Millard, William Oliver (Oral history)

British NCO served with Headquarters 127 Bde, 42nd Division in GB, France and Belgium, 1940-1942; served with 71st Bde, 42nd Armoured Division in GB, 1942-1944; served with 71st, Bde, 53rd Division in Normandy, 1944

REEL 1 Background in Wigan, 1920-1939: family; education; joining 5th Bn Manchester Regt, Territorial Army, 1939; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939. Period as NCO with Intelligence Section, Headquarters Coy, 5th Manchester Regt in GB, 9/1939-4/1940: move to Langley Castle on outbreak of war, 9/1939; promotion to lance-corporal and intelligence training; living conditions at Marlborough, winter 1939-1940. Aspects of period with Headquarters 127 Bde in GB and France, 1940: joining unit at Pusey, 4/1940; intelligence duties; map-making; relations between officers and men; anticipations of Second World War prior to 1939; memories of Territorial Army service, 1939; reflections on army life; move to France, 4/1940; French dock strike at Cherbourg. REEL 2 Continues: contact with civilians at Roncq; case of food poisoning. Recollections of operations with 127 Bde in France and Belgium, 5/1940: start of German offensive, 10/5/1940; background to Brigadier Jackie Smyth's written memoirs; arresting suspected German spy; question of fifth columnists; German aircraft attack whilst obtaining food supplies; guarding German aircrew; dangerous encounter with French cows; occasion when he slept through German attack; duties as dispatch riders; attitude of German POWs; disabling his motorbike; arrival at Bray Dunes near Dunkirk; construction of pier from army vehicles; evacuation by ship, 31/5/1940. REEL 3 Continues: Aspects of period with Headquarters, 127 Bde, 42nd Div in GB, 1940-1942: reception in Oswestry, 1/6/1940; reaction to Dunkirk evacuation; movement of headquarters, 1940; coastal defence duties in Ipswich area. Aspects of period with 71 Bde, 42nd Armoured Div and 53rd Welsh Div in GB, 1942-1944: practising armoured tactics; buying battledress of Canadian soldier; character of exercise, early 1944; move to Shaftsbury, spring 1944; joining 53rd Welsh Div in Kent; start of V1 attacks; move to concentration area at Hayling Island to set up false signal traffic; preparing brigade maps for Normandy at Egham, 5/1944; attempt to refloat landing barge full of petrol at Hayling Island, 6/6/1944. REEL 4 Continues: embarkation at London Docks; week-long period on board ship in Thames Estuary, 6/1944. Aspects of operations with Headquarters, 71st Bde, 53rd Welsh Div in Normandy, 27/6/1944-4/7/1944: reaction to landing in Normandy, 27/6/1944; digging in on beachhead, 27/6/1944; encounter with French Canadian troops, 27/6/1944; intelligence duties; taking over positions from 15th Scottish Div near Cheux; coding system used. Recollections of wounding and evacuation to GB, 1944: wounding during mortaring of command post, 4/7/1944; sight of wounded soldier being given blood transfusion; treatment in London hospital; further medical treatment and operation; posting to 24 Machine Gun Training Centre at Chester on recovery. REEL 5 Continues: Period with 5th Bn Manchester Regt in GB, 1944-1945: joining unit at Balmoral; duties guarding Royal Family; entertainment provided by ENSA and members of the Royal Family; strength of unit at Balmoral; move to Haywards Heath; reasons for applying for commission; attending OCTU at Alton Towers; attitude to potential serving in Far East; move to 24 Machine Gun Training Centre. Reflections of military service, 1939- 1945: attitude to leaving British Army; demobilisation at Aston under Lyne; memories of VE Day; sight of dead sniper's boots in Normandy; rations in France, 1940; question of acquiring souvenirs; degree of religious observance; sight of dead German tank crew in Normandy; burial of British dead in Normandy. REEL 6 Continues: attitude towards volunteering; incidents when he was placed on charges by military police; casualties amongst senior officers; relations between other ranks and officers at brigade headquarters; attitude towards mines; opinion of Canadian troops; contact with US troops; opinion of US troops; opinion of French troops; sight of Italian POWs in GB; opinion of conscientious objectors and black marketers; civilian rations; adjusting to civilian teaching career after military service in Second World War. REEL 7 Continues: communications with family; opinion of Montgomery; listening to American Forces network; pension received for damaged hearing; question of effects of military service; attitude to serving in British Army and type of servicemen encountered; incidents of fighting he was involved in and boxing bouts; homosexuality in army; relations between NCOs and other ranks; army discipline.