Strangeways, David Inderwick (Oral history)

British officer served with 1st Bn Duke of Wellington's Regt, 3rd Infantry Bde, 1st Infantry Div in GB, France and Belgium, 9/1939-5/1940; staff officer served as brigade-major with 115th Infantry Bde, 38th (Welsh) Infantry Div in GB, 1940-1941; staff officer served with War Office in London, GB, 1941-1942; staff officer served with A Force, Middle East Command in North Africa and Italy, 1942-1943; commanded R Force, 21st Army Group in GB and North West Europe, 1943-1945

REEL 1 Background in GB, 1912-1933: family; education. Aspects of enlistment and service with 1st Bn Duke of Wellington's Regt (West Riding) in GB and Malta, 1933-1939: question of choice of regiment; membership of Officer Training Corps at University of Cambridge and impact of lectures on military history; reception at battalion; move to Malta; experimental exercises in amphibious raiding from submarines on Malta; demonstrating use of Lewis Gun in anti-aircraft role aboard HMS Wishart commanded by Lord Louis Mountbatten; flying with Royal Air Force and recreational activities; mobilisation at Bordon Camp, 1939. Aspects of operations as officer with 1st Bn Duke of Wellington's Regt, 3rd Infantry Bde, 1st Infantry Div in France and Belgium, 9/1939-5/1940: patrolling forward of Maginot Line; nature of patrols; regimental spirit; hearing news of German invasion of Belgium, 10/5/1940; move into Belgium. REEL 2 Continues: orders to retreat; sight of German Air Force attacking refugees during withdrawal; move into Dunkirk Perimeter, France; march to East Mole, Dunkirk, France; situation on beach and decision to swim out to Thames barge; sailing for Dover and return to GB; role as adjutant and role of regimental sergeant-major; rescue of young British cyclists in Dunkirk Perimeter; importance of knowing troops. Aspects of period as brigade-major with 115th Infantry Bde, 38th (Welsh) Infantry Div in GB, 1940-1941: joining brigade in Wales; character of brigadier; question of a whole of company named Jones; incident of Welsh troops mistaken for Germans by Home Guard in Aldershot; attending staff course at Staff College, Camberley; opinion of staff course. Aspects of period as staff officer with War Office in London, GB, 1941-1942: role preparing plans for invasion of Europe; composition of staff. REEL 3 Continues: reporting chain and importance of making clear decisions; dealing with matter of railway 'flats'; later work in Cabinet War Rooms, 1944. Recollections of period as staff officer with A Force, Middle East Command in North Africa and Italy, 1942-1943: carrying plans as confidential courier for Operation Torch to Gibraltar and Malta; opinion of Lord Gort; discussion with Lord Gort about French campaign of 1940; brief return to regimental duty; opinion of battalion; abortive posting to Persia and Iraq (PAI Force); reporting to General Harold Alexander's staff; Brigadier Dudley Clarke's principles of deception; form and content of General Harold Alexander's daily conference. REEL 4 Continues: problems with some senior officers; techniques of deception; use of wireless traffic; monitoring wireless traffic; use of ULTRA intelligence; rear link to Cabinet Office; co-ordinated dissemination of false information; use of anti-aircraft batteries to aid deception of aerial reconnaissance; fabrication of rubber dummy tanks; problems of dealing with Americans; American military procedures; advising Americans on deception in North Africa; prior recollection of lesson learnt from sanitary corporal in France, 1939; central co-ordination of effort; comparison between First and Eighth Armies. REEL 5 Continues: reaction of Eighth Army to orders to paint tanks in green camouflage paint; use of code name in Italy; attitude towards Italians; opinion of German forces; use of General Bernard Montgomery's double M E Clifton James for deception purposes; exploitation of General Bernard Montgomery's personality to create deception 'stories'; nature of deception practised; concern with operations at theatre level; contrast in deception in Italy and North Africa; importance of visiting troops; loss of aircraft during diversionary operation over Sicily, Italy. Recollections of period commanding R Force, 21st Army Group in GB and North West Europe, 1943-1945: question of his rewriting whole plan for Operation Fortitude South; modifications to plan including insistence of construction of hard standings; need for Royal Air Force to fly false reconnaissance flights; his reduction in number of officers involved in deception. REEL 6 Continues: reasons why he stopped Pioneer Corps personnel going to Normandy, France; inclusion of some Pioneer Corps personnel amongst Royal Engineer parties with R Force; personnel in R Force; communication; carrying out snap inspection and consequences; his command style; visits to General Bernard Montgomery with requests; relations with General Omar Bradley and his headquarters staff; arrest of R Force personnel by Americans during Battle of Bulge, 12/1944; handing over to General Brian Horrocks; role commanding Ruhr Intelligence Office after German surrender; decoy operations during Operation Varsity the crossing of the River Rhine, Germany, 3/1945; post-war activities.