Description
Object description
British officer served with 6th Bn Gordon Highlanders, 2nd Infantry Bde, 1st Infantry Div in GB, Tunisia and Italy, 8/1942-2/1944
Content description
REEL 1 Aspects of enlistment and training as private with Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders Regimental Depot, Cameron Barracks, Inverness, 1940: reasons for volunteering for Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders; anticipations of coming war prior to 1939; reception; basic training; adjusting to military life; rations and supplementing rations in Inverness; accommodation; tactical and physical training; failure of some recruits; route marching; selection for officer training; instructional role of NCOs; attitude of conscript to call-up. Aspects of period as officer cadet with No 165 Officer Cadet Training Unit, Dunbar, 1940: behaviour of company sergeant-major; members of his platoon; syllabus of training including tactics, vehicle movement, platoon manoeuvres and military organisation; fire and movement tactics; siting of defensive positions; assessment at Officer Cadet Training Unit; social life and guard duties; opinion of training; return to Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders at Inverness.
REEL 2 Continues: Aspects of period as officer with 2nd Bn Liverpool Scottish in GB, 1941-1942: posting to unit at Banbury after signals course; reception at unit; composition of his platoon; character of training; character of Exercise Dryshod; night move to Eastbourne; organising concert; appointment to administrative officer; relations with adjutant. Aspects of period as officer with 6th Bn Gordon Highlanders, 2nd Infantry Bde, 1st Infantry Div in GB, 8/1942-2/1943: reception at Swaffham, 8/1942; training in co-operation with armour; tactics employed during tank co-operation; character of battalion; amphibious combined operations in Scotland; embarkation leave.
REEL 3 Continues: Recollections of operations as officer with 6th Bn Gordon Highlanders, 2nd Infantry Bde, 1st Infantry Div in North Africa, 3/1943-5/1943: character of voyage from GB to Algiers, French Algeria; role as defending officer at court martial; move by train to Sidi Moussa, French Algeria; impressions of French Algeria; hygiene precautions; accommodation at Sidi Moussa, French Algeria; deployment in hills overlooking Goubellat Plain, Tunisia; under German artillery fire in platoon positions on Djebel Jaffa, Tunisia; character of front line; leading reconnaissance patrol on Goubellat Plain, Tunisia including near encounter with German forces patrol; ambushing of German mining patrol; capture of German sentry during second reconnaissance patrol; choice of men for patrolling; frequency of patrols; contact with Arabs during inspection of huts; daily routine on Djebel Jaffa, Tunisia; exchange of fire with German forces during patrol.
REEL 4 Continues: deployment of patrol for ambush; character of German forces' approach towards ambushes; method of opening fire; outcome of ambush; lack of German forces' activity during day light; use of grenades during ambush; preparations for divisional attack on Banana Ridge, Tunisia; terrain on Banana Ridge, Tunisia; deployment of his platoon; German forces abandonment of positions; problems digging in on Banana Ridge, Tunisia; casualties to German tank fire; safety margin from barrage during attack; conduct of briefings prior to attack; character of German forces' positions on Banana Ridge, Tunisia; character of German forces' counter-attack; method of holding fire during attacks by German forces; source of reinforcements; view from Banana Ridge, Tunisia; character of next objective on Bou Arada, Tunisia; attack on Bou Arada, Tunisia.
REEL 5 Continues: role following up 1st Bn Irish Guards night attack on Bou Arada, Tunisia; occupying German forces' positions on Bou Arada, Tunisia and dealing with counter-attack; arrangements for dealing with wounded; German forces positions on Djebel bou Aoukaz, Tunisia; sight of British dead on top of Djebel bou Aoukaz, Tunisia; threat from German Air Force butterfly bombs; view of Allied assault on Tunis, Tunisia; forced march to attack Chouarche, Tunisia; dealing with German first aid post; impressions of American forces; degree of knowledge of strategic position; signal communications with battalion headquarters; German surrender; attending victory parade in Tunis, Tunisia. Recollections of operations as officer with B Coy, 6th Bn Gordon Highlanders, 2nd Infantry Bde, 1st Infantry Div on Pantelleria Island, Italy, 9/5/1943-13/6/1943: training in North Africa prior to attack on Pantelleria Island; reaction to hearing of planned attack.
REEL 6 Continues: sight of bombing of island and subsequent surrender of Italian forces; deployment of platoon on hill overlooking harbour; German Air Force attacks on harbour; repairing bombed house. Aspects of period as officer with B Coy, 6th Bn Gordon Highlanders, 2nd Infantry Bde, 1st Infantry Div in Tunisia, 6/1943-11/1943: return to Tunisia; role as liaison officer with German prisoner of war medical officers; relations with German prisoner of war medical officers; attending prisoner of war concert; character of officer prisoners of war from Hermann Göring Division; character of military chaplains; troops religious attitudes; question of British Army troops deficiency in singing. Aspects of operations as officer with B Coy, 6th Bn Gordon Highlanders, 2nd Infantry Bde, 1st Infantry Div in Italy, 12/1943-1/1944: nature of landing at Taranto, 12/1943; relations with Italian civilians at Spinazola; move to Salerno for amphibious training; embarking at Naples.
REEL 7 Continues: Recollections of operations as officer with B Coy, 6th Bn Gordon Highlanders, 2nd Infantry Bde, 1st Infantry Div at Anzio, Italy, 1/1944-2/1944: briefing for landings after embarkation; memorising map of landing area; personal morale; voyage from Naples to Anzio; equipment and rations carried; embarkation onto landing craft; reaction to sight of rocket bombardment of shore; character of landing; capture of German prisoner of war; platoon formation for advance up from the beach; move inland; opening fire on German armoured car; terrain forward of initial positions; first day on beach-head; leading night-time reconnaissance patrols; hearing build up of German forces; orders to take out fighting patrol to capture prisoners of war; execution of patrol.
REEL 8 Continues: move into ambush position; ambush and capture of German prisoner of war; return to Allied positions; thunderstorm during fourth night on bridgehead; taking up positions on right flank of bridgehead; location of battalion headquarters; size of positions held; German artillery bombardment of battalion positions; opening fire on German Army fighting patrol; move forward alone towards German positions; arrival of tank support; attacking German forces with tank support; capture of German prisoners of war; behaviour of German Army officer prisoner of war; German forces' response to British attack and nature of their positions.
REEL 9 Continues: dealing with German prisoners of war; sight of German armour approaching with infantry; encounter between battalion and German tanks; adjutant's capture of German prisoners of war; fate of A, C and D companies; role of battalion's Universal Carriers; move into reserve; under bombardment from German long-range artillery piece 'Anzio Annie'; conditions in reserve; deployment around farm; character of farm; sight of German forces' advance towards farm; orders to platoon to open fire on German forces' attack; receiving artillery support; company casualties; private who managed to find ambulance to evacuate wounded; strength of company after action; move back into wooded area.
REEL 10 Continues: casualties from German artillery fire in woods; move forward to positions in The Caves; character of reinforcements; driving off German fighting patrol with artillery; wounding in leg by German Air Force fighter aircraft. Aspects of medical treatment hospitalisation for wounds in Italy and GB, 1944: initial medical treatment; evacuation by landing ship tank to Naples; medical operation in Naples; problems with wound not healing; return to GB; reaction to arrival in GB. Aspects of period as officer with 9th Bn Seaforth Highlanders in GB, 1944-1945: posting to battalion, 10/1944; character of training battalion; importance of pipers during marches; qualities of troops and NCOs in 6th Bn Gordon Highlanders; pattern and duration of training; reasons for leaving army; demobilisation and resuming civilian employment; advantages of military experience.
