Description
Object description
British NCO served with 4th Bn Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regt, 132nd Infantry Bde, 44th (Home Counties) Infantry Div in GB, France, Belgium and Middle East, 8/1939-1/1943; served with 4th Bn Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regt, 161st Indian Infantry Bde, 5th Indian Infantry Div in India and Burma, 2/1943-8/1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Bletchingley, GB, 1920-1939: family; education; employment as gardener. Recollections of period as private with C Coy, 4th Bn Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regt, 132nd Infantry Bde, 44th (Home Counties) Infantry Div in GB, 8/1939-3/1940: background to joining Territorial Army, 8/1939; visit to summer camp, 8/1940; reaction to drilling; discipline within unit; battalion recruiting area; method of instructing rifle firing; story of training recruit who threw grenade badly; issue of uniform; digging trenches on mobilisation at Edenbridge, 9/1939; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; move to Axminster area; accommodation at Lyme Regis; cooking for platoon; character of night exercises; method of digging trenches.
REEL 2 Continues: character of unit's equipment; grenade training; memories of unit cooks; battalion morale; leave. Recollections of operations as private with C Coy, 4th Bn Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regt, 132nd Infantry Bde, 44th (Home Counties) Infantry Div in France and Belgium, 4/1940-5/1940: voyage from GB to France; initial impressions of France, 4/1940; duties on France-Belgium border, 4/1940-5/1940; advance into Belgium, 10/5/1940; taking up positions at Oudenaarde, Belgium; capture of German Army prisoner of war; sight of refugees and question of Fifth Column; withdrawal from Oudenarde, Belgium; role as company runner; hitching lift on Bren Gun Carrier to Dunkirk, France; reaction to sight of German Air Force Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive-bomber attack; obtaining rations; lack of knowledge about situation; attempt to wade out to ship that had run aground; German Air Force attacks on Dunkirk, France.
REEL 3 Continues: embarking on destroyer; equipment brought back to Dover, GB; reception at Dover, GB. Recollections of period as NCO with C Coy, 4th Bn Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regt, 132nd Infantry Bde, 44th (Home Counties) Infantry Div in GB, 6/1940-5/1942: arrival at Blandford, 6/1940; equipment on return to GB; opinion of Sten Gun and Bren Gun; opinion of Boys Anti-Tank Rifle and Projector Infantry Anti-Tank (PIAT); reforming of battalion at Oxford; unit morale after Dunkirk Evacuation; promotion to sergeant at Walton-on-the-Hill; degree of fitness in battalion; footwear and footcare; emphasis on cleanliness; guard duties; gas training; attending booby-trap course.
REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of voyage aboard HMT Laconia from GB to Egypt, 5/1942-7/1942: conditions on board; ashore in South Africa. Aspects of period as NCO with C Coy, 4th Bn Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regt, 132nd Infantry Bde, 44th (Home Counties) Infantry Div in Middle East, 7/1942-1/1943: arrival in Egypt; casualty caused by accidental discharge of rifle at Port Tewfik, Egypt; uniform issued; contracting sandfly fever and treatment received; role as guard commander in transit camp at Beirut, Lebanon; riding bus for free in Beirut, Lebanon; rejoining unit and move to Iraq, 1/1943; brief attachment to 4th Indian Infantry Div. Aspects of period as NCO with C Coy, 4th Bn Queen Royal West Kent Regt, 161st Indian Infantry Bde, 5th Indian Infantry Div in India, 2/1943-11/1943: initial impressions of India; problems with lightning in camp; jungle training.
REEL 5 Continues: training with mules; lack of specialist training; issue of canvas shoes; training for movement in jungle; leave in Calcutta; degree of contact with Indian civilians; move to Chittagong, 11/1944. Recollections of operations as NCO with C Coy, 4th Bn Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regt, 161st Indian Infantry Bde, 5th Indian Infantry Div in Arakan, Burma, 12/1943-4/1944: terrain in Arakan; advance southwards into Arakan, 12/1943-1/1944; nature of tracks and river tributaries; Imperial Japanese Army delaying tactics; effect of friendly fire on B Coy near The Tunnels; character of The Tunnels; degree of contact with Japanese forces; opinion of Imperial Japanese Army tactics; size of patrols; organisation of patrols; promotion to company sergeant-major; responsibilities as company sergeant-major.
REEL 6 Continues: description of captured Imperial Japanese Army underground fortification; use of flanking movements. Recollections of operations as NCO with C Coy, 4th Bn Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regt, 161st Indian Infantry Bde, 5th Indian Infantry Div at Kohima, India, 4/1944-5/1944: flight from Arakan to Dimapur, 3/1944; road journey from Dimapur to Kohima; return to Dimapur, 1/4/1944; second move to Kohima, 4/4/1944; move of C Coy to DIS Ridge; opening fire on Imperial Japanese Army troops on Jail Hill; failure of Imperial Japanese Army frontal attack on DIS Ridge; continuing attacks on DIS Ridge; character of defensive positions on DIS Ridge; damage to his pack from mortar fire; Imperial Japanese Army's use of captured ammunition; hearing shouts from Indian National Army (INA); Imperial Japanese Army attacks on DIS Ridge; causes of casualties on DIS Ridge; conditions for wounded; air supply of water; evacuation of wounded; role as platoon commander; argument with company commander about moving ammunition from exposed position on DIS Ridge.
REEL 7 Continues: water carrying parties; sense of isolation on DIS Ridge; NCO killed helping evacuate wounded; withdrawal into reserve on Garrison Hill; method of keeping record of casualties; degree of information available about battle; start of air supply drops; supplies dropped; character of rations; fire discipline and ammunition supply; importance of Bren Gun; opening fire on Imperial Japanese Army troops with Sergeant Tatum; opinion of Imperial Japanese Army troops; character of DIS Ridge; attitude towards prospect of capture by Japanese; importance of comradeship; danger of moving in daylight; question of fatigue.
REEL 8 Continues: in reserve on Garrison Hill; change in character of Kohima throughout siege; withdrawal from Kohima to Dimapur; degree of hand over to 1st Bn Royal Berkshire Regt; contracting malaria in Dimapur; visit by Vera Lynn; physical condition after Kohima. Recollections of operations as NCO with 4th Bn Queen Own Royal West Kent Regt, 161st Indian Infantry Bde, 5th Indian Infantry Div in India and Burma, 6/1944-8/1945: return to Kohima Box area, India; character of Japanese forces' withdrawal from Kohima area, India; organising loads for mules; rate of advance operating in columns; air supply drops; Imperial Japanese Army delaying tactics; unit morale; relations between mules and muleteers; behaviour of mules; nightly routine; nature of advance towards Imphal and onto Tiddim Road, India.
REEL 9 Continues: character of the Tiddim Road; lack of contact with Japanese on Tiddim Road; flight from Kalewa, Burma to Imphal, India, 12/1944; Christmas celebrations, 25/12/1944; road race; return to front line at Meiktila, Burma; co-operation with armour; method of transport during leapfrogging actions towards Rangoon, Burma; casualty caused by Imperial Japanese Army sniper; method of crossing rivers using inflated trousers; daily routine; importance of regular mail; character of Japanese flags; attacking village with armoured support; night-time Imperial Japanese Army infiltration across Rangoon Road, Burma..
REEL 10 Continues: leave in Calcutta, India, 7/1945-8/1945; story of role looking after Imperial Japanese Army and Indian National Army (INA) prisoners of war in Rangoon Central Jail, Rangoon, Burma including opinion of Indian National Army (INA); reaction to end of Second World War, 15/8/1945; return to GB for demobilisation, 11/1945; attitude to military service and discipline; question of changing relationships between officers, NCOs and other ranks during active service; story of dealing with private who left his post; demobilisation process and return to civilian life, 1946; attitude to having served with 4th Bn Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regt during Second World War.
