Description
Object description
British trooper served with 60th Training Regt, Royal Armoured Corps in GB, 7/1942-10/1942; served with 1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry in GB, 1942-1943; NCO served with F Sqdn, No 2 Wing, Glider Pilot Regiment in GB and North West Europe, 1943-1944; prisoner of war in Apeldoorn, Netherlands and Lazarett VII-A, Freising, Germany, 9/1944-2/1945; repatriated from Germany to GB, 2/1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Harrington and Manchester, GB, 1923-1942: family; education; background to family move to Harrington; period of evacuation; civilian employment; attempt to join Royal Air Force and reason for rejection. Recollections of period as trooper training with 60th Training Regt, Royal Armoured Corps in GB, 7/1942-10/1942: posting to training regiment at Tidworth Camp, 7/1942; reaction to posting to Royal Armoured Corps; reaction of parents to his joining British Army; journey to and arrival at Tidworth Camp; issue of uniform; treatment from NCOs; accommodation; washing facilities; drill; memories of NCOs; equipment issued including weapon; physical training; signals training; learning to drive on Loyd Carrier; contact with officers; weapons training; route marches; training with tanks.
REEL 2 Continues: details of gunnery training; training with grenades; opinion of training received. Aspects of period as trooper with 1st Fife and Forfar Yeomanry in GB, 1942-1943: posting to and arrival at regiment in Northumberland; relations with NCOs and other troopers; accommodation including problem with rats; recreational activities; duties during tank shoot; details of tanks; weekend leave; postings in Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead; theft of wallet; recreational activities; story of a church parade; hospitalisation with pneumonia; story of journey to rejoin regiment at York; accommodation; story of regaining stolen ground sheet.
REEL 3 Continues: latrines; participation in exercises with Universal Carrier. Aspects of transfer to Glider Pilot Regiment in GB, 1943: seeing advert for Glider Pilot Regiment and reason for applying to join; selection board at RAF Cardington; awaiting transfer. Recollections of training as NCO with Glider Pilot Regiment in GB, 1943-1944: posting to and opinion of Fargo Camp; accommodation; background of troops; discipline; glider unit composed of German Jewish glider pilots; background of troops; officers dropping out; reasons for almost dropping out himself; letter sent by father.
REEL 4 Continues: opinion of discipline; description of assault course; summary of flight training; length of initial training; posting at RAF Booker and Denham; presence of film sets in area; problems with weather; posting to RAF Clyffe Pypard; duties and pattern of training; opinion of superiority of Glider Pilot Regiment over Royal Air Force; possibility of transfer to Parachute Regiment; father's aviation background; glider training at RAF Stoke Orchard including description of gliders; method of launching glider; flying proficiency; receiving wings; discussion on use of gliders during Second World War; visit to London on leave.
REEL 5 Continues: opinion of training received; postings at RAF Clyffe Pypard and RAF Stoke Orchard; opinion and characteristics of General Aircraft Hotspur Glider; manoeuvring of glider; incident of almost hitting horse with glider; move to Heavy Glider Conversion Unit at RAF North Luffenham; opinion of reason for short postings; training with Armstrong Whitworth Whitley aircraft. Recollections of period as NCO with F Sqdn, No 2 Wing, Glider Pilot Regiment in GB, 1944: move to at RAF Broadwell; exercises at RAF Netheravon; accommodation at RAF Broadwell; talk of invasion and disappointment at missing Operation Tonga, D-Day, 6/6/1944; duties on D-Day; prior knowledge of D-Day; use of gliders during Operation Tonga; further details of duties on D-Day, 6/6/1944; receiving news of actions of Glider Pilot Regiment personnel on D-Day; opinion of role as glider pilot; briefings and exercises prior to Operation Market Garden including mass crash during night landing; plan for landings near Arnhem, Netherlands; contact with and rumours about United States Army troops.
REEL 6 Continues: degree of knowledge of upcoming Operation Market Garden; equipment to be carried on operation; plan for Operation Market Garden; comparison with United States Army glider pilots; opinion of flying badge; plan to fly troops of 1st Bn Border Regt during Operation Market Garden; atmosphere among glider pilots on evening leading prior to flight to Netherlands; accommodation for infantry. Recollections of operations as NCO with F Sqdn, No 2 Wing, Glider Pilot Regiment during Operation Market Garden, Netherlands, 9/1944: organisation of take off; nature of flight to Netherlands; landing and problems with rifle following it; memories of Sergeant Bob Boyce; drill on landing; first German prisoners of war captured; character of landing area; journey to rendezvous point; opinion of Polish airborne troops; casualties; nature of German opposition; conditions
at rendezvous point; advance and opinion of operational planning; capture of houses; description of house occupied as strongpoint including German attacks and sleeping arrangements; discussion about surrender.
REEL 7 Continues: in action against Dutch Schutzstaffel (SS); water supply and use of parachutes; wounding; evacuation on stretcher and treatment at dressing station; shrinking of Oosterbeek Perimeter; plan for withdrawal; medical treatment received; casualties; evacuation in jeep; time spent in damaged shop including brief appearance of Waffen-SS troops; capture; story of earlier encounter with wounded Waffen-SS soldier. Aspects of period as prisoner of war in Apeldoorn, Netherlands, 9/1944-2/1945: hospitalisation at Apeldoorn; conditions and rations; nature of wounds; length of time prior to treatment; operation to amputate arm; medical staff and chaplain; story of accidentally visiting German wounded.
REEL 8 Continues: Recollections of period as prisoner of war in Lazarett VII-A, Freising, Germany, 11/1944-2/1945: journey to Lazarett VII-A, Freising; repatriation priority cases; staffing of prisoner of war hospital; rations and Red Cross parcels; background of fellow prisoners of war; German organisation; treatment received as prisoner of war. Aspects of repatriation from Germany to GB, 2/1945: voyage aboard HMT Arundel Castle from Marseille, France to Liverpool, GB; contact with parents whilst prisoner of war in Germany. Aspects of hospitalisation in GB, 1945: posting to Chester Military Hospital; medical treatment received; prior recollection of conditions at Lazarett VII-A, Freising, Germany, 11/1945-2/1945; leave; opinion of treatment; reaction of parents to his wounding; physical state; reaction receiving to discharge papers; memories of Albert Prince.
REEL 9 Continues: Aspects of post-war life and employment: civilian employment; decision to become teacher; determination displayed by disabled prisoners of war; reflections on teaching career and outlook on life; reaction on visit to Berlin, Germany; further details of teaching career. Reflections on military service and period as prisoner of war: memories of prisoners of war at Lazarett VII-A, Freising; celebrating 21st Birthday and birth of son; relations among troops in defending strongpoint in house during Battle of Arnhem; return to RAF Broadwell; religious beliefs including church services at Lazarett VII-A, Freising; story of advice received from barber; opinion of award of medals; story of soldier falling short in duty; opinion of United States Army troops; opinion of conscientious objectors; memories of Irish prisoner of war; contact with woman whilst prisoner of war; celebrations on VE Day, 8/5/1945; family and friends who served in Far East and opinion of Japanese; attitude towards Waffen-SS troops; demobilisation; continuing contact with British Army.
REEL 10 Continues: reiteration of contact with woman while prisoner of war, celebrations on VE Day, 8/5/1945, family and friends who served in Far East and opinion of Japanese, attitude towards Waffen-SS troops, demobilisation and continuing contact with British Army; reasons why did not continue service with British Army; details of pension; memories of friends; story of shooting during truce with German forces during Battle of Arnhem.
