Description
Object description
British NCO served with 426 and 520 Bty, 107th Regt, <South Notts Hussars> Royal Artillery in GB, Palestine and North Africa, 1939-1942
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Bournemouth, 1916-1939: family; education; varied work experience; recreations; training with OTC at Sherbourne School; Recruitment and training with B Troop, 218 Bty, 94th Regt, <Hants and Dorset> Royal Artillery at Lansdowne Drill Hall, Bournemouth, 1939: reasons; prior interview and classification as lance bombardier; reasons for rejection of opportunities to become officer; 18pdr gun drill; training as signaller including Morse code and method of laying telephone lines from lorry; amusing story of drill during Okehampton Firing Camp, 5/1939; nicknames; radio operating procedure; approach of war; reaction to issue of battledress uniform; puttees; adapted spurs.
REEL 2 Continues: mobilisation on outbreak of war, 9/1939; visit to Germany, ca 1923; train journey to Wilton. Aspects of period at Wilton, ca 9/1939-4/1940: re-classification as Quad gun tower driver and success in battery competition; officers' backgrounds; accident whilst manoeuvring guns by hand, consequent hospitalisation and regrading as B2. Period with Royal Army Ordnance Corps at Boulton Abbey, 1940. Rejoining unit, ca 1940-1941: regrading as A1; stories of drive through London; bombing raid; volunteering for overseas service and reaction of Lieutenant Keith Joseph; drunkenness in draft during stop at Burton on Trent. Voyage aboard Y21 to Port Said, Egypt: recites 'Y21' song; awareness of racial divisions during stop at Capetown, South Africa.
REEL 3 Continues: question of destination; period at Royal Artillery Base Depot, ca 2/1942. Posting to Battery Headquarters, 520 Bty, 107th Regt, <South Notts Hussars>, Royal Artillery in Egypt, ca 3/1942: reception and initial duties; appointment as Battery Commander Major Gary Birkin's observation post assistant/driver; opinion of Major Gary Birkin; driving characteristic and crew of Marmon Harrington armoured car. Recollections of move up to Knightsbridge sector, Gazala area, Libya, 4/1942-5/1942: separation from rest of battery; food and water rations; training in mobile role; role as OP assistant; story of meeting German truck in desert; story of exchanging radio messages with German signallers; accident making tea with shell case; amusing story of Duke of Gloucester's visit.
REEL 4 Continues: opinion of Major Peter Birkin and Captain Ivor Birkin; operating as OP in front of lines; opinion of Honey tanks; situation, 26/5/1942; stories illustrating relationship with Major Gary Birkin; situation, 26/5/1942. Account of surprise German tank attack on 520 Bty, 27/5/1942: move into desert; halt on sighting dust cloud; crew casualties on direct hit on OP armoured car by shell; running into slit trench; arrival of Sergeant Harold Harper; disablement of Captain Ivor Birkin's armoured car.
REEL 5 Continues: securing lift from British tank; falling off tank; personal morale isolated in desert and rescue by tank. Medical treatment and evacuation to Tobruk, 5/1942: initial treatment at first aid post and diagnosis of necessity of amputation of right leg; evacuation on ammunition truck; Stuka dive bomb attack; personal morale. Period at 42nd General Hospital, Royal Army Medical Corps, Tobruk, 5/1942: situation; success in persuading doctor not to amputate leg. Evacuation to tented hospitals in Egypt, 6/1942: German wounded POW's attempt to escape; state of wounds and inability to sleep.
REEL 6 Continues: story of meeting US troops. Period at 16th General Hospital, RAMC, Jerusalem, Palestine, 1942: state of wounds; story of drinking Guinness; question of notification of parents; physiotherapy. Various aspects of period in Palestine, 1942-1946: convalescence; physical and mental state; work as storeman at leave camp; question of relationship between Jewish and Arab populations; news of SNH; state of wounds; plans to get married; demobilisation, 1/1946. Post-war career: question of employment; collapse of marriage plans; mental and physical effects of war service.
REEL 7 Continues: physical effects of war service and consequent disability pensions; role as Chair of London North, War Pensions Committee including securing improved pensions for individual veterans, various campaigns relating to ex-service men and establishment of war pensioners' surgeries; role assisting Officers' Association; Armistice Parades in Harrow.