Interview with William Gordon Cantlay

British officer served with 14th Field Sqdn, Royal Engineers, Guards Armoured Div in GB and North West Europe, 1943-1945

REEL 1 Background in Aberdeen, GB, 1921-1941: family; education; plans to follow career in engineering; memories of outbreak of Second World War, 3/9/1939; family's military service; membership of Home Guard in Aberdeen, 1940- 1941; duties and exercises with Home Guard. Recollections of enlistment and training as sapper and NCO with Royal Engineers in GB, 6/1941-1/1943: enlistment, 6/1941; reporting for training at Ripon; attachment to No 49 Training Party for basic training; move to Newark-on-Trent; pattern of training at Newark-on-Trent; promotion to lance corporal and taking charge of next training draft, 12/1941; experiences of War Office Selection Board and pre-Officer Cadet Training Unit; comments on officer training and selection; Royal Engineer organisation at formation and unit level. REEL 2 Continues: Aspects of period as and officer with 14th Field Sqdn, Royal Engineers, Guards Armoured Div in GB, 1/1943-6/1944: posting to company, near Frome, 1/1943; memories of training Exercise Spartan; experiences of working with Guards Armoured Div personnel; awareness of German minefield capabilities; pattern of training during preparations for invasion of Normandy, France; attachment as training officer to No 143 Officer Cadet Training Unit, Royal Engineers, 1943; rejoining company at Brighton, 1/1944; receiving news of D-Day, 6/6/1944; embarkation at Tilbury, 19/6/1944. Recollections of operations as officer with 14th Field Company, Royal Engineers, Guards Armoured Div in Normandy, France, 6/1944-8/1944: landing in Normandy; initial role of clearing vehicle routes; rotating of company personnel through front line to gain experience; initial reaction to German Army mortar fire; initial experience of German mines; being left out of battle during Operation Goodwood, 7/1944; divisional regrouping in Caen area, late 7/1944; lessons learnt from Operation Goodwood; role as engineers attached to 2nd (Armoured) Bn Irish Guards and 5th Bn Coldstream Guards; introduction of policy of linking armour and infantry units. REEL 3 Continues: move to Saint-Martin-des-Besacres; divisional advance to contact at Estry; cutting off of company during German forces' counter-attack; setting up booby-traps and capture of German Kubelwagen; use of Projector Infantry Anti-Tank (PIAT) as mortar; question of absence of briefing on German forces; clearing roadblock for 1st (Mechanised) Bn Grenadier Guards; problems 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Div had crossing River Seine at Vernon, France. Aspects of operations as officer with 14th Field Sqdn, Royal Engineers, Guards Armoured Div in Belgium, 8/1944-9/1944: regrouping of division into battlegroups; personal method of operating; advance to Brussels; entry into Brussels; advance to Albert Canal; fighting around Meuse-Escaut Canal. REEL 4 Continues: reconnaissance role of Household Cavalry; capture of bridge over Meuse-Escaut Canal, 10/9/1944. Recollections of operations as officer with 14th Field Sqdn, Royal Engineers attached to Guards Armoured Div in Netherlands, 9/1944-10/1944: divisional preparations for Operation Market Garden; assessment of strategic situation, 10/9/1944; briefing for Operation Market Garden; unit equipment during breakout from bridgehead, 17/9/1944; initial advance with lead armoured squadron, 17/9/1944; withdrawal to allow Royal Air Force air strike on German positions, 17/9/1944; under fire at bridge; arrival at Valkenswaard; delays to advance, 18/9/1944; problems with German 88mm Gun at Aalst; making telephone call to Son, 18/9/1944; construction of bridge at Son overnight; advance to Eindhoven; story of capture of Nijmegen Bridge, 20/9/1944; comments on neutralisation of bridge demolitions at Nijmegen Bridge, 20/9/1944. REEL 5 Continues: continuing advance northwards; repairing damage after German frogman attack on bridge at Eindhoven, 10/1944. Recollections of operations as officer with 14th Field Sqdn, Royal Engineers, Guards Armoured Div in North West Europe, 1944-1945: constructing leave camp at Bourg-Leopold, Belgium; improving river crossing on River Meuse, Belgium; use of dog platoon to find mines; divisional role during German Ardennes Offensive, 12/1944; leave in GB, 1/1945; preparations to provide support for 51st (Highland) Infantry Div at Gennep, Netherlands; wounding during demolishing of bridge; medical evacuation; rejoining company in Germany, 3/1945; bridge building across River Rhine, Germany, 3/1945-4/1945; tank commander's comments on Churchill Tank; advance northwards into Netherlands. REEL 6 Continues: method of advancing into Germany, 4/1945-5/1945; capture of German Panzerfaust operator; nature of advance into Germany, 4/1945-5/1945 including clearing roadblocks; treatment of Waffen-SS prisoners of war; German use of magnetic mines near Cuxhaven, Germany; psychological effects of military service; occupation duties in Germany; comments on fraternisation with German civilians; mine clearing techniques.