Interview with Ralph Downs Appleton

British officer served with 5th Bn Durham Light Infantry and 1/5th Bn Durham Light Infantry (54th Searchlight Regt) (TA) and 54th Searchlight Regt (Durham Light Infantry), Royal Artillery in GB, 1937-1940; served with 54th Searchlight Regt (Durham Light Infantry), Royal Artillery, 31st Anti-Aircraft Bde, 7th Anti-Aircraft Div in GB, 8/1940-12/1940; served as instructor with 237th Searchlight Training Regt, Royal Artillery in Northern Ireland, 12/1940-9/1942; served with Royal Artillery Battle Training School in GB, 9/1942-10/1943; served as instructor with Survey Wing, School of Artillery, Royal Artillery at Larkhill Camp, GB, 1944-1945; served with Flak Disarmament Branch, Royal Artillery in Norway and Germany, 1945-1946

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Norton, Stockton-on-Tees and Durham, GB, 1919-1939: family background including father's military service during First World War; social circumstances; question of religion; recreational activities; social circumstances; education at Bow Lane Preparatory School and Durham School in Durham, including Officer Training Corps training and annual camps; employment as articled surveyor, 1936-1939. REEL 2 Continues: awareness of approach of Second World War. Recollections of training as officer with A Coy, 5th Bn Durham Light Infantry at Norton Drill Hall, Norton, GB, 1937-1938: background to recruitment and commission; appraisal interview with Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Faber; opinion of various officers and senior NCOs; importance of sergeants' mess; relations with Other Ranks; support for Territorial Army from local companies; distribution and composition of unit; later story of deployment to defend Imperial Chemical Industries site with Lewis Gun, 3/9/1939; training role as platoon commander; nature of Norton Drill Hall; church parades; reaction to conversion of unit to searchlight unit, 1938. REEL 3 Continues: family influence; purchase of officer kit; relations with platoon sergeant and company officers; recruitment marches. Recollections of period as officer with 1/5th Bn Durham Light Infantry (54th Searchlight Regt) (TA) at Norton Drill Hall, Norton, 1938-1939: conversion of unit to searchlight unit; courses in searchlight operation; reaction of officers to conversion to searchlight unit; composition of unit, including method of operating searchlight and sound locator. Recollections of period with 1/5th Bn Durham Light Infantry (54th Searchlight Regt) and 54th Searchlight Regt (Durham Light Infantry), Royal Artillery, 31st Anti-Aircraft Bde, 7th Anti-Aircraft Div in GB, 9/1939-12/1940: duties role visiting section searchlight sites and problems driving in winter conditions; communications; importance of Flamborough Head for incoming German Air Force aircraft and role illuminating aircraft from sites at Bridlington; aircraft identification; operation and maintenance of Lister Generator and searchlight; absence of camouflage of sites; rations; speed of deployment of searchlight. REEL 4 Continues: question of fatigue; state of health; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; role of Army Territorial Service; relations with civilians; winter conditions of service and hutted accommodation; role of site NCO; increase in German Air Force raids during 1940; German Air Force raids on Bridlington; question of illuminating German Air Force aircraft; question of invasion threat after Dunkirk Evacuation, 5/1940-6/1940; story of German Air Force Junker Ju 88 bomber aircraft shot down by Royal Air Force and capture of air crew; question of cooperation with anti-aircraft guns. Aspects of period as officer with 237th Searchlight Training Regt, Royal Artillery in Northern Ireland, 12/1940-9/1942: quality of recruits; aptitude tests and assignment of tasks; role as training officer; internal security situation. REEL 5 Continues: attending light anti-aircraft courses; review of various training courses attended and postings in GB and Northern Ireland, 12/1940-9/1942. Aspects of period as instructor with Royal Artillery Battle Training School at Leighton Buzzard and Knighton, GB, 9/1942-10/1943: composition and role of unit; question of damages to requisitioned headquarters; relations with senior officers; role providing infantry training for Royal Artillery personnel; problems with Canadian Army troops; opinion of Bofors Gun; nature of infantry training; medical downgrading; period lecturing to various Royal Artillery units in GB, 1943-1944. Aspects of period as instructor with Survey Wing, School of Artillery, Royal Artillery at Larkhill Camp, GB, 1944-1945: use of sound ranging to detect mortar positions; teaching mathematics. Aspects of period with Flak Disarmament Branch, Royal Artillery at Trondheim, Norway and Germany, 1945-1946: role destroying German anti-aircraft guns and aircraft; medical problems; demolition of German anti-aircraft gun manufacturing capacity; state of Germany; demobilisation, 4/1946; effects of wartime military service.