Adams, Michael Botwell 'Bill' (Oral history)

British officer served with Bengal Sappers and Miners in India and Burma, 1939-1945

REEL 1 Recollections of background in GB, 1916-1934: family circumstances; education at St Bedes. Recollections of visits to Germany, mid 1930s: sight of Hitler speaking at Hesse; opinion of Nazis organisation. Aspects of period as Royal Engineer cadet in GB, 1934-1939: opinion of course at Royal Military Academy, Woolwich; continuing education at Chatham and Trinity Hall, Cambridge; his scientific expedition to Spitzbergen, 1938. Recollections of period with Bengal Sappers and Miners in India, 1939-1944: reaction to posting to 43rd Divisional Headquarters Coy at Roorkee, 1/1939; quality of soldiers in unit; memories of Archie Jack. REEL 2 Continues: transfer to Military Engineering Services at Nowshera, 11/1939; character of Mahsoods; brief experience of frontier column; return to unit at Roorkee, 7/1940; role as instructor at OCTU; work with training unit at Jhansi, 1941-1943; memories of Michael Calvert, Orde Wingate and Bernard Fergusson at Jhansi, ca 1943; memories of; civil disorder in Bihar; period at Indian Staff College, Quetta, 1943. REEL 3 role as instructor at Tactical School, Poona and Dehra Dun; developing methods for destroying Japanese bunkers; plans for invasion of northern Burma, early 1944; memories of Ian Jacob; opinion of Claude Auckinleck; efforts to get into active service. Recollections of operations commanding 75 Field Coy Bengal Sappers and Miners in Burma, 1944-1945: role of unit on River Chindwin; story of looted Buddha; work of elephant company in bridging work; handling outboard motors; question of casualties caused to 2nd Bn East Lancashire Regt due to failure of outboard motors; crossing River Irrawaddy. REEL 4 Continues: memories of Ken Sink; bridging problems experienced especially with unfamiliar US equipment; his jeep accident in Pegu area, 1945; hazards of flying from Burma to India. Recollections of period with Bengal Sappers and Miners in India, 1945: medical treatment for wrist injury; role organising demobilisation of unit, Roorkee; grading of ex-Indian National Army men; question of mythology surrounding Indian National Army and Indian independence; demobilisation procedure of unit.