Reynolds, Sidney George 'Ray' (Oral history)

British gunner served with 50 Light Anti-Aircraft Regt, Royal Artillery in GB, 1939-1940; NCO served with 21st Independent Parachute Coy and with Airborne Forces Development Centre in GB, 1940-1942; officer cadet trained at OCTU at Heysham Towers in GB, 1943; officer served with 3rd Bn Parachute Regt in GB, Arnhem, Netherlands and Palestine, 1943-1946

REEL 1 Background in London, GB, 1919-1938: family; father's military service in First World War; education; employment. Aspects of period as gunner with 50 Light Anti-Aircraft Regt, Royal Artillery in London, GB, 1938-1940: reasons for joining Territorial Army, 1938; opinion of professionalism of Territorial Army; background to mobilisation, 9/1939; move to Lincolnshire; changes on arrival of regular army personnel; reasons for applying to Special Service Training. Aspects of parachute training in GB, 1940: start of training at Hardwick Hall; discipline; pattern and nature of training. REEL 2 Continues: daily routine during training; degree of proficiency with weapons; opinion of instructors and trained soldiers; move to Ringway for parachute training; equipment issued; jumping from balloon at Tatton Park; casualty during training; jumping through hole in aircraft and danger of 'ringing the bell'; parachute landings; personal morale prior to jumping. REEL 3 Continues: proposed role of airborne forces; opinion of RAF facilities; duration of parachute course at Ringway and passing out parade. Aspects of period as NCO with 21st Independent Parachute Coy and with Airborne Forces Development Centre in GB, 1940-1943: posting to unit; attachment to Airborne Forces Development Centre at Amesbury Abbey; experiments with kitbags; training American pilots in airborne dropping procedures; selection for officer training. Aspects of officer training in GB, 1943: pre-OCTU at Wrotham; nature of training at pre-OCTU; character of officer training at OCTU at Heysham Towers near Morecombe. REEL 4 Continues: realistic elements of course; Scottish dancing training; formality of mess relations; question of class distinctions during training; role of duty officer; passing out parade. REEL 5 Continues: Aspects of period as officer with 3rd Bn Parachute Regt, 1st Airborne Div in GB, 1943-1944: posting to Spalding; role as duty officer; abortive operations; posting to machine gun platoon; method of firing on unseen targets; machine gun crew; opinion of Vickers Machine Gun; attitude to commanding Machine Gun Platoon; criteria for promotion. Recollections of operations as officer with 3rd Bn Parachute Regt, 1st Airborne Div during Operation Market Garden at Arnhem, Netherlands, 1944: briefing for operation; question of choice of drop zones and landing at Arnhem; reaction to cancellation of operations prior to Arnhem; question of attending church service; parachute drop, 17/9/1944. REEL 6 Continues: initial contact with Germans; nature of fighting; retreat to Hartenstein Hotel area; conditions and attitude to fighting; withdrawal to river; wounding and evacuation; hospitalisation in Morecombe. Aspects of period as officer with 3rd Bn Parachute Regt in GB, 1944-1945: return to battalion; Arnhem survivors parade, VE Day, 5/1945; plan to mount Vickers Machine gun on Jeep; plans for move to Burma; embarkation. REEL 7 Continues: Aspects of operations as officer with 3rd Bn Parachute Regt in Palestine, 1945-1946: division to Palestine; role of British forces in Palestine; method of maintaining order in Jaffa; demobilisation and return to civilian life. Reflections on military service in Second World War: degree of involvement in operations; question of not showing fear during parachute training; effects of service at Arnhem; attitude to commanding troops; opinion of American troops and other nationalities. REEL 8 Continues: lessons learnt from military service.