Interview with James Eaves

British private served with 4th Bn East Lancashire Regt, 127th Infantry Bde, 42nd (East Lancashire) Infantry Div in GB, France and Belgium, 9/1939-5/1942; served as driver with 1st Bn East Lancashire Regt, 71st Infantry Bde, 42nd Armoured Div in GB, 5/1942-10/1943; served with 1st Bn East Lancashire Regt, 71st Infantry Bde, 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Div in GB and Normandy, France, 10/1943-8/1944; served with 158th Infantry Bde, 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Div in North West Europe, 8/1944-5/1945

REEL 1 Background in Blackpool and Blackburn, GB, 1920-1939: family; education; social activities; employment; joining 4th Bn East Lancashire Regt, Territorial Army, 1938; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; story of brother's military service. Aspects of period as private with 4th Bn East Lancashire Regt, 127th Infantry Bde, 42nd (East Lancashire) Infantry Div in GB and France, 9/1939-5/1940: move to Newcastle upon Tyne, GB; weapons training; training with Boys Anti-Tank Rifle; voyage to France aboard HMT Ben-my-Chree; death of members of battalion in road accident at Cherbourg, France; move to border with Belgium. Recollections of operations as private of 4th Bn East Lancashire Regt, 127th Infantry Bde, 42nd (East Lancashire) Infantry Div in France and Belgium, 5/1940-6/1940: sight of German Air Force bombing of town in Belgium, 10/5/1940; move into Belgium; reaction to German Air Force dropping of propaganda leaflets on River Dyle. REEL 2 Continues: French civilian casualties in Lille, France; move to Armentières, France and destruction of vehicles; German Air Force attack on vehicle; reforming near Poperinghe, Belgium; forming defensive position against German Army tanks; effect of Boys Anti-Tank Rifle on German Army tanks; withdrawal from farmhouse; narrow escape from German Army machine gun fire; nature of rearguard action to Dunkirk, France; sight of beaches at Dunkirk, France; move to Bray-Dunes, France; evacuation from beaches aboard TS Medway Queen, 2/6/1944-3/6/1944; acquiring cigarettes; arrival at Harwich, GB; condition of troops aboard TS Medway Queen. REEL 3 Continues: Recollections of period as private with 4th Bn East Lancashire Regt, 127th Infantry Bde, 42nd (East Lancashire) Infantry Div in GB and Northern Ireland, 6/1940-5/1942: disembarkation at Harwich; sending cards to relatives; reaction to return to GB; move to Leicestershire Regiment Regimental Depot at Glen Parva Barracks, South Wigston near Leicester; reforming of battalion near Middlesborough; march to Shildon; move to North Yorkshire; use of civilian buses; transfer to signal platoon; invasion scare, 9/1940; coastal defence duties in East Anglia; fire fighting, duties; move to Bangor, Northern Ireland, 1941; transfer to carrier platoon; driving Universal Carrier; transfer to Squires Gate Camp as instructor, 1942. Recollections of period as driver with 1st Bn East Lancashire Regt, 71st Infantry Bde, 42nd Armoured Div in GB, 5/1942-10/1943: reasons for posting to battalion at Malton, 5/1942; role as driver of battalion orderly truck; formation of anti-tank platoon at Mere; incident of accidental drownings on River Derwent during training exercise, 10/1942. REEL 4 Continues: reasons for casualties during exercises; participation in countrywide exercise, 2/1943-3/1943. Aspects of period as driver with 1st Bn East Lancashire Regt, 71st Infantry Bde, 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Div in GB, 10/1943-6/1944: transfer of 71st Infantry Bde from 42nd Armoured Div to 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Div, 10/1943; move to Burford and onto Sittingbourne, 1943; training for amphibious landings; waterproofing vehicle course; wife's arrest for entering restricted area; method for crossing river with anti-tank portee; hearing news of D-Day, 6/6/1944; sight of German V1 Flying Bombs, 6/1944; loading vehicles in East India Docks, London. REEL 5 Continues: treatment of British Army troops by dockers; role with rear party. Recollections of operations as driver with Anti-Tank Platoon, Support Coy 1st Bn East Lancashire Regt, 71st Infantry Bde, 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Div in Normandy, France, 7/1944-8/1944: seasickness during crossing of English Channel; problems transferring to landing craft; effect of HMS Warspite's guns firing; beach landing on Juno Beach; opinion of Corps of Military Police; de-waterproofing vehicles; joining battalion at Bougy; attachment to C Coy; destruction of German machine gun team in Bougy; actions of Charlie Hatton; problems of driving at night; sight of destroyed tanks around Hill 112; casualties during construction of battalion headquarters. REEL 6 Continues: advance under fire towards Bois Halbout, 12/8/1944; firing at German opposition in town hall; amusing story of acquiring alcohol from French civilian; question of regimental history's account of death of Lieutenant Keri Harding, 14/8/1944; weather conditions during advance towards Noron-l'Abbaye; Germans opening fire on road between Noron-l'Abbaye and Miette; evacuation of wounded under fire, including Frank Brodie. REEL 7 Continues: wounding of Sergeant Jack French; removal of Universal Carriers off road under German artillery fire; return to Noron-l'Abbaye; loss of gun crew during accidental explosion at Noron-l'Abbaye; question of presence of Canadian Army troops in Miette; sight of bodies in Falaise Gap, 8/1944. Recollections of operations as driver with Anti-Tank Platoon, Support Coy, 1st Bn East Lancashire Regt, 158th Infantry Bde, 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Div in North West Europe, 8/1944-12/1944: advance from Normandy, France to Antwerp, Belgium, 8/1944-9/1944; move into Antwerp, Belgium, 9/1944; German Air Force attack on Lommel bridgehead, Belgium; role of division on Arnhem Corridor. REEL 8 Continues: German attack on battalion; contact with 101st Airborne Div, United States Army; capture of 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands, 27/10/1944, including traffic problems with column, advance into city, destruction of German artillery column, street fighting, crossing damaged canal bridge, destruction of Universal Carrier, attack on barracks held by German forces and loss of gun crew; duties on River Maas, Netherlands, 11/1944-12/1944; transfer to Headquarters Coy; training for Operation Veritable. Recollections of operations as driver with Headquarters Coy, 1st Bn East Lancashire Regt, 158th Infantry Bde, 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Div in Belgium, 12/1944-1/1945: loss of Universal Carrier on icy road; contact with United States Army troops. REEL 9 Continues: accommodation in chateau; role supply troops; conditions of roads; casualties at Grimbiémont, Beligum, 1/1945; question of emphasis placed on 51st (Highland) Infantry Div's role in Ardennes, Belgium, 12/1944-1/1945; withdrawal; amusing story of picking up Universal Carrier at Wavre, Belgium; return to unit at Helmond, Netherlands; character of Allied bombardment in Reichswald Forest, Germany, 2/1945; issue of Windsor Carrier; weather conditions; problems encountered with supply role; state of forest and tracks, Reichswald Forest, Germany, 2/1945; loading German aerial bombs. REEL 10 Continues: amusing story about constructing dugout; advance through Goch and Kleve, Germany; mortal wounding of comrade in mine explosion; sight of Allied airborne forces dropping over River Rhine, Germany, 24/3/1945; crossing River Rhine at Wesel, Germany, 3/1945; crossing River Aller, Germany, 4/1945; amusing story of soldier having bath under German Army artillery fire at Rotenburg, Germany, 4/1945; amusing story of capture of German Army soldier on leave; advance towards Hamburg, Germany; sight of senior German Army officers on route to surrender; taking weapons off German policemen in Hamburg, Germany, 4/1945. REEL 11 Continues: location of battalion buildings; leave period in GB, 5/1945; reaction to end of Second World War in Europe, 8/5/1945; occupation duties in Oberhausen, Germany, 1945-1946. Demobilisation process in GB, 1946; attitude to having served with 1st Bn East Lancashire Regt in Second World War; return to civilian employment.