Buckingham, Kenneth (Oral history)

British civilian served with Air Raid Precautions in Windsor, GB, 1939-1942; trooper served with 1st East Riding Yeomanry in GB and North West Europe, 1943-1945

REEL 1 Background in Windsor, Berkshire, 1923-1939: family and education. Reaction to declaration of war, 3/9/1939. Period with Air Raid Precautions, Windsor, 1939-1942: role as messenger; German Air Force attacks on Windsor area including dropping of an oil bomb; role as ARP warden; attending scene of unexploded anti aircraft shell. Call up for army service, 7/1942. Period of army training, 1942-1943: nature of basic training, Bodmin Cornwall, 1942; German Air Force attack on Bodmin, ca 8/1942; training as driver operator with 57th Training Regt, Royal Armoured Corps; Warminister and Catterick; question of undergunning of British tanks. Posting to Border Regt, Otley, spring 1943: training on Valentine tanks; posting to 1st Bn East Riding Yeomanry ca 7/1943. Recollections of period with 1st Bn East Riding Yeomanry, GB, 1943-1944: arrival with unit, Rendlesham Hall, Ipswich, training with DD tanks, Fritton Lake; training on Davis escape apparatus in baths at Felixstowe; fiancee's attitude to getting married to a man due to land on D-Day; training on Firefly tanks; role of 1st Bn ERY on D-Day; pre-D-Day training. REEL 2 Continues: embarkation at Gosport. Recollections of D-Day operations with Headquarters Troop, A Squadron, 1st Bn ERY, Normandy, 6/6/1944: seasickness on Channel crossing, unloading onto Rhino from LST; landing from Rhino onto Sword Beach, disabling of tank; German Air Force attack on Sword Beach; shelling of house containing sniper; view of glider attack inland of Sword Beach. Recollections of operations with Headquarters Troop, A Squadron, 1st Bn ERY, North West Europe, 6/1944-1945: joining up with unit, D+1; difficulty of operating in open country, Cambes Wood; attack of ERY and Royal Ulster Rifles on Cambes Wood, D+2; non- materialisation of German counter-attack after capture of Cambes Wood; view of Allied air raid on Caen; attack on Caen; problems of maintaining radio link with brigade headquarters; twenty first birthday celebration, Luc-sur-Mer, 10/7/1944; view of civilians close to front-line, 7/1944; push towards Troarn during attempt to outflank Caen, 7/1944; under minenwerfer fire, Troarn area, 7/1944. REEL 3 Continues: break up of 27th Armoured Brigade and loss of ERY's tanks ca 8/1944; transfer of ERY to 33rd Armoured Brigade, 51st Highland Division; equipping with petrol driven Sherman tanks for push towards River Seine; how his tank was hit by anti-tank fire and crew's escape; view of 51st Highland Div's beating of retreat, St Valery, ca 8/1944; firing on Le Harve; delay to ERY awaiting transport into Low Countries, 9/1944; problems of operating tanks in dyke country and immobilisation of his Sherman in dyke, Venlo salient, Netherlands, 11/1944; question of promotion in ERY, 1944-1945; billeting in monastery, Oudenbosch, Netherlands, 12/1944; performance of 'Blythe Sprit' by English Touring company; refugees from Germans during Ardennes offensive, 1944-1945; issue of 'sabot' ammunition for Shermans; problems of driving Shermans on icy surfaces in Ardennes, 1944-1945. REEL 4 Continues: mechanical problems leading to loss of his Sherman, 1/1945; leave period in Brussels, early 1945; issue of Buffaloes to 1st Bn ERY for Rhine Crossing; problems using Buffaloes for water crossings; incident when three men drowned in training; Rhine Crossing operation, 3/1945. Period during occupation of Germany, 1945-1947: basing of unit in Kiel after VE Day, 5/1945; operation of non- fraternisation order in Kiel; break up of ERY and transfer to 3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry; lack of discontent over slow process of demobilisation, 1945- 1947.