; stories told by troops in local pubs; reactions to situation in GB; civilian reaction to situation; opinion of Winston Churchill; weapon situation; length of time at Ryton; attempt to get married; story of church parade; relationship with civilians; return of letters given in France; posting in Huddersfield; reunion with Jasper Rudd and effects of shellshock on him; accommodation of self and troops; train journey to Bridlington. Aspects of period as officer with 2nd Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 6/1940-3/1941: relationship between regular and territorial troops; posting in C Company; memories of Company Commander Michael Hamner; story of Jasper Rudd in a TEWT; memories of battalion commander; background of troops and reaction to attitude of regulars; relationship with platoon; route marches; morale of battalion; stories of Michael Hamner's visits to positions on coast including accommodation; argument over minefields; death of Brigadier Furlong; description of defences on coast; position taken on beach; location of minefields and spacing of mines; target of mines. REEL 13 Continues: retraining of battalion; details of exercises and make-up of 6th Infantry Brigade; details of 100 mile marches; help given to struggling troops; opinion of beach defences; problems with minefields and going around positions at night; supporting units on coast; issue and opinion of sticky bombs; story of a sticky bomb demonstration; description of a sticky bomb; knowledge of German tanks and role of sticky bomb; clearance of roads during winter; accommodation in Bridlington; organisation of guard duties; civilians in area; abandoned house requisitioned; location of Battalion Headquarters; air activity including stories from air raids on Bridlington; aircraft shot down; Stand To; opinion of German troops; attempt to return miners to work; opinion of British soldier's resolve; news of posting in Burma; morale; issue of bus for platoon; understanding that equipment was needed elsewhere; invasion scare. REEL 14 Continues: marriage; life of wife in Bridlington; cocktail party for Sylvia and Richard Annand; exercise commanding battalion; departure of Richard Annand from battalion; opinion of Richard Annand; example of attitude of regular officers toward territorials; relationship with Michael Hamner; opinion of Regimental Sergeant Major Charles Lackerby; memories of Lieutenant Vane; memories of battalion commander; memories of George Stobart and Major Sebag- Montefiore; overall opinion of officers; memories of Robert Allen and Dibb Kennet; opinion of NCOs including Charles Shufflebottom; losses of personnel in France; conduct of regulars during retreat; background of troops; treatment of troops returning from France; opinion of older troops; eventual relationship between regulars and territorials; memories of batman George Butler; pride in battalion; posting in Wintringham and spread of battalion; exercises and marches. REEL 15 Continues: accommodation; exercises; hospitalisation with poisoned throat. Aspects of hospitalisation in GB, 3/1941: sent to York Military Hospital; help given to wife by Robert Allen; visits from wife; hospital discipline and opinion of treatment; length of time in hospital and more on problems for wife; period of convalescence at Harewood House; posting to Depot; story of parting with and hospitalisation of George Butler. Aspects of period as officer with Durham Light Infantry Depot in GB, 1941: interview with Colonel Hasted and posting in Depot Company; length of time at Depot; opinion of troops; parades with troops. Aspects of period as officer with 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1941: posting in Winchelsea with D Company; opinion of battalion; accommodation; relationship with fellow officers; background of troops; rank and opinion of own character; problems with company commander; interview with Colonel Ware; story of route march and transfer to Royal Engineers. Aspects of period as officer with Northern Command Corps Headquarters, 1941-1942: background of work in assessing damage claims; badge worn; accommodation in Darlington; officers' mess; inspections of billets and necessity of work; example of damage made to a billet. REEL 16 Continues: Aspects of period as officer with Durham Light Infantry Depot in GB, 1941: interview with Colonel Hasted on arrival at Depot and changes made at Depot; state and parading of troops; length of time at Depot; grumbles among and improvement in troops; memories and death of Colonel Hasted. Aspects of period as officer with Northern Command Corps Headquarters, 1941-1942: background of staff; organisation of repairs to billets; story of removing his old caravan; opinion of reasons for having few problems reaching settlements; stories of inspections; story of problems given by officers; story of near run-in with Fife and Forfar Yeomanry; length of time with claims commission; opinion of work; interview with War Office. Aspects of period as officer with 687 Artisan Works Coy Royal Engineers in GB, 1942: posting in Bicester; work of unit building Ordnance Depot; background of unit including time in France 1940; story of training given for church parade; make-up of unit; Pioneer Corps presence; activities with unit; attitude of unit to military life; story of assault course. REEL 17 Continues: length of time with 687 Artisan Works Company. Aspects of period as officer with Royal Engineers in GB, 1942: posting with Ripon Depot and re-badging; basic bridging course attended; posting with 3rd Training Battalion at Aldershot; details of intensive officers' course attended. Aspects of period as officer with 695 Army Troops Coy Royal Engineers in GB, 1942-1944: posting in Street; description of camp; background of troops and officers; memories of Major Brydon; infantry training given to unit; posting in Plymouth; bomb disposal course attended in Ripon; air raids in Plymouth; accommodation; spirit mad in school chemistry lab; further details of bomb disposal course including description of locating and lifting mines; marking of cleared lanes; French mine found in France; types in German mines trained with; description of S Mine; ease of plotting anti-tank minefields; marking and role of static minefields; method of clearing minefield; size and shape of coastal minefields; booby traps on perimeter fence; German habit of leaving mine containers close by; shape mines laid in; laying of mines during retreat; description of teller mine; differences between German and British mines; policy of working one man to each bomb or mine. REEL 18 Continues: further details of Teller mines; explosives used in mines; details of shoe mines; injuries caused by shoe mines; story of shoe mine that could not be made safe; descriptions of making different types of mines safe; teaching other arms to life mines at Sangatte; story of mine lifting exhibition given to senior officers and being forbidden to use live mines in training; story of bombs given dismantle in Devonport on birthday; opinion of bomb disposal instructors at Ripon; dispersal of earth from fallen bomb; position of fuse on mines and method of discovering its type; significance of Zug being marked on fuse; description of defusing a bomb; reason for never using a stethoscope; description and use of Steven's Stopper; story of defusing a bomb outside hospital; defusing of remaining bombs on birthday; need to show no fear; casualties in unit; lack of change in German tactics; rank held; relationship with Major Brydon. REEL 19 Continues: building of camps for Americans; story of complaints made by troops building a camp at Liskeard; accommodation and opinion of rations; inspection of Nissan huts by American colonel; erection of a water tank on scaffolding; details of tunnelling work for Combined Operations Headquarters; story of complaint from Admiral's wife and meeting to resolve problem; continuation of work; story of striking main sewer and emergency repairs made; visit from member of Army Council; completion of work; storage of spoil; damage caused to Scott Memorial and its movement to prevent further damage; bombing of War Office and posting in London to carry out repairs; accommodation; War Office staff's entering of air raid shelters; details of unit and troops; spread of unit around Havant; building of camps in closed off area and accommodation in Waterlooville. REEL 20 Continues: story of tanks passing wife's house on A1; death of George Weston; talk given to unit following death; stories of other accidents; further details of building camps including air activity; problems arising from occupation of camp; period living in camp awaiting invasion and story of dentist met; arrival of V1s and posting to Sevenoaks; task to recover V1 intact and method for carrying task out; recovery of V1 from marsh; celebration and return to closed camp; boarding of vessel for voyage and stop in Cowes for drink; role in invasion; story of air raid in Streatham; date of voyage. Aspects of operations as officer with 695 Army Troops Coy Royal Engineers in North West Europe, 6/1944-5/1945: role of unit including trenches dug for nursing unit; scenes at bridgehead; reactions to situation; opinion of unit and training given to cope in active service; scenes on beaches; organisation on Arromanches beach; more on trenches dug for Field Hospital; road repair work and mines in verges. REEL 21 Continues: story of painting road black; equipment situation; story of steamroller commandeered; scenes inside a German gun emplacement and similar sights inland; contact with civilians and resistance; knowledge of German mines; booby traps left by Germans; method of entering houses; demolition work; bailey bridge built and earlier meeting with Donald Bailey; description of building a bailey bridge including German envy of bailey bridges and jeeps; German gun emplacements; detection of mines; German marking of minefields. REEL 22 Continues: joining with Canadian forces; fluctuations in proximity to front; opinion of reason for attachment to Canadians; first meeting with Canadian brigadier; support given to unit at front clearing mines; reason for not using flail tanks; position of Canadians in line; description of Goliath tanks found in depot and story of playing dodgems with them; opinion of German equipment; arrival in Poix and treatment of collaborators; collection of Lieutenant Vane's laundry from 1940; reaction and opinion of civilians; comparison of Canadian and British troops; story of helping Canadians to front; accommodation; rations; joining of Canadian attack on Boulogne; details of German troops; Canadian use of flamethrowers and German reaction; visit to casino; story of machine gun fire seen en route to harbour; damage in harbour; map found of minefields around Boulogne; opinion of reason for German surrender; pockets of German resistance; discussion on speed of Canadian advance. REEL 23 Continues: search for and selection of accommodation including opinion of German huts; inspection of site chosen with Lieutenant Kemp; home comforts set up in accommodation; memories of batman Private Eyres; talk with Lieutenant Kemp about rations; arrival of and contact with unit; memories of commanding officer; activities of unit and American air activity; mine clearance on beach at Sangatte including make-up of unit; story of 1939 Olivier Rupture Mine; methods for clearing minefields at Calais; detecting equipment; dealing with stress among troops; casualties in unit and usual procedure for defusing mines. REEL 24 Continues: description of Channel gun positions; piece of cordite from shell carried through North West Europe; use of cartridge cases from guns; story of horses taken to Calais harbour for Naval officer; clearance of mines on outskirts of Calais; story of nearly setting a shoe mine off in his and Joe Snowden's faces and reaction to event; use of grappling mines to pull up mines; story of bombs dropped on minefield; stories of events at Christmas 1944; screening off of Dunkirk during advance to Antwerp; movement around flooded area and lack of activity in unit; building of leave camp at Calais; visit of General Tickell to camp and argument with Colonel Brydon; subsequent phone call made by Colonel Brydon to James Maxton; posting of Colonel Brydon back to GB; background and opinion of new commanding officer Braithwaite; stores used for supplies. REEL 25 Continues: description of V1 launch sites and their destruction; reason for and effect of breaching dykes; help given to and leaving of Canadians; return to 8th Corps; advance towards Nijmegen; details of accommodations; crossing of Nijmegen bridge and camp set up; reinforcement work during advance; contact with civilians; civilian dealings with collaborators; evacuation of German POWs; displaced persons; route of advance through Germany including reception from civilians and devastation from allied bombing; impression of Germans; food situation in Germany; speed of advance and gaps in memory; opinion of reason for the rush; rumours of remaining German opposition; mines and booby traps in Germany; rivalry between units to reach objectives; activities of unit; need to keep advance moving. REEL 26 Continues: Aspects of period as officer with 695 Army Troops Coy Royal Engineers in Germany, 1945: state of Hamburg; description of a firestorm and reactions of a civilian in Hamburg; reactions to damage in Hamburg; contact with civilians; occupying force in Hamburg and work of Military Police; state of Lubeck; scenes at Allied POW Camp for German women at Neumünster; orders for activities on arrival in Kiel; state of Kiel; meeting with policeman from Bishop Auckland; accommodation; German troops cleaning steps on arrival; handover of billets; attitude of German colonel; original owner of house and treatment received from Germans; description of accommodation; inspection of area for supplies; story of brush with Military Police and German alcoholic loot from France; story of German employees making aeroplane parts in a factory; talk with doctor about Belsen and decision to visit. REEL 27 Continues: scenes on visit to Belsen; effect on attitude toward Germans; activities of men and women in Kiel; memories and work of appointed mayor Colonel Tysack including description of the records of inhabitants and story of taking over Town Hall; displace persons and deserters in town; memories of dog gained from German police; impressions of civilians; German prisoners working with unit and story of accommodation found for them; work undertaken by prisoners; seizure of German Yacht Squadron. REEL 28 Continues: leisure activities in yachts; Corps Mess in Kiel; reason for not looting; arrival and surrender of German column; contact with Russian troops; opinions on German surrender; details of German prisoners working with unit; discussion on non-fraternisation rules including contact of batman with civilians; RAF searches for crashed Allied aircraft and bodies; German Jews in army; memories of Colonel McGregor; search for brother's grave in Wilhelmshaven; later complaints about RAF stopping searches; discovery of brother's body; further memories of Colonel McGregor; administration duties; story of Order of Leopolds given to unit and taken away; postponement of demobilisation; protest made to Hugh Dalton MP; demobilisation; appointment as Major with a Royal Engineer Territorial Squadron.