Interview with Thomas James Eardley

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Description

Object description

British gunner served with 432nd Bty, 5th Bn South Lancashire Regt (61st Searchlight Regt) and 432nd Bty, 61st (South Lancashire Regt) Searchlight Regt, Royal Artillery, Anti-Aircraft Command in GB, 1939-1940; mechanic with Royal Army Ordnance Corps in GB, 1940-1942; NCO served with E Sqdn, No 2 Wing, Glider Pilot Regiment in GB and North West Europe, 1942-1945

Content description

REEL 1 Background in Prescot and Widnes, GB, 1920-1939: family; education; employment. Aspects of period as gunner with 432 Bty, 5th Bn South Lancashire Regt (61st Searchlight Regt) and 432 Bty, 61st (South Lancashire Regt) Searchlight Regt, Royal Artillery, Anti-Aircraft Command in GB, 1939-1940: reasons for joining Territorial Army, 1/5/1939; initial duties protecting oil refineries at Stanlow, 1939-1940; move to Orkney Islands, 8/1940; anti-aircraft box barrage techniques; German Air Force attacks on Scapa Flow; operation of searchlights at Scapa Flow, 1940; living conditions on Orkney Islands, 8/1940-11/1940. Aspects of period as mechanic with Royal Army Ordnance Corps in GB, 1940-1942: reasons for transfer to Royal Army Ordnance Corps; attitude to work at Aldershot Garrison; reasons for volunteering for airborne forces. Aspects of training as NCO with Glider Pilot Regiment in GB, 1942: selection process, early 1942; character of training at Tilshead; motivation; flying training. REEL 2 Continues: Aspects of period as glider pilot with E Sqdn, Glider Pilot Regiment in GB, 1942-1944: joining squadron at Stoney Cross; operational training; how crash prevented him taking part in landings at Merville Battery in Normandy, France on D-Day, 6/6/1944; injuries sustained in crash. Recollections of operations as NCO with E Sqdn, No 2 Wing, Glider Pilot Regiment during Operation Market Garden in Netherlands, 1944: role carrying 2nd (Airborne) Bn South Staffordshire Regt on first lift; equipment and rations taken; flight in Airspeed Horsa Glider from GB to Netherlands; landing in harvested field; assembling after landing and move in direction towards Arnhem; nature of fighting and retreat towards Oosterbeek. REEL 3 Continues: role of glider pilots; German attempts to induce surrender; aid from Dutch civilians; dwindling of supplies in Oosterbeek Perimeter; wounding by mortar fire of co-pilot at Hartenstein Hotel; his escape across River Nederrijn at Driel; recovery from experiences and information given to relatives of fellow glider pilots. Aspects of period with Glider Pilot Regiment in India, 1945: reasons for posting to India; training in India; attitude to prospect of fighting Japanese forces; prior recollection of mobilisation in Widnes, GB, 8/1939. REEL 4 Continues: crowds which turned out to see off mobilised troops in Widnes, GB, 8/1939.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1990 to the present day (production), Second World War (content), Second World War (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
Wood, Conrad (Recorder)
Eardley, Thomas James (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 1997-06-05
Dimensions: whole: Duration 95, Number Of Items 4
Catalogue number: 17466

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Interview with Thomas James Eardley

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