Laborde, Charles (Oral history)

British officer served with 426 Bty, 107th Regt, <South Notts Hussars> Royal Artillery in GB, Palestine and North Africa 1938-1942; served with 107 Bty, <SNH> 7th Medium Regt in North Africa 1942; served as instructor with Artillery Wing, Royal Corps of Signals School, Cairo, Egypt, 1942-1943; served as staff officer with General Alexander's General Headquarters in Italy, 1943-1944; served as air liaison officer with 7th South African Fighter Bomber Wing in Italy, 1944-1945; served as officer at Chepstow POW Camp, Wales 1945

REEL 1 Background in Barbados and Harrow, GB, 1914-1927. Recollections of education at Harrow Public School, 1927-1934: interest in geography; sports activities including Harrow football; daily routine and conditions; encroaching of London suburbs; monitor system; Officers' Training Corp activities including organisation, drill, field days, rifle shooting and Lewis gun training; passing Cambridge University exhibition. Period studying Economics and Geography at Cambridge University, 1934-1937: enthusiasm for rugby; lifestyle. Work as management trainee with Boots the Chemists, Nottingham, 1937-1939. Recruitment and training as officer with D Troop, 426 Bty, 107th Regt, <South Notts Hussars> Royal Artillery, 2/1937-9/1939: awareness of approach of war as result of canoeing trips to Germany in 1930s. REEL 2 Continues: awareness of approach of war as result of canoeing trips to Germany and Austria in 1930s; reasons for joining; equipment with 18pdr guns; lack of contact with 425 Bty; relationship with ORs; opinion of various officers including Lieutenants Alan Chadburn and Tony McCraith; disruption to training caused by various work assignments; question of mathematics of gunnery; weekend training at Hucknall aerodrome; attending Bridlington Camp, 1937, including sergeants' mess party, recreations and officers' mess life; attending Redesdale Camp, 1938 and 1939, including difficulty in observing fall of shells and practice on canvas mock range tables; awareness of approach of war and organising air raid precautions at Boots Chemists building in London, 1939. Mobilisation, 1/9/1939 REEL 3 Initial period in Nottingham, 9/1939: D Troop billets in Chapel Hall; air raid false alarm. Periods at West Heslerton and Panton Hall, 9/1939-1/1940: OP training; effects of inoculations; officers' gun drill training; question of quality of food; advance news from William Joyce German propaganda radio broadcast of move to Lincolnshire; billets at Panton Hall; effects of inoculations; embarkation leave; attending gunnery course at Larkhill, 1/1940. Journey out with 106th Regt, <Lancashire Yeomanry> RA to rejoin unit in Palestine, 2/1940: cold weather; train journey across France; delay in embarking ORs and effects of Mistral wind at Marseilles; first impressions of Palestine. Periods at Gedera and Hadera Camps, 2/1940-6/1940: lack of guns and equipment; route marches; opinion of Colonel William Seely; role of orderly officer. REEL 4 Continues: exercises in dropping into action; polishing the guns; shortage of equipment; aiming posts; climate and sea bathing; learning to ride; failure of brigade exercise intended to use horses for liaison with cavalry; officers' mess life including mess uniform, relaxation of dress code due to heat and drinking habits; daily routine; relationship with officers; attending Asluj Firing Camp including water supply and observation post duty. REEL 5 Continues: reaction to news of German success in North West Europe, 5/1940; introduction of blackout following Italian entry into war; question of relationship with Arab/Jewish civilians; re-equipment prior to move into Western Desert. Rail journey to Mersa Matruh, Egypt, 23/6/1940: crossing Suez Canal; jettisoning excess baggage; initial camp area. Recollections of conditions of service and lifestyle during period at Mersa Matruh, 6/1940-1/1941: former status as holiday resort; taking over defences and improving gun positions; nature of soil and its resistance to bomb blast; D Troop gun positions by lagoon; infantry positions on white sand on lagoon sand spit and danger of 'snow' blindness; officers' mess; problem with bed bugs; improvements to officers mess; Italian high level air raids and circumstances of Major Edward Batt being killed. REEL 6 Continues: Italian high level air raids including close escape whilst sea bathing and question of morale; method of calibrating guns and faulty 4.5in howitzer; forward gun position; dust storms caused by traffic across desert; letter contact with GB and censorship; question of sporting activities; reduction in Italian high level raids following arrival of RAF Hurricanes; recreations on leave in Cairo including reports of accidental death of Lieutenant H Clark and train journey; food rations supplemented by quail; sailing boat in lagoon; rest camp; period in wagon lines. REEL 7 Continues: period in wagon lines including lack of duties, cook's accident and fly problem; reports of activities of Dummy Troop in operations, 12/1940; period with salvage party based at Maktilla Camp, ca 12/1940-1/1941, including severe dust storm, types of artillery and vehicles salvaged, battlefield corpses and question of souvenirs. Recollections of period in Suez Canal area, 1/1941-4/1941: method of locating position of mines dropped by air into Suez Canal; training for invasion of Rhodes. REEL 8 Continues: training for assault on Rhodes; re-equipment with Quad gun towers and 25pdrs; preparations for drive to Tobruk, Libya, 4/1941. Period detached from unit in Alexandria, ca 4/1941. Voyage aboard Truckler to Tobruk ca 4/1941. Aspects of period as liaison officer with Headquarters of Australian Infantry Bde at Tobruk, ca 4/1941-7/1941: cave dugout in escarpment; relationship with Australian officers; duties disseminating situation reports to unit; return to unit following wounding of Captain Bob Hingston at pole OP. Recollections of conditions of service and lifestyle at Tobruk, ca 7/1941-12/1941: gun positions west of El Adem road; duties as gun position officer and frequent corrections to co-ordinates of registered German gun positions required on arrival of meteorological telegrams. REEL 9 Continues: duties at OP poles including effects of heat haze, nature of targets, fire orders, method of ranging and drawing panoramas; method of firing captured Italian artillery; duties at OP poles including effects of German shell fire, construction of higher pole, fly problem and role of OP officer's assistant; story of German counter battery fire on to troop gun position; construction of makeshift 'fridge'. REEL 10 Continues: construction of makeshift 'fridge'; food, water and rations; officers' mess; view of air raids on Tobruk Harbour; Stuka dive bombing raids; recreations including reading; stories of close escapes from spent bullets; evacuation of Major William Barber wounded; opinion of various officers including Majors Bob Daniell and Peter Birkin; isolation of individual units within Tobruk garrison; periods at rest camp including fishing using hand grenade and view of huge bomb explosion in Tobruk itself; question of officers having special rest facilities; attending camouflage course, bomb shelters provided and question of visibility from air. REEL 11 Recollections of breakout operations, 11/1941-12/1941: prior relief of Australian troops; preparing forward gun positions in south east section; rain storms, 11/1941; role as OP officer behind Black Watch assaulting battalion; use of high power Italian telescope including story of identifying German command post in El Duda sector, subsequent RAF air raid, later visit and minimal effects of bombing; bagpipes; minimal view; German shell fire on Laborde's mobile OP truck and 1st Regt RHA forward position in Bel Hammid sector; activities with mobile OP on Bel Hammid in support of British and New Zealand infantry; confused situation and effects of fatigue. REEL 12 Continues: forward gun position; burial service conducted by Padre H Parry under shell fire; opinion of Parry; use of camera and subsequent paintings; movements, 12/1941-1/1942; cold weather; loss of personal kit. Period in Egypt, ca 2/1942-3/1942: rumour of posting to Palestine; rugger match against New Zealanders; leave and increased military personnel in Cairo. Attending course at Royal Corps of Signals School, Maadi, Cairo, ca 4/1942-5/1942: learning Morse code in preparation; exercises; success in passing as signal officer; return to unit in Gazala area. Recollections of period with B Echelon, ca 5/1942-6/1942: duties collecting and distributing stores; difficulties in night driving on compass bearing across desert terrain; hot climate and difficulty sleeping. REEL 13 Continues: B Echelon personnel; fatigue; situation during German offensive and news of destruction of unit at Knightsbridge, 6/6/1942; journey back to Almaza via Tobruk and German ammunition supplies remaining in their old Tobruk gun positions; arrival of survivors. Period at Royal Artillery Base Depot, Almaza, 6/1942-10/1942: background to reformation of unit as 107 Bty, <SNH> 7th Medium Regt; uniform regulations; heat; opinion of Major Lewis-Jones; re-equipment with 5.5in guns and Matador gun towers; gun drill training; accuracy of 5.5in guns revealed by calibration; state of morale; posting to command B Troop; opinion of various officers and NCOs. Recollections of period in coastal gun positions at El Alamein, 7/1942-10/1942: gun pits; abandoning initial intention to conceal effectiveness of 5.5s; counter-battery role; area of soft sand in front of gun position; description of duties at 'Orange' coastal OP including reception from Australian troops, improvements made after Montgomery's orders not to retreat. REEL 14 Continues: description of duties at 'Orange' coastal OP including fly problem, agreement with Germans not to fire on bathing troops, nature of targets and story illustrating effects of sand in neutralising effects of shell burst; description of duties at 'Nuts' mobile armoured car OP position including fly problem and beer bottle fly traps, view of failed Australian infantry attack, German machine gun fire and shelling; training signallers; successful counter-battery fire from forward gun position on German 88mm guns; 'stonk' method of concentrating large numbers of guns on target; defensive fire lines in front of infantry; opinion of gun sergeants; casualty in surprise German air raid; opinion of NCOs returning to unit as officers; comradeship within unit; limited contact with 7th Medium Regt personnel. REEL 15 Continues: move south to counter German advance in Quattara Depression area, 8/1942, including prior role in repelling diversionary Italian attack in coastal area, gun positions, successful shoot on advancing German units from escarpment OP and effects of Stuka raids on B Troop; infantry attempts to improve tactical position prior to El Alamein offensive; new OP established on forward slope of ridge; desert well considered as OP and effects of rain storm; question of marital problems of ORs; story of accurate shoot on German OP tower; opinion of gun sergeants. Recollections of Battle of El Alamein, 23/10/1942-5/11/1942 : preparations; continuation of officers' leave programme as part of secrecy arrangements; prior briefing; preliminary bombardment, 23/10/1942. REEL 16 Continues: move to forward OP in trench, 24/10/1942; period in coast OP, ca 25/10/1942; question of revenge for casualties at Knightsbridge action, 6/6/1942; erosion of ground surrounding track across battlefield; view from forward OP on ridge of effects of 'stonk' fire technique; story of casualties to Major Lewis-Jones Bren Carrier OP; rest periods at gun position; story of close escapes from British gun firing short and in minefield; failure to establish viable OP; story of establishment of OP in former German flash spotting point accurately registered by German artillery including consequent heavy bombardment of OP, cutting of telephone lines and machine gun fire on exit. REEL 17 Continues: story of establishment of OP in former German flash spotting point accurately registered by German artillery including machine gun fire on exit, running back under shell fire to truck, return to gun position, personal morale and fatigue; situation following Australian advance towards coast; setting up forward OP behind wrecked Sherman and success of defensive fire brought down on German counter attack; German withdrawal; situation and delaying effect of rain storms on British advance, ca 6/11/1942; reaction to appointment as signals instructor. Aspects of period as signals instructor at Artillery Wing, Royal Corps of Signals School, Maadi, Cairo, ca 11/1942-6/1943: assistance from NCO instructors; lecturing; recreations; role rewriting British signals procedure to harmonise with US units; reactions to situation following end of North African campaign, ca 4/1943; story of attempting to rejoin SNH and consequent reprimand for breach of security. REEL 18 Continues: attempt to use school contact to secure posting as air liaison officer; story of air sickness during flight whilst attending air liaison course in Palestine, ca 6/1943. Recollections of top priority flights to take up air liaison post in Italy, 1943. Period at General Alexander's General Headquarters in Sienna area, 1943-1944: tent accommodation; duties as intelligence officer updating maps; effects of severe rain storm; move of General Headquarters into billets in Sienna; flight across Appenines. Recollections of period as air liaison officer with 7th South African Fighter Bomber Wing at Chesanatica, Forli and near Ravenna, ca 9/1944-5/1945: meeting fellow air liaison officers. REEL 19 Continues: reception; role receiving targets from infantry units by telephone and briefing pilots using maps and photographs; skill of pilots; daily rate of sources; use of instant response flight 'Rover Paddy'; Spitfire bomb armament; briefing pilots, their unofficial use of low level dive bombing techniques and their success in finding targets; weather and daylight restrictions on sorties; pilot casualties; mess drinking habits and physical effects; mess recreations; state of pilots' morale; move to Forli; situation; story of not meeting friend in same mess; method of heating billets. REEL 20 Continues: weather restrictions on sorties; story of leave in Florence including crossing Appenine Mountains and state of bridges; story illustrating severity of cold weather; meeting future wife working as nurse; move to Ravenna area; artificial runway; recreations; situation ca 4/1945; mess party to celebrate VE Day, 8/5/1945. Period in Italy, 5/1945-7/1945: move to Udine; effects of Allied bombing; opinion of Italians based on their conduct in North Africa, 1940-1942; tour around Italy; recreations during period at transit camp at Naples prior to return to GB on PYTHON leave, 7/1945. REEL 21 Leave in Harrow, 7/1945. Period at German POW camp at Chepstow Race Course, ca 8/1945-11/1945: relationship with German POWs and problem over coal supply; problem with British guards fighting in town; demobilisation. Post-war career: wartime pay from Boots the Chemists; acceptance of position as schoolmaster at Harrow School; question of effects of war.