Whybro, Denis William (Oral history)

British sapper served with 74th (Essex Fortress) Anti-Aircraft Bn, Royal Engineers in GB, 1937-1939; NCO served with 1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, 3rd Motor Machine Gun Bde, III Corps in GB, 6/1940-12/1940; served with 1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, 28th Armoured Bde, 9th Armoured Div in GB, 12/1940-8/1944; served with 1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, 31st Armoured Bde, 79th Armoured Div in GB and North West Europe, 8/1944-5/1945; served with 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars, 29th British Infantry Bde in Korea, 11/1950-11/1951

REEL 1 Background in Stock and Galleywood, GB, 1922-1937: family circumstances; education; employment. Aspects of period with 74th (Essex Fortress) Anti-Aircraft Bn, Royal Engineers in GB, 1937-1939: background to joining Territorial Army, 1937; role of unit during Munich Crisis, 9/1938; character of training; role operating Sound Locator, Mk 1; training with aircraft, 1939; drill and weapons training; organisation of searchlight crew; visit to see prototype sound locator. Aspects of enlistment and training with 51st Training Regt, Royal Armoured Corps at Catterick Camp in GB, 8/1939-6/1940: enlistment, 8/1939; reception at Catterick Camp; processing procedure; reaction to drilling; physical training. REEL 2 Continues: boxing training; relations between recruits and physical training instructors; training on Light Tank Mark VIB and Bren Gun Carrier; role digging trenches on outbreak of war, 3/9/1939; opinion of regimental officers; role as mess orderly, 1/1940-6/1940. Aspects of period as trooper with 1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, 3rd Motor Machine Gun Bde, III Corps in GB, 6/1940-12/1940: conditions of unit on return from Dunkirk Evacuation, 6/1940; move to Keele Hall; anti-invasion duties, 1940; firing Boys Anti-Tank Rifle; attachment to 3rd Motor Machine Gun Bde; living conditions at Keele Hall; character of rations, 1940; wireless watches; gas training. REEL 3 Continues Recollections of period as NCO with 1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, 28th Armoured Bde, 9th Armoured Div in GB, 12/1940-8/1944: move to Stone and then Wellingborough, 1941; arrival of Coventanter Tanks at Wellingborough, late 1941; problems with Coventanter and Crusader Tanks; formation of 9th Armoured Div; troop formation; use of flags for communication; role as wireless operator; hospitalisation for appendicitis; posting to Headquarters Sqdn; formation of Anti-Aircraft Troop, 1943; training with Anti-Aircraft Troop; unit movements; attending commando course, near Morpeth. REEL 4 Continues: attending schemes, 1942-1943; importance of tank commanders' understanding nature of land; cooking rations and sleeping on schemes; memories of Captain Rennie; clothing worn; regional composition of unit; refusing to volunteer for service in Middle East; memories of General Brian Horrocks; accommodation used; increase in professionalism of officers, 1940-1944; move of unit to Bury St Edmunds, 1944; issue of Churchill Crocodile Flamethrower Tank to unit; introduction to flame throwing capabilities of Churchill Crocodile. REEL 5 Continues: technique of flame throwing; crew of Churchill Crocodile Flamethrower Tank. Aspect of period as NCO with Headquarters Sqdn, 1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, 31st Armoured Bde, 79th Armoured Div in GB, 8/1944-5/1945: joining 79th Armoured Div; role with Headquarters Sqdn; unit NCOs who landed on D-Day to gain experience; embarkation at Southampton, 10/1944. Recollections of operations with C Sqdn, 1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, 31st Armoured Bde, 79th Armoured Div in North West Europe, 10/1944-5/1945: arrival in Ostend, Belgium, 10/1944; sight of American aircraft ditching in sea off Ostend, Belgium, 10/1944; move into Antwerp area, Belgium; amount of supplies needed for unit; move to Saint-Leonard, Liège, Belgium; illuminating of unit by artificial moonlight on start line and wounding of comrade; loss of chaplain and medical officer; preparations for attack; techniques for attacking German strongpoints; character of attack at St Leonards, Belgium; role as wireless operator for regiment's second in command. REEL 6 Continues: advance northwards; German attitude towards flame throwers; sight of destruction of German tank by Hawker Typhoon; reaction to being in action; confidence in officers; question of not being able to understand Scottish members of unit; distribution of squadron; reconnaissance in forest; leaguering at night; move to Breda, Netherlands; opinion of Polish troops; threats to tanks including mines; encounter with frozen food at Breda, Netherlands, 11/1944. REEL 7 Continues: billeting in area around Eindhoven, Netherlands, winter 1944-1945; training infantry for crossing of River Rhine, Germany; Allied troops' reaction to flame throwers; move on tank transporters towards River Rhine, 3/1945; wounding of crewman during attack on tank transporter, 3/1945; observation platforms in Reichswald Forest, Germany, 2/1945; rations in Reichswald Forest, Germany, 2/1945; crossing River Rhine at Rees, Germany, 3/1945; treatment of property in Germany; increase in speed of advance after crossing of River Rhine, Germany; opinion of Canadian troops; loss of tank at Emmerich, Germany; transfer to British 2nd Army. REEL 8 Continues: amusing story of blowing German safe in hotel; reaction to end of Second World War in Europe, 5/1945. Recollections of period with 1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry in Germany, 1945-1946: reasons for reluctance of American troops to enter Bremerhaven; loss of unit's tanks; lack of contact with German civilians, 5/1944-8/1944; nature of policing duties; reduction of British Army rations, winter 1945-1946; second hand story relating to war crime against RAF personnel; nickname of unit and treatment of German civilians; conditions in Germany; changing relations with German civilians; use of cigarettes as currency; German salvaging of building materials. REEL 9 Continues: sight of bombed Dortmund-Ems Canal; demobilisation process, 5/1946; story of entraining Soviet ex-POWs; nature of Displaced Persons (DPs); story of murder of town major of Hanover by Polish Displaced Person (DP). Aspects of period as civilian in GB, 1946-1950: living conditions; problems of returning to civilian employment; financial situation; weather conditions, winter 1947; rationing problems, late 1940s; use of British Restaurants. REEL 10 Continues: background to call-up to Army Reserve, 8/1950. Aspects of training with Royal Armoured Corps in GB, 1950: attitude of reservists; training at Thetford; handling Centurion Tank Mk 3s; role escorting Centurion Tank Mk 3s to Barry Docks; problems loading Centurion Tank Mk 3s onto ship; embarkation leave, 10/1950. Aspects of voyage aboard HMT Empire Fowey from GB to South Korea, 10/1950-11/1950: opinion of lectures by inexperienced officers; stop over in Singapore, Malaya; sight of typhoon off Japan, 11/1950. Recollections of operations as NCO with C Sqdn, 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars, 29th British Infantry Bde in Korea, 11/1950-4/1951: reception at Pusan. REEL 11 Continues: arrival in Pusan; conditions at Jap Camp; arrival of Centurion Tank Mk 3s; character of train journey to Seoul including acquiring American clothing and turkeys; move to positions at Yong Dong Po; hearing of loss of Cooperforce; sight of refugees on frozen River Han; unit's acting as rearguard, winter, 1950-1951; daily routine until 2/1951; contact with American troops; reputation of Turkish troops; reaction to being sent to support Amercian forces and visit from American general. REEL 12 Continues: firing on Chinese positions; sight of Fleet Air Arm aircraft attacking Chinese; move to River Imjin, 3/1951. Recollections of operations as NCO with 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars, 29th British Infantry Bde during Battle of Imjin River, Korea, 4/1951: start of Chinese attack, 22/4/1951; loss of unit's Universal Carriers; Chinese tactics; stand to during first night; shooting at Chinese troops with carbine; sight of Korean porters; firing on Chinese troops on second day of action; withdrawal of British infantry units from hills; orders to withdraw; decision of his tank to use road; personal weapons carried; infantry climbing on back of tank; crashing through Chinese roadblock; helping wounded infantry off back of tank; condition of dead soldier. REEL 13 Continues: effect of firing Centurion Tank Mk 3's 20 Pounder Gun at Chinese troops; sight of British POWs at roadblock; unit casualties; withdrawal along Main Supply Route (MSR) to Yong Dong Po area after action. Recollections of operations as NCO with 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars, 29th British Infantry Bde in Korea, 5/1951-11/1951: problems with phosphorus bombs; effect of climate on Centurion Tank Mk 3; crossing weight restricted tressle bridge on route to Inchon; period in rest camp on Inchon Peninsula; question of lack of official recognition for 1st Bns Royal Ulster Rifles and Royal Northumberland Fusiliers during Battle of River Imjin, 4/1951; return to River Imjin area and role burying casualties; reaction to officer's remarks about identity of dead infantryman; unit casualties; condition of British vehicles in area; fate of Bill Holden's tank and crew. REEL 14 Continues: question of American tactics in not taking main features; role driving squadron leader's personal caravan; order to return to GB, 11/1951; nature of fighting, summer 1951; issue of new uniforms before leaving Pusan. Aspects of voyage from Korea to GB, 11/1951-12/1951: voyage from Korea to Singapore aboard HMT Empire Fowey; treatment of 1st Bn Gloucestershire Regt soldiers in Singapore, Malaya; transfer to HMS Warrior at Singapore, Malaya; role on board HMS Warrior; stoning by Adenese during stop over in Aden; docking in Portsmouth, GB, 12/1951; reception at Bovington Camp, GB; attitude to having served in Korean War. REEL 15 Continues: Aspects of operations as NCO with 8th King's Irish Hussars, 29th British Infantry Bde in Korea, 11/1950-11/1951: story of acquiring petrol bowsers; question of inadequacy of British equipment; method Chinese used to carry rations; effect of diet of tinned rations; self-sufficient character of tank crews; opinion of Korean porters; technique for getting Centurion Tank Mk 3s to top of hills; story of acquiring Willys Jeep to obtain supplies; sight of Boeing B-29 Superfortress crash landing near Seoul; opinion of 1st Bn Royal Ulster Rifles and 1st Bn Royal Northumberland Fusiliers role during withdrawal from River Imjin; lack of sightings of Chinese troops before Battle of Imjin River; opinion of Australian and New Zealand troops; generosity of American troops.