Description
Object description
British NCO served with 2/7th Bn, Royal West Surrey Regt in GB, Iraq and North Africa, 1940-1943; served as officer with Mortar Platoon, Support Coy, 16th Durham Light Infantry in Middle East, Italy, Greece and Austria, 1944-1946; served with 2/5th Bn, Nottinghamshre and Derbyshire Regt (Sherwood Foresters) in Austria, 1946
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Ongar and Chertsey, GB, 1918-1939: childhood; work on farming smallholding; awareness of approach of war; outbreak of war, 3/9/1939. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine during training with Royal West Surrey Regt at Stoughton Barracks and Queen's Camp, Guildford, GB, 1/1940-5/1940: issue of uniform; relationship with other ranks; weekend leave and effect of vaccinations; hut accommodation; morning parade; drill; weapons training including rifle, bayonet, Bren gun and grenades; tactical exercises; route marches; drill; relationship with officers; kit inspections.
REEL 2 Continues: relationship with NCOs; food rations; recreations; quarantine due to meningitis outbreak. Period with Holding Bn, Royal West Surrey Regt at Seaford and Coulsdon, GB, 5/1940-6/1940: opinion of Major A P Block; relationship with draft from Lancashire. Recollections of period with 2/7th Bn, Royal West Surrey Regt at in GB, 6/1940-8/1942: reception and posting to A Coy; reaction to Dunkirk evacuation; officers; training; anti-invasion activities in Kent; promotion to lance corporal; coastal pill-boxes at Hythe; exercises; training Suffolk Home Guard units; promotion to sergeant; baggage party duties and opinion of dockers during preparations for embarkation at Liverpool.
REEL 3 Continues: training on commando course at Lochailort, 1941; training role with Battle Platoon, Headquarters Company; opinion of Colonel A P Block. Voyage out with Johann van Oldenbarneveldt via South Africa to Bombay, India, ca 8/1942: conditions; posting to Mortar Platoon; tug of war; baggage party duties. Rat problem during voyage to Basra, Iraq, 10/1942. Period at Kirkuk, Iraq, 10/1942-3/1943: 3" mortar training including method of firing, range and transport; tent accommodation; precautions against Kurd civilians stealing equipment; oil waste roads. Period in North Africa, 4/1943-9/1943: approach journey by lorry; minor shrapnel chest wound during operations at Enfidaville, Tunisia; hospitalisation at Tripoli, Libya; rejoining unit in Tripoli area; lessons from active service experience; personal morale; question of application for commission; sergeants' mess.
REEL 4 Continues: sergeants' mess; question of leaving unit; interviews to establish suitability for commission; nature of tests at War Officers' Selection Board. Recollections of attending at Middle East Officers Cadet Training Unit at Haifa and Sarafand, Palestine, 9/1943-3/1944: lectures and drill; passing out and background to commission into Wiltshire Regiment. Recollections of period with posting to 16th Bn Durham Light Infantry in Middle East, 3/1944-7/1944: acceptance of posting after prior interview with Colonel Johnny Preston; initial posting to D Company; opinion of Major Frank Duffy; posting to Mortar Platoon, Support Company; opinion of various officers including Major Harry Mynheer, Colonel Johnny Preston, Lieutenant Russell Collins; Major Ray Mitchell.
REEL 5 Continues: opinion of various NCOs including Sergeant Hunter and Company Sergeant Major Les Thornton; independent role of Mortar Platoon; opinion of Private Joss Hall; internal security duties and enforcement of curfew due to Jewish insurgents in Tel Aviv; hockey; training; posting to Mortar Platoon, Support Coy; story of being Military Police being called due to disturbance in officers club at El Qassassin, Egypt; story illustrating Captain Jimmy Coutts' attitude to base staff; attitude to move to Italy. Initial period in Bastardo, Italy, 7/1944-8/1944; drinking habits; question of adequacy of wireless sets issued to Mortar Platoon; football activities; inspection by George VI.
REEL 6 Recollections of operations against Gothic Line, Italy, 8/1944-12/1944: Mortar Platoon Bren Carriers and use of motorcycles; personal weapons; 'O' groups including composition, artillery support from 449 Battery, 70th Field Regiment; nature of terrain; close escape from German shell fire at Petriano, 28/8/1944; question of amount of use of mortars; personal morale; relationship with other ranks; policy of taking shelter in houses; mortar pits; question of amount of use of mortars and effective range; taking Royal West Kent Regiment Bren carrier; period under German shellfire at Gemano, 9/1944; nebelwerfers; method of ranging mortars.
REEL 7 Continues: story of patrol, subsequent role in capturing group of houses and view of German attack on neighbouring positions; story of Lieutenant Footer's threatening troops during attack; story of Lieutenant Douglas Tiffin inspiring troops during advance under shellfire; story of coming under fire after being positioned by Colonel Denis Worrall on forward slope under German observation; crossing rivers; casualties at Balignano Spur, 10/10/1944; effects of German mines; stories of occupying observation post in church tower, superficial neck wound from shell splinter and reception from Italian civilians at Cesena, 19/10/1944; rest periods; draft from anti-aircraft units and question of unit morale, rest periods.
REEL 8 Continues: role censoring letters; letter contact with GB; absence of pastoral role; role writing to parents of casualty; story of close escape from German mine whilst riding motorcycle; climate; drinking habits; amusing story if Major Harry Mynheer being hit by Italian civilian he was attempting to calm during German shellfire; opinion of Major Laurie Stringer; story of Lieutenant Douglas Tiffen inspiring troops during advance under shellfire; question of amount of use of mortars; opinion of various officers. Aspects of period in Greece, 12/1944-4/1945: reactions to move; situation and nature of ELAS activities in Athens; period in Patras; dinner with Greek civic dignitaries; question of feeding Greek civilians; story of detonating German mines. Recollections of period in Italy, 4/1945-5/1945: role in charge of Motor Transport during voyage back to Italy.
REEL 9 Continues: reactions to return to Italy; move to Bertinori sector; story of getting vermouth from distillery captured by New Zealanders; celebrations on VE Day, 8/5/1945: Aspects of period in Austria, 5/1945-1/1946: riding demonstration by Cossack troops and their repatriation to Russian sector; move to Bruckle area; tense nature of situation; move to Wildon; patrols looking for Nazis; relationship with Austrian civilians; relationship with neighbouring German unit; period in Vienna, 10/1945-11/1945; disbandment of unit, 1/1946. Period with 2/5th Bn, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regt (Sherwood Foresters) in Austria, 1/1946-7/1946: role as transport officer; delay in demobilisation due to soldier's court case after serious accident. Post-war career: farming; death of brother in RAF, 1941; question of effects of war service.
