Description
Object description
British trooper served with 44th Training Regt, Royal Armoured Corps in GB, 3/1942-8/1942; trooper and NCO served with 2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, 29th Armoured Bde, 11th Armoured Div in GB and North West Europe, 8/1942-5/1945; NCO served with 1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, 31st Tank Bde, 79th Armoured Div in Germany, 5/1945-8/1945; NCO served with 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars in Germany, GB, North and South Korea, 9/1945-10/1958; NCO and officer served with Queen's Royal Irish Hussars in West Germany, GB, Aden, Aden Protectorate, Federation of Malaya and during Indonesian Confrontation in Borneo, Malaysia, 1958-1971
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Aldeburgh and London, GB, 1922-1942: death of parents; relations with family and foster parents; civilian employment in London; outbreak of Second World War, 3/9/1939; details of blackout; rationing; travelling on trains; clothing coupons; attempt to join Royal Air Force; fire watching duties and equipment; story of witnessing a burglary; description and effects of German Air Force raids; wartime civilian employment; reason for not joining Home Guard and waiting for call-up for military service; story of New Year's Eve German Air Force raid, 31/12/1940; accommodation. Aspects of enlistment as trooper in Royal Armoured Corps, 3/1942: call-up for military service to Farnborough; earlier medical and interview; reaction to posting with Royal Armoured Corps. Recollections of period as trooper with 44th Training Regt, Royal Armoured Corps at Farnborough, GB, 3/1942-8/1942: reception on arrival; accommodation; story of first night of military service; issue of uniform; haircut; description of hutted accommodation; morning procedures; opinion of rations.
REEL 2 Continues: presence of bromide in tea; details of lunch and tea; issue of meals; physical training; change of clothes for drill; opinion of drill; division into training wings; weapons trained with; details of pistol; description of Sten Gun; opinion of Thompson Machine Gun; training to fire 2 Pounder Tank Gun; size of shell; training with and opinion of Besa Machine Gun; firing of Ordnance SBML 2 Inch Mortar; wireless training and proficiency; learning to drive and proficiency; driving of Covenanter Tank; lectures; evening activities including visits to Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes (NAAFI); kit inspections; story of questioning need to Blanco equipment; relations with recruits; army language; contact with officers; leisure activities out of camp.
REEL 3 Continues: summary of training at Farnborough including change after passing out; length of second phase of training; story of night exercise including communications and radio procedure. Recollections of period as trooper with 2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, 29th Armoured Bde, 11th Armoured Div in GB, 8/1942-6/1944: posting to regiment at Fornham St Martin, 8/1942; prior knowledge of regiment; reception on arrival and relations with Scottish members of unit; problems with Scottish accent; posting in 4 Troop A Sqdn; duties as spare crew; sleeping arrangements; details of Crusader Tank; trade tests and allocation to tank; members of tank crew; memories of Lieutenant Donald Hall; recording of air activity; posting to Chippenham; details of camp; activities whilst at Chippenham; influx of Englishmen into regiment; requests for sugar in porridge; exercises; relations with civilians; leisure activities in Newmarket; illicit drinking and mushroom picking; story of near posting to North Africa; start of changeover to M4 Sherman Tank; initial impression and details of M4 Sherman Tank; issue of watches and torches; loading and firing of gun including use of smoke bombs; storage of ammunition.
REEL 4 Continues: amount of ammunition carried; further details of loading and firing gun; dealing with shell cases; description of Browning Machine Gun including changeover of barrel; comparison of Browning and Besa Machine Guns; problems with and details of M2 Browning Machine Gun; weapons training; noise and smell inside M4 Sherman Tank; communications; awareness of problems with M4 Sherman Tank; details of M4 Sherman Tank's engine; involvement in tests to check reliability of M4 Sherman Tank; clothing worn in tank; details of tank commanders; roles of co-driver; driving M4 Sherman Tank; maintenance of tank including work on tracks; own maintenance duties; cleaning of main gun.
REEL 5 Continues: zeroing of sights on main gun; details of Thorpe Hall Camp, Rudston; details of exercises; story of journey to Kirkcudbright; firing on range at Kirkcudbright; accommodation including tricks played during night; posting in Bridlington; story of going Absent Without Official Leave (AWOL) during a guard duty; relations with NCOs including memories of Sergeant-Major Grainger; visit of King George VI; question of desire for overseas posting; rumours of next posting; duties as duty telephonist; posting to Aldershot Garrison; description of barracks including storage of tanks; waterproofing and loading of tanks; physical training; visit of American boxer Joe Louis; knowledge of D-Day plans; air activity on D-Day; posting and in Gosport; final preparations for landings in Normandy, France; loading of Landing Ship Tanks; items issued before voyage; crossing of English Channel. Recollections of operations as trooper and NCO with 2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, 29th Armoured Bde, 11th Armoured Div in Normandy, France, 6/1944-8/1944: beach landing.
REEL 6 Continues: removal of waterproofing; journey inland to Cully; camouflage of tanks and camp; accommodation; storage compartments on tank; description of emergency petrol tank; earlier conversion of tank to bulldozer; use of bulldozer at Cully; contents of compo rations; methods of cooking meals; work of cooks; water rations and drinking of local cider and tea; cigarette rations; issue of rum ration; latrines; dealing with rubbish; signs of battle in area; freedom of movement; reaction to sight of burnt out M4 Sherman Tank; signs of German activity; briefing for start of Operation Epsom, 26/6/1944; formation and start of advance; news of tanks being lost; description of tanks being hit and on fire; evacuation of crew; details of advance; story of crossing ford and clearing German snipers from woods; description of night-time laagers; replenishment of petrol, water and ammunition; sleeping arrangements.
REEL 7 Continues: reaction to casualties suffered including nickname given to M4 Sherman Tank; digging of forward positions including opposition fire faced; nerves of tank commander; promotion to tank commander and other changes in tank crew; role as tank commander; action taken against German vehicles; further details of positions dug; description of withdrawal; opinion of bulldozer role including temporary removal; period in camp prior to Operation Goodwood; use of amphetamines; relations among crew; latrines; firing of gun in action; use of smoke; identification of targets; details of tank at start of Operation Goodwood, 18/7/1944; briefing prior to Operation Goodwood; air bombardment and initial opposition.
REEL 8 Continues: movement through British minefield; details of advance including reaction to first tank losses; cover taken in railway cutting; problems with engine and scenes witnessed in railway cutting; walk to communicate with another tank and method of getting tank running again; withdrawal to laager; German Air Force raid on B Echelon; morale; story of Officer 'O' Group and near miss from artillery fire; formation for attack on Hubert-Folie; removal of sniper; story of camouflage net catching fire and extinguishing it; details of camouflage net; nerves of co-driver and reaction to him; details of action in Hubert-Folie and it's capture; reinforcements and leisure activities at Ardenne Abbey; morale; opinion of M4 Sherman Tank's weapons and Sherman Firefly; return to 4 Troop; memories of Lieutenant William Brownlie; composition of crew.
REEL 9 Continues: promotion to lance corporal; further memories of Lieutenant William Brownlie and activities of unit; story of helping tank that had hit a mine; first experience with German Panzerfaust and subsequent care taken; other German weapons concerned about; firing on German horse-drawn transport; problems with dust during journey to edge of American lines; change in terrain; details of spikes fitted to front of tank; extra armour added to tanks; air activity; journey to and beyond Falaise; scenes witnessed in Falaise Gap, 8/1944. Recollections of operations as NCO with 2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, 29th Armoured Bde, 11th Armoured Div in North West Europe, 8/1944-5/1945: night advance to Amiens, France; story of German items found in morning and joke played; contact with civilians; story of anti-tank gun hitting petrol tank and resulting problems; replacement of tank; problems with petrol supply; incident of German Army lorries travelling in parallel with advance; details of advance; morale; opinion of role as tank commander; work of tank commander; personal weapons used; breakfast.
REEL 10 Continues: organisation of advance; awareness of wider military situation; humour on regimental wireless net; details of regimental wireless net; reason for carrying a penny; latrines; contact with infantry; liberation of and action in Antwerp, Belgium; handing-in of tanks; journey to Ypres, Belgium; training on newly introduced Comet Tank; opinion of Comet Tank; situation in Ardennes, Belgium, 12/1944; journey to Brussels, Belgium and collection of Comet Tanks; journey into Ardennes, Belgium; absence of firing pin; actions of unit at Chapel Hill including against captured M4 Sherman Tanks; problems with water supply; story of injured trooper; German forces withdrawal; return journey to Brussels and Ypres, Belgium; winter conditions in tanks; gunnery training; promotion to sergeant; accommodation; relationship with civilians; Christmas 1944 on 21/1/1945; leisure activities; details of sergeants mess; entertainments for other troops; memories of Trooper Terry Boyd.
REEL 11 Continues: organisation during advance to River Rhine, Germany, 3/1944; smoke screen and air barrage on River Rhine, Germany, 3/1945; crossing of River Rhine, Germany, 3/1945; story of action at Ibbenbüren, Germany; flanking movement on following day; action at Helmond, Netherlands; casualties; reasons for keeping tank flap open; period in De Peel area, Netherlands; relationship with civilians; story of standing patrol in De Peel, Netherlands; incident of tank crew crushed by tank; sleeping arrangements; period in area close to Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp, Germany; contact with civilians; continuation of advance and opposition faced; tactics employed against German tanks; discussion of German Tiger and Panther Tanks; memories of Lieutenant J R A Porter; relations among members of unit; reason for not applying for commission; officer turnover; attitude of troops towards end of Second World War including death of Corporal Stanton Bush, 19/4/1945; journey to Lübeck, Germany and scenes on arrival.
REEL 12 Continues: near posting in Denmark; German troops leaving Denmark; VE Day celebrations; reactions at end of war; posting in Bredstedt; demobilisation number; preparations for demobilisation; opinion of non-fraternisation rule and relationship with civilians; black market; return to spit and polish; posting to 1st Fife and Forfar and disbandment of 2nd. Aspects of period as NCO with 1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, 31st Tank Bde, 79th Armoured Div in Germany, 5/1945-8/1945: preparations for posting in Far East; reaction to situation; details and opinion of Churchill Crocodile Flame-Throwing Tank; story of Intelligence Corps sergeants; embarkation leave and dropping of atomic bombs on Japan, 8/1945. Recollections of period as NCO with 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars in Germany and GB 1945-1949: posting to regiment joining it at Lingen, Germany; unloading of train; story of attending crashed Douglas Dakota at time of Berlin Airlift, Germany, 1948-1949; joining of Regular Army; posting at Catterick Camp, GB; train journey to Middlesbrough, GB; period on attachment to C Sqdn, Yorkshire Hussars (Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own) including story of accommodation in York, GB; return to regiment at Leicester, GB; state of unit; period with demonstration unit in Warminster, GB; news of building up for posting to South Korea; posting into and composition of Headquarters, B Sqdn; characteristics of Centurion Tank.
REEL 13 Continues: composition of tank crew; changes among personnel for posting in South Korea; opinion of National Service conscripts; attitude of National Service conscripts to posting to South Korea; own reaction to posting and degree of knowledge of Korean War; inoculations; departure from Tidworth. Aspects of voyage aboard HMT Empire Fowey from Southampton, GB, to Pusan, South Korea, 10/1950-11/1950: embarkation at Southampton, GB; nature of voyage; duties on board troopship; leisure activities. Recollections of operations as NCO with 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars in South and North Korea, 11/1950-12/1951: initial impressions of and arrival in Pusan, South Korea, 11/1950; unloading of ship; accommodation; Thanksgiving Day meal, 23/11/1950; impressions of Republic of Korean (ROK) troops; activities; news from front; journey to front line including eating of dogmeat; posting to and composition of A Echelon; difference between A and B Echelons; role as squadron sergeant-major; fate of tanks at Pyongyang, North Korea; journey to find tanks including first encounter with opposition and signs of previous fighting; further details of activities of tanks; reunion with tanks at Kaesong, North Korea; position taken outside Seoul, South Korea; formation of composite unit; Chinese People's Volunteer Army advance and loss of reconnaissance party; return to A Sqdn; period in positions outside Seoul, South Korea; nature of terrain and roads.
REEL 14 Continues: withdrawal through Seoul, South Korea; new positions taken up; question of concern for situation; nature of Chinese People's Volunteer Army advance and further withdrawal; splitting of unit and withdrawal to Pusan, South Korea; voyage to Japan; arrival at Sasebo, Japan; accommodation; fate of C Sqdn in North Korea; leisure activities in Japan and contact with civilians; reaction to state of Nagasaki, Japan; return to Pusan, South Korea; activity in Korea before forming line roughly on 38th Parallel; character of 1st Commonwealth Div; action at Kowang-San, South Korea; opposition fire faced; supply of ammunition; Korean porters; removal of civilians from homes; problems with North Korean infiltration; precautions taken against snipers; location of tanks; sleeping arrangements; rations; stand-to; view from positions; range of 76mm gun; stand-down and breakfast; Chinese People's Volunteer Army artillery fire; rotation of tanks on sentry duty; duties as B Sqdn sergeant-major; black market and drinking among troops; opinion of officers; problems with cold; clothing worn in Korean War; heating; description of Chinese People's Volunteer Army attacks.
REEL 15 Continues: digging in and Chinese People's Volunteer Army fire; daytime activities; importance of mail; washing facilities; story of trip for bathing; length of posting; relief from front line, 12/1951; journey to and embarkation aboard HMT Georgic at Pusan, South Korea, 12/1951; sympathy for and relations with Korean civilians; opinion of Korean War; regimental casualties. Aspects of period as NCO with 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars in GB and Germany, 1952-1957: return to GB, 1/1952; posting in Germany; story of involvement in Coronation Parade, 2/6/1953; period on attachment to Yorkshire Hussars (Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own); duties as regiment sergeant-major; drinking culture in regiment; amalgamation with 4th Queen's Own Hussars at Caen Barracks, Hohne, West Germany, 24/10/1958. Aspects of period as NCO and officer with West Germany, GB, Aden, Aden Protectorate, Federation of Malaya and during Indonesian Confrontation in Borneo, Malaysia, 1958-1971: period in Hohne, West Germany; relationship with civilians; commission and posting as quartermaster; role of quarter master; period in Aden, Aden Protectorate including relations with brother officers; posting to Federation of Malaya, 1961; squadrons sent to Borneo, Malaysia; earlier change to armoured cars; description of sand cars used in Aden, Aden Protectorate; unit and own duties in Far East; story of return journey to GB; final posting in West Germany; reflections on military career; contact kept with Fife and Forfar Yeomanry.
