Scott, Bill (Oral history)

British NCO served with 2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry in GB and North West Europe, 1939-1944

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Glasgow and Dundee, 1919-1939: family circumstances; education; work and training for qualifications with insurance firm, 1935-1939. Recruitment and training with Headquarters Sqdn, 2nd Fife & Forfar Yeomanry at Thistle Street Drill Hall, 12/1938-9/1939: reasons for enlisting; kitting out; drill and training on Vickers machine gun; learning to drive at weekend camps at Annismuir, Ladybank; absence of vehicles; summer camp at Catterick, 7/1939, including sports activities, guard duty and fatal car accident; approach of war and mobilisation, 1/9/1939. Recollections of various posting in GB, 9/1939-6/1944: filling sandbags whilst billeted at home in Dundee, 9/1939; posting as clerk to orderly room, Regimental Headquarters at Kirkaldy 9/1939; opinion of Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant Head and Regimental Sergeant Major Jones; duties collating squadron reports and producing daily orders; German air raid on Forth area, 16/10/1939; officers' dinner; opinion of various officers including Colonel Sandy McIntosh; accommodation at Beaumont Barracks on move to Aldershot, 1/1940; billets at Vernon House, Farnham on move to Farnham, 2/1940; opinion of Mark VI B tank and cavalry nature of demonstration exercises. REEL 2 Continues: role in move to Dungannon, Northern Ireland, 6/1940; relationship with Irish civilians and question of republican area out of bounds; route marches; move to Bessbrook, 112/1940; conversion to armoured regiment on formation of 29th Armoured Bde on move to Whitby, 7/1941; opinion of British tanks; exercises; move to Hove and Brighton area, 5/1942; opinion of state of training on move to Chippenham Camp, 10/1942; promotion to sergeant having attended NCOs administrative course; nature of sergeants' mess; reasons for requesting transfer to tank crew and consequent posting to C Sqdn; opinion of Crusader tank and crew roles; role as tank commander; state of training; opinion of Colonel Cooper and his attempt to improve drill by introduction of guards instructors; effects of attending guards drill course; review of Montgomery's actions to improve composition of armoured units without battle experience; characteristics of Sherman tank; crew roles and central role of tank commander; exercises. REEL 3 Continues: question of realism of exercises at Kirkudbrigshire tank range; posting to command Honey tank in Reconnaissance Troop, HQ Sqdn; role and composition of Reconnaissance Troop; characteristics of Honey; opinion of Captain Kenneth Mattison, Sergeant Pompey Hunt and Sergeant Spud Thompson, Corporal Bert Noakes and lance Corporal Byrne; relationship with ORs; training in reconnaissance role; waterproofing and testing Honeys at Ripon; move to Aldershot, 3/1944; reaction to English drafts; preparations for D Day; embarkation on Landing Ship Tank, Channel crossing and beach landing ca 15/6/1944-16/6/1944; move inland. Period at Cully, 17/6/1944-26/6/1944: camouflage; sleeping arrangements; storage on tank; compo rations; brewing up tea; importance of cigarette ration; drinking habits; latrines; cinema show; question of additional armour welded to Sherman. REEL 4 Recollections of Operation Epsom, 26/6/1944-1/7/1944: prior briefing; machine gunning German infantry in cornfield and passing through German 'box barrage' during advance on Cheux; opinion of Colonel Alec Scott; difficulty in seeing Germans firing from prepared defensive positions; German snipers; question of co-operation with infantry; overnight tank laagers; situation following night move on to Hill 112; nebelwerfer fire. Recollections of Operation Goodwood and aftermath, 17/7/1944-30/7/1944: situation and plan; Allied mass bombing and artillery bombardment; delays in passing through minefield; effect of German pre-registration of ranges and firing from prepared defensive positions; view of Sherman brewing up and state of burned crew; personal morale; crossing railway line; German fire from concealed positions firing Browning machine gun; breakdown of attack and orders to evacuated concussed Major Trotter; subsequent casualties amongst dismounted crews; ; overnight laager; problems with fatigue and swollen ankles; tank latrine arrangements; question of awareness of casualties; death of Major Joe Powell and successful advance, 19/7/1944; story of supporting infantry unit; story of Sergeant Hutton being killed after following tank through same hole in hedge; removal of Honey turrets prior to reduction in Reconnaissance Troop. Recollections of period with C Sqdn during operations in Vire and Burcy, ca 30/7/1944-9/8/1944: role in command of 2 Troop in absence of officer. REEL 5 Continues: strategic situation; story of over-running German machine gun post and subsequently getting stuck; situation in Vire-Caen road sector including calling up Typhoons air support and German use of Red Cross vehicles; medical assistance from English speaking German prisoner; opinion of German 88 mm gun and tanks; method of engaging German tanks; actions on moving up onto Perrier Ridge, 6/8/1944 , including story of seeing infantry officer rescuing wounded, tactics employed in destroying Mark IV tank, driving off another Mark IV and using machine gun on infantry; firing on German tanks from Perrier Ridge, 7/8/1944; story of Major Sir John Gilmour directing attack on Panther tank; personal morale; story of relief by Scots Greys with cover of smoke and under German fire, 8/8/1944; reaction to evacuation with suspected stomach ulcer to GB, 9/8/1944. Various aspects of postings in GB, ca 1944-1946: grading as B2; rehabilitation unit; period as sergeant at Catterick Camp; desire to return to active service; attending Japanese mine course; VE Day; period at Chippenham Camp; demobilisation. Post-war career: return to work in insurance; membership of Fife & Forfar Yeomanry Association.