Hall, Peter Geoffrey Bown (Oral history)

British officer served with 11th and 1st Bns Worcestershire Regt in GB and North West Europe, 1940-1945. Served with 1st Bn Worcestershire Regt and attached to 2nd Bn Malay Regt and 1st Bn Federation Regt in Malaya, 1951-1957

REEL 1 Background in Weston super Mare, 1919-1939: family; education; reasons for joining Territorial Army, 1939. Aspects of period as platoon commander with 15 Platoon, C Coy, 11th Bn Worcestershire Regt in GB, 1940-1943: commissioning into unit after OCTU at Aldershot; coastal defence in Caister area; role as platoon commander; joining 9th Armoured Div in Northamptonshire; role as lorried infantry and transport marches; reasons for transfer to 214 Guards Independent Bde; relations with guards. Aspects of period as officer with 1st Bn Worcestershire Regt, 43rd Div in GB, 1943-1944: how 11th Bn became 1st Bn; move to join 43rd Div in Sussex/Kent area; opinion of PIAT; entering closed camp at Heathfield, 1944; censoring of letters; embarkation procedure. REEL 2 Continues: Recollections of operations as officer with 1st Bn Worcestershire Regt, 43rd Div in Normandy, 6/1944: smell of dead cattle of battlefield; impressions of Normandy including attitude of French civilians; wounding by British shell during assault on ridge at Moen, c16/6/1944; evacuation to GB with wounds. Recollections of operations as officer with 1st Bn Worcestershire Regt, 43rd Div in North West Europe, 1944-1945: return to unit after touring munitions factories, 9/1944; role as second in command of B Coy; role of unit during Operation Market Garden; amusing story of arresting Dutch policeman at Eindhoven; traffic chaos at Nijmegen, 9/1944; reconnaissance patrol on The Island; accident he had in barn; character of A Echelon; sound of German frogmen attacking bridge at Nijmegen; duties as second in command of company; capture by Germans during reconnaissance patrol at Elst and his escape under RAF attack. REEL 3 Continues: return to unit; period in reserve; patrolling in Dekkerswald; amusing story of soldier's encounter with German in Dekkerswald; capture of German POWs; living conditions during winter, 1944-1945; attempt to obtain Dutch pig to supplement rations; escapades during leave in Antwerp; role commanding A Coy during attack on autobahn in Millingen-Vehlingen area, 27/3/1945; problems with supporting tanks, 27/3/1945. REEL 4 Continues: outcome of autobahn attack, 27/3/1945; attacking German positions on River Lethe, 4/1945; German counter-attack at River Lethe; character of German battle group on River Lethe, 4/1945; second wounding and treatment by Sir Archibald McIndoe at East Grinstead. Attitude to having served with 1st Bn Worcestershire Regt in Second World War. Recollections of operations as officer with 1st Bn Worcestershire Regt in Malaya, 1951- 1954: personal interpretation on politico-strategic situation in Malaya prior to Emergency; posting of unit to Kluang, 1951; role commanding A Coy; discomforts of being in jungle; change in attitude towards jungle operations; importance of contact with jungle dwellers. REEL 5 Continues: information obtained from Surrendered Enemy Personnel; leading ambush on insurgents; capture of documents; appearance of dead insurgents; question of success of insurgents; level of unit casualties; story of Iban tracker who won George Medal; reasons why insurgents did not attack unit's camp; co-operation with planters and police. Recollections of operations attached to 2nd Bn Malay Regt and 1st Bn Federation Regt in Malaya, 1954-1957: background to posting to 2nd Bn Malay Regt in Perak; opinion of Malayan troops; transfer to newly formed 1st Bn Federation Regt at request of General Gerald Templer; discovery of arms dump in Cameron Highlands. REEL 6 Continues: aftermath of arms dump discovery; problems organising a multi-race force; amusing story of Sikh officer's camouflaged head gear; leaving unit; particular characteristics of operating in Perak; attitude towards insurgents; role in connection with New Village system; unit officers; uniforms worn by Malay Regt; proximity of service families to unit; memories of General Gerald Templer; attitude towards committee system; opinion of Malayan Police. REEL 7 Continues: educational provision in Malay Regt; disposition of troops in jungle on patrol; signals used on jungle patrols.