Various (Oral history)

British private with Royal Pioneer Corps in GB, 1985-1986; 144 Coy Royal Pioneer Corps attached to 8 Transport Regt Royal Corps of Transport in Germany, 1986; private and NCO with 187 (Tancred) Coy Royal Pioneer Corps in GB and Northern Ireland, 1989-1990; NCO served with 522 Coy Royal Pioneer Corps attached to Army War Graves Unit in GB, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Kuwait, 11/1990-1/1991; served with 187 and 521 Coys Royal Pioneer Corps in Northern Ireland and GB, 1991-1993; served with 518 Sqdn 23 Pioneer Regt Royal Logistics Corps in various places, 1993-1995; served with 25 Training Support Regiment Royal Logistic Corps in Deepcut, GB, 2001-2004

REEL 1 Background in Manchester, GB, 1964-1985: family; moves around Manchester; visits to Belle Vue; military background in family; siblings; family home; parents; education including problems with dyslexia and leisure activities in Collyhurst; desire to join army; attempt to join army at 15; joining of Territorial Army, 1982, including rejection from artillery; lack of interest in school and background to expulsion; civilian work including story of strike; activities with 5/8 King's Regiment; attachment with to 1st Battalion; joining of regular army including reason for joining Royal Pioneer Corps. Aspects of period as private with Royal Pioneer Corps in GB, 9/1985-2/1986: posting in and journey to Bassingbourn; reception on arrival including units present at Bassingbourn; details of section posted to; details of camp; treatment from NCOs including violent behaviour. REEL 2 Continues: opinion of reason for treatment; description of eating games and story of attempt to make Sellstrom eat faeces and punishment for refusal; other examples of treatment and question of complaint; homosexuality and homophobia in army; reactions to treatment received from NCOs; opinion of effect of treatment on black soldier; contact with female troops; destruction of recruits' rooms by NCOs; punishment for failing inspections; opinion of results of treatment; details of mutual beatings; marriage; reactions of mother and wife to his joining army; lack of contact with family during basic training; posting in Germany. Aspects of period as private with 144 Coy Royal Pioneer Corps attached to 8 Transport Regt Royal Corps of Transport in Germany, 3/1986-11/1986: details of MGM-52 Lance missiles transported; description of exercises including role and make-up of unit. REEL 3 Continues: description of Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Warfare suits; news of Corporal Dave Bumstead's death and reactions; Royal Pioneer Corps presence in Germany; attitude to Pioneers; role in unit; knowledge of Russian threat; length of time to put on Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Warfare suits; details of exercises including with other NATO nations; background to posting with 204 Signals Squadron; details of unit and reactions to posting with them; treatment from NCOs in 8 Transport Regiment including rations during exercises and story of falling asleep during sentry duty; description of defaulters parades; comparison of postings with 8 Transport Regiment and 204 Signals Squadron. Aspects of period as private and NCO with 187 (Tancred) Coy Royal Pioneer Corps in GB and Northern Ireland, 10/1989-11/1990: background to naming of company; detachments in Wilton and Mill Hill; posting to Northern Ireland, 1/1990; memories of and punishments from NCOs; details of camp in Kinnegar Logistic Base near Holywood. REEL 4 Continues: role of unit; situation in Northern Ireland; story of visit from MP and bombing of docks; details of junior troops; memories of Private Jack Rutherford; promotion to lance corporal; story of civilians stopped during patrol including available intelligence, communications and threat received; visits to pubs including attitudes to catholic community; sense of familiarity in Northern Ireland; story of receiving threats after escorting military family to Victoria Hospital and call for help including recognition of protestant and catholic civilians in Northern Ireland; opinion of British Army in Northern Ireland. REEL 5 Continues: potential for re-posting in Pioneer Corps; news of Iraq's invasion of Kuwait and reactions; escorting role in Northern Ireland; problems from snipers at Girdwood Barracks; story of bricks thrown at car in Belfast; story of troops waiting for mobile library; supply of equipment; details of casualties during tour and discussion of Private Lee Clegg's conviction for murder; training undertaken before start of tour; story of arguments before taking leave in Egypt; events and activities in Egypt including evacuation of westerners; reaction to not being posted to Gulf with majority of 187 Company; usual spread of pioneer companies; duties with mobile display team; reaction to posting with Army War Graves Unit. Aspects of period as NCO with 522 Coy Royal Pioneer Corps attached to Army War Graves Unit in GB, 11/1990-1/1991: description of and reactions to training films shown in Northampton; description of field training including use of animal remains; story of dental lecture; details of lecture on recovery of Falkland War casualties including memories of Charlie Leslie. REEL 6 Continues: opinion of training and decision to take photograph to Gulf; story of lecture from psychiatrist and attitude of troops; visits to Northampton morgue including description of autopsy witnessed and reactions of self and Phil Gill to it; question of being removed from unit if too affected by training; duties during period at Kineton including arguments with superiors; news of deployment; preparations for departure including fears and inoculations; flight to Saudi Arabia. Aspects of period as NCO with 522 Coy Royal Pioneer Corps attached to Army War Graves Unit in Saudi Arabia, 1/1991-2/1991: arrival and processing in Al Jubail; journey to and details of camp; make-up of unit; reception from lancers; improvements in accommodation; phone call with wife; description of morgue; memories of Larry McCormack. REEL 7 Continues: casualty expectations; story of complaint made about inoculation and subsequent effects; further inoculations given; recruitment for unit including details of Blackadder and Baldrick lines and details of pay; training of new recruits including climate; theft of wood for racks in morgue; comparison of US and British administration and rations; organisation and description of training with corpse for new unit members including incident caused by fans; importance of training with corpses; story of first casualty collected from Al Jubail hospital including problem with arms; question of removing clothes; processing of casualties; reason for personally viewing all casualties; death and processing of Major Edwards including reaction of one pioneer. REEL 8 Continues: work and morale of other Royal Pioneer Corps units in Gulf including opinion of officers; story of calming pioneer who reacted badly to body of Major Edwards; details of journey to recover body of Staff Sergeant Tite including night with Special Air Service unit; collection of Staff Sergeant Tite from US Grave Registration Unit including impressions of US troops; story of accidentally setting fire to vehicle and coffin; story of being surrounded and questioned by US troops including comparison of US and British officers; details of journey to Riyadh; experiences of Scud missile attacks in Riyadh including shelter taken and leisure activities; visit to Scud impact site including restrictions on photography and reaction of Saudi police. REEL 9 Continues: clearance of Scud impact sites; later talk with mother about bombing; visit to British Middle East Forces Headquarters; shopping in Riyadh; return to Al Jubail; reaction to better conditions in Riyadh; shortage of body bags in unit; details of and problems with replacement bags used; supply problems for unit; training received; details of Camp 4 in Al Jubail including accommodation, civilian workers and contact with wife; Saudi censorship of pornographic material; local mosques; training about deployment in Saudi Arabia; shopping in Al Jubail; differences in conditions for US and British troops and scenes and events at start of air war; impressions of US troops; concerns about possibility of chemical warfare; experience of wearing a Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Warfare suit; clothing worn while working. REEL 10 Continues: story of panic while putting on Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Warfare suits including problems with Ricky Saunders' suit; details and discussion of biological and chemical alarms; temporary disappearance of civilian workers; story of casualty from Royal Artillery patrol including collection from medics and opinion of medics' treatment of dead bodies; details of inoculations including effects of them and concerns of General Peter de la Billiere and troops; anti-malaria precautions; Salvation Army and Women's Royal Voluntary Service presence in Gulf; media availability; knowledge of war's progress including scenes of missiles; details of deployment and role; last minute changes to deployment; attachment to 4th Armoured Brigade; make-up of unit; preparations for deployment; painting of vehicles with Grim Reaper and orders to re-paint. REEL 11 Continues: further details of preparations for deployment; last contact with family. Aspects of operations as NCO with 522 Coy Royal Pioneer Corps attached to Army War Graves Unit in Iraq and Kuwait, 2/1991-3/1991: advance to join 4th Armoured Brigade, 23/2/1991, including period with 7th Brigade and scenes en route; description of unit vehicle and supplies carried including weapons and ammunition in unit; arrival with Royal Scots and problems with gaining meal; final journey to position including scenes in desert; climate and orders to remove windows; story of driving through minefield; scenes of Iraqi POWs and burning vehicles; question of who would deal with Iraqi casualties; make-up and role of 4th Armoured Brigade; story of message for officer including position in unit; details of friendly fire incident between British units and drivers with unit; types of casualty bags; setting-up of unit in field; story of losing body within vehicle. REEL 12 Continues: description of processing casualties in various states from friendly fire incident including reactions to situation, information input on computers and proximity to battle; second hand account of receiving friendly fire incident casualties; reactions of self and unit members to incident; problems with fitting bodies into bags and unprofessional results; dealing with personal items; process of returning casualties to GB; sealing of coffins and use of ballast; reaction to use of bin bags; opinion of training; passing on of casualties; problems with processing casualties; story of being mistaken for cookhouse; loading of casualties onto helicopter. REEL 13 Continues: further details of sending casualties to Al Jubail by helicopter; preparations for movement forward including shelter taken from fire; description of advance; details of attack from Iraqi forces including story of waking colleague up and British tank counter-attack; discovery of Iraqi bodies; obstacles en route and route taken to Kuwait; first contact with 4th Armoured Brigade Headquarters; problems with navigation; sounds of Iraqi withdrawal; changes made to vehicle interior; story of Royal Scots casualty processed including state of body and suspicions over cause of death; opinion of reason for keeping reason of death secret; story of request for information about Queen's Own Highlanders casualties; story of Royal Scot's request to talk with corpse of Private Haggerty. REEL 14 Continues: army attitude to Army War Graves Unit including story illustrating dehumanisation of role; navigation in desert; story of Iraqi dead buried by Royal Fusiliers; state of dead Iraqi tank crew including types of death; attitude of US War Graves Registration team to Iraqi dead; scenes and burial of Iraqi dead including destroyed Red Crescent field hospital, difficulties with recording and stories of playing with bodies; story of contact with journalists and comments made that were reported in The Independent. REEL 15 Continues: background to posting on Basra Road; scenes in Kuwait City including story of vehicle checkpoint and contact with civilian; scenes on approach to Basra Road including looting; count of Iraqi dead including difficulties in doing so; treatment of bodies; scenes on Basra Road; further details of looting including own attitude to it; drive through minefield; period with Northumberland Fusiliers including physical state of unit; news of official ceasefire and celebrations; discussion of attitude to Iraqi dead; daily routine; restrictions on movement in area; method of clearing Iraqi bunkers; contact with and state of Iraqi POWs; opinion of campaign; story of trashing the Iraqi Headquarters; processing of Iraqi dead. REEL 16 Continues: re-grouping of Army War Graves Unit teams; items gained in Kuwait; effects of oil well fires; problems getting weapons through Kuwaiti border; hand signals passed between unit and troops on convoys. Aspects of period as NCO with Royal Pioneer Corps in Saudi Arabia, 3/1991-4/1991: return to Camp 4 at Al Jubail and change in mental state; description of symptoms felt; story of going sick including reading of paperwork, 8/3/1991; reaction to having room door locked; experience of "floating" around camp; details of group sessions with Major Gilham; arguments between Army War Graves Unit teams and processing of bodies from air war including state of bodies and trick played on welders; description of send-off of bodies to RAF Brize Norton; story of handover of deceased female Yugoslavian sergeant. REEL 17 Continues: visit from Prime Minister John Major and reactions; visits from and opinion of General Peter de la Billiere; contact with media; personal reaction to photographs taken; opinion of work of Army War Graves Unit during 1991 Gulf War; question of debriefing; delay to return home including duties; return to GB and reception on arrival, 4/1991; decision to serve next in Northern Ireland; leave. Aspects of period as NCO with 187 Coy Royal Pioneer Corps in Northern Ireland and GB, 5/1991-8/1991: symptoms of stress and resulting alcohol consumption including description of nightmares; problems during rest and recuperation; reasons for not initially gaining help including story of visit to doctor; contact of wife, Debbie Sellstrom, with unit members; interview with sergeant major; posting to Northampton and interviews with officers including further details of alcohol consumption. REEL 18 Continues: further details of interview with commanding officer; visit to doctor; fear of being admitted to psychiatric hospital. Aspects of period as NCO with 521 Coy Royal Pioneer Corps in Northern Ireland and GB, 8/1991-11/1993: description and opinion of visits to army psychiatrist in Woolwich; story of having to confirm a soldier worked on war graves and scenes; experiences on hospital ward; posting to and duties with 521 Company in Bicester; news of award of British Empire Medal and reactions including awards given to War Graves and Pioneer Corps colleagues; period as dog handler in Cyprus, 1992-1993; formation of Royal Logistics Corps. Aspects of period as NCO with 518 Sqdn 23 Pioneer Regt Royal Logistics Corps in various places, 11/1993-12/1995: postings and duties in Falkland Islands and Belize, 1993-1994, including alcohol consumption and opinion of being unwanted; knowledge of post-traumatic stress disorder including involvement in video about the condition, 1992; details of posting with fuel unit; mental problems triggered by smell of fuel. REEL 19 Continues: details of psychiatric treatment received including refusal of drugs; story of accident following exercise at Otterburn; details of posting to Plotje in Croatia; news of posting to Bosnia. Aspects of period as NCO with 518 Sqdn 23 Pioneer Regt Royal Logistics Corps in Bosnia, Croatia and GB, 12/1995-9/1996: posting in Kupres; situation in area; duties including scenes in towns; scenes of graves in Sarajevo; drinking in Split; details of black market patrols and contact with US troops; comparison of Bosnia and Northern Ireland; relationship among different civilian groups; return to GB and symptoms of stress; posting to Territorial Army at Grantham, 9/1996-11/1998; duties training troops at Pirbright, 11/1998-11/2001; reputation of Deepcut Barracks; link of Deepcut to Royal Logistic Corps; background to gaining posting as provost sergeant at Deepcut. REEL 20 Continues: Aspects of period as NCO with 25 Training Support Regiment Royal Logistic Corps in Deepcut, GB, 11/2001-2004: role as provost sergeant; story of Private Hardcastle's collapse at Pirbright; reaction to incident and treatment received; problems suffered due to incident on arrival at Deepcut; location of sergeants' and officers' mess; sexual assaults and other incidents in and around Deepcut Barracks including background of recruits; details of Fijian drinking den in local woods; fighting among recruits; story of being told about sexual harassment by female soldier; problems with CCTV system; opinion of camp and Colonel Ron Laden; details of inquest into Private Geoff Gray's death and reaction of Colonel Ron Laden; make-up of guardroom staff; removal of name from call-out list; memories of Private James Collinson. REEL 21 Continues: earlier suicides during service and removal of name from call- out list; story of asking Private James Collinson to clean Norwegian containers including opinion of timings of guard duties; story of hearing about Private James Collinson's death; description of occurrence book and recording of Private James Collinson's death Deepcut's; description of dealings with media during subsequent weeks including incident with cameraman; discussion of involvement of Surrey Police and press; discussion of and reactions to Private James Collinson's death. REEL 22 Continues: changes made after death of Private Geoff Gray; details of Private James Collinson's death and discovery of his body; reactions to Private James Collinson's death; discussion of abuse and violence at Deepcut Barracks including background of troops; bullying and opinion of Private Shipley; story of suspected autistic soldier; story of reported assault in sergeants' mess and investigations; story of NCO's sexual activity with female private soldiers and punishment received; further details of sexual activity between NCOs and female private soldiers at Deepcut; discussion of NCOs and officers dismissed during service and lack of enforcing discipline; problems with racism including advice given to Asian private. REEL 23 Continues: opinion of possibility of being openly male and homosexual in army; own problems from dyslexia; homosexuality in units Sellstrom served with; discussion of homosexuality among female troops including opinion of reason for death of Private Cheryl James; changes at Deepcut Barracks following deaths of Privates Geoff Gray and James Collinson; examples of injustices witnessed for various offences; visit from families of Privates Geoff Gray and James Collinson including attempts at jumping fence and activities of Major Glossop; opinion of policy of not allowing families to visit sites of sons' deaths; discussion of problems created by shortage of NCOs. REEL 24 Continues: opinion of quality of NCOs; opinion of punishments given to NCOs abusing lower ranks including example of Corporal Leslie Skinner; background to posting to Aldershot and triggering of post-traumatic stress disorder during approach of 2003 Iraq War; treatment gained; return to Deepcut; attempts to discover reason for posting to Aldershot; attempts of army to retire Sellstrom; posting in butchery and triggering of post-traumatic stress disorder; reactions to treatment from army; illnesses suffered by veterans of Gulf War; continuing effects of post-traumatic stress disorder.