Howard, John Thulstan Collins (Oral history)

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Description

Object description

British officer cadet with Royal Military College, Sandhurst in GB, 1938-1939; officer served with 2nd Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in Tower of London in GB, 7/1939-9/1939; served with Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry Regimental Depot, Victoria Barracks, Bodmin in GB, 1939-1940; served with 2nd Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, 10th Infantry Bde, 4th Infantry Div in GB, Algeria and Tunisia, 1940-1943; served with 1st Bn King's Shropshire Light Infantry, 3rd Infantry Bde, 1st Infantry Div on Pantelleria Island and Italy, 6/1943-12/1944; student with Staff College, Haifa, Palestine, 1/1945-8/1945; served as staff officer with British Military Mission attached to 2nd Greek Infantry Div in Greece, 1945-1946; served as staff officer with War Office in London, GB, 1947-1948; served as officer with 1st Bn Nigeria Regt, Royal West African Frontier Force in Nigeria, 1949-1951; served as staff officer with Headquarters, British Army of the Rhine at Bad Oeynhausen and Headquarters, British Troops Berlin in Berlin, Germany, 1951-1953; served with 1st Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in Minden, Germany, 1953; served with Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry Regimental Depot, Victoria Barracks, Bodmin, GB, 1953-1956; served as staff officer with Headquarters, Far East Land Forces in Singapore, Malaya, 1957-1958; served with 1st Bn Somerset Light Infantry in GB, 1959; served with 1st Bn Somerset and Cornwall Light Infantry in Germany, 1959-1961; served as staff officer with Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Paris, France, 1961-1962; commanded 1st Bn Somerset and Cornwall Light Infantry in Gibraltar and West Berlin, Germany, 1962-1965; served as staff officer with School of Infantry at Warminster, GB, 1965-1967

Content description

REEL 1 Background in GB, 1919-1939: family's service with Royal Navy; decision to join British Army; membership of Officer Training Corps (OTC) at Eton College. Aspects of period as cadet with Royal Military College, Sandhurst in GB, 1938-1939: joining No 5 Coy; nature of first term; physical training tests; lectures and assessment; leave; opinion of training; digging of slit trenches at time of Munich Crisis, 9/1938. Aspects of period as officer with 2nd Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry at Tower of London, in London, GB, 7/1939-9/1939: reception on arrival; public duties; attitude of troops to ceremonial duty; mobilisation at Shorncliffe Camp, 8/1939. Aspects of period as officer with Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry Regimental Depot, Victoria Barracks, Bodmin in GB, 1939-1940: posting to regimental depot; training conscripts; signals course at Bodmin and Catterick Camp; nature of communications. REEL 2 Continues: contact with battalion in France; later attachment to 30th Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry at Truro; duties; selection of signallers; dangers of Home Guard roadblocks. Recollections of period as officer with 2nd Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, 10th Infantry Bde, 4th Infantry Div in GB, 6/1940-2/1943: joining battalion as signals officer at Chichester, 6/1940; state of battalion; coastal defence duties; problems with communications; sight of aerial activity; capture of German aircrew; isolated nature of positions; character of commanding officer; changes in battalion; exercises and opinion of new commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Roy Urquhart; use of No 18 Wireless Set; desert warfare exercise in New Forest; appointment as adjutant, 1941; Lieutenant Colonel Roy Urquhart's views on physical exercise. REEL 3 Continues: effect on morale of German Air Force attacks on Southampton; more to camp at Heckfield; attending Combined Operations exercise at Inverary; security check; battalion discipline; character of six commanding officers of battalion; march from Catterick Camp to Dumfrie; organisation of march; exercises with tanks; recreational activities; battalion landing in Solway Firth; orderly room staff; embarkation leave. REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of period as officer with 2nd Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, 10th Infantry Bde, 4th Infantry Div in French Algeria, 2/1943-3/1943: voyage aboard HMT Orion from GB to French Algeria, 2/1942; landing at Algiers and march to transit camp; impressions of Algiers; taking train to Tunisia. Recollections of operations as officer with 2nd Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, 10th Infantry Bde, 4th Infantry Div in Tunisia, 3/1943-5/1943: deployment in front line; communications and transport; view forward of positions; handing over positions to American troops; activities in first position; move to Medjez-el-Bab sector; clash with German fighting patrol; patrolling; nature of German attack; final assault on Tunis; nature of advance. REEL 5 Continues: fall of Tunis; move to Cap Bon, 5/1943; collection of Axis prisoners at Cap Bon, 5/1943; accidental attack by American aircraft; relations between German and Italian prisoners of war; acquisition of captured vehicles. Aspects of operations as officer with 1st Bn King's Shropshire Light Infantry, 3rd Infantry Bde, 1st Infantry Div during attack on Pantelleria Island, Italy, 11/6/1943: posting to unit as reinforcement; training for attack on island; assault on Pantelleria Island; surrender of Axis forces; German dive-bombing attack; return to North Africa; duties guarding prisoner of war trains. Recollections of operations as officer with 1st Bn King's Shropshire Light Infantry, 3rd Infantry Bde at Anzio, Italy, 1/1944-5/1944: move to Taranto; train journey northwards; preparations for assault landing; impressions of Italy; landing at Anzio as part of follow up brigade; move into bridgehead. REEL 6 Continues: impressions of General John Lucas; positions at Anzio; orders for brigade advance; holding up of advance; German positions; communications; German surrounding of salient and evening withdrawal, 4/2/1944; state of communications; battalion headquarters; rescue of British prisoners of war and opinion of Scots Guards; further details of withdrawal; positions near The Flyover; nature of static warfare in 'wadi country'; opinion of German mortars; communications and supply. REEL 7 Continues: plan for breakout from Anzio bridgehead; unit casualties; American breakout; German withdrawal; character of German positions and use of mortars; battalion support weapons; threat of mines and booby traps; casualties during attack on German positions on Ardea Line; nature of attack on Ardea Line. Recollections of operations as officer with 1st Bn King's Shropshire Light Infantry, 3rd Infantry Bde, 1st Infantry Div in Italy, 6/1944: in reserve near Ostia; training south of Rome; recreational activities in Rome. REEL 8 Continues: recreational activities for troops in Rome; move to River Arno area; company and German positions; crossing River Arno; German mortar fire and artillery shelling; terrain and positions; resupply problems; lack of daylight activity; German mining and demolitions; artillery support; reception from Italians; move into positions on Monte Cece; German counter-attack; nature of mountain warfare; company positions on Monte Grande. Aspects of period as student with Staff College, Haifa, Palestine, 1/1945-8/1945: posting to college; journey from Italy to Palestine. REEL 9 Continues: pattern of course and method of instruction; use of Tactical Exercises Without Troops (TEWTs); utilisation of personal experience; prior recollections of experiences of air support during Italian campaign; opinion of assessment sight-seeing during leave and lack of political tension. Aspects of period as staff officer with British Military Mission attached to 2nd Greek Infantry Div in Greece, 1945-1946: posting as GSO2 Training to 2nd Greek Infantry Div; role of mission; equipment shortages and organisation; quality of troops and officers; accommodation and use of caique; opinion of training programme; lack of signs of civil war; Greek requirements and communication in French. Aspects of period as staff officer with War Office in London, GB, 1947-1948: posting as GSO3 Intelligence; responsibilities for Yugoslavia; sources of intelligence; contact with other establishments; opinion of General Gerald Templer; working routine. REEL 10 Continues: work of G2; value of defectors and émigrés. Recollections of period as officer with 1st Bn Nigeria Regt, Royal West African Frontier Force in Nigeria, 1949-1951: posting to battalion; climate in Lagos and north of country; comparison between Hausa and Ibus people; organisation and training; qualities of troops; tribal compositions of battalion; veteran troops; weapons; accommodation; discipline; dealing with mutiny by engineers; commissioning of first Nigerian officer and his conduct; recreational activities; level of criminal activity; threat of rabies; return to GB as prisoner escort. Aspects of period as staff officer with Headquarters, British Army of the Rhine at Bad Oeynhausen and Headquarters, British Troops Berlin in Berlin, Germany, 1951-1953: posting as GSO2 Intelligence; areas of responsibility; sources of intelligence; security at headquarters; routine procedures; liaison with Americans; posting to Berlin. REEL 11 Continues: interrogation of refugees; degree of contact with Americans, French and German; treatment of defectors; emphasis on gaining intelligence on Soviet ground forces; attending Soviet lunches at Spandau Prison and other contracts with Soviet personnel; transit arrangements in Berlin Corridor; Soviet response to defections. Aspects of period as officer with 2nd Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in Minden, Germany, 1953: posting to regiment; changes to regiment; quality of troops; exercises and training; social life and contact with German civilians. Aspects of period as officer with Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry Regimental Depot, Victoria Barracks, Bodmin in GB, 1953-1956: posting to regimental depot; qualities of recruits during training; competition amongst training staff; selection of sportsmen; chain of command; annual inspections; drafts from regimental depot; 'depot week' during summer. REEL 12 Continues: Aspects of period as staff officer with Headquarters, Far East Land Forces in Singapore, Malaya, 1957-1958: posting to Singapore; accommodation; duties organising troop movements; attitude to climate; air movement exercises; extent of command; lack of awareness of strategic issues in Far East; size of department; relations with RAF; lack of internal security threat; planning process; return to GB, 1958. Aspects of period as officer with 1st Bn Somerset Light Infantry in GB, 1959: posting as second in command; preparations for amalgamation with 1st Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry; duties as second in command; work as demonstration battalion at School of Infantry, Warminster; detachments. REEL 13 Continues: experimental 'pepper potting' tactics; carrying out Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) exercises; radios; farewell parade. Aspects of period as officer with 1st Bn Somerset and Cornwall Light Infantry in West Germany, 1959-1961: initial posting to 1st Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry; training; amalgamation of 1st Bn Somerset Light Infantry and Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, 1959; nature of exercises to counter Soviet threat. Aspects of period as staff officer with Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Paris, France, 1961-1962: posting to organisation; staff; annual exercise. REEL 14 Continues: purpose of Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE); rehearsal by Lord Louis Mountbatten; own duties; need for additional staff to cope with exercise; security matters; use of interpreters; administrative problems. Recollections of period commanding 1st Bn Somerset and Cornwall Light Infantry in Gibraltar and West Berlin, Germany, 1962-1965: joining battalion in Gibraltar; character of unit detachment in Tobruk, Libya; problems of visiting Tobruk. Libya; popularity of Libyan posting; duties in Gibraltar; sporting activities; life in Gibraltar; visit by Colin Glubb. REEL 15 Continues: posting to West Berlin, Germany to relieve Welch Regt; preparations for battalion move; strength of battalion on arrival; provision of guards for Spandau Prison, Soviet War Memorial and night train guards; 'Rocking Horse' system for rapid deployment in case of Soviet invasion; visits to East Berlin; impressions of Soviets, Americans and French military; invasion scares; relations with German civilians; Allied Forces parade; nature of posting; limited training facilities; Gibraltar Week celebrations; extensive travel during leave after posting. Aspects of period as staff officer with School of Infantry at Warminster in GB, 1965-1967: role of G1 Tactics; changes in equipment and uniform. REEL 16 Continues: annual firing day; courses; use of Imber Training Village; character of students; instruction and assessment; use of helicopters; conservation scheme at Imber; demonstration battalion; membership of working party on career pattern for soldiers; annual report; adjustment to civilian employment; maintaining regimental connections.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1990 to the present day (production), Second World War (content), Second World War (association), 1945-1989 (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
de Lee, Nigel (recorder)
Howard, John Thulstan Collins (interviewee/speaker)
Production date: 1996-06
Dimensions: whole: Duration 480, Number Of Items 16
Catalogue number: 16057

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Howard, John Thulstan Collins (Oral history)

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