Chester, Charles (Oral history)

British private and NCO served with Dorsetshire Regt in GB, 1938-1940; officer cadet served with 170 Officer Cadet Training Unit in Aldershot, GB, 1940; officer served with Northumberland Fusiliers Depot in GB, 1940; served with 70th Bn Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regt in GB, 1940-1941; served with 2nd Bn Northumberland Fusiliers in GB and North Africa, 1941-1943; staff officer served with British Army in GB and France, 1943-1944; served with No 3 Independent Machine Gun Coy in North West Europe and Germany, 1944-1946; served with School of Administration in Germany, 1946-1948; served with 7th Armoured Div Headquarters in Germany, 1948-1949; served with Demonstration Regt School of Infantry in GB, 1949-1950; served with 1st Bn Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, 29th British Infantry Bde in Korea, 1950-1951 and Hong Kong, 1951-1952; served with Vistry School in GB, 1952; served with Royal Military College of Science in GB, 1952-1954; served with 5th Bn Malay Regt in Malaya, 1954-1956; served with 1st Bn Royal Northumberland Fusiliers in GB and Hong Kong, 1956-1965; served with Army Apprentices College in GB, 1965-1968; served with Royal Military College in Malaysia, 1968-1970

REEL 1 Background in India and GB, 1920-1938: military background of family; education in India and at Dover; joining of army. Aspects of period as private and NCO with Dorsetshire Regt in GB, 1938-1940: reception on arrival at Weymouth; relationship with and background of recruits; pattern of training; knowledge of and reaction to approaching war; discipline including cleaning of equipment; inspection before being allowed out of camp; memories of NCOs; accommodation; rations; leisure activities and sports; weapons training including details of Boyes anti-tank rifle; posting to 2nd Battalion at Aldershot; leisure activities and end to working day; exercises; return to depot as NCO instructor; training given to recruits; reasons for making application for commission. Aspects of period as officer cadet with 170 Officer Cadet Training Unit in Aldershot, GB, 1940: pattern of training; memories of fellow officer cadets; opinion of training; earlier contact with troops returning from Dunkirk; choice of regiment. Aspects of period as officer with Northumberland Fusiliers Depot in GB, 1940: posting to Newcastle; reception from fellow officers on arrival. REEL 2 Continues: details of unit; wait for posting; situation in GB. Aspects of period as officer with 70th Bn Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regt in GB, 1940-1941: details of posting at RAF West Raynham; details of airfield defences including weapons in unit; story of invasion alert; memories of Station Commander Percy Bernard; activities in officers' mess; story of embarkation party for RAF Squadron; visit from Winston Churchill; period with demonstration platoon at Small Arms School in Netheravon; opinion of Vickers machine gun; details of mortars. Aspects of period as officer with 2nd Bn Northumberland Fusiliers in GB, 1941-1943: postings and accommodations in Scotland including in Sir Walter Scott's home at Selkirk; fitness training; details of battle course set-up in Selkirk; firing exercises; posting to Bakehouse; changes to battalion and news of posting to North Africa; details of new recruits. REEL 3 Continues: problems with remembering names; details of voyage to Algiers. Aspects of period as officer with 2nd Bn Northumberland Fusiliers in North Africa, 1943: march to campsite on arrival; mountain training; wounding and infection of wounds. Aspects of period as officer with British Army in GB and France, 1943-1944: treatment received during hospitalisation in Chester; opinion of Royal Army Medical Corps; voyage to and landing at Normandy; period with holding unit near Bayeux including news of war. Aspects of operations as officer with No 3 Support Coy Northumberland Fusiliers in North West Europe, 1944-1945: details of unit; role in company and of brigade; details of advance north into Low Countries and Germany; details of action at Schilberg; contact with civilians in various places; story of collaborator taken prisoner; treatment of collaborators. REEL 4 Continues: casualties; stories of shelling received and memories of troops; duties and memories of batmen; events during period at 's-Hertogenbosch; supply of rations; knowledge of Holocaust and contact with displaced persons; attitude to Germans including opposition during crossing of Ems Canal; use of machine guns during advance to Hamburg; opinion of German troops and uniform; story of German soldiers captured in village; action against SS on outskirts of Hamburg; opinion of German weapons; contact with Allied troops of other nations. REEL 5 Continues: final action and surrender of Hamburg. Aspects of period as officer with 3rd Independent Machine Gun Coy in Germany, 1945-1946: processing and attitude of surrendering German troops; impressions of civilians; accommodation in and state of Hamburg; period in Schleswig- Holstein; concerns about German resistance; VE Day celebrations; journey to Berlin including problems encountered on border with Russian Zone; state of Berlin and civilians; details of barracks; preparations for and description of Victory Parade; relationship with Russian troops including change of barracks; leisure activities; weapons carried; rations including visit to Copenhagen; mail including war service of family members; length of period in Berlin; story of horse outside barracks; details of posting in village outside Hamburg; decision to remain in army; rank and duties; disbandment of unit. REEL 6 Continues: Aspects of period as officer with School of Administration in Germany, 1946-1948: details of Bad Lippspringe; role and courses run by school including make-up of staff; teaching of accounting; troubleshooting visit to units in GB; length of posting. Aspects of period as staff officer with 7th Armoured Div Headquarters in Germany, 1948-1949: involvement in and details of courts of enquiry; duties with courts martial; stories of cases involved in including problems with blackmailer and murderer; frequency of re- posting; details of period in Gibraltar with Northumberland Fusiliers. Aspects of period as officer with Demonstration Regt School of Infantry in Warminster, GB, 1949-1950: role of regiment; accommodation; story of concealment demonstration. REEL 7 Continues: Aspects of period as officer with 1st Bn Northumberland Fusiliers in GB, 1950: training for posting to Korea in Norfolk; background of troops; opinions of National Servicemen; expectation of war on return from Gibraltar; expected role in Korea; disembarkation from Southampton; details of voyage from Southampton to Pusan including story of ill soldier. Aspects of operations as officer with 1st Bn Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, 29th British Infantry Bde in Korea, 1950-1951: scenes on arrival in Pusan; journey to Kaisan with transport including knowledge of opposition; accommodation; split of battalion; preparations for expected attack on Kaisan; arrival of company commander; story of American officer; items bought with pay; washing facilities; story of civilian attached to brigade; casualties; preparations for withdrawal; conditions in camp at Seoul; story of items gained from Americans; defences dug outside Seoul; details of attack from Chinese and casualties; period in position established on hill; Chinese withdrawal; details of withdrawal south; winter conditions. REEL 8 Continues: situation in Korea; opinion of American organisation; preparations for possible evacuation from Korea; memories of General Ridgeway; winter conditions in trenches; sleeping arrangements; story of afraid soldier; story of Koreans shooting POWs; details of Korean civilian porters; living conditions for civilians; story of withdrawal via Seoul; events following withdrawal; condition of American positions taken over in central Korea; situation in Korea; climate through year; treatment of British POWs; posting to Hong Kong. Aspects of period as officer with 1st Bn Royal Northumberland Fusiliers in Hong Kong, 1951-1952: expectation of invasion; role and activities in New Territories; items available in Hong Kong; opinion of likelihood of invasion; leisure activities. REEL 9 Continues: involvement in move to Brancepeth; news and details of posting to Netheravon. Aspects of period as officer with Vistry School in Netheravon, GB, 1952: details of school; book written on concealment; make-up of school; role in exercises; lectures given; use of sound; uses of ideas in action; length of posting; later downscaling of Vistry School; role of posting and details of technical staff course undertaken at Royal Military College of Science in Shrivenham, 1952-1954. Aspects of period as officer with 5th Bn Malay Regt in Malaya, 1954-1956: reason for gaining posting; flight to Malaya; first impressions of Malaya and journey to Port Dixon; joining of battalion at Muar; reunion with Korean War veteran; problems with wildlife during interview with commanding officer; details of postings on rubber estates including accommodation; communication with troops; details of searches for bandits including memories of a captured bandit; activities of bandits; opinion of posting and learning about fauna; length of posting. REEL 10 Continues: run-up to independence and relationship with civilians; activities of bandits north of Kuala Lumpur and story of attack made on them; method of keeping civilians separated from bandits and planned ambush; leisure activities; conditions for families including visits of cinema and rations; conditions for civilians; opinion of posting; story of captured python including description of patrols; religion of troops including activities of imam; character of Malay troops; story of discussion about rations; independence celebrations; changes to country; departure from Malaya including story of monkey collecting ex-officer. REEL 11 Continues: details of barracks at Muar; story of departure from Muar; details of voyage to GB. Aspects of period as officer with 1st Bn Northumberland Fusiliers in GB and Hong Kong, 1956-1965: story of involvement in bringing battalion from Munster to GB; period at Barnard Castle; activities of battalion in Hong Kong including married quarters and accommodation in different areas; leisure activities; guard duties; riot control exercises in Kowloon; education of children; facilities in barracks. Aspects of period as officer with Army Apprentices College in Arborfield, GB, 1965-1968: role and make-up of college; duties including details of training given to apprentices; sports; story of ill disciplined apprentice; length of posting; gaining of posting in Malaysia. Aspects of period as officer with Royal Military College in Sungai Besi, Malaysia, 1968-1970: knowledge of language; expansion of Malaysian Army and reunion with old colleagues; British personnel in Malaysia; training given to students including staff at college. REEL 12 Continues: lecturing on overthrow of government; passing out parades; story of gaining new training ground; change to role and duties; length of posting; role and history of college; memories of General Gerald Templer; death of wife; short period at Army School of Transport; army medical care given to family; departure from army. Aspects of period as civilian in GB from 1970: reasons for becoming teacher; civilian work as teacher; retirement. Aspects of period as officer with 3rd Independent Machine Gun Coy in North West Europe and Germany, 1944-1946: relationship with Russians in Berlin including during takeover of Wedding area and opinion of Russian Army's aims in 1945; discussion of fear among troops and tiredness during war; firing of PIAT gun. REEL 13 Continues: story of soldier afraid to fire PIAT; discussion of officer selection; opinion and memories of padres during North West Europe campaign; examples of ill discipline in Germany dealt with including story of troops concealing illicit vehicles; story of padre's tent; religion among troops; opinion and activities of Military Police; casualties from accidents in Korea; discussion of issue of bravery medals; memories of other ranks; story of visit to Berlin Museum and other opportunities for looting; requisitioning of property in Germany; story of Van Dyk painting in Berlin Shell Depot; details of military court system. REEL 14 Continues: details of cases involved in while posted with 7th Armoured Div Headquarters; bartering with civilians in Germany; process of demobilisation; details of pension; reflections on army career; story of relieving stress problems; story of Royal Engineer laying lines in Hong Kong; events following suicide of civilian worker in Hong Kong; importance of commanding officer and regiment sergeant major.