Interview with Joseph Stevens

British gunner and NCO served with 109th Bty, 33rd Field Regt, Royal Artillery, 3rd Infantry Div in GB, France and Belgium, North West Europe, Egypt and Palestine, 9/1939-1/1947

REEL 1 Background in Barnet, GB, 1919-1938: social circumstances; education; employment at film processing factory and as milkman; cycling activities; reasons for volunteering and rejection from Royal Marines on grounds of eyesight; initial recruitment to Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own) and change to Royal Artillery after father's intervention. Aspects of training as gunner at Royal Artillery Regimental Depot, Woolwich, London, GB, 12/1938-3/1939: kitting out; barrack accommodation; rations; question of bullying; polishing boots; drill; physical training; Ordnance QF 25 Pounder Field Gun drill; fire orders and method of registering targets; sentry drill; kit inspections; pay. REEL 2 Continues: relations with instructors; passing out parade. Aspects of period as gunner with 109th Bty, 33rd Field Regt, Royal Artillery, 3rd Infantry Div at Trowbridge Barracks, GB, 3/1939-9/1939: church parades as Roman Catholic; relations with Other Ranks; training as signaller; stories of officer's problems getting guns into position and bingo sessions during firing camp at Oakhampton; outbreak of Second World War, 3/9/1939. Aspects of period as gunner with 109th Bty, 33rd Field Regt, Royal Artillery, 3rd Infantry Div in France, 9/1939-5/1940: seasickness during crossing of English Channel, 9/1939; billets in Lille area; cold weather; relations with French civilians and visits to estaminets. Recollections of operations as gunner with 109th Bty, 33rd Field Regt, Royal Artillery, 3rd Infantry Div in Belgium and France, 5/1940: advance to Louvain, Belgium, 10/5/1940; role as command post telephonist; personal morale; command post dugout; gas alarm; use of Royal Air Force Westland Lysander as observation post aircraft; retreat into France; scavenging for food; rations; refugees and question of Fifth Column; bout of diarrhea; destruction of equipment; move towards Dunkirk, France; story of drunk soldier; failed attempt to get away in rowing boat; evacuation by yacht and destroyer from La Panne, Belgium. REEL 3 Continues: evacuation aboard destroyer; sending telegram to family; train journey to Brecon, GB. Aspects of period as NCO with 109th Bty, 33rd Field Regt, Royal Artillery, 3rd Infantry Div in GB, 6/1940-6/1944: re-assembling of regiment; coastal defence role at Bridport; experiments in firing Ordnance QF 25 Pounder Field Gun from landing craft; training role in Scotland; problems with seasickness; promotion to sergeant, 1943; death of father, 1942; visit from General Bernard Montgomery; story of visiting public house with officer prior to sealing of camp, 5/1944; embarkation on landing craft tank. Recollections of operations as NCO with 109th Bty, 33rd Field Regt, Royal Artillery, 3rd Infantry Div in North West Europe, 6/1944-5/1945: seasickness during crossing of English Channel, 5/6/1944-6/6/1944; role firing M7 Priest 105mm Self-Propelled Guns from landing craft tank during landing at Queen Beach, Sword Beach, Normandy, France, D-Day, 6/6/1944; leadership of Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Hussey; move inland; story of running over mine whilst returning to beach for ammunition; story of problems with heavy German fire whilst laying telephone line to forward observation post M4 Sherman Tank after being given wrong map reference; story of ammunition truck driver taking German prisoners of war, D-Day, Normandy, France, 6/6/1944; developing role scavenging to supplement unit ration supplies; advance into Belgium and re-equipping with Ordnance QF 25 Pounder Field Gun; advance into Germany. REEL 4 Continues: anti-personnel mines; purchase of extra food supplies; relations with German civilians; VE Day, 8/5/1945; role collecting forced labourers from German farms; story of searching farm for weapons; leave in GB and changes to unit personnel on return; decision to stay with regiment. Aspects of period as NCO with 33rd Field Regt, Royal Artillery, 3rd Infantry Div in Egypt and Palestine, 10/1945-1/1947: flight out by aircraft with advance party to Egypt; initial movements and establishing Bitter Lakes Camp; role as battery quartermaster; unit move to guard duties in Palestine; problems with Arab civilians stealing from camp and fatality; question of guard duties; recreational tour; story of breaking regulations by travelling on Canal Road with future wife, Ina and consequent demotion to sergeant; story of problem with arm; amusing story of parrot; nature of sergeants' mess; seasickness during troopship voyage to GB, 1/1947; demobilisation in GB, 1/1947. Post-war life and employment: background to decision not to re-enlist in Royal Artillery; difficulty in find in employment; various jobs held.