Brown, Kenneth John Wylde (Oral history)

British NCO served as wireless operator with Jedburgh Team Paul, Special Operations Executive in GB and France, 1944 and with Jedburgh Teams Cheetah and Chimp, Force 136, Special Operations Executive in Burma, 1945; served with 146th Regt, Royal Armoured Corps in Medan, Sumatra, Dutch East Indies, 1946

REEL 1 Background in Birmingham, GB, 1923-1939: family; education. Aspects of period as schoolchild in Birmingham and Cheltenham, GB, 1940-1942: German Air Force raids on Birmingham, 1940; atmosphere in Anderson Shelter; morale; evacuation with school to Cheltenham including reaction of host family. Aspects of period as wireless operator with Royal Armoured Corps in GB, 1942-1943: background to volunteering for Royal Armoured Corps; role as gunner/wireless operator. Recollections of operations as NCO with Jedburgh Team Paul, Special Operations Executive in GB and Dijon area of France, 1943-1944: volunteering for Special Operations Executive; Morse Code training; question of degree of knowledge of role of Jedburgh Teams; composition of teams; training at Dunbar, GB; impressions of team's officer members; final preparations for going to France, summer 1944; parachute drop; equipment and arms carried; problem with broken Morse Code key; landing and reception in Dijon area, France; remoteness of wireless operator from activities of rest of team. REEL 2 Continues: duties as wireless operator; narrow escape from Germans; degree of effectiveness of French Resistance in Dijon area, France; friendship with French Resistance member; orders to make way to Paris, France, 9/1944. Recollections of operations as NCO with Jedburgh Teams Cheetah and Chimp, Force 136, Special Operations Executive in Burma, 1944-1945: voyage to Far East, 12/1944; first parachute drop with Jedburgh Team Cheetah during Operation Dilwyn to work with Kachin Hills, 25/1/1945; second parachute drop with Jedburgh Team Chimp during Operation Nation into valley of River Salween; Japanese method of floating down River Salween; contracting jaundice in Burma; recuperating in Darjeeling, India. Aspects of period as NCO with 146th Regt, Royal Armoured Corps in Medan, Sumatra, Dutch East Indies, 1946: nature of police duties; supporting British Indian Army troops; character of insurgents. Reflections of service as NCO with Special Operations Executive in France and Burma, 1944-1945: opinion of Special Operations Executive in Burma; problems of wireless set operation in Burma. REEL 3 Continues: preference for operations in France; relations with local people in Burma; issue of suicide pill in France.