Bailey, John Alexander (Oral history)

British private served with General Service Corps in GB, 1942-1943; craftsman and NCO with Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers including attachment to 49th (West Riding) Division in GB and North West Europe, 1943-1945; craftsman served with Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineer attached to 3rd King’s Own Hussars in Palestine, 1945-1947

REEL 1 Background in Salford, GB, 1924-1942: family including father’s work in Salford Docks; memories of childhood including food and family home; religious divisions in Salford; education; civilian work including changes due to war and Ministry of Defence contracts, 1938; father’s work in First World War cemeteries with Chinese labourers; story of 1938 trial blackout; knowledge of First World War and attitude to army service; attempts to join Royal Air Force, Merchant Navy and Royal Navy; friend, Freddie Roger’s, service in Royal Navy; wait for call-up papers; reactions to call-up; war service of brothers including family presence in Salford; memories of Freddie Rogers; duties with Air Raid Precautions; description of flare baskets; story of removing parachute from chimney; details of Salford. REEL 2 Continues: Aspects of period as private with General Service Corps in GB, 11/1942-1/1943: pattern of training and aptitude tests in Carlisle; news of posting to Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers; journey to Carlisle; reception on arrival; details of Durran Hill Camp; settling into army life; background of and relationship with recruits; issue of kit; weapons training; drill; morning procedures; rations; story of soldier going absent without leave; treatment from NCOs; fitness training; attitude to promotion. Aspects of period as craftsman and NCO with Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers in GB, 1/1943-6/1944: posting with anti-aircraft unit in Salford; accommodation; duties; course undertaken in Birmingham including accommodation; details of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers including roles of troops; posting to 49th Division with 146 Brigade workshop in Malvern; source of rumours; rumour of posting to Crete; memories of officers including washing facilities and dentist drill motor devised by one. REEL 3 Continues: difference to service in infantry; duties; details of workshops; role as driver/mechanic; description of workshop including history of 49th Division; duties; posting to Krief; opinion of posting; accommodation; exercises; attitude to service; opinion of reasons for changes to signals section; volunteering for and training in signals and instruction; training of signallers in Great Yarmouth including talking in Morse code; air raids in Salford; role in run-up to D-Day; details of mail; leave including meeting of future wife; waterproofing of vehicles; scenes during journey to Tilbury docks; details of ship boarded; further details of signals training; details of signals section. REEL 4 Continues: story of losing vehicle during course and subsequent charge; voyage to Normandy; reactions to situation; boarding of landing craft; prior invasion training; fitness. Aspects of operations as NCO and craftsman with Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers in North West Europe, 6/1944-5/1945: details of vehicle travelled in; landing and movement up beach; naval support; reactions to situation; period in workshops at Carcagny; loss of brigade; description of armour added to Bren carriers including collecting armour for carriers, change to initial morale and testing of armour; story of carrier driver; other work undertaken in workshops; 49th Division memorial; advance toward Seine including scenes in Falaise Gap and reactions; relief of 6th Airborne Division; problems with Sherman tanks; question of problems with vehicles and communications; make-up of communications; details of recovery trips including coming under mortar fire. REEL 5 Continues: details of recovery trips including selection of team; crossing of Seine; bombing and subsequent state of Le Havre; rations found in warehouse; advance to Netherlands; sleeping arrangements; rest period including abandoned horses in France; details of mail; leave in Brussels including relationship with civilians; knowledge of Operation Market Garden; posting and period in area north of Nijmegen including accommodation with civilians and later visit to area; reason for demotion to craftsman and reactions; V1 and V2 attacks; activity in Nijmegen area including use as infantry; capture of Arnhem; communications including method of coding; advance through northern Netherlands. REEL 6 Continues: state of civilians including supply of rations to Utrecht beyond German lines during truce and treatment of collaborators; later visits to northern Netherlands; crossing of Rhine; VE Day. Aspects of period as craftsman with Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers in Germany, 1945: disarmament of German Army including story of accident with Panzerfaust anti-tank gun; relationship with German civilians including between troops and women; further details of disarmament including attitude of German troops and use of German POWs; recovery of German vehicles; news of posting to Far East and reaction; embarkation leave including end of war; re-posting in Middle East; journey to Egypt. Aspects of operations as craftsman with Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers in Palestine, 1945-1947: camp and period at Tel-el-Kebir; attachment in Palestine to 3rd King’s Own Hussars. REEL 7 Continues: duties; situation in Palestine and role of army; problems faced by army; details and attitude of 3rd King’s Own Hussars; relationship with Hussars; opinion of posting; wait for demobilisation; membership of 6th Airborne Division; influx of Jewish immigrants; organisation of visits to GB; background to demobilisation and marriage. Aspects of period as civilian in GB from 1947: family; civilian work; question of contact with padres; religion; question of tiredness in North West Europe; state of infantry; story of bombed stores; contact with troops suffering from stress; opinion of US and Canadian troops; opinion of opposition during Second World War. REEL 8 Continues: reflections on service; problems with ears during war and subsequent problems; details of pension; mental effects of war; question of staying in army; reason for not going to Korea; comradeship in army; opinion of treatment from army; health problems; relationship with officers; alcohol consumption during service; opinion of German troops; opinion of posting with 6th Airborne Division.