Interview with Oliver Bland

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Permitted use for these purposes:
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Description

Object description

British officer served with 852nd Indian Heavy Bridging Coy, Indian Engineers, Fourteenth Army in Burma, 1944-1945; served with British Control Commission for Germany in Germany, 7/1945-9/1945

Content description

REEL 1 Aspects of childhood in Saint Petersburg, Imperial Russian Empire, 1913-1917: sketches of revolutionary activity; escape from Russia to GB via Scandinavia. Aspects of period as child and architect in GB, 1917-1939: arrival in Hendon, GB, 1917; father's volunteering to work as intelligence officer with North Russia Relief Force, 1918-1919; reaction of mother to triumph of Bolshevism in Russia; character of education; working as architect for Warwickshire County Council, 1936-1939; his interest in Russia; visiting father in Hamburg, Germany, 1920s-1930s; attempt to join Secret Intelligence Service in 1939. Aspects of period as officer with Royal Engineers in GB, 1940-1942: background to enlistment and commissioning into Royal Engineers. REEL 2 Continues: question of reason why his application to join Secret Intelligence Service proved fruitless. Recollections of period as officer with 852nd Indian Heavy Bridging Coy, Fourteenth Army in Burma, 1944-1945: posting to India; opinion of Bailey Bridge; work of heavy bridging company; crossing River Chindwin, 12/1944; role of company as army troops; use of railway lines in construction of bridge; crossing River Irrawaddy, 1/1945; composition of company; hearing news of end of war in Europe, 5/1945; opinion of Indian National Army; running an anti-Japanese propaganda course for Indian officers; orders to return to GB, summer 1945. REEL 3 Continues: threat of Imperial Japanese Army troops in rear of advancing troops. Recollections of period as officer with Control Commission for Germany in Germany, 7/1945-9/1945: selection interview at Norfolk House in London; situation in Germany in immediate post-war period; work vetting Germans for employment; British attitude towards Germans who had been members of Nazi Party; attitude towards liaising with Soviet Army personnel; Soviet attitude towards Germans; use of Canadian personnel; demobilisation, 1945; story of being placed on standby with Intelligence Corps reserve during Cuban Missile Crisis, 1962. REEL 4 Continues: role of Control Commission for Germany; nature of relations with Soviet Army personnel; change in relations with German civilians.

Object Details

Category: Sound
Related period: 1990 to the present day (production), First World War (content), Second World War (content), Second World War (association)
Creator: IWM (Production company)
Smith, Lyn E (Recorder)
Bland, Oliver (Interviewee/Speaker)
Production date: 1999-08-03
Dimensions: whole: Duration 115, Number Of Items 4
Catalogue number: 19606

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Interview with Oliver Bland

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