Description
Object description
British private served as driver with 4th Bn Dorsetshire Regt, 4th Bn Dorsetshire Regt, 130th Infantry Bde, 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Div in GB and North West Europe, 9/1939-5/1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Dorchester, GB, 1919-1939: father's military service with British Army, 1914-1933; family; education; civilian employment including for Astor family at Cliveden; joining of Territorial Army. Recollections of period as driver with 4th Bn Dorsetshire Regt, 130th Infantry Bde, 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Div in GB, 3/1939-6/1944: learning to drive; pattern of training; declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; accommodation in Weymouth; transport situation; issue of motorcycle at Portland; arrival of battalion transport after return to Weymouth; move to Cucklington including deployment of battalion; reinforcements; NCOs in unit; duties; officers in unit; accommodation; duties as lorry driver; background to move to Berkhamsted; lorry issued and role; accommodation and sleeping arrangements; reaction to wider war situation; move to Hatfield Forest; accommodation; aerial activity and sight of bombed London; story of soldier borrowing lorry; being placed on charge for not shaving; background of troops; accommodation in Hatfield; German Air Force raid.
REEL 2 Continues: problems with feet during route marches; story of German Air Force raid during exercise; location of motor transport section in Dover; period at Dover Castle including incident soldier charged for shooting at German Air Force aircraft; aerial activity; German shelling of Dover including casualties; transporting troops around Dover; posting to St Margaret's Bay; driving in snow to Dover; description of cook's wagon including peeling of potatoes; collection and supply of rations; move to barracks in Canterbury; exercises; fitness training including problems experienced on route marches; attending fitters course undertaken; German Air Force attacks at Cliftonville and Sandwich; leisure activities; exercise in East Anglia; move in Herne Bay; exercise to cross swimming pool in full kit; story of crashing plane; comradeship and troops posted away from battalion; leave including method of getting home for five pence.
REEL 3 Continues: formation and composition of support company; reaction to posting to anti-tank platoon; accident during exercise and subsequent interview with commanding officer; prior recollection of meeting with T E Lawrence; relationship with mother and future wife; problems with Morris Commercial C8 Field Artillery Tractor Quad during exercise in North Yorkshire; role in and composition of anti-tank platoon; further details of exercises; posting to and role in mortar platoon; health problems; accommodation in Bexhill-on-Sea; leisure activities; hospitalisation; return to battalion and second spell of hospitalisation; knowledge of and reaction to overseas posting; preparations for invasion of Normandy, France including seasickness test at Newhaven; journey to London and night spent in Golders Green. Aspects of voyage from GB to Normandy, France, 6/1944: embarkation at East India Docks, London; conditions on board ship crossing English Channel; ship's crew and sights off coast of Normandy, France; loss of 43rd Reconnaissance Regt.
REEL 4 Continues: aerial activity; period moored off coast of Normandy, France; boarding of landing craft; Aspects of operations as driver with 4th Bn Dorsetshire Regt, 130th Infantry Bde, 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Div in Normandy, France, 6/1944-8/1944: character of beach landing and move inland; description of Loyd Carrier; method of brewing tea; wait for rest of battalion transport; return to beach; movement inland; relief of 15th (Scottish) Division; position taken in sunken lane; battalion's first action; receiving of orders; firing of mortars; supply of ammunition and petrol; uses of petrol tins; rations; advance from Creully; action at Éterville and aftermath; problem experienced during battle; period at Colleville-sur-Orne including effects of artillery shelling; loss of band's instruments; arrival of reinforcements.
REEL 5 Continues: recovery of vehicles from Éterville; later mortar attack faced in Éterville; position taken at Hill 112; fixing of telephone lines; opposition faced; opinion of Allied strength; rest period in Bayeux; description of position taken on river; story of gas-driven car and artillery fire; wounding of sergeant; advance through Bocage terrain including attacks by German forces and battalion casualties at La Bigne; description of destroyed M4 Sherman Tank; problems with track on Loyd Carrier; burial of casualties; capture of German Army motorcycle; discovery of casualties; story of artillery fire in orchard at Ondefontaine.
REEL 6 Continues: attack on Mont Pinçon including method of dealing with snipers; period at summit of Mont Pinçon; move to Saint-Denis-de-Méré; story of giving lift to intelligence staff; washing facilities and latrines; question of fatigue; damage caused by Royal Air Force Hawker Typhoon; German use of machine guns; sights witnessed in Falaise Gap; crossing of River Seine at Vernon; problems faced beyond Vernon including factory clearance; accidental artillery fire received from Royal Artillery; contact with Polish troops; action at farm; discovery of troops and equipment left behind from 1940; obtaining trailer; sniper in church tower.
REEL 7 Continues: rest period at Tilly, 8/1944-9/1944; knowledge of wider war, Recollections of operations as driver with 4th Bn Dorsetshire Regt, 130th Infantry Bde, 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Div, 8/1944-5/1945: visit to Paris, France; relations with French civilians; journey to Lille, France; further problems with Loyd Carrier; relations with officers; contact with civilians; advance through Belgium to Nijmegen, Netherlands, 9/1944; problem with ration supply whilst at Elst, Netherlands, 9/1944; situation and attacks on brickworks; journey to and period in Groesbeek, Netherlands, 9/1944-10/1944; items obtained from glider; nature of advance; clearance of mines in Geilenkirchen, Germany; advance on Heinsberg, Germany; rest period; advance into Germany; story of narrow escape from mine.
REEL 8 Continues: items obtained in Germany; involvement in operations in Ardennes, Belgium, 12/1944-1/1945; advance through Reichswald Forest and Cleve, Germany, 2/1945; rations and other items obtained in Germany; nature of advance north through Netherlands; leave in GB; state of Germany; contact with German civilians; rations gained; situation in Bremen, Germany; German mining of roads; contact with German civilians including help given to woman in labour; contact with concentration camp survivors; reunion with midwife; receiving news of and reaction to end of Second World War in Europe. Aspects of period as private with 4th Bn Dorsetshire Regt in Germany and Italy, 5/1945-2/1946: activities in Bremerhaven, Germany.
REEL 9 Continues: story of night out with Displaced Persons; contact with German civilians; night patrols; contact with Soviet Army troops; leave in Germany; journey to Bari, Italy; duties; opinion of Italy; attitude to demobilisation. Post-war life and employment: background to marriage; gratuity; details of civilian employment; reflections on military service; opinion about pensions; period on Army Reserve; details of troops suffering from stress; contact with United States Army troops during Second World War.