Description
Object description
British officer served with 1st Bn, Royal Norfolk Regt in GB and North West Europe, 1940-1946; attended Staff College,1948; served as staff officer with Headquarters, British Troops in Egypt, 1949-1950; served as instructor at School of Infantry, Warminster, 1951-1953; served as staff officer with 27th Bde at Hong Kong, 1953-1955; served with 1st Bn, RNR in Cyprus, 1955-1956; served as exchange officer at Australian Tactical and Administrative School, Australia, 1956-1957; served with 1st Bn, RNR/East Anglian Regt in West Germany, 1957-1959; served as staff officer with Directorate of Military Operations, War Office, 1959-1961; served as commanding officer of 1st Bn, EAR in GB and Aden, 1962-1965; served as staff officer with Headquarters, 3rd Div in GB, 1965-1966; served in command of Federal Regular Army in Aden, 1966-1967; served in command of Eastern District Command at Colchester, 1969-1971; served as Commander in Chief of Territorial Army, 1971-1974.
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Norfolk, 1919-1940. Service with Norfolk Yeomanry anti-aircraft unit, 1937-1940. Recollections of period with 168 Officers' Cadet Training Unit at Aldershot, 4/1940-8/1940: infantry tactics and impact of German blitzkrieg on tactical thinking on question of static defensive positions; fire and movement attack tactics; question of artillery cooperation; questions of man management and standards expected of officer; company exercises; influence of campaign in France, 1940; commission into Royal Norfolk Regt, 9/1940. Recollections of period with 1st Bn, Royal Norfolk Regt in GB, 1940-1944: joining 12 Platoon, B Coy at Ashtead, 9/1940; billets; reception; influence of long Indian service on unit's military efficiency; story of meeting soldiers' Indian wives on their arrival in GB; opinion of Major Nigel Reed and Colonel Gordon Thorne; attitude to officers with First World War service; relationship with Platoon Sergeant Tom Parker.
REEL 2 Continues: relationship with ORs; nature of officers mess including guest nights, use of snuff boxes, question of smoking, drinking habits, mess bills, question of necessity of private means and mess games; question of modernisation of training and tactical exercises; role manning Green Line on South Downs including nature of defensive positions and absence of mobile role; reduction in threat of invasion; move to 185 Bde, 79th Armoured Div based in Yorkshire, 1942; advantage of close links established between constituent units in formations; opinion of Boyes Anti-tank rifle; promotion to captain and posting to command Anti-Tank Platoon, Support Coy, 1942; opinion of 2pdr and 6pdr A/T guns.
REEL 3 Continues: tactical role in attack and defence of A/T Platoon; tank and aircraft recognition; enthusiasm for use of A/T guns in offensive role against German strongpoints; frequent and competitive A/T firing practise; opinion of 17pdr A/T gun; opinion of Carden-Lloyd Carrier and Bren Carrier; types of shell used; nature of all-arms exercises with 79th Armoured Div, 1942-1943; close links with artillery forward observation officer; transfer of 185 Bde to 3rd Div and period training in Scotland, 1943-1944; nature of combined operations landing exercises on West Coast of Scotland including embarkation, firing A/T guns during approach, landing, establishing beachhead defensive positions using slit trenches, nature of problems encountered and casualties; endurance exercises; question of age of officers; night exercises. Period at Bawd Hill, Haywards Heath, 1944: practising loading and landing from Landing Craft Infantry; waterproofing vehicles; briefing with sand table model.
REEL 4 Continues: secrecy; scepticism over possibility of Calais area landings; issue of rations. Recollections of Channel crossing and landing at Sword Beach, 6/6/1944: embarkation onto LCT at Newhaven, 4/6/1944; move to gather off Isle of Wight; security problem caused by opening sealed orders and return to Newhaven, 5/6/1944; personal morale; crossing in convoy, 5/6/1944-6/6/1944; seasickness amongst troops; approach to beach; naval bombardment and German artillery fire; landing on shingle beach; prior landing of infantry companies; paths through beach minefield; question of German obstacles in sea and navigational assistance from midget submarines. Recollections of initial operations in Lebisey Wood sector, ca 6/1944-8/1944: role as follow up brigade; rendezvous of Support Coy and 'O' Group; delay in capture of Hillman position and consequent casualties; role taking up positions against possible German counter-attacks; retreat from Lebisey Wood and taking up defensive positions on Norfolk House Ridge; situation; view of arrival of glider reinforcements; Allied air superiority.
REEL 5 Continues: defensive positions at Norfolk House; reconnaissance patrols including weapons carried, care on returning to lines, approach to German lines and value of negative reports; question of use of air observation; use of aerial photographs; 6pdr A/T gun positions and camouflage; food rations; sentries and listening posts; quality of German troops; casualties from German shellfire; state of unit morale. Recollections of attack on Lebisey Wood, 7/8/1944-8/8/1944: plan; effects of aerial bombing of Caen; preliminary bombardment; support role; capture of Lebisey Wood and Caen; burial of corpses. Period in divisional reserve area, Sword Beach, ca 8/1944: recreations; assimilation of reinforcements.
REEL 6 Continues: opinion of qualities required in NCOs; opinion of various officers and NCOs including Major Peter Baker, Colonel Hugh Bellamy; Majors Eric Cooper-Keyes, Hubert Holden and Freddie Fitch; move to Vire sector. Recollections of operations in Sourdevalle sector, 8/1944:; posting as second in command of D Coy; German attack during relief of Monmouth Regt; German shellfire; combined unit nickname of 'Normans'; view of attack by Tiger tanks and supporting German infantry; inspirational effect of Corporal Sidney Bates action in winning Victoria Cross at Parvee, Sourdeval, 6/8/1944; burial field; back wounds from German shell; delay in evacuation of casualties and temporary aid post in sunken road; story of evacuation by jeep. Period in Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, 8/1944-9/1944: effects of gas gangrene; penicillin injections. Convalescent leave and period with holding unit, 9/1944-12/1944: determination to rejoin unit; psychotherapy.
REEL 7 Continues: rejoining unit without authorisation. Recollections of commanding C Coy, 1st Bn, RNR during operations in Reichswald Forest area, 12/1944-3/1945: state of unit; personal morale; nature of fighting; attack on Karvenheim, 1/3/1945-2/3/1945; opinion of Colonel Peter Barclay; death of Captain Leslie Dawson at Karvenheim; role during successful night attack infiltrating behind German lines to Hauswinkle, ca 5/3/1945; award of MC; practice in Buffaloes for crossing Rhine; crossing Rhine at Ress, 23/3/1945; prior night reconnaissance patrols up to Rhine; use of smoke canisters to cover Rhine crossing; nature of advance towards Bremen. Recollections of attack on Lingen, 4/4/1945: situation; street fighting techniques employed in taking main square; communication problems; story of being wounded by German machine gun fire in attempt to cross square; isolated position; lack of serious penetration from subsequent hits by Schmeisser bullets; rescue covered by flamethrower driven by Sergeant E J Langford. Recollections of evacuation, hospitalisation and convalescence in GB, 1945. REEL 8 Recollections of evacuation, hospitalisation and convalescence in GB, 1945: discovery of German bullets in pack; initial treatment at Regimental Aid Post; period in hospital at Bruges, Belgium, 4/1945-5/1945; flight back to GB; period in Lichfield Hospital, 5/1945-6/1945; convalescent leave, 6/1945-10/1945. Recollections of period with 1st Bn, RNR at Hamburg, ca 1945-1946: state of unit; question of non-fraternisation, relationship with German civilians and black market; unit role. Period attending Staff College, Camberley, 1948: value of course; syndicates. Period as GSO2 staff officer with Headquarters, British Troops in Egypt, Ismailia, Canal Zone, Egypt, 1949-1950: operational planning role; rise of Egyptian nationalism; reconnaissance and liaison visits over operation to prevent Israel occupying Gulf of Aquaba; lifestyle. Period as instructor at School of Infantry, Warminster, 1951-1953: role in command of platoon commanders' division; tactical influence of Korean War. Period as staff officer with 27th Bde at Hong Kong, 1953-1955: role as chief administrative officer; career pattern; lifestyle. Period with 1st Bn, RNR in Nicosia and Farmagusta, Cyprus, 1955-1956: rejoining unit in GB; situation; internal security role; methods of dispersing crowds; failed hunt for General Grivas in mountain area.
REEL 9 Period as exchange officer at Australian Tactical and Administrative School, Australia, 1956-1957: role as infantry instructor; question of change in focus from Western Europe to South East Asia. Recollections of period with 1st Bn, RNR/East Anglian Regt in Berlin, West Germany, 1957-1959: situation in sector next to Russian Zone; role as duty officer on trains; officers' mess. Period as staff officer concerned with future provision of wheeled vehicles at Directorate of Military Operations, War Office, 1959-1961. Recollections of period as commanding officer of 1st Bn, EAR at Felixstowe, 10/1962-10/1963: prior amalgamation with 1st Bn, Suffolk Regt, 1959; selection of key personnel and importance of mixing regimental affiliations in new unit. Recollections of operations in Radfan Mountains during period in Aden, 10/1963-2/1965: situation; hot conditions; use of helicopters to establish pickets on high ground; nature of fighting; night attack on Jebbul Huryiuh; internal security operations against Aden nationalists. Period as GSO1 staff officer with Headquarters, 3rd Div at Bulford Camp, 1965-1966: mobile role of division; development of mobility using helicopters and parachuting; abortive plans prepared for invasion of Rhodesia during UDI. Period as brigadier commanding Federal Regular Army in Aden, 12/1966-11/1967: composition of unit; role preparing for independence; opinion of Colonel Colin Mitchell commanding 1st Bn, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders; taking over role of British units.
REEL 10 Continues: taking over role of British units and consequent reduction in unrest; opinion of Arab troops and importance of maintaining tribal balance in composition of unit; relationship with Mitchell; independence, 11/1967; post independence situation. Attending senior officers' course at Imperial Defence College, Seagrove House, London, 1967: high level briefings; study tour around Europe. Period as major general commanding Eastern District Command at Colchester, 1969-1971. Recollections of role as Commander in Chief of Territorial Army, 1971-1974: role representing TA in Ministry of Defence; visits to TA camps; importance of recruitment; lack of medical personnel and consequences of loss of army hospitals; reduction in territorial units in East Anglia; question of change in TA role to reinforcement of Regular Army units rather than separate TA units. Post-service career: role as Colonel of Royal Anglian Regt, 1976-1982; role as 'Colonel Emeritus'.