Jones, Myrddin 'Mervyn' (Oral history)

British officer served with 3rd Bn Monmouthshire Regt in GB and Northern Ireland, 1935-1940; officer attached to Royal Berkshire Regt in France, 1940; officer served with 3rd Bn Monmouthshire Regt in Northern Ireland and GB, 1940-1942; officer trained at Staff College in GB, 1942; staff officer served at General Headquarters in India, 1942-1943; staff officer served with XV Indian Corps in Burma, 1943-1944; officer served with 2nd Bn Dorsetshire Regt in India and Burma, 1944-1945; officer served with 150 Indian Infantry Bde in India, 1945; officer served with Royal Artillery in GB, 1947-1959

REEL 1 Background in Wales, 1914-1935: family; education; work in family business. Aspects of period as officer with 3rd Bn Monmouthshire Regt in GB, 2/1935-3/1940: commissioning into B Company; officer course at Sandhurst; commitment to Territorial Army; training given to troops; background of troops; inevitability of war; opinion war would be like First World War; impression of chances against Germans from tour in France; air raid trenches dug in Abergavenny and outbreak of war; reactions to start of war; accommodation in Abergavenny; posting to Herefordshire and make- up of 159 Welsh Border Brigade; summary of training; weapons in unit; duties as platoon officer; NCOs in platoon; expectations of and opinions on the war; posting in Moreton-on-Lugg; opinion of Brigadier Ruxnor Randall; issue of battle dress; weapons carried; spread of brigade and division; posting in Tenby; weather; training; description of pre-war field cooker; mechanisation of unit; learning to ride motorcycle. Aspects of period as officer with 3rd Bn Monmouthshire Regt in Northern Ireland, 3/1940- 4/1940: posting to Londonderry; areas unable to go alone; role in Northern Ireland. Aspects of period as officer attached to 1st Bn Royal Berkshire Regt in France, 4/1940-5/1940: journey to Arras; activities with Berkshires; escort of German POW; return journey to GB; length of time in France. Aspects of period as officer with 3rd Bn Monmouthshire Regt in Northern Ireland, 5/1940-11/1941: lecture given to unit; attitude of Berkshires to war; role if Germans invaded; story of seeing German attaché in Dublin; attitude of civilians and army to situation; training; details of motor coach company. REEL 2 Continues: handing out of orders on exercise including an example of doing so; story of deciphering a message; memories of Orderly Sergeant Major Pile; opinion on the chances of a German invasion; return to GB and length of time in Northern Ireland; relationships with Irish ladies. Aspects of period as officer with 3rd Bn Monmouthshire Regt in GB, 11/1941- 7/1942: location of battalion in Liverpool; change in role; work in docks; morale; air activity; posting in Maidstone and transfer to 11th Armoured Division; opinion would be posted to Middle East; application for staff college; posting in divisional headquarters; memories of Major-General Hobart; request to not attend Staff College and meeting with General Montgomery; accommodation in Maidstone; officers mess and rations; opinions on how long war would last and location of posting abroad; attachment of Dieppe Raid troops; problems with communications; problems seen with war effort. Aspects of period as officer in training at Staff College in Oxford, GB, 7/1942-10/1942: field craft training; news of being posted to India. Aspects of journey from Liverpool, GB, to Bombay, India, aboard the Affluent Castle, 10/1942-12/1942: leaving of convoy; rescue of passengers from wrecked ship. Aspects of periods as officer at General Headquarters in India, 12/1942-2/1942: impressions of Bombay; journey to and situation in Deolali; Christmas 1941 and wait for posting. Aspects of operations as staff officer with XV Indian Corps in Burma, 2/1943-6/1944: posting in Arakan; memories of General Slim; situation in Arakan; story of first time he was shot at in France; description of first action in Burma including terrain; reaction to situation; travelling with General Slim; visits to troops. REEL 3 Continues: equipment shortages and tactics; story of visit to General Irwin; living conditions in Arakan; contact with troops; duties at headquarters; morning briefings; secret operations; divisions in Arakan; Battle of the Admin Box including effect of Japanese attack on hospital; arrival and memories of General Christison; contact with frontline troops; new brigadier from East Africa and offer of post in Nairobi; return to 2nd Division. Aspects of operations as officer with 2nd Bn Dorsetshire Regt in India and Burma, 6/1944-5/1945: situation in Imphal; relief of Ghurkas and accommodation; advance to Tamu; visit to leading companies and news of recapture of Tamu; reasons for deaths Japanese troops found; rest period and leave in Kashmir; return journey to Burma; crossing of bridge over Chindwin; Christmas message; command of 2nd Division; arrival and night at Yale; plan of attack; search for company gone off-air and fire from Japanese troops; reconnaisance on river and shelling; story of grenades exchanged with Japanese troops and wounding; casualties in Regimental Aid Post and treatment received for wound. REEL 4 Continues: Japanese artillery faced; advance and orders from commanding officer; commadning officer's battle; request from Medical Officer "Joe" Chamberlain; collection of wounded and death of "Joe" Chamberlain; results of battle for Shwebo; reason for battle at Shwebo; role with advance guard; story of meeting Major-General Rees; time at Irrawaddy; descripotion of boats and plan for crossing of Irrawaddy River; problems with boats; crossing of Irrawaddy; news of brigade attack on Nagazun; activities and reactions while at start line including position within forces; success of attack; withdrawal following battle; story of wash and beer; organisation and plan of attack by Colonel Geoffrey White; listening to radio during march to Mandalay; story of gunners hitting a landmine; health of battalion and taking of mepacrine; attack on Dirty Pagoda; action at fort outside Mandalay; visit from army group commander; shelling from Mandalay; Japanese breakout from Mandalay; patrol and visits into Mandalay; posting on Mount Popa; contact with civilians; interpreters with battalion; damage from air activity; story of Japanese attack en route to Mount Popa. REEL 5 Continues: suicide of Japanese soldier; stories of POWs captured; opinion of Japanese troops; awareness of Japanese treatment of POWs; description of Mount Popa; reason for delay of attack; orders and journey to India; disbandment of 2nd Division and length of service remaining. Aspects of period as officer with 150th Indian Infantry Brigade in India, 6/1945- 11/1945: details of posting; news of VE Day; friends from Monmouthshire Regiment killed in North West Europe; news of atomic bombs and ceasefire; preparations and plan for Operation Zipper; mood in Bangalore; processing in Poona; journey to GB; reactions on return home; comradeship in army; relationship with batman Private Sibley; night in London en route home; time in Hereford; process of demobilisation; sleeping with revolver in Burma; story of carbine rifle. Aspects of period as officer with Royal Artillery, 1947-1957: re-joining of Territorial Army and details of posts; reason for staying in army; troops kept on from war; retirement from army; awards of OBE and MBE received in Burma including allocation of decorations procedure; possibility of call-up for Korea; time as commandant with army cadet force; effects of fighting experience. REEL 6 Continues: story of run-in with padre Jones; memories of padre "Gus" Claxton; burial of casualties; memories of "Joe" Chamberlain; story of court martial presided over in Burma; treatment of shellshocked troops; contact with and opinion of American troops; contact with Indian troops; visit with General Auchinleck to say farewell to Indian troops; writing home; censorship of mail; regularity of mail; pipes sent out from GB; reason for starting to smoke; story of tobacco sent out by dead soldier's family; letters written to families of deceased; cases of friendly fire; contact with supporting units; reliability of wireless sets; opinion of British tactics in Burma; pride in regiments; effects of war service on cousin and veterans met; memories of Ghurkha orderly.