Description
Object description
British private served with 1st Bn, Royal Norfolk Regt in India, 1939; served with 2nd Bn, RNR in GB, India and Burma, 1940-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in London, 1921-1939: education; period in orphanage and musical training; work as delivery boy; recruitment into Royal Norfolk Regt, 2/1939. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine during basic training at Britannia Barracks, ca 2/1939-7/1939: kitting out; barrack room accommodation including bed, hooks and locker; relationship with recruits; PT; rifle training; dental problems; bayonet training; basic drill; education classes and history of regiment; relationship with instructors; pay; canteen; kit inspections.
REEL 2 Continues: kit inspections; inspections prior to leaving barracks; recreations; status as boy soldier. Posting to 2nd Bn, RNR in Aldershot area, 7/1939: status as part-trained soldier; tents; outbreak of war, 3/9/1939; return to Britannia Barracks. Period with 4th Bn, RNR at Sherringham, ca 11/1939-: status as regular; billets; crashed German aircraft. Period with 1st Bn, RNR at Baird Barracks, Bangalore, India, ca 2/1940-4/1940: route out; first impressions; Indian servants; conditions of service, training and daily routine; recreations; story of monkey at dance. Reception from South African civilians during voyage back to GB, 4/1940-6/1940. Period on coastal defence role and training, ca 6/1940-12/1941. Various aspects of periods with 2nd Bn, RNR at Hessle and Fairford, 12/1941-4/1941: opinion of Provost Sergeant Bert Fitt.
REEL 3 Continues: move to Fairford, 12/1941; training; preparations for overseas service; recreations. Voyage aboard Orbita to Bombay, 4/1942-6/1942: conditions; duties; weapons practice and opinion of Bren gun; swimming in sea; period ashore at Capetown and question of not mixing with black civilian population; prior training in driving Bren carrier; status as India 'veteran'. Period at Chinchwad Camp, 6/1942: route march; grenade training; role of 2" mortar; monsoon. Combined operations training on lake at Kharakvasla, 7/1943. Period at Ahmednagar, 7/1942-4/1944: hut accommodation; charpoys; bed bugs; mosquito nets; prickly heat; hospitalisation with dysentery; internal security role in Ahmedabad, 8/1942-9/1942; opinion of Major Robert Scott.
REEL 4 Continues: internal security role in Ahmedabad, 8/1942-9/1942; selection as bugler; jungle training and special code of bugle calls; training exercises on rifle ranges; playing golf during local leave. Flight to Dimapur, 4/1944. Initial moves towards Kohima, 4/1944: patrol; digging in by road; accidental shooting of NCO. Recollections of flank march on Operation Strident to GPT Ridge, 4/1944-5/1944: preparations; food rations; conditions during night march to Khonoma, Naga porters; nature of jungle and machete accident; loads carried by troops and Nagas; problems with leeches and flies in Death Valley.
REEL 5 Continues: question of fatigue; food rations; tea provided on orders of Scott, 3/5/1944. Aspects of attack and occupation of GPT Ridge, 4/5/1944-27/5/1944: close escape from ricochet bullet; view of wounded Major Fulton; lack of orders to use bugle code; role of Scott in changing fire orders; view of Japanese bunkers; wound to Major Roger Twidle; occupying Japanese slit trench; story of isolated attack on bunker and wound to accompanying NCO; walking back with Scott to main unit position; consolidation, 4/5/1944; absence of artillery support; parachute supply drop; question of opening fire; Fitt's facial wound; carrying anti-tank gun up ridge; failed attempt to rescue wounded soldier with Fitt, ca 4/5/1944; machine gun support from Manchester Regt; physique of Japanese troops; collection of wounded; food rations; loss of bugle.
REEL 6 Continues: loss of bugle, 4/5/1944; situation, 7/5/1944-27/5/1944; opinion of Scott; Japanese mortar fire; story of helping stretcher wounded Scott to first aid post during failed attack on Aradura Spur, 28/5/1944. Return to rest at Dimapor, 29/5/1944; state of morale; visit to Scott; casualty treated by Medical Officer John Mather. Aspects of occupation of Shaving Bush Spur, Viswema, 6/1944: return to company service; flooded trench, phosphorous smoke grenade casualty during attempt to rescue wounded; Japanese evacuation of positions. Aspects of advance to Mandalay, 6/1944-4/1945: mobile baths; reception of drafts; determination to return to unit if wounded; Norfolk Regt Memorial at Kohima; period in Kabaw Valley; early Christmas celebrations, 12/1944; crossing Chindwin; situation; crossing river; taking Japanese POW on patrol.
REEL 7 Continues: taking Japanese POW on patrol; food rations; crossing Irrawaddy, 27/2/1944; personal morale; situation; flight to India. Aspects of period in India, 4/1944-10/1944: story of celebrations and drunkenly faling in ditch whilst acting as bugler on VJ Day; voyage on Stathmore back to GB, 10/1945. Demobilisation, 4/1946. Work as bus driver in Leeds, 1946-1950. Various aspects of service with 1st Bn, Gloucestershire Regt in Korea, ca 1951-1952: journey out via Japan; opinion of Japanese; detachment as liaison officer's batman; attachment to Defence Platoon at Bde Headquarters; reactions to recall as reservist; return to unit; patrols; tank support; award of US Presidential citations; appearance in newsreel film; reception on arrival in GB; demobilisation. Re-enlistment as regular with RAF Regt, 1953-1968. Opinion of Japanese government. Membership of Burma Star Assoc and Royal Norfolk Regimental Assoc.