Pemberton, Alan Brooke (Oral history)

British officer served with 2nd Bn Coldstream Guards in Italy, 1944; served with 5th Bn Coldstream Guards in North West Europe, 1944-1945; served with 3rd Bn Coldstream Guards in Palestine, 1946-1947; served with 2nd Bn Coldstream Guards in Malaya, 1948-1950; served as ADC to Gerald Templer in Malaya, 1952-1953. Various postings in Caribbean, 1956-1963

REEL 1 Background in India and GB, 1923-1942: family; education; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; father's role at RAF Wittering during Battle of Britain; period at Trinity College, Cambridge University, 1941-1942. Aspects of enlistment and training with Coldstream Guards, 1942-1943: period at Mons Barracks, Aldershot; character of training at OCTU, 8/1942-11/1942; period with Guards Training Battalion at Pirbright, 1942-1943; role as transport officer. Voyage from GB to North Africa aboard Johann Van Oldenbarnveldt, 1943: character of draft he was in charge of; accommodation and rations; duties on board; sight of German POWs in Algiers. REEL 2 Continues: Aspects of period with 3 Coy, 2nd Bn Coldstream Guards in North Africa, 1943: reception on joining unit at Sous; problem of theft by Arabs at Constantine; guarding Winston Churchill at Carthage c12/1943. Recollections of operations with 3 Coy, 2nd Bn Coldstream Guards in Italy, 2/1944: landing at Naples, 2/1944; crossing River Garigliano; reputation of Guards; clash with German on patrol; death of friend in action; opinion of commanding officer Henry Green; background to his wounding in his arm at Monte Ornito, 13/2/1944; use of Thompson machine gun; living conditions at Monte Ornito. REEL 3 Continues: Medical treatment for wounds in Italy and GB, 1944: hospitalisation at Caserta; specialist treatment at Wingfield Morris Hospital, Oxford. Recollections of operations with 8 Platoon, 1 Coy, 5th Bn Coldstream Guards, Guards Armoured Div in North West Europe, 1944-1945: posting to unit at Nijmegen; organisation of Guards Armoured Div; role holding the line at Sittard, late 1944; German use of mines; rapid move to Namur, 24/12/1944; orders to check for Germans dressed as nuns; conditions in Reichswald Forest, early 1945; action in Wesel area, spring 1945; opinion of resistance from German 7th Parachute Div; memories of Ian Liddell's Victoria Cross action at canal at Lingen,3/4/1945; character of Germans who surrendered at Cuxhaven; disinclination of German POWs to obey orders. Recollections of operations with 3rd Bn Coldstream Guards in Palestine, 1946-1947: background to posting; need to control Jewish immigration; contrast in relations with Jews and Arabs; duties and role; imposition of martial law in Tel Aviv. REEL 4 Continues: opinion of Palestine Police; attempt of Jewish insurgents to dig tunnel under unit headquarters to blow them up. Aspects of operations with 2nd Bn Coldstream Guards in Malaya, 1948-1950: joining unit as adjutant at Tapah; question of professionalism of unit; commanding officer's policy anticipating Briggs Plan; character of terrain operated in; problems with wireless communication; role as adjutant. Period as ADC to Gerald Templer in Malaya, 1952-1953: background to becoming Templer's ADC; Templer's character; ADC duties. REEL 5 Continues: Various postings in Caribbean, 1956-1963: role as deputy assistant quartermaster general in Jamaica, 1956-1958; disturbances that took place; role of 1st Bn Coldstream Guards in British Guiana, 1963.