Description
Object description
British officer cadet with Royal Military College Sandhurst, Camberley in GB, 1943; officer served with 109th Regt, Royal Armoured Corps (Lancashire Fusiliers) in GB, 1943; served with Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry in GB, 1/1944-5/1944; served with 2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, 29th Armoured Bde, 11th Armoured Div in North West Europe, 10/1944-5/1945; served with 1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, 31st Tank Bde, 79th Armoured Div in Germany, 5/1945-10/1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in West Byfleet and Northwood, GB, 1923-1942: family; education at Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood; membership of Officers' Training Corps including attending camps at Richmond Park; awareness of political situation in Europe; declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; effects of war on life; air raid precautions; membership of Home Guard; family move to Glasgow; further education at Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood; attending St John's College, University of Oxford including reason for joining and training received with Royal Armoured Corps section of Senior Training Units (STC); reaction to Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, 7/12/1941. Aspects of enlistment and training with British Army, 11/1942-1/1943: enlistmnt in British Army; training at Blackdown Camp.
REEL 2 Continues: Aspects of period as officer cadet with pre-Officer Cadet Training Unit at Blackdown, GB, 2/1943-3/1943: cleaning of equipment and boots; accommodation; relations among cadets; opinion of rations; taking to military training; learning to drive; signals training and proficiency; tactical training; weapons and bayonet training; cadets dropping back. Aspects of period as officer cadet at Royal Armoured Corps Wing, Officer Cadet Training Unit, Royal Military College Sandhurst, Camberley, GB, 4/1943-10/1943: attitude to training at Officer Cadet Training Unit; NCO instructors; visit of King George VI; morning procedures and activities; organisation of course; battle course attended in North Wales; backgrounds of fellow cadets; posting in 73Y Troop; driving and maintenance training; wireless training; tactical exercises; opinion of training; attendance in messes; opinion of growing maturity; respect for soldiers who had seen action; selection of regiment; Aspects of period as officer with 109th Regt, Royal Armoured Corps (Lancashire Fusiliers) in Leyburn, GB, 1943: reasons for brief posting; officers mess; details of camp and posting. Aspects of period as officer with Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry in GB, 2/1944-5/1944: conversion of unit to M4 Sherman Duplex Drive Tank.
REEL 3 Continues: characteristics and opinion M4 Sherman Duplex Drive Tank; details of unit; exercises; sailing of M4 Sherman Duplex Drive Tank; waterproofing of tanks; story of tank sunk in lake and subsequent court of inquiry; diving training at Gosport; details of landing training at Studland. Aspects of period as officer with Royal Armoured Corps in GB and France, 6/1944-10/1944: reaction to posting to Royal Armoured Corps Holding Unit at Walton-on-Thames; Allied air activity on D-Day, 6/6/1944; posting as reinforcement to Normandy, France; attempt to join Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry; reaction to being returned to GB to attend Young Officers Course at Kirkcudbright; move on draft to Dieppe, France; period on draft prior to joining 2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry. Recollections of operations as officer with 2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, 29th Armoured Bde, 11th Armoured Div in North West Europe, 10/1944-5/1945: joining of regiment in Netherlands, 10/1944; initial impressions of regiment; accommodation; formation of 2 Troop A Sqdn; composition of tank crew; story of unwanted crew member; foot patrol.
REEL 4 Continues: story of patrol at Veulen, Netherlands including opinion of NCOs and troopers; background of tank crew; details and memories of fellow officers including Donald Hutchison; meals in and out of line including details of compo rations; visits to officers mess; characteristics of M4 Sherman Tank; roles of different members of tank crew; role as tank commander; use of tank including difference between hull down and turret down positions; armour and height of M4 Sherman Tank; problems with M4 Sherman Tank and Comet Tank; nature of Officer 'O' Groups.
REEL 5 Continues: briefing of troop; communications; discipline and welfare of troop; period spent at Deurne, Netherlands including accommodation; problems with weather; posting to Ypres, Belgium; accommodation; start of training for changeover to Comet Tank; knowledge of situation in Ardennes, Belgium; journey to Brussels, Belgium; re-equipping of tanks; journey to Namur, Belgium; period at monastery on River Meuse; advance to crossroads on Christmas Day, 25/12/1944; weather conditions; move to Falmagne, Belgium; situation and weather; accommodation; rum ration; deterioration of weather conditions; story of Christmas parcel; health problems; problems with movement; bridge built over river; air activity.
REEL 6 Continues: crossing of River Lesse, 2/1/1945; reconnaissance on Chapel Hill; problems starting tank; dispersal of troop; reactions to situation; return to Ypres, Belgium; accommodation and relations with civilians in Belgium; characteristics of Comet Tank; comparison of M4 Sherman Tank and Comet Tank; usefulness of co-driver; details of gunnery training; opinion of Comet Tank; naming and painting of tanks; tactical training; crossing of River Rhine, Germany, 3/1945; state of first town passed through; organisation of advance beyond River Rhine, Germany; crossing of Dortmund-Ems Canal, Germany; night-time laagers; replenishment of tank's ammunition; filling tank with petrol and water; other maintenance tasks.
REEL 7 Continues: sleeping arrangements following air raid near Dortmund-Ems Canal, Germany; organisation during advance; death of Lieutenant Frank Fuller, 5/4/1945; memories of Lieutenant 'Dusty' Miller; details of a one hour 10 mile advance made by 2 Troop; firing during advance; infantry support; availability of smoke; memories of Sergeant Derek Collis; settling in of new members; memories of Sergeant Robinson; story of accidental firing that killed Trooper Tommy Smith, 10/4/1945; opinion of major Desmond Shute and qualities looked for in a squadron commander; period camped near Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp, Germany; story of surrendering Axis troops and anti-tank gun; wounding of Captain William Brownlie; action against German 88mm Guns in Germany.
REEL 8 Continues: changes to tank crew; story of accidental firing from own tank; use of machine gun; incident of tank being hit by a Panzerfaust; repairing of track pit; relations with tank crew and story of egg breakfast; crossing single track railway bridge on River Elbe, Germany; discovery of field full of German rocket propelled aircraft; awareness that end of war was approaching; time at Borstel and removal of Major Desmond Shute; memories of Bill Hopback; discussion on differing attitude of infantry and tank crews at end of Second World War; horse riding; German opposition faced beyond River Elbe, Germany; contact with German civilians; separation between regiment and squadrons; visit to former prisoner of war camp.
REEL 9 Continues: state of prisoners of war; advance towards Lübeck, Germany; arrival in Lübeck, Germany; search for Heinrich Himmler; ship sunk by regiment; attitude toward Schutzstaffel (SS); VE Day and departure from Lübeck, Germany; posting to Bredstedt, Germany; contact with civilians and German forces leaving Denmark; contact with Displaced Persons; joining of 1st Fife and Forfar. Aspects of period as officer with 1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, 31st Tank Bde, 79th Armoured Div in Germany, 5/1945-10/1945: posting to regiment at Ibbenbüren; characteristics of Churchill Crocodile Flame-Throwing Tank; leave in GB and reaction to atomic bombs being dropped on Japan, 8/1945; demobilisation; return to University of Oxford; opinion of war service; changing course of university degree; period on Z Reserve; later periods with Fife and Forfar Yeomanry during 1950s; membership of veteran associations.
