Description
Object description
British officer served with 2nd Bn Royal Norfolk Regt in GB, India and Burma, 1942-1945. Present at Battle of Kohima, 4/1944-5/1944
Content description
REEL 1 Aspects of background in West Hampstead, London, 1921-1939: family match manufacturing business; prep school education; education at Haberdashers School and Officers' Training Corps training; Mediterranean Jewish family background; question of anti-Semitism and bullying at Haberdashers School; interest in advertising industry. Work in family match manufacturing business in London and Newcastle, 1/1939-10/1939: question of awareness of Nazi Germany; outbreak of war, 3/9/1939; story of arrest as possible spy for photographing Tyne bridge and subsequent release; effects of war on match industry.
REEL 2 Background to recruitment to and initial period with 70th <Young Soldiers> Bn, Middlesex Regt in London, ca 5/1940-1/1941: reasons; medical; parents' reaction; role guarding reservoirs; presence of young recruits from prison; story of bullying incident and subsequent boxing match; promotion to lance corporal; stories illustrating nature of guard duties; question of training; Churchill inspection of unused cabinet war rooms bunker in Gladstone Park sector; German bombing; relationship with recruits from prison and question of class differences; relationship with NCOs and officers; selection for officer training. Recollections of training with 13 Platoon, D Coy, 165 Officers Cadet Training Unit at Dunbar, ca 2/1941-8/1941: removal of badges of rank; effect of differing social backgrounds of cadets.
REEL 3 Continues: story illustrating former senior NCO's difficulty in acclimatising to new status; tactical exercises; games devised to encourage quick reactions; motorcycle training ; weapons training including revolver, Bren gun, Sten gun and grenades, monitoring of cadets' behaviour at officers' club; relationship with instructors; recreations; passing out parade; question of choice of regiment; kitting out. Recollections of period with C Coy, 2nd Bn, RNR at Hessle, 9/1941-12/1941: reception in officers mess on arrival during exercises at Ilkley Moor, ca 9/1941.
REEL 4 Continues: relationship with platoon sergeant and ORs; role of officer's servant; exercises on Ilkley Moor; billets; story of being taken prisoner during divisional exercises; issue of tropical kit. Period at Fairford, 12/1941-3/1942: billets on Palmer estate; officers' mess lifestyle and mess bill; route marches; assault course; postings between C and D Coy; removal of excess officers; father's reaction to overseas posting; VIP inspections.
REEL 5 Recollections of voyage aboard Orbita to Bombay, 4/1942-6/1942: crowded OR's mess deck conditions; navigation instruction; Bren gun practice; importance of avoiding sun burn; question of destination; period at Retreat Camp, Capetown, South Africa, including incident over Sergeant Benjamin Macrae illustrating South African apartheid policies and story of almost missing ship on departure; collecting unit's pay from bank on arrival at Bombay. Period at Chinchwad Camp. 6/1942-7/1942: monsoon precautions; route march illustrating policy of working through day; honorary membership as officers of Poona clubs and drinking habits; training exercises and question of level of briefing at 'O' group system. Combined operations training at Kharakvasla, 7/1942: use of Fleming boats; question of realism of exercises.
REEL 6 Period at Ahmednagar, 7/1942-8/1942. Training at Juhu, 8/1942: conducting physical fitness tests on ORs; story of nearly drowning whilst crossing river using toggle ropes. Period on internal security duties at Ahmedabad, 8/1941-9/1942: nature of demonstrations; role. Recollections of period based at Ahmednagar, 9/1942-3/1944: attending 2 pdr anti-tank gun course and subsequent platoon training without guns; combined operations training; platoon patrol exercises during jungle training at Belgaum; opinion of Colonels George Winter and Robert Scott.
REEL 7 Continues: story of interview with Scott illustrating his policy of monitoring progress of junior officers; impact of Scott's promotion to Colonel; visit by Mountbatten; local leave interrupted by news of Japanese offensive at Ootacamund (Ooty) hill station, Nilgiri Hills, 4/1944. Journey with transport to Chittagong, 4/1944. Period establishing Chittagong transit camp for 2nd Div transport, ca 4/1944-5/1944. Journey by jeep to Dimapur, 5/1944. Situation on rejoining unit at GPT Ridge, Kohima, ca 10/5/1944: reactions to news of casualties; reception; posting to B Coy; reaction to mortar fire; state of unit morale; reaction to discovery of RNR territorial badges on Japanese POW.
REEL 8 Continues: reaction to discovery of RNR territorial badges on Japanese POW; question of taking prisoners. Account of attack on Aradura Spur, 28/5/1944: situation and nature of terrain; prior reconnaissance patrol; moving up hill under fire; opinion of Sten gun; Scott's throwing of grenades; grenade wound to Scott and effect of his example on Fransis; retirement to road; question of necessity of attack; personal morale.
REEL 9 Promotion to lieutenant during rest period at Dimapur, 5/1944-6/1944. Recollections of advance along Kohima/Imphal Road to Viswema, 6/1944: story of BBC recording made of briefing prior to attack on Japanese bunker covering road including reaction to orders given by Captain Atkins, successful approach covered by tanks, reports of suicide of Japanese soldier, circumstances behind acquisition of copy of recording; recall from reconnaissance patrol during approach to Kigwema; food and water rations; shaving; leech and lice problems; latrines; digging in at night; role as platoon officer including relationship with NCOs and ORs.
REEL 10 Account of attack at Viswema, ca 8/6/1944-14/6/1944, including situation and plans for right hook off road; running into Japanese positions as lead platoon; A Coy attack; renewal of B Coy attack; shortage of ammunition; suspension of attack; situation; reaction to possibility of posting to A Coy; situation in consolidated positions, ca 10/6/1944-14/6/1944; return to road. Recollections of period during advance into Burma, 6/1944-2/1945: baths prepared by Pioneer Platoon; question of necessity for attack at Viswema; capture of Maram; bivouacs near heavy artillery gun positions; evacuation with bronchitis and dysentery to Shillong hospital; return to unit during rest period at Kigwema.
REEL 11 Continues: leave in Bombay; drafts from Royal Artillery; question of adequacy of jungle warfare training; move into open country; question of dilution of Norfolk element in unit; return of Majors Roger Twidle and Richard Greene and their participation in impromptu concert party; unit morale; officers' mess including 'liar dice' game and opinion of various officers including Captain Sam Hornor, Major Graham Bradshaw, Major Peter Griffiths, Quartermaster Molineux, Colonel Carroll and Major William Murray Browne; erection and preservation of Kohima memorial, 10/1944; journey by lorry to Kabaw Valley, 12/1944; early Christmas celebrations, 12/1944.
REEL 12 Continues: crossing of Chindwin; signs of British retreat, 1942; move to Shwebo sector; Japanese air raid; retreat of Japanese behind Irrawaddy; examples of patrols; food supply situation; effects of heat on march. Recollections of operations at Saye, 6/2/1945-20/2/1945: situation; question of Japanese counter-attack; reconnaissance patrol including organisation of patrol, use of Sten gun, formation, forward observation officer's success in registering position of Japanese gun, question of launching attack on gun, question of quiet movement methods and debriefing; abortive attack, 9/2/1945; subsequent clash between OR and Colonel Carrol.
REEL 13 Continues: state of unit morale and question of reasons for replacement of Colonel Carrol; opinion of Colonel Murray Browne; successful attack and consolidation, 20/2/1945. Recollections of period during advance into Burma, 2/1945-4/1945: crossing Irrawaddy in DUKWs; fishing using grenades; situation; advance towards Mandalay; story of losing Bren carrier and mortar during reconnaissance patrol; situation; brief hospitalisation with concussion following attack with tank support on outskirts of Mandalay; death of Sergeant Major Partridge in last patrol. Role organising embarkation on aircraft to Kanchrapara Camp, India, 4/1945. Aspects of period in India, 4/1945-10/1945: question of training for Rangoon operations.
REEL 14 Continues: leave in Calcuttta; move to Kamreddi Camp, Secunderabad, 6/1945; recreations; opinion of Colonel Tim Wilkins; reactions to VE Day, 8/5/1945; reactions to use of atomic bomb and VJ Day, 8/1945; visits to Secunderabad Club; drinking habits; attitude to demobilisation; temporary role as B Coy commander; send of from Brigadier Robert Scott from Kalyan Camp. Voyage aboard Strathmore to GB, 10/1945-11/1945. Postings in GB, ca 11/1945-3/1946: meeting Twidle in London; leave in Slough; visit to Fairford; difficulties in adapting to civilian lifestyle; period as instructor at School of Infantry at Warminster; rehabilitation course; demobilisation and work in family paper products business.
REEL 15 Recollections of involvement with movement promoting reconciliation between British and Japanese veterans, 1980-1997: key initial role of Louis Allen, Hirokibo and Gwillyam Davies in initial formation of reconciliation group; attitude of Japanese veterans during initial visit of British veterans to Japan; composition of reception committee for Japanese veterans visit to GB including Major Graham Bradshaw of 2nd Bn, RNR; personal attitude to Japanese; initial introduction to Hirokibo; nature of Hirokibi's reception amongst London Section of RNR Association particularly with former POW of Japanese.
REEL 16 Continues: nature of Hirokibi's reception amongst London Section of RNR Association particularly with former POW of Japanese; Hirokibi's return to Japan, 1983-1989; anti-Japanese sentiment in GB following death of Emperor Hirohito; Japanese sponsored visit by British veterans to Japan, 1989; reception from Japanese veterans and visit to Hiroshima during visit with party of British veterans to Japan, 1991; formation and composition of Burma Campaign Fellowship Group, 1990; reception of visit of Japanese veterans and lack of co-ordination with Burma Star Association, 1992; establishment with Japanese support of Roman Catholic Cathedral at Kohima; success of VJ Day anniversary reconciliation service at Westminster Abbey, 1995.
REEL 17 Continues: question of antipathy of BSA members towards BCFG; reaction of Sam Hornor and other RNR veterans to question of reconciliation; background to predominance of officers amongst BCFG membership; question of complex personal attitude to reconciliation illustrated by laying wreath in support of ex POWs of Japanese following death of Emperor Hirohito.