Neary, Tom (Oral history)

British private served with 4th Bn East Lancashire Regt in France, 1940; NCO served with 1st Bn East Lancashire Regt in GB and North West Europe, 1940-1945

REEL 1 Background in Hapton, 1919-1939: family and education, family's military background; employment in dye factory; sport and hobbies. Reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939. Call up to 1st Bn East Lancashire Regt 1939. Period of training with 1st Bn East Lancashire Regt at Squires Gates Camp, Blackpool, 1939-1940: issue of rifles; night training on sand dunes; posting to 4th Bn East Lancashire Regt at Marlborough. Journey from GB to France aboard Ben Macrea, 23/4/1940. Period with 4th Bn East Lancashire Regt in France, 4/1940-5/1940: initial impression of France; amusing story of soldier who fell in manure; memories of Captain Hoare; route march. Recollection of operations with Syme Battalion in France, 5/1940: composition of unit; move to Abbeville; withdrawal to Rouen; German bombing of bakery; move towards St Malo via Le Mans; destruction of vehicles at St Malo; return to GB. REEL 2 Continues: reception in Southampton and Durham, 6/1944; question of British Army attempting to fight with First World War; question of lack of equipment and anti-tank weapons; German tactics employed; sight of German armoured cars; opinion of Captain Erwine Andrews of 1st Bn East Lancashire Regt. Period with 4th Bn East Lancashire in GB, 6/1940-7/1940: move to Moreton Hall; home leave; move to Stoneyhouse College; story of transfer to 1st Bn East Lancashire. Recollections of period with 1st Bn East Lancashire Regt in GB, 1940-1944: posting to B Coy at Northallerton, Yorks; move to Broadway, move to Bisham Abbey , near Marlow; amusing story of haunting of Bisham Abbey; sight of fish killed in River Thames by German Air Force bombing; coastal defence duties at Lowestoft, 10/1940- 12/1940; period at Watford, 12/1940-2/1941; living conditions at Mushroom Farm near Halstead; accident during grenade training; route marches in East Anglian. REEL 3 Continues: move to Orwell Park School, Ipswich, 7/1941; promotion to NCO; return to ranks after argument with sergeant; signal course; return to unit at Rillington near Malton; transfer of unit to 2nd Div then 42nd Div; transfer to Signals Platoon, Headquarters Coy; character of signals course and role of signallers; use of 18 Radio set; period at Northallerton, 1941- 1942; move to Malton, death of soldiers during swimming training in River Derwent near Malton, 10/1942. REEL 4 Continues: compassionate leave for mother's illness and being put on charge, 7/1942; playing with battalion dance band, 1942- 1943; change to 19 Radio Set; period in Mere, 4/1943-9/1944; composition of dance band; amusing story of turning up at wrong venue with dance band; move of unit to Burford; signals work in Oxfordshire; role of advanced party to Sittingbourne, 10/1943; transfer to 53rd Welsh Div; waterproofing vehicles and radios in preparation for ambiphous landings at Sittingbourne; vermin in billets; death of adjutant in motorcycle accident; allocation of signals platoon to companies; move to sealed camp at Hayward's Heath; weather conditions, 6/1944; reaction to news of D-Day, 6/6/1944. Voyage from Newhaven to Normandy, aboard Lady Longford, late June, 1944: reasons for Support Coy sailing from London; conditions on board; sight of Royal Navy ships. Recollections of operations with 1st Bn East Lancashire Regt in Normandy, 1944: arrival at Benne sur Mer, 25/6/1944; move to Granville, 2/7/1944; question of only quarter of unit having combat experience; German night attack broken up by artillery. REEL 5 Continues: attack on Pepperpot house; German shelling of reserve positions; move to Bougy. Recollections of action with 1st Bn East Lancashire Regt at Bougy, 7/1944: German shelling of positions; casualties to units signallers; death of Terence Doyle on patrol led by Major Lake; contact with German in sunken lane; armoured support at Bougy; reasons for move from 71 Bde to 158 Bde. Recollections of action with A Coy, 1st Bn East Lancashire Regt at Bois-Halbout, 8/1944: crossing River Orne: story of stretcher bearer finding dead body of officer bearing his name and Neary's birthday. REEL 6 Continues: capture of six German machine guns; unit formation for attack; arrival of armoured support; advance into village; capture of Russian and Polish POWs; move through village; under German machine gun fire; evacuation of casualties; firing at German tank; casualties to unit; shooting up German motor-cycle crew; checking communications line; question of not having PIAT guns to deal with German tanks; operating PIAT. Recollections of action with A Coy, 1st Bn East Lancashire Regt at Noron L'Abbaye and Miette, 17/8/1944-18/8/1944: move through Noron L'Abbaye; advance towards Miette; fighting in Miette, 17/8/1944-18/8/1944; communications role; capture of German officer; distance between Miette and Noron L'Abbaye; casualties caused by explosion in house; rain storm. REEL 7 Continues: attending concert party. Recollections of advance through France, 8/1944: sight of sight of destruction in Falaise Gap; problems with Captain Hawkins over communications; advance to St Pol; death of stretcher bearer Walter Eastwood; advance to Ameins. Period with A Coy, 1st Bn East Lancashire Regt in Antwerp, Belgium, 9/1944: accommordation in dock area; laying cable connection to Manchester Regt; move into forward positions. REEL 8 Continues: Recollections of operations with A Coy 1st Bn East Lancashire Regt in Lommel Bridgehead and in Arnhem Corridor, Netherlands 9/1944: crossing canal in darkness; attack on German positions; formation for attack on Bladel; clearing Bladel; advance up to Eindhoven; question of Guards Armoured Div not capturing crossing at Lommel; contact with US paratroopers; communications duties; reasons for move to Weert; role of unit defending canal at Weert. Recollections of operations with A Coy, 1st Bn East Lancashire Regt during attack on s'Hertogenbosch, 2210/1944-27/10/1944: use of artificial moonlight; nightime advance towards city; ambush of German vehicles and horse drawn troops; street fighting in s'Hertogenbosch; German shelling of signals platoon position; line laying in city; areas cleared by unit. REEL 9 Continues: opinion of Dutch hospital. Period with A Coy, 1st Bn East Lancashire Regt in River Maas area, autumn 1944: narrow escape from German patrol; incident of walking through minefield; replacement of Lieutenant Burden by Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Allen; crossing Wessem Canal; sending shell reports; problems encountered during line laying; conflict with Captain Hawkins; patrolling. REEL 10 Continues: attending church service; weather conditions; move back to Roermond; withdrawal to Belgium. Period in reserve with Headquarters Coy, 1st Bn East Lancashire Regt in Belgium, 12/1944: patrolling; Christmas dinner, 25/12/1944. Recollections of operations with Headquarters Coy, 1st Bn East Lancashire Regt in Ardennes, 12/1945-1/1945: move to Ardennes; accidental wounding of Bert Goodfellow; taking over as commanding officer's wireless operator; under German shell fire; start of snowing and engagement with German troops in forest; establishing forward headquarters; German mortaring of troops; wounding in head during advance; rate of casualties; evacuation to regimental aid post. REEL 11 Continues: Hospitalisation for wounds in 8th General Hospital in Brussels, Belgium, early 1945: reception; treatment for wounds; character of wounds; collecting uniform; move to holding camp; return to unit at Helmond. Recollections of operations with Signals Platoon, Headquarters Coy, 1st Bn East Lancashire Regt in Reichswald Forest, Germany, 2/1945: move up to Nijmegen Netherlands; character of barrage and advance into forest; reaction to being in action after wounding; digging in overnight in forest. REEL 12 Continues: Period of leave in GB, 2/1945. Recollections of operations with B Coy, 1st Bn East Lancashire Regt in Germany, 3/1945-5/1945: capture of Geldern; posting to B Coy; capture of farmhouse during advance to River Rhine; period in reserve; crossing River Rhine; action against German tanks in Rhine bridgehead; night time attack on Bocholt; crossing River Weser Canal; capture of German officer; character of advance into Germany; nature of crossing of River Aller; capture of Vittloe, 14/4/1945. REEL 13 Continues: incident of German civilian killed by British fire; sight of tank turning over on bridge; patrolling; capture of German village and acquisition of wine; advance to Rottenburg; sight of Hamburg from Luneburg Heath, late 4/1945; sight of high ranking German officers coming through lines to negotiate surrender; character of fighting, 3/1945-5/1945; reaction to war coming to end; German policemen standing to attention on main road into Hamburg; accommodation in Hamburg; duties in Hamburg, 5/5/1945; capture of barge of sprits; VE Day celebrations, 8/5/1945. REEL 14 Continues: Period of occupation duties with 1st Bn East Lancashire Regt in Germany, 1945: move to Oberhausen; communication duties in Oberhausen; receiving commendation from brigadier; kit inspection by commanding officer; story relating to contact with German civilians; amusing stories relating to crossed lines on telephone exchange; leave to GB, 8/1945; move to join South Lancashire Regt, 8/1945. Recollections of period with 1st Bn South Lancashire Regt in Palestine, 1945-1946: journey to Kasserine; mess duties; use of defaulters in mess; story relating to Arab during Ramadan; attachment to B Coy, 12/1945; visit to Bethlehem 24/12/1945; amusing story relating to adjutant. REEL 15 Continues: Journey from Palestine to GB, 3/1946. Demobilisation procedure in GB, 29/3/1946. Post war life and career. Period as Chairman of East Lancashire Regimental Association and dedication of memorial at Bois-Halbout, Normandy. Attitude to having served with 1st Bn East Lancashire Regt in Second World War.