Description
Object description
British trooper trained with 61st Reconnaissance Training Centre in GB, 1942; NCO served with 53rd Reconnaissance Regt in GB, North West Europe and Germany, 1942-1946
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Callow End, GB, 1923-1942: family; education; work as apprentice cabinet maker; football; work as runner for ARP; reaction to outbreak of war; reaction of parents to his joining army; call-up papers; draft from Worcester; fitness; placement in Reconnaisance Corps; reactions of siblings to his joining army; opinion of what war would be like; journey to Scarborough. Aspects of period training with 63rd Reconnaissance Training Centre in GB, 2/1942-8/1942: accommodation; length of training compared to infantry training; story of first route march; uniform and equipment issued; comradeship; visits to Scarborough; rations; physical training; summary of training received; kit inspections; opinion of NCOs; troops trained with; settling into life in army; discipline including story of later fight in Maidstone and punishment; involvement with sports; posting as squadron sign writer; hotels accommodated in; leisure activities and boredom of life; relationship with local women; details of pay; news of war; opinion of training; shouting from NCOs including getting used to different accents; opinion of fitness; troops finding drill difficult; opinion of time at Scarborough.
REEL 2 Continues: pace of drill; background and role of Reconnaissance Corps; skills required for work in field; weapons training; opinions of bayonet training; story of first action in Normandy and reactions following it; training to locate and dismantle mines; anti-gas training; tactical training with regiment including use of camouflage; background of instructors; comradeship in unit. Aspects of period as private and NCO with 53rd Reconnaissance Regt in GB, 8/1942-7/1944: posting in Otham near Maidstone and make-up of regiment; history of and pride in regiment; memories of Peter Ogden including story of bivouac slept in during an exercise; exercises on South Downs; opinion of training; background of instructors; story of a fight in a Nissan hut; relationship with officers; standard of turnout and granting of lanyards and epaulettes; visit of Winston Churchill to Maidstone.
REEL 3 Continues: reactions to posting abroad; waterproofing of vehicles and vehicles in regiment; journey to Tilbury and code word to silence those talking of invasion; voyage to France. Aspects of operations as NCO with 53rd Reconnaissance Regt in North West Europe, 7/1944-9/1944: role in Normandy; arrival including relief of Ox and Bucks and period in harbour; accommodation and sleeping arrangements; contact with civilians; first experience of mortar fire; battles involved in; supporting units; stories of attack on bren carrier; reactions to such incidents; importance of religious beliefs; opinion that was lucky in war; story of using bren gun; account of being cut-off near Nijmegen and wounding; fate of unit. Aspects of hospitalisation in GB, 9/1944-5/1945: evacuation to Swindon; journey to and period hospitalised in Worcester; convalescence in Malvern; leave and hospitalisation in Barnard Castle with cist; marriage; return to unit in Hamburg. Aspects of period as NCO with 53rd Reconnaissance Regt in Germany, 1945-c1946: posting in Düsseldorf; accommodation and theft of penknives.
REEL 4 Continues: return to regiment in Hamburg; duties in displaced persons camp and accommodation; description of camp and reasons for having poor memory; inmates of camp; details of sentry duties; opinion of the displaced persons; state of Hamburg; reactions to seeing towns in such state; relationship with civilians; conditions for civilians in Hamburg; bartering; posting in Düsseldorf; accommodation and sleeping arrangements; supply of rations; problems with teeth and hospitalisation; return to regiment; news of posting in GB before West Africa; leaving do and journey hungover to GB. Aspects of period as NCO with 53rd Reconnaissance Regt in GB, c1945-c1946: period with holding unit; posting to Catterick; leave; cancellation of draft and reaction; posting in Long Cross Halt; duties testing Centurion tanks; demobilisation of troops; weekend leaves. Aspects of operations as NCO with 53rd Reconnaissance Regt in North West Europe, 7/1944-9/1944: reflections on action seen; briefing before missions; traffic control duties; passing on of reconnaissance; washing facilities; equipment carried; memories of Major Gresser; memories of Colonel Williams.
REEL 5 Continues: terrain in Normandy; opinion of training including numbers captured and killed; events at Hill 122; opinion that some veterans gain stories from books; opinion of book about 53rd Reconnaissance Regiment; briefings and preparations before reconnaissance missions; vehicles lost and regained; debriefings; morale in camp; rations; details of squadron and regiment headquarters; traffic duties; journey along murder mile; discipline; story of Germans captured; make-up of Reconnaissance Corps; time of day when reconnaissance undertaken; map training; activities while not reconnoitring in France; story of gambling in Bury St Edmunds; closing of Fallais Gap and German POWs taken; contact with and opinion of American and Canadian troops; course taken with Military Police in 1945; opinion of Military Police; medical staff including memories of Nobby Clarke; memories of padre; prayer while before and after operations.
REEL 6 Continues: thoughts of conscientious objectors; opinion of wartime profiteers; resentment of brothers not in army. Aspects of period as NCO with 53rd Reconnaissance Regt in GB, c1945-c1946: details of draft returning to GB; leave and cancellation of draft; promotion to sergeant; role of unit at Long Halt Cross; civilian workers; testing of Centurion tanks; lifts home on weekends; process of demobilisation including demobilisation suit; gratuity.
REEL 7 Continues: Aspects of period as civilian in GB from 1946: return to civilian life; pride in army service; relationship with mother; mental and physical effects of war; charity bike ride from London to Paris. Aspects of hospitalisation, 9/1944-5/1945: evacuation from Holland to GB; morale of patient at Worcester; description of wounds; later story of shrapnel in x-rays; reactions during evacuation; discipline at Worcester Royal Infirmary; treatment from staff; story of free meal; convalescence home in Malvern; story of later spell in hospital following heart bypass operation; opinion of medical treatment; 53rd Reconnaissance Regiment reunions; return visits to Holland.