Interview with Thomas Henry Peace

British officer served with 5th Bn Wiltshire Regt (Duke of Edinburgh's), 129th Infantry Bde, 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Div in GB and Normandy, France, 1940-1944

REEL 1 Background in London, GB, 1916-1939: family; education; employment; joining Officer Cadet Reserve, 1930s. Recollections of period as officer with 5th Bn Wiltshire Regt (Duke of Edinburgh's), 129th Infantry Bde, 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Div in GB, 1940-1944: memories of Enoch Powell at No 121 Officer Cadet Training Unit (Honourable Artillery Company) at Aldershot, 1/1940 prior to joining unit at Ashstead; lack of defeatism in GB, 6/1940; influence of Prime Minister Winston Churchill's radio broadcasts, 1940; initial impressions of unit, 1940; attachment to 129th Infantry Bde Anti-Tank Coy at Deal, late 1940; roles undertaken with brigade and battalion, 1941-1943; coastal defence at Deal, 1940-1941 including role of Goodwin Sands, North Sea. REEL 2 Continues: General Bernard Montgomery's lack of faith in coastal defences at Deal, 1940-1941; morale of troops during exercises of 1941-1943; role as adjutant in preparing unit for D-Day; unsuitable packing of vehicles prior to D-Day; sight of first German V1 Flying Bombs in assembly area. Recollections of operations as officer with 5th Bn Wiltshire Regt (Duke of Edinburgh's), 129th Infantry Bde, 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Div in Normandy, France, 6/1944-8/1944: crossing English Channel from Newhaven to Arromanches-les-Bains; unit preparations in concentration area; contact with French civilians, contact with troops returning from periods in front line; opinion of being issued with bicycles; move to Hill 112; psychological rather than practical effect of German multi-barrelled mortar fire; stories of Hitler Youth feigning death; failure of some troops to remember training lessons; use of artillery fire to break up of German thrust towards sea, 10/7/1944; opinion of new commanding officer Lieutenant-Colonel John Pearson; 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Div's attempts to capture Hill 112. REEL 3 Continues: 15th (Scottish) Infantry Div's attempt to capture Hill 112 and officer's unwillingness to take advice; instances of self-inflicted wounds; German use of Butterfly Bombs; attack by 4th and 5th Bns Wiltshire Regt (Duke of Edinburgh's) on Maltot; question of usefulness of action at Maltot; destruction of British tanks by Tiger Tanks. Recollections of operations as officer with 5th Bn Wiltshire Regt (Duke of Edinburgh's), 129th Infantry Bde, 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Div at Mont Pinçon, Normandy, France, 8/1944: role of unit in Operation Bluecoat; unit success at Bois D'Homme; mortar hit on battalion headquarters killing padre; gift of condoms as precaution against venereal disease, wiping out of Micky Thomas' company; taking of crossroads, loss of commanding officer Lieutenant-Colonel John Pearson during attack on Mont Pinçon, 7/8/1944; urging of brigadier to take Mont Pinçon. REEL 4 Continues: wounding by mortar explosion; nature of wound and how battle proceeded after being wounded. Reflections on service as officer with 5th Bn Wiltshire Regt (Duke of Edinburgh's), 129th Infantry Bde, 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Div in Normandy, France, 6/1944-8/1944: question of problems caused by air attacks in advance of ground attacks; question of position of British Army before Caen, summer 1944.