Description
Object description
Irish trooper served with Royal Tank Corps in GB, 1936-1937; NCO served with 6th Royal Tank Regt, Heavy Armoured Bde, Mobile Force in Egypt, 1938-1940; NCO served with 6th Royal Tank Regt, 4th and 1st Armoured Bdes, 7th Armoured Div in North Africa, 2/1940-8/1942; served with Tank Protection Troop, General Headquarters, Eighth Army in Egypt, 10/1942-11/1942; served as instructor at Royal Armoured Corps Gunnery School at Lulworth and Bovington Camp, GB, 12/1943-5/1945; served with 6th Royal Tank Regt during Operation Musketeer, the landings at Suez, Egypt, 11/1956
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Dublin, Ireland, 1919-1936: family circumstances; education; employment; reasons for joining British Army, 1936. Aspects of training with Royal Tank Corps in GB, 1936-1937: importance of education at Bovington Camp; mechanical training; relations between other ranks, NCOs and officers; operating Light Tank Mark VI; gunnery practice; posting to 6th Royal Tank Regt in Egypt. Aspects of period with 6th Royal Tank Regt, Heavy Armoured Bde, Mobile Force in Egypt, 1937-1940: character of voyage aboard HMT Lancashire from GB to Egypt; initial impressions of Egypt; courses taken; wireless communication within unit; accommodation; organisation of unit; participation in exercises near Cairo; uniform worn.
REEL 2 Continues: social activities in Cairo; sporting activities; visit to Pyramids, 25/12/1937; lack of contact with civilians; leave in Alexandria; cross-country driving on The Virgin's Breasts; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; pre-war threat from Egyptian nationalists. Recollections of operations as NCO with 6th Royal Tank Regt, 4th Armoured Bde, 7th Armoured Div in Egypt, 2/1940-12/1940: move to Mersa Matruh area; sight of Italian Army troops on Egyptian-Libyan border; move to Sidi Barrani, 1940; ineffective Italian Air Force bombing; attack on Sidi Barrani, 10/12/1940-11/12/1940; opening fire on Italian Army vehicles and capture of 150 Italian prisoners of war at Sidi Barrani, 11/12/1940.
REEL 3 Continues: move to support infantry east of Sidi Barrani; withdrawal of Italians under fire from his tank; scolding of hands; burying unit petrol bowser driver. Aspects of period of hospitalisation and convalescence in Egypt, 12/1940-2/1941: medical treatment for injured hands in Cairo; role as instructor to 4th Queen's Own Hussars; hearing of award of Military Medal for actions during Battle of Sidi Barrani, 11/12/1940-12/12/1940. Recollections of operations as NCO with C Sqdn, 6th Royal Tank Regt, 4th Armoured Bde, 7th Armoured Div in North Africa, 2/1941-12/1941: voyage to Tobruk, Libya, 21/2/1941-22/2/1941; move to Beda Fomm, Libya, 12/3/1941; re-equipping with captured Italian Army M13/40 Tanks; entry of Deutsches Afrika Korps into North African campaign; tank running out of fuel during withdrawal eastwards; character of withdrawal; sight of burnt out petrol convoy; withdrawal in lorries towards Tobruk, Libya; fate of Major Geoffrey Dean; German Ju 87 Stuka attacks on unit; move back into Egypt; opinion of A15 Cruiser Mk VI Crusader Tank; advance towards Tobruk, Libya during Operation Crusader, 11/1941.
REEL 4 Continues: destruction of Italian aircraft on airfield; German mortar attack on unit and dispersal; sight of Hawker Hurricane being shot down by German aircraft; knocking-out of tank by German tanks; withdrawal into Egypt. Aspects of operations as NCO with 6th Royal Tank Regt, 1st Armoured Bde, 7th Armoured Div in North Africa, 2/1942-8/1942: re-equipping with Medium M3 Grant Tank; forming up south of Knightsbridge Box, Libya, 6/1942; daily duties; importance of cautious advance in face of German 88mm Guns; damage to tank from German tanks near Gazala, Libya; withdrawal and taking up defensive positions at Ruweisat Ridge, Egypt, 7/1942; halting of Axis advance, 7/1942. Recollections of period with crew of General Bernard Montgomery's personal tank 'Monty', Tank Protection Troop, General Headquarters, Eighth Army in Egypt, 10/1942-11/1942: background to formation of troop.
REEL 5 Continues: role of unit in an emergency; crew of 'Monty' Grant tank; amusing visit by Australian unit; General Bernard Montgomery's drinking coffee with crew; presentation of black beret to General Bernard Montgomery by crew; opinion of General Bernard Montgomery; daily routine transporting General Bernard Montgomery to front line; artillery bombardment at start of Battle of El Alamein, 23/10/1942. Aspects of period with 6th Royal Tank Regt in Middle East, 12/1942-12/1943: sight of Sikh funeral arrangements; journey to Iraq via Palestine and Jordan; training with M4 Sherman Tank; visits to Baghdad, Iraq; move to Lebanon; period as instructor at gunnery school in Cairo, Egypt; return to GB, 12/1943.
REEL 6 Continues: Aspects of period as gunnery instructor at Royal Armoured Corps Gunnery School, Lulworth and Bovington Camp, GB, 12/1943-1945: training courses; German Air Force bombing of area; character of indoor and outdoor training; loading shells; emphasis on troop shooting; types of tanks trained on; receiving Military Medal from King George VI; reaction of some of his Irish family to his serving with British forces; VE Day celebrations, 8/5/1945; operating crew commanders' course; character of Officer Cadet Training Unit (OCTU) at Bovington Camp; memories of Sergeant Arthur English; helping out at Roman Catholic Church. Aspects of period as NCO with Royal Tank Regt in GB and Germany, 1945-1956: brief demobilisation, 1947; posting to 8th Royal Tank Regt; living conditions in Germany, 1948.
REEL 7 Continues: Aspects of operations as NCO with 6th Royal Tank Regt during Operation Musketeer, the landings at Suez, Egypt, 11/1956: equipping with Centurion Tank Mk 5; move to Malta; sight of United States Navy submarine observing British ships; landing at Port Said; destruction of Egyptian anti-tank guns; unit objectives; character of occupation of Port Said; arrival of Norwegian United Nations' troops; lack of Egyptian opposition; return to GB; opinion of Centurion Tank; role as squadron sergeant-major; attitude of reservists; attitude of French to leaving Canal Zone; posting to County of London Yeomanry after return to GB, 1956; attitude to having served in Royal Tank Regiment.
