Description
Object description
South African private trained with Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry Regimental Depot, Victoria Barracks, Bodmin, GB, 1932-1933; private and NCO served with 2nd Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, Gibraltar Garrison on Gibraltar and GB, 1933-1936; NCO served with 1st Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in India, Iraq and North Africa, 1936-1942; served with 10th Indian Infantry Divisional Provost Unit in Cyprus, 1942; served with XV Corps Provost Unit in Burma, 1943-1944; served with 4/5th Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in GB, 1944; served with 5th Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, 214th Infantry Bde, 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Div in North West Europe, 11/1944; prisoners of war in Stalag IX-C, Bad Sulza in Germany, 1944-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in South Africa and GB, 1909-1932: family's military background; employment as deck boy with Merchant Navy; military training with school cadets; arrival in GB. Aspects of enlistment in Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in GB, 1932: attempt to join Royal Navy; enlistment in London, 19/11/1932; selection process; direction to Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry. Aspects of training as private with Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry Regimental Depot, Victoria Barracks, Bodmin in GB, 1932-1933: origins of recruits; start of basic training; boxing; range work.
REEL 2 Continues: composition of squad; accommodation; commanding officer's inspection; adjusting to military life; uniform including puttees and boots; training on Bodmin Moor; tactics learned during training; route marches; his cross country running experience; opinion of food; training carried out by NCOs and officers; off duty activities. Recollections of period as NCO with 2nd Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry on Gibraltar, 1933-1935: posting to Gibraltar; promotion to lance corporal; subsequent promotions and demotions; duties.
REEL 3 Continues: visits to Spain; unawareness of political situation; promotion to and duty as lance corporal; qualities required by lance corporal; attending chiropodist course at Gibraltar; work of chiropodist; subsequent duties as chiropodist during column marches in India and as anti-tank gun commander in Western Desert, Egypt; return to GB, 1935. Aspects of period as NCO and private with 2nd Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in Blackdown Barracks, Deepcut, Aldershot Garrison, GB, 1935-1936: duties commanding battalion cycle club; exercises; terms of service and how he was unable to extend service in 1945; how he learned to drive; opinion of Bren Gun and mortars.
REEL 4 Continues: use of Ordnance ML 3 Inch Mortar; composition of mortar crew; training courses. Recollections of period as NCO with 1st Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in India, 1936-1941: posting to India; size of draft to battalion on troopship; sings song 'Bless Them All'; chiropodist work including contents of chiropodist case; duties as officer's mess corporal; mess staff; food provided in mess; accounting and use of chits; marriage as recruit, 1933; arrangements for married personnel; employment of 'sweeper'.
REEL 5 Continues: duties of 'sweeper'; character of different types of Indian barrack servants; payment of servant; language; relations with civil population; internal security duties; composition of internal security patrols; training received for internal security patrols; training at camp at Jhelum; duties as officer's mess corporal; incidents that occurred leading to loss of rank; purpose of Jhelum column exercise; motorisation of battalion transport.
REEL 6 Continues: excused duties for athletic events; attending two pounder anti-tank gun course; opinion of two pounder anti-tank gun; two pounder anti-tank gun crew; athletic activities; reaction to outbreak of Second World War, 9/1939. Aspects of period as NCO with 1st Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in Iraq, 1941-1942: arrival in Basra; road building duties; the Camel Section; duties in Iraq; off duties activities and relations with Iraqi civilians; camp at Habbaniya. Aspects of journey from Iraq to Egypt, 1942: character of move to Iraq to Egypt.
REEL 7 Continues: intervals in the column; maintenance of vehicles; column control; overnight stops; cooking arrangements and rations during move; impressions of Palestine; story of later journey from Cyprus to India via Egypt; measures against vehicle theft in Egypt; social calls in Cairo, Egypt, 1943. Aspects of operations as NCO with 1st Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in North Africa, 1942: use of anti-tank guns to guard airfield at Buq Buq, Egypt; orders to retire through minefield; deployment of anti-tank guns in defensive positions near airfield at Buq Buq, Egypt.
REEL 8 Continues: second hand story of German armoured attack on battalion positions; withdrawal in vehicles towards El Alamein from Mersa Matruh, Egypt. Aspects of period as NCO with 10th Indian Infantry Div Provost Unit in Cyprus, 1942: posting to Cyprus with 1st Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry; decision to join 10th Indian Infantry Div; provost duties; the provost marshal; speed checks; relations with Cypriot population; return to India on wife's illness. Aspects of period as NCO with XV Corps Provost Unit in Burma, 1943-1944: duties including traffic control over Ngakyedauk Pass; patrols; strength and organisation of corps provost.
REEL 9 Continues: reasons for return to GB, 1944. Aspects of period as NCO with 4/5th Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in GB, 1944: return to GB and leave; lack of tactical training. Aspects of operations as NCO with 5th Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, 214th Infantry Bde, 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Div in North West Europe, 11/1944: story of consoling nervous member of draft; journey from GB to Belgium; joined C Company in defensive positions; lack of introduction to platoon commanders; advance through woods near Hoven, Netherlands; wounding by shrapnel.
REEL 10 Continues: location of wounds; capture by Germans, 11/1944. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Stalag IX-C, Bad Sulza in Germany, 1944-1945: initial hospitalisation in Frankfurt am Main; character of rations in hospital and camp; accommodation in camp; importance of cigarettes; lack of escapes from camp; passing time in camp; size of prisoner of war combine; arrival of United States Army troops; American rations; return to GB. Aspects of demobilisation and return to civilian life in GB, 1945: discharge from British Army.
REEL 11 Continues: preference for continuing military service; employment as civilian driver with Fleet Air Arm; recovery from wounds and duration of disability payments; nature of war wounds. Reflections on military service: military discipline; benefits of military service; qualities of a good officer.
