Interview with Douglas Walter Lakey

British NCO served with 112th Field Regt, Royal Artillery, 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Div in GB and North West Europe, 1942-1945

REEL 1 Background in Warminster, GB, 1920-1940: family; education; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939. Aspects of enlistment and training with British Army in GB, 1940-1942: call-up for military service to Wiltshire Regiment (Duke of Edinburgh's), 6/1940; basic training at Devizes; incident of going Absence Without Official Leave (AWOL); fire-fighting at Newport Docks; posting to 5th Bn Wiltshire Regt (Duke of Edinburgh's); character of route marches at Maidstone. Aspects of period as NCO with 112th Field Regt, Royal Artillery, 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Div in GB, 1942-1944: how he was claimed to unit by his brother at Broadstairs, 1942; role as observer; movement of regiment in Kent, East and West Sussex, 1942-1944; sight of German V1 Flying Bombs over London, 6/1944. Recollections of operations as NCO with 217th Bty, 112th Field Regt, Royal Artillery, 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Div in Normandy, France, 6/1944-7/1944: crossing English Channel; initial action at Hill 112; ambush by German armour at Maltot; destruction of his Universal Carrier by German Tiger Tank at Maltot; German Army infantry's over running of dug out he was sheltering in; counter-attack by 4th Bn Dorsetshire Regt and return to unit; effect of events of 10/7/1944. REEL 2 Continues: problems of renewing kit. Recollections of operations as NCO with 217th Bty, 112th Field Regt, Royal Artillery, 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Div in North West Europe, 1944-1945: reception in Brussels, Belgium; observation post work at Driel protecting withdrawal of airborne forces during Operation Market Garden, Netherlands, 9/1944; role of Polish troops in evacuation at Driel, Netherlands, 9/1944; recording targets in Reichswald Forest, Germany, winter 1944-1945; destruction of Germans attempting to withdraw across River Rhine, Germany, 3/1945; problems of using toilet under German machine gun fire; observation post in brickworks to observe Oosterbeeck, Netherlands; observation point on slag heap at Liège, Belgium, 12/1945; crossing River Rhine, Germany, 3/1945; attack on villages of Waldenrath, Germany and Puth, Netherlands, 1945; advance to Bremerhaven, Germany, 4/1945; capture of German prisoners of war using drain pipe in Netherlands; binoculars used; death of Canadian Army NCO at Driel, Netherlands, 9/1944; use of tank suits; prior recollection observation post work during crossing of River Seine at Vernon, France, 8/1944; use of yellow smoke to indicate German targets. REEL 3 Continues: danger of friendly fire at Maltot, Normandy, France. Aspects of period as NCO with 112th Field Regt, Royal Artillery, 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Div in Germany, 1945-1946: occupation duties in Hanover area; protecting German civilians from Displaced Persons; behaviour of Schutzstaffel (SS) women at Fallingbostel; attitude to having served with Royal Artillery during the Second World War; story of visit to Larkhill Ranges, 1991.