Description
Object description
British officer served with No 12 Commando in GB, 1940-1942; served with No 2 Commando during Operation Chariot, the raid on Saint Nazaire, France, 28/3/1942; prisoner of war in France and Marlag X-B, Stalag X-B, Sandbostel, Oflag IX-A/H, Spangenberg and Oflag IV-C Colditz Castle, Germany, 3/1942-4/1945; served with 1st Bn Royal Ulster Rifles, 6th Airlanding Bde, 6th Airborne Div in Palestine, 1945-1946; served as adjutant with 6th Bn Royal Ulster Rifles, Northern Ireland District in Northern Ireland, 1946-1949; served as staff officer with Headquarters, Middle East Land Forces in Canal Zone, Egypt, 1949-1951; served with 1st Bn Royal Ulster Rifles in Hong Kong, 1951-1952; served with London Irish Rifles in London, GB, 1953-1954; student with Staff College, Camberley in GB, 1954-1955; served as staff officer in Federation of Malaya, 1956-1958; served with Royal Ulster Rifles Regimental Depot, St Patrick's Barracks, Ballymena, Northern Ireland, 1958-1960; served with 1st Bn Royal Ulster Rifles, 5th Infantry Bde, British Army of the Rhine in West Germany, 2/1960-4/1963; commanded 1st Bn Royal Ulster Rifles during Indonesian Confrontation, 6/1964-6/1965; served as Chief Instructor with School of Infantry, Warminster in GB, 1965-1967; served as Commander and Director of Operations with Sultan's Armed Forces in Oman, 1967-1970; served as Commandant with School of Infantry, Warminster, GB, 1970-1972; commanded North West District in GB, 1972-1974; commanded Near East Land Forces in Cyprus, 1974-1976
Content description
REEL 1 Background in GB and India, 1921-1939: family's military background; memories of India; desire for military career; father's military service in First World War. Aspects of period as officer with Royal Ulster Rifles Regimental Depot, Ballymena, Northern Ireland, 1939-1940: posting to depot after period at Royal Military College Sandhurst, Camberley, GB, 12/1939; background to volunteering for commandos; weapons training at Royal Military College Sandhurst, Camberley. Aspects of training with No 12 Commando in GB, 1940-1942: nature of commando training; description of Fairbairn-Sykes Knife; abortive trip to Norway. Aspects of operations as officer with No 2 Commando during Operation Chariot, the raid on Saint Nazaire, France, 28/3/1942: attachment to No 2 Commando; training for aid with demolition party; details for demolition plan for Operation Chariot; equipment carried; execution of the raid; reaction to being under fire.
REEL 2 Continues: memories of Commander Robert Ryder and Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Newman; further details of raid; wounding by grenade during attempt to escape from town. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in France and Marlag X-B, Stalag X-B, Sandbostel, Oflag IX-A/H, Spangenberg and Oflag IV-C Colditz Castle, Germany, 3/1942-4/1945: capture; reaction to HMS Campbeltown exploding at Saint Nazaire, France, 29/3/1942; interrogation; hospitalisation at Rennes, France; move to Marlag X-B, Stalag X-B, Sandbostel, Germany attempt to escape; removal to Oflag IX-A/H, Spangenburg, Germany; division between prisoner of war escapers and students; escape from camp; recapture; removal to Oflag IV-C, Colditz Castle, Germany; quarrel with friend.
REEL 3 Continues: question of escape from Oflag IV-C, Colditz Castle, Germany; liberation by United States Army troops, 4/1945; joining American troops and liberation of concentration camp; return to GB; lack of problems readjusting after captivity. Aspects of operations as officer with 1st Bn Royal Ulster Rifles, 6th Airlanding Bde, 6th Airborne Div in Palestine, 1945-1946: joining battalion; pattern of service; attitude towards Jews and Arabs; activities of Jewish insurgents; patrolling and incident of being stoned by women. Aspects of period as officer with 6th Bn Royal Ulster Rifles, Northern Ireland District in Northern Ireland, 1946-1949: background to posting as adjutant to unit; lack of sectarianism in unit.
REEL 4 Continues: details of Territorial Army training; weapons used including Vickers Machine Gun. Aspects of period as staff officer with Headquarters, Middle East Land Forces in Canal Zone, Egypt, 1949-1951: posting to Canal Zone; attitude towards Egyptians and situation; incidents with hostile civilians; satisfaction of having a happy regiment; relations between different ranks. Aspects of period as officer with 1st Bn Royal Ulster Rifles in Hong Kong, 1951-1952: posting to Hong Kong; duties; opinion of Chinese. Aspects of period as officer with London Irish Rifles in London, GB, 1953-1954: attitude to duties; annual camps; attitude of reservists who had completed National Service; expensive drinks rounds.
REEL 5 Continues: Aspects of period as student at Staff College, Camberley, GB, 1954-1955: description of course; three month course at Royal Military College of Science at Shrivenham. Aspects of period as staff officer in Federation of Malaya, 1956-1958: attitude to posting to staff; participation in jungle patrols; discussion of Vietnam War; use of leave to serve with 1st Bn Royal Ulster Rifles in Cyprus, 1958; character of operations against National Organisation of Cypriot Fighters (EOKA); method of obtaining information. Aspects of period as officer with Royal Ulster Rifles Regimental Depot, St Patrick's Barracks, Ballymena, Northern Ireland, 1958-1960: posting to depot; defences against Irish Republican Army (IRA) threat and strict control of ammunition.
REEL 6 Continues: atmosphere in Northern Ireland, 1958-1960; question of mishandling of situation after 1968. Aspects of period as officer with 1st Bn Royal Ulster Rifles, 5th Infantry Bde, British Army of the Rhine in West Germany, 2/1960-4/1963: attitude to running training programme and filling up soldiers time; initiative exercises; importance of knowing troops to prevent lapses of discipline; threat of war with Warsaw Pact. Recollections of operations commanding 1st Bn Royal Ulster Rifles during Indonesian Confrontation in Borneo, Malaysia, 6/1964-6/1965: visit to Australia and decision to move battalion to Borneo to counter-Indonesian threat; areas of operations; intercepting Indonesian forces.
REEL 7 Continues: deployment of battalion; defences of jungle bases; jungle warfare techniques employed; other forces under his command; relations with helicopter forces; breaking up of Indonesian incursions; heath threats; restrictions on use of aftershave and smoking; weapons used; foot care; helicopter support. Aspects of period as Chief Instructor with School of Infantry, Warminster in GB, 1965-1967: description of courses and reasons for not asking for reports; attitude to role.
REEL 8 Continues: foreign students present on course. Recollections of operations as Commander and Director of Operations, Sultan's Armed Forces in Oman, 1967-1970: role; situation in Oman and Dhofar Province; composition of Sultan's Armed Forces; shortage of money to buy equipment and effects of phasing out of British subsidy; nature of warfare in Oman; quality of Dhofari tribesmen; countering attacks on convoys; deploying forces; effects of shortage of helicopters; change in situation on leaving Oman, 1970.
REEL 9 Continues: concluding remarks on Oman. Aspects of period as Commandant with School of Infantry, Warminister, GB, 1970- 1972: return as commandant. Aspects of period commanding North West District in GB, 1972-1974: opinion of Territorial Army personnel. Aspects of period commanding Near East Land Forces in Cyprus, 1974-1976: damage caused by defence cuts and political interference; memories of various personalities.
