Interview with Ernest Kay

British guardsman served with 2nd Bn Coldstream Guards in GB, 1938-1940; served with Holding Bn and Reinforcement Bn, Coldstream Guards in GB, 1940-1941; served with 5th Bn Coldstream Guards, 32nd Guards Bde, Guards Armoured Div in GB and Normandy, France, 1941-1944

REEL 1 Background in Kingston upon Hull, GB, 1921-1938: family; education; employment; reasons for enlisting in British Army underage, 16/7/1938. Aspects of training with Guards Regimental Depot Caterham, GB, 1938: initial impressions of depot; nature of basic training; pack drill punishment. Recollections of period as guardsman with 2nd Bn Coldstream Guards in GB, 1938-1940: joining battalion at Aldershot Garrison; daily duties at Aldershot Garrison, 11/1938-9/1939; paying for uniform; question of inadequate food; ceremonial duties, 1938-1939; guard duties outside Buckingham Palace, London during Second World War; political leaflets thrown at walls of Buckingham Palace, London; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; memories of 1939 Aldershot Tattoo. REEL 2 Continues: move to Bachy, France, 9/1939; reasons for being sent by to GB. Aspects of period as guardsman with Holding Bn and Reinforcement Bn, Coldstream Guards in GB, 1940-1941: joining Holding Bn at Guards Training Depot Pirbright; move to Reinforcement Bn at Regent Park Barracks, London; anti-invasion duties in Regent's Park, London; narrow escape from German Air Force bombing of Regent's Park Barracks, London; free use of London Underground during German Air Force bombing; attitude of German prisoners of war he escorted; method of gathering information from German prisoners of war; escorting internees to Kempton Park Racecourse Internment Camp; escorting British Union of Fascists members from Brixton Prison to York Racecourse. Recollections of period as guardsman with 5th Bn Coldstream Guards, 32nd Guards Bde, Guards Armoured Div in GB, 1941-1944: transfer to battalion at Elstree, 1941; guard duties at Prime Minister's Offical Residence at Chequers; story of how Brigadier-General Theodore Roosevelt Jr tried to force his way into Chequers; security at Chequers. REEL 3 Continues: memories of Mary Soames; role with Headquarters Coy, 1941-1944; Exercise Spartan in Rugby area; compassionate leave in Kingston upon Hull; training with Guards Armoured Div at Rillington in Yorkshire Wolds; infantry-tank co- operation; contracting pleurisy at Beverley; preparations for D-Day landings at Eastbourne. Recollections of operations as guardsman with 3 Coy, 5th Bn Coldstream Guards, 32nd Guards Bde, Guards Armoured Div in Normandy, France, 1944: landing on Sword Beach; death of comrade on Carpiquet Airfield; sight of Allied bombing raid on Columbelles and Caen; role of unit in clearing villages; battalion casualties during attack on German held ridge. REEL 4 Continues: advance to Cagny during Operation Goodwood; death of Guardsman Stanley Fletcher, 19/7/1944 and reasons why he did not go and see Fletcher's family in Kingston upon Hull after Second World War; medical problems caused by heavy rains at Cagny; weather conditions during capture of Frènouville; misapprehension by 15th (Scottish) Infantry Div personnel that battalion had left no trenches to take over; character of bocage terrain; killing of German Army machine gunner at La Marvindière. Recollections of wounding and medical evacuation in Normandy, France, 8/1944: wounding at La Marvindière, 3/8/1944; removal to Regimental Aid Post. REEL 5 Continues: German attack on lorry convoy during evacuation; narrow escape from German machine gun fire; his extrication by 2nd (Armoured) Bn Irish Guards' M4 Sherman Tank; rescue by Royal Army Medical Corps personnel; decoration of Royal Army Medical Corps officer for rescuing Kay; treatment at Advance Surgical Dressing Station; removal to Canadian Army hospital; role of orderly in keeping Kay alive; evacuation by ship from Normandy beaches. Aspects of period of hospitalisation for wounds in GB, 1944-1945: arrival at Basingstoke; hearing of mining of hospital ship in English Channel. REEL 6 Continues: feeling that he would not survive; transfer buy train to Pindersfield Hospital, Wakefield; convalescence in Ripon and Scarborough; recovery leave; subsequent military service despite recommendation for his discharge; leaving British Army, 4/1946. Reflections on service with Coldstream Guards in Second World War: attitude towards service with Coldstream Guards; question of problems of obtaining employment after Second World War; physical effects of military service; reaction to having been interviewed by Imperial War Museum; joining Coldstream Guards Association after Second World War.