Interview with Myrddin Jones

British officer served with 3rd Bn Monmouthshire Regt, 159th (Welsh Border) Infantry Bde in GB and Northern Ireland, 2/1935-9/1939; officer served with 3rd Bn Monmouthshire Regt, 159th Infantry Bde, 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Div in GB and Northern Ireland, 9/1939-5/1942, including attachment to 1st Bn Royal Berkshire Regt in France, 4/1940-5/1940; served with 3rd Bn Monmouthshire Regt, 159th Infantry Bde, 11th Armoured Div in GB, 5/1942-7/1942; staff officer served at General Headquarters in Dehli, India, 12/1942-2/1943; staff officer served with XV Indian Corps in Burma, 2/1943-6/1944; officer served with 2nd Bn Dorsetshire Regt, 5th Infantry Bde, 2nd Infantry Div in India and Burma, 6/1944-5/1945; officer served with 150th Indian Infantry Bde in India, 5/1945-11/1945

REEL 1 Background in Argoed, GB, 1914-1935: family; education; employment in family business. Aspects of period as officer with 3rd Bn Monmouthshire Regt, 159th (Welsh Border) Infantry Bde in GB, 2/1935-9/1939: commissioning into B Coy; attending officer course at Royal Military College Sandhurst at Camberley; commitment to Territorial Army; training given to troops; background of troops; inevitability of Second World War; opinion war would be like First World War; impression of odds against German forces during tour in France; air raid trenches dug in Abergavenny, 8/1939-9/1939. Recollections of period as officer with 3rd Monmouthshire Regt, 159th Infantry Bde, 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Div in GB and Northern Ireland, 9/1939-4/1940: reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; accommodation in Abergavenny; move to Herefordshire and composition of brigade; pattern of training and battalion weapons; duties as platoon officer; NCOs in platoon; expectations of progress of war; move to Moreton on Lugg; opinion of Brigadier James Bruxner-Randall; issue of battle dress; weapons carried; brigade and divisional deployment; move to Tenby; weather; training; description of pre-war field cooker; mechanisation of unit; learning to ride motorcycle; battalion move to Londonderry, Northern Ireland; no go areas in Northern Ireland; battalion role in Northern Ireland. Aspects of period as officer attached to 1st Bn Royal Berkshire Regt (Prince Charlotte of Wales's) in France, 4/1940-5/1940: journey to Arras; activities with battalion; escorting German prisoner of war; return to GB. Aspects of period as officer with 3rd Bn Monmouthshire Regt, 159th Infantry Bde, 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Div in Northern Ireland and GB, 5/1940-5/1942: lecture given to unit on returne; attitude of 1st Bn Royal Berkshire Regiment (Prince Charlotte of Wales's) personnel to war; role if Germans invaded; sight of German attaché in Dublin, Ireland; attitude of civilians and British Army personnel to situation; training; use of motor coach company. REEL 2 Continues: handing out of orders on exercise including an example of doing so; story of deciphering a message; opinion on the chances of a German invasion; return to GB; relations with Irish women; deployment of battalion in Liverpool; change in role; work in docks; morale; aerial activity. Aspects of period as officer with 3rd Bn Monmouthshire Regt, 159th Infantry Bde, 11th Armoured Div in GB, 5/1942-7/1942: posting in Maidstone and transfer to 11th Armoured Div; opinion would be posted to Middle East; application for staff college; posting in divisional headquarters; memories of Major-General Percy Hobart; request to not attend staff college and meeting with Major-General Bernard Montgomery; accommodation, officers' mess and rations at Maidstone; opinions on how long war would last and location of overseas posting; problems with communications and war effort. Aspects of period training as staff officer in Oxford, GB, 7/1942-10/1942: field craft training; news of overseas posting to India. Aspects of voyage aboard HMT Arundel Castle from Liverpool, GB, to Bombay, India, 10/1942-12/1942: travelling in convoy; rescue of passengers from wrecked ship. Aspects of periods as staff officer at General Headquarters in Dehli, India, 12/1942-2/1943: impressions of Bombay; journey to Deolali; Christmas, 12/1942 and awaiting posting. Aspects of operations as staff officer with XV Indian Corps in Burma, 2/1943-6/1944: posting in Arakan; memories of General William Slim; situation in Arakan; prior recollection of first time he was shot at in France, 5/1940; first action in Burma including terrain; reaction to situation; travelling with General William Slim; visits to troops. REEL 3 Continues: equipment shortages and tactics; story of visit to General Noel Irwin; living conditions in Arakan; contact with troops; duties at headquarters; morning briefings; secret operations; divisions present in Arakan; nature of Battle of the Admin Box including effect of Imperial Japanese Army attack on hospital; memories of General Philip Christison; degree of contact with front line troops; arrival of new brigadier from East Africa and offer of post in Nairobi, Kenya. Recollections of operations as officer with 2nd Bn Dorsetshire Regt, 5th Infantry Bde, 2nd Infantry Div in India and Burma, 6/1944-5/1945: situation in Imphal; relief of Gurkha troops and accommodation; advance to Tamu, Burma; visit to leading companies and news of recapture of Tamu, Burma; reasons for deaths of Imperial Japanese Army troops found; rest period and leave in Kashmir, India; return journey from India to Burma; crossing of bridge over River Chindwin, Burma; Christmas message, 25/12/1944; command 2nd Division; arrival in Burma; plan of attack; search for company gone off-air and fire received from Imperial Japanese Army troops; reconnaissance on river and artillery fire; story of grenades exchanged with Imperial Japanese Army troops and wounding; casualties in Regimental Aid Post and medical treatment received for wound. REEL 4 Continues: nature of Imperial Japanese Army artillery; advance and orders from commanding officer Lieutenant-Colonel Geoffrey White and his battle plan; request from medical officer for collection of wounded and his subsequent death; results of Battle for Shwebo, Burma; reason for battle at Shwebo, Burma; role with advance guard; story of meeting Major-General Thomas Rees; description of boats and plan for crossing of River Irrawaddy, Burma; problems with boats; crossing of River Irrawaddy, Burma; news of brigade attack; wait on start line success of attack; withdrawal following action; story of wash and beer; organisation and plan of attack by Lieutenant-Colonel Geoffrey White; listening to radio during march to Mandalay, Burma; story of Royal Artillery gunners hitting landmine; health of battalion and taking of mepacrine; attack on Dirty Pagoda, Burma; action at fort outside Mandalay, Burma; Imperial Japanese Army artillery fire from Mandalay, Burma; Japanese forces' breakout from Mandalay; patrol into Mandalay, Burma; move to Mount Popa, Burma; contact with civilians; interpreters with battalion; damage from air activity; story of Imperial Japanese Army attack en route to Mount Popa. REEL 5 Continues: suicide of Imperial Japanese Army soldier; capture of Japanese prisoners of war; opinion of Imperial Japanese Army troops; awareness of Japanese treatment of Allied prisoners of war; description of Mount Popa; reason for delay of attack; journey to India; disbandment of 2nd Infantry Div. Aspects of period as staff officer with 150th Indian Infantry Bde in India, 5/1945-11/1945: details of posting; news of VE Day, 8/5/1945; friends from 3rd Bn Monmouthshire Regt killed in North West Europe; news of atomic bombs and ceasefire; preparations and plan for Operation Zipper; atmosphere in Bangalore. Aspects of return to GB and demobilisation, 1945: processing in Poona, India; journey to GB; reaction on return home; comradeship in British Army; relationship with batman; night in London en route home; time in Hereford; process of demobilisation; story of sleeping with revolver in Burma. Aspects of period as officer with Royal Artillery, 1947-1957: rejoining of Territorial Army and details of posts; reason for staying in army; troops kept on from war; retirement from army; awards of Order of the British Empire and Member of the Order of the British Empire received in Burma; allocation of decorations procedure; possibility of call-up for Korean War; time as commandant with Army Cadet Force; effects of fighting experience. REEL 6 Continues: Reflections on military service in Second World War: story of run-in with chaplain; memories of Chaplain Gus Claxton; burial of casualties; memories of 2nd Bn Dorsetshire Regiment's medical officer; story of court martial presided over in Burma; treatment of shell shocked troops; contact with and opinion of American forces; contact with British Indian Army troops; visit with Field Marshal Claude Auchinleck to say farewell to British Indian Army 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 military tactics in Burma; pride in regiments; effects of war service on cousin and veterans met; memories of Gurkha orderly.