Broomfield, Dennis (Oral history)

British driver served with 4th Div Petrol Coy, Royal Army Service Corps in GB and North West Europe, 1939-1940; served as NCO with 168 General Coy, RASC in North Africa, 1941-1942; served with 519 General Headquarters Car Coy, RASC in Egypt, 1942-1945

REEL 1 Recollections of background in Ashminsworth, 1917-1938: family circumstances; education as border at Lord Wandsworth College, ???, 1922-1935; work on poultry farm in Sussex, 1935-1938; learning to drive; background to enlistment into Royal Army Service Corps, 10/1938. Recollections of conditions of service, lifestyle and daily routine with Buller Squad, Buller Barracks, RASC Depot, Aldershot Barracks, ca 10/1939-12/1938: kitting out cleaning barrack rooms; food rations; drill; prior training with OTC at Lord Wandsworth College; rifle training; guard and picket duty; canteen; preparing for kit inspections. REEL 2 Continues: preparing for kit inspections; relationship with recruits, instructors and officers; football activities and success of RASC team; passing out parade. Driving training with 21 Coy, RASC at Colchester, 12/1938: hill start tests; double declutching; basic MT maintenance checks. Recollections of period with 57 Coy, RASC at Colchester, 12/1938-9/1939: nature of Thorneycroft lorry; role driving rations to regimental depots; story of transporting searchlights and being stopped by police; unusual army number; role driving ambulance for territorial training camps, 8/1939. REEL 3 Continues: role driving ambulance for territorial training camps, 8/1939; role collecting requisitioned motorcycles; call up of reservists and movements. Recollections of period with 4th Div Petrol Coy, RASC in France, 9/1939-15/1939: Channel crossing and landing at St Nazaire; move to Beauvais, Arras area; billets; organisation of unit and mT; role as commanding officer's despatch rider motorcyclist; problems with petrol tins leaking and superiority of German cans; move to Lille, 12/1939; convent billets; estaminets. Recollections of operations, 5/1940: role carrying Guards Division to Albert Canal sector, Belgium; story illustrating food supply problems during retreat; story of Stuka attack on main column; disbandment of unit and attachment to Black Watch; question of refugee problem on roads; destruction of vehicles. REEL 4 Continues: march to Bray Dunes. Recollections of evacuation from Bray Dunes, ca 1/6/1940-64/6/1940: digging in on sand dunes; German air attacks; personal morale; story of evacuation on paddle steamer sunk by German air attack; rescue by destroyer; story of being initially mistaken for German POWs on landing at Margate. Various postings in GB, 6/1940-2/1941: kiting out at Devizes; reformation of unit at Crewkerne; move to Winchester; disbandment of 4th Div and unit; period with RASC Holding Unit at Saltaire, 10/1940; role as weapons instructor; billets; role on promotion to corporal. Voyage with 168 General Transport Coy, RASC aboard Laconia to Port Suez, Egypt, ca 1/1941-2/1941: conditions; seasickness; route; news of fall of Singapore. Recollections of operations in Western Desert, 2/1941-1942: role transporting stores from Amariyah railhead to forward troops; sto ry of drivers getting drunk whilst transporting spirits. REEL 5 Continues: desert driving conditions and problems; sandstorms; lorry convoys and overnight laagers; Italian high level bombing raids; food rations; sea bathing; use of sun compass; loading stores and ammunition at Amariyah railhead; role carrying Indian troops and story of raid on Derna Airfield; story of attachment to Long Range Desert patrol Group during uneventful reconnaissance patrol in Quattarta Depression; attack of quinsy during Battle of Alamein, 10/1942-11/1942; hospitalisation and background to medical re-grading as B2 due to feet problems. REEL 6 Continues: background to medical re-grading as B2 due to feet problems. Recollections of period with 519 General Headquarters Car Coy, RASC based in Cairo, 1942-1945: background to posting; role as sergeant in charge of section of staff cars; preparation and types of staff cars; death of staff car driver during assassination of British ambassador; relationship with Egyptian civilians; role as RASC representative in administration of lottery draw for LIAP (Leave in Addition to Python); stories of driving Lord Louis Mountbatten; Generals Montgomery, Templer and Alexander; billets and sergeants' mess; relationship with Egyptians civilians; recreations. REEL 7 Continues: recreations; role driving for officers surveying war debris and minefields in Western Desert; return to GB and demobilisation, 12/1945. Post-war career: work as bus driver; work with animal charity; question of effects of war service; membership of Dunkirk Veterans Assoc.