Interview with Norman Victor Brindley

British NCO served with 15th Anti-Aircraft Z Regt, Royal Artillery, 66th Anti-Aircraft Bde, 2nd Anti-Aircraft Div and 5th Anti-Aircraft Z Regt, 35th Anti-Aircraft Bde, 5th Anti-Aircraft Div in GB, 1940-1942; officer served with Royal Artillery in GB, 1943-1944; served with 16th Indian Light Anti-Aircraft Bty, 4th Indian Light Anti-Aircraft Regt, Indian Artillery, 1st Indian Anti-Aircraft Bde in India, 1945-1946

REEL 1 Background in Birkenhead, GB, 1919-1939: family; education; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; political activity in Liverpool during 1930s; sight of Blackshirts of British Union of Fascists in Liverpool. Aspects of enlistment and training with Royal Artillery in GB, 1939-1940: registering for military service, 1939; character of basic training at Saighton Camp, near Chester; firing camp at Towyn early 1940; posting to 3rd Bn London Scottish at Eltham; teaching maths to officers; withdrawal of rifles and making coshes, 1940; in action against German Air Force at St Paul's Cray, 6/1940; arrival of recruits from Glasgow. Recollections of period as NCO with 15th Anti-Aircraft Z Regt, Royal Artillery, 66th Anti-Aircraft Bde, 2nd Anti-Aircraft Div and 5th Anti-Aircraft Z Regt, 35th Anti-Aircraft Bde, 5th Anti-Aircraft Div in GB, 1940-1942: initial posting to Royal Artillery Z Batteries, 10/1940; description of firing rockets; posting to 15th Anti-Aircraft Z Regt, Nottingham, 12/1941; issue of Lewis Gun; unit postings, 1941. REEL 2 Continues: airfield defence duties at RAF Upper Heyford; anti-gas course; meeting future wife at Headquarters, Bomber Command, RAF at RAF High Wycombe; posting to Shalstone; use of multi-bank rocket equipment at Shooters Hill; identification of targets, 1942. Aspects of period of officer training with Royal Artillery in GB, 1942-1943: period with War Officer Selection Board at Redhill; tests he was subjected to; unusual talents of officers; brush with military policemen; period with No 164 Officer Cadet Training Unit; map reading training; memories of William Connor; commissioning. Aspects of period as officer with Royal Artillery in GB, 1943-1945: posting to unit at Swaythling, near Southampton; memories of Gunner Halinski at burglar. REEL 3 Continues: aid given to Danny van den Berg; map navigation as troop leader in East Anglia; memories of cricketer Maurice Leyland, 4/1944; posting to south coast; problems of shooting down V1s; death of officer from V1; background to posting overseas. Recollections of period as officer with 16th Light Anti-Aircraft Bty, 4th Indian Light Anti-Aircraft Regt, Indian Artillery, 1st Indian Anti-Aircraft Bde in India, 1945-1946: voyage aboard MS Batory from GB to India, 12/1944-1/1945; method of keeping in touch with GB; posting to regiment manned by Madrassis, near Calcutta; warnings against failure to use solar topees and spine pads; attachment to Fourteenth Army; incident of commanding officer humiliating officers in front of Other Ranks; mobile warfare course in Karachi; hearing news of dropping of atomic bombs on Japan, 8/1945. REEL 4 Continues: memories of General Election, 7/1945; role of Army Bureau of Current Affairs; use of English language amongst Madrassi troops; lack of communal tension amongst troops; welfare work with Indian troops; role of Viceroy Commissioned Officers in British Indian Army; attitude to being called out to support civil power; British Indian Army troops' love of song 'Jingle Bells', 12/1945; soldiers' gratuity; question of whether he should apply for Class B release; voyage aboard HMT Orion from India to GB, 1946; attitude to serving with Royal Artillery in Second World War.