Description
Object description
British NCO served as bandsman with 2 Bn, Royal Norfolk Regt in GB, Gibraltar and North West Europe, 1935-1940. Wounded at Tournai and evacuated from Calais, 5/1940. Served with Military Police in Middle East, 1941-1947
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of background Clippersby, 1919-1935: life on farm and helping during harvest; education; sporting activities; Boy Scouts activities; religious beliefs and fascination with cross keys of St Peter; bicycling; work on sugar beet farm, 1935; Recruitment as boy with Norfolk Regt at Brittania Barracks, Norwich, 3/3/1935: reason; prior interest in joining Royal Navy; terms as enlisted boy. Recollections of conditions of service, training, lifestyle and daily routine with Corps of Drums, Headquarters Coy, 2nd Bn, Norfolk Regt at Mandora Barracks, Aldershot, 3/1945-?/1937: train journey to Aldershot and reception; posting as drummer and selection as base drummer. REEL 2 Continues: training with drums and roll of the Base drummer beating marching pace; desertion of Drummer 'Smudger Smith'; uniform including ceremonial leopard skin and puttees, kit; blancoing webbing and use of button stick; polishing boots; polishing barrack room floors; kit inspections; food rations; PT; drum practise sessions with drum major including composition of Regimental Corps of Drums and learning marches.
REEL 3 Continues: drum practise sessions with drum major including question of reading music and beating at marching pace of 120 per minute; wearing ceremonial leopard skin; drums specialist marching drills; basic drill; sporting activities including boxing; pay and restrictions on recreations; smoking; cleaning soldiers equipment for money; visits to Aldershot; passing bugle calls test with drum major; duties as guard bugler and procedure for blowing required calls on barrack square.
REEL 4 Continues: bugler's competition and award of silver bugle to Lance Corporal Wright; role as bugler with Dunkirk Veterans Assoc; combinations of band and drums; acting as base drummer during massed bands performance on radio as Aldershot Tattoo, Rushmore Arena; decorating drum sticks to draw attention to stick twirling during performance; visits to perform on ceremonial occasions in London; monthly ceremonial performances of beating retreat; rifle training and qualification as marksman; Lewis gun training and comparison with Bren gun; bayonet training and fencing competitions; absence of grenade training as boys.
REEL 5 Continues: education classes; relationship with boy soldiers; playing football for battalion. Voyage to Gibraltar, ?/1937: question of role of bandsman and drummers in action; barrack layout; bugle calls; hot weather and Drummer's uniform; view of fighting during Spanish Civil War; acting as frontier guard at North front; German warships in harbour; drinking habits; transfer to man's service, 12/1937; friends; relationship with officers; opinion of Regimental Sergeant Major Reggie Pearce; nicknames.
REEL 6 Continues: reactions to approach of war illustrated by first issue of live ammunition on frontier guard and state of morale as infantry unit; role as guard bugler with ceremonial guard at Government House; swimming and passing proficiency test; question of transfer to other companies; reactions; storm in Bay of Biscay during voyage back to GB, 1939. Recollections of period at Borden Camp, ?/1939-?/1939: music on entry into barracks; routine duties; opinion of Bren gun; cold weather.
REEL Period at Oxney Farm Camp, ?/1939-20/9/1939: tent accommodation; mobilisation; opinion of battledress and webbing; Bren gun ammunition; opinion of Boyes anti-tank rifle; minimal anti-aircraft Bren gun training; situation of reservists; fitness of serving soldiers; leave; outbreak of war, 3/9/1939. Landing in France, 21/9/1939. Recollections of conditions of service at Rumigies, 10/1939-12/1939: digging trenches as part of Gort Line; religious services; training as drummers with anti-aircraft Bren gun mounting on 15cwt truck; visits to French estaminets including drinking habits, hot rolls; question of learning French; attitude to 'Phoney War' and singing sessions with French civilians.
REEL 8 Continues: billets; food rations. Period in Maginot Line in Saar sector, 12/1939-2/1940: opinion of Maginot line; attitude to German troops. Period at Rumigies and Orchies, 2/1940-5/1940: lack of contact with colonels; recreations and sport; background to succesful application for guard duty at Headquarters, 2nd Div, consequent special drill training under Company Sergeant Major Cockaday and transfer to A Coy; opinion of Captain Peter Barclay and Company Sergeant Major George Gristock including question of Gristock's drinking habits and story of Barclay's success in getting Gristock appointed as A Coy CSM.
REEL 9 Continues: duties on divisional guard including contact with Lord Gort, special guard for General Georges and absence of other duties. Recollections of move to take up positions in Dyle line at Tombique, Belgium, 10/5/1940-11/5/1940: news of German attack, 10/5/1940; view of German raid on Orchies; concentration in Foet de Marchienne; food rations; briefing from Barclay; travelling in Lorry convoy; attacks from German aircraft and first casualty; effect on personal morale of Stuka sirens; question of movements in Dyle sector, ca11/5/1940-20/5/1940; reaction to refugee casualties from German air attacks during advance; arresting suspected fifth columnists.
REEL 10 Retreat to Tournai, ?/5/1940-?/5/1940: ignorance of situation; bomb and artillery damage to towns and countryside; marching whilst asleep; question of food rations and foraging; water supply; question of using roads. Recollections of operations in defensive positions on Escaut Canal, 20/5/1940-21/5/1940: layout of A Coy and defensive position of Leggett's section in cement factory; view of approach of german infantry and tanks; account of fighting, 21/5/1940, including view of CSM Gristock attacking German positions; German outflanking machine gun; severe wounds from mortar burst whilst checking left flank positions.
REEL 11 Continues: account of fighting, including first aid treatment; effort to reach A Coy headquarters; rescue by stretcher bearers. Recollections of evacuation by ambulance and train to Dunkirk, 5/1940: morphine injections; period on beach; German bombing raids. Embarkation aboard St Julian to GB, 5/1940: German air raids in defiance of Red Cross; reception. Period in Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, ca5/1940-2/1941: pain during ambulance journey; medical operation; degree of injuries; visit from mother; visitis to Gristock and his death, 16/6/1940; medical treatment and Doctor's warning of future problems with injuries; personal significance of symbol of Cross Keys of St Peter.
REEL 12 Convalescence in Brighton, 1941. Recollections of period at Brittania Barracks, 1941: medical grading as B1; question of recovery from wounds; work as officer's servant; reactions to casualties suffered by 2nd Bn, RNR in 5/1940; desire for promotion and background to medical regarding to secure posting to Royal Military Police. Training and movements with CMP in GB, 1941. Recollections of service with Military Police based in Middle East, ca1941-1947: voyage out; organisations of drafts; nature of duties with 201 Provost Coy in Cairo, Egypt; fines and warnings following riot by troops on leave in Cairo; promotion to corporal and period in Beirut, Lebanon; promotion to Sergeant and role as bodyguard to General Sir Charles Alfrey; nature of duties during period with Special Investigation Bureau; question of war substantive rank; question of demobilisation. Period with Military Police based at Norwich, ca1947-1950: duties; extra service to avoid reservist status; background to rejection of promotion conditional on posting to Malaya. Recruitment and service with Norwich Police Force, 1950-1975: passing medical; question of promotion; deteriorating health due to war wounds. Reaction to rigour of medical examinations prior to award of disability pension due to war wounds. Mental effects of war experiences. Membership of Royal Norfolk Regimental Association. Membership of Dunkirk Veterans Association: various branch duties; role as editor of DVA Journal.