Description
Object description
British private and NCO served with 9th Bn Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), 46th (Highland) Infantry Bde, 15th (Scottish) Infantry Div in North West Europe, 8/1944-5/1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Dartmouth and Paignton, GB, 1925-1939: family circumstances; education. Aspects of period as civilian in Paignton, GB, 1939-1943: reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; membership of 10th (Torbay) Devonshire Home Guard in Paignton; anticipation of German invasion. Aspects of training with British Army in GB and Northern Ireland, 1943-1944: character of basic training at Colchester Garrison, 1943; airborne training with 12th Bn Devonshire Regt at Bulford Camp; contrast between Royal Air Force and British Army rations; posting to 6th Bn Devonshire Regt at Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland, 1944; pre-invasion training at Seaford; break-up of 6th Bn Devonshire Regt, 7/1944. Recollections of operations as private with 7 Platoon, A Coy, 9th Bn Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), 46th (Highland) Infantry Bde, 15th (Scottish) Infantry Div in Normandy, France, 8/1944: drafting to battalion; receiving lecture from company commander; initial problems of obtaining rations; first day in action; under fire from German multi-barrelled mortars; sight of officer wounded in arm; saying prayers under artillery fire; sight of dead cows; loading wounded soldier onto Red Cross jeep; Royal Air Force Hawker Typhoon retaliation against German forces, 6/8/1944.
REEL 2 Continues: arrival of rations; rest after action; attending church parade in field; signage in area; wounding by shrapnel, 8/8/1944. Aspects of medical treatment for wounds in Normandy, France and hospitalisation in GB, 8/1944-10/1944: nature of treatment; evacuation to GB by aircraft; reception by Women's Auxiliary Air Force personnel; aid from civilians in Neath, GB; preparations for return to North West Europe. Recollections of operations as private with 7 Platoon, A Coy, 9th Camerionians (Scottish Rifles), 46th (Highland) Infantry Bde, 15th (Scottish) Infantry Div in Netherlands, 10/1944-1/1945: nature of journey from GB to Belgium, 10/1944; rejoining battalion; complete change in personnel in 7 Platoon; move to River Maas area for patrol work; muddy conditions and wet weather; move to Blerick, Venlo; guard duty alone in Bren Gun pit; password system; provision of hot rations in front line; comradeship in section; stationing at Rugel.
REEL 3 Continues: casualty caused by land-mine; sight of large number of mines in village; orders to contact 7th Bn Seaforth Highlanders; question of fear of mines; move to Buggernum village; troops' attempts to make themselves comfortable in Buggernum including contribution of chickens; Christmas at Roggel, 25/12/1944; issue of snow suits and rum; abortive attempt to attend Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA) show; playing of organ by wind in ruined church; rest period in Tilburg. Recollections of operations with 7 Platoon, A Coy, 9th Bn Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), 46th (Highland) Infantry Bde, 15th (Scottish) Infantry Div during attack on Reichwald Forest, Germany 2/1945: briefing for attack; mood in unit on eve of attack; giving cigarettes to German wounded.
REEL 4 Continues: halt of advance in minefield; hazards of grenade-throwing; move into Cleve; shooting down of German aircraft; tea making process; fate of umbrella store in Cleves; orders to advance to contact; discovery of wounded Germans in cellar; capture of prisoners of war and sending them to rear; reaction to shooting German Army soldier; evacuation of German civilians from cottage under white flag; nature of fighting in woods beyond Cleve; death of NCO next to him; use of flame-throwers against Germans; taking prisoners of war back to battalion headquarters; taking watches from prisoners of war; reasons for making most of his stay at battalion headquarters.
REEL 5 Continues: Aspects of period of being Absence Without Official Leave in Netherlands, 2/1945: decision to go Absence Without Official Leave; period in Nijmegen; hospitality from civilians in Nijmegen; tip-off to Corps of Military Police by farmer; assembly of those caught being Absence Without Official Leave at Eindhoven; attitude of troops' to those Absence Without Official Leave; appearance before commanding officer; question of what twenty-eight days' field punishment amounted to. Recollections of operations as private and NCO with 7 Platoon, A Coy, 9th Bn Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), 46th (Highland) Infantry Bde, 15th (Scottish) Infantry Div in Germany, 1945: battalion's role in crossing of River Rhine, 3/1945; sight of airborne assault Operation Varsity; his own crossing of River Rhine; opinion of Sergeant Rose; reaction to his killing of wounded pig; relations with German civilians, 3/1945; nature of fighting on River Rhine bridgehead; refuge in farm.
REEL 6 Continues: reaction to calling off of attack to which his section was designated; inheriting Corporal Jackman's cap-badge; contact with sheltering civilians in cellar; sight of Churchill Crocodile Flame-Throwing Tank attack; pinning down by German machine gun fire; loss of tanks; advance through Germany, 4/1945; sight of concentration camp survivors at Celle; stiffening of German opposition, 4/1945; wounding of officer who refused to wear helmet; advance into Uelzen; sight of nun and children sheltering from fighting at Uelzen; narrow escape from German Panther Tanks at Uelzen; liberation of British prisoners of war; capture of German Army officer whilst shaving; push to River Elbe and promotion to lance-corporal.
REEL 7 Continues: slaughter of pig; trip in DUKW on River Elbe; push to Lüneburg; unit casualties during action against German marines; incident of fourteen year old German boy who attempted to open fire on unit; amusing story of taking patrol out; hearing news of impending VE Day; entry into Kiel, 5/1945. Aspects of period as NCO with 9th Bn Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) and 1st Bn Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry in Germany and Free Territory of Trieste, 1945-1947: occupation duties in Wismar, Germany; move to 1st Bn Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, 1946; frontier work in Free Territory of Trieste; attitude to having served with British Army in Second World War.
