Mather, David Carol Macdonell (Oral history)

British cadet at Royal Military College, Sandhurst, GB, 1939-1940; officer served on ski training with 5th Bn Scots Guards in France, 1/1940-3/1940; served with Training Bn,Welsh Guards in GB, 3/1940-7/1940; served with 8 Commando in GB and North Africa, 1940-1941; served with GHQ Liaison Sqdn and Special Air Service in North Africa and Middle East, 1941-1942; served as staff officer to General Montgomery in North Africa, 10/1942-11/1942; POW in Italy, 1942-1943; served with 2nd Bn Welsh Guards in GB, 1943-1944; served as staff officer with Tactical Headquarters, 21st Army Group in North West Europe, 1944-1945; served with 2nd Bn Welsh Guards in Palestine, 1945-1946

REEL 1 Background in GB, 1919-1939: family origins; training with OTC at Harrow School and at Cambridge University; anticipation of coming war, late 1930s; visit to Cambridge by Winston Churchill, 1938; memories of General Bernard Law Montgomery; Montgomery's relations with officers and other ranks. Aspects of period at Royal Military College, Sandhurst, 1939-1940: character of course; background of company commanders and cadets; emphasis on motor transport; expectations of trench warfare. Period with 5th Bn Scots Guards in France, 1940: reasons for volunteering for unit to fight in Finland; officers who reverted to ranks; question of use ski battalions could be used. REEL 2 Continues: question of growing professionalism in British Army; lack of many officers who couldn't shoot and cook. Period with Training Bn, Welsh Guards in GB, 1940-1941: reasons for joining unit; training at Colchester; invasion scares, 1940; contrast between Scots and Welsh Guards; life in training battalion. Aspects of period with 8 Commando in GB and North Africa, 1940-1941: reasons for joining commandos; character of early training; lack of need to impose discipline; landing exercises on Isle of Arran; move to Canal Zone, Egypt; reasons for cancellation of operations; state of unit morale; initial impressions of Egypt; move to Tobruk and abortive attempt to raid on Italian headquarters at Gazala; opinion of training in Canal Zone. REEL 3 Continues: recreation in Canal Zone; disbandment of his unit. Aspects of operations with GHQ Liaison Sqdn in North Africa and Middle East, 7/1941-5/1942: memories of David Stirling; description of Lewis bomb; character of first operation; recruitment to unit; driving in desert; navigational techniques; maintenance and repair of vehicles; character of operations in desert; clothing worn; health problems; role simulating signals traffic at Jarabub Oasis; nature of communications; overrunning of Headquarters, 4th Armoured Bde at Sidi Rezegh; chaotic situation after action; reason for move to Palestine and Syria, 3/1942; character of work on Turkish frontier; detention for crossing Turkish border; road communications on border. REEL 4 Continues: political consequences of unit incursion into Turkey; attitude of Vichy French; security situation in Palestine; situation in Middle East. Recollections of operations with Special Air Service in North Africa, 5/1942-12/1942: reasons for joining Special Air Service, 5/1942; base at Kubrit; attacks on Axis airfields and communications; organisation of unit jeeps; plan for mass attack Axis airfield; reasons for delayed arrival at target; character of attack; loss of one jeep; Free French contingent; question of fatigue; use of Benzedrine; attitude to operations behind El Alamein lines; memories of David Stirling's style of leadership, Montgomery's attitude to David Stirling. REEL 5 Continues: Axis counter-measures against Special Air Service operations; Hungarian spy assisted by Egyptians; air supply drop in Qattara Depression; question of tanks being a liability in planned attack on Benghazi; lack of security of planned attack on Bengahazi; lack of experience of some recruits; attitude towards Egyptians; maintenance of morale on journey from Kaga to Kufra; running out of petrol; threat from Italian Air Force on withdrawal from Benghazi. Recollections of period as liaison officer to General Montgomery, 10/1942-11/1942: Montgomery's method of improving morale on arrival in Cairo; Montgomery;'s insistence on 'thinking time'; Montgomery's daily routine; use of massed artillery. REEL 6 Continues: Montgomery's aim at El Alamein; effects of air superiority; relations between Montgomery, Coningham and Tedder; Tedder's character; Montgomery's character; question of pressure from Churchill; clashes between Montgomery and Lumsden; question of problems using armoured forces in deep mine fields; opinion of Lumsden; crisis between Montgomery and Lumsden; Lumsden's attempts to avoid contact with Montgomery; Lumsden sceptical attitude towards Montgomery's plan. REEL 7 Continues: Montgomery's criticism of British lack of preparations and professionalism; significance of Battle of El Alamein. Aspects of period as POW in Italy, 1942-1943: Italian use of stool pigeon; POW mentality in PG 43; information obtained from Italian newspapers; Italian attitudes, 8/9/1943; escape from camp; orders from British Senior Officer. Period with 2nd Bn Welsh Guards in GB, 1943-1944: impressions of GB, 1943; training with unit near Pickering; role and equipment of unit; role and duties. Recollections of operations as liaison officer with Tactical Headquarters, 21st Army Group in North West Europe, 1944-1945: Montgomery's speech to senior officers; importance of moral component; US personnel's attitude towards liaison officers; organisation of Tactical Headquarters; security of headquarters; threat from snipers; landing in Normandy, 7/6/1944; choice of Creully for headquarters; reaction to Russians serving in German Army. REEL 8 Continues: Montgomery's view of De Gaulle and Leclerc; civilian attitudes in Normandy; role and duties in Normandy; character of Montgomery's operations in Normandy; question of objectives of Operation Goodwood; relations between Montgomery, Patton and Bradley; question of intelligence before Operation Market Garden; problems of timing during Operation Market Garden; question of potential of German success in the Ardennes, 12/1944; threat from German infiltrators in US uniforms; response of Tedder to Montgomery taking control during Ardennes; wounding, early 1945. Aspects of operations with 2nd Bn Welsh Guards in Palestine, 1945-1946: re-joining unit; role of unit; concentration on illegal immigration duties and anti-insurgent operations; deployment in Palestine; lack of resources; attitude of troops.