Description
Object description
British sapper served with 244th Field Coy Royal Engineers, 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Div in GB, 4/1939-4/1940; served with Headquarters, 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Div in Northern Ireland, 4/1940-5/1941; NCO served with Chief Royal Engineer, Corps of Royal Engineers, Northern Ireland District in Northern Ireland, 5/1941-5/1942; served with the Chief Royal Engineer, Corps of Royal Engineers, Headquarters, First Army in GB and North Africa, 11/1942-10/1943; served with 20th Chief Royal Engineer Works, Royal Engineers in Tunisia, Italy and Greece, 10/1943-4/1946
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Swansea, GB, 1921-1939: family; education; employment. Aspects of period as sapper with 244th Field Coy Royal Engineers, 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Div in GB, 4/1939-4/1940: reason for joining Territorial Army, 4/1939; mobilisation, 3/9/1939; reaction of parents and self to war; bridging training at Wyke Regis; journey to Swansea Drill Hall after mobilisation, 3/9/1939; sleeping arrangements; trench digging at Vetch Field, Swansea; guard duties and accommodation in Trimsaren; relations with civilians; training received; discipline; posting as clerk to adjutant Captain George Harris; background of troops and other Royal Engineer field companies in division; move to Narberth; accommodation; relations with civilians; visits to Swansea with adjutant; description of headquarters; daily routine and duties; issue of uniform and equipment; reaction of mother at start of Second World War, 3/9/1939; reaction to military service and relations with civilians; German Air Force raids on Swansea. Aspects of period as sapper with Headquarters, 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Div in Northern Ireland, 4/1940-5/1941: journey to Belfast via Stranraer, 4/1940; role in Belfast; German invasion of Norway and reason for not being posted there; posting to headquarters; German Air Force bombing of Belfast; relations with civilians in Northern Ireland; background to posting as draughtsman with Chief Engineer, Corps of Royal Engineers, Northern Ireland District.
REEL 2 Continues: Aspects of period as NCO with Chief Engineer, Corps of Royal Engineers, Northern Ireland District in Northern Ireland, 5/1941-5/1942: German Air Force bombing of Victoria Barracks, Belfast; accommodation in Dunmurry following bombing in Dunmurry; supply of rations; later posting to Chief Engineer, Corps of Royal Engineers, First Army; remit of Chief Engineer; pride in 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Div; awareness of religious tensions in Northern Ireland; recreational activities and education at Belfast Technical College; deployment of 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Div and opinion it's future role; survey work at Enniskillen; engineering background of Lieutenant-Colonel Jennet. Aspects of period as sapper with Chief Engineer, Corps of Royal Engineers, First Army in GB, 8/1942-10/1942: posting in Largs; accommodation; assembly of First Army; accommodation in Cumberland Hotel, London; work on maps for invasion of North Africa including commanding officers; opinion of reason for strategy behind planning; atmosphere in Cumberland Hotel and London; journey to Scotland. Recollections of voyage aboard HMS Circassia from GB to Algiers, French Algeria, 10/1942-11/1942: embarkation; knowledge and rumours of destination; voyage along River Clyde, GB; route taken and convoy escort.
REEL 3 Continues: description of troopship and conditions on board; reaction of troops to mystery destination of voyage and receiving news of destination; passing through Straits of Gibraltar; Royal Navy escorts' depth charges dropped in Mediterranean; opinion of safety during voyage; convoys bound for North Africa; commanding officers and position within unit; scenes on approach to Algiers, French Algeria; boarding of smaller landing craft. Aspects of operations as NCO with Chief Engineer, Corps of Royal Engineers, Headquarters, First Army in North Africa, 11/1942-10/1943: disembarkation at Algiers, French Algeria; march to Maison Carrée, French Algeria; accommodation; initial impressions of French Algeria; climate; period at Maison Carrée, French Algeria; train journey to Constantine, French Algeria; accommodation; bridge built in Constantine, French Algeria; story of the arrival of Eight Army troops; terrain in North Africa; equipment taken to French Algeria; method of copying plans; composition of drawing office; line of command, location and work of army headquarters; life in North Africa.
REEL 4 Continues: setting up headquarters at Laverdure, French Algeria; story of taking measurements of a Churchill Tank whilst in motion; reconnaissance mission to Kasserine Pass, Tunisia; postings in Tunisia; activities during advance; sight of German prisoners of war at Medjez-el-Bab, Tunisia; speed of journey to Carthage, Tunisia; accommodation; postings in Saint- Germain, Tunisia and Philippeville, French Algeria. Aspects of operations as NCO with 20th Chief Royal Engineer Works, Royal Engineers in Tunisia, 10/1943-3/1944: duration of posting in Tunis; accommodation; disbandment of First Army and joining of 20 Chief Royal Engineer Works; role as staff sergeant draughtsman; nature of work with Graves Registration Unit at Gabès; return to Tunis; boarding of landing ship tank LST 316 at Bizerte.
REEL 5 Continues: knowledge of posting in Italy and news of war; conditions and rations on voyage from Bizerte, Tunisia to Naples, Italy; experiences with Spam and Axis prisoners of war in North Africa; purchase of rations. Aspects of operations as NCO with 20th Chief Royal Engineer Works, Royal Engineers in Italy, 3/1944-10/1945: eruption of Mount Vesuvius; journey to Sorrento and state on arrival; waiting for liberation of of Ancona; reconnaissance in Avellino; English speakers in Italy; camp in Naples; posting in Roccarainola; visit to Allied Force Headquarters in Caserta; visit to Benevento; state of places visited; contact with Italian civilians; time in Porto San Giorgio; opinion of Polish forces; arrival and activities in Ancona; location of headquarters; employment of Italian civilians; accommodation; visits to opera; tracing of a plan of Ancona; life for Italian civilians to Ancona; visit of football team.
REEL 6 Continues: relations with Italian civilians; leave in Rome including meeting with Pope Pius XII in Vatican City; atmosphere in Rome; nature of leave in Venice, including sight of Corps of Military Police using DUKWs. Aspects of period as NCO with 20th Chief Royal Engineer Works in Greece, 10/1945-4/1946: journey to Greece; visit to Parthenon in Athens; arrival in Salonika; duties preparing buildings for British Army use; journey to GB; demobilisation at Aldershot Garrison. Reflections on military service, 1939-1946: opinion of military service; bridges on coast road in Italy; opinion of Italian Army troops; story of flight with Italian pilots; relationship with United States Army troops; chaplains and church services.
REEL 7 Continues: period in officer producing unit; attendance at War Office Selection Board; keenness to be officer and opinion reasons for continuing military service; visit by Prime Minister Winston Churchill to Carthage, Tunisia; opinion of Prime Minister Winston Churchill; impact made by General Bernard Montgomery; opinion of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel; belief in who he was fighting; opinion of officers; hospitalisation with dysentery whilst at Philippeville, French Algeria; story of visit to dentist; story about Welsh speaker trying to avoid military service; opinion toward conscientious objectors; selling of British Army goods to Italian civilians, including story of bailey bridge; VE Day celebrations in Ancona, 8/5/1945; games played in sergeants' mess; dances; discussion on friends in units and selectiveness of memory.
REEL 8 Continues: membership of 53rd Welsh Division Association; details of Leave In Addition to Python (LIAP); visit to opera in Milan, Italy; medals awarded; process of demobilisation; pay. Post-war life and employment: employment and further education; attitude to military service; application for British Army pension; setting up of business; story of job with Robert Maxwell.
