Interview with Albert Reginald Rogers

British private served with 19th (St Pancras) City of London Home Guard in Kentish Town, London, GB, 1939-1942; served as stoker aboard Landing Barge Vehicle (Medium) 121, 9th Landing Barge Flotilla in English Channel off Normandy, France, 6/6/1944-20/6/1944; served as private with 2nd Bn Buffs (Royal East Kent Regt), 26th Infantry Bde, 36th Infantry Div in India, Burma and Java, Dutch East Indies, 2/1945-6/1946

REEL 1 Background in Chalk Farm, London, GB, 1924-1938: family circumstances; education. Aspects of period as member of Boys' Naval Brigade at Warrior Hall, Fleet Road, Hampstead, London, GB, 1938-1939: origins of Boys' Naval Brigade; initial impressions of organisation; uniform; drill; cleaning, rifle and bayonet training with Ross Rifle; Lewis Gun training and initial problem with stoppages; Vickers Machine Gun training; knots and splices; boxing compass; cookery and first aid training. REEL 2 Continues: naval ranks; uniform; status as boy sailor, family naval tradition and reputation of Royal Naval Division; story of demonstrating technique for rowing with one oar; employment as van boy with London, Midland and Scottish Railway, 1938-1942; call up of Boys' Naval Brigade and reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; question of air raid precautions and blackout. Recollections of period as private with Local Defence Volunteers and 19th (St Pancras) Bn City of London, Home Guard based at Holmes Road School, Kentish Town, London, GB, 5/1940-1/1942: training from First World War veterans; uniform; formation of Home Guard from Local Defence Volunteers; issue of uniforms and designation as 19th (St Pancras) Bn City of London Home Guard, 8/1942; role as runner; story of being captured during exercises in Knightsbridge; nature of training; guard duties. REEL 3 Continues: story of mistaking falling German Air Force parachute land mine for parachutist; effects of German Air Force raids and assisting Air Raid Precautions; guard duty and sleeping overnight at Holmes Road School; camouflage exercises; method of making and using elastic powered rifle and Molotov Cocktail; lecture on makeshift mortars; concentration on street fighting training; attending commando assault course. Aspects of enlistment and training as seaman with Royal Navy at HMS Glendower, Pwllheli, GB, 1/1942-2/1942: background to call-up for service with Royal Navy, 1/1942; appointment as class leader; chalet accommodation; rations; value of previous experience in training; rifle training; boat work; acting as button boy in mast drill. REEL 4 Continues: use of scramble net; rowing cutters; nicknames; relations with fellow recruits and instructors; story of punishment for accidentally misdirecting mail; minimal contact with offices and question of saluting; volunteering for minesweeping service. Aspects of period training as stoker at HMS Cabot, Weatherby, GB, 2/1942-3/1942: training in oil, coal and petrol burning boilers; rhythm of stoking coal in team; dental treatment received. Aspects of training as stoker aboard minesweeping trawler in GB coastal waters and North Atlantic, 2/1942-3/1943: joining ship at Dundee; nature of trawler including armament and paravane system; role in engine room; importance of sound in detecting valve problems; mixed mess and reasons for sleeping in engine room; sea trials at Stranraer; meeting convoy in North Western Approaches; watch system worked; effects of cold; assisting seamen and lookout duties; rations; nature of discipline; return to Dundee. REEL 5 Continues: Aspects of period as stoker at Royal Naval Barracks, HMS Pembroke, Chatham, GB, 3/1943-4/1943: ruse acting as messenger to avoid work; prevalence of stealing and counter-measures; use of railway staff privilege tickets to visit home; use of specially tailored 'tiddly' uniform. Aspects of period as stoker with HMS Manatee, Yarmouth, Isle of Wight, 5/1943-6/1944: nature of Thames barges and collection using tugs; installation of engines, ramps, armoured plating and steering wheel during refits at Southampton; practice landings including use of hand signals, problems faced by vehicles and infantry on ramps and consequent assignment to carry stores; method of beaching stern first. REEL 6 Continues: use of spike and heaving line to maintain position on beach; necessity for sand filters on engines; success in beaching in tight formation; role controlling port engine in response to bell signals from coxswain; composition of crew; petrol and water tanks fitted; question of sea worthiness and supported tarpaulin fitted over hold; rations; relations with civilians; initial assignment to Landing Barge Vehicle (Medium) 183, 4th Landing Barge Flotilla; subsequent posting on training role to Landing Barge Vehicle (Medium) 121, 9th Landing Barge Flotilla; amusing story illustrating inexperience of young sailor; slinging hammocks in hold; question of seasickness; arrival of invasion vessels; loading barge with petrol in jerry cans at Southampton, 1/6/1944; tying up on buoys off Freshwater. Recollections of operations as stoker aboard Barge Vehicle (Medium) 121, 19th Landing Barge Flotilla in English Channel off Normandy, France, 6/6/1944-20/6/1944: prior briefing of officers for D-Day landings; setting off from Freshwater, 5/6/1944; crossing English Channel; rescuing seaman who fell overboard. REEL 7 Continues: loss of flotilla; refusal to tow broken down ammunition barge; sea conditions; crowded situation during approach to Utah Beach; lying offshore and view of fighting on beach; dispute with American officer in cutter over question of moving to less crowded area; successfully beaching barge at Utah Beach; reception and swift unloading of petrol; digging trench around stern to facilitate refloating; issue of rum ration; subsequent role carrying stores from ship to shore; sinking of Landing Barge Vehicle (Medium) 121 during Great Storm, 19/6/1944; period hanging onto Carley Float; rescue and treatment in United States Medical Corps field hospital; volunteering to assist United States Corps of Engineers engineers in clearing beach of mines, 21/6/1944-1/7/1944; return aboard Landing Ship Tank to GB, 1/7/1944; survivors leave and delaying return due to birthday. Aspects of period as seaman at HMS Westcliffe, Westcliffe-on-Sea, GB, 8/1944: background to transfer from Royal Navy to British Army; story of fight with Royal Marine, incident of threatening Royal Navy officer with rifle and successful intervention by British Army NCO. REEL 8 Continues: subsequent refusal of provost officer to allow his court martial alongside NCO. Recollections of period as private and NCO with 9th Bn Buffs (Royal East Kent Regt) in Northern Ireland, 9/1944-12/1944: journey to Northern Ireland; question of value of prior experience; role on promotion to lance corporal; comparison of naval and army training; opinion of Sten Gun and Thompson Machine Gun; mortar, Projector Infantry Anti-Tank (PIAT), Bren Gun, Boys Anti-Tank Rifle and rifle grenade training; pattern of training; different types of Lee-Enfield Rifle; question of tactical and fieldcraft training; wet weather during mortar training in Mountains of Mourne. Aspects of voyage with from GB to Bombay, India, 12/1944-1/1945: conditions; question of training at sea; passing through Suez Canal; Egyptian traders; initial impressions of Bombay, India. REEL 9 Continues: Aspects of period on draft in India, 2/1945: flight in Douglas Dakota to Kohima, 2/1945; disputes between members of draft and Railway Transport Officer (RTO); mistaken assignment of draft as parachutists; injuries and casualties from parachute jump. Aspects of operations as NCO with 2nd Bn Buffs (Royal East Kent Regt), 26th Infantry Bde, 36th Infantry Bde in India and Burma, 2/1945-10/1945: practical advice and training from Gurkhas including athletes' foot treatment and fieldcraft; relations with Regular Army personnel; role as lance corporal in charge of mules with transport section, headquarters coy including supplies carried, method of loading, fodder and handling mules; question of eating mules; foraging for food; cooking chicken; story of Imperial Japanese Army ambush whilst crossing River Salween, Burma; story of Company Sergeant-Major Hogben's dispute with Lieutenant-Colonel Rufus Parry; move back into India; story of dispute over tactics employed in landing from mock up landing craft and subsequent acceptance of advice and apology from officer due to status as former naval rating during preparations for Operation Zipper. REEL 10 Continues: beer ration on VJ Day, 15/8/1945; move into camp at Poona, 8/1945; duties as driver for Lieutenant-Colonel Rufus Parry with motor transport section; departure of older soldiers. Aspect of voyage aboard HMS Trumpeter from Poona, India to Singapore, Malaya, 10/1945: meeting former shipmates; success in getting rum ration and right to buy clothing from naval store; duties on arrival in Singapore, Malaya, 10/1945. Recollections of period NCO with 2nd Bn Buffs (Royal East Kent Regt), 26th Infantry Bde, 36th Infantry Bde on Java, Dutch East Indies, 10/1945-6/1946: voyage aboard landing ship tank; reception; situation; rescuing and assisting Dutch civilians held in internment camps; story of soldier marrying Javanese woman; guard outpost in outlying village; stories illustrating relationship with Private Cyril 'Tim' Evans and his death in action at Batavia, 21/3/1946; return to Singapore. Aspects of period as NCO with Motor Transport Section, Malaya Command at Singapore, Malaya and Federation of Malaya, 6/1946-8/1948: role driving officers; story of meeting brother. REEL 11 Continues: training National Service conscripts in jungle warfare during patrols against Malayan National Liberation Army insurgents, 6/1948-7/1948; story of shooting Malay woman attempting suicide bombing against patrol; sniping incident; value of experience in Burma Campaign; question of demobilisation, 8/1948. Aspects of voyage from Federation of Malaya to GB, 8/1948: presence of women service personnel on board; clashes with regimental sergeant-major; intervention of officer to prevent confiscation of wartime souvenirs on arrival; story of unofficial visit home; demobilisation, 8/1948. Post war life and employment: decision to leave railway work for employment in building industry; question of effects of war service; disaffection with British Legion; membership of service association.