Description
Object description
British sapper served with Royal Engineers Depot in GB, 1939; sapper and NCO served with 555 Field Coy Royal Engineers in GB, Northern Ireland, North West Europe and Germany, 1939-1947; NCO and officer served with Royal Engineers in Germany, GB, Canada and Aden, 1947-1967
Content description
REEL 1 Background in India and GB, 1921-1939: family including father's army service and memories of childhood in India; accommodation with aunt in Camden Town; siblings; return of parents from India; civilian work in Ipswich; joining of army, 5/1939, including reaction of parents. Aspects of period as sapper with Royal Engineers Depot in GB, 1939: reception on arrival at Brompton Barracks in Chatham; details of main square; background of recruits; medical; use of pay; care of uniform; cleaning of barrack room; washing of uniform; settling into army life; story of recruits coming to blows; basic engineering training including bridging on Isle of Grain and River Medway; details of Chatham Dockyard; watermanship training.
REEL 2 Continues: bridge building training including lifting and carrying of pieces into position; knots and lashing; physical training including swimming; pride in regiment; details of Gordon Barracks in Rainham; bridge building in Rainham and Christchurch including details of Bailey Bridge; heavy duty raft training; lectures; details of rifle ranges; sudden posting to Folkestone, 2/3/1939; weapons training; details of Royal Engineers; reactions to outbreak of war; gas drill; change of accommodation.
REEL 3 Continues: concerns at start of war; posting to 53rd Division at Narbeth. Aspects of period as sapper and NCO with 555 Field Company Royal Engineers in GB and Northern Ireland, 1939-1944: details of unit; memories of Captain Pink; training to dig trenches; memories of officers; transport situation; journeys to Northern Ireland including story of night before crossing from Stranraer; defence duties in Larne; memories of company commander; concerns about IRA; story of trick played on sergeant major; memories of Corporal Durrant; activities of unit in Northern Ireland; rations; story of beer barrel theft; training undertaken in Mote Park, Maidstone, including visit from Winston Churchill; description of road accident and resulting injuries; medical treatment received at Preston Hall in Aylesford; hospitalisation in Woolwich.
REEL 4 Continues: details of rehabilitation at Ascot; exercises after return to unit; details of bridge building; involvement in sports including story of breaking leg, 31/12/1943; medical treatment received including new year celebrations; recovery from break; latrines and collection of refuse; ranks in Royal Engineers; opinion of reasons for promotion; physical state; inoculations; knowledge of D-Day landings; reception from civilians in East London; voyage to Normandy. Aspects of operations as NCO with 555 Field Company Royal Engineers in North West Europe, 1944-1945: movement inland; physical and unarmed combat training undertaken during period in orchard; process and methods of detecting mines.
REEL 5 Continues: clearance of minefields; details of night patrols; casualties; descriptions of German S-Mine and Schu anti-personnel mines; German laying of mines; methods of clearing mines; situation at Hill 112; activities of unit; collection and details of rations; cooking of meals and transport of hot meals; details of patrols including problems from snipers; story of attack on German tank; story of getting lost during patrol; make-up and selection of patrol; issue of rum ration; responsibilities of officers and NCOs; support of infantry; story of wounding during attack; evacuation and medical treatment received; concern about not returning to unit; opinion of officers.
REEL 6 Continues: process of building Bailey Bridge near Caen; story of sergeant suffering from nerves; activities during advance through Falaise Gap; later return to Normandy; preparations for Operation Market Garden; mine clearance at Weert including death of officer; death of corporal during mine clearance; memories of soldier affected by shock during exercise; activities during advance through Reichswald including story of troops caught looting; withdrawal for Ardennes; wiring of bridges with explosives; activities of unit in Ardennes including problems from weather conditions; bridging of river at Marche; example of friendly fire; story of pig caught by Reconnaissance Corps; washing facilities; sleeping arrangements; collection and use of spare rum; discussion of situation.
REEL 7 Continues: loss of section lorry and subsequent problems; unit equipment; gaining of bridging equipment; story illustrating morale before attack on 's-Hertogenbosch; details of bridge built across canal in 's-Hertogenbosch; crossing of and advance beyond Rhine to Hamburg. Aspects of period as NCO with Royal Engineers in Germany, 1945-1953: clearance of Hamburg docks; bridging work in Wesel area including help from and relationship with German POWs; spread of unit in Hamborn and Duisberg; mine clearance training; destruction of bridge built in Dusseldorf; departure of troops from company; accommodation and activities in Dortmund; details of marriage, 1950. Aspects of period as NCO with Royal Engineers in GB, 1953-1958: posting at Gordon Barracks in Gillingham; life in GB; description of accommodation in married quarters.
REEL 8 Continues: training given to troops; involvement in rowing team; posting and voyage to Canada; journey to Chilliwack including stop in Jasper. Aspects of period as NCO with Royal Engineers in Canada, 1958-1960: details of Canadian Engineers; living conditions; relationship of wife with other wives; impressions of Canadian Engineers; relationship with civilians; leave in US; British Columbia centenary celebrations, 1958; return journey to GB. Aspects of period as NCO and officer with Royal Engineers in GB and Aden, 1960-1967: promotion and posting to 43rd Engineer Regiment in Bath; annual camp at Weymouth including opinion of troops; commitment to army; changes to Royal Engineers during service including spread of regiment; opinion of previous regiment sergeant major.
REEL 9 Continues: details of Bailey Bridge built in Bath; posting to Rugely; details of unit; impressions of troops including story of complaints from civilians; disbandment of unit; return to Gordon Barracks; role; changes to regiment; details of quartermaster course undertaken at Aldershot including commissioning; details of posting with strengthened combat squadron in Aden; opinion of role as quartermaster; treatment in officers' mess; details and opinion of role; details of unit; details of Komatza Barracks; building of accommodation; supply of meals; role of unit including on Masirah; details of construction work undertaken including employment of civilians and transport of stone crushers from Malta; make-up of unit; activities on beach.
REEL 10 Continues: length of posting; details of Aden area; details of air and sea supply routes; story of father's posting to Aden; sangars built around tents; scenes of caravans; visit to GB; opinion of Aden; posting to Maidstone; reasons for retirement from army, 1967. Aspects of period as civilian in GB from 1967: civilian work; details of pension; contact with US troops; opinion of opposition during Second World War; problems settling into civilian life; civilian work in Kuwait.