Rochester, William Turnbull (Oral history)

British private and NCO served with Durham Light Infantry Depot in GB, 1930; served with 1st Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1930; served with Durham Light Infantry Depot in GB, 1930-1932; NCO served with 1st Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1932-1933; served with 2nd Bn Durham Light Infantry in India, Sudan and GB, 1933-1938; served with Durham Light Infantry Depot in GB, 1938-1940; served with 14th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 1940-1942; served with 155 Regt Royal Armoured Corps in GB, 1942; served with 11th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB and North West Europe, 1944

REEL 1 Background in Seaham, GB, 1913-1930: family; education; memories of childhood; time in Boys Brigade; attendance at church; bombing of Seaham during First World War; attempt to join Police; encouragement from uncle to join army and advice given; story of leaving school because could not afford books; attempt to become apprentice joiner; description of work in pit; details of pay; story of joining army. Aspects of period as private and NCO with Durham Light Infantry Depot in GB, 1/1930-6/1930: reception on arrival at Fenham Barracks and memories of sergeant major; activities during wait for squad to be formed; issue of uniform and alterations made; period before allowed out of barracks; reaction to being chased by women. REEL 2 Continues: sleeping arrangements; kit inspections; encouragement to work as team; description of barrack block; cleaning of room and reveille; description of washhouse; story of draft from India taking on washhouse duties; latrines; attitude toward gambling; drill; promotion to acting unpaid lance corporal; duties; description of fatigues; horseplay among recruits; details of squad and block; help given to recruits having problems; relationship with NCOs; details of pay; replacement of lost items; oath taken on joining; medicals; uniform issued including polishing of boots and wearing of puttees. REEL 3 Continues: rifle drill and training; cleaning of rifle; rifle inspection; later issue of full equipment; cleaning up of Catterick Camp on arrival; firing on miniature range; breakfast; preparation for drill; details of drill; story of recruit not up to drill; pace and learning of drill including description of rifle drill; morning break and lunch; opinion of rations; route marches; foot inspections; tea; evening activities; granting of weekend leave; inspections upon leaving barracks; method of keeping crease in trousers; attitude to uniform and civilian attitude to soldiers; army education including teaching of regimental history; rivalry between squads and with Northumberland Fusiliers; passing out parade. REEL 4 Continues: training with and opinion of Lewis Gun; bayonet training; importance of bayonet fighting; later gas training; physical training; route marches; opinion of NCOs; granting of leave; reception on return home; enjoyment of army; posting to 1st Battalion at Catterick. Aspects of period as NCO with 1st Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 6/1930-9/1930: changes in discipline with battalion; posting in C Company; problems with name not appearing on rolls; duties; company drill; opinion of NCOs; field training; make-up of sections and platoons; rank of company commanders before and during war; make-up of battalion; story of young company assigned to before war; discipline; accommodation; fatigues; parade for King's birthday; changes in pace during parade. REEL 5 Continues: differences between life in depot and in battalion; barrack room duties; morning procedures; army education; sports courses attended; afternoon activities; details of route marches; foot inspections; help from old soldiers; treatment of blisters; training season and manoeuvres; training to dig trenches; story of teaching trench training; leave; issue of dress uniform; punishments for ill discipline; morale; returning from leave; sports played; rations; canteen and shops; details of pay; pay parade. REEL 6 Continues: length of time at Catterick; period in 2nd Battalion draft. Aspects of period as NCO with Durham Light Infantry Depot in GB, 9/1930-3/1932: promotions to corporal including story of delay before promotion to corporal; duties as lance corporal; increases in pay; attitude of others to his promotion; training of section including method of curing sore throat; relationship with recruits including story of breaking up a gambling session; story of later sending troops on leave to solve problems and methods of keeping it from senior ranks; sleeping arrangements; supply of meals; corporals' mess; length of time as lance corporal and promotion to corporal; return to battalion; guard duties. REEL 7 Continues: news of and reactions to placement on overseas draft; journey to Southampton; make-up of draft; uniform worn. Aspects of journey from Southampton, GB, to Bombay, India, aboard HMT Nevasa, 1933: conditions onboard and sleeping arrangements; accompanying duty sergeant on rounds; journey through Bay of Biscay; rough seas in Mediterranean; attempts to stop gambling; leisure activities; physical training; boat drill; burial at sea; issue and opinion of rations; canteen; stop at Aden; arrival in Bombay. Aspects of period as NCO with 2nd Bn Durham Light Infantry in India, 2/1933-2/1937: first thoughts on arrival and length of journey; meal given at Bombay Station; description of train accommodation; first impressions of India; poverty inland; warnings against buying goods from civilians; latrines; rations; arrival in Calcutta; journey to Barrackpore; joining of B Company; activities on arrival; uniforms and equipment issued; drill; sunburn and help received from platoon bearer. REEL 8 Continues: memories of civilian bearer; treatment of bearers from troops; other civilian workers in camp; organisation of and work in sergeants' mess; payment of bills; rations; description of dress uniform; restriction on mess guests; mess customs and events; promotion to sergeant; time as platoon commander; news of promotion to sergeant; manoeuvres and scenes in country; transport in battalion; relationship with Indian troop; opinion of difference between Indian and British troops; standard of turnout; attitude towards sunburn; routine; generating activities for troops; weapons in battalion; sports played; leisure activities. REEL 9 Continues: civil defence duties including stories of being attacked and method of dispersing a gang; reasons for problems between Hindu and Muslim populations; relationship with civilians; activities on Thursdays; filling holes in walls; visit to a VD hospital; army attitude to VD; sailors stationed with battalion in Bombay including story of trip around Bombay brothels; story of talk about time in India; journey to Sudan; stories of marriage on leave and getting off draft to China. Aspects of period as NCO with 2nd Bn Durham Light Infantry in Sudan, 2/1937- 11/1937: conditions in Sudan; stories of flights with RAF; description of barracks; terrain around barracks. REEL 10 Continues: accommodation; story of injury in barrack room; civilian workers in camp; role as platoon sergeant of B Company; terrain; train journey from port to Khartoum; rations; fire and movement exercises; sports; role of battalion; marriage; visits to market; letter from preceding battalion about registered brothel; story of sergeants' official visit to brothel; location of barracks; guard duties at Gordon's Palace; story of infection caught after swim in Nile and problems resulting from it; courses taken; memories of Sebag Montefiore; story of crocodile trip; relationship with officers. REEL 11 Continues: Aspects of journey from Sudan to GB, 11/1937-12/1937: details of ship and crew; visit to pyramids; physical training during voyage when on leave. Aspects of period as NCO with 2nd Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 12/1937-4/1938: posting at Woking; accommodation arranged for wife; details of pay; length of time at Woking; posting to Depot. Aspects of period as NCO with Durham Light Infantry Depot in GB, 4/1938-1940: accommodation received; differences between service at home and abroad; duties as education sergeant; standard of recruits' educations; background of recruits; reaction to posting; memories of education officer; length of posting; posting as sergeant instructor; role as sergeant instructor; story from later regimental weekend; methods of dealing with problematic recruits and examples of recruits he got out of army; advantages of training a small group; discipline; ex-soldiers working in depot; busy period after outbreak of war; NCO instructors and standard of training; changes in discipline as war approached; memories of commanding officer and NCOs; signs of approaching war; outbreak of war. REEL 12 Continues: departure of families from barracks including threat made to wife; experience of facing gunfire and help given later in Normandy; expectations about war; move to Brancepeth Castle and accommodation; contact with territorial sergeants; posted to Esh Winning; commandeering of billets; accommodation; patrol training; concern about recruits lack of training and example of poor NCOs; section training; map reading; loss of company commander; standard of recruits; weeding out of worst recruits for different employment; training by the book; training on moors; relationship with and treatment of recruits; night patrols and dangers on moors; relationship with civilians. REEL 13 Continues: looking after troops from Dunkirk and guards set up around Esh Winning; state of Dunkirk troops on arrival; story of pay parades; transport given to Dunkirk troops on departure; busyness of period; standard of equipment being given out; return of recruits; news of posting in Hartlepool; journey to Hartlepool and rank. Aspects of period as NCO with 14th Bn Durham Light Infantry, 1940-1942: arrival in Hartlepool and march to billets; search around and organisation of troops in accommodation including initial sleeping arrangements; accommodation of officers; telephone calls to find quartermaster; talk with quartermaster; collection of stores; adjustments made by Pioneer Corps; opinion of quartermaster; collection of money to pay troops and pay parades; arrival of officer. REEL 14 Continues: formation of 14th Battalion; memories of John Williams; creation and descriptions of sergeants' mess; role and activities in Hartlepool; posted to Seaton Carew with A Company; patrols and detachments set up in dunes; setting up of minefield and accidents; guns set up on beach; story of ships run aground in front of guns; passes for civilians to go on beach and opinion of commanding officer; opinion to posting; memories of new commanding officer; activities at Seaton Carew; German pilot rescued from sea; air activity; description of shelter used and damage from anti-aircraft activity; story of parachute scare; story of German aircraft peppering a house; posted to Stockton-on-Tees; memories of Captain Blackett including accommodation and hospitalisation with malaria. Aspects of period as NCO with 155 Regiment Royal Armoured Corps (15 DLI) in GB, 1942: posting in Northumberland 155 Royal Armoured Corps; driving lessons; story of do in drill hall; stories from train journey away from unit. REEL 15 Continues: Aspects of period as NCO with 11th Bn Durham Light Infantry in GB, 4/1944-6/1944: joining of 11th Battalion and posting in Thetford; reason for posting and knowledge of unit's future; details of D Company; visits to other companies; story of Scale A parades and list made of troops in company including removal of troops from officers' mess; weapons training; make-up of company; opinion of officers; quality of troops; training for invasion; removal of division from invasion; veterans from France 1940 in battalion; memories of Colonel Hamner; story of arrival in Cheriton; story of visit to Cheriton sergeants' mess; visiting offcers' messes after rugby matches; description of field firing training; make-up of company; grenade training including opinion of plastic grenades; practice unloading and loading truck. REEL 16 Continues: story of American troops washed up on beach; work on oil pipelines set up on south coast; period at Depot and quality of recruits; story of joining of 11th Battalion; lectures about invasion; training at Thetford; formation of D Company; training unloading and loading truck; standard and age of troops; officers in battalion; discipline and relationship with troops; aim of training with D Company; intellect of troops; use and description of Vickers Carden Loyd carriers; opinion of lack of transport in battle; removal of 49th Division from D Day and reaction to news; new role of division; warnings about booby traps including demonstration of booby traps attached to a door; lectures about German troops and weapons; bren guns in company and advice about picking them up in France; story of arrival and burial of sten guns; training in fighting tanks; description of PIAT. REEL 17 Continues: opinion of PIAT; descriptions of 6lb and 25lb anti-tank guns and shells; maps issued of coastline; opinion of training; need to guard against careless talk and sealed-in camp; troops in company; role as sergeant major; voyage to France; boarding of landing craft. Aspects of operations as NCO with 11th Bn Durham Light Infantry in North West Europe, 6/1944-7/1944: memories of beachmaster and scenes on beach; equipment carried; self- heating tins of soup; disembarkation from landing craft; movement inland and landmark headed for; landed at Asnelles with Cristot as aim; damage in area; contact with civilians; German sniper in church tower; role during march; arrival in Cristot; arrangement of platoons and reason for ordering troops to dig in; shelters made by troops and demonstration with contents of sacks used; terrain passed over; length of stay in Christot; sentries set up; layout of company. REEL 18 Continues: advance behind 151 Brigade; first casualty and reaction to it; importance of POWs; time in Brécy and reception from civilians; description of Rucqueville; movement through fields; movement through Martragny; casualty in Saint Leger and search for sniper; state of Ducy St Margarite and contact with civilians; stay in Loucelles including story of woman walking along Bayeux-Caen Road; casualty from mortar fire; situation outside village; story of patrol sent out; plan for ambush of Germans; success of action; morale; activity outside Cristot; knowledge of German units; movement towards Fontenay le Pesnel; scene of destroyed tanks; arrival outside Rauray; hole in field used for cover; orders given to patrol about movement; information gained from patrol; time patrol sent out; role of patrol; formation of advance into Rauray; terrain; sudden appearance of sunken road and opposition faced. REEL 19 Continues: results from reconnaissance patrol sent into Rauray; casualties from opposition faced at sunken road; cover taken in sunken road; appearance of German tank; description of small wood entered; state of Sergeant Major Taylor and news of C Company; death of commanding officer; removal of equipment and organisation of defence; fire from German revolver and realisation of stupidity of actions; item taken from German who fired revolver; troops under his command; arrival of Lieutenant Bell; story of bullet that struck a cigarette case; morale of troops; arrival and wounding of Major Brewis; story of soup being hit by a sniper bullet; method of keeping morale up; awareness of need to keep nerve; reaction of himself and others to casualties and movement of bodies; belief in talking and leading by example; thoughts towards Germans; method of advance toward Rauray; roll call morning after attack; keeping emotions in check; overnight events and situation in orchard; work of artillery forward observation officer; story of officer complaining about artillery fire; visit from Colonel Hanmer; stories of two young officers killed. REEL 20 Continues: location of position held; reiteration of stories of two young officers killed; opinion of troops; memories of Private Stansfield including story of German machine gunners killed with a PIAT and POWs taken; attitude and evacuation of POWs including description of ration packs and supply of rations; further memories of Private Stansfield; length of time in Rauray; state of troops; attempts of Germans to infiltrate; decreasing company strength and casualties; terrain around orchard; communications; forward posts; freedom of movement including story of officer walking in open areas; supply of rations; hens caught for dinner and method of cooking them; visits from officers and colour sergeant; story of cow hit by shell while he was milking it; relationship with troops and man management technique including troops lost in France. REEL 21 Continues: action at Rauray and start of battle; casualties and nightly roll calls; reactions and evacuation of wounded; story of receiving helmet when evacuated; story of being wounded on return from headquarters; state on return to HQ; initial treatment; later effects of wounds; description of wounds. Aspects of hospitalisation in France, 6/1944-7/1944: evacuation to Regimental Aid Post; time at RAP including treatment received and total number of wounds; description of tent woke up in and fellow patients; talks with nurses and with surgeon; news of flight home; operations; help from soldier who had lost foot; flight to Swindon; length of time between wounding and flight home; fates of others wounded by same blast. Aspects of hospitalisation in GB, 7/1944-3/1945: opinion of treatment received on Oliver Ward at Leicester Royal Hospital; details of neighbouring patient; lack of pain from wounds; treatment received; operation to remove gangrene; stories of wives removed from hospital; patients with minor injuries; move to Market Bosworth convalescence camp; cleaning of hole in arm; behaviour of fellow sergeant major; contact with children in hospital; game of cricket between patients and nurses; entertainments; pass over of aeroplanes to Arnhem; discipline. REEL 22 Continues: staff in hospital; help given in care of elderly patients; visit from mother and son; progress of recovery; story of gaining help to relieve himself; story of visit to cinema; uniform worn; death of mother; return to hospital in Dryburn; award of Distinguished Conduct Medal; reactions to award; story of being told he did deserve medal; fates of officers at Rauray; other awards for action at Rauray; location of medals; amount initially received in pension for DCM; story of problems with organising Christmas leave; story of medical officer's checks for AWOL patients; story of complaints made about breakfast; state of recovery; leave and discharge; work in Royal Ordnance Factory in Birtley; medicals following discharge; process of discharge.