Interview with David William Evans

British gunner served with 411th Coy, 1/5th Bn Durham Light Infantry (54th Searchlight Regt), 43rd Anti-Aircraft Bde, 7th Anti-Aircraft Div in GB, 5/1939-8/1940; gunner and NCO served with 411th Bty, 54th (Durham Light Infantry) Searchlight Regt, Royal Artillery, 43rd and 31st Anti-Aircraft Bdes, 7th and 10th Anti-Aircraft Divs in GB, 1939-1941; NCO trained and served as radar mechanic with Royal Army Ordnance Corps in GB, 1941-1942; served as instruments mechanic with Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers in GB, 1942-1946

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Hurworth-on-Tees, Darlington and Stockton-on-Tees, GB, 1919-1939: family background; review of father's war service during First World War, 1914-1918; social circumstances; education at Stockton Grammar School. REEL 2 Continues: recreational activities, lifestyle, discipline and social circumstances as child; employment as bank clerk, 1936-1939; holidaying in Scarborough; cycling; church activities; question of approach of Second World War. REEL 3 Continues: Recollections of period as gunner with 411th Coy, 1/5th Bn Durham Light Infantry (54th Searchlight Regt), 43rd Anti-Aircraft Bde, 7th Anti-Aircraft Div at Norton Drill Hall, Stockton-on-Tees, GB, 5/1939-9/1939: introduction of conscription and decision to join Territorial Army; background to enlistment in regiment and father's service with band; kitting out; nature of drill hall; training on sound locator; deployment of half of unit to Cleveland Hills, 8/1939; mobilisation at Norton Drill Hall, 1/9/1939; first guard duty and news of declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; barrage balloons struck by lightning. Recollections of period as NCO with 411th Coy, 1/5th Bn Bn Durham Light Infantry (54th Searchlight Regt), 43rd Anti-Aircraft Bde, 7th Anti-Aircraft Div in GB, 9/1939-8/1940: bus journey to Malton, 9/1939; appointment of NCOs; tented accommodation; initial role as telephonist; composition of unit; move to join W Searchlight Section at Westow; system of co-operation between searchlight units and with Royal Air Force. REEL 4 Continues: crew roles on searchlight, generator, sound locator and Lewis Gun; question of effectiveness of searchlights and sound locators when in action against aircraft; move to join W Searchlight Section at Grange House Farm, Westow; guard and air sentry duties; searchlight drill; Lewis Gun maintenance; water supply; general duties; constant readiness for immediate action at night; snow; question of length of deployment; searchlight maintenance; issue of rifles; effects of fatigue and consequent increase in detachment size; assisting farmer with harvest. REEL 5 Continues: relations with civilians; leave; changes in composition of unit. Recollections of period as gunner and NCO served with 411th Bty, 54th (Durham Light Infantry) Searchlight Regt, Royal Artillery, 43rd and 31st Anti-Aircraft Bdes, 7th and 10th Anti-Aircraft Divs in GB, 1940-1941: change of unit designation to 411th Bty, 54th (Durham Light Infantry) Searchlight Regt, Royal Artillery, 8/1940; relations and role of gunners, NCOs and officers; site inspections; rations; living conditions and recreational activities; story of drunken soldier; latrines; anti-invasion preparations; civilian lorry for use of Home Guard; use of baths; move as switchboard telephonist to Whitwell on the Hill; earwig problem. REEL 6 Continues: composition of section headquarters; dummy aircraft; homing beacon system; attending potential NCO course at Castle Howard; promotion to lance bombardier and posting to searchlight site at Fimber, 10/1940; re-equipment with new 150cm and 90cm Projector Searchlights and sound locators; attending sound location courses; site layout; promotion to bombardier; narrow escapes during German Air Force raids; regular German Air Force nightly activity; canteen; relations with fellow NCOs; duties as bombardier; concert parties; attending radar searchlight control course; nature of new equipment on attending wireless and radar operator courses, 1940; selection for radar mechanics course. REEL 7 Continues: subsequent history of unit, 1941-1945. Aspects of period as NCO attending radar mechanics courses with Royal Army Ordnance Corps at Norwood Technical College, West Norwood and Cheltenham, GB, 1941-1942: reception; accommodation and Morrison Shelter; bomb damage; instructors; nature of course; question of excess radar mechanics. Aspects of period as NCO with Royal Army Ordnance Corps Central Ordnance Depot, Donnington, 1942: general duties; choice of retraining courses. Recollections of period as NCO with Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers in GB, 1942-1945: attending instrument mechanics course at No 1 Technical Training Centre, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Osmaston Barracks, Derby, 1942, including reception on arrival, presence of Canadian military personnel and meeting future wife; posting to workshop at Killingworth, 1942-1943; attending armament artificers course at Bury, 1943-1944, including accommodation, relations with civilians and marriage, 12/1943; posting to Headquarters, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers at Arborsfield, 1944; description of 'window'; promotion to staff sergeant on move to Harlow; developments in predictors to cope with speed of German VI Flying Bomb. REEL 8 Continues: problems with German VI Flying Bomb including use of Royal Air Force fighter aircraft, nature of damage and use of massed anti-aircraft barrage; role installing Pyle portable platforms for anti-aircraft guns; role visiting anti-aircraft gun sites with light aid detachment in Clacton-on-Sea area; last barrage fired at German V1 Flying Bomb; story illustrating lack of defences against German V2 Rocket; reaction to VE Day, 8/5/1945; various postings with Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers in GB, 1945-1946; demobilisation procedure, 1946: