Goddard, Douglas George (Oral history)

British NCO served with Searchlight Bty, 20th Bn London Regt, Royal Artillery in GB, 1938-1942; served with 112th Field Regt, Royal Artillery in GB and North West Europe, 1942-1945

REEL 1 Background in London, 1920-1938: family; education; joining Territorial Army, 1938. Recollections of period with Searchlight Bty, 20th Bn, London Regt, Royal Artillery in GB, 1939-1942: training on searchlights and sound locators; coastal defence duties in Lydd area, 1940; capturing fifth columnists and German aircrew; description of sound locators; question of possibility of German invasion; training on radar; radar work on Sussex coast; officer training. Aspects of period as officer with 112th Field Regt, Royal Artillery, 43rd Div in GB, 1942-1944: posting to unit at Broadstairs, late 1942; character of training; playing cricket, 6/6/1944; move to Tilbury through London; experience of V1s. Recollections of operations as officer with 112th Field Regt, Royal Artillery, 43rd Div in Normandy, 6/1944-8/1944: crossing Channel; loss of divisional reconnaissance unit in mined ship; responsibilities he had on landing; setting up guns at Cheux; supporting 15 Div on River Odon; supporting Canadians at Carpiquet; question of counter productive results of strategic bombers on Caen. REEL 2 Continues: opinion of role of 2nd Tactical Airforce; background to Operations Epsom; supporting divisional elements during Hill 112 operations; casualties to unit; narrow escapes during Operation Epsom; opinion of 25 Pounder; character of unit's shooting; question of friendly fire and dud shells; use of meteorological date; question of capture of Hill 112; importance of Mont Pincon; opinion of Montgomery. Recollection of operations as officer with 112th Field Regt, Royal Artillery, 43rd Div in North West Europe, 1944-1945: crossing River Seine at Vernon; condition of divisional infantry, 9/1944; role of artillery during opening phases of Operation Market Garden; effect on unit of German use of anti- personnel mine. REEL 3 Continues: problems using Club Route on Arnhem corridor; occupation of The Island and capture of Driel; deploying artillery outside of Elst; fate of forward observation observers sent to Oosterbeeck; rescue of British 1st Airborne Div and 4th Bn Dorset Regt across the River Rhine; holding Neder Rijn area and Grossbeeck Ridge; move into Geilenkirchen area; in Leige area during Ardennes offensive, 12/1944; conditions during fighting in Reichswald Forest; character of German opposition after crossing River Rhine; liberation of Hegelo; German commanders refusal to declare Bremen an open city; German defences in Bremen-Cuxhaven area, 4/1945. Period as officer with 112th Field Regt during Occupation of Germany, 1945: occupation of Fallingbostel; problems with Displaced Persons; work of political commissars among returning Russian Displaced Persons. REEL 4 Continues: fate of Russian returnees; attending Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp guards war crimes trial. Aspects of period as officer 80 Light Anti-Aircraft Regt in Middle East, 1950- 1953: consequences of abrogation of Suez Canal treaty; theft of his uniform in Canal Zone; six monthly periods with O Force in Akaba, Jordan; Arabs' devotion to memory of T E Lawrence; story of searching for missing unit personnel.