Frederick, Alexander Reid 'Sandy (Oral history)

British NCO served with 1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry in GB and North West Europe, 1939-1946

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Dunfermline, 1920-1939: family circumstances; education; work as engineering apprentice in linen factory, 1934-1939; Boy Scouts and football activities; realisation of approach of war, 1938. Recollections of training with B Sqdn, 1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry at Campbell Street Drill Hall, 4/1939-9/1939: background to recruitment and medical; drill; opinion of NCOs; rumour German tanks were made of wood; weekend camp at Annismuir, Ladybank; scarcity of tracked vehicles; learning to drive; revolver drill; summer camp at Catterick including uniform, squadron bases, boot problems and lack of tanks; relationship with ORs, NCOs and officers; mobilisation, 1/9/1939; move to Boswell Street Drill Hall, 8/1939; formation of 2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry; vaccinations; billets at Boswell Street Drill Hall. REEL 2 Continues: billets at Boswell Street Drill Hall; personal morale. Period at Aldershot, 9/1939-1/1940: accommodation in Beaumont Barracks; food rations and porridge; reactions to arrival of English drafts; posting as driver to No 1 Troop, B Sqdn; opinion of Troop Sergeant Major George Kyle; story of refusing order from NCO and consequent charge in France; gradual issue of vehicles; characteristics of Fordson Bren carrier including crew roles, opinion of Boyes rifle and role of Bren gun in actions; problems with reverse steering on Mark VI B tank; firing rifle and Scott Webley revolver on range; superiority of Smith and Wesson revolver; exercises driving Bren carrier; night exercises; drill; recreations and fights in Aldershot; leave for sister's wedding; embarkation leave and parents' reaction, 12/1939. Recollections of period in France, 1/1940: Channel crossing aboard Vienna, 20/1/1940; initial billets at Montevillers, 1/1940; cold weather; cinema billets; food rations. REEL 3 visits to estaminets and brothel; VD warnings; train journey to Bours, 1/1940; billets; move to Berneuil near Amiens; billets; reorganisations to 1st Reconnaissance Bde; training; visit to Arras and First World War graves; move for rest at Ivry la Battaille, ca 30/4/1940; French dialects; field punishment for disobeying NCO's order. Recollections of operations in France and Belgium, 5/1940-6/1940: news of German attack, 10/5/1940; train journey to Lille; Belgian refugees and question of German air activity during advance into Belgium; effect of speech from officer; move up to Ath, 19/5/1940; story of demolition of bridge on German approach at Ath, 20/5/1940; first casualties; situation during retreat; German air attacks on Belgian refugees; food and water supplies; upset stomach; question of fifth columnist activities; rejoining unit; food rations. REEL 4 Continues: German air attack; situation during retreat; skirmish with German armoured cars; occupying defensive positions on Mont Cassel; incident of possible fifth columnists; story of NCO's attempt to drive off in Bren carrier; defensive positions on road; personal morale during failed attacks on German positions; casualties in Mark VI Bs; confused situation and personal morale during retreat towards Dunkirk; last conversation with Lieutenant Richard Wales; carrying extra men in Bren carrier; avoiding destroying Bren carrier and situation on reaching Dunkirk; difficulty in burning Bren carrier; walking to beach and situation on Dunkirk mole; personal morale during German air attacks; volunteering to help carry wounded for evacuation from mole jetty; boarding drifter after destruction of mole; equipment and uniform carried. Voyage to Dover, ca 1/6/1940: engine problem; conditions on deck; Stuka attacks; personal morale; reception and informing parents. Recollections of various postings in GB, 1940-1944:: initial period at Blandford Camp, 6/1940; reaction to speech from officer; digging trenches; move to Bovington Camp, 6/1940; reaction to casualties; question of conduct of officers and NCOs in action; question of adequacy of training. REEL 5 Continues: period at Rotherham, 6/1940; move to Keele Hall, Newcastle under Lyne, 7/1940; issue of pick up trucks with machine guns; role covering possibility of landing in Wales; move to Stone, 10/1940; promotion to lance corporal after attending fitters' course; move to Wellingborough, 11/1940; reversion to trooper; opinion of Covenantor tank; drafts sent to North Africa and reinforcement drafts; equipment with Standard Triumph and Hunter armoured cars; move to join 9th Armoured Div in East Anglia; driving and maintenance course; detachment as instructor to driving and maintenance school in Newcastle upon Tyne and Scarborough, 1941-1942; rejoining unit as corporal tank commander; opinion of Centaur and Cromwell tanks; movements; handing in Cromwell tanks; news of D-Day, 6/6/1944; attending course in flamethrowers, 6/1944; move to Bury St Edmunds; disbandment of 9th Armoured Div; crossing to Ostend, Belgium, 10/1944; characteristics of Churchill Crocodile tank including crew roles and reversing problem; crew morale and tank environment. REEL 6 Recollections of operations in North West Europe, 10/1944-5/1945: collecting Crocodiles; move to Antwerp, 10/1944; V2 attacks; detachment of B Sqdn to assist US operations in Netherlands; compo and US food rations; opinion of US troops; dispersal of B Sqdn; attack by 1 and 2 Troops on Gereonsweiler, 20/11/1944, including taking up positions in sunken road, firing into village, flame attack on pillbox, fears of flame 'blow-back', capture of village and flank fire during withdrawal; casualties in 3 and 4 Troops; German air attacks; German Ardennes offensive and operations in Ciney sector, 12/1944 -1/1945, including story of protecting children during attack by Germans dressed in US uniform, winter conditions, isolated roadblocks and subsequent advance; effects of track failure caused by snow bars during attack on German pillboxes in Simmerath sector, 29/1/1945; guarding disabled tanks caught in minefield; rejoining unit; rest period, 2/1945-3/1945, including practising for Rhine raft crossing, billets and leave in Brussels; pontoon bridge crossing of Rhine, 27/3/1945, breakdown of Crocodile; role driving infantry liaison officer in Dingo scout car including releasing displaced persons and taking surrender of German artillery unit; situation at Borkum; story of leading tank on foot into action; story of firing 75mm gun and direct hit on German truck. REEL 7 Continues: situation; pressurising flamethrowers; rejoining unit rest of unit in Hamburg area, 4/1945; visit to 2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry; move to Bremen area; capture of Himmler; VE Day celebrations, 8/5/1945. Recollections of period in Germany, 1945-1946: handing in all vehicles; GB leave; exchanges of personnel with 2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry; move to Hopsten; reactions to possibility of posting to Far East prior to VJ Day, 8/1945; move to Reisenbeck; role as president of B Sqdn sergeants' mess; recreations and educational courses; relationship with officers. Demobilisation, 1/4/1946. Post-war career: reactions to return to work in linen factory; period as fitter for Rosyth Dockyard out stations; securing work as marine engineer in Merchant Marine; background to transfer to Royal Fleet Auxiliary, 1951; voyage aboard oil tanker Wave Duke to Korea, 1952 including voyage out and role oiling British and US ships at sea; leaving RFA due to duodenal ulcer; work testing hull strains on nuclear submarines with Admiralty Research, 1959-1984; membership of F&FY Regimental Association.