Interview with Stewart Balmain

British officer attended Troop Leaders Course, Royal Armoured Corps at Bovington Camp, GB, 1964; served with 15th/19th King's Royal Hussars in Münster, West Germany, 1964-1968; served with Demonstration Sqdn, School of Infantry in Warminster, GB, 1968-1969; served with Armoured Car Regiment, United Arab Emirates Army in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 1969-1971; served with 15th/19th King's Royal Hussars in West Germany and Northern Ireland, 1971-1986; commanded 15th/19th King's Royal Hussars in Detmold, West Germany, 1986-1988; served as instructor with Zimbabwe Staff College, Zimbabwe National Army in Harare, Zimbabwe, 1988-1990

REEL 1 Background in GB, 1943-1963: family; discussions with father about his service in Second World War; education. Aspects of period on Troop Leaders Course, Royal Armoured Corps at Bovington Camp in GB, 1964: initial officer training at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Camberley; training on Centurion Tank including method of ranging tank, use of Sabot shells, crew, storage of ammunition, communication equipment and measure to increase range of tanks; ability of Centurion Tank to adopt a good hull down position; size of tank troop and squadron; tank tactics employed. Recollections of period as officer with 15th/19th King's Royal Hussars in Münster, West Germany, 1964-1968: accommodation; social life and recreational activities; question of marriage; pay; shooting activities. REEL 2 Continues: character of unit personnel; degree of preparations for possibility of Warsaw Pact attack; method of deploying; use of ranging gun; ammunition used; opinion of Soviet manufactured T-54 and T-55 Tanks; description of 'forward defence' policy pursued in West Germany; defence against chemical warfare; refuelling tanks; rations; question of unreliability of Centurion Tank. Aspects of period as officer with Demonstration Sqdn at School of Infantry in Warminster, GB, 1968-1969: reaction to posting and work with Demonstration Sqdn; contrast between Centurion and Chieftain Tanks firing abilities; opinion of failure to adapt similar calibre tank ammunition as Americans. REEL 3 Continues: prior recollection of deployment exercises in West Germany; contrast between American and British tanks. Aspects of period as officer with Armoured Car Regiment, United Arab Emirates Army in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 1969-1971: attitude towards posting; opinion of Arab troops; duties; method of dealing with Palestinian riot. Recollections of period as officer with 15th/19th King's Royal Hussars in Fallingbostel, West Germany, 1971-1974: rejoining regiment at Fallingbostel, 1971; opinion of Chieftain Tank; duties as second in command of squadron; battle group exercises in Canada including firing live ammunition; father's experiences in Second World War; degree to which tank tactics studied; question of financial constraints on British Army. Recollections of operations as officer with 15th/19th King's Royal Hussars in Northern Ireland, 1974-1975 and 1978-1979: nature of tours, 1974-1975 and 1978-1979. REEL 4 Continues: deployment in Omagh; duties defending Royal Ulster Constabulary stations; regiment's clash with Provisional Irish Republican Army; capture of Provisional Irish Republican Army bomber Keiran 'Stan' Corrigan, 1975. Aspects of period as officer with 15/19th King's Royal Hussars in Padderborn, West Germany, 1979-1986: attitude towards Scorpion and Scimitar Light tanks; work on West German/East German border; American support; degree of freedom of movement in West Germany; relations with West German civilians. Recollections of period commanding 15th/19th King's Royal Hussars in Detmold, West Germany, 1986-1988: role and duties; tactics employed; opinion of Soviet manufactured T-72 Tank; opinion of 'Chobham Armour'. Aspects of period as instructor with Zimbabwe Staff College, Zimbabwe National Army in Harare, Zimbabwe, 1988-1990: role teaching and instructing ex-guerrillas; attitude towards students and Zimbabwean armed forces.