Parkinson, Sheila Yvonne (Oral history)

British officer served with First Aid Nursing Yeomanry in Kenya, GB and North West Europe, 1937-1945

REEL 1 Background in GB, 1913-1937: family; education; story of brother's death in North Africa; death of husband Doctor Lance Parkinson in Singapore, 1942; story of working for Chief Medical Officer of Jerusalem, 1929; story of climbing petrol tanks; political unrest; story of trip to Dead Sea; return to GB. Period as housekeeper in Kenya, 1937- 1939: sporting activities; opinion of Happy Valley occupants; life on a coffee plantation; decision to join FANYs, 1937; role of FANYs in East Africa in event of war. REEL 2 Continues: aspects of training; story of killing a gazelle injured in a road accident; first aid; opinion of empire; role of District Commissioners; relationship between settlers and local population; snakes; question of trust; return to GB, 7/1939. Recollections of period with FANY in GB, 1939-1944: outbreak of war, 3/9/1939; reporting to FANYs Western Command, Chester; mood in Kenya and reasons for return to GB; driving duties; move to Anglesey; duties; FANY uniform; stationed in Shrewsbury, 1941; marriage and husband's death overseas REEL 3 Continues: decision to take overseas duty; promotion to Captain; rejection of Italian posting; story of learning to ride a motorbike; acceptance of a posting to join Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force at Versailles, 1944; taking command of mixed transport unit at Bushey Park, makeup of unit; V1 attacks; leaving Bushey Park. Recollection of period in Northwest Europe, 1944-1946: embarkation at Southhampton; crossing English Channel; disembarkation at Omaha beach; following Red Ball route through France; bomb damage in France. REEL 4 Continues: arrival at Versailles; duties at SHAEF; Montgomery's opinion of women; opinion of Eisenhower; opinion of Montgomery; attending SHAEF briefings; rations; posting to 21st Army Group Headquarters, Germany, 1945; story of being sent to command ATS girls who had refused to be sent home; story of witnessing trial of Kramer, Commandant of Auschwitz, at Nuremberg, 1945; opinion of Kramer; opinion of trials; release from active service 1946. Background of return to civilian life; contrast between service life and wartime conditions in GB; post war career in oil industry. REEL 5 Continues: post war FANY commitment; honorary position as Corp Commander of FANYs, 1964; peacetime role of FANYs and their involvement in Gulf war; opinion of Commonwealth; opinion of post independence Kenya. Recollection of journey to Belgian Congo, 1937-1938.