Description
Object description
British NCO served with 1st Bn Royal West Kent Regt in GB, 1940-1941; served as officer cadet with 167 Officers Cadet Training Unit in GB, 1941; served as officer with 9th Bn Essex Regt in GB, 1941-1942; served with Army Battle School at Barnard Castle, Durham, 1942-1943; served as staff officer with 203 Military Mission in South Africa, 1943-1944; served with 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry in Italy, Greece and Austria, 1944-1946; served with Agricultural Dept of Allied Control Commisssion in Austria, 1946
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Ilford, GB, 1914-1939: family; education; cricket activities; work in banking and Spitalfields market, London; amateur dramatics activities; awareness of events in Germany; necessity for hernia operation prior to volunteering; question of effect of war on Spitalfields market; reactions to call up, ca 2/1940. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine during basic training with 4th Cavalry Training Regt, Colchester Barracks, GB, 2/1940-12/1940: reception; reaction to army lifestyle; drill; route marches; weapons training including rifle and Bren gun; relationship with other ranks; promotion to lance corporal and reaction to possibility of becoming officer.
REEL 2 Continues: role as lance corporal; story of tetanus inoculation; playing cricket and rugby for unit and story of drinking with officers; bayonet training; tactical training; preparing for room and kit inspections; opinion of NCOs and officers; night exercises; recreations. Period as NCO with 1st Bn Royal West Kent Regt at Newbury, GB, 12/1940-3/1941: relationship with regular NCOs; story of boxing match which established reputation; nature of training; account of interview as candidate for commission.
REEL 3 Continues: account of interview as candidate for commission. Recollections of period with 167 Officers Cadet Training Unit at Malvern, 1941: fear of being returned to unit; origins of cadets; monthly report; tactical exercises without troops and principles used in giving out orders at 'O' Group; question of frontal and flanking assaults; sand table exercises; question of liaison with air, artillery and tank support; motorcycle training; map reading; question of behaviour as officer; high pass out and selection of Essex Regiment. Recollections of period with B Coy, 9th Bn, Essex Regt in Lyme Regis area, GB, 1941: officers' mess; fitness training; tactical exercise; coastal defences and patrols; pastoral role as officer.
REEL 4 Continues: appearances as defending officer in soldiers' court martial; cricket activities; attending course Army Physical Training School at Aldershot and story of continuing course despite breaking thumb in boxing match. Recollections of attending course at General Headquarters Battle School at Barnard Castle, 1941: death of friend; assault course; battle drill tactical training system; school motto; use of live ammunition to simulate battle conditions; endurance and survival exercises; expansion of battle training system; demonstration battalion; comic impersonation of Colonel Wigram at concert party. Period with 9th Bn Essex Regiment in Lyme Regis area, GB, 1941-1942: reaction to new battle drill training course; reaction to promotion and posting as instructor.
REEL 5 Continues: Recollections of period as instructor with General Headquarters Battle School at Barnard Castle, GB, 1942-1943: battle drill tactical training system; ethos and organisation of school; quality of pupils; daily routine; expansion of battle training system; demonstration during Churchill visit; interview with Brigadier Sir Guy Salisbury-Jones concerning possibility of posting to South Africa and promise of subsequent active serving posting; acting as advisor to film unit recording battle school drill. Recollections of as G II staff officer with 203 Military Mission in Durban, South Africa, 1943-1944: role in encouraging South African participation in war; lecturing in battle school methods; opening of South African Battle School at Premier Mine near Pretoria; story of passing cliff jump test; instructors team; courses for South African forces; reactions to exhibition and lectures on St Nazaire raid for South African civilians; relationship with South African civilians; question of success of battle school drill methods; flight with South African Air Force; trip aboard South African submarine; extension of posting. Period at Infantry Reinforcement Depot at Cairo, Egypt, 1944: loss of opportunity of posting to Essex Regiment; duties taking courts martial.
REEL 6 Continues: background to securing active service posting; journey out . Impressions on joining B Coy, 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry in Italy, 9/1944: prior interview by General Hawksworth; opinion of various officers including Colonel Dennis Worrall, Majors Ronnie Sherlaw, Alan Hay, Captain Tom Reynolds; Lieutenants Stanley Waymark and Richard Hewlett; opinion of NCOs; organisation of company; state of unit and morale; relationship with other ranks. Account of attack on La Crocetta and Balignano Spur, Italy, 10/10/1944: 'O' Groups and plans for attack; artillery support; commencement of attack at 19.00; advance up hill behind barrage; decision to wear officer's insignia; German POWs.
REEL 7 Continues: calling for extra artillery support; German nebelwerfer fire; personal morale; situation; committing reserve platoon into attack on right. German counter-attack and enfilade fire from left; ordering retreat; rescue of severely wounded Hewlitt; question of correctness of tactics employed; letters to families of casualties; reactions to failure of attack; question of declining quality of replacement platoon commanders; capture of Balignano Spur, 11/10/1944. Account of attack on Cesena, 19/10/1944: situation; move from Celincordia into Cesena; death of Company Sergeant Major Clarke; success of tank in destroying German machine gun post; discovery of group of Italian women on entering house and locking them in cellar.
REEL 8 Continues: situation; orders to remain in position; story of nervous officer's servant; German destruction of bridge over River Savio; capture of Cesena Castle and question of time bomb left by Germans; relief; story of capturing German shaving in barber's shop; presence of Italian partisans; emergence of Italian civilians; success of operation; story of dispute with Quartermaster Bert Newman over lost Bren guns after attack on Balignano Spur, 11/10/1944; role of officer's servant; visit to brother during local leave; food rations; location, composition and role of company headquarters; evacuation of casualties; visits to platoons.
REEL 9 Continues: night visits to platoon and question of sentries falling asleep. Rest period at Montefiori, Italy, 10/1944-11/1944: recreations; question of washing and shaving. Recollections of attack towards Cosina Canal, Italy, 16/11/1944-17/11/1944: overall strategic situation; weather conditions; prior reconnaissance patrols and capture of German POWs; plan; friendly fire attack by aircraft of Desert Air Force; taking over leadership of advance to intermediate objective after officer's failure of nerve; German counter-attack and withdrawal under cover of tank fire to start line; cancellation of rest of attack; subsequent court martial of officer. Account of crossing of Cosina River near Forli, 23/11/9144-24/11/1944: situation and plan; dealing with hysterical soldier; crossing river and advance to Corla farm buildings.
REEL 10 Continues: German counter-attack and retreat back across river; story of rescuing wounded Lieutenant David Buchannon; successful capture of Corlam 24/11/1944. Rest period, 11/1944: rumours of leaving Italy; casualties during Gothic Line operations; airlift of unit to Greece and delayed department for court martial of officer failing in Cosina Canal attack. Recollections of operations in Greece, 12/1944-1945: situation; question of troops attitudes to ELAS; ELAS night attacks on battalion defensive positions along Phaleron road, 12/12/1944; arrival of reinforcements; tactics during advance towards Athens; visit be Churchill and Eden; receiving leg wounds during advance, 3/1/1945.
REEL 11 Continues: receiving leg wounds during advance, 3/1/1945; conversation with Brigadier Block; hospitalisation; situation; welcome from Greek civilians in Athens; voyage to Patras, 7/1/1945; situation; unopposed landing, 10/1/1945; advance to Araxos airfield, 13/1/1945; return to Athens; visit from Eden, 15/2/1945; question of relevance of battle drill training on active service; training; sports meeting; recreations; assistance from tank in street fighting incident, 12/1944; voyage back to Italy, 4/1945. Recollections of period in Italy, 4/1945-5/1945: hospitalisation with leg wounds; nature of Greek campaign, 12/1944-4/1945; reaction and celebrations on German surrender in Italy, 5/1945.
REEL 12 Continues: importance of religious services; relationship with 70th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery; move through Italy to Caparetto area; attitude of retreating German troops; contact with Italian and Yugoslav partisans; emergency move into Austria. Recollections of period in Austria, 5/1945-2/1946: introduction of non-fraternisation policy towards Austrian civilians; first impressions of Soviet troops at Judenburg; reception of former British POWs; refugees; use of German staff cars; move to Bleiburg, 16/5/1945; question of situation between Croatian and Yugoslav forces; use of former Cossack horses; move to Bruckle. 24/5/1945; reactions to role in rounding up, disarming and handing over of Cossack Kononoff Bde who had served with German Army to Soviet Army; patrols; cricket activities; move to Wildon, Graz area, 22/7/1945.
REEL 13 Continues: period as acting commanding officer; take over from Soviet troops at Wildon and reaction of Austrian civilians; role as acting CO; visit from Major General Sir Richard McCreery; reaction to VJ Day, 8/1945; role as editor of 'Geordie' magazine; billets at Schloss Laubegg; period as British garrison troops in Vienna, 10/1945-11/1945, including situation, guard duties and ceremonial parades, formal change of parent regiment from Essex Regt to Durham Light Infantry; relationship with other ranks; relationship with Austrian civilians in Wildon; lumbering; relationship with other ranks; training; reactions to disbandment of unit; reads list of unit casualties and congratulatory letter from McCreery, 1940-1946. Posting as staff officer to Agricultural Dept of Allied Control Commission, Austria, 1946: role as author of 'History of 16th Battalion The Durham Light Infantry' published, 7/1946.
REEL 14 Continues: sources as author of 'History of 16th Battalion Durham Light Infantry' published, 7/1946; role of book in success of 16th Battalion Durham Light Infantry Association; visit to Gothic Line area, 1996; nature of relationship with former other ranks, 1997; duties visiting farms in Graz area; demobilisation and question of becoming regular soldier, 1946. Post-war career: question of adapting to civilian life; review of service as company commander with 6th Battalion, Queens Regiment at Bermondsey, London; subsequent decision to reject promotion to command unit; pride in war service.
