Interview with Eric Lord

British NCO served with 5th Bn Coldstream Guards, 32nd Guards Bde, Guards Armoured Div in GB and North West Europe, 1943-1945

REEL 1 Background in Kingston upon Hull, GB, 1925-1939: family; education; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939. Aspects of period as civilian in Kingston upon Hull, GB, 1939-1943: return to Kingston upon Hull after evacuation of school to Askern; German bombing; membership of 8th (West Hull) Bn East Riding Home Guard; public morale; air raid warnings on cinema screens. Aspects of enlistment and training as guardsman with Coldstream Guards in GB, 1943-1944: call-up for military service, 1/1943; reaction to arrival at Guards Regimental Depot, Caterham; contracting impetigo; height of guardsmen; role of trained soldier; training on Universal Carrier at Guards Training Depot, Pirbright. Aspects of period as guardsman with Carrier Platoon, Support Coy, 5th Bn Coldstream Guards, 32nd Guards Bde, Guards Armoured Div in GB, 1943-1944: posting to battalion at Scarborough; waiting for invasion of France at Eastbourne, 6/1944; passing through London for embarkation to France. REEL 2 Continues: Recollections of operations as NCO with Carrier Platoon, Support Coy, 5th Bn Coldstream Guards, 32nd Guards Bde, Guards Armoured Div in Normandy, France, 6/1944-8/1944: crossing English Channel; move to transit area, Bayeux; impression of French civilians; incident of being presented with rose by child; attempt of chaplain to raise morale; move to Carpiquet Airfield; first casualties to unit; reaction to being under fire from German multi-barrelled mortars; case of self-inflicted wound; German shelling of Carpiquet Airfield; failure of Canadian attempt to capture Carpiquet; memories of Operation Goodwood; casualties from battle exhaustion. REEL 3 Continues: sight of dead bodies in crater; improvised cooking in field; move to Giberville; trip into Caen; attitude to rear echelon troops; move to Saint-Martin-des-Besaces; destruction of M4 Sherman Tank by German Army artillery fire; reaction to showing fear; opinion of M4 Sherman Tank; an interlude of peace during fighting; attitude towards German prisoners of war; attempt to have bath in an animal trough; advancing in column and panorama of battle; sight of dead British Army soldier during foot patrol, 8/1944; contact with German forces during patrol; accidental killing of British officer. Recollections of operations as NCO with Carrier Platoon, Support Coy, 5th Bn Coldstream Guards, 32nd Guards Bde, Guards Armoured Div in North West Europe, 8/1944-5/1945: pursuit of German forces beyond River Seine, France, 8/1944; liberation of Brussels, Belgium, 3/9/1944. REEL 4 Continues: how soldier who had lost his nerve was dealt with, 9/1944; advance towards Bourg-Leopold, Belgium; reaction to criticism of 2nd (Armoured) Bn Irish Guards in failing to breakthrough to Arnhem, Netherlands during Operation Market Garden, 9/1944; reception in Eindhoven, Netherlands, 9/1944; crossing border of Germany; attempt to shoot down German Air Force aircraft with Bren Gun; occupying positions on 'The Island', Netherlands; leave in GB and Brussels, Belgium, 1/1945; anxiety of Belgian civilian during German Ardennes Offensive, 12/1944; attitude of German civilians towards British Army troops, 4/1945; behaviour of British Army troops in Germany; narrow escape from friendly fire incident, 4/1945; taking surrender of German airborne troops at Cuxhaven, Germany, 5/1945; attitude of German forces, 5/1945. REEL 5 Continues: VE Day in Cuxhaven, Germany, 8/5/1945; attitude to having served with Coldstream Guards in Second World War; question of effects of military service.