Description
Object description
British officer served with A Sqdn, Sherwood Rangers in North West Europe, 1944-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in London, 1924-1942: family's military service; education; return to London after evacuation; memories of Munich Crisis, 1938; arrival of German Jews at Highbury School; memories of declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; effect of war on education. Recollections of training with Royal Armoured Corps in GB, 1942-1943: parent's reaction to enlistment; call-up to 52nd Training Regt at Bovington Camp; recruits adjusting to basic training; army discipline; move to 44 Troop, 58th Training Regt; behaviour of NCOs.
REEL 2 Continues: driving and maintenance training; problems driving Churchill tank; weapons training; introduction to signals; limitations of tactical training; contrast between British and German tank crew training; rations; decision to volunteer for War Office Selection Board; character of selection board at Warminster, 1943; attending pre-OCTU at Blackdown; pattern of training at OCTU at Royal Military College, Sandhurst; character of training exercise in North Wales; gunnery practise at Lulworth; father's reaction to graduation parade at Sandhurst, 4/1944.
REEL 3 Continues: question of inexperience of tactical instructors and length of time taken to turn out troop leaders; period in holding unit at Reith; orders to report to Southampton; waterproofing Cromwell tanks. Aspects of voyage from GB to Normandy, 6/1944: loading tanks on LCT, 7/6/1944; crossing Channel; comments of naval bombardment; sight of bodies of RAF Regt floating around ship; relationship with Royal Navy crew; problems of unloading tanks; strafing by German Air Force on Gold Beach, 10/6/1944; narrow escape from aerial dogfight. Recollections of operations as officer with A Sqdn, Sherwood Rangers in Normandy, 1944: reception at unit from Major John Simkin; first day in action at St Pierre; relationship with crew; degree of training as troop leader; memories of Major John Simkin.
REEL 4 Continues: commanding officer's reaction to reconnaissance on foot; sight of German tank commander with Neville Fern; Major John Simkin destruction of Tiger tank; method of identifying German tanks; importance of suppressive fire prior to advancing; technique for engaging German tanks; German use of snipers against tank commanders; use of captured German weapons; method of deceiving German snipers; tactical employment of tank troop; method of advancing including use of suppressing fire and cover; working with infantry and artillery; accidental firing on unit by RAF Hawker Typhoons; daily routine in Normandy.
REEL 5 Continues: night-time routine; meeting with squadron leader; opinion of role of unit in 8th Armoured Bde; degree of knowledge of wider aspects of war in Normandy; in action against German anti-tank team at Briquessard; advance from Normandy to River Seine; description of RAF support prior to attack at Briquessard; assault crossing over River Seine at Doullens; commanding officer's method of command; in action at Vernon; unit morale.
REEL 6 Continues: Recollections of operations as officer with A Sqdn, Sherwood Rangers in North West Europe, 1944-1945: further details of crossing of River Seine at Vernon, 8/1944; role supporting 4th Bn Somerset Light Infantry at Vernon; question of operating in wooded areas; importance of suppressive fire; operating in urban areas in Normandy; role of squadron commander; method of dealing with German Panzerfausts; fate of commanding officer of 4th Bn Somerset Light Infantry; advance to Doullens; tactics employed during attack at Doullens; discovery of V1 site and capture of German ground crew; treatment of German POWs; destruction of German 88mm at Doullens and subsequent advance.
REEL 7 Continues: reasons for bypassing Lille; opinion of German troops, equipment and morale; capture of Tournai; memories of leave in Louvain, c12/1944; advance into Netherlands; German policy of counter attack; notification of Operation Market Garden; role of 8th Armoured Bde; briefing for Operation Market Garden by General Montgomery; capture of Grave Bridge; comments on supply; arrival at Nijmegen; contact with Germans at Nijmegen; German Air Force attacks on Nijmegen Bridge; attitude of US 82nd Airborne Div personnel towards Germans; effect of being engaged by German 88mm.
REEL 8 Continues: organisation of squadron; further details of engagement with 88mm and death of Harry Heanan; move to Geilenkirchen, 11/1944; casualty rates amongst troop commanders; reasons for driving into minefield during attack on Geilenkirchen; German layout and marking of minefields; effect of mines on tank at Geilenkirchen; reasons for use of tank suits; report to commanding officer following loss of tank; initial bombardment prior to assault on Reichswald Forest; role as liaison officer during assault on Cleve; German Jagdpanther attack on vehicle convoy at Cleve; advance towards Goch.
REEL 9 Continues: character of Allied bombardments; opinion of effect of 25 Pounders; arrival of squadron commander, Bill Enderby; character of advance to Lochum; bogging down of tanks; bailing out of tank; destruction of tank; Sherman tank engines; comments on Sherwood Ranger graves at Lochum; method of requiring replacement tanks; limitations of Sherman Firefly; German propaganda leaflets; advance towards Bremen and encounter with German naval mines; advance into Bremen; attitude towards fighting as end of war drew nearer; reaction to end of war; move to Hanomag Factory at Hanover.
REEL 10 Continues: arrival and surrender of German armoured column at Einbeck. Aspects of service with British Army, 1945-1947: return to Catterick and selection for South East Asia Command; reaction to dropping of atomic bomb; posting to Derbyshire Yeomanry in Egypt; duties carried out in desert; relations with Bedouin Arabs; return to GB and demobilisation. Reflections on service with Sherwood Rangers in Second World War: attitude to having served with Sherwood Rangers in Second World War; role of doctor and padre of unit; comments of using women in front-line service in tanks; comments of comradeship amongst tank crews.