Description
Object description
British officer served with 1st Bn London Rifle Bde in GB and North Africa, 1938-1943; served with 19th Army Group Headquarters in North Africa, 1943
Content description
REEL 1 Background in London, GB, 1919-1938: confusion over date of birth; education; reason for spending period in Munich, 1936; details of family stayed with; impressions of Germany including reasons for coming into contact with Hitler Youth and treatment of Jewish population; arrests; activities with Hitler Youth including visit to Dachau concentration camp; relationship with civilians; reactions following visit and description of speech made by Adolf Hitler that he attended; civilian work; story of joining Territorial Army as officer including reason for joining London Rifle Brigade. Aspects of period as officer with 1st Bn London Rifle Bde in GB, 1938-1942: help received from Lieutenant Colonel Vic Turner; company and platoon posting; annual camps at Burley; visit to The Rifle Brigade at Tidworth; expansion of Territorial Army; details of D Company; gas training; posting as key man; mobilisation, 8/1939; work of key party; posting to Wellington Barracks; relationship with regular army; advice given on become becoming adjutant; posting in East Kent; story of rifleman shooting himself.
REEL 2 Continues: details of defences at Hawkin's Airfield and visit of King George VI; story of earlier meeting with King George VI; pattern of training; death of brother; promotion to and role of adjutant. Aspects of voyage from GB to Egypt aboard HMT Mooltan, 1941-1942: boarding of ship; details of convoy; stops en route; training during voyage; stay in Cape Town; journey to Ismailia. Aspects of operations as officer with 1st Bn London Rifle Bde in North Africa, 1942: situation in North Africa; journey to Alamein Line including headgear worn; details of first action; opinion of reasons for failure of action; terrain of desert; morale; vehicles in and organisation of battalion; posting at south of Alamein Line; German attack on unit; advance through minefield at Alamein; story of wounding; period of hospitalisation and treatment; medical category; attempt to become air liaison officer; meeting with Peter Foster and posting gained including story of Vic Turner winning Victoria Cross. Aspects of period as staff officer with 18th Army Group Headquarters in North Africa, 1943: details of 18th Army Group.
REEL 3 Continues: story of flying Douglas Dakota during journey to Tunisia; role of 18th Army Group Headquarters; relationship between British and American staff; duties including work with irregular and French troops and officers worked with; visits to Tunis and Bizerte after victory. Aspects of journey from Tunisia to GB, 1943: details of German officer POWs escorted to Britain; collection of officers; vehicles issued; make-up of escort; story of getting lost en route to airfield; flight to Gibraltar; story of seawater tea served in Gibraltar; details of HMS Nelson; accommodation; procedures during air raids; help given in translating commands to German officers; opinion of German generals escorted; reflections on North African campaign; German generals' opinion of German and British generals; practice shooting of 16 gun; arrival in Devonport and handing over of POWs; film of generals disembarking at Devonport; reflections on service.
