McNie, Duncan (Oral history)

British NCO served with 2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry in GB, 1939-1943; served with Staffordshire Yeomanry in Egypt, 1943; served with 7th Hussars in North Africa, Italy and Austria, 1943-1946

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Dunfermline, 1921-1939: family circumstances; death of mother and father's subsequent re-marriage; education; work as message boy and apprentice mechanic at bus garage. Recollections of recruitment and training with B Sqdn, 2nd Fife & Forfar Yeomanry at Campbell Street Drill Hall, Dunfermline, 4/1939-9/1939: background to enlistment; minimal attendance at drill nights; role teaching recruits to drive lorries during weekend camps at Annsmuir, Ladybank; driving Mark II tank at summer camp at Catterick, 7/1939; opinion of Captain John Gilmour; mobilisation, 1/9/1939. Initial period at Boswell Street Drill Hall , Dunfermline, 9/1939-10/1939: conditions of service; vaccinations; story illustrating innocence of Lieutenant Elliott; cross country runs; German air raid on Forth area, 16/10/1939; rifle range work. Period at Markinch, 10/1939-1/1940: story of breaking into camp; nature of training as fitter at MT Workshops at Headquarters Sqdn, Leslie; story of Mark VI B tank breaking down during exercise; characteristics of Mark VII B. REEL 2 Recollections of periods at Aldershot, Runfold and Acton, London, 1/1940-6/1940: drive to Aldershot; accommodation in Beaumont Barracks; visits into Aldershot; move to Runfold, 2/1940; nature of fitters' course at training factory in Acton, 2/1940-6/1940; story of problem with reverse steering driving Mark VII B on Hog's Back; characteristics of Bren carrier. Periods at Dungannon and Bessbrook, 6/1940-7/1941: journey out; billets; route marches; exercises; organisation of MT section in HQ Troop, B Sqdn; opinion of MT NCO; nicknames; role as fitter and question of maintenance of Mark VI B and Bren carrier; relationship with Irish civilians; move to Bessbrook, 12/1940; story of dispute with senior NCOs over wearing civilian shoes and subsequent demotion from lance corporal after check on guard duty; role as lance corporal; story of accident with petrol can. Period at Whitby, 7/1941-5/1942: opinion of Valentine and Matilda tanks including question of gears, ignorance of relative power of German tanks; stomach problems and rejection of medical down-grading; hospitalisation; question of boredom and lack of sport or fitness training. REEL 3 Continues: role repairing damage to tanks caused by exercises on moors; role giving driving instruction and problems with Valentine gear box arrangements. Periods at Hove and Brighton, 5/1942-8/1942: view of German bomber; recreations; map reading exercises. Periods at Fornham, Chippenham and Rudston Camps, 8/1942-7/1943: promotion to corporal; bicycling; opinion of MT Sergeant Dave Seabright; reaction to arrival of high preponderance of English drafts; opinion of Crusader and Covenantor tanks; training drivers in tank maintenance including method of adjusting tanks tracks; cancellation of overseas posting orders after taking vehicles to Liverpool and reaction to question of overseas service; move to Rudston, 6/1943; visits to Bridlington; characteristics of Sherman tanks including crew roles and maintenance; background to volunteering for overseas service including question of removal of unsuitable personnel from unit and interview with Gilmour. REEL 4 Continues: stories of acting as pall bearer and period in isolation camp in Bessbrook, 1941; collection of draft for overseas service. Voyage aboard Empress of Australia to Alexandria, Egypt, 9/1943. First impressions during period in Abbassia Barracks, Cairo, 9/1943. Period as fitter with Staffordshire Yeomanry in Mena Camp, 9/1943-10/1943. Hospitalisation with jaundice in Palestine, 10/1943-1/1944. Story of escorting prisoners to detention barracks in Cairo, 1/1944. Period as fitter with MT Section, C Sqdn 7th Hussars in Suez Canal area, 1/1944-5/1944: sandstorm; advantages of re-equipment with radial engine Sherman. Aspects of operations in Italy, 5/1944-5/1945: crossing in Landing Ship Tank and landing at Taranto; move to Ortona sector; role as fitter; death of squadron leader from mines; winter billets at Ostra; re-equipment with DD Sherman; story of coming under German mortar fire and injured ankle in San Marino sector; detachment repairing vehicles and theft of kit; promotion to sergeant; repairing truck; noise of gunfire; winter billets at Ostra; period acting as infantry in Pisa-Rimini Line sector; characteristics of DD Sherman and lake tests of floating ability. REEL 5 Continues: case of DD Sherman sinking and failure of salvage attempts; attitude to VD cases and promiscuity; training in river crossings and story problem with Sherman clutch; crossing River Po; German retreat and VE Day, 8/5/1945. Various aspects of period in Italy and Austria, 5/1945-1946: movements; story of selling excess vehicle and drinking session; demobilisation system; GB leave. Demobilisation, ca 5/1946. Post-war career: return to work as mechanic at bus garage; difficulty in acclimatising to civilian life; meeting wife ; decision not to join F&FY Regimental Association; dissatisfaction with job and failed attempt to join police; securing job and promotion to foreman in garage in Kirkcaldy; background to emigration to Canada.