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Object description
British trooper and NCO served with 6th Royal Tank Regt, 4th Armoured Bde in North Africa, 1940-1942
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of operations as trooper and NCO with 6th Royal Tank Regt, 4th Armoured Bde in North Africa, 1940-1942: joining 6th Royal Tank Regt in Egypt, 1940; reaction to 'peace time' conditions in Egypt; training in Egypt; move into Western Desert; relaxation of discipline in desert; desert sores; patrolling Libyan/Egypt border; advance into Libya, 9/1940; return to Alexandra, 1/1941; move to Tobruk; use of captured Italian tanks; retreat to Tobruk; attachment to Australian forces during Siege of Tobruk, 1941; evacuation from Tobruk; allocation of Crusader tanks; use of deception; attack on airfield during Operation Crusader, 11/1941; nature of tank action on Tobruk perimeter; wounding and bailing out of tank; hiding in scrub; evacuation to medical post.
REEL 2 Continues: opinion of British tanks and their armament; in action at Battle of Gazala, 6/1942; how his tank was knocked out during Battle of Gazala, 6/1942; nature of tank battles; attempt to advance to Bir Hakeim; rejoining regiment at Tobruk; nature of retreat towards El Alamein; contact with Rhodesian Armoured Car regiment; arrival at El Alamein line, 7/1942; opinion of command; opinion of General Claude Auckinleck.
REEL 3 Continues: Recollections of operations as NCO with 6th Royal Tank Regt, 4th Armoured Bde at El Alamein, North Africa, 1942: initial impressions of General Bernard Montgomery; increase in air support and equipment; German armoured tactics; question of British armoured tactics prior to El Alamein; attitude to infantry to presence of tanks; nature of armoured engagement at El Alamein; state of regiment at start of battle; artillery barrage; form of Allied advance at El Alamein; running into German anti-tank guns; attack on Axis positions and Italian tanks.
REEL 4 Continues: advance after battle; attitude towards advance; withdrawal of regiment and move to Iraq. Aspects of operations as trooper and NCO with 6th Royal Tank Regt, 4th Armoured Bde in North Africa, 1940-1942: esprit de corps in 8th Army; uniforms worn in desert; night in desert; tactics employed in 1940; contrast between 1940 and 1942; attitude of regulars towards influx of territorial personnel; attitude of hostilities only personnel; opinion of quality of NCOs; individual roles of tank crews; question of unfathomable orders; attitude towards having to get out of tank in action.
