Oliver, Irwen (Oral history)

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Embed this sound recording for online use under the IWM Non-Commercial Licence
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© IWM

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

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Use this audio under Non-Commercial licence

Embed this sound recording for online use under the IWM Non-Commercial Licence
By embedding this audio file you agree to the terms and conditions of the IWM Non-Commercial Licence, including your use of the attribution statement specified by IWM. For this item, that is:

© IWM

Accepted Non-commercial Use

Permitted use for these purposes:
Personal use for non-commercial research and private study and other uses under the UK’s exceptions to copyright and those exceptions to copyright in place where the user is located.
Use on websites that are primarily information-led, research-oriented and not behind a paywall.
Use on personal social media accounts, provided the individuals are not promoting themselves commercially.
Non-Commercial educational use for the purpose of teaching and instruction, including internal training.
Downloading audio-visual for non-commercial offline listening or viewing.
Free exhibitions held in venues, which do not charge an entry fee.

If you would like to use IWM collections materials in a way that is not covered above, require a commercial licence, high-resolution copies, or have manipulation requests, please contact the Image and Film Licensing Team. Digital files of films and sound recordings are available at cost depending on intended use.

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Description

Object description

British driver served with 6th Motor Ambulance Convoy, Royal Army Service Corps in France and Belgium, 1939-1940; served with No 13 Troop Carrying Company, Royal Army Service Corps in France, 1944; NCO served with Royal Army Service Corps in Germany, 1945-1946

Content description

REEL 1 Background in Wrexham and Didcot, GB, 1912-1939: family; education; employment; reasons for joining Territorial Army in Didcot, 1938; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 9/1939. Recollections of operations as driver with 6th Motor Ambulance Convoy, Royal Army Service Corps in France and Belgium, 1/1940-5/1940: move to France, 1/1940; stationing of unit at Arras, France; occasional friction with French civilians; work ferrying wounded to Dunkirk, France, 5/1940; composition of unit; loading wounded from East Mole onto hospital ship, Dunkirk, France; queues on beaches awaiting evacuation at Dunkirk, France; sea mist off coast; E-boat attack on evacuee ship in English Channel; boarding Royal Navy manned Dutch ship; reception from Women's Voluntary Service and by general populace at Ramsgate, GB, 6/1940; reasons for going absence without leave; reformation of unit at Bovey Tracey, GB. Recollections of operations as driver with No 13 Troop Carrying Coy, Royal Army Service Corps in North West Europe, 1944-1945: transfer to unit and attachment to No 48 (Royal Marine) Commando. REEL 2 Continues: crossing to Normandy, France, 7/6/1944; landing on Sword Beach, Normandy, France, 7/6/1944; sniper fire at Beny-sur-Mer, Normandy, France, 6/1944; items carried on his lorry; story of commandeering of his lorry by British officer with Marquis; shooting up of his vehicle by German Army and German tank officer wounded trying to help him, 8/1944; treatment by German captors; care received from Flemish family in Belgium; how he was left behind by retreating German Army troops. Aspects of period as NCO with Royal Army Service Corps in Germany, 1945: rounding up suspected Nazis in Hanover area; expectation of ex-German Army officer that British NCOs would defer to him; incidents of arresting suspected Nazis; suspect who resisted arrest with firearm. REEL 3 Continues: arrest of Soviet Displaced Person who had been maltreating German civilians in Hanover area; attitude of British Army troops towards German population; attitude towards non-fraternisation order; bartering with Germans prior recollection of German Air Force attacks on Bovey Tracey area and deception work in Devonshire, GB, 1944.

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)
Oliver, Irwen (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 1997-07-25
Dimensions: whole: Duration 75, Number Of Items 3
Catalogue number: 17548

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Oliver, Irwen (Oral history)

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