Interview with Robert James Lockyer

British NCO served as fitter with Light Aid Detachment attached to 1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry in GB and France, 9/1939-4/1940; served with Light Aid Detachment attached to 1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, 1st Light Armoured Reconnaissance Bde in France, 4/1940-5/1940; served with 1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, 3rd Motor Machine Gun Bde and 29th Armoured Bde in GB, 6/1940-12/1941; served with 42nd Armoured Div Workshops in GB, 1/1942-10/1943; served with 823rd Armoured Troops Workshop, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers in GB and North West Europe, 10/1943-1/1946

REEL 1 Background in Bere Regis, GB, 1913-1939: family; education; employment. Recollections of period as NCO with Light Aid Detachment with 1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry in GB and France, 9/1939-4/1940: call-up of Supplementary Reserve, 9/1939; issue of uniform; reaction of father to enlistment; orders to join Light Aid Detachment attached to Fife and Forfar Yeomanry at Beaumont Cavalry Barracks, Aldershot Garrison, GB; question of lack of basic training; unit vehicles; composition of detachment; story of working on Light Tank Mk VIB; voyage to France, 20/1/1940; supervising unloading of tanks at Le Havre, 1/1940; despatch rider's accident on route to Monneville, France; composition of detachment in France; move to Bours, France; receiving news of death of baby son; opinion of Light Tank Mk VIb. REEL 2 Continues: story of dealing with condemned impressed vehicle. Recollections of operations as NCO with Light Aid Detachment attached to 1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, 1st Light Armoured Reconnaissance Bde in France and Belgium, 4/1940-5/1940: move to Ivry-la-Bataille, France to form 1st Armoured Reconnaissance Bde, 4/1940; travelling on train; move to Tournai, Belgium, 5/1940; situation in bombed Tournai, Belgium, 5/1940; taking cover during German Air Force attacks; move to Cassels, France, 5/1940; abandoning attempt to repair Bren Gun Carriers; acquiring wine; orders to make for Dunkirk, France, 5/1940; method of making way to Bray-Dunes, France; evacuation by rowing boat to coaster; German Air Force attacks on coaster; casualties on board coaster. REEL 3 Continues: evacuation to Margate, GB. Aspects of period as NCO with Light Aid Detachment attached to 1st Fife and Forfar, 3rd Motor Machine Gun Bde and 28th Armoured Bde in GB, 6/1940-12/1941: move Nottingham; formation of 28th Armoured Bde workshop at Northampton; hospitalisation, 1/1941; attending staff sergeant's course, 6/1941; attending tank course at Wokingham; medical problems. Aspects of period as NCO with 42nd Armoured Div Workshops and 823rd Armoured Troops Workshop, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers in GB, 1/1942-6/1944: move with 42nd Armoured Div Workshops to Hawes; servicing Churchill Tanks at Retford; promotion to warrant officer; move to Bedale; reorganisation of workshops at Carlton, 1943-1944; move to Middleton-on-Sea, 3/1944; welding track links to tanks. REEL 4 Continues: move into sealed camp near Gosport. Recollections of operations as NCO with 823rd Armoured Troops Workshop, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers in Normandy, France, 6/1944-8/1944: crossing English Channel; de-waterproofing vehicles in Normandy; use of Ward La France recovery truck; move towards Tilly-sur-Seulles; checking damaged tanks; duties in Normandy; move to Vernon on River Seine. Recollections of operations as NCO with to 823rd Armoured Troops Workshop, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers in North West Europe, 8/1944-5/1945: move to Escaut Canal via Brussels, Belgium; move to Grave, Netherlands; repairing Churchill Bridge-Layer Tank; repairing Canadian Ram Tank; move into Germany; conditions of tanks in depot at Lingen, Germany. REEL 5 Continues: Aspects of period with 823rd Armoured Troops Workshop, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers in Germany, 5/1945-1/1946: move to former Hanomag Factory at Hanover; arranging for Panther Tanks to be completed by Royal Mechanical and Electrical Engineers; membership of unit band; demobilisation, 1/1946; attitude to having served with British Army; return to civilian life, 1946; question of effects of military service.