Smallman, William Alan (Oral history)

British officer served as staff officer with Royal Army Service Corps in France and Belgium, 1940; served with 3rd Commando during Lofoten and Vaagso raids, 1941; served as staff officer involved in planning of Operation Torch, 11/1942, Operation Overlord, 1943-1944 and Operation Zipper, 1945; served as staff officer in Malaya, 1945-1946, Germany, 1949-1953 and Cyprus, 1955-1957

REEL 1 Background in York, 1915-1939: family; education; enlistment in Royal Army Service Corps, 1939; attitude to declaration of Second World War, 9/1939. Recollections of period as staff officer with Royal Army Service Corps in France and Belgium, 1940: use of impressed civilian lorries; unit morale in France; relations between troops and French civilians at Lievin; opinion of French Army; hearing news of German attack at Boulogne, 5/1941; move to Aalost in Belgium; plight of Belgian refugees; aid given to civilian child with injured legs at Bayeuil; problems of doing his job; entry into Dunkirk perimeter; destruction of alcohol and weapons; organisation of evacuation at Bray Dunes; obtaining rations at Bray Dunes; his evacuation from Dunkirk, 30/5/1940; sight of officer in armchair directing evacuation; reception at Dover, 31/5/1940; duties on return to GB. Recollections of training with Commandos in GB, 1940-1941: formation of commandos, 6/1940; volunteering for commandos, 14/6/1940; raising of K Troop, 3 Commando; initial training. REEL 2 Continues: memories of David Niven and Fairburn and Sykes; financial advantages of being in commandos; administration of commandos; abortive Operation Workshop to capture Pantelleria; nature of 8 Commando; reorganisation of commandos, 1941. Recollections of operations as officer with 2nd Commando during Lofotens Raid in Norway, 3/1941: unopposed attack; blowing up of fish-oil factory; wish of Norwegians to join Allies; unloading of captured Germans. Recollections of operations as officer with 2nd Commando during Vaagso Raid in Norway 12/1941: degree of intelligence; character of German opposition; wounding of Dennis O'Flaherty; achievement of raid; problems on return to GB. Period as staff officer in GB, 1942- 1944: his role giving talks to civilian workers, 1942. REEL 3 Continues: duties at Combined Operations Headquarters, 3/1942; reaction to postponement of operations; role as brigade major to Brigadier Robert Laycock, 3/1942; memories of Evelyn Waugh, 1942; planning North Africa landings with Headquarters, 1 Special Service Bde, 1942; planning for Operation Overlord with Headquarters, 8th Bde, 3rd Div, 1943-1944. Aspects of period as staff officer in India and Ceylon, 1944-1945: work with Headquarters, 11 Army Group in New Dehli and Kandy; memories of Lord Louis Mountbatten, Carton de Wiart and Peter Young; working on projected Operations Roger and Zipper with Headquarters, 34th Indian Corps, 1945. Period as staff officer in Malaya, 1945-1946: landing on Morib during Operation Zipper after VJ Day; state of Japanese forces in Far East, 8/1945; use of Japanese POWs; state of disorder in Malaya, 8/1945. REEL 4 Continues: staff work in Kuala Kangsar; attempts to induce guerillas to hand in their weapons; role as brigade major with 33rd Bde, 1946; character of Japanese discipline; how guerillas became bandits in north Malaya, 1946. Period as staff officer with British Army of the Rhine in Germany, 1949-1953: relations with German forces and civilians at Neumunster; speed with which German economy recovered. Period as staff officer in Cyprus, 1955-1957: his duties at Golden Sands Camp; precautions take against EOKA insurgents in Famagusta; 1955; grenade attack on lorry carrying British troops; character EOKA attacks on British troops; pre-planning of support for Suez Operation at Headquarters, Middle East Land Forces at Episkopi, 1956.